Every day we make choices that affect the world around us, but often we are too busy to think our choices through, and I’m as guilty of that as anyone. 

As a busy mother of two children, I have often used products to make my life easy such as convenience food and harsh cleaning products, and I have tried to save money by buying cheaply produced food and clothes. 

Now that both of my children are in school I’m starting to think about the ethical choices I have made, and I’ve decided I want to change. 

I still need life to be easy, but not at any cost. There are modern conveniences I’m not prepared to give up. Sometimes I will still resort to convenience food, I’m not likely to start baking my own bread anytime soon or give up my car and my microwave is still going to see a lot of use. 

I’m glad we have so many modern conveniences to make our life easier, but I worry about the future too. How are the choices we are making now going to affect our planet long term? How much do I personally harm the planet? How many people and animals do I cause harm? How much pollution am I causing? 

I have started on a journey to find out the answers to these questions. I will explore the ethical issues that surround us every day, issues most of us may not even be aware of.  

I am not going to suggest that we all become self-sufficient vegans who cycle everywhere in clothes of hemp (although if you want to that’s great)!  

What I will do is look at solutions that enable us to enjoy a modern lifestyle whilst living as ethically as possible. One person’s idea of ethical living might not be another’s, there will be no easy answers here. You will still have to make your own choices. 

I will explore global issues and offer local solutions. In our local community, we have many businesses, projects and community groups that encourage ethical living. Supporting them is a very practical way of living ethically and a great way to improve our local community, and I will be writing about what is on offer. 

For instance, when I started on my journey a short while ago I went to a Green Café evening at Leaf Hall in Seaside Rd. It’s held once a month and is a place where people can have dinner together and discuss green issues. I was very nervous to be going alone. I took a book in case no one spoke to me, but I needn’t have worried! I met people from various projects, and the following week I was a signed up committee member of Edible Eastbourne. It’s a couple of months later and I am now a founder member of an Incredible Edible project in Pevensey Bay. What a difference it has made to my life already, and I look forward to sharing my ethical adventures with you!

Yours,

Helen Burton,

The Lazy Ethicist X