You can't sit with us! Excluded from environmentalism

Most environmentalists consider the start of the movement to be with the writing of Silent Spring in the 60's. From then on, it was mainly a left wing movement focused on protecting the natural world from increasing human encroachment. 

However, as we move into the 21st century and the problems of pollution, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity can be clearly seen in our lives day to day; I think it's high-time that the environmental movement changes direction. Traditionally and continuously, this area of thought continues to be dominated by left wing, towny, middle class people with a certain set of views and ideologies. I often find it ironic ,that this movement be championed by those who are often most separate from it. I also find it ironic and disappointing that the people who should be most engaged with environmentalism and sustainability seem to be absent from this conversation. Environmental issues should be the biggest concern of people of all classes who live and work in the countryside, though I often don't hear their voice?

I know why this is. Environmentalism and the preservation of the natural world has often led to a marginalization of people from the countryside as they come under fire for farming, hunting, shooting, trapping etc. 

This has led to a massive divide, a weakened movement and the inability for us,especially in Britain, to make any real headway on important issues. If you disagree, then ask yourself this question, how often do issues around environmentalism, animal rights or biodiversity actually involve the government, public and charities working with farmer and landowners? Not often. Mostly they involve criticizing practices, trespassing on land or just generally complaining. 

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. 

For me, this is such a shame. There are so many issues that could be improved by compromise and working together and including different people in the environmental movement. People that live in the  countryside, who are right wing or conservative need to be included in this conversation because it effects all of us. Environmental issues shouldn't be exclusively discussed by people of a certain political orientation, we all eat the same food, drink the same water and breath the same air. 

Nearly 2000 dairy farms have closed since 2013 and whether you agree with consuming dairy or not this is an important issue. Keeping British farming alive and supporting domestic food production should be a concern to all environmentalists. I think its about time these conversations about sustainability, carbon emissions, animal welfare and biodiversity included everyone, especially the custodians of our countryside. 

Beauty subscription box review - Cruelty free and organic beauty

My May Love Lula beauty box came! Woop Woop! My little monthly delivery of cruelty-free and organic delights! I won't go into details about Love Lula subscription boxes because I've already done a post on them, I just wanted to share this months treats!

So what's in the box?

The first thing that caught my eye, was the Organic Bulgarian Rose Water. This is made in Bulgaria, organically grown and ethically harvested, while also not being tested on animals! Pretty cool huh? I've always been a fan of Rosewater, especially as the weather is heating up it's nice to have something to refresh my skin to hand. This can also be used as a toner, which is good as I've been considering trying the ten step Korean skincare routine but have had trouble finding a toner. Most of them even when they are cruelty-free are full of chemicals so I was delighted that this only contains distilled rosewater and nothing else. It's much stronger than any other rosewater I've ever used and I wouldn't recommend it if you are sensitive to the smell of roses.

This month there was also a tub of Lyonsleaf Calendula and Marshmallow Balm handmade in England. This is a pretty high-quality product made with herbs, beeswax and pure plant oils; but it isn't really for me. I have been rubbing some of my little dry elbows and it does moisturise them quite well but I'm not a big fan of balms.

The box also contained PHB anti-ageing eye gel which I'm excited to try as I really like PHB and think they are very underrated. It contains argan oil and rock rose... I'm not sure what rock rose is but I assume it's a rose that grows on a rock. 

Saving the best till last! This month my favourite product in the box was a light brown eyeshadow from Bellapierre in the shade Lava. I've been thinking more recently about natural makeup and putting fewer toxins on my face through cosmetics. This such a beautiful colour, I really like that they have put such easy where colour in a beauty box. It's a loose powder so it's easy to blend and build as well, I love it because it compliments my eye colour well. 

Love Lula.

Fitness, diet and mental health

Now, as it is apparently mental health awareness week I thought I would pipe up and join in. I have a lot of opinions on this subject, but, I want to keep this positive and relatively uncontroversial so I just thought I would write about the importance of daily exercise and eating healthy for people with mental health issues.

Personally, I've never been a believer in the separation between body and mind which is one of the reasons my fitness and health journey is so important to me. The two are, inextricably linked and separating the two is at best detrimental. If your mind is sick then your body is too and vice versa, I don't believe that anyone can heal one without the other, which is why fitness and health is so important.

