Chris Lancaster's Blog (8)

Okay, it's my birthday, March 12th 2020. I'm 45. I get up early and look at the small but enticing pile of presents from my family and loved ones. Before they wake, time to work out. I attach a couple of electrodes to my body and switch on my Wii- 3rd Generation. Within a couple of minutes, I'm working out. The energy I'm producing is transmitted to the smoothie maker, and while I exercise, a refreshing smoothie, made from seasonal and local produce, is blended for me. As I move into my warm… Continue

Okay, something I use every day is my laptop, so I'd like to be able to power that in a different way. Surely it wouldn't be too hard to fit a solar panel to the back of the screen, and to charge that up when I'm out at work? That would then replace the battery, and would also result in a lighter laptop.



Another idea I had is that I work out most mornings (although not recently- tut, tut) on my Wii, using either Wii Fit Plus or EA Sports Active: More Workouts. Is there a way that the… Continue

Some nice, simple ideas here from kids in a Cornish sixth form college, who have made recommendations to local businesses. Really good sustainable practice. No rocket science here, but a good example of how ordinary people can make a difference in their community..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6pqKFwI1w

OK, I've been guilty this bank holiday weekend of not eating that healthily, but I have massively improved my own approach to food since getting Jamie Oliver's 'Ministry of Food' book a couple of years ago. It gave me the confidence to cook, and I have not looked back. Many of the meals are quite quick to prepare, and I now pick fresh foods as opposed to the majority of my food being supermarket pre-packaged stuff. To take some action this week, I'm going to buy a copy of his book and send it… Continue

I really hope that for dinner in 2020 I'll be eating food that I've cooked myself, using as far as possible, seasonal, local ingredients from my garden. First step will be to get a place with a garden. Before that, though, I'm going to try growing some herbs and veggies at home. Wish me luck..

OK, basically, the problem in London is that the majority of our food- as in most Western cities, I imagine- is imported. One of the big supermarkets here warned during the last fuel mini-crisis that within 3 days there would not be enough food in London to feed the population. So, the solution is to grow our own. Orchards, allotments, gardens, window-boxes- it all sounds very hippy-ish, but I've learned that due to the oil used to transport it to the UK, the average basket of fruit has the… Continue

OK, so I've chosen two mentors to follow in cyberspace: Anthony Robbins and Jane McGonigal. Anthony Robbins' book Awaken the Giant Within got me going earlier this year. It gave me a can-do mentality and it propelled me to take an idea I'd had on the back burner for years- taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival- and seemed to give me the confidence or impetus to make it happen. I'm now taking a show to Edinburgh!



Jane McGonigal is kind of obvious. I'm inspired by her approach to… Continue

Totally agree with that. Money can really help to achieve goals, but the world's entrepreneurs have generally grown mighty oak trees from little acorns. If it works in nature, it's good enough for me.



I work in a school and am constantly having to find funding for the projects that my imagination conceives of. The benefits to the kids, and to the community, are massive. So it's kind of a duty of mine to find a way, despite the constraints.



Constraints get the best out of… Continue