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Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I contact a moving/removals company to organise my pending international move?
- Who will provide delivery services at destination?
- What system is there for quality rating of International Removal Companies?
- What marine insurance do Excess International Movers provide for International moves?
- How do I determine the level of protection that is required for my belongings in an international move?
- Can Excess arrange marine insurance with a reputable supplier on my behalf?
- What items should I not include in an international household goods shipment?
- Are all charges included in the price?
- What will the removals estimator tell me when he visits my home to assess the cost of my overseas move?
- Who do I contact on arrival overseas to find out about the status of my shipment?
- How do I find up-to-date information regarding customs regulations and documentation?
- How do I arrange for an estimate for my forthcoming international removal?
- What are the different cost/service options available to me?
- What advice can you give me on how to plan for my international move?
- Is it cheaper to ship certain items rather than sell them and replace them at my destination?
- How much notice must I give to book a date for packing?
- When do I pay?
- How can I pay?
- Do you provide storage?
- Can I pack myself?
If you have a question that does not appear here please feel free to complete our Ask a Question form
Advance preparation is the most important factor in a successful international move. You should begin your search for a suitable moving company to carry out your move 6-8 weeks before your intending moving date. This will allow time to get competitive quotations, make all the arrangements, organise transport, etc.
Our overseas offices and agents provide services and expertise in the following areas:
- Local liaison with Excess international Movers
- Notification of arrival
- Customs clearance procedures at the port/airport of arrival
- Transport from the destination port/airport of arrival
- Temporary or long term storage if required
- Delivery to residence
- Full unpacking services
- Removal of all related packing debris
It is important that you check out the background and credentials of the companies who quote on your international move. It is vital to ensure that your chosen removal company has relevant experience, and has appropriate links with foreign movers, as it is the foreign mover who will supply at least 40% of the service.
You should ensure above all else that your chosen mover is a member of FIDI, fidi.com (The International Federation of International Furniture Removers), the only International Group that provides full bonding and ensures that all its members are properly accredited through an inspection and reference system. Other domestic bonding arrangements include BAR Overseas (British Association of Removers Overseas Group); and AFDI (the French Overseas Removers Association).
The BAR/IMMI & FIDI bonding schemes are similar to the IATA & ABTA bonding scheme for travellers. Shipments in transit and monies paid in advance are fully protected. Further details of the FIDI/BAR schemes are available from us fidi.com or the British Association of Removers Overseas Group.
The FIDI/BAR schemes give full financial peace of mind and a benchmark of quality to clients sending shipments on our services. This is your guarantee. Accept no other.
Useful addresses:
FIDI Global Alliance
Blvd Louis Schmidt 29 B 1, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 426 51 60 Fax: +32 2 426 55 23 email: firstname.lastname@example.com
British Association Removers Overseas Group (BAR Overseas)
Tangent House, 62 Exchange Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 0TG, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1923 699480 Fax: +44 (0)1923 699481 email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The International Association of Movers (IAM),
5904 Richmond Highway, Suite 404, Alexandria VA, 22303-1864, USA
Tel: +1 703 317 9950 Fax: +1 703 317 9960 email: email@example.com
American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA)
1611 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
Tel: +1 703 683 7410 Fax: +1 703 683 7527 email: email@example.com
Federation of European Movers Associations e.V., (FEDEMAC)
Schulstrasse 53, D-65795 Hattersheim, Germany
Tel +49 6190 989811 Fax +49 6190 989820 email: email@example.com
We can provide comprehensive marine transit insurance for your household and personal effects during your international move.
Our marine insurance is backed by The Baxendale Insurance Company Designated Activity Company provides a variety of different options, with competitive rates and an excellent world-wide office network, so that in the unlikely event of a claim, settlement can usually be dealt with locally.
How do I determine the level of protection that is required for my belongings in an international move?
In general, you should think about what it would cost to replace your household goods and personal effects in the country of destination. A good source of information will be the local press in that country especially with regard to high value items likes motor vehicles etc. Cost of Living data may also be obtainable from that country's embassy.
When completing your proposal form please be as detailed as possible. Remember to include specific individual items that have a high replacement cost. It's best to give as much information as possible. If you have any questions relating to the coverage on your international move, contact our International Removals Customer Service Department.
Yes, we can. Comprehensive cover can be arranged, via our specially negotiated cover with The Baxendale Insurance Company Designated Activity Company.
Please see the insurance of our website for further d
Please see the insurance of our website for further d
It is inadvisable to include perishable goods, foodstuffs of any description, or liquids (which may leak in transit causing damage to other items. Above all exercise common sense. Your shipment may be in transit for anything between three days and three months for long intercontinental transits like Europe-Australia. Don't overload items, or fill the car up to the roof with odds and ends as it may damage the suspension.
You should NOT include the following:
Hazardous materials such as paint, matches, aerosol cans, gas canisters or other flammable materials such as wood, bricks, cement, rocks and soil of any type.
Firearms and ammunition.
Plants of any kind.
Corrosives and explosives.
Pornography of any description.
Also, and in addition, we cannot accept the following goods for shipment by air:
Aerosols, batteries, explosives, fireworks, corrosives, perfume, pressurised or unpressurised cylinders/canisters and/or similar type containers, firearms and ammunition, radioactive material, paint, fuel and/or fuel tanks or other flammable items, etc.
If you have any doubts as to what may or may not be included, please do check with our International Removals Sales Team Contact. They will be delighted to help and advise.
If you book your shipment as a door-to-door move, then all charges including customs clearance charges, and local delivery to your residence, (with normal access, not above first floor level) will be included in the estimate that's given to you. However, you will still be responsible for any duty or tax that is raised on your shipment by Customs. In a very few countries, for example South Africa and Zimbabwe, port service charges are assessed on declared value. This charge is therefore not included in the door to door estimate that we give you, and it will need to be paid at destination direct to our overseas office or agent. Please advise us if there are special difficulties that may apply to your delivery, or if access is abnormal, or delivery is above the first floor.
If your shipment is booked door-to-port only, then all destination charges are payable locally on arrival, including customs clearance, port service, unloading and local delivery charges. The various names applied to these charges may vary from country to country and service to service, but basically, they cover unloading from the ship/aircraft that your goods are carried on, unloading from the steamship line or airline cargo container, handling in and out of destination warehouse (as a continuous movement following on from the shipments arrival), and local delivery to your residence, with normal access, not above first floor level. Any exceptions to these basic standards may cause the price to increase. As above, you will be responsible for any duty or tax that is raised on your shipment by Customs.
Please review your requirements, and discuss our estimate with our International Removals Sales team to make sure you understand the details, especially if you're comparing a number of moving companies offering a plethora of different options with regard to price and service.
What will the removals estimator tell me when he visits my home to assess the cost of my overseas move?
Our Sales & Service Representatives can advise on all aspects of your move. They are fully equipped with the latest removals estimating tools, including hand held computers, which make estimates more accurate and give you automatically a full printout of the inventory. This gives you the opportunity to hand pick the items that you must take and leave behind those that you don't really need. Our Sales & Service Representatives can further advise on the following options: route and transport options and costs, packing requirements, crating, transit times, shipment protection, unpacking, customs requirements and storage at origin or destination.
Note: All customs advice given at client's risk - rules and regulations do change on a frequent basis and unfortunately they are not always communicated to us by Customs.
Our representative will discuss in detail the different shipping/Air Freight options available to your overseas destination, and s/he will make an estimate of the volume and if possible the weight of your consignment. They will also discuss the various paperwork and custom's documentation required. They will give you information regarding our office or agent who will deliver your possessions from the port of arrival to your new residence overseas, together with general advice on your move.
