"Let nothing be wasted"

In today's Thought for the Day, Bishop James Jones discussed the vast amount of food we waste in the UK, linking this to the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

"Long before people realised the earth wasn't a limitless larder and centuries before the word 'sustainability' appeared on anyone's lips Jesus was warning against a lifestyle groaning with greed and waste."

Swap a book at work

Get your workplace reading by setting up a bookSWAP shelf. This is a simple way to run a small lending library, broaden everyone's literary horizons, and get some good discussions going in the workplace. The website offers ideas on how to run a Swap a Book scheme in your workplace. It is simple to set up and easy to run, as staff get to find out more about each other and enjoy their time at work, whilst employers benefit from having a more literate workforce. So - if you’ve read a good book lately, pass it on for others to enjoy.

Making Autumn resolutions

"God approves of New Year’s resolutions. And mid-year, and three-quarters year, and monthly, and weekly, and daily resolutions. Any and all resolutions for good have God’s approval—if we resolve by faith in Jesus"

John Piper suggests making some autumn resolutions - as the unplanned life can easily settle into fruitless routine, and the drifting life (the coasting, que-sera-sera, unreflective life) tends to be a wasted life... Read the rest of the article.

Portable espresso machine

If espresso is the ideal beverage for a recession, then a portable espresso machine is possibly one of the best gadgets ever.

You prime it up like a bicycle pump then add hot water to the coffee and....hey presto! No self respecting student or traveller should be without one.

World's Biggest Coffee Morning

Be part of Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. Have fun with your family and friends and join thousands of others in changing the lives of people affected by cancer. To take part, simply register to hold a coffee morning and Macmillan will send you everything you need to make your coffee morning a success. Choose a date: the official day is Friday 25 September, but you can hold it whenever you want really.

Last year, more than 45,000 people held coffee mornings and, together with their family, friends and colleagues, raised over £7.5 million. If you need some inspiration and ideas for snacks and drinks at your coffee morning, here are a few to get you started.

How many cups of tea do you drink a day?

The Tea Appreciation Society recently asked its Facebook Fans: "On average, how many cups of tea do you drink a day?". The results revealed that most people drink 2-3 cups a day, with an overall average of 3.658657 cups.

Did Jane Austen visit the Rohan shop?

Rohantime tweeted Did Jane Austen shop at Rohan? The story? Jane Austen's brother Henry was a partner in a bank at 10 Henrietta Street, which is now a Rohan shop. Henry lived for several years above the bank (where the green plaque is) and Jane would stay with him when she came to London on business.

Can the internet cure insomnia?

One out of 10 Britons can't fall asleep at night. But new online treatments for insomnia may mean that a cure is just a few clicks away? While some sleep experts say automated systems can help make insomnia treatment widely available, others think effective treatment requires the human touch.

See also other posts on sleep.

Archbishop's environment videocast

The Archbishop of Canterbury encourages ‘response to God’s hope for us’ in an environment videocast. Launched last week, the Ready Steady Slow videocast is available on the http://www.whywearewaiting.com/ website and on YouTube. In it, the Archbishop shares his concerns for the planet in a new videocast encouraging viewers to sign up in advance, via the Internet, to the Church of England’s environmentally-themed online Advent calendar for 2009, with its daily green challenges and thoughts.

Win a tea party!

Dorset Cereals are offering the opportunity to win one of 15 gorgeous wicker hampers filled to the brim with a fantastic selection of Clipper teas, coffees and chocolate drinks. Play the spin the bottle game and you could instantly win one.

How Sunday trading changed the UK

Fifteen years ago, Sunday trading laws were introduced that led to a national love affair with shopping. There's a thoughful article on the BBC website discussing this.

Still shopping ethically during the recession

A recent poll of Friends of Cafédirect asked them if they were still shopping ethically in the recession. By an overwhelming majority, 77% are still shopping ethically, 21% do sometimes and only 2% have stopped shopping ethically in the downturn.

Love the Midlands? Or prefer to leave?

In Home is where the heart is? unless it's in the Midlands, the Guardian reports on a survey that finds that three-quarters of the Midlands' population would leave tomorrow given half a chance.

Skyride Leicester

On Sunday 30th August, much of Leicester will be closed to motor transport for Skyride Leicester. This is one of five Skyride mass-participation cycling events, where the streets of major cities are closed to other traffic and cyclists take over. Each is a great day out for the whole family where you can meet members of the GB Cycling Team, experience live entertainment, take part in challenges and tricks and - fingers crossed - soak up the sunshine!

The Skyride Leicester route will be open and free of traffic from 10am until 4pm.Highlights of the route include: Leicester's cultural (and traffic light!) hub, the Golden Mile, Historic Belgrave Hall, the eye catching and iconic Space Centre, Abbey Park, and Belgrave Hall gardens (home of the Skyride Entertainment for the day).

