Now is the time, so do it now

If you find being ethical very difficult at times there is no need to despair, says Maddy Fry. Here are some things you can do to ensure that you keep sight of your principals when they take a battering.

''If you can't afford to give money to charity on a conventional basis, then next time you need to search for something use Yahoo's Goodsearch or Oblatoo.'' ''Light a candle instead of turning on a light. It'll save electricity and make you feel better at the same time.'' ''Sign up with the Carbon Neutral Company, Climate Care, or a similar organisation that will help to neutralise your emissions by planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects.''

1) Do an internet search.
If you can't afford to give money to charity on a conventional basis, then next time you need to search for something use Yahoo's Goodsearch or Oblatoo. Each search will generate 1p or the equivalent for a charity of your choice.

2) Shop on Blah! DVD.
Want to buy a gift for someone who might not appreciative a gift from the Oxfam catalogue? Then you can buy CDs, DVDs and games from www.blahdvd.com. 10p in every purchase will be donated to Oxfam.

3) Accept other people's beliefs.
This is perhaps the hardest thing to do. Many of us who care about the world, and are frustrated that other people don't, will have often behaved dogmatically at one time or another to friends or family, or to any others who seem to be indifferent. We may have taken on the mantle of a preacher or evangelist, out to convert those who have not seen the light. But you will be happier in the long run, and the complacent will be much more likely to come around to your position, if you simply accept that everyone has their own way, big or small, of dealing with the wickedness in the world.

4) Encourage a policy of switching lights off in your home.
Never underestimate how much you are doing for the environment by ensuring that all extension leads are turned off at the switch during long periods when they will not be in use, such as at night, and particularly with TVs and computers. Encourage the people you live with to do the same. Remember that left-on standby switches alone pump unbelievable amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, so switch them off! Or.

5) Light a candle.
Anytime you feel dispirited at the thought that this is too small to make a difference, light a candle instead of turning on a light. It'll save electricity and make you feel better at the same time.

6) If you can't afford to buy Fairtrade food regularly then buy brands that are cheaper, and avoid the worst ones.
Just because you don't have the money to buy Traidcraft cereal bars, doesn't mean that you should automatically go for Nestlé. Companies like Cadbury may not be the most ethical companies, but they aren't utterly evil. Also, a little research on your part wouldn't go amiss to see which non-fairtrade companies are the most and least targeted by anti-poverty and exploitation groups.

7) If you can't avoid flying, pay for offsets.
Despite the fact that many of us vow not to fly for the sake of the climate, for a lot of us this is easier said than done. If it truly can't be avoided then sign up with the Carbon Neutral Company, Climate Care, or a similar organisation that will help to neutralise your emissions by planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects.