Who else is glad that January's over? It seems everyone's been in a slump, me included. Last year we switched to Good Energy, the greenest – and most expensive – plan around, so I was feeling smug about my eco cred. Despite this (or because of it?) I became a tumble dryer addict (well it was awfully cold outside). Was it a perverse sense of entitlement (visions of green hills and windmills) or a petulant, passive-aggressive reaction to the hefty direct debit?

 

Either way, as oil crept up to $100 a barrel and electricity prices rocketed, the price we paid began to seem reasonable. A big justification for switching to green energy has been that in the long run, it will be more cost-effective than non-renewable (and carbon intensive) energy. Then a letter from Good Energy announced a 13.2% rate hike due to rising electricity costs. (Is it just me or does this not make any sense?) Instead of seeing green, I suddenly saw red.

 

The worm turns. And another thing: I'm fed up with my wormery and pining for a simpler way to keep food waste out of landfill. If I'm almost ready to throw in the trowel, will Wayne and Waynetta ever jump on the worm bandwagon? At this stage, a few greener-than-thous up to their elbows in compost won't lessen the effect of climate change. We need 'no-sweat' solutions that will motivate the masses to reduce greenhouse gases. Let's hope the Mayor's new report calling for investment in anaerobic digestion and gasification technology works (if the Archers can do it, why can't we?). People have gone along with recycling at home; having a separate bin for food leftovers would be a breeze compared to running a worm hostel.

 

Fight or flight? But I have to admit, the real reason for my eco slump was my 3000-mile flight home for Christmas. The hypocrisy is crippling, though it's not quite as bad as jetting off for a Caribbean jaunt, is it? Perhaps if I hailed from a dusty Midwestern town, a trip home could qualify as a penance, but alas my hometown boasts a stunning beach, making each visit a holiday as well as a family reunion.

 

We did manage to fit in a little eco-activism. Riding a horse on the beach is not allowed on health and safety grounds, yet 4x4s can whiz along from October to mid-March. After an hour of playing dodge-Dodge (and dodge-Jeep) as we built our sandcastles, we'd had enough and staged a mini-protest. After all, the beach isn't deserted during the winter months, especially since global warming means people wear shorts into December. (Even the ones who really shouldn't). Though the tide has long since washed our sandman away, we're finally back in the mood for all things green. And to make up for the airmiles, we're sticking to trains for half-term hols. Isle of Wight, here we come (yet again!).