Tea pickers lose jobs to machines

Cafédirect has tweeted that tea pickers in Kenya are losing jobs to machines. More than 800 tea pickers have been sent home after a multinational company in Kenya introduced tea picking machines. The workers of the Eastern Produce Tea Company in Nandi were ordered to vacate company houses immediately and those defying the directive were warned that they would be arrested and charged with trespass. The company’s decision protests from the Kenya Plantation and Agriculture Workers Union (KPAWU).

A top manager at the tea company told a government official that the firm had cut spending by half since it started using machines in some tea estates. He praised the machines, saying they could be manned by a few people and dismissed union leaders’ concerns that the quality of tea could be compromised.

National Forest Wood Fair 2009

The National Forest Wood Fair 2009 will take place on Bank Holiday Monday (August 31st) at Beacon Hill Country Park, Woodhouse Eaves. It will be the 5th National Forest Wood Fair and it will include:

• live demonstrations of woodworking skills, craft displays and chainsaw sculpting.
• the opportunity to find out more about woodlands - from tree planting to felling. Talk to the experts and watch forestry in action including timber processing and horse logging.
• a Food Area with a great selection of delicious locally produced food.
• and also .. a lumberjack show, longbow displays, charity auction and a fascinating programme of talks on trees and woodland.

The Contemplation Couch

Earlier this month Bishop Tim Stevens and Revd Tim Blewett sat on the Contemplation Couch in the centre of Leicester to highlight the Save Launde Abbey campaign. Braving the rain, the two Tims and their supporters appeared on the BBC, and used the opportunity to explain the value of Launde Abbey as a Retreat House. The appeal has so far raised over £580,000 of the £1 million needed to save the Abbey.

How to cook in a tiny kitchen

Although British homes are getting smaller and smaller, it is still possible to cook in a rabbit-hutch sized kitchen . . . Advice from Katherine Whitehorn, author of Cooking in a Bedsitter - a classic text (recently republished) which assisted many a student in their first foray into self-catering.

Recycle thoughtfully and environmentally

The Guardian's EthicalLivingBlog is encouraging us to resist the dubious temptation of free air miles in exchange for your old mobile phones, as there are plenty of creative ways to recycle your used handset instead.

No time to exercise?

Struggling to fit exercise into your daily routine? Here are two schemes to help:

• Natural England’s Walking the way to Health programme encourages you to enjoy your local natural spaces and benefit your health by taking part in health walks. As the largest national body promoting and setting the standards for led health walks, WHI aims to encourage people to do regular short walks in their communities. Over 525 local health walk schemes are supported – find your nearest using the Walk Finder.
• The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy recognises we all lead busy lives and that it is hard to find the time to take up an intensive exercise regime. Their leaflet The Lazy Exercise Guide identifies a number of activities you can easily build into your daily routine.

Tea and Biscuits on R4

In Tea and Biscuits, broadcast daily from 3.45-4.00pm on Radio 4, you can listen to Hardeep Singh Kohli as he joins people as they meet and indulge in that very British ritual: a cup of tea and a biscuit.

The 2011 Trust

2011 will be a significant year for the Bible with many projects happening through the 2011 Trust to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, which was completed in 1611. There have been few more important single publications and its impact through history has been colossal. The aim of the Trust is to celebrate its impact in history and on language, particularly in this country, but also throughout the English speaking world.

Competitions from Cafédirect

Last week Cafédirect gave blog readers a chance to win some coffee by identifying a pack: see the 'Friday Fun' blog post. There is a similar competition today and every Friday during August so check out the Blog. During September there will be a prize for the favourite comment on the blog, so check in regularly and leave your comments. Make sure you don't miss out on future competitions by following us on Twitter or becoming a Cafédirect fan on Facebook.

Do we really need to ban plastic bags?

There have been a number of blog posts about plastic bags - arguably the ultimate symbol of our throwaway culture. However, as the Welsh Assembly announces plans to tax plastic bags, some believe plastic bags are distracting us from more important environmental issues.

Tutored tea tasting

Were you intrigued by news of the British-grown Tregothnan tea? The Tea Plantation offers a tea masterclass consisting of a one-day tutored tea tasting with leading tea tasters and world renowned presenters Tim Clifton and Jane Pettigrew.

The ultimate present for a tea-lover? Only if you have £179 to spare!

Send your name to Mars‏

Want a chance to go to Mars? Fill in your information and your name will be included with others on a microchip on the Mars Science Laboratory rover heading to Mars in 2011!

Icons of the Incarnation at Leicester Cathedral

A new exhibition Icons of the Incarnation by Sophie Hacker is to open at Leicester Cathedral on Wednesday 12 August at 8pm. The exhibition consists of nine stunning works by Sophie Hacker inspired by Olivier Messiaen's La Nativite du Seigneur and the opening night includes a champagne reception, illustrated talk and film by Sophie Hacker herself. The evening will also include a performance by Leicester Cathedral’s Assistant Organist Simon Headley of three movements from La Nativite du Seigneur. Tickets £7 on the door (includes refreshments). There will also be talk on and performance of Oliver Messiaen's music on Tuesday 18th starting at 7pm. The exhibition will then be open daily between Thursday 13 until Sunday 23 August.

‘Praycations’ for staycationers

The Church of England has launched a new web service for people taking a Staycation - holidaying from home instead of going away - during the recession. Staycations offer the opportunity to discover everything a local area has to offer, with cathedrals and local churches often at its centre, says a new Church of England website section at www.cofe.anglican.org/staycations. On the website pages, staycationers can plan their ‘praycation’ by browsing a wide selection of holiday-at-home suggestions, and 10 websites are recommended so visitors can find their local church and cathedral to make the most of their staycation. Over the next month the webpages at will be developed with further ideas and suggestions.

Knowledge of the Bible is poor

Knowledge of the Bible is poor, according to a survey undertaken by Durham University, on behalf of CODEC (Communication in the Digital Environment). Over 900 people, from faith and non-faith backgrounds, were surveyed at various locations throughout England and Wales about their knowledge of the Bible.

62% of respondents did not know the parable of the Prodigal Son and 60% were not able to recall anything about the Good Samaritan. There was also a lack of biblical knowledge among churchgoers, with 72% knowing nothing about Daniel in the Lions’ Den. However, three-quarters of people surveyed said they owned a Bible. Just under athird said that the Bible was significant in their lives today, and many said they still turn to the Bible for support and guidance at key moments.

Economy Gastronomy

The Guardian has been running a week long series on Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett:

One salmon, four dishes
One chicken, three ways
Turn a pumpkin into a feast
Dinner and a treat: escalope of chicken and treacle tart
Spicy black bean quesadilla and anytime cookies

This ties in with a new BBC2 show, Economy Gastronomy, and a book, Economy Gastronomy: Eat Better And Spend Less by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett, published by Michael Joseph.

Smells like...Earl Grey

If the thought of Infusion perfume doesn't appeal, how about perfume based on Earl Grey? The French skincare/perfume compant L’Occitane is offering a "limited-edition Bergamot Tea fragrance collection that will delight both men and women alike". For the perfume collection, Earl Grey tea is reinvented into an original and contrasted fragrance, associating the distinction of tea leaves to the subtle freshness of the Calabrian bergamot.

Haggis is English?

A historian has claimed that a haggis recipe was published in an English book almost two hundred years before any evidence of the dish in Scotland. A book published in 1615 indicates haggis was first eaten in England and subsequently popularised by the Scots.

See also: haggis

Updated 4/8: Hands off our haggis, say Scots after English claim‏

Liturgy for a moon landing‏

Following the media interest in the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing, I've just found a blog post offering the Liturgy for a moon landing‏. It seems that the first food and drink consumed on the moon was bread and wine, in the sacrament of communion.

Alpha Male: a reporter checks out the Alpha course

Reporter Adam Rutherford of the Guardian is attending an Alpha course. He is writing up his thoughts in The Guardian every Friday - they are also published on the blog as Alpha Male.

Library-themed ice-cream?

Lots of book-related posts recently, and here's another: Book fans develop a taste for library-themed ice-cream. This reports that Ben & Jerry's is considering launching a library-themed ice-cream flavour, after a campaign by a New Jersey librarian gathered thousands of supporters. They signed a Facebook petition asking the icre-cream firmto produce flavours such as Li-berry pie and Sh-sh-sh-sherbet.

Turning books into trees

From my lunchtime scan of Metro: The artist who turns books into trees. Su Blackwell creates paper models from old novels. Her creations - which appear to grow out of the spine of the book - include forests, buildings, people and boats. They sell for up to £5,000 each.

Job hunting in the recession

Evangelicals Now magazine offers Practical tips on how to find a job after redundancy for Christians, with the following outline:

• Think and pray
• Preparation
• Finding opportunities
• Interviews
• Settling into what's next
• Resources

Lewis and Chesterton for beginners

Following on from Monday's quote from C.S.Lewis, I've just come across a Beginner's Reading List for Lewis and Chesterton that may be of interest if you've always wondered where to start with these "portly, homely, undramatic men" who are "still the bookish Christian's rock stars".

Social media updates

Following today's news that the UK government has published a 20-page guide to Twitter (or "140 character communication explained in too many words"), here are more social media links:

• A Facebook song from the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre
• Tweeting mouse trap and window: a cottage that sends Twitter messages when a mouse is caught, a window shut, or a light switched on
• Can you Twitter the Gospel? ‘Twittering’ the gospel accurately may be a challenge... but Paul gives us the confidence that we can summarise the gospel and stay on the message of Jesus and him crucified. Oh, that’s another summary and that is — what? — 15 characters in total in English: ‘We preach Christ crucified’ (1 Corinthians 1.23)".
  

