Wake up and just lie there luxuriating in the new creamy soft Fair Trade Organic sheets that I finally got around to mail-ordering from New Internationalist. Decades of low-waged activist lifestyle have meant buying the cheapest KMart sheets and getting them repaired a few times by the wonderful fix-it folks here on Eighth Ave (Lammy’s) until they say, ‘Sorry we can’t fix this for you again, can’t you buy new sandals, sheets, occasionally?’ But after reading how much pesticide goes into normal cotton production I haven’t been able to buy new cotton goods, ransacking op shops for sad old sheets & doona covers as well as clothes. Now glad I lashed out – these gorgeous thick sheets look like they’ll ‘see me out’.

Get up feeling creaky, throw some washing on with the fabulous MIRACLE WASH laundry balls (available from Perth EcoShop), follow Dr’s orders and have a good hot shower for crook neck, feel guilty about the water and electricity, but pissed off that our strata complex isn’t on gas or solar. 60% of our 206 unit owners have to agree to go on gas for Alinta to do their thing. Solar or at least gas should be bloody compulsory! Resolve to talk to good new member of strata council about getting a solar company to do a quote for the whole place. I have heard of it being done for unit complexes in Sydney… 2008 and we’ve got THE most energy guzzling form of hot water – electric storage! Fat chance of 206 owners agreeing to anything happening I guess, but should at least try.

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Get a lift with partner to our community eco-shop after checking that he REALLY NEEDS the van there that day (i.e. that bikes would not do). Go out the back to see if there’s any sign of the willy wagtails, but sadly no. Our landlord/neighbour scattered a whole pack of Ratsak around our backyard because he’d seen a mouse. The pair of Willies had been around for about a year, chitty-chittying away on our compost bins, but they are no more. Landlord reckons he didn’t know it would kill anything except rodents. RATS!!!!! Biodiversity in the backyard gone in one shake of a handful of Ratsak!

Go to the friendly new little Thai supermarket up the street with my own old plastic bags, get 10c off each bulk item I buy. Me and fruity muesli – cereal monogamy – extra good to know there is no packaging involved.

Turn on computer, in comes the morning gush of emails. Oh no, there’s a posting on the ANAWA list (Anti-Nuclear Alliance of WA) quoting Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson as saying ‘Queensland and WA, at a point, will fall into line…The uranium industry will open up.’ I can’t help but reflect on the squillions of activist hours on this campaign since the late 1970’s – keeping WA uranium in the ground. To realise that someone like Ferguson can step out of line, and make like it’s the new line that those in the good old nuclear-free line should now fall into… AAARRRGGGHHHH! ANAWA’s office is here at Environment House; I introduce it to visitors as the David room. When they look blank (most do!) I say ‘as in David and Goliath’ and they know what I mean…Yes we know that the U word will be a big one at the forthcoming state election and that all who want to keep WA nuke-free will have to pitch in to help on this campaign.

Then down for a stint in the eco-shop – the customers nearly always lift the spirits – all trying to do their little bit for the planet. They’re a great antidote to enviro-doom!!

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Brenda Conochie is the Coordinator for the Environment House (www.environmenthouse.org.au) on Eighth Ave in Maylands.