Taken from VISUAL.LY

If you're feeling stuck for Meat Free inspiration on a Monday morning like I am this is the PERFECT book for you (watch out friends - it's all you're getting for Christmas!).  With 52 Meat Free meals there's one recipe for every Monday of the year. Launched as part of Sir Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday campaign, The McCartney's share their favourite family meals as well as calling in help from some famous friends.

Sir Paul started Meat Free Monday in the UK in 2009 to promote the health, environmental and financial benefits of not eating meat one day of the week. The movement now boasts sister campaigns in 22 countries including Meat Less Mondays in the US.

All proceeds from sales of the book go to Mary, Stella and Sir Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday Campaign. Get your copy here and here.

With the recent introduction of  Levi’s® Waste<Less™ for Spring 2013, a new line of denim partially made from post consumer waste, specifically recycled plastic bottles and food trays, Levi's really seem to be taking this sustainabilty thing seriously. 

PET plastics – including brown beer bottles, green soda bottles, clear water bottles and black food trays – are collected, sorted, crushed into flakes, and made into a polyester fiber. This is then blended with cotton fiber and woven with traditional cotton yarn to produce a high quality denim, a process adding what Levi's describe as a beautiful undertone and unique finish to the final product. Interesting, green-tinged denim seems quite appropriate.

Della creates handbags, laptop wallets, clutch bags and other accessories in fabulous prints that literally carry change. When LA based designer Tina Tangalakis took a trip to Hohoe, Ghana in 2009, the culture and warm hearts of those she met there inspired a decision to assist in the creation of sustainable livelihoods for women in the area. With the help of a local entreprenuer Tina founded Della and their team of 30 women produce a growing line of jewellery and accessories made using traditional West African prints at an average of 400 pieces per week.

 When shopping for food, I rarely think of organic grocery shopping, but rather seasonal grocery shopping from local farmers. As we go into November, my local green grocers have been enticing me with overflowing pails of chestnuts and crates upon crates of brussels sprouts. Inspired by the latter, I made a brussels sprouts and cabbage medley with bacon bits.Clams are also in season (finally), as they are the key ingredient for my favourite pasta of all time Linguine alla Vongole.

As a result, I thought that I would share a list of some of the Seasonal British Foods that you can incorporate into your diet this month (I head to the US next week and will cover this there as well, so stay tuned). What I learned from the mushroom man at Borough Market is that wild mushrooms are slowly making its way out of season (wild mushroom risotto this week it is), so I have also included some of what is going out of season.

I grew up with air that was heavy from the Orinoco humidity, which stifled outsiders, yet blanketed its natives. In the streets, sweat was our natural moisturiser, which made the bodies of young women glisten with shiny splendour, attracting young men to make their move. Our fabrics of choice were the cool airiness of cottons and silks, which allowed us to feel our landscape, and bank it to memory. 

Moving to a colder climate required a new approach to the body. The sheer exploitation of my limbs would cause senseless moaning for days long gone. There was no relief when the sun shone; the cold would wrap my bones and cling on for dear life.

My paternal grandmother soon taught me how to knit and crochet. I remember using this new found knowledge, not to keep myself warm, but as a mechanism to lure many a crush. For one, I knitted a scarf in return for a book of poems. The poems I still have. The scarf, a distant memory looped with black and grey wool (the colour of philosophers, poets and artists I imagined), buried deep in some soul's subconscious. 

Today I think back to the scarf I made, the knitted hat my great-grandmother left me, the quilt with soft wool inbetween that my grandmother made me and the Barbour wool jumper that enshrouds me as we speak, and find new comfort in an old new material that bears new memories and ancient histories that have become a part of my existent, my context, and will make for more stories to come.

Two weeks ago, I attended The RSA's (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) event on THE SLOW REVOLUTION, based on the rise of the Slow Movement, which advocates the slowing down of life's pace "in order to meet fundamental human needs, while allowing for the earth’s natural regeneration to take place." The event brought together five advocates towards this cultural shift in a forum that explored the notions behind 'slow' and how this was relevant in fashion, culture, finance and our philosophical outlook.What follows is a reflection of the event.

During my two year stint living with indigenous people in the Amazon, I had been dubbed by many in and outside my village as one with an old soul; the one who had found herself back into this world with an antiquated view of how one should move through space and time. I had always known that I existed with a momentum that required the slowness that came with enjoyment--just like a connoisseur would slowly swish a teaspoon of wine in one's mouth until every single taste bud could relish in its glory, or perhaps an old man in Arxia Corinthos (I did a study abroad there as a teen) enjoying a long conversation with his childhood friend over trees, terrain and politics. 