No more than a couple of days after your representative's visit (in main markets), you will be in possession of a detailed estimate of the costs of your move, and the various shipping/Air Freight options that pertain to it.
Our Sales Department will be in touch shortly thereafter to answer any questions that you have and to discuss the options with you.
All details of your shipment will be available to you as soon as possible after packing. Excess International Movers operate the latest computer systems giving up to the minute status reports and shipping documents at the touch of a button. We can advise you by phone, fax or email of these details.
When you move with us, we'll provide you with full information and details of how to contact our office or agent in the destination city that you're moving to. However, normally, you won't need to do anything, we will have pre-alerted our agent, and they'll contact you when you arrive.
Customs regulations are unfortunately subject to frequent change. Regrettably, such changes are not always publicised. We endeavour to provide the most up-to-date customs information available, from a wide variety of different sources, including Customs Services themselves, industry, trade association, the internet, and a wide variety of other sources. Nevertheless, it is impossible to guarantee the accuracy of the information provided, as customs rules and regulations, together with duty and tax rates, documentation and forms, can, and do, change overnight.
We endeavour to supply all the relevant forms required. Nevertheless, it is the individual's responsibility to ensure sure that they have the correct documentation for their personal situation.
You can get an estimate for your international removal by using our quote request form. This can be found by clicking here
When moving overseas you have a number of service options available to you. You may select a service based on the price, transit time, method of containerisation, routing consolidation opportunities, sea or air freight, port of exit, etc. Each option's cost component determines the amount you'll pay.
In general terms, it is advisable to select the most direct route with a minimum amount of handling. However, every move and personal budget is different so it is important that you discuss fully with our International Removals Sales Department Contact to determine the best service to meet your personal needs.
Remember, when calculating the cost of your international move, you should be aware of the total cost including the amount of time you'll have to wait for the arrival of your goods at destination. If you're going to have to stay in a hotel or other temporary housing until your household shipment arrives, you'll need to consider these costs as well as the cost of the shipping charges. Many people have made the mistake of selecting the slowest transit time (cheapest price) and then had the expense of two to three weeks of hotel costs while they awaited the delivery of their shipment.
There is no substitute for planning and preparation. As soon as you know that you're going to be moving overseas, contact us.
In addition, begin to think about separating out all the items that you'll need to sell, store, dispose of, give away, and those you'll want to move by sea, have sent by air cargo or delivered to another family member before your departure. It's a very good idea to have researched these categories before our estimator visits you to survey your household effects.
As you approach Moving Day, think about which items you will need for your journey, specifically travel papers, immediate clothing, passports, medical documentation and records, family papers, valuables, jewellery, medicines, school reports, etc. Excess International Movers can provide a variety of host country information including destination guides and country facts sheets, together with detailed Customs rules and regulations.
There are several factors that help to determine which is the best option, such as the replacement value of the items in question at destination compared with the saleable value at the point of origin, the size and the overall volume of your shipment. Our sales team will be pleased to offer guidance.
We recommend that you give a minimum of 2 weeks' notice, although if this is not possible we will endeavour to meet your requirements. Ideally, as soon as you know when you want to move you should confirm dates with us.
We ask for a £50 deposit to be sent in with your booking confirmation. The balance is payable on receipt of invoice, after the packing has been completed. Please note that cheques require clearance before goods can be shipped.
You can pay online with a credit (Visa/MasterCard) or debit card here
You will need your Job Number and Invoice Number to hand to complete the online payment process.
Please note that credit card payments are subject to a surcharge of 2.5%.
We also accept payment by cheque, bank draft, bank transfer. If paying by bank transfer please quote your 7 digit reference number, so that the payment can be allocated correctly. Please do not pay our crews, third party drivers and carriers, or drivers in other countries. Please contact us if you are in any doubt.
Cheque payments require a clearance period of up to seven working days for domestic cheques and up to 35 days for foreign cheques. Cheque payment is not recommended for air freight.
Please note payment must be received in full before goods can be forwarded.
Yes, both at the point of origin and at the destination. If you require storage we offer discounted rates for consignments we are shipping overseas. We are able to offer highly competitive rates to suit individual requirements.
If you wish to pack yourself we will provide you with all the materials you need. We do however strongly recommend that you take advantage of our professional packing service. We employ highly qualified staff to perform this skilled task.
Our clients often wish to pack a few personal items themselves. Cartons and packing materials can be delivered to you in advance of the removal so that this can be done at your leisure.


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The major problem is the drying and the subsequent degradation of soils in the areas where the Project is implemented (the Nothern Polder)
The immediate cause of this is inappropriate hydrology causing processes typical for arid zones. Remineralisation, rot, disappearance of the water retention properties, rapid flow of seasonal surface water (rain), fast rate of shrub succession... All of this was due to earlier draining of the land and resulted in significant depletion of biodiversity and the withdrawal of species from the place that should be / could be one of the most valuable in the country and in Europe. Primarily because of the avifauna.
Changes in the hydrology of the valley of the Warta River mouth have been caused by human activities in the last three centuries. These changes meant a dramatic decrease in water supply conditions in wetland ecosystems, which in this region were created and sustained as a result of groundwater flooding, or as a result of the annual, spring flooding of the Oder and Warta rivers. This led to the arrest of peat-forming processes and degradation of associated ecosystems. In the last two decades this phenomenon coincided with the disappearance of valuable natural areas shaped by traditional extensive agriculture - the withdrawal of local farmers from the use of difficult and inefficient marshy meadows (grassland).
As a result, there has been a sustained decrease in the number of rare and endangered bird species breeding on ?? the Northern Polder, including complete withdrawal of some breeding species (such as harriers, meadow ducks, waders). The main reason for this are specific hydrological conditions that contribute to further deterioration of habitat conditions. Therefore measures taken between 2004 and 2008 to reduce the rate of plant succession and bird habitat degradation were not successful in increasing the number of breeding avifauna associated with these wetlands.
There was then no action aimed at halting the adverse water processes in the soil - generally too rapid draining of water from the polder causing peat rot, mineralization of sedimentary soil, loss of retention properties, increasing the rate of succession of shrubs and trees. Under these conditions, especially waders, which are one of the priorities of the project, are unable to feed or breed (the dried land facilitates penetration of terrestrial predators, and shrubs provide shelter and observation points for the winged predators). It became necessary to link the tasks of active conservation (performed by grazing and mowing) with comprehensive management of the polder waters aimed at increasing the level of groundwater and hollows, which in turn will provide convenient and stable conditions for wetlands avifauna and reverse the process of loss of biodiversity.
The technical condition of ditches in all the precincts is very bad. All watercourses are heavily overgrown and silted to such an extent that their depth is virtually zero. During the field tests, not a single drainage ditch could be inventoried which would be technically efficient. The remnants of the formerly very dense drainage network in its current state only accelerate and enhance the desiccation process. At present it is not possible to use the existing drainage network to adjust the air-water relations in the soil profile in the polder. It is technically impossible to raise and maintain an adequate level of water in the soil or on its surface (generally, to conduct water management). However, only such action could stop the progressive degradation of the land, including the loss of its wildlife value.
Measures to protect birds and their habitats in the Norther Polder are not possible without renovation of the drainage network – such renovation will be key to the ability to manage water and continue to ensure adequate soil-water relations. Therefore, the project essentially focuses on the partial reconstruction of previously existing drainage network with the intention to use it for damming the water level and for managing water according to the phenological period and the zone of soil wetness.