Leicestershire Round goes Audio‏

The Leicestershire Round is on the radio. Chris Baxter, the afternoon presenter on BBC Radio Leicester has recently walked the Round and 10 minute recordings of his travels are being featured on his programme for the next two weeks. They're also available as RealAudio files on the BBC Leicester website. Along with some nice mellow music it's reminiscent of Julia Bradbury's walking programmes on TV.
[provided by Andrew]

C.S.Lewis on tea and books

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough for me" - C.S.Lewis

[ad for the British Library cafe - "visit our cafe to refresh both mind and body"]

Happy International Cup of Tea Day

Rather belatedly I have discovered that the last Sunday in July is now designated International Cup of Tea Day. Perhaps next year Infusion should celebrate with a tea party!

Summer reading from IVP

The IVP annual summer sale is now in full swing, with many titles available for as little as half price! Sale prices are available at participating Christian bookshops or via the IVP website at www.ivpbooks.com/sales. You can also download a copy of the sale brochure here.

Swine flu: impact on communion

On Thursday The Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote to Bishops in the Church of England recommending the suspension of the sharing of the chalice at communion. The Archbishops’ letter follows advice from the Department of Health not to share “common vessels” for food or drink. For those who wish still to offer both bread and wine, the Archbishops have recommended use of “personal intinction by the presiding minister” allowing the priest to dip communion wtafers in the chalice before handing them out to communicants.

Elsewhere, thermometers sell out with swine flu scare and prayers for the pandemic.

New rituals for the British summer

The BBC website on emerging trends that say much about Britain in the 21st Century: new rituals for the British summer.

Divine competition

Divine Fairtrade chocolate will be launching a new flavour in stores inthe autumn: 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries will join the range in September.

To become one of the first to try the rich dark chocolate infused with real zesty raspberries, enter the competition to win an exclusive bar. Closing date is 31 July.

Plastic bag revolution

Government figures reveal that shoppers are rejecting plastic bags - the national use of plastic bags has halved to 450m since 2007. This has been heralded as a "small green revolution".

Rohan Bags beat the RPI (or MBI)

Rohantime has been tracking the price of Rohan Bags from 1978-2009 against the Mars Bar Index. Why? It’s not often that an item of clothing can be tracked over 30 years because products change so often or are superseded, up or down graded. However, this is possible with Rohan Bags - soon be celebrating over 30 years of continuous manufacturing means that the Bags Price Index can be tracked over all those years. And the Mars Bar Index? Apparently the price of a Mars Bar correlates accurately with the change in value of the pound sterling since World War II.

The price of a Mars Bar has increased by 300% over the years. During the same period, Bags reveal a slightly smaller percentage increase. Read the full results.

World Ebook Fair - 2 million free titles

Until August 4, 2009, the World Ebook Fair is being held and you can have access to over 2 million ebooks for free. Go here to check out the massive selection of ebooks which are available.

Cost of a cuppa is rising

Further news about the rising cost of tea. The blog broke the news back in May: tea news

Celebrating 40 years since Apollo 11 Landing

A Wordle of Neil Armstrong's words from the Apollo 11 mission

• NASA website: Apollo 40th Anniversary features
• The Science of Apollo 11
• Apollo 11 Landing's 40th Anniversary celebrated, new footage released

In the Thick of It

Tearfund have been working with local churches around the world for over 40 years, and are passionate about the role that local churches play in meeting practical and spiritual needs. Believing that their role should be recognised and encouraged, the charity has put together In the Thick of It, a position paper on the role of the local church in development.

The paper is full of stories about local churches in tough situations, reaching out to the people around them and offering hope and help in times of need. Read the press release to learn more about Tearfund's vision of mobilising churches to get even better at working effectively within their own communities.

The Unquenchable Flame‏

The Unquenchable Flame: introducing the Reformation, by Mike Reeves has recently been published:

Burning pyres, nuns on the run, stirring courage, comic relief: the story of the Protestant Reformation is a gripping tale, packed with drama. But what motivated the Reformers? And what were they really like?

In this lively, accessible and informative introduction, Michael Reeves brings to life the colourful characters of the Reformation, unpacks their ideas, and shows the profound and personal relevance of Reformation thinking for today.

The Theology Network has a whole host of resources to accompany the book.

The C-factor test / Portrait of Calvin

If you followed up the earlier post about Calvin, you may wish to take the Take the ‘C-factor’ test to find out if you are a closet Calvinist. Developed in the Netherlands, read more about the poll online.

You may also be interested in a free e-book: Portrait of Calvin by T.H.L. Parker with a foreword by John Piper. This reprint of T.H.L. Parker’s classic biography commemorates the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth in 1509. Parker is a former Reader in Theology at the University of Durham in England and an expert on Calvin’s life and thought. Parker’s Portrait was first published in 1954 - but it’s not the kind of book that goes out of date, because it’s only trying to be current with the sixteenth century.

