The Trouble With Sustainability

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Having coffee with an old friend in Brighton’s North Laine recently, the conversation quickly, and inevitably, turned to the climate crisis. Many of my conversations do these days, especially when discussing my small business, the Brighton Socks Company. My friend and I agreed, without question, on the need for sustainability across the business. But what happened next took me by surprise.

“What do you actually mean by sustainability?” my friend asked, with genuine curiosity and a hint of devil’s advocacy. The question, loaded with trepidation and intrigue, sat silently in the otherwise bustling café for just a little longer than I would have liked. Here I was, running a “sustainable” business, yet struggling to articulate a suitable response. So I did what I normally do when faced with a conundrum and reached for my phone – before nose diving down an internet rabbit hole.

The dictionary defines sustainability as “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level” or “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” Simple enough, yet when applied to the messy realities of running a business, I had a sense that these rather basic definitions may quickly reveal their limitations. My search continued.

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Children’s Gardening Week, butterflies and beautiful salads

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24 May – 1 June 2025
 www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk
 www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay

Children’s Gardening Week arrives as May gives way to June, when the garden has found its stride and everything is stretching into summer. It often falls during half term, which makes it the perfect time to step outside and share the garden with the children in our lives. For those taking part in No Mow May, this is when the garden starts to look wilder, the grasses taller, and flowers that were once called weeds begin to feel like gifts. Buttercups, oxeye daisies and self-heal creep through the lawn, and the air starts to hum with insect life again.

It is a moment for noticing. Children are naturally tuned into the small things we often overlook. A curled leaf can hold a hidden insect, and a dandelion seedhead might spark a whole conversation. Being in the garden together does not need to be structured. A slow walk, time spent watching one flower, or simply lying on the grass and listening can lead to all sorts of shared discoveries. Read more

A Beekeeper’s View: Simple Ways to Help Sussex Pollinators

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In Britain there are around 250 different species of bees. A few of these are social insects living in large organised communities such as bumblebees and of course honeybees. All bees feed on nectar for energy and feed their larvae on pollen for protein, both collected from flowers.

Pollination is a vital part of how plants reproduce. Crops and wildflowers rely on insects like bees to transfer pollen, helping them set seed and grow the next generation. A large proportion of our food depends on this process. Apples, raspberries and peas all benefit from insect pollination. Without pollinators yields would be lower and we would lose much of the variety in our diets.

Bees are an excellent indicator of a healthy environment and sadly all of our pollinators are under threat. The reasons are complex and include habitat loss and climate change. But the good news is that there is plenty we can do to help and it often starts at home.  Read more

Second-Hand, First Choice: Vinted Saves Money and the Planet

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In a world of fast fashion, how can we buy sustainable clothing that is also affordable? Is Vinted the answer to saving our pockets and the planet? Everyone loves a bargain, and it’s an even bigger win when buying cheap clothes doesn’t have to compromise on quality and style. Vinted is very user-friendly for both buying and selling second-hand clothes, so you’re sure to find what you’re looking for!

Vinted is perfect for saving money as a buyer and making money as a seller and I would  recommend it to everyone – whatever age, gender or style. In the UK, nearly one-quarter of the population use Vinted and I am one of them. I now buy all my clothes on Vinted and can always find what i’m looking for and at a huge discount! It’s also a great side hustle for me too. I’m able to list all my unwanted clothes in a quick and easy process to make a bit of extra cash, with no extra shipping costs for me!

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From Donation to Dump: The Environmental Cost of Charity Shop Surplus

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You know that big bag of old clothes you dropped off at the charity shop after having a wardrobe declutter? You probably felt a warm glow of generosity by donating your unwanted bits to a good cause (and it’s probably also a relief to get all that clutter out of sight by conveniently handing it all over to someone else, right?). What if I told you that only between 10% and 30% of second-hand donations are resold in store. What happens to all the rest?

The clothes that charity shops can’t sell are taken away and in the UK, 70% of used clothing is exported to the Global South. Once there, many clothes end up in landfills or incinerated. This has major impacts on health and the environment, including water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, worsening the strain on countries already struggling with waste management infrastructure. Read more

Exciting new family friendly event in Horsham

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Growing together – Food – Fun – Family – Free

From 10am-4pm on Saturday 26th April, Horsham will come alive to celebrate green living in Sussex – perfect for mums, dads, and little ones alike. It’s a day packed with local food, expert talks and eco-friendly fun that will inspire you and your family to live more sustainably. Spread across four unique venues in central Horsham, come along for a day of free goodies, family-friendly activities, and caring community vibes at the Plant to Plate Festival! Read more

Dogs and Wolves

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Dogs and Wolves: Saving nature in Lewes where dogs are behaving like wolves!  In Lewes, dogs are on a mission to help the environment, and they’re doing it by acting like wolves! A long time ago, before wolves disappeared from the UK in the 1760s, they travelled across large areas every night, sometimes covering over 20 km. While they roamed, their fur collected seeds from wildflowers and grasses, which would later fall off and grow into new plants, spreading nature far and wide. Read more

Residents call on MPs to vote for landmark Climate and Nature Bill

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Residents in Arundel and South Downs are calling on local MP Andrew Griffith to vote for a landmark piece of environmental legislation at its second reading on 24 January 2025. Members of Greening Steyning, Sussex Green Living, and South East Climate Alliance gathered this weekend for a photo opp to raise awareness about the Climate and Nature Bill (or “CAN” Bill).

If made law the CAN Bill would ensure that the UK has a joined up, science-led and people-powered plan to tackle climate change and nature loss, together. It is currently supported by 187 MPs, 372 local councils, 1,000 organisations, and over 1,200 leading UK climate and nature scientists.

The CAN Bill is being championed by Dr Roz Savage MP (Lib Dems), a longtime environmental campaigner and world record breaking solo ocean rower. She is supported by 11 co-sponsors from Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems, Greens, Plaid Cymru, and SNP. Read more

Recycling competition – plastic food storage containers and lids

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WILLIAM PENN PRIMARY SCHOOL ASKS THE HORSHAM COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS IN A NATIONWIDE CONTEST TO WIN A PLAYGROUND WITH A FRAME MADE OF 100% RECYCLED MATERIALS 

Residents of Horsham and surrounding areas can help William Penn Primary School to win a playground with a frame made of 100% recycled materials – including recycled plastic food storage containers and lids, as well as reusable plastic water bottles and caps by bringing this used waste to the school’s public collection point 

The Sistema® Recycled Playground Contest is running from 12th September until 18th December 2024 and the school that collects the most amount of plastic food storage containers and lids, as well as reusable plastic water bottles and caps, in that time will be crowned the winner . Read more

How Affordable are Affordable Homes?

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How Affordable are Affordable Homes? We’ve heard a lot recently about housebuilding. Horsham District Council’s new Local Plan is now with the Government appointed inspector. Meanwhile, central government is promising to double the number of new homes built each year, which could potentially mean a lot more building in our District Read more