We update content monthly so have a read and find out our latest doings.
We are always keen to hear what you're up to too: together we can create tidal changes, so go on, show us your ripples.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 27 August 2010, 18:44
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 24 August 2010, 14:58
Last week we unleashed a huge 12 meter long, 3 metre high, pink and purple dragon on picnicers at Victoria Embankment. 
Kids, office workers, builders and even a traffic warden came over to gawp. 
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 08 June 2010, 16:54
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 08 June 2010, 16:46
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 26 April 2010, 14:19
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 12 April 2010, 11:35
There's just been an article about us in the glamorous Stratford and Newham Recorder about our campaign in Newham to get children and adults more fit and healthy and spending more time with their families.
We've got a few events on the go, based around Action 102: Walk your Dad (which we've extended to the succinctly titled "Walk your Dad, Gran, Lazy Aunty Jan or anyone else you find lying around on the sofa").
Read the article here.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 April 2010, 18:41
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 24 March 2010, 16:38
We've been working with Sainsbury's on a big "colleague engagement programme" and have recently spent the day with 50 Sainsbury's colleagues from around the country, having a huge powwow and workshop.
Back in January we launched a campaign asking everyone who works at Sainsbury's what simple action they would ask all 150,000 colleagues and 19 million customers to do to change the world.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 17 March 2010, 15:21
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 15 March 2010, 13:01
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 25 February 2010, 13:28
Phew! So far, 2010 has been a busy year for us and we can hardly believe we've already sent our valentine's and consumed our pancakes. 
Our refillable notepad will help you do Action 046: Use both sides of every piece of paper - once you've finished with our off-cuts, insert your own. And these diaries come in week to view with a simple action to tick off your to do list each week. 
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 February 2010, 19:42
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 14 January 2010, 15:20
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 24 November 2009, 13:18
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 18 November 2009, 12:42
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 02 November 2009, 13:59
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 27 October 2009, 12:19
This one's for all you green crafters out there!
Sue Ryder Care are organising a fundraising competition with Folksy, an online crafts community.
Read all about it here:
http://blog.folksy.com/2009/10/14/upcycle-christmas-competition
The competition involves taking old items from a charity shop and upcycling them into something saleable. These upcycled items will be displayed and sold in an online auction between 7 and 13 December at Folksy.com.
Would-be designers and crafters can download a voucher from the Folksy website which entitles them to 5 pieces of stock from Sue Ryder Care shops across the country. They then have two months to make the item and post photos of it on the Folksy website.
The winners will have their work displayed in the flagship Sue Ryder Care shop in Camden.
Good luck!
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 13 October 2009, 13:52
Posted by Eugenie at 25 August 2009, 18:37
Posted by Eugenie at 25 August 2009, 16:11
Posted by Eugenie at 07 August 2009, 18:55
Posted by Eugenie at 07 August 2009, 18:14
Posted by Eugenie at 06 August 2009, 19:07
Posted by Eugenie at 06 August 2009, 17:05
Posted by Eugenie at 05 August 2009, 18:17
Posted by Eugenie at 04 August 2009, 15:08
Posted by Eugenie at 04 August 2009, 15:00
Posted by Eugenie at 03 August 2009, 19:08
Posted by Eugenie at 03 August 2009, 17:36
Posted by Eugenie at 21 July 2009, 19:47
Posted by Eugenie at 21 July 2009, 19:11
Posted by Nicole at 15 July 2009, 16:40
right blue cupcakes, brownies, banana bread, baklava, carrot cake, fairy cakes that spelt We Are What We Do, homemade bread and butter pudding … and more much to keep us going!
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 27 May 2009, 20:07
After a confusing conflab about casting on techniques, a short discussion about whether needles are left-handed… and an even briefer one about leopard print wool, we were off!
As confidence gained, Nicole’s technique took a turn for the extreme as she moved into an upstanding position!
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 11 October 2008, 15:34
We stood from a great height to launch our book Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World because we had a big responsibility to its 4,386 authors. A year previously we had asked them, ‘What small, simple action would you ask millions of people to do to change the world?’
Their response made our book. And it was our job to make sure a million people read about it. And acted.
After fantastic coverage in The Times we held a great splash-of-a-bash at Walkers Books to introduce Teach Your Granny to Text to the wider world. Children mingled with young speakers, media met with activists and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State (Kevin Brennan) talked world-changing with ten year olds all getting thoroughly dusted with icing sugar in the process. (Gingerbread grans, don’t ask.)
Then came the ripples. And what ripples. The Times had set the scene with a double page spread and leader comment stating this wasn’t just "do-goodery for the digital age" rather a child-flavoured movement to test the theory that small actions x lots of people = big change. Broadsheets, tabloids, radio and daytime telly leapt on it. There were half page adverts in the Guardian, features in the Daily Telegraph, First News and the free sheets and galvanising calls to action in the Scotsman. BBC Breakfast asked the nation if ‘children really could save the world?’ and in the midst of a credit crunch gloom child-sized chinks of optimism appeared as child authors talked up how their action could help us all.
Interest was piqued. And supply was sorted with promotional stands of Granny up front in 450 Sainsbury’s. (And local nans near tills in Market Harborough should you get lost, need texting advice or simply want a nice cup of tea and a sit down.)
Elsewhere there was little in the way of sitting down. In schools across the country free copies of Granny had magically appeared on desks (a copy for every maintained school, provided by the DCSF) and pupils were upstanding.
‘The best book I’ve seen in a looooooong time!’ said one year 7, ‘Thank you very much for sending through a copy of TYGTT and for all the amazing work and creativity that has gone into it’ said a hardworking teacher for whom Granny has becomea lesson plan pillar. There were group projects, reading clubs and a frenetic filling in of our Action Tracking wall-charts.