When I lived in Edinburgh, I would often take myself to the Wednesday night open mic nights at Eighty Queen Street Jazz bar (it is still today one of my most coveted memories) and sit whilst strangers took centre stage with the live ensemble to perform their melodies. I would stay there for hours, drinking wine and making conversation with the elderly who were sometimes brought to the bar as part of their outings. I sincerely loved it. John (one of the regulars in his early 60s) would always find me, and we would talk of "back in the day" when he would play his sax with his old band, and how they would spend hours playing the same phrases (a series of notes, a sentence of music) over and over until they would all agree on the key, transitions, and alternate chords. Those were the days John!

by Emma H.

Marieke's book (above) is out now in the Netherlands.

My fav crisps of all time are baked beetroot crisps. They're healthy, a great source of Vitamin C & Betaine, sweet and salty, and an amazingly delicious snack. They are easy to make, and can be eaten with various dips and soups [I sometimes crush them and use them as a topping for my soups, delish].

We do!

Globally, one in three girls is denied a secondary education due to poverty, discrimination and violence. Every day, young girls are forced into marriage, isolated from their friends and subjected to abuse. This is a very pressing reality.

Support young children and young girls in your community by setting up a Proclamation Project with you and your friends to speak out against the stereotypes, obstacles and problems girls still face today. Learn how to do so with this step-by-step TOOLKIT.

Documentary journalist Leah Borromeo is making a film about the real victims of fashion through her documentary DIRTY WHITE GOLD. Here she follows the social, environmental, economic, and political entities and impacts that constitute the clothes we wear, and takes us through the journey of the clothing supply chain. In doing so she wants to expose us to the realities of the clothing/fashion industry, by engaging us in the lives of the farmers, the weavers, the bankers, the manufacturers, and the consumers (amongst many). 

How does the intense use of pesticides and genetically modified seens impact the lives of those living in the poorest areas of the world? How are small farmers acquiring so much debt that many resort to suicide? And why are sustainability and ethics not the norm within the fashion industry? These are just a few of the questions this film hopes to answer, whilst acting to make a difference and get communities (local & transnational; small & large; poor & rich) on target towards a sustainable market economy that supports the small business and the poorest of the poor.

However, in order for this project to get off the ground and to make a significant impact they are looking for backers (small and large). To do so they are offering incentives which we think have real value-- you can buy a T-shirt (in organic cotton) by Barnbrook, a limited edition print from photomontage artist Peter Kennard and, of course, the first DVDs or downloads of the film. And everyone who donates will get a free download of Dr D's exclusive artwork "Rotten Cotton". Find out where how you can view a screening and more about supporting this cause HERE.

When I first experimented with homemade pasta, I invited Emma H. over to test out my take on GREEN EGGS & HAM. Of course, her's was just Green Eggs (and hold the ham). The recipe turned out great (if I do say so myself), so I thought I would share it. Basically, the dish is a spinach ravioli with an egg yolk in the middle, so that once you cut into it you have a nice runny yolk. For those of you who wish to use this recipe for Meat Free Monday or in the form of my original concept I have put, in parentheses, the meat version in for you. However, I do suggest that you try it without the meat. Delish! The recipe requires that you have or borrow a pasta machine, so be prepared for that.

When we think of African Prints, most of us reference the Ghanaian iconic colourful wax prints, forged from the transmigration of Indonesian culture to the Gold Coast (West Africa).  Now, Ghana is the main producer of these patterned textiles, which hold history and culture within each pattern made. They tell stories of legends of families and wars, sing of proverbs which hold today's generation accountable for their actions, and express emotions deep within the society's poetry. 
Wax print is a process that traditionally uses a manual wax resistant dyeing technique. First, wax is melted then applied to the material before being dipped in dye. The dyes will not imprint the areas where there is wax, leaving the original colour of the fabric to remain. On the parts of the fabric where there is no wax, this is where the the colours penetrate and make an impression onto the cloth. The fabrics are dyed several times, and are then hung to dry. Afterwards, it is rinsed in a solvent to remove the wax. And Voila!
These textiles signified wealth, family, status, relationships and political affiliations (amongst other things), and kept the Ghanaian export and local economy flourishing. However, Ghana's once booming textile industry is on the verge of a total collapse. Coming to forefront is the Africa-China trade relations and the need to regulate the scope of China's dumping strategy--i.e. shipping excess clothes, textiles and goods into emerging economies--which has had serious negative impacts on local businesses, and communities at large. Below, Abi Ishola reports on how the FOUR remaining manufacturers are facing unfair competition, due to cheap pirated fabric being smuggled into Ghana from China.

by Emma H.

Dhal (Indian for lentils and pulses made as a stew) has always been a staple part of my life. My mom makes dhal once a week and always asks "which one shall we have?" A warm feeling is aroused and taste buds start tingling at all the possibilities. And this is the beauty of dhal. You have so many options. Our pantry is brimming with jars of all kinds, from kala chana (black chickpeas), moong dhal (mung beans), masoor dhal (split red lentils), motte and motti dhal (mixture of brown lentils). I could go on and on. Overall dhal is simple to make, the hard bit is choosing which one!