My sustainable watch... and the joy of fixing stuff

...OK, so you're not going to save the planet just by choosing the right watch, but the Mondaine Ecomatic has impressive green stats - a 100% recycled brass case and it takes its energy from the movement of your wrist (about 50% of life time energy). Plus, I got it second hand and have just repaired the strap. And it's a design classic.

On the second hand and repairing front, the Guardian reported this week that repair companies and charity shops are seeing a mini boom as people try to cut costs in the credit crunch. I find that getting stuff fixed is much more satisfying psychologically than throwing it away and starting again - recession or no recession. I was devastated when I couldn't fix my old bike, but was dead chuffed with how pleased Recyke y'Bike were to get the bits to build new bikes. Last week I also got a pair of trousers - which I'd bought in haste only to find they were too long - taken up for just £8. Result!

Weekly Tip #6: Buy secondhand

Whether it's records, books or clothes that rocks your world, there are some excellent secondhand and charity shops around. Buying second hand is guilt-free - I consume dozens of second hand books every year.

My tip is to visit shops in the poshest area of your town and you'll benefit from (and mitigate the impacts of) someone else's conspicuous consumption.

Less Is More?

Writing in today's Guardian (but unfortunately nowhere to be seen on-line), our old friend George Monbiot rips into "Green Consumerism" saying that it never suggests you consume 'less' and only focusses on consuming 'better'. His saves his particular disdain for the well off telling us how to live our lives from the comfort of their country piles (where they have space for their own cow).

As usual I half agree with him. While I agree that most of the 'ethical living' press is promoting the "keep on buying and save the planet" message, there are several ways that you can spend as much as you like and be eco-friendly:

1. Buy second hand. Most of the novels I read have been sullied by other eyes. I have no qualms about walking out of a second hand bookshop with bulging bags of paper diverted from landfill. My partner indulges her clothes buying urges by trawling charity shops and simply returning what doesn't work out in practice.

2. Buy services rather than products. Pamper yourself with posh haircuts, massages (not that kind, cheeky), yoga, keep fit etc, etc. If you're filthy rich, employ a cleaner, gardener etc. Rent DVDs or watch pay per view movies rather than buying lumps of plastic.

3. Buy very low footprint products such as MP3s, ringtones, eBooks.

BTW: my favourite part of the Monbiot article is his reference to the mountain of 'ethical' shopping bags by his front door. We have got at least 4 - 3 more that we need really...