There are at least 55 species of birds at varying degrees of risk in the Norther Polde. Analysis of the inventory and monitoring reports showed low abundance and instability of populations of particular species (lack of continuity of broods), which reflect the unstable habitat conditions.
The specific risks associated with the project is low level of social awareness (the result of a lack of knowledge and promotion) of the significance of meadow-marsh. This aspect is particularly problematic among farmers and local governments, and the youngest generation. In the context of this problem the lack of direct, good and practical information about the meadow and wetland habitats is particularly acute. There is a common lack of knowledge of the possibility of effective management in the areas of wet meadows. There is also a lack of promotion of model solution that promote the harmonious joining of nature and active agriculture (in terms of potential benefits), based on the principles of sustainable development. All these problems are further exacerbated by the black PR that surrounds nature conservation in general. Consequently, we are dealing not only with a low awareness, but also often with open hostility or enmity. The most important thing here is to provide awareness of the importance of wetlands for agriculture - including their potential economic value for farmers. Meanwhile, in the whole of the country, there is visible lack of cooperation in this field, and thus there is no exchange of experiences and no joint integrated actions. Adequate promotion and dissemination of knowledge (including indication of model solutions) are prerequisites for the sustainability of this project and others like it. Positive attitude and support of local governments and farmers, and the knowledge acquired by young people will ensure that further projects will be possible which are founded on the principles of sustainable development. In particular, projects of active conservation of natural meadows and marshes in the agricultural landscape and conservation of related species of birds and biodiversity in general. We believe that the project activities which have been planned in the field of social communication will provide effective support to promote the idea of ??conservation and biodiversity ??- in relation to wetlands in particular.

subset: commoncrawl


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So, this is actually an assignment I wrote for my Master's degree. It's something I feel VERY passionate about and have therefore decided to self-publish on my blog. I got 84% for it, so I guess it's kind of credible?! It's a long piece, so please bear with and hopefully feel enlightened and inspired. Some interesting content, not just for academics. I mean, I REALLY enjoyed researching and writing it, so do feel free to discuss int he comments section below!
Anyways, ENJOY!
1. Introduction
"At present, it estimates, our global footprint exceeds the world's regenerative capacity by a full 30 percent, meaning that an entire extra planet would be required to sustain prevailing consumption patterns beyond roughly the next 25 years" (Soron, 2010, p172).
Once thought to be a passing fad, there is now growing concern regarding the effects of overconsumption of our finite resources, the environmental impact of gross consumerism, the ideals of social responsibility and sustainability, and business ethics (McEachern and Carrigan, 2012). Consumers generally decide what they want, when they want it and do not take into consideration the environmental and social impact of their actions. This has become the norm in society on a global scale and is rarely challenged, yet a significant change in behaviour is required to avoid increasing impact on our planet (Koch, Buch-Hansen, & Fritz, 2017). Marketing in general is still very much driven by the ideology to satisfy consumer needs and desires (Ottman, Stafford and Hartman, 2006). A 'need' can refer to the difference between a consumer's actual state and their desired state, as detailed in Maslow's Hierarchy of needs (fig 1). Maslow's hierarchy of needs was developed in 1943 and is used as a tool to understand basic human needs working up the pyramid to desired fulfilment (Achrol and Kotler, 2011). For example, a consumer may feel hungry therefore would need to obtain and consume food to sustain themselves which meets their very basic physiological needs; whereas they may see an advert for a pair of shoes and feel a desire to want and 'need' those particular shoes which would then sit middle to top of the pyramid. This is important when considering consumers motivational and behavioural habits when making purchase decisions.
Figure 1. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs", Simply Psychology, 2017
This paper aims to address the issues consumers face when it comes to responsible consumption, with a focus on the fashion industry. Consumer behavioural habits (conscious and unconscious) relating to both psychological and self-fulfilment needs of Maslow's hierarchy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), brands and their product offerings and also the issue of green washing are considered. When referring to the 'cost' this would not only include the price of the product in question, but also its social and societal cost, environmental cost and economical cost. To address guilt free consumption, researchers have frequently referred to McCartney's 4P's of the marketing mix, a simplified version of Borden's 1964 marketing mix being: product, price, place and promotion. In 2010 Peattie and Belz expanded on McCartney's 4P's (fig. 2) to include sustainability, adding four "C"s to the mix: customer solution, customer price, convenience and communication (Kumar et al, 2012). Therefore, the importance of sustainability in marketing and why it is a contemporaneous issue will also be researched within this paper.
Figure 2. "McCarthy's 4P Approach Vs Sustainability Marketing Mix", Kumar et al, 2012, p487)
Though the 4P's are standard when it comes to the marketing mix, when looking into guilt free consumption and greener sustainable marketing the concept of 'Demarketing' will also be addressed. Demarketing was first introduced by Kotler and Levy in 1971 and sets out to discourage high levels of consumption, reduce excessive consumption and minimise product availability (Sheth, Sethia and Srinivas, 2010).
These theories combined put forward a strong case and understanding of why it is important for consumers to be more aware of their spending and consumption habits and the lasting impact this can create. If consumers have the opportunity to shop guilt free, are they able to do so and what possible factors could there be preventing them from doing this.
2. Why is sustainability in marketing a contemporaneous issue?
Marketing is forever evolving and changing, and marketers are very aware that we (as the human race) are rapidly using up our finite resources. Due to this it is almost impossible to carry on the way we are, and things cannot be just 'business as usual' as it purely isn't sustainable (Soron, 2010). Marketing continues to be criticised for stimulating unsustainable levels of consumption (Morrison and Humlen, 2013; Lueg, Pedersen, & Clemmensen, 2013; Solér, Baeza, Svärd, 2015), so the more attention marketing discipline brings to green and ethical marketing, the better it could be for societal well-being in the long run (McEachern and Carrigan, 2012). One of the forefathers of marketing, Kotler (2011) highlights that the environmental agenda is likely to have a profound influence on marketing theory and practice moving forward and companies need to be addressing sustainability issues and encouraging more mindful consumption. Though it is also important for companies to make a profit as well as being socially and ethically responsible, and to satisfy consumer needs (Kennedy, Kapitan, and Soo, 2016). During the recession of 2008, there was what can only be referred to as an ecological credit crunch where consumers were forced to think differently when they may have previously partaken in reckless consumption (Soron, 2010). Encouraging consumers to think more wisely about their purchasing behaviours almost goes against what marketers are supposed to do (Carrigan, and Attalla, 2001). Marketers want people to be drawn in and delighted by advertising, whether that be intangible such as digital, or the more traditional forms of marketing which are more tangible such as print (e.g. magazines, posters, postcards, shop point of sale) and encourage consumers to purchase products (Kennedy, Kapitan, and Soo, 2016).
When it comes to the term 'sustainability' many think of this as relating to purely environmental issues, when actually it also covers areas such as economic and social/ societal issues (Rennings, 2000). Marketing guilt free consumption and sustainability to consumers can be difficult and complex, as it's not something they are familiar with, for far too long marketers have been promoting an unsustainable culture of consumption (O'Shaughnessy, 2002). Due to this, consumers have become very materialistic (Scott, Martin, Schouten, 2014) and tend to act on impulse, hold hedonistic tendencies and show compulsive behaviour when it comes to making purchase decisions, therefore asking consumers to think before they act on impulse could be quite a challenge (Dunning, 2007).
2.1 Green Demarketing
Demarketing can be compared to the 4 P's, though it presents them in a reverse order (Kotler, 2011). What the usual 4 P's aim to do is encourage consumers to act upon their wants, needs and desires, Demarketing of the 4 P's encourages the consumer to think that perhaps their desires are not necessarily good for them and to think more mindfully about consumption (Pookulangara, & Shephard, 2013). Sheth, Sethia and Srinivas (2010, p33) address form of mindful consumption through Fraizer and Sheth's 1982 framework (fig 3).
