-intense production and packaging of processed foods.4. Curb waste Planning meals and writing specific shopping lists will help you buy what your family actually eats, without buying unnecessary items.  5. Change your shopping habits Leave the car at home and go

. Booking to fly direct to a destination is also a greener way to travel.Buy local produce As well as allowing you to experience the best of local cuisine, buying food from local markets keeps your carbon footprint to a minimum and supports local farmers

Tips For Thrifty LivingEATINGAccording to the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, every family throws away one bag of food for every three they buy, costing £400 a year. But help is at hand. The Women's Institute has just launched the Love Food Champion

1. Collect nuts, berries and pinecones to look for signs of feeding. Follow any trails of food and try to identify which animals have been nibbling on them.2. Find a quiet spot in your local woodland to sit and listen to the sounds of the local

1. Paying a visit to a local farm will not only be a fun day out for young children, but an educational one too. Children who live in rural areas should find they have their pick of local growers whilst city-dwelling families can track down

provided foods, be built with consideration of local land ownership rights and animal migration patterns, hire local labour and buy locally produced goods. Additionally, they may have systems in place to control pollution, use less water, refrain from

, whether for wrapping next year’s presents, making decorations or covering books.5.    Not only can you recycle cards, you can recycle stamps too. Cut them out, leaving a 3mm margin around them, then pop them in a bag and take them to your local Oxfam shop

to encourage all manner of creatures to your garden.5. Plant flowers to attract bees and butterflies Lavender, thyme, buddleia and sedum all encourage pollination.6. Leave out hedgehog and badger food Buy some special food from your local pet shop – bread

the wares of local producers and buy unusual gifts in glorious surroundings.July 14Family Forage WalkAs park of Birmingham’s Food Festival families can join in this search for wild foods along the canals of Digbeth. A guide will be on hand to offer advice

of rock n’ roll bands and not a parent in sight! For many, this may send alarm bells ringing, but worry not. Underage Festival works directly with the local Police and Tower Hamlets to ensure teenagers have a great time and are completely safe. Plus