Ripples happen naturally, but the odd nudge never hurts. Wise to this we sent our secret weapon, the Young Speakers into the action heartlands - school assemblies the length and breath of the country. The 11- 18 year olds gave 210 world-changing presentations, reaching 7,348 children (and counting) with their own stories and in their own words. Back at the ranch our co-founder Eugenie Harvey was busy spreading the word, getting new teachers on board at the General Teaching Council of England, talking world-changing with world-leaders at the illustrious Schumacher Conference and championing the efforts of 100 hugely energetic 11-13 year olds at npower’s Green SOS Academy.
What next? Why, world domination since you ask. From November, go into Starbucks for a Teach Your Granny to Text teaser with your latte (There will be 105,000 copies in 700 stores. Who ever said there’s no such thing as a free world-changing sampler?) Walkers Books will have taken Granny on the road to the Frankfurt Book Fair and with our book launches of Change the World for a Fiver in Spain and the US we welcome a whole new market of Granny-friendly global activishts. (‘Howdy’ and ‘Bienvenido’)
Of course the waves reach further than WAWWD can see – eye’s cupped, from our limited vantage of six people in an office. We’ve had glimpses; testimonials and book sales, actions tracked and emails. But the real ripples resist quantification. They have been released into the wild. Which, as luck would have it, is exactly where they belong.
Happy world changing
The team
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 19 September 2008, 13:01
"This is more than do-goodery for the digital age. Even those too jaded to want to save the planet or make people happy can be intrigued by the process that is supposed to be at work here. It also happens to channel the optimism and pragmatism of childhood to practical ends."
The Times, Saturday 20 September 2008
In a unique collaboration between the social change organisation We Are What We Do and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), thousands of children were invited to come up with simple, everyday actions that we can all do to make a difference to the biggest problems facing the world today.
The best 30 actions, which tackle issues ranging from climate change and social exclusion to obesity and animal rights, are featured in a groundbreaking new book, entitled Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World.
This book is the latest project from We Are What We Do - the organization behind the bestselling Change the World for a Fiver and the "I’m not a plastic bag" project with designer Anya Hindmarch - and has been produced with their trademark originality, creativity and wit. It includes contributions from some of the biggest names in children’s books: Anthony Horowitz who has provided an exclusive Alex Rider short story to encourage kids to read with a pal; Sam Stern, who has provided a recipe to enable kids to cook a meal from scratch; and Where’s Wally? who makes an exclusive guest appearance to get kids to look closer. The interactive book also includes seeds, maps, stickers and much more.
As part of its partnership with We Are What We Do, the DCSF is making one copy of the book available to every maintained school in England - around 22,000 schools in total. The book will be delivered to schools in the first week of October to coincide with the national launch.
We Are What We Do co-founder Eugenie Harvey said today: "We’re really excited about our new book and cannot wait for it to arrive in schools this October. We know that the next generation is going to inherit some huge challenges. This project has provided an opportunity for children to speak up about what matters to them and the small actions that we can all take to make a big difference to them."
Erica Ritchie, aged 10, who contributed the title action "Teach your granny to text" explains where her idea came from: "It's nice for grandparents and children to keep in touch in an easier way than e-mail and writing a letter and quicker and cheaper than a phone call - especially if they live far away like mine!"
Omar Bynon, aged 11, who came up with the action "speak football" says: "Me and my family went on holiday to Tanzania and I saw some boys outside our hotel kicking a sponge wrapped in plastic like it was a ball. I had a football with me so I took it down so that we could all kick it round.
"Every day when I came back to the hotel the boys were waiting for me to play football. With a ball you can make new friends even though they don’t speak the same language."
Teach Your Granny to Text is published in a joint venture arrangement between two of the UK’s leading independent publishers, Short Books which published We Are What We Do’s two previous bestselling titles and specialist children’s publisher, Walker Books home of the Alex Rider series, Where’s Wally? and Guess How Much I Love You?.
Nick Stanhope, We Are What We Do’s Head of Education said today: "The simple ideas these children have come up with are amazing and challenge every one of us to do more. The role of this book and of We Are What We Do is to give these new social and environmental actions the widest possible platform and make sure that people of all ages get to hear about them - and get doing them."
The book’s launch is supported by the We Are What We Do’s Young Speaker’s Programme which will see 200 young people going into primary schools in the North West and London to deliver presentations about We Are What We Do using exciting animated content based on the new book. The Programme, which aims to reach as many as 250,000 over the next two years, is delivered in partnership with TimeBank and funded by the Aldridge Foundation and national youth volunteering agency, v.
Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World, Published 2nd October by Short Books and Walker Books, Price £10
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 07 August 2008, 13:22
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 06 June 2008, 12:43
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 03 May 2008, 13:28
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 May 2008, 15:57
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 02 April 2008, 15:48
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 April 2008, 16:01
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 14 March 2008, 12:41
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 06 March 2008, 16:05
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 02 March 2008, 16:19
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 20 February 2008, 13:43
Over 70 Kiwi, Ozzie and Pommy creative souls gave their time for free to develop the New Zealand version of Australia’s Change the World for Ten Bucks and the UK’s Change the World for a Fiver, which showcases 50 simple everyday actions we can all do to create change.
In the next few months the land of the long white cloud may see some shimmers of sunlight as New Zealanders get busy declining plastic bags, learning the National anthem both ways, spending time with people from another generation and greeting people in a new way.
Get your nose rubs ready; don your change the world dancing shoes and check out our down under site for all the juicy stuff in preparation for the big launch.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 15 January 2008, 13:56
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 18 October 2007, 13:56
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 17 September 2007, 16:27
Looking for the competition website? Get over there now!
Want to find out more? Read on...
What would you ask one million people to do?
It's hard enough to get your friends to do anything at all, but one million strangers?
Well that's what we can do. You come up with a simple, world changing idea and we'll get as many as one million people to do it.
