It's for charidee, mate

I feel like I'm sitting on a big green secret.

What saves stuff going to landfill, raises money for good causes, and lets you shop at rock-bottom prices?

Answer - charity shops.

But, I hear you groan, they're always full of tat and just for old ladies. But no! There are five charity shops within walking distance of my house and I use them for all sorts of stuff.

The trick is to change your expectations of what you buy. So shiny and new is best, right? Why? After you've used something a few times, it'll look just the same as if you'd bought it from the local Oxfam. And if you break / lose/ spill red wine all over you expensive new purchase, you'll be kicking yourself, right? Not if you bought it for 40p from Save the Children. I just think of it as a donation and go back and buy something else. Or of I get something home and don't like it, again it's a donation, and I take the offending item back to the same shop (or another one if I'm too embarrassed) for them to sell to someone else who might like it better.

Some of the best things to buy from charity shops are:

• jeans. They've already done all their stretching/shrinking, so you know that if they fit now, they'll always fit. The shops check what they're given and won't sell on a pair that are worn or torn in places you don't want them to be.
  
• books. Do you need your books to be shiny and unthumbed? Try your local charity shop and you may pick up something you'd never have spotted in Waterstones. I found a fascinating book about Napoleon's imprisonment on St Helena - something I never would have found in a 'proper' book shop.
  
• games and toys. Brightly coloured plastic easily outlives its useful life with one child. And if you buy it secondhand, you don't have to feel quite so bad about the oil that went into its production.
  
• basics. Let's face it, you'll never find high-fashion items here. But basics like T-shirts, sweaters and trousers don't go out of style and by buying these at rock-bottom prices, you get to save money for your next purchase of break-the-bank organic fairtrade shoes.
  

Try it. Teach yourself to rummage (it's just like the sales) and who knows, you could be like my friend Tansy who found a wedding dress (worn just once) for 99p in Oxfam (see it here).

To read more about cheap ethical fashion, see my article for myvillage.com

To find your nearest charity shop, visit the Association of Charity Shops

Energy saving lightbulbs and other no-brainers

There's a light in my living room that we had a dimmer switch put on when we moved in, to give the room a little 'ambience' (this was when there wasn't a screaming two year old running around the place). As a committed low-energy bulb fan I've always used them there, but was constantly frustrated by the fact that the bulb flickered when we tried to dim it. As a result we only ever have the light on full or off, which sort of defeats the point.

A friend eventually told me that this was a common problem, and was something to do with the way energy saving lightbulbs are made (please don't post a comment explaining the technology). I just shrugged and decided to put up with it. After all, we hardly use the overhead light in there anyway.

But now it seems my problems are solved. Some bright spark (I had to get that in there somewhere) has brought out the Megaman, the first energy saving lightbulb that works with dimmer switches. Hurray! I'll be going out to buy one, even if the name is excruciating. You can get them at The Green Shop.

So why are energy saving lightbulbs such a no-brainer? Well, to my mind a green no-brainer is something that is environmentally-friendly and saves you time and money, or maybe makes your life easier. Energy saving lightbulbs hardly ever need changing (time), cost less over time cos you buy less of them (money), and are good for the planet too (using 80% less electricity - which saves you money too). Anyone still not using must literally be on another planet.

There are other no-brainers too. Only putting as much water in the kettle as you need - that watched pot really will boil quickly! Using soap instead of plastic-packaged handwash - cheaper, greener, lasts a lot longer so less shopping. And charity shops - if you’re good at rummaging.

There are other things which some people may consider no-brainers but others might not, as they don't hit all the buttons. Composting - lots of free compost, lovely healthy flowers, less going to landfill - but more effort maybe? Walking short distances - cheaper, gets you fit, but is more effort, I admit. Travelling by train - much more pleasant than sitting behind the wheel in my book, but can be more expensive if you don't book ahead. I could go on.

But if you can't face any extra cost or effort, at least an energy saving lightbulb is the place to start. And the politicians will love you for it too.