Sounds of summer

The chirp of crickets and grasshoppers is overtaking native songbirds as the sound of the British summer, reports the Guardian today.

Twitter for beginners

Yesterday the Guardian published a number of stories about Twitter - you can check them out online. Of particular interest may be:

• How to be a 'twitt': a guide for Twitter's late adopters
• Twitter etiquette: the rules

See also: Infusion posts mentioning Twitter.

Wildlife podcasts

BBC Wildlife Magazine is the world's best-selling natural history and environmental magazine. The website includes resources, competitions, and a monthly podcast reflecting on recent wildlife news.

The RSPB also offer a monthly award-winning podcast: Nature's Voice. Each podcast brings features, interviews and news of birds and wildlife, from back gardens to the Sumatran rainforest.

During 2008/09 the National Trust offered a monthly wildlife podcast service looking at what is going on around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Grow your own tea?

Last year Jacky reported on home-grown British tea, and yesterday Radio 4's On your farm visited the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall which now sells a range of fourteen teas: four black teas (including Earl Grey) and ten herbal infusions.

Tregothnan teas are now served and sold at a select number of establishments throughout the UK including Claridges and Fortnum & Mason’s in London. They are also available online and you can even buy a tea bush (Camellia Sinensis) to grow your own tea at home!

Comfort-eating through the recession?

The BBC website reports on how Britain eats its way through recessions: "when the going gets tough, the tough, it seems, tuck into pudding". The report suggests that this may be more than just comfort eating, and that there may be profound implications for the way we understand what happens to the economy (in both good and bad times) and for how it might behave in future.

60 years of Bible distribution in Britain

2008 marked 100 years of worldwide Gideon Scripture distribution, with over 1.3 billion copies of the precious Word of God placed and presented around the world. In Gideon's diamond, read about how the United Kingdom became a ‘Gideon’ country in 1949, and by 1975 was a self-supporting National Association. The Gideons' website resources include Bible Helps, Daily Bible readings, and a two-year Daily Bible Reading Plan.

The Happy Planet Index

The Happy Planet Index reveals the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered. The index combines environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which, country by country, people live long and happy lives. The Happy Planet Index 2.0 was published earlier this month and reveals a surprising picture of the relative wealth and progress of nations. Learn about the ideas behind the HPI, how it is calculated, and why we need it on the HPI website.

Historic Bible pages put online

About 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and put on the internet. Visitors to the website www.codexsinaiticus.org can now see images of more than half the Codex Sinaiticus manuscript - written in Greek on parchment leaves. For 1,500 years, the Codex Sinaiticus lay undisturbed in a Sinai monastery until it was found in 1844 and split between Egypt, Russia, Germany and Britain.

The British Library is marking the online launch of the manuscript with an exhibition - which includes a range of historic items and artefacts linked to the document.

Boiled eggs for the culinary incompetent

It may be hard to believe, but thanks to a miracle of modern ingenuity you need never boil or shell another egg again. You just buy pre-boiled eggs from the Happy Egg Company - and all the hard work has been done for you! Read the Guardian on making the ultimate convenience food even simpler - or alternatively read Delia on how to boil an egg.

Compost links

• Free Green Cone & Food Waste Digester Workshops: Leicestershire Waste Partnership are offering residents the chance to find out just how useful food waste digesters are. The free workshops are a great opportunity to see what units are on offer and get advice on which type would suit you best. A local workshop will be held on Sat 25th July at Loughborough Town Hall, from 10:00am - 12noon.
• If you can't make a workshop then read about Food Waste Digesters and take the opportunity to buy a digesters at up to 60% off the RRP.
• Wiggly Wigglers sells plenty of worms. However, the site, set up more than 10 years ago, also has more than 2,000 gardening goodies to help create an environmentally friendly Eden in your backyard.

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON)

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) was set up almost a year ago to serve the Church by providing information to enable Christians to stand up publicly against a tide of unchristian legal and political changes in the United Kingdom. It brings together focused legal, policy and media expertise and strategic intervention in order to secure favourable legal and political outcomes in areas of concern. It also acts as a rallying point for those concerned with these issues and a place where individual members of the public and organisations will be able to seek assistance and advice. CCFON draws on the skills and expertise of lawyers, but is dependent on the support of thousands of Christians in churches across the UK who want to see the nation turn back to God. Visit the CCFON website or download CCFON's Vision Pamphlet for more information.

New map shop from OS

The Ordnance Survey has recently relaunched its online map shop to make it easier to find the maps that you are looking for. Simply enter the location you want to visit and the OS will take you to a range of products that will help you get the most from your holidays and days out. Checkout OS Select which gives you the opportunity to decide exactly where you want the centre of the map to be - whether it is your house, a town (anywhere in Great Britain), your favourite walk or even a tea shop!