If you put bad food and drink in your body and do no exercise, you cant expect to not suffer mentally. Fast food, take away, sweets etc are filled with carcinogens bad fats additives and high levels of sugar that are bodies have to struggle to process. Although we are tricked to believe that bad food like this is actually a 'treat' it is essentially poison in your body.

 WOHA that sounds extreme... no not really. When you eat strange food that we are not designed to eat of course this will have a massive effect on physical and mental health.

For me, it was this that fulled my desire to live a healthier lifestyle. If I was honest with myself (as I think a lot of people need to be) I spent years feeling poorly with aching joints sleepy, a bad stomach headaches panic attacks feeling low for periods of time while my eyesight deteriorated etc. I just thought people felt like that and so I excepted it. This might sound extreme but I think a lot of people experience similar things but just ignore it. The turning point for me was after much nagging from my mum while having to have an operation on my leg, I decided to change my lifestyle.

So in 2014, I stopped eating wheat and dairy and to be honest I've never looked back. It was at this time I also stopped smoking and going out drinking as much, while taking up going to the gym occasionally. This was such a lifestyle change for someone who used to sneak off in PE to smoke! Now this wasn't something I decided overnight and it took ages to actually get into the habit of doing these things but it really was worth it. Now, I'm not saying that I'm perfect or that all of my aches and pains are gone, but it really has changed my life for the better. I have only lost a couple of pounds over the years but that is not the reason I work out and stay active and eat healthy. I do it because it makes me happy and happiness is the best medicine of all.

If any of you follow me on Instagram I'm sure you have been plagued by my fitness posts and seen the changes and things I've tried over the years. Looking forward I'm hoping to cut out all inflammatory foods or as near as I can get to that and eat seasonally, but there really is no one size fits all approach. Your fitness and health journey is your journey and don't let people tell you otherwise or try and bring you down about it.

If anyone is struggling this week, with mental health issues whatever they may be I really think taking care of your physical health can be an amazing place to start. Good organic food, a cup of hot almond tea and a walk in the countryside can help anything. Nourishing your body and giving it the fuel and stability it needs to heal is so important.

What I dont like about vintage shops

OK, yes this seems a bit contradictory for a lover of vintage and slow fashion to be writing a post about not liking vintage shops but there are a few things about them that really grind my gears. 

The springing up of vintage shops over the last 10 years has run alongside the abdication of any new good fashion trends. We have entered the era of anything goes. The directionless era of meaninglessness. So now as we fail to come up with anything good enough to become a proper trend, (apart from cheap fashion brands propensity to use less and less fabric till the word clothing becomes obsolete); we have instead started to look back, to eras where clothes were better made and had style. 

Que the springing up of countless vintage shops in every town across the country. Now I do love vintage, I don't think you can beat a good vintage piece reworked in a modern way, to create an outfit all of your own. However, when I go into vintage shops quite a few things bother me.

The first thing is the price, now yes I know there is the odd vintage haunt that still seems to respect that they are selling second-hand clothing but most don't. No, Margret, I'm not paying £55.00 for a stained Levis Jacket or £40.00 for some mad 80's shirt that still stinks of fags. Like WTF? These are the cast-offs from years gone by and you haven't even bothered to wash them or organise them. No just stop.

Another thing that bothers me, is the people that work in these places who trail around charity shops picking up the best vintage finds that Nana donated after her sister died, scoop it all up and then double the price and sell it as vintage in theirs. Yes, maybe it is a good way of making money for them, but it has made charity shops raise their prices and it's bullshit. 

The last thing that bothers me, is that the staff in these shops don't seem to do any work. Yes, I know this is a little harsh and ranty but why don't they seem to be able to pick stuff up off the floor? Nothing is organised, or sized properly and it smells. Now I won't turn my nose up at something in a charity shop if it has a bit of a smell, but when you are selling something on, at double the price, wash it and sew up any holes. All the staff in these places seem to have the time to jibber jabber on about their personal problems to poor unsuspecting teenagers who wander in just hoping to find some booty shorts, but this is meant to be a business get organising and displaying your stock!