Last year we made a simple canvas bag to change how people shop. Our 'I'm NOT A Plastic Bag' made the national news. Before that, we wrote a simple book to influence people's everyday actions. 'Change the World for a Fiver' sold a million copies. Now we want a new simple action that a million people can take. We know it can be done. And we want you to come up with it.
This October, We Are What We Do is asking everyone under eighteen across England: "What simple action would you ask one million people to do to change the world?"
This massive national search will uncover the next generation of Change the World ideas stating that small actions that have a positive impact on communities, families, the environment and the world at large. Every action will be put on the map for all to see and some of the top ideas will feature in the next edition of the Change the World series.
The very best action will be treated to a huge campaign in Spring 2008 that will inspire as many as 1 million people to take part in the action and have a gigantic impact.
In October we'll launch the competition site where you will be able to upload your action and a picture that brings it to life, but till then get working on your action and make sure to tell your mates, your neighbours, your pets and... well... just tell everybody!
If you have any questions or suggestions, you can e-mail us at competition [at]wearewhatwedo[dot]org (change the [bits] for the right symbols, yay!)
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 29 August 2007, 14:01
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 19 July 2007, 14:04
After the first phase launch of the 'I'm not a plastic bag' re-usable shopper, anyone who joined our mailing list has been offered the opportunity to buy one of the new bags (in navy blue, green or charcoal grey). Luckily for you, the deadline has passed and some subscribers have not placed an order. So while stocks lasts you can order one in our shop. Remember only one bag can be purchased per customer and we regret that the bag colour cannot be specified. The price of the new, set package is £16.49 (£16.49+PP+VAT - £21.78). This price includes a copy of our latest book 'Change the World 9 to 5' (retail £8.99), trackable courier delivery. A signature will be required when the package is delivered and we regret we can only deliver to mainland UK.
Click here to order now but make sure you read the FAQ below first.
I managed to get on to the online shop but I am not sure if my order was successful?
If you have received a confirmation e-mail from both WorldPay and We Are What We Do your order has been successful. If you are still unsure, please contact orders@wearewhatwedo.com.
I've bought a bag, when will it arrive?
You should get your bag within 4-6 weeks from placing your order although it could arrive much earlier than that. Under normal circumstances we would aim to ship any orders out on the next working day. However, due to the sheer volumes of sales, we are unable to offer this service for delivery of the bag. If you are unhappy with this and would like to cancel your order and get a refund this please e-mail us at orders@wearewhatwedo.com with the confirmation e-mail from WorldPay and that instruction.
Why do you only have a courier option for delivery?
Why is there not a cheaper option? We are only offering a courier option so that we can limit the number of orders getting lost. Each order can be tracked by City Link. We are using the most economical courier costs available to us.
I know the bag will require a signature when it arrives, can you tell me exactly when to expect it so I make sure I am in?
At least one day before your order is ready to be delivered you will be sent an e-mail letting you know when to expect the bag. Please note that deliveries are made Monday to Friday. It might be worth making your delivery address a work address to ensure there's someone there to sign for the package. City Link will attempt delivery twice, but subsequent attempts will be charged for.
Do I have to sign for it personally?
No, the delivery can be signed for by anyone at your delivery address. If there is no-one to sign for the delivery you will be left a card by the courier (City Link) who you can then contact to re-arrange a more convenient delivery time.
Are any further brown UK I'm Not A Plastic Bags planned?
At this present time no more brown bags are planned.
Why are there no more UK (brown) bags available to buy?
When we started working on this project two years ago we had no idea that there would be so much demand for this bag. We did not anticipate these bags selling out so quickly in the UK. The limited edition nature of this bag is relative. 30,000 brown bags were produced for the initial launch of the project - Anya Hindmarch commissioned 5,000 of these as did We Are What We Do. All of these bags have now sold out. Sainsbury's sold a further 20,000 in a selection of their stores in April 2007. A 30,000 run of bags far outstrips the volume of bags ordinarily produced for a normal Anya Hindmarch bag. It was important that we kept a balance between accessibility and desirability in order to raise awareness around the issue. The initial run, a collaborative project between the three organisations, was also planned before anyone knew how popular the bags would be.
Why are you not remaking more brown bags for the UK?
This project was only ever intended to be a limited edition project. There will be further limited edition launches (of green, navy and grey bags) in other countries this summer and We Are What We Do will be selling a number of each of the new colours to UK mainland customers through our web shop.
I don't live in the UK Mainland and I am disappointed that I can't buy a bag. Why don't you ship the bags elsewhere from your website?
This is largely because we have opted to use a courier service to deliver the bags (for the aforementioned reasons). Our online shop is able to take orders from mainland UK however it would require further programming (and budget) for our site to be able to take orders and for us to offer a courier service outside the UK. We regret that presently we do not have the resources to do this.
Following the huge excitement surrounding the launch of I'm Not A Plastic Bag in the UK a limited edition version of this bag with navy blue lettering in the US was launched on June 20th.
The bag was available from all US Anya Hindmarch stores, Ron Herman and Fred Segal Flair for just $15. Due to overwhelming demand purchases were limited to two bags per customer.
The bag was also available from Holt Renfrew in Canada for $18 (Canadian dollars). Purchases were limited to 10 bags per customer.
From July 18th I'm Not A Plastic Bag was available to buy from the following East Coast Whole Foods Market stores:
95 Houston Street, New York, NY 10002
250 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001
The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle, Suite SC101, New York, NY 10019
905 River Road, Edgewater, NJ, 07020
90 e. Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 429 North Broadway, Jericho, NY 11753
222 Min Street, Madison, NJ 07940 2101 Northern Boulevard, Munsey Park, NY 11030
471 Rte. 35 North, Red Bank, NJ 07701 187Millburn Avenue, Millburn, NJ 07041
701 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042 44 Godwin Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Union Square South, New York, NY 10003 110 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, NY 10605
235 Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052
Which other countries will be launching I'm Not A Plastic Bag next?