A Platypus for wine

OK, so a Platypus isn't suitable for porridge, but another product from the company behind the Platypus hydration system may intrigue you. The PlatyPreserve claims to be "the best way to protect the taste of an opened bottle of wine by completely eliminating the presence of oxygen". How dies it work? The three environmental factors that damage wine are: oxygen, temperature, and ultraviolet light. The PlatyPreserve solves the first factor by isolating your wine from oxygen. You can deal with the other two factors by storing the PlatyPreserve in a cool dark place.

Birdsong Radio lives on

Did you ever listen to Birdsong radio? Unfortunately the DAB Station went off air on 1st June. However, you can order the CD for offline access, or listen to the peaceful sounds of Dawn Chorus via your computer, using the player on http://www.birdsongradio.com/. You can also become a Facebook Fan or follow the service on Twitter.

Shrinking the Footprint in every parish

A senior bishop and a Government minister have spelled out the importance of the Church of England’s role in mobilising action on climate change, as its Shrinking the Footprint campaign unveiled energy saving toolkits for every parish in a bid to create the 20% Church by 2050. Read more details here.

Calvin at 500

Marking the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, Radio 4's Beyond Belief this week discussed why this major Protestant reformer altered the shape and changed the thinking of Western Europe. Listen here to learn more about the legacy of Calvin and why his ideas still influence churches in Britain and around the world today.

Over on the Theology Network, Mike Reeves introduces us to Calvin, his life and theology, in three talks.

Gadget reviews

The John Lewis website contains a Buying guide for technology gadgets. More informative than just a straight sales pitch, for each topic (e..g. digital cameras, laptops and mobile phones) there is a succinct overview of the technology and the main options. For independent advice, view the Which website (for thousands of products that have been individually tested and rated by experts) and the Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI), described as an "unbeatable check-before-you-buy resource".

Recycle Week 2009

Recycle Week 2009 takes place from 22-28 June. It's a campaign that wants you to do less, not more! This Recycle Week is all about the many, easy ways we can all waste less.

It’s easy to get involved this Recycle Week. We can all help by doing anything from re-using our carrier bags to recycling old electrical items – remembering to put as much of our recycling out, reducing our food waste and home composting of course! However you choose to waste less, it helps the environment and you might even save money in the process. To show how much we can contribute as individuals, the website includes a list of easy-to-achieve pledges.

Leading group walks (and other tips)

As midsummer approaches, here's advice on leading group walks in remote areas or demanding conditions, in a helpful factsheet from the Ramblers. There are lots more helpful tips on the Ramblers website.

See also:
- Preparing for hiking

- Long Distance Walkers Association

Students help connect the Vatican to Internet 2.0

A college student helped bring Pope Benedict XVI to YouTube and Facebook — literally. As an intern for the Vatican’s Internet office, Samantha Chin researched different ways for the Roman Catholic Church to publicize the Pope’s message for annual World Communication Day, in May. Ms. Chin was part of a Villanova University internship program that has been working for the past seven years to keep the Catholic Church up to date with multimedia tools and technology. Tools include the Vatican’s YouTube site; a Facebook application called Pope2You, which allows users to send virtual postcards and get-well messages in five languages; and an iPhone application that distributes news.

Ideal job for mountain lovers?

In a first for Scotland, a Unesco chair has been created at Perth College UHI in recognition of the institution's work into maintaining mountains and their communities. Martin Price, director of the Centre for Mountain Studies, will take on the new chair in Sustainable Mountain Development, where he will work with international partners to promote the field. Professor Price was appointed the world's first Professor of Mountain Studies in 2005; in 2007, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former US vice-president and environmental activist Al Gore. See also: 'I like mountains because of the physical challenge and the aesthetics'.

Save on travel and language books

Travelling this summer? Borders is currently offering 25% off a host of travel books including guidebooks, travel journals and classic travelogues. You can also save 50% off Take Off in Language Courses - multimedia courses which allow you to work at your own pace and provide a compact and complete language course. All orders over £10 come with free UK delivery.

Jonathan Porritt on the ultimate recession

As part of the Centenary celebrations at Loughborough University, and to highlight the institution's commitment to environmental sustainability, the University is hostinga Centenary Lecture by Jonathon Porritt on Wednesday 24 June at 5pm: "From Credit Crunch to Climate Crunch: Avoiding the Ultimate Recession". Further information.

Grow a garden from matchsticks?

Planning on starting a credit crunch garden but don't know where to start? Maybe you need a matchstick garden... What appears to be a book of matches is actually 10 strips of card, bearing seeds. You just tear off a strip, stick in a plant pot, and watch your greens grow in front of your very eyes. You don't need a big garden, a swanky greenhouse or fancy gardening skills to get started! Available in Mixed Greens and Italian Garden varieties.

Interview with Narnia Code author

You may be interested in an interview with the Rev. Dr. Michael Ward, an Anglican minister and the author of Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis. The book was featured in The Narnia Code - the BBC documentary called broadcast on BBC1 in April and May.

New teashop for Snowdon!

