This is a subject many have walked away from and others champion.  What is it with big brand companies in that they have to, in the modern term, ‘Big up’ their products with packaging.  This is like a man using socks to big up a minor point in the trouser department.  If a product is so good, does it need packaging that is three to four times larger than the product?  I watched the television today only to see a company advertising a white tooth product being promoted in a box at least three times the size of the tube containing the white paste.  Now I am not one to look too deep into the psychology of the media but…I leave that thought with you.
I ramble and my thoughts go to the plastic bag.  We, as a country, have been lured into a place of decay caused by the convenient plastic bag handed out FREE to all who want it yet these bags will out last us, our children and at least 30 more generations. And for what?  Convenience.  Three billion times. We should all be holding our heads in shame for such destruction.  Or should we?  Did we know how long the bags would last, did we care? All very hard questions and easy to judge now so what to do?  Well, reusing bags, buying bags for life, using pockets as I do ( make sure you have the receipt) are all ways of making a difference.  Be bold, try it to make the world a safer place for those who  follow.  After all we are the custodians of this small, beautiful planet.

Being the time of colds and congestion, thoughts turn to mass produced medicines but why not try out plants from the garden.  A small window box planted up and placed in a sunny window will suffice is no garden space is available.  Collecting from trees or visiting the local herb shop will also provide the parts of the mix needed to produce healthy, cold busting steams and poultices.

Chamomile, sage, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, Melissa, peppermint mint, rosemary, and thyme are all easy to grow herbs and a walk in the woods or down the high street will provide basil, cedar wood, eucalyptus leaves, geranium leaves (scented), hop flowers, orange peel, pine tree sap, and rose petals to make up a wonderful collection to experiment with.

A mix of boiling water, a pinch of thyme, eucalyptus leaves, geranium leaves and rosemary will provide a great decongestant and room freshener.  The use of pine, lavender and hop flowers will get anyone moving if soaked in hot water, drained and placed in a cotton bag to hang near a bed or around the neck.  Just make sure the contents have cooled down first.  After a few hours the contents can be burnt on a home fire or put into the compost bin whilst the bag can be reused later.

Cedar wood is great for keeping moths at bay and helpful for congestion if a piece is kept under or to the side of the bed. Experiment with the above natural products to make a scent you like but remember these are for external use only.   Go to a trained and qualified herbalist near you for drinks and potions.  Go to
www.nimh.org.uk for a herbalist near you in the UK or look up international herbalist on the WWW.

Not the sort of subject to talk about at the start of the year but with this month being the peak of deaths, and around 600,000 in the UK a year alone, there is growing pressure on grave yards in the country. Many councils are resorting to burials above existing bodies to save space, but this causes upset to surviving relatives when they turn up to find the grave open and the head stone removed to the side of the grave yard.

Of the 600,000 people passing away over 70% are cremated. Yet this causes mercury pollution from the filling of teeth being vaporised, takes 23 litres of oil, which in turn produces other harmful gasses including formaldehyde and hydrogen chloride. The atmosphere and ground water, local residential areas or farm land are contaminated over a wide area around the crem.

So what is the green option? Well a green burial is an option in your own back garden if large enough, or at one of the 225 green burial sites throughout the UK. They range from very basic fields in to which the body is buried with a tree, bush or shrub planted above. The body provides nutrients for the tree and eventually woodland in which to walk, sit and plan your own funeral. Others have buildings in which a short service can be held if raining outside. Many have long meandering drives to slow down the cortège and make people feel calm and at peace. A word of caution about being buried in your own garden is it must be registered with the local council who have the right to stop a burial if they have health concerns so a woodland site is safer.

Costs are equal to a basic funeral or cremation yet give something back to the environment and those who follow with developments of woodlands around the country that will be managed and tended to help both human and wildlife visitors. If you still want a church yard burial or cremation think about having a tree planted either by the woodland trust (www.woodland-trust.org) or www.treesforlife.org

For green funerals look at www.naturaldeath.org.uk www.naturallendings.co.uk www.memorialwoodlands.com