A cream bag with green lettering was launched in Japan on July 14th. These bags were available through Anya Hindmarch stores in Japan, Isetan and Dover Street Market Tokyo.
A cream bag with grey lettering was launched in July through Anya Hindmarch stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Beijing. It will also be available through On Pedder stores in Jakarta, Bangkok and Shanghai.
Brown Thomas in Ireland and Corso Como in Milan will also be stocking a small number of the brown version of the bag in July.
Why is this new bag a different price to the original brown bag?
We have been overwhelmed by the world's response to this project and inundated with requests to take this bag available to a wider international audience. The UK bag was priced at £5. This price meant that We Are What We Do, Anya Hindmarch and all launch partners have not been covering their costs. In spite of our unrelenting collective enthusiasm to generate awareness around the use of plastic bags, this is unsustainable for all partners involved.
In order to launch the bag more widely & internationally, we had to find a price point that helped us to start covering costs. The price for the next launches therefore, will be £7.50.
We hope that you agree that this remains an amazing price for this bag. We also hope that the international launches will spark the same awareness and debate that we have provoked in the UK and encourage people to reuse, reduce and recycle!
What was the bag designed for?
I'm Not A Plastic Bag is a reusable bag that can be used for shopping, the gym, the beach, school etc. We are trying to use our influence in a positive way to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags, to raise awareness of this issue and to encourage people to make small changes in their behaviour.
How can I keep my bag clean?
Please brush your bag gently with a soft brush to remove everyday dust. Some people have hand washed their bags and this does seem to work but please do so with caution. We would advise spot cleaning with warm water and a gentle soap.
Where was this bag made?
I'm Not A Plastic Bag is made in China. We have worked with a reputable supplier there whose workers are paid double the minimum wage and who complies with all aspects of Chinese Labour Law. The factory also retains external consultants to monitor it from an international standards standpoint.
How environmentally friendly is this bag?
I'm Not A Plastic Bag came about because we wanted to use our influence in a positive way to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags. The bag is a stylish, practical reusable alternative that we hoped would raise awareness of the issue of wasted packaging and spark debate. 'I'm Not A Plastic Bag came about because we wanted to use our influence in a positive way to make it fashionable not to use plastic bags. The bag is a stylish, practical reusable alternative that we hoped would raise awareness of the issue of wasted packaging and spark debate.
We have shipped the bags by sea and carbon offset our production and freight through the purchase of carbon credits.
How do you feel about customers just buying I'm Not A Plastic Bag because they just want an Anya Hindmarch product for very little money?
It is inevitable that some customers are attracted to this product because it is an Anya Hindmarch Bag for a low price point. Our view is that whatever the reason is for customers carrying this bag they are still conveying an important message. The bag is designed to be a practical and stylish alternative to plastic bags that we hope that customers will reuse. It is surprising how many plastic bags you start to refuse on your daily shopping trips when you are carrying a reusable bag and surprising how many people are influenced by the walking billboard that is our bag!
What changes has this bag led to?
To date this project has raised a great deal of awareness over the wasted use of plastic bags around the world. It has also contributed to Sainsbury's banning plastic bags from their stores for two days on Friday April 27th and Tuesday May 29th during which time, they gave away over £700,000 worth of bags for life (reusable bags) to their customers. On the launch day of 'I'm not a plastic bag' in Sainsbury's, both Tesco & Waitrose took out full page adverts to proclaim their plastic bag policies. So we think we have managed to stir up some reactions from major organisations. Having created this awareness it is now up to the consumer to try to reduce, reuse and recycle. We hope that this debate will continue and that this project will at the very least make people stop and think.
What do we think about the bags re-selling on eBay for inflated prices?
At first we were upset when the bags appeared on eBay but then we realised that this is to be expected when there is so little stock and so much demand. This has led to greater awareness which was the purpose of this project. Unfortunately we have no control over bags appearing on eBay. Please note that this bag is not a charity project so charities are not losing out.
So, you've sold your bags, what's next for We Are What We Do?
You've heard about the bag but you also might like to know that we are running a campaign to try and discourage people from using plastic bags. We are launching our very own 'Plastic ain't my bag' campaign at the end of May. We want retailers and shoppers alike to join us in saying 'enough is enough' to plastic bags. To find out more about how you can get involved in our campaign just click here.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 03 June 2007, 14:06
Hello. Cue drum roll. The second consignment of the Anya Hindmarch/We Are What We Do 'I'm NOT A Plastic Bag' shoppers are in stock from June 20th
Anya's classic design is unchanged and the collection's new colours are blue, green and charcoal grey. As before, there are limited numbers for release, and to prevent the traffic-stopping, eye-popping, eBay-swapping activity of batch one, we have developed a system to avoid customer frustrations.
Friends of We Are What We Do, who have already signed up to our newsletter, will be emailed at random and offered the opportunity to buy. We regret that email registration is now closed.
There will be no priority list or celebrity preferentials. Allocation will be chosen using cutting edge, impartial technology (a random selection process, overseen by a professional adjudicator) and a system set up by the Greeks back in the B.C.'s (democracy). Email recipients will have the option to buy for seven days (in case they are abroad or incommunicado at the time of sending the email), after which the allotment will revert to We Are What We Do and will be repurposed for another list member. Colours will be allocated at random to expedite dispatch and delivery. And if you are selected you will receive a non-transferable unique URL via email which will only work in conjunction with your email address. (Only one bag can be purchased per customer.) If you have not received an email from us by June 20th, we are sorry, you have not been selected.
The price of the new, set package is £16.49 (£16.49+pp+VAT - £21.78). This price includes a copy of our latest book 'Change the World 9 to 5' (retail £8.99), trackable courier delivery and a sustainable price point for We Are What We Do. The initial I'm NOT A Plastic Bag shoppers was a loss-making venture designed to get people questioning their reliance on plastic. As the project grows and expands into overseas markets, selling the bag at £7.50 allows us to begin to re-coup some of these costs and continue to promote the bag, fund our community projects and crucially, highlight the issue of plastic bag usage*.