[above: Infusion climbed Snowdon in 2004]

An £8.3 million visitor centre, is to be formally opened today (12 June 2009) on the top of Mount Snowdon, Wales's highest mountain. Although Hafod Eryri, comprising a rail terminus, cafe and visitor centre, opened its doors to the public in May, the official opening will be carried out by the Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan who will unveil a special mountain stone set into the rear terrace of the new building. Eryri in English is Snowdonia but there is no translation for Hafod, an old Welsh term for residence on high land. Check out the Snowdon Summit Blog for more information.

Library reward scheme

Members of Leicestershire libraries can join the free, new library reward scheme. You can collect a point on your rewards card each time you visit a county or mobile library and borrow six or more items. You can collect up to 12 points on each card and these can be cashed in for one of a range of rewards. More on the library service blog.

The poetry of the Psalms

This week's edition of Poetry Please on Radio 4 was dedicated to the poetry of the Book of Psalms, in old translations and new. Some were read in the King James version, and others in the recent translation of the Psalms by Robert Alter. It was presented by Roger McGough and read by Kenneth Cranham and Henry Goodman. There are five more days to Listen again to the programme.

Hold a Blooming Great Tea Party

The UK Tea Council is encouraging us all to hold a Blooming Great Tea Party between June 12 and July 12 in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Every tea party, however big or small, will help Marie Curie Cancer Care nurse someone with terminal cancer, giving them the choice to be cared for at home.
You can sign up now and receive a fundraising pack bursting with ideas to help you create your perfect party by visiting www.mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty.

Environment Sunday

Following World Environment Day on Friday, today is Environment Sunday. To coincide with this, A Rocha UK have launched the new website for their Living Lightly initiative. It aims to encourage and motivate you to make practical changes in all these areas through giving you ideas of things you can do, further information on key issues, links to useful websites and resources, and an on-line community that you can share your thoughts and questions with. See also: Pray now, act now.

Round-up of animal stories

• City birds sing higher than country cousins: birds living in cities sing higher-pitched songs than country-dwelling birds in order to be heard above the urban din.
• Beavers return after 400-year gap: beavers brought over from Norway for a reintroduction programme have been released into the wild in Argyll.
• Wallaby spotted in Cornish garden: a wallaby with a baby joey has been photographed hopping around the back garden of a house in Cornwall.
• Baby anteater finds its feet: a baby anteater has made its public debut at an aquarium in Tokyo.

Happy World Environment Day!

The UN has dubbed every 5 June as World Environment Day (WED) a day used by the United Nations to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues and encourages political action.to try and get the planet to be top of mind for a change. Here is Cafédirect’s take on WED.

USB-rechargable battery

USBCELL rechargeable batteries are a new concept in rechargeable batteries - you simply plug them into the USB ports on your computer to charge them up, then use them in your electrical gadget. With over 15 billion alkaline batteries made and thrown away each year - wasting resources, C02 and creating toxic landfill - it's good to come across an eco-friendly alternative. Even better when the eco-friendly alternative can be re-used hundreds of times and doesn't require a charger or adaptor cable, saving money, hassle and waste.

USBCELL batteries are available from Amazon and the Onya company (who also sell the Onya Weigh and wrapsacks).

Hungry Elephant - affiliate scheme for charities‏

The Hungry Elephant website runs an affiliate scheme for charities to obtain a financial contribution from a vendor when someone uses the charity's code to shop online. It can be a way for voluntary organisations to lever income from the spending of your members or supporters. For example, some supermarkets will pay a certain percentage of the bill to the charity when people shop online with them. And the name? It comes from the "feeling that trying to fundraise is a bit like trying to feed a hungry elephant...a lot of hard work for very little gain". [forwarded by Phil]

My YHA

Somehow I missed the launch of My YHA at the end of last year:
Since My YHA was launched in December, more than 1,500 people have signed up to become part of YHA’s online community. Registering your details on the site allows you to start your own topics in the forum, respond to comments left by other users, and submit reviews of any hostel . You can use the online forum to help you find out information about what YHA has to offer. People have so far been discussing anything from their favourite hostels to looking for suggestions for their next holiday.

Half a million to be invited Back to Church

Churchgoers across the Church of England are set personally to invite up to half a million people to services on Back to Church Sunday 2009, which takes place on 27 September. This will make the event one of the largest co-ordinated evangelism events shared across the Church in recent history. More details online at http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/.

Round-up of tea news

Tea may be going up in price, but some tea producers are seeking to add more value by interacting with customers in different ways:

• Cafédirect have given their packaging for tea (and coffee and cocoa) a spring makeover.
• You can keep up with the latest news from Cafédirect on Twitter.
• Twinings have recently starting communicating with their customers by teamail. These aim to keep you up to date with the latest news from Twinings, make sure you’re the first to know about new teas, and receive details of special treats.
• The latest TV ad for Twinings shows how to turn tea into art. It showcases the skills of Ilana Yahav, a live animation artist who creates the beautiful art images out of tea leaves.
• The UK Tea Council has launched a monthly series which will focus on the top places to take tea around the British Isles. In May, this looks at Devon & Cornwall.

