Me holding an abandoned fox cub, found at my grandparents friends mushroom farm, with my sister around 1982/83
SAVING THE WORLD, ONE SNAIL AT A TIME…
My life-long quest to make the world a better place has led me here. As a child I always had a great affinity for animals, especially those I could interact with in my garden at home. I also didn’t understand why anyone would want to eat things that were so innocent and beautiful. I am the girl who refused to eat lamb aged 3, who stops my car to move frogs and toads out of the road, who has felt the loss of every roadkill past. Who struggles to contain her repulsion passing a butchers shop. Who is heartbroken upon seeing the baby lambs jumping about and chasing each other in the field. Bemused that no one else seems to notice. Dying to scream out at people but containing herself to maintain social etiquette.
My moral stance probably stems, in part, from the stories I heard growing up. My grandparents were Polish WWII survivors, my grandmother was taken in cattle trucks to a gulag in Siberia at 14 years old and my grandfather was a pilot, flying Spitfires with the RAF. I learned that personal freedom, life and choice are precious above all else.
“Speciesism, in ethics and animal rights philosophy, is prioritizing one species’ interests over others, a practice considered by its opponents as immoral discrimination. Philosopher Peter Singer argues for equal consideration of interests, regardless of species. He suggests that the capacity to feel pain, a shared trait between humans and animals, should be the basis for moral consideration.
Speciesism is analogous to racism and sexism because characteristics like species are irrelevant when considering interests, like avoiding pain. Some defend speciesism by citing uniquely human capabilities like moral agency, rationality or language use. However, critics argue that these capabilities are not exclusive to all humans, presenting a dilemma: either some animals’ interests are as important as some humans’, or some humans’ interests are no more important than some animals’.”
I’m vegan to reduce my impact on both the lives of other creatures and our planet. I want to be part of the solution. At home we grow some of our own veggies, fruits and herbs and create our own compost from food waste. I love to cook and bake, always from scratch. I’ve plenty of plant-based recipes and tips that I’m happy to share! I try to live my life as ethically as possible. I recycle, I use eco friendly, biodegradable and natural products. I even used washable nappies on my kids!
I am always striving to make my business side of things as eco-conscious as possible. I re-use packaging and use mostly re-cycled paper bags and boxes that can be easily re-used and recycled again. I repurpose old furniture & items for displays where possible. I have found some great eco-conscious production partners all based in the UK. My prints & giftware are all made using recycled or sustainable materials. My ceramics will last beyond a lifetime, if cared for. I decorate mostly with underglaze and slip which have low toxic levels. I have an electric hybrid vehicle, reducing my pollution output when delivering or traveling to shows! I’m dreaming of solar panels to fire my kiln!