Figure 3. Advancing mindful consumption, Sheth, Sethia & Srinivas, 2010, p33
This framework is based upon consumer behaviours and their propensity when it comes to consumption. The Caring Mindset—Excessive Consumption (incentives and disincentives), would suggest that consumers care about their consumption and purchase behavioural habits, though may need incentives and rewards to become more sustainable, this can be seen in the Caring—Temperate (reinforcement) of the framework. An example of this would be a cycle to work scheme to encourage reduced carbon footprint, where the disincentives focus on Demarketing, encouraging minimal consumption. Reich & Soule (2016) highlight that little research has been conducted within the realms of 'Green' Demarketing and the "effectiveness of marketing messages depends heavily on how consumers perceive the motives of the brand communicating the message" (Reich & Soule, 2016, p443 citing, Groza, Pronschinske, and Walker 2011); this can be relative to the Non-Caring—Temperate within the aforementioned framework as lack of knowledge and education when it comes to green marketing practices could invoke indifferent feelings about sustainability and the environment. Marketers therefore need to be more focused and transparent about their message (Diddi, & Niehm, 2017) This also shows a potential attitude – behaviour gap, as consumers may have the best intentions, but this doesn't always translate into behaving or even consuming in an environmentally or sustainably friendly way.
2.2 Green washing
Although recent research suggests that a more sustainable and greener way of consumption is on the rise, (Cojuharenco, Cornelissen, and Karelaia, 2016; Joyner Armstrong et al, 2016; Liobikienė, Grincevičienė, & Bernatonienė, 2017), there are companies and brands which still use green washing to win over new customers and consumers under the false pretence that they have green and ethical practices. For example, fashion brand H&M have a "conscious" range ("About H&M Conscious", 2017), though they are still producing clothing at a high rate at low cost to the consumer in the form of fast fashion. However, their use of sustainably sourced materials saw continued growth from 11% in 2013 to 20% in 2016 (Chua, 2017) which is a positive step for a fast fashion brand. H&M also have recycling facilities onsite in many of their stores, where customers and consumers can drop off unwanted clothing into their recycling bins which then gets sent to Germany to be recycled (Christian, 2017). While their recycling and conscious range are visible to consumers ; H&M were recently reported for exploitation of factory workers in Myanmar (Burma) where young teenagers work for more than 12 hours a day at low pay, although it was later reported that they were unaware these practices were taking place and appropriate action was taken (Butler, 2017), this illustrates the lack of transparency in their communication with consumers, leading to potential feelings of cognitive dissonance (Kennedy, Kapitan, and Soo, 2016) Another example of greenwashing in the fashion industry is the brand Zara, though they launched their sustainable 'Join Life' line of clothing in Autumn/ Winter of 2016 (Goody, 2016), they are still a fast fashion brand which accounts for a high percentage of pollution. According to a report by NPR, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that 15.1 million tons of textile waste was generated in 2013 in the US alone, of which 12.8 million tons were discarded ("What Happens When…", 2017). In 2012 Zara, despite promoting their "Join Life" brand to the consumer, were noted as being a major contributor to releasing harmful chemical waste into water streams ("Toxic threads…",2012, p10).
3. Slow vs Fast fashion
The term 'slow fashion' was created by Kate Fletcher from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion in 2007 with a view to combine terms such as 'eco', 'green', 'ethical' and 'sustainable' to relate to high-quality products which have been produced fairly and made to ensure longevity of clothing ("The slow fashion…", 2016). While slow fashion prices are often higher than fast fashion, they usually deliver a minimal collection each year offering the concept of exclusivity, in order to be profitable their prices are generally higher because they incorporate sustainable resources, ethical trading and fair wages (Fletcher, 2010). The people slow fashion takes into consideration is not only their target consumer market, but also the people who are the embodiment of the company from the garment factory workers upwards. Slow fashion is generally sold in smaller quantities than its counterpart fast fashion and generally on the internet rather than being offered to consumers on the high street (Antanavičiūtė, and Dobilaitė, 2015).
"The fast fashion phenomenon has revolutionized the clothing industry over the past decade. Changing consumer attitudes to apparel consumption, linked with low-cost production and sourcing of materials from overseas industrial markets has led to a culture of impulse buying in the fashion industry, where new styles of clothing are available to the average consumer every week" (Mintel, 2007 cited by McNeill and Moore, 2015, p213). Fast fashion is the polar opposite of slow fashion as the products are produced at a higher rate, with new stock landing in shops on a weekly basis (or sometimes more), it is fast production and fast consumption ("Slow fashion", 2007). On average women wear an item of clothing 7 times before they dispose of it or it is left unused ("Throwaway Fashion: Women…", 2015).
According to a recent article from campaignlive.co.uk, Mark Diamond, strategy director at Brand Union, explained that ethical brands need to "offer something more and be vocal about what they believe" ("Ethical brands need… ", 2017). Therefore, companies such as 'Given London' are trying to do just that. Their company works with brands to develop their message of 'brand substance' and not just 'brand image', to offer the brands consumers four key areas: trust, transparency, expectation (meeting this of the consumer and what they expect of the brand) and responsibility (to the consumer to deliver what they have promised) ("Given London – A Story…", 2013).
According to Zarely Watson and Yan (2013), there has been little research into how marketers are tackling the issue of fast fashion not being sustainable and little focus on slow fashion. They highlight that young consumers are not aware of the waste issues fast fashion causes and are unaware of the need to recycle clothing items. Yet, only a year later in 2014 a report (fig. 4) on ethical sourcing in retail in the UK (by age) suggested that across the board over 50% of all age ranges were noted as concerned and showing an interest in obtaining knowledge about how products they were purchasing were produced/ sourced. In these stats, millennials were showing just over 50%, therefore showing encouraging figures relating to engagement of younger consumers when it comes to being more ethically and sustainably minded.
Figure 4 Concern for ethical retail sourcing, by age 2014 | UK survey. 2014. Statista
3.1 Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is an important factor when researching guilt free consumption as this is usually something which starts within a corporation/ brand and filters through to their consumers, giving the consumer insight into the company's ethic's and standards therefore encouraging positive feelings, increased purchase intentions and greater overall satisfaction with the corporation/ brand etc. (Reich and Soule, 2016). There would therefore be a strong rationale in developing positive CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives. In 2014, it was reported that around 55% of global online consumers across 60 countries were willing to "pay more for products and services provided by companies that are committed to positive social and environmental impact" (Brands up their game…, 2015). By thinking more about their social responsibility, corporations would have a broader constituency of stakeholders than shareholders alone, for example in 2014, FORBES reported that brands that initiate CSR from day one are more likely to thrive within the sustainable and ethical brand market as they are clear about their mission and what products they provide, without sacrificing the important factor of well-designed, stylish and good quality products which consumers want to buy (McPherson, 2017). Corporations/ brands etc. would then hold responsibilities which would go beyond the production of their offerings at a profit and help to solve important social issues, including the ones they helped create.
Perhaps when planning most effective strategies when it comes to marketing 'green' products or services, and to initiate CSR, it is best first to make sure corporations/ brands etc. avoid what is known as 'green marketing myopia' (Ottman, Stafford and Hartman, 2006). According to Ottman, Stafford and Hartman (2006), many products have failed due to companies focusing too much on the green element of the product over what the customer or consumer actuals needs and wants to purchase.
