How To Take Part

Be a shining green light

1) Look at our list of suggestions below for ‘Individuals‘, ‘Companies‘ and ‘Children/Schools‘.

2) Select the suggestion that inspires you the most and give it a try on the first day of InterNational Downshifting Week.

3) Think about how it has made you feel. Look deeper into the consequences of embracing this action on a more permanent basis.

4) If you enjoyed trying it and like the way you feel about it, try another suggestion tomorrow and so on throughout the week!

Good luck, have fun, enjoy it and inspire others!

Downshifting: For Individuals

Time	Book a half-day off work to spend entirely with someone you love, no DIY allowed
Food	Cook a meal from scratch, using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, preferably organic
Money	Cut up a credit card
Giving	Donate a bag of clothes, toys or useful items to a local charity shop, refuge or recycling centre
Create	Hand-make a simple card for the next birthday or event on your calendar
Reduce	Eliminate 3 non-essential purchases this week
Grow	Plant something in the garden you can cultivate and eat and start a compost heap
Local	Consider reputable work at home parents and small local businesses, for services you need
Communicate	Tonight, turn off the television, switch on the radio, play a few games and talk
Community	Volunteer an hour of your time to a local charity shop, animal shelter, hospice etc

Downshifting: For Companies

Recycle	Contact your local recycling centre and organise bins for tins, plastic, paper and other waste
Food Miles	Find local vendors of fresh, healthy snacks and drinks and re-think your dispensing machines
Donate	Give unwanted furniture and equipment to your employees or local charitable organisations
Responsible	Implement suggestions from The Carbon Trust; make huge savings for your firm and the planet
Fundraise	Organise a Charity Sports Day for your employees and their families and donate funds locally
Breathe	Take the greener, cleaner option for your vehicle fleet
Time Saving	Organise and implement a travel plan and car share scheme
Healthier	Set up a keep-fit room with equipment, or organise local instructors to offer lunchtime classes
Eco-consumer	Source local suppliers of eco friendly paper, office supplies and cleaning products
Share	Use corporate power to get discounts for various green products and offer them to your staff

Downshifting: For Children & Places of Education

Resourceful	Adopt a double-sided photocopying policy and use the backside of waste paper for the facsimile
Paper Conscious	Be a greener school; conserve paper by ruling off your last piece of work and starting a new subject
Free	Brainstorm a list of fantastic, free activities and encourage your parents/guardians to take you on a few
Organic	Cultivate a square foot of garden and grow a few vegetables and soft fruits
Fun	Design and make your own board game
Recognition	Get on the right, green track – sign your school up for an Eco-School Award
Compost	Elect a weekly monitor to collect break and lunchtime organic waste and put it in a compost
Seek	Go out on an adult supervised hedgerow forage and cook your finds
Paper-free	Save paper, postage and time by emailing parents/guardians with school information
Awareness	Visit a landfill site and a recycling centre with your parents, guardians or school and encourage them to do the right thing!