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Miyuki McGuffie

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Personal relations for greenies, part two

When it comes to your personal life, how far should you take your eco-sensibilities when other people are involved? Most of us know or are in the process of working out the limits and boundaries of our green lifestyles. But how often do we think about these in relation to the people around us? When is it appropriate to put up a fight? Is it okay to point out wasteful behaviour? At what point does encouragement become pushing and informing become preaching? More …

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Living with the unconscious

What do you do when you're sick of being nice? Miyuki McGuffie tries new ways to spread her beliefs when she's surrounded by people who don’t see the world through green-tinted glasses, and finds that vegan cupcakes work a treat. More …

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Kicking nits naturally

Parents know them only too well: headlice. They spread quickly through schools, but that doesn't mean adults don't get them either. Miyuki McGuffie found herself unfortunately afflicted—and determined to treat them naturally. Here's how she did it. More …

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An even more inconvenient truth

Did you know that what you eat may have as big an impact on the environment as how often you drive your car? Why isn’t a reduction in meat consumption being encouraged alongside energy efficiency promotions and pleas to use less petrol? More …

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What to do when you’re doing all you can

I think I may have reached a dead-end in my environmental pursuits. Well, maybe not so much a dead-end but a brick wall, a kind of where-do-I-go-from-here predicament where I feel like I’m doing as much as I possibly can, but know that there is so much out there still to do. More …

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Take it easy, take the bus

I love public transport. A lot of people complain about it here in Wellington, where our buses almost always run late (occasionally early—even worse!), sometimes don’t appear, and often have less than pleasant drivers. Our trains have even made the news recently, with services being stalled during peak hours twice within a couple of weeks or so. But really it’s not that bad and I think people should cut public transport some slack. More …

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Stop stuffing yourself!

Do you consider yourself eco-conscious? I do. But despite my awareness of the environment and my passion for doing my bit, I still find it easy to slip into the same old habits, or rely on the safety nets we as a society have put in place for our wasteful ways of life. More …

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Being vegan—why I'm not

Miyuki McGuffie's four-week trial of a vegan diet is over—and she's decided it's not for her. Here she discusses the vegan philosophy, and questions why 'cruelty-free' should apply only to animals, and not the earth. Is favouring animals over the earth just swapping one form of exploitation for another? More …

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Being vegan—the journey so far

I didn’t think being vegan was going to be particularly hard, writes Miyuki McGuffie. In mid-June she decided to shun animal products for a four-week trial period. With that month well and truly over, she shares her impressions of the diet—and finds that rather than providing a solution, it has raised even more questions ... More …

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Why should I have to justify?

Why do we greenies have to carry the burden of proof? Just because we believe in something does that mean we have to have all the answers? Miyuki McGuffie ponders this and more after a co-worker questions her most recent ethical challenge. More …

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This one’s for the ladies

Even in this modern world, menstruation is still a taboo subject. The fact that we refer to tampons and pads as 'feminine hygiene products' says it all. So integrated into our lives that it no longer needs marketing, this industry wants you to fear your own body. The less blood you have to deal with, the better. While tampons are one of the most amazing inventions on earth in terms of convenience, that convenience comes at a cost. More …

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Sharing my inner eco-crazy

When it comes to deciding on a stance with regards to certain products I find it harder to come to a conclusion than to act accordingly. In my last post I decided that giving up milk altogether was the best option for an environmentally and ethically clear conscience. I never buy unethical animal products and avoid packaging wherever possible. But with my reasoning in mind (I care about animal welfare and reducing/eliminating waste) I can’t help but question myself on certain aspects of my stance. More …

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My milk dilemma

Milk has never been my beverage of choice. Flavoured, yes and on cereal, of course! But the fact remains that I don’t actually like it. I’ve drunk trim my entire life (breast aside) and continue to do so because I don’t like the taste of 'real' milk. A few years back my bf and I tried soy but for various reasons didn’t stick with it. More …

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Introducing Miyuki

Joining the Goodies is Miyuki McGuffie, who will be blogging fortnightly from Wellington. For the past year, Miyuki has been on a mission to tread more lightly on the planet. As “a normal person trying to do their bit”, she will blog about the successes, achievements, failures and frustrations of her quest for a clear eco-conscience. More …

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