4. Consumer behaviour
"However, when it comes to actual purchase behaviour, corporate social responsibility claims (such as "sustainably produced", "fair trade" and "chemical free") often fail to outweigh other attributes such as price, convenience, and product quality judgements" Kennedy, Kapitan and Soo (2016, citing Ailawadi et al., 2014; Bhattacharya and Sen, 2004; Luo and Bhattacharya, 2006). Consumers are still very much driven by convenience and price of products, therefore if there is initial lack of trust and clarity, as well as obstacles making it more difficult to access these more sustainable and green brands, then consumers are more likely to purchase cheaper and more convenient products, regardless of how they are produced etc.
In an article in marketing week, 2017, it was reported that consumers are over 60% likely to spend more money on a simple brand experience than something more complex (Consumers will spend more… Marketing week, 2017), therefore sustainable marketers could learn from this when developing a strong strategy for sustainable brands, or promoting a sustainable/ eco-friendly product. If it is made transparent to the consumer what they are purchasing and that process is simplified, they are more likely to engage with the product and make a positive purchase decision. If the actual transaction is simple, they're more likely to become repeat customers/ consumers.
In 2013, Watson & Yan stated that little research had been conducted up to this point with regards to consumer perception of fast fashion and the difference between slow and fast fashion consumers within the stages of their Consumer Decision Process (CDP). According to AdAge (2012) fewer consumers are willing to pay for green and ethical products due to marketers "over-hyping green products and making overly aggressive claims" leading to negative feelings and distrust ("As more marketers…", 2012). This is also reflected by Sheth, Sethia and Srinivas (2010 citing Bonini and Oppenheim 2008) who suggest that consumers lack trust when it comes to green marketing and are wary as it can be misleading.
In recent research on consumer purchase behaviour in green products, Choshaly (2017) suggests that consumer attitudes are what drive purchase decisions, these include several factors such as concern over self-image, environmental concern, social influence, perceived environmental responsibility and affective commitment (Choshaly, 2017).
According to Joyner Armstrong et al (2016, citing Briceno and Stagl 2006; Fletcher 2008; Max-Neef 1995), consumers acquire fashion goods above and beyond the two initial stages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, those being basic needs of warmth and protection, and instead acquire goods as a recreational practice. Although this can have initial hedonic affects, this can then lead to discontent and feelings of unhappiness. Those feelings can be generated as what used to be quite a social practice, shopping in general has started to become something which a high percentage of people do online, therefore leading to the demise of social interaction.
4.1 The Conscious Consumer
Consumers known as LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability) are growing in numbers (Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) – LOHAS Segmentation, 2017). According to the NMI sustainability segmentation report, the percentage of American LOHAS consumers outweigh 'conventionals' and 'unconcerneds' consumers by 4 – 5% (table. 1). This would suggest that more 'LOHAS' consumers should begin to directly affect the marketing consciousness and practices of producers (i.e. Brands).
Table 1. Adapted from NMI's Sustainability Segmentation report
|Consumer Type
|Described as
|Percentage which denotes the composition of the segment within the US population
|LOHAS (Lifestyle of health and sustainability)
|· Active environmental stewards
· Personal and planetary health priority
· Sustainability is entrenched in lifestyle
· Heaviest purchasers of 'green'
· Early adopters & Influencers
|· Green followers
· Newer to the 'green' marketplace
· Want to be seen as doing their part
· In search of easy green changes
|· Personal health drivers greater than planetary health
· Strong secondary target for natural/ green CPG brands
|· Less concerned about the environment and society
|· Practical & rational
· Driven by cost savings: eco-benefits secondary
However, many consumers associate possessions with happiness which stems from materialism (Banerjee and McKeage 1994). In 2016, Joyner Armstrong et al, conducted a study where a selection of students were required to abstain from clothing acquisition for 10 weeks, which they refer to as a 'fashion detox' (Joyner Armstrong et al, 2016) The results found that the participants experienced withdrawal symptoms from the rush of buying a new item of clothing, and found it had an effect on their social interactions. Although those are perhaps negative to the participant, over-all they found that it was a positive experience as not only did they save money, but they also felt more fulfilled with their basic wants and needs (Maslow's first two tiers of the hierarchy) and were able to be more creative with their daily outfit choices (Joyner Armstrong et al, 2016).
5. Brands
Though through previous discussion there is evidence that brands are starting to become more environmentally and socially conscious, evidence suggests they are doing little to communicate this to their consumers (Lueg, Pedersen, & Clemmensen, 2013). These brands can be noted as 'muted sustainable' brands (Solér, Baeza, & Svärd, 2014). There are many offerings of sustainable and green brands available, however these are generally viewed and sourced via digital mediums, rather than being readily available to purchase on the high street. This lack of accessibility forces consumers to take on the role of a 'seeker' to actually discover brands they want to build a relationship with if they want to be more sustainably and ethically minded (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001). When looking at brands the 4P's vs 4C's can be addressed in terms of place vs convenience, and promotion vs communication (Kumar et al, 2012).
There are plenty of exciting innovative brands on the market either creating sustainable lines or being completely sustainable and ethical brands from the start. Some examples of brands are Po-Zu shoes, who use innovation such as pinatex made from pineapple leaf fibres to create shoes ("A sustainable approach", 2017); Girlfriend Collective, who made leggings out of recycled plastic bottles from Taiwan ("Behind the Seams…", 2017); Adidas, who have launched a line with Parley using recycled ocean waste Morby, A. (2017), and Patagonia, who encourage longevity of wear and are environmentally conscious and Fairtrade ("Patagonia", 2017). Apart from Adidas who are already a global fashion leader, these brands seem to heavily rely on WOM (word of mouth) and EWOM (electronic word of mouth) social communications to spread the brands message instead of traditional forms of promotional marketing, which, in itself is taking on Kotler and Levy's 1971 concept of 'Demarketing'.
Brands such as MUD jeans, who started in 2013, have set to revolutionise consumption by being one of the first brands to become what is known as a 'circular brand' ("Sustainability | MUD Jeans | Quality Jeans, Vegan & Recyclable", 2017). This sits within the term 'circular economy' by meaning that there is zero waste produced. Customers/ consumers are offered the opportunity to hire a pair of jeans by signing up to a 12-month contract. At €7.50 a month this makes them more affordable to the consumer and an innovative approach to guilt free consumption ("Lease A Jeans | MUD Jeans | Lease Your MUD Jeans Online!", 2017) At the end of this term they can either keep the pair of jeans or exchange for a new pair and keep the cycle going. If they decide to exchange their denim the pair they send back is then put into the MUD "vintage" section where other customers/ consumers can buy them or they are recycled and made into other items which MUD sell such as sweaters.
Image 1."MUD Jeans | Circular Denim & Ethical Esthetics", 2017
Some brands also use celebrity endorsements to promote their products such as the brand Zady, who worked with celebrity Emma Watson to promote their fashion online (Spedding, 2017). This brand is at the higher end of sustainable fashion and really closes the affordability gap, though consumers may admire what certain celebrities are wearing if they are of a certain social status it doesn't make the product accessible to them, though may encourage them to shop for similar styles at a lower price point.
Image 2. "Instagram post by Zady • Sep 20, 2016 at 3:02pm UTC", 2017
Marketers usually view consumers as choosing among brands on the basis of functional and emotional criteria, though the third dimension that it becoming more prevalent is how brands meet their social responsibilities (Gao, & Zhang, 2015).