The I'm NOT A Plastic Bag venture was designed as a social experiment. To date the project has generated awareness, media attention and debate beyond our wildest expectations. There have been controversies, which we embrace and engage with wholeheartedly. Click here for the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. And here for We Are What We Do's Co-founder David Robinson's eloquent eulogy to its achievements. Our intention at We Are What We Do has always been simple. To change the world and change our lives for the better. Social change does not have to be about worthy denials or mealy mouthed parsimony. You can change your world whilst looking good, having fun, living lightly. Our I'm NOT A Plastic Bag could not have demonstrated this better.
We hope that, even if you don't manage to add a limited Anya to your capsule collection, you can add one of our other ninety-nine other actions to your life. It is actions, not accessories, that change worlds. And small changes x lots of people that results in big change.
Thank you, and best of luck.
*Visit our Plastic Ain't My Bag campaign
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 23 May 2007, 14:10
Tug. Tug. 'Excuse me?'
(Double take. Eventually, a glance down). 'Yes little boy'
'I notice that you're carrying a plastic bag.' (Gestures to bag)
'Well yes, how observant, I use it to carry my groceries in.' (Pat on the head)
'I'm not stupid. I'm just small.' (Uncomfortable, shifting British silence.)
'Did you know that it takes a bag 500 years for a plastic bag to decay in landfill, that it wastes the earth's precious natural resources and that at this clip we're likely to have exhausted the UK's landfill reserves by 2012?'
'Erm. No I did not'
'Can I give you one of We Are What We Do's 'Plastic Ain't My Bag' bags instead?' (Gestures to paper bag with pink logo)
'Will it make you go away little boy?'
(Rustle, rustle, swap)
'Consider it done.'
On Friday 4th May We Are What We Do launched our 'Plastic Ain't My Bag' campaign at Stratford Shopping Centre in East London. The centre was awash with stickers, posters, banners and helpers in Plastic Ain't My Bag t-shirts. The young people spoke with supermarket managers over their plastic bag policies, engaged with their local and national politicians and initiated spontaneous 'bag swaps' with confused, but mostly bemused, shoppers.
Dividing themselves up into groups the children and young people interviewed managers at Sainsburys, Morrisons, Mondos, Applejacks and The Theatre Royal. They asked for the manager's views on plastic bags and courted their ideas for reducing their use. In Sainsburys Amit, the manager, pledged his allegiance to the campaign and talked about how he has asked that Sainsburys change their 'scan and pack' policy so that shop assistants can ask first, and bag later, only if it's required. (This has subsequently been agreed by head office.) In Morrisons the children presented the manager with a selection of paintings of We Are What We Do actions to raise awareness and to be displayed by tills at point of sales.
Politically plastics were high on the agenda. The deputy mayor, Christine Bowden, was gamely papperazzi'd putting her Sainsburys shopping into a paper 'Plastic Ain't My Bag' carrier. And a large, assembled group talked to Stephen Timms about his plans to change the world (and specifically whether he had any plans to put a tax on plastic bags.) Elsewhere a group of secondary school students and sixth formers met with Lyn Brown, MP for West Ham, to discuss international policies and how initiatives have worked in other countries. Ms Brown, a proud owner of an exclusive, Anya Hindmarch 'I'm NOT a Plastic Bag' bag talked about how it's proved a talking point and how imperative it is to get people thinking about the issue and the role of grassroots campaigning in putting pressure on government to do the right thing.
Human roadblocks (with a very lax approach to border control) were set up, by the young people, at designated spots to offer shoppers the chance to swap their plastic bag for our paper ones. The voluntary bag amnesty proved a huge success as Tollgate's choir bellowed out their We Are What We Do song and it pealed throughout the centre's tannoy system.
The day's artwork was designed by longstanding friends of the movement, Antidote agency. And the day's vocal ambassadors came from assembled junior and secondary schools in the local, Newham area. Representatives from University of East London, Newham Sixth Form College and LSE also lent their support on the day.
We Are What We Do plans to visit shops in and around Stratford in the coming weeks to distribute 'Plastic Ain't My Bag' toolkits of posters, window stickers and shelf wobblers and to encourage them to become involved in our national Shop Wars leader board. If further retailers would like to get involved please feel free to contact frances.clarke@community-links.org
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 May 2007, 14:14
Ideas must work through the brains and arms of men, or they are no better than dreams.'*
A wise man once said this. Right before he grabbed his canvas jute and dashed out the door. Our 'Plastic Ain't My Bag' campaign is We Are What We Do's nationwide appeal - to those brains and these arms - to help rid our shores of the plastic bag. It's a good dream. With your help we can make it our best idea.
This is We Are What We Do's first, nationwide campaign. What started with a book, and inspired actions, congregated on a website and now takes flight, off the page. We chose our Action 01: Decline Plastic Bags because, well, it seemed like an important time and a natural starting point. (If you're waiting for the Action 08: Take a Bath with Someone you Love Campaign, cool your heels tiger.)
Fact. UK consumers use an estimated ten billion bags a year. Each of these bags take 500 years to degrade. Fact. That's 167 bags person, with a one-way ticket to landfill. Fact. We can put an end to this. Last year ten thousand, four hundred and eighty nine of you found it relatively easy to decline plastic bags. (We know, you told us.) This year we aim to make it even easier. Our role in this campaign is not to lecture. Still less is our role to chide. Our role is to champion and support you, to measure your triumphs, mitigate your difficulties and make the occasional (irreverent) suggestion from the sidelines.
