Selfsufficientish.com

Think Red has hit the nail on the head - it is a minefield - and whatever anyone does, there will always be an argument against it. Hope I have at least highlighted what a dilemma it is. Thanks for the info Mr F - and I think you have proved my point. TBH, I will probably still avoid leather shoes!...

I honestly think that leather (the standard stuff, nothing fancy) is a by product and if nto used, would be thrown away. Ethical shopping, for want of a better phrase, is a minefield. you could opt for cotton shoes.. but then what chemicals were used.. you could opt for organic fairtrade cotton, bu...

Do a little research on the commerical tanning process for leather and the amount of chemicls used (trivalent chromium sulphate, sodium sulphide, sodium sulfhydrate, arsenic, cyanide, ammonium sulphate etc). Now figure in the amount of water, feed and petrol used to grow and transport the cow, not t...

I remember speaking to a woman at a NYE party years ago who was wearing a striking skirt made of different materials all sewn together in the most intriquing and flattering way. When asked about it, she explained that she had made the skirt herself (and the rest of her outfit as well, which was quit...

One could start pestering the webmasters for a 'mobile skin' so one can use their PDA/mobile phone to read and post to 'ish. I know I do that for a couple of other messageboards... Imagine running across a problem or idea in the allotment or being out for a walk and then pulling out the phone and po...

I like Martin's advice but not tried Tiscali. Can I suggest plusnet? I've been with them for about six months and no trouble at all. More to the point a VERY particular (ie will complain if any little thing is wrong) friend likes them. £10 a month for 1GB download suits me for browsing for hours a...

That photo actually when you look at it, the hedge has recently been cut back so it can't be completely abandoned can it. Apparently, there is a kind of caretaker that lives in one of the houses but the other is abandoned. The houses were holiday homes for wealthy. The locals and caretaker does a l...

I've noticed my local supermarket now puts 'air-miles' stickers on vegetables/fruit/veg flown in from far away places, which makes it easier to spot them and put them back on the shelf in favour of local or near-er products.

Astounding houses abandoned for years.

Some amazing works of art just sitting there, some with furniture still in.



Lots more here:
http://englishrussia.com/?p=1808#more-1808

In the United States "The Good Life" was retitled "Good Neighbors", to avoid confusion with a short-lived American sitcom of the same name.

Confused the heck out of me after I grew up watching it in the US in one name and then moved to the UK where its a different name!

Not everything you plant will grow. You'll be thinning out, slugs will help themselves, birds and bad weather can take its toll on your crop. Its always better to plant too much and have lots to give away or use in canning/preserving than to not have enough, provided you have the garden space. If it...

I believe the protocol is thusly: If you think someone may be from either Oz or Kiwiland then its' best to ask them if they are from New Zealand as most Ozzies are not offended if they are confused with a Kiwi whereas most Kiwis are offended to be mistaken as an Ozzie. Also, if you think someone may...

I usually buy the Sosmix sausge mix as its easy to add your own herbs and spices to your liking. Very cost effective, too. If you want to make your own from scratch its really just a question of mixing mashed cooked beans with breadcrumbs and other ingredients and making sausages out of them. Here's...

I control weeds with my flamethrower! http://www.ferndale-lodge.co.uk/im/pd/SUFLA13391_2.jpg With repeated applications, the weeds give up and stop trying to push through. Another way is to simply cover the area with opaque plastic sheeting or old carpet for a few months or an entire season which sh...

How I learned to make wine is to cheat and buy those kits where its all pretty much pre-measured for you and the grape juice is provided etc. Its a good way to learn the mechanics of winemaking at home and still produce drinkable wine. The kits make very passable wine as good as the cheap plonk at t...