5.1 Product
In the Ethical Consumer Markets report, it was highlighted that 2015 was a good year for ethical product sales, as "Over 20% of UK consumers bought second-hand clothes for ethical reasons during 2015" (Ethical Consumer Markets Report, 2016, p18), though Fairtrade clothing suffered a double-digit decline on the previous year shrinking 12.1% to a 10-year low of £29 million (Ethical Consumer Markets Report, 2016). Though the product (being one of the aforementioned 4P's of the marketing mix) is important to the consumer, potentially being something that they desire and would like to buy, the counterargument for the 4C's being the 'customer solution' where the focus is more on what the customer/ consumer actually wants to buy (the tangible product) rather than the emotional desirability product. Therefore, the potential reason for decline in Fairtrade clothing could be because marketers didn't research into the specific wants and needs of their customers/ consumers, with too much of a focus on pushing the message of Fairtrade, ethical and eco-friendly, when they maybe should be focusing on pushing factors such as longevity and durability which may be more appealing. An example of this is when Puma released their 'InCycle' range in 2013, claiming that all products were either 100% biodegradable to recyclable (Pasolini, 2017). Although Puma evidently set out to make a unique range to stand out against their competitors with sustainability in mind, the range flopped because there was no demand from retailers to stock this product, therefore it was only sold in Puma stores where there was also little uptake (Chhabra, 2017). There was evidently heavy focus on the eco-friendly and sustainable marketing, which did not appeal to Puma's target market at the time.
Image 3 "Puma Unveils "InCycle" Line of Cradle-to-Cradle Apparel, Footwear", 2017
Adidas, however launched a similar product in 2016, which was a limited edition run of just 50 pairs of trainers made from recycled ocean plastic in collaboration with Parley (Howarth, 2016). They were very clever in their marketing strategy as not only did they launch these on world oceans day (to raise awareness of protecting the ocean environment), they also made the 50 pairs available to be earned rather than bought. Adidas launched an Instagram competition, asking potential customers/ consumers to create and submit a video that "demonstrates their commitment to stop using single-use plastic items" (Howarth, 2016). Not only would this raise important environmental issues, it also let the customer/ consumer be part of the brand and utilised them to spread the word about the product to their social groups online.
Image 4 Adidas x Parley shoes made from recycled ocean plastic launch, Howarth, 2016
This was evidently successful as in 2017, Adidas and Parley have again teamed up to launch another collection of trainers made from recycled marine plastic waste which will be available to purchase on their website (Green, 2017), as well as a collection of swimwear, also made from ocean plastics (Morby, 2017). Adidas are aiming to make these forms of upcycling and sustainability the norm, in their recently released sustainability report they are aiming to have 100% of their cotton goods certified as sustainable (Adidas Group Sustainability Progress Report, 2015, p38). This would then allow the consumer to shop guilt free unconsciously and without bias, rather than making the hard sell of eco-friendly products which can lead to negative consumer behaviour.
6. Conclusion
Throughout this study, we have looked at a combination of the 4P's and the 4C's marketing mix as well as addressing the wants, needs and desires of consumers through Maslow's hierarchy of needs and have established although it is possible for consumers to shop guilt free (to an extent), many still choose not to due to product price and convenience. Therefore, it is marketer's responsibility to work with brands to encourage more sustainable and ethical practices within the corporations/ companies/ brands and the creation of green products and make these the norm in order to change the consumer behaviour and their purchase decision making process. This will allow consumers to 'think' more about what they are purchasing, or indeed shop unconsciously and without bias, no longer having to take on the role of the 'seeker', shopping more ethically in general. Consumers may change their thought process, taking into consideration if they actually need a product to fulfil their basic needs, or to satisfy needs on a more hedonistic or social level. They may then consider investing in higher value, higher quality products which will last years, instead of convenient 'throw-away items'. Companies therefore need to start making drastic changes in their research and development, production, financial and marketing practices if sustainability is to be achieved and think more about their corporate social responsibility.


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It is so fascinating to see how different Americans are from one state to the next. In Iowa a few short days ago, Mike Huckabee won the caucus with a huge margin. Tonight during the debate, he faltered big time. He couldn't respond to one of Mitt Romney's questions regarding taxes and he actually looked rather foolish sing songing around the question. He knew it too because next time Mitt Romney asked him a question he responded that he would only answer the commentator's questions (Chris Wallace) who in turn asked him the same question Mitt Romney had asked him. So I believe Mike Huckabee did not fare well tonight. I was watching an undecided group of New Hampshire voters after the debate and with all of them being undecided before the debate started, I'd say about 95% of them decided their vote on Tuesday would go to Mitt Romney based on tonight's debate. My jaw actually fell open upon hearing this. What I saw from Mitt Romney tonight was major lack of experience regarding foreign policy, arrogance, cockiness, lots of ego and despite his governorship of MA, to me he comes across inexperienced in many aspects. I will say that I am with him 100% on immigration though. Fred Thompson got an unfair shake by the control group of undecided voters. They thought he looked sleepy and unmotivated when in essence, he and Guiliani were just rarely called upon by the commentator. When they were asked questions though, both Guiliani and Thompson came across very well. And in fact, Thompson is the only candidate that brought up the issue of Social Security and also threw out a plan to help save it for my generation. He claimed he was the only one with a solution and the other candidates agreed that they did not have any solutions regarding social security. As a matter of fact, tonight is the first night that I've heard about the Social Security issue in a very long time. After President Bush was re-elected in 2004, he vigorously attacked this issue but to no avail. John McCain in my opinion did the best tonight. I was quite pleased with his responses and I can't even begin to express how much I respect this man. He did not just have a two or four year stint in the military. He was in the military for 22 years with 5 1/2 of those years being a captured (and tortured) POW in Vietnam when his plane was shot down. Then he served this country as a senator for 21 years now. I think he has great experience in leading in the Navy for decades and for leading the people in congress for decades. I think this kind of experience is priceless.
As the days go by and primaries are upon us, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. All the candidates bring something to the table. There's not one that I just can't stand (well, maybe Ron Paul). I urge each of you to inform yourselves on where these candidates stand on issues that are important to you…protection from extremists, economy, immigration, taxation, healthcare etc. There are plenty of resources out there for each of us to look into and these debates are extremely informative when you can look past the politicking and focus on their ideas and more importantly solutions.
Tags: 2008 Election, 2008 Presidency, Fox News, Fox News Republican Debate, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, New Hampshire Debate, Republican, Rudy Guiliani


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In Order to Succeed, Fail on Purpose – Jason Pecotic
SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO FAIL ON PURPOSE. So says Jason Pecotic, director of WMC Group, an importer of buses from Suzhou, China into Australia. His company imports buses from Higer, a Chinese automotive company, and in the early years of their cooperation WMC had a difficult time convincing the Chinese engineers that their product was roadworthy, so much so that WMC had to replace approximately AU$30,000 of components on each bus. It took approximately three years, and a lot of failures, to finally convince their Chinese partners that they had to improve their quality.
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The reason for recent blog inactivity is a much-needed studio renovation. Still producing our textile wares as usual, but we've spent every spare minute under the floor. Will be back when desk is back in order.
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Join us
Let`s paint town red
and raise the roofs.
Let`s make fireworks,
bursting colors in our gloomy sullen sky
Let`s say to the world,
just for this night:
Join us,
we are no longer at pole`s apart,
nor going ballistic
nor making any fur fly.
Our hatchet is buried so deep,
not a demon could disinter it
nor a gravedigger could throw it up.
We are free tonight
like birds out of a cage
flying here and there
no ball and chain will weigh our wings
Come hither,
before the curtains fall down
and the dawn cracks,
sending its first shivers down the night s spine.
Come faster,
with no exquisite dresses
or elegant suits
or even a bouquet of flowers
Come as you are ,
as you were.
