On Saturday we went down to London's South Bank to the National Theatre where The Alternative Village Fete was happening. It was a breezy, cool afternoon, perfect for gallivanting by the river. I loved it.

There were the Wild Hunt Bedlam Morris.

Kids and parents were busily making monsters from veg.

And there was the opportunity to write a letter to a politician to let them know what you think about climate change.

             
This morning I was thinking about this post and thought I needed a photo to illustrate. I knew if I walked outside my door it would only take a minute or so to complete the task. And sure enough there was a McDonalds cup stuck in a shrub and garbage all over the pavement.

The amount of litter in all its shapes and forms on the pavements, in the streets, hedges and grassy verges of Hackney is mind-boggling. I am well and truly stunned. It's not just Hackney either--although it is particularly bad here. London generally is awash with litter. People here have no compunction about dropping cans, bags, bits of food, etc etc on the ground. I suppose they think someone else will pick it up for them.

For the non-litterers amongst us, those of us who hate litter and would never drop anything on the ground, litter is more than an eyesore. It's a sign of laziness and apathy. People don't seem to care about their communities, we think, to them, it's just a big bin.

So what to do about it? Littering used to be anathema. Litterers were scolded. The received wisdom was littering was a disgusting thing, done by disgusting people. No more. It seems littering is ok now. Why?

There's been a lot of talk recently about belt-tightening as fuel, electricity and food bills skyrocket. Many publications have been coming out with their top money saving tips and I've put together a few of my own combining saving money and becoming greener at the same time.

1- Buy what you need. We all have the tendency to overdo it at the grocery store and wind up spending a lot more than intended. Today's markets are designed to throw temptation in our paths. So you go in with a short list and come out with all sorts of extras.

According to studies, we throw out nearly 30% of the food we buy. By sticking to your grocery list, buying what you need, you'll save money. First off, you won't put 30% of your weekly shop in the bin, which is just like flushing money down the toilet. Additionally, buying what you need, not overshopping means less food and packaging going to landfill. That's good for you and the planet.

I'd suggest doing smaller, more frequent shops (taking the bus or walking to the shop). Filling up the fridge to the brim means by the time you get to some of the bits and pieces you've bought, they'll have rotted or gone off and wind up in the bin.

2- Eat more veg, less meat. My husband hates tofu and complains bitterly that we don't eat more meat. Despite the moaning, he never turns up his nose at my vegetarian meals. In fact he devours them. Veg is cheaper than overpriced, fatty meat that you find in the big chain grocers. Supermarket meat tends to be pretty disgusting, tasteless and pumped full of chemicals and dyes. Think about getting some of your protein elsewhere. Try tofu or beans, both of which are cheaper and healthier than the majority of supermarket meat. I'm not saying go vegetarian, but diversify. Get more variety in your diet rather than going for the meat and potatoes option. If you go for meat, I'd buy it from a butcher. Eat less of it, but spend a little more on what you do eat.

If you are looking for inspiration check out 101 Cookbooks a food blog by Heidi Swanson. I find her recipes to be delicious and quite easy.

3- Plan your meals. Having an idea of what you're going to do with all the food you buy will help reduce waste. Go to the grocery store with a few ideas of what you're going to cook that week and buy accordingly. It's simple, but effective.

4- Cook your own food. There are a lot of reasons why cooking your own food is good for you and your wallet. Avoiding expensive, fatty, salty and chemical-filled ready meals can only be a good thing. Today there are about a zillion online resources for recipes, so there really is no excuse not to get cooking. You'll save money and all those plastic ready meal packages will stay out of the landfill.

5- Pack your lunch. Once you've cooked your own meal, save some of it, whack it in a container and bring it into work for lunch. Again, you save money and have a nutritious meal. Take your lunch outside, eat it then go for a walk. It's a no brainer.

So there you go. Easy ideas for saving money, eating healthier and becoming a little greener. If anyone has any tips, I'd love to hear them!

The worms tell me they are not pleased by the election of B Johnson to the mayoralty of London. They think he is a fat, flatulent git. They are preparing for the worst--buying worm-sized masks to wear when the mayor repeals the congestion charge and London is clogged with diesel and petrol fumes and it is even more difficult to breath than it already is.

I've grasped the nettle and used my Sunday afternoon to get some gardening done. Well it's not really proper gardening, really messing about with some pots on my balcony. I've  planted tumbling tomatoes, said to be good for growing in a pot, basil and some nasturtiums--the empress of India variety (red). At the moment the toms and basil are living on my bookshelf ( a sunny spot) until they are sturdy enough to go outside. The nasturtiums are outside, but I may bring them in. The weather here in London has been quite cold of late. All seeds have been doused with worm juice. Fingers crossed.