Fair-trade goods help to support workers in third world economies, their higher wages can mean the difference between being able to send a daughter to school and not, or being able to afford medicine when someone in the family is ill. Yet, only a small percentage of retailers stock fair trade, this lack of participation is often blamed on lack of customer demand. We challenge Anna Flavell to hold a fair trade coffee morning, that will encourage her friends and family to choose fair trade products in future.

Sarah Ventress, Local Project Manager for Withington is doing her Christmas Shopping! Sarah is setting herself the challenge of getting her whole shopping list from Withington, Chorlton, Didsbury and Fallowfield and nothing from the City Centre.

Sarah is an alumni blogger, writing about becoming a vegetarian earlier on in the year, you can check her last challenge out here

Read for inspiration.  If you’re interested in having a sustainable Christmas, why not get in touch with Ali Thomas ali.thomas@afsl.org.uk, AfSL’s Local Project Manager for Chorlton, who is running a series of workshops and events around the theme. Read more here

We challenge Andrea Harris to make and trial home-made cleaning products!  We’ve given her a ‘recipe book’ of washing powders kitchen cleaners and stain removers to try out.  Andrea is going to be letting you know whether they’re any good, whether it’s worth the hassle, what’s good, what’s bad and just exactly why using natural home-made cleaning products is better for the environment than using off-the shelf chemical alternatives. Good luck Andrea!

If you’d like to download our pamphets, please click here. These pamphlets were made by one of AfSL’s Local Project Managers, Natalie.

More information on green household products is available at http://www.afsl.org.uk/household too!

The Energy Academy will work with communities in South Manchester, helping you to make energy savings.  AfSL’s Communications Volunteer, Fiona Stewart investigates how to save energy in a technology savvy home.  iPods, Macs, external hard drives, printers, monitors … and that’s just the understairs cupboard!  Catch up with Fiona’s exciting blog to find out how you two can make savings for planet and pocket.

Ever blogged before? It’s kind of like writing a diary, only one that everyone can see.  Being a vegetarian is exceedingly good for the planet, numbers of vegetarians in the UK are rocketing as more people take an ethical stance on food. 

But, when you’ve snacked on meat all your life, is it possible to alter your diet?  Action for Sustainable Living will be tempting Sarah Ventress, meat eater of 22 years with many an organic bacon buttie whilst she endeavours to become vegetarian for good.

Ever blogged before? It’s kind of like writing a diary, only one that everyone can see. Action for Sustainable Living challenges Lucy Flintoff, a 24 year-old architecture student living in South Manchester, to recycle as much of her home waste as possible for a fortnight.

We’re hoping Lucy will show us the way with some resourceful ideas on how to recycle as much waste as humanly possible!

Ever blogged before? It’s kind of like writing a diary, only one that everyone can see. We’ve challenged Michael Kelly, Integrated Services Coordinator at Failsworth School and vocalist with music group HeavyFeet, to take the AfSL Big Blog Challenge.

Michael’s Big Blog Challenge is called Moving into the Fast Lane.  Michael bought his first bike in September 2008 after joining the Oldham MBC Cycle Scheme. However, only recently has he begun riding his bike to and from work on a daily basis. Look forward to lots of great tips about cycling in Manchester and beating the rush hour traffic!