Tonight is the night when we first met
and the code was deciphered .
O people,share with us drinks and little laughter
and then later you can
all blow through the wind
like plastic bags
as if nothing happens
or you can lie on a blanket,out in the back yard,
wishing upon a shooting star
Santa and his reindeer to take you home.
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HR + Payroll
What We Do | Payroll | HR Services | Training | Benefit Programs
While Payroll and HR appear to be distinct, they often inform each other on the administrative level. Integrating the two creates a more efficient system for employees, managers and leadership. As with any Xenium program, we work with you to create a customized solution that works within your existing structure and addresses your unique needs. We designed our HR + Payroll model to give the greatest value and service to the widest range of clients. As an Administrative Services Organization (ASO), we are an administrative processor with the option to integrate other services such as HR or Benefits to better serve our clients.
How It Works
The HR + Payroll model is made up of three main components: HR, Payroll and Benefits Administration.
Human Resources
Whether your internal HR staff requires project-based support or we're your HR department, you'll get a dedicated HR Business Partner backed by the Xenium HR service team.
Payroll & Tax Services
You are partnered with a dedicated certified payroll specialist who provides payroll and tax reporting services tailored to the needs of your organization.
Benefits Administration
Another option offered under the HR umbrella, our specialists oversee administration of sponsored programs such as group health, dental and life insurance.
- Full Garnishment Administration
- Employee File Maintenance
- Web-Based Entry
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- Employee Deductions
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- Payroll Reports and Employee Earnings Statement Delivery
- Governmental Reporting
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- W-2 Preparation and Distribution
- Web-Based Employer and Employee Access
- Integrated Payroll, Human Resources, Workers' Compensation and Benefits Accounting
- Integrated Time Keeping
- Multi-State Payroll and Tax Reporting Capabilities
- Open Architecture for Import and Export Capabilities to Other ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) Compliant Tools


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Andre Agassi – Wore a Wig to Hide Baldness
Andre Kirk Agassi is a Sports star, tennis champion and all round good guy. He competed in his first professional tournament in 1986 aged 16 and retired from pro tennis on September 3, 2006 after his loss in the third round of the 2006 US open. Andre was ranked number 1 in the World in 1995, 1999, 2000 and 2003. He regularly competes in celebrity matches as well as guest appearances as a commentator and court reporter. During the late…Read More


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'Wild Thoughts' Earrings
"I don't know if you can take it…"
The 'Wild Thoughts' earrings are 5cm wide and 6cm long and come in a pair.
Please note: This item is made to order and we aim to have them posted to you within 1-2 weeks.
If you need the item ASAP please email us at email@example.com and we'll aim to accommodate your request.


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Cllr. Francis Timmons ties the knot with partner Darren Lamont in first ever wedding at Dublin's Freemasons' Hall
'We are proud to have been a part of making history'
South Dublin County Councillor Francis Timmons and his partner of 19 years Darren Lamont have officially tied the knot in the first ever wedding to take place in Dublin's Freemasons' Hall.
The couple, who exchanged vows on Halloween, said that they were delighted to have been part making history, and used the news of their big day to dispel some misconceptions about Freemasonry.
"There are a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions around Freemasonry in Ireland and not least of these regards the membership," said Darren Lamont.
"Freemasonry is open to any man regardless of race, religion, age, social background or sexual orientation.
"As an openly gay man I must admit when I first joined the fraternity I wasn't sure if I would be accepted, however in my lodge I found acceptance on a level I hadn't experienced before. "
Darren explained that when he contacted the Grand Lodge of Ireland to ask permission to hold his wedding to Independent Clondalkin councillor Francis, he thought his request may have been refused.
"I had thought permission might be refused but was overjoyed when I received confirmation," he said.
"As it was the first time a wedding ceremony had been performed in the hall we had to have the venue approved by the HSE but the hall plays host to a number of public events so there was no issue there."
"We are proud to have been a part of making history."
Not only was it the first wedding to take place in the unique building, but it was also a same-sex wedding which, Lamont says shows "how open and accepting Irish Freemasonry is".
Homophobic letter
While for the couple, their happy day was a celebration of love and acceptance, Cllr. Timmons revealed that he and his partner had been subjected to homophobic abuse in the past.
"Earlier this year we got a vile homophobic letter in our post box but we have felt huge support since. Up to and following our wedding we have been inundated with hundreds of kind and supportive messages on Facebook, E-mails and texts and have really felt supported,'' Cllr. Timmons said.
"'I grew up in a time when it was illegal to be gay in Ireland where homophobic language and actions were common place and the fact that I am now a married gay man shows how far as a nation we have come."
Open to the public
Built between 1866 and 1869, Freemasons' Hall on Dublin's Molesworth Street has been the headquarters of Irish Freemasonry for almost 150 years.
Prior to its existence, the Grand Lodge of Ireland leased a number of premises around Dublin and eventually created Freemasons' Hall to serve as a permanent home and monument to Irish Freemasonry.
Freemason's hall is now a registered wedding venue and is hoping to welcome many more couples to celebrate their happy day in the future.


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On Infertility & Identity - A Letter from Jess
(Click on the photo to enlarge)
Dear Friends,
I once thought I knew what it meant to be a Catholic woman. My impressions were shaped by growing up in a large Catholic family, encountering prime examples of living the faith in our church community and by learning of the saints. I was aware from a young age of what a vocation is and prayed about mine often. My 'faith like a child' was passionate, sincere, at moments extreme, and I never saw it as a moveable thing. In time, I found the man God had created for me and gladly accepted my marriage vocation, eagerly anticipating having a home full of children, ready to be a shining example of saying 'yes' to life in a beautifully-Catholic way. We were not only open to life for the whole of our marriage, we awaited that new life with the anticipation of a child counting down the days until Christmas.
Ten years into our marriage, though, our house and arms remain empty, our hearts broken by years of infertility and the burden of holding on to unfulfilled desires. For the first time in my life, in the midst of this crisis, I found myself struggling with the question of what it means to be a Catholic woman. What does it mean to be a Catholic woman when your best idea of how to do so is having a pew full of children? How could God call me to marriage but not motherhood?
As Catholics we're taught of our suffering to "offer it up," to bear our burdens with gratitude that we can join them to Christ's and help bring others into salvation. It is a narrative I had spoken many times before; I'd spent time reflecting on the redemptive beauty of suffering and believe it to be an essential part of our faith. "Your Will, not mine," is much easier in theory than reality, though.
(Page 2)
It is easy to proclaim submission to God's Will when you believe that God will grant you the desires of your heart; however, when faced with the actuality that God might say 'no,' I have fallen apart. More than just the question of whether I'll ever be called to motherhood, I came to question my worth as a Catholic woman.
Like so many facing the reality of a life they never wanted, I have encountered parts of myself I wish I never had to know: bitterness, anger, despair, doubt. My once unmovable faith has been shaken to the core, troubled by questions that may never have an answer in this world. And an overwhelming feeling of shame that my faith should be stronger, my cross more-readily accepted, my suffering more willing, spiritually paralyzed me. What right do I have to pray when my heart is so full of ugliness? How can I claim to be a faithful Catholic when I can't embrace the lessons I've learned and taught my whole life?
Yet there is something else I've learned of as a Catholic, and that is God's Mercy- a Divine Mercy big enough to handle all of the human feelings we can't stifle, expansive enough to welcome us back with love no matter how many times we fail miserably. In that Mercy I am learning that being a Catholic woman doesn't mean I will always have the grace to carry my cross willingly; it means I know where to find that grace. And I'm learning that God wants what we can give Him, nothing more, and despite my barrenness I can still be fruitful through love and any good I can bring to others. God asks nothing of us that He hasn't already given. So when He calls us to wait on Him, demanding the patience of a saint, remember then that He will also be patient with us as we work toward that sainthood.