Over the course of the month-long campaign we'll provide a few tactical tools. We've created a 'The Art of Saying No' assertiveness course - the better to help you decline bags - and have an A-Z of bag activism. We are working with a community of retailers to help them get drastic around plastic (see Sainsbury's) and will be starring your stories in our website. We plan to measure the numbers of bags you decline with our on-line tracker. And we co-created a bag to raise awareness. (The 'I'm Not a Plastic Bag' Anya Hindmarch shopper. You may have seen it.) Plus we will be staging a day in Stratford where the entire community pushes the plastics issue as well as nudging you from your newspaper, congratulating you at the cash register and - who knows - maybe even prompting you from a billboard or two.
Ten years ago, scientist Richard Dawkins observed that one could 'have travelled thousands of miles through the United States and never see a baseball cap turned back to front.' Today the reverse baseball cap is ubiquitous. Punchline; behaviour is viral. And we humans learn quick. In Bangledesh and Zanzibar and Taiwan they haven't had plastic bags for years and are bearing up just fine. In Ireland and Denmark they introduced a tax on plastic bags - and nearly nobody died. It's worth remembering plastic bags have only been around since 1977. We've managed before.
If enough people act together, things get easier and worlds change. Or, as we like to say, Small changes x Lots of people = Big changes. Altogether now, 'Baby, Plastic Ain't My Bag.'
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 25 April 2007, 16:42
Confused about what to do with/without your plastic bag? Rest easy. It's the authoritative A to Z of bag activism.
A is for Away. There is no away. Plastic can be used indefinitely. So keep them in circulation by repurposing bags as bin liners and for food scraps, as sandwich bags and for shower caps. Enterprising types might like to try crocheting a backpack or modelling the bra bag.
B is for Buycott. Tell your supermarket why you're not taking their bag. The exchange might go something like this. No thanks, bag-free me. Yup, saving the world on-my-lunchbreak. But if you sold a little canvas tote I could be tempted...
C is for Cross your bags. Like book crossing this - but with plastic bags. Stick a 'Reuse not Refuse!' sign on old bags and release them into the office wilderness for needy colleagues to adopt.
D is for Droplift. Liberate your plastic bags from under the sink and deposit them at your nearest supermarket check-outs to bemused looks and knowing smiles.
E is for the Endurance. If a bag takes 500 years to degrade it's got a good old shelf life. Prize your retro relics. Tag them with a 'birth date' and treasure the passing years. (Plastic years are like dog years, 7:1)
F is for Plastic Free Fortnight. Wheat intolerances. Gluten allergies. Pah. We're going plastic-neutral, keep up...
G is for Guerilla gifting. Give out handmade totes to random strangers. Get the company to sponsor an office bag and leave one, tied with a ribbon on every desk. Run a competition at school for the best design and screenprint them in art for gifts.
H is for Hindmarch. The 'I'm NOT a Plastic Bag'. The fastest selling bag in the history of bagdom. Like, ever.
I is for art Installation. Have all your friends collect their unused bags. Pool your plastics. Create a giant art collage out of them that can be seen from Google Earth (maybe) Send us a picture (definitely).
J is for Journey. Plot your plastics pilgrimage from its dingy confinement under the sink to a sunny street in the Parisian Left Bank (say). Make it a little plastic passport to chart its glamorous outings. (Or is it only us that has too much time...)
K is for Knowledge. Ignorance might be bliss but it sure creates a lot of toxic waste. And a little knowledge is contagious.
L is for Landfill. Have you ever been to a landfill site? Fetid rubbish, flies and acres of concrete. They're no Thorpe Park. Have a heart. Don't send your bags there. Spare them. Share them.
M is for MYO (Make Your Own) bags. Most highstreet photo shops will print up personalized bags so you can sling your ethics over your shoulder. Or wear your CSR commitments on your wrist (what about a company-branded 'clean lunch bag'.)
N is for the great bag Nag. Nag your local shops to ask people if they want a bag. Nag major retailers for a bag-free lead (like Sainsbury's bag free day, and the town of Modbury). Nag supermarkets to offer smaller snack sacks for lunch. Nag government over legislation change.
O is for Office bag. There is an office brolly. Why not an office bag? Leave a canvas tote by the door for dashing colleagues to grab (the plain ones can borrow it too).
P is for Preparation. A reusable bag by the door. A nylon convertible bag in your pocket. An online reminder on your monitor. Whatever it takes.
Q is for Quirky. Come up with your own campaign. Think outside the box. Let us know about it. We'll pass it on.
R is for R.I.P the B.A.G. Nail a plastic bag, portentiously, to a lamppost with a short description of why you're doing it. Just don't get caught.
S is for Smart Technology and biodegradable corn Starch. They make bags out of them you know? Bags that breathe (great for storing fresh produce), are durable and compost when you've used them out. Supply follows demand. Tantrum time?
T is for Thanks, but no thanks. Was that too hard? Try it again. Ta for the offer of a plastic bag but No thanks Plastic Ain't my bag. Gets easier every time. Try our 'Art of Saying No' assertiveness course if you're still struggling.
U is for Ugly bags. The plastic might be a little worn, the patina a bit crumpled it's not ugly it's just had a lot of life. Face it, we're all going to get that way, one day. Learn to love 'ug'.
V is for baffled Vendor. The other day we were caught on the hop. We had to accept a plastic bag from the fruit and veg man. Imagine his surprise when, the next day, we thanked him for his troubles and gave it back to him (folded and laundered of course.) We had a chat. And now he asks if people want a bag. Us English are an eccentic lot, play on it.
W is for Wicker. Leave a wicker basket by the door. Not only will it divert plastic from landfill it may encourage spontaneous picnics and office frollickry.
X is for XXL. Plastic is passé. Big bags are hot this season. Big bags carry more. Like your shopping and gym kit and filofax and Miniature Schnauzer.
Y Like you have to ask? Because five hundred years is a long time. Because natural resources are in short supply. Because it's hard to communicate if you're a seal with its nose trapped in parcel tape roll and plastic bags. Because it's easy to decline.
