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Andy and Dave Hamilton

AWARENESS of the world and how we can make a difference was the key topic at yesterday morning's Swindon Festival of Literature.

The first talk, held at Lower Shaw Farm, was from environmentalists Andy and Dave Hamilton.

They gave helpful tips from their book The Self-Sufficient-ish Bible and explained how it is possible to live virtually from home-grown produce.

They also gave their opinions on travel that doesn't leave a deep carbon footprint and how to save energy. But they did it in a way which was engaging without being preachy.

Harriet Lamb, director of Fairtrade, followed with a moving and inspiring talk on her organisation and the difference it can make.

She described how Fairtrade was at first laughed at by many people, yet now more and more large producers are coming round to the idea.

She believes very strongly that it is people power that can drive Fairtrade and that for it to become more widely available, and therefore cheaper, shoppers have to make it part of their daily lives.

Following criticism by Gordon Ramsay of those that buy imported food that may leave a carbon footprint rather than locally produced, Ms Lamb argued it did not have to be a choice between one and the other. She said: "It goes absolutely hand in hand with growing local - buy local and buy Fairtrade."

"Don't ask people in Kenya to be the first people to pick the bill for climate change."

Her solution is to buy your basic essentials like meat, milk and eggs locally then buy the rest as Fairtrade products.

She argued that we do not address wine imported from places like Australia in the same way.

10:19am Monday 12th May 2008

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