In Love, Jess
Get to know Jess
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I'm Jess, a 34 year old classical singer, pianist and music educator. My work is a fun mix of teaching group piano to grade schoolers, college voice, and singing in operas and concerts.
What do the first two hours of your day look like?
Well, I'm not exactly a "morning person." So usually the first hour hour of my day involves snoozing the alarm, snuggling with a couple of lazy dogs, crawling to the coffee pot, and by the time I've had enough caffeine to snap into action I have about 15 minutes to get to work. Did you know the closer you live to your job the harder it is to get there early? And I live pretty close. In my life prayer happens throughout the day.
What's your favorite part of your current occupation?
Whether making music or helping students discover their own ability to do so, my life's work is centered on creating. I love the elements of discovery and surprise involved in the creative process. When students discover the beauty or enjoyment of something, I get to experience it again as though it's the first time. And when I'm making music myself, each performance is different: with different energy and nuance, so there is always something surprising and new to encounter.
Tell us about the first time you experienced a strong sense of belonging in the Catholic Church.
I could never forget it! 1997, Paris, France at World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II and 2 million other Catholic youth. I'd never seen so many people on fire for our faith.
Tell us about a woman you look up to.
I look up to both of my grandmothers and have a healthy dose of each of them in me. One raised six kids, survived cancer and a massive heart attack, has the patience of a saint and a wicked sense of humor; I look up to her for the how strong and resilient she is. The other raised 5 kids, is a self-taught artist and a convert to Catholicism who has been a source of wisdom and wit on matters of living and faith alike; I am inspired by how fierce she is in both her life and art.
Favorite character ever. Go!
Doctor Who, hands down! Probably because I have an unhealthy fixation on time travel and fantasize about time traveling a little too much. I just now realized that I have my sister to thank for introducing me to Doctor Who AND to my husband!


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Mischa Barton Safari Sassy with a Louis Vuitton Africa Queen Clutch
Mischa Barton is always dressed up, whether at a photo shoot, party or even about town; she wears the latest designer handbag. Here Mischa strikes a pose with the contemporary Louis Vuitton African Queen clutch handbag, a delightful look in blue monogram printed material. The colorful tassels and feathers add to the playfulness and is great for a young starlet and fashionista like Mischa to take out. She decks herself out in Louis Vuitton and doesn't hold back by adding sassy shoes and a print top The clutch handbag definitely standouts and makes a youthful statement.
What to Wear
This is an ideal look for a night out to see a band or go to a concert. This designer handbag will go well with cropped boyfriend trousers, a white top and sassy safari style heels. Top it off with this great Louis Vuitton handbag and your look says you're ready for fun.
Handbag Details
- Designer: Louis Vuitton
- Name: Africa Queen
- Style: Clutch
cool spring look, will have to give it a go.
i love the shoes with that bag, so hot!


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Facebook C.E.O. Mark Zuckerberg seems to have had a change of heart when it comes to his 700-acre plot of beachfront land on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Last week, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Zuckerberg had filed a set of lawsuits with Hawaii's state Circuit Court, seeking to identify the owners of land on his estate so that he could force a sale of these lands. About a dozen kamaaini families currently own small pieces of land on his enormous property and can legally "traverse the billionaire's otherwise private domain." Zuckerberg, whose legal team has spent the past year and a half trying to identify these owners, could have appeared before a judge to determine rightful land ownership, according to the report. If the owners weren't able to come to an agreement on terms, the judge could allow an auction—and Zuckerberg, whose net worth is $55.3 billion, could have bought the parcels.
Now though, it would seem Zuckerberg has had a change of heart about the native Hawaiians laying claim to ancestral land on his enormous estate. In a letter to Kauai's newspaper, The Garden Island, Zuckerberg, in the wake of criticism, said he was backing off from the lawsuits. "Upon reflection, I regret that I did not take the time to fully understand the quiet title process and its history before we moved ahead," Zuckerberg wrote. "Now that I understand the issues better, it's clear we made a mistake."
Zuckerberg also had a few things other things he wanted to clear up—particularly the fact that his purchase of the 700-acre plot was a huge win for the environment:
Before we acquired land in Waipake, it was set to be sub-divided by a commercial developer and built into about 80 homes, which could have impacted endangered monk seals and albatross. As soon as we bought this land, we formally withdrew this process. Now the land will be preserved with minimal development, and large portions will be maintained for farming by the community.
Pila'a has an even more complex history. Years before we bought the land, the Environmental Protection Agency had to step in to establish a consent decree to protect it. We are committed to being good stewards of this beautiful land. We hope to build a home for our family here.
Yes, Zuckerberg has learned his lesson. And he'll be working closely with the local community from now on:
The right path is to sit down and discuss how to best move forward. We will continue to speak with community leaders that represent different groups, including native Hawaiians and environmentalists, to find the best path.
Beyond this process, we are also looking for more ways to support the community as neighbors. We have contributed to community organizations and will continue to do so. We work with wildlife experts to preserve endangered species. We hope to do much more in the future.
Talk about moving fast and knowing when to pivot. Zuckerberg's op-ed is a far cry from his tone last week when he took to Facebook to decry the "misleading stories about our plans" regarding the lawsuits. "To find all these partial owners so we can pay them their fair share, we filed what is called a 'quiet title' action," Zuckerberg said at the time. "For most of these folks, they will now receive money for something they never even knew they had. No one will be forced off the land. We are working with a professor of native Hawaiian studies and longtime member of this community, who is participating in this quiet title process with us. It is important to us that we respect Hawaiian history and traditions." Before the publication os Zuckerberg's letter, which itself seems a bit more community-friendly than posting again on Facebook, hundreds of Hawaiians planned to protest in front of the six-foot-tall wall Zuckerberg erected around his Kauai estate last year. "People are furious down here with him," one Hawaiian who planned to protest Zuckerberg told Business Insider. It's unclear whether the scheduled protest is still on.


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Day 222 – The guy in the Hawaiian shirt
2009/04/19 § Leave a comment
The cliché is that US Americans in Mexico run around in a funny colored shirts (Hawaiian style) and cargo-shorts and with big cameras around their necks. They pay well for overpriced food and still add huge tips, shop for memorabilia until their credit cards starts to melt from all the swiping and think that the perfect English speaking Mexicans at their all-inclusive hotel exhibit the most genuine and stereotypical Mexican behavior possible. They feel that going to a Mexican tourist resorts is a wild adventure and they boast about it back home. They also think no one will ever manage to fool them.
I was sure such people would not exist, but I have seen them! I have seen at least one of this species in Playa del Carmen, not far from Cancun, where all the US Americans go. I do not mind that I was wrong with my assumption that so much ignorance can not exist. In the end we are talking about US Americans- everything is possible in the USA. And everything is bigger in the USA, even the idiots. But what is on their mind, I wonder?
Have they never seen movies in which US Americans abroad on a beach-holiday are portrayed as morons, and they always look just like themselves? Or have they seen these movies, and read about the stereotypical US American but have a nicely twisted humor and like to deliver just what people expect them to be? Or maybe they want a quiet holiday and be left alone, so they use a disguise, as a shield of sorts, knowing that most intelligent people will avoid them, out of pure terror and fear that stupidity may be contagious after all? Chances are of course they simply do not know what they are doing.
Maybe we will never know?


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