Z is for Zeitgeist. 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has.' (Margaret Mead)
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 25 April 2007, 16:37
500 billion plastic bags are consumed worldwide every year. That's 1 million bags a minute. (www.reusablebags.com)
167 bags used by the average British consumer, per year. (WRAP, 2005)
500 years, the time it takes a plastic bag to decay in landfill. (Change the World for a Fiver)
4.175 million years. The 'average' person's plastic bag legacy.
Only 1 in 200 plastic bags are recycled (Telegraph Magazine, 2007)
½ penny. The cost to supermarkets of producing 1 typical plastic bag (Information supplied to Scottish Parliament by the Carrier Bag Consortium)
£64-£80 million. The amount UK retailers spend per year on providing plastic bags to their customers (Information supplied to Scottish Parliament by the Carrier Bag Consortium)
International Activism
From Australia to Zanzibar. How the world got drastic around plastic.
Australia: Environment Ministers have challenged retailers to voluntarily reduce the 6.9 billion bags used each year.
They are now looking at introducing mandatory measures.
In 2003, Coles Bay in Tasmania banned plastic bags altogether and provided residents with alternatives such as calico bags.
Bangladesh: In March 2002, Bangladesh slapped an outright ban on all polythene bags after they were found to have been the main culprit during the 1988 and 1998 floods that submerged two-thirds of the country. The problem was that discarded bags were choking the drainage system.
Bangladeshi jute makers are set to benefit from the government ban of polythene bags introduced this week.
Denmark: As part of a larger packaging tax introduced in 1994, Denmark taxed plastic bags. The stated aim was to promote the use of reusable bags. However, the tax was paid by retailers when they purchased bags, rather than by shoppers. Still, consumption of paper and plastic bags has declined by 66%.
Denmark has also employed a general waste tax that has proven to be very successful. The waste tax is differentiated so that it is most expensive to landfill waste, cheaper to incinerate it and tax exempt to recycle it. Also (as described above), they have so-called "green" taxes on packaging, plastic bags, disposable tableware and nickel-cadmium batteries.
Hong Kong: In 2006, the voluntary pact on plastic bag reduction was launched by the government and since then, supermarkets have handed out 80 million fewer plastic bags. Since early this year, the Environmental Protection Department has signed the voluntary pact with 10 major supermarket and retail-outlet chains. Besides the Voluntary Agreement, there are also campaigns on plastic bag reduction organized by green groups, including the current "No Plastic Bag Day" campaign and "Green Newsstands Label" campaign. The "No Plastic Bag Day" campaign is organized by the Green Student Council with the support from the Environment Department. The first Tuesday of each month is now designated as "No Plastic Bag Day". Consumers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags or to donate $0.5 for each plastic bag they ask for.
Ireland: Ireland took the lead in Europe, slapping a tax on plastic bags in 2002. The Irish government says that the levy has cut their use there by more than 95%. The tax, known as the 'plas tax', has also raised millions of euros in revenue which is to be used for environmental projects.
Maharashtra: In August 2005, the government in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has banned the sale and use of plastic bags.
Although the sale of bags would be banned, manufacturing would be allowed as companies could sell them in other parts of the country
Paris: The city of Paris has decided to ban non-biodegradable plastic bags in large stores as of 2007, in an effort to cut down on pollution.
Rwanda: In 2004, thousands of people were encouraged to take the day off work to help pick up some of the plastic bags which littered the country.Then in January 2006, Rwanda cracked down on the use of plastic bags in favour of paper bags. They have stopped traders from importing and selling them and shops have been banned from giving plastic bags to their customers.
South Africa: In South Africa, plastic bags have been dubbed the 'national flower' because so many can be seen flapping from fences and caught in bushes. In response, in May 2003, South Africa introduced legislation to ban thin, flimsy plastic bags in favour of new, thicker, stronger ones which consumers would have to buy. The idea being that shoppers would either have to take bags with them when they go shopping, or buy the new, thicker plastic bags that are easier and more profitable to recycle.
Taiwan: In October 2001, Taiwan introduced a ban on distribution of free single-use plastic bags by government agencies, schools and the military. In 2003, the ban was extended to include supermarkets, fast food outlets and department stores, and will eventually apply to street vendors and food dealers. Customers must now pay NT$1 to NT$2 for a bag
United Kingdom: While a plastic bag tax has yet to be adopted by the government (shame on you), they fully support reusable carrier bags and some retailers have taken up the cause. "Point systems", "Bag for life" and "penny back" schemes have been introduced by some of the larger supermarket chains. Gold stars go to IKEA who do not offer plastic bags and Sainsbury's, who recently had a "Bag for life" day where they handed out free long-life bags to encourage sustainable shopping. In the absence of a clear lead from goverenment or corporations certain councils and towns have taken the initiative. The town of Modbury in Devon became the first plastic-bag free town in Europe after all 43 of its independent retailers committed to binning the bag. Citizen copycatting, seriously encouraged.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 25 April 2007, 16:33
Hello. There's very little 'science bit' to this. Action 01: Decline Plastic Bags Whenever Possible. Then get on with your day.
Plastic isn't all bad. If you were in hospital and needed apolethylene particulate debris joint replacement you would be very glad of those advances made in polyethylene in 1933. We applaud its invention. But we are rotten at its disposal.
The average lifespan of a plastic bag is 500 years and six days. That's 500 years degrading in a toxic landfill site and six days transporting shopping (That is, providing it's recycled at all. Nine out of ten plastic bags live under the sink). It's not a great use of our rich, fast-depleting mineral resources. Particularly when the alternatives are prettier, kinder and don't cut into your hands.
Declining takes a little preparation, a little determination and - ever so occasionally - a bit of confrontation. Our 'Art of Saying No' assertiveness course can help you with the latter. And the A-Z of bag activism can give you suggestions of a host of alternatives. (Droplift! Regift! Guerilla Switch!) Beyond that the mantra is refuse, reduce, reuse.