Sci-fi updates

• The BBC has announced that David Tennant is to appear as the Time Lord in the spin-off show The Sarah Jane Adventures. He will appear over two episodes of a new 12-part series of the CBBC show, which starts in September. The same news item notes that Doctor Who may be heading for the big screen after a spokeswoman for BBC Films confirmed that "a script is in development".
• Seen the new Star Trek film yet? If you are a fan, you may enjoy this Guardian article on the Starship Enterprise as a classic of everyday design.

In our Time on St Paul‏

Going to work this morning I heard a trailer for In our Time, presented by Melvyn Bragg. The focus for today's programme is St Paul: "The spirit of St Paul infuses Christianity still, but his life and his letters reveal the very early church; a community dealing with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without Paul's energy, his encouragement and his ideas, Christianity as we know it would simply not exist". You can listen again for the next week.

European Elections 2009

CARE has developed http://www.vote2009.eu/, a website to help Christians understand the issues surrounding the upcoming European Elections. Of particular interest may be the policy briefings which look at what the European Parliament has done since the last election. The briefings cover the following issues: equalities, family, bioethics, gambling, human trafficking, and the Lisbon Treaty. CARE would like to encourage Christians to engage in these elections, believing that you can make a difference for the sake of the future.

Ramblers Get Walking Day (30 May)

Saturday 30 May is the Ramblers Get Walking Day. Local Rambler groups have organised 138 short walks across England, Scotland and Wales. Most are on the Saturday but there are also some walks on the Sunday too. All walks are short (2-5 miles), across fairly easy terrain, and open to everyone. The walks will be led by friendly, experienced Walks Leaders, who will be waiting for you at the meeting point. Check the Walk Finder to see where your nearest walk will be. The Ramblers provide a Get Walking leaflet with tips and hints.

Hit the Ground Kneeling

We've blogged previously about a couple of books written by Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Reading. His latest book, Hit the Ground Kneeling, takes common statements about leadership – statements that we often take for granted – and questions them in the light of Christian faith and Christian perspectives on leadership. THe publisher's website describes the book as "a timely antidote to the glut of self- help, quick-fix management books!". You can listen to Stephen talking about his new book in a podcast.

See also: Do Nothing to Change Your Life and Do Nothing... Christmas is Coming.

Springwatch

Springwatch is back on the TV this evening for its annual three week run. Checkout the website for:

• Breathing Spaces - content that you can download, print out, and take with you into the great outdoors (pocket guides, MP3s etc);
• Do One Thing - lots of little things to do to make a big difference for nature;
• Springwatch Flickr group - share your pictures of spring or just browse beautiful images of the season's best flora and fauna.

Seeking first the Kingdom

At Holy Trinity, Leicester we have recently begun a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount(downloads here) and Emmanuel Church, Loughborough looked at the Beatitudes last summer (search on blessed here). Recently we've been singing Tim Hughes' song Living For Your Glory, which fits in with the focus of these sermons on the Kingdom:

And take my life, let it be everything, all of me
Here I am, use me for Your glory
In everything I say and do, let my life honor You
Here I am living for Your glory
Seeking first the Kingdom of my Lord

Star Trek links

The film Star Trek was released earlier this month. It got a definitive thumbs-up from a select group from Infusion who went to see it. If watching it made you want to check this prequel against the original series, you may be interested in Memory Alpha, a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek.

See also:

• Wikipedia on Star Trek (2009)
• Damaris Culture Watch on Star Trek
• Christianity Today Movies on Star Trek

How to be Super-Thrifty

I just read Kath Kelly's book 'How I Lived a Year on Just a Pound a Day'. Mainly because I was curious to find out just what was allowed to be included in the £1, as I'd heard about it on the radio, and couldn't believe that this was possible. The book turned out to be an entertaining and informative read.

The feat - which started as a bit of a dare - seems to have taken place a couple of years ago, so perhaps Ms Kelly managed to avoid some of the food price rises. Rent wasn't included in the £1, but everything else was.... although some of the survival tactics were a little cheeky, like pinching newspapers out of other people's recycling boxes when they were left out on bin-day, to get the coupons to collect tokens for freebies. Other strategies, such as buying reduced price items in the supermarket and picking wild food were rather more familiar.

The author managed not only to survive - AND put on weight - but also to get in a couple of trips away without cheating, which was all very impressive on such a tiny budget. Internet sites that are of use to anyone wishing to live a more frugal - and green - lifestyle are listed at the back of the book, and include Freecycle, organic farm volunteering, and car-sharing sites.

The only snag is that the book itself has a hefty £6.99 price tag..... this seemed to jar with the spirit of the book - so I borrowed it from the local library for just a 25p reservation fee. Ms Kelly would be proud!