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This is our very first challenge and these are some of our suggestions:

1. Reorganize you garbage: get one big garbage bin for the white (and other) official garbage bags in your kitchen and make sure you get a proper lid to close it, instead of using small bags to fill up a big one;
2. Make sure you get all kinds of reusable bags/boxes/trolleys: the ones provided by supermarkets, small thin bags to hide in your handbag and unfold when you need them, trolleys (some to be folded) and handy foldable boxes to leave in the car. It is such a nice feeling to be able to refuse all those plastic bags offered to you in the shops and at the market;
3. Try to buy fruit and vegetables in loose and big quantities (see next month's challenge);
4. Get a composting bin or compost place in your garden: this will reduce your (smelly) garbage.
5. Make use of "Tupperware" and similar boxes to store things in the fridge, to use for picnic and as lunch boxes.

get access to a weekly organic fruit and vegetable basket in your neighborhood!

There are many reasons to do this:

1. For your health: you will get a nice amount of fruit and vegetables every week, they are as fresh as they can be and they are organic and to say it with Michael Pollan's words: this is REAL food;
2. For the environment: buying locally reduces your ecological footprint avoiding food miles (transport of your food) - even the fair trade ones come by boat which is less polluting than airplanes - it reduces packaging (no plastic involved);
3. For your taste: nothing tastes as good as these fresh and organic treasures;
4. For the wellbeing of traditional farmers versus the big food industry: both the local ones and the fair trade partners in developing countries;
5. For biodiversity: some of the vegetables are almost forgotten and have become unavailable in our supermarkets, but taste lovely and are very nutritious.

Check out a selection of addresses, recipe books, season calendars and more in our article.

This will be our challenge for this month:

1. Tap water in Belgium is safe and needs to qualify to 55 EU and WHO criteria and you can read all about it on www.vivaqua.be in English (under "Practical Information").
2. At first it might have a chlorine smell/taste, but if you leave it for 10 minutes most of it has evaporated!
3. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice might make miracles as to the taste!
4. If you want to read about the impact of you drinking bottled water (waste, health, etc.) have a look at this article from www.emagazine.com
5. If you prefer to use a water filter jug (e.g. BRITA) only use very cold water and store it in the fridge if you intend to keep it longer than a day (max. 2 days in total!)
6. It is up to 100x cheaper than bottled water!
7. Imagine how much waste and transport you could avoid by providing each family member with their own refillable drinking bottle!

Our challenge for this month is not so difficult, but quite important!

1. A shower takes less water than taking a bath unless you shower for more than 8 minutes!
2. By taking a short shower you can save money, but also reduce the amount of precious drinkable water you use to wash yourself with!
3. One might think of timing a shower and a song or two might make it more fun (see also short shower songs and more tips at Do The Green Thing)
4. Try to reduce the flow of water either manually or by installing a very efficient high aeration shower head (which you can find in shops like BRICO for about 15 €).
5. A thermostatic knob might also help to find the right temperature immediately so you do not loose water before you actually take the shower.

Good luck with finding your favorite short shower tune!

Write a note, email or letter to your politicians or sign a petition!

1. The annual global Climate Change Conference, this year from 1-12 December in Poznan, Poland, provides a good opportunity to ask our politicians for more bold actions NOW . You can write directly to them or see the petition for example on The Big Ask to be signed before 11 December 2008.
2. The proposal to build a new coal plant in Belgium provides another opportunity to act: You can ask for the project to be stopped either through email directly to your politicians or through signing a petition, see for instance the Greenpeace link on this website under be heard.
3. More locally, in all supermarkets you can post your suggestions in a box (usually forms are available). Give them your suggestions (also in English) to impove things concerning packaging, organic food choice, tracability etc.

Good luck and remember: you can make a difference!

Here, we will summarise the environmental policies and progress of the communes in and around brussels. If you have any information or news, good or bad, that you think should be added, please let us know.

For a start, here is a list of each of the communes who have assigned a person to be responsible for implementing Agenda 21.

Woluwe Saint-Pierre

Woluwe Saint-Pierre has had a dedicated person for the implementation of Agenda 21, Mrs. Muriel Frisque, for several years. The commune also has a dedicated webpage (in English) for its Agenda 21 programme.

Sunbeams organizes different types of events covering a more eco-friendly lifestyle - in English - at different locations in and around Brussels. We provide presentations and workshops for adults and children, participate at fairs and organize an annual tree planting event in spring.

Presentations and workshops

1. Sustainable living in Belgium
2. Environment: e.g. how to launch an environmental campaign/week at a school
3. Composting Workshop (with Belgian master composters)
4. Wildlife and birds protection (with our ornithologist)
5. Energy saving, subsidies in Belgium and green suppliers
6. Energy saving: water, heating and electricity (with our energy specialist)
7. Impact of what you eat on the environment (e.g. food miles, meat, organic)
8. Eco-parties, presents and wrapping
9. Writing, design and making a youth newsletter (with our writing and design expert) - children only 8 - 10 and 12 - 14 yo. Series of 4 workshops: 1h-1h ½ per session
10. Handcrafts: e.g. crochet classes and recycling workshops
11. Healthy gardening
12. Healthy homes
13. Personal health and well-being (with our naturopath)
14. Eco-labels in Belgium
15. Other events in cooperation with other organisations and companies: e.g. Belgian Forest Associations, Reason2.be, R99.be, Serve the City, etc...

Presentations are held at your location: business premises, expat meeting groups, civic organizations, mother's groups, churches, schools, children's groups such as Brownies/Girl Guides or Boy Scouts.

We are also happy to develop a presentation on a specific topic of your choice, again incorporating simple steps for making lifestyle changes. Sunbeams is also prepared to work with children and present on a range of topics in the classroom or elsewhere, sharing information, providing challenges to children to stimulate thought and discussion, and initiate action or lifestyle changes. All presentations and workshop focus on practical issues: what you can do as an individual to make a difference – with links to Belgium wherever possible.

If you could offer us your expertise to make presentations for Sunbeams, please do not hesitate to contact us: just click here

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