Essayist and poet E.B. White once said, 'I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.' A canvas tote by the door makes planning our day that bit easier; the good time bit, we leave to you.
Copyright © We Are What We Do
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 12 June 2006, 17:19
We're out of the cup but that won't stop us championing the Beautiful Game while changing the world.
join 'em. Not literally. You'll get booted off the tour bus. But you can get yourself down the park with the kids for a quick kick about. You'll not only get fit, you'll gain a new appreciation for the Beautiful Game. So that later, when you're down the pub berating our boys for their latest foul up, no one can accuse you of having all-the-gear-but-no-idea. Because you'll be covered in mud. And have your arm in a sling.
Not all balls are created equal. In fact there's only one fairly-traded football out there - differing a little in price, but a whole lot in production. The Fairdeal footballs start from £12.90 yet it reflects higher wages for the stitchers, improved working conditions, health insurance provision and the creation of a micro credit fund. More of an equal playing field all round then. Balls available at Oxfam or online at http://www.fairdealtrading.com
We're big on community here at WAWWD (Action 45, Give your Phone Number to Five People in your Street? Tick.). But if you live in the city it can be hard to know thy neighbour. Change all that by throwing a street party/barbecue and asking your neighbours along to watch the action. Bring out the bunting and the bangers and put the kibosh on community rot, hurrah.
We can't all afford to jet off to Germany to support the team. But we can all probably stretch to some Brötchen or Semmeln bread with eggs and a strong German coffee to get us into the spirit. In fact why stop there? Whose up for a bolognaise and baguette sandwich for the final? Lets become culinary champions in our own town. Pinnys on people.
We're not really ones for doing things by halves, but we make an exception for the half flush for half time. Newer cisterns have a "stop" button, which enables the stop of the flow of new water when the bowl has been cleared. It uses less water in a summer when reserves are already low. Or you could abide by the mantra 'if its yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down'.
Football brings out the best in us. Recent British research found that watching football is good for the health as it gives us a chance to express our emotions. Taking our lead from empirical research as well as Action 9, 'Hug Someone' we are shrugging off that famous British reserve - hugging, kissing and freewheeling around one another, happy as lambkins.
The Brazilians played with flair and passion, Beckham bent it with finesse, and Henri has been giving it extra va-va-voom. Praise where praise is due we say. And we say it in another language. Rise to the challenge and express your praise and astonishment in the language of the country currently showing such enviable skills. Goleador! Gagne! Gol!!!!
Who doesn't like a beer with their ball play? Luckily there is a way to drink ethically and alcoholically at the same time by plumping for organic beers or brands like Freedom lager at the pumps. No pesticides have been used in the making of these babies, plus the lack of additives means a kinder hangover the next day. We're looking out for you, truly we are.
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 06 April 2006, 17:28
Posted by Ella Wiggans at 01 February 2006, 14:27
A little while ago, We Are What We Do packed our (non-plastic) bags, and set off on an adventure - something of a world tour. Having changed the world Down Under for a very reasonable ten bucks, we once again up-and-off-ed, and this time stopped off in Germany for something a little more satisfying than the stereotypical sausages and beer. We dropped by simply to change the world - einfach die Welt verändern one might even say (sweetly, and in another language - as suggested by Action 18!)
From various places, including a kitchen table, an internet café, and the more traditional communal office, we started to do what we do best and set about bringing the movement to Germany. In traditional We Are What We Do-Action 50-(Do something for nothing)-style, we did so with a little help from our Scholz & Friends, and with a lot of help from a highly dedicated and inspirational group at Pendo, the publishers of the German book. With its own sparkly little website (beaming from www.wearewhatwedo.de), again the product of a little help from We Are What We Do-friends gathered along the way, the success of the German book is set to be stellar.
How do we know it will be stellar? Because a little bird told us. Well, a really quite big star actually. A star with a very big readership, with a very nice interview with We Are What We Do, with a mini-website all about it and with 55 actions to make the world a little more sparkly. And it told us all this via its cover story! We really seem to have captured Stern Magazin's (Star Magazine, highest circulation weekly news magazine in Germany) imagination (spot the alluded-to action!). Add to that a short article on the title page of the Bild Zeitung (highest circulation daily newspaper in Germany), an excerpt in Der Spiegel (biggest clout weekly news magazine), an article in Petra (best known women's magazine in Germany), and a whole host of radio interviews, things are almost going into orbit here!
It's not that we're blowing our own trumpet - though we have taken up lessons, all in the spirit of Action 40. We're just writing to those who inspired us - all of you guys! - to let you know what collective action and contributions can do! (Did you spot the action-reference?!)
Not content with what's already been achieved, We Are What We Do are off on our travels again. First we will be going back home to London to the folks, spending time with someone from a different We Are What We Do generation/edition number (Action number ? Know your We Are What We Do trivia!). There we are also hoping to get our washing done and have something proper to eat - together, of course (I hope you're action spotting!) - as all weary travellers do. We'll obviously be bringing some of the friends we have picked up along the way back with us - an entourage from the German press no less! If they ask nicely, we might bake them something
Then We Are What We Do are off to Berlin for our own launch-party-meets-press-conference before partying it up in Zurich with a host of celebrity friends. The stars will help make the book a stellar success in Switzerland no doubt, as they have agreed to be "godparents" of various actions, and we are happy - nay, honoured! - to welcome them into the We Are What We Do family.
Do not fear - after all that We Are What We Do partying, we promise to change our ways and We All Will Do Work! We'll be taking English Action 32: Do something you think you can't do very literally. We will be trying to be in two places at once - at the We Are What We Do Global Summit in London, and at the book fair in Leipzig
We just love a challenge!
If you're in the neighbourhood, why not drop by for some partying and star-spotting, and perhaps we'll have baked a little something for you
Launch Party/Press Conference in Berlin - 3rd March
Launch Party in Zurich - 12th March
Leipzig Book Fair - 16th - 19th March
