Ramsbottom Online

Hibernation…

So our lovely white Christmas is over and we're stuck in the deep midwinter. Life has reverted back to its old routine, with the additional pleasures of unheated buses and slippery pavements.

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Manchester madness

I've been panicking about not having bought any Christmas presents, so - at the request of a relative for something very specific from Marks & Spencer - I went in with my best friend on Sunday.

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Loose ends

I've been writing this blog for a few months now and, whilst I've been writing a newsletter at work for the past 5 years, I have to say my Ramsbottomonline experience has been great. So far I've covered a range of random topics, each linked in some way to trying to be a bit greener.

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Plastic bags

I mentioned in a previous post that it would be good to think about plastic bags, having been out walking along the Irwell Valley Way and noticed how many bags were caught up in tree branches and along the banks of the river. A few people agreed that they are a problem. The question is, what to do about it?

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Keeping Rammy’s Character

I noticed a few comments where people have been concerned about the frontage of the new discount store in Ramsbottom. I agree completely - sadly, we're unable to do much about the supermarkets and their love of illuminated plastic signage, but at least they're off the main street. The vast majority of businesses on Bridge Street and Market Street are in keeping with the area and look attractive.

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They’re not all bad…

I’m currently researching the whole ‘plastic bag free’ issue and will be writing a blog about that very soon. In the meantime, I intend to carry on doing what I’m doing (taking my collection of jute bags with me on my Saturday morning shop).

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Out and About

Firstly, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who's been commenting on the blogs about land share. And it's always good to know there are like-minded people concerned about issues like plastic bags littering our lovely countryside. Talking of lovely countryside, I enjoy walking and getting out and about as much as I can. Wednesday and Thursday last week were so fabulously sunny that it nearly killed me going into work. Being deskbound in Manchester is pretty uninspiring at the best of times. But when the weather's lovely and autumn is in the air it's miserable to sit on the bus and head out of the hills for the day.

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More land sharing….

Continuing with the subject of land sharing, I had a comment (thanks Kate) suggesting a community garden in Nuttall Park. It’s interesting how once you start looking you notice just how many patches of unused ground there are. Allotments are like gold dust at the moment; some councils seem to be more militant about neglected-looking plots [...]

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Land share

Like many people in this area, I live in a Victorian terrace. I love the house but unfortunately I have a back yard the size of a postage stamp. Last year I put my name down with the council for an allotment. 18 months later and I’m still 20th on the waiting list. So while I wait I’ve [...]

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And yet another supermarket is built…

In my amateur attempts to live greener, I decided a few years ago to become less reliant on supermarkets and to shop local. This was partly down to reading Shopped by Joanna Blythman. It gave me an insight into the effects supermarkets are having on their suppliers, the environment, our high streets and our diets. Don’t [...]

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The Witch Way season ticket – proceed with caution

Back in January I got really ill and was off work for ten weeks. I started off feeling a bit under the weather and ended up with anaphylaxis. Something nasty had got into my system (turns out it was from the Christmas tree – I’d grappled with it and either pine sap or preserving chemicals [...]

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