Image via rawd_living

Daisy darling

Don't take it all as read

Why don't you ask a few more questions instead?

I know you think that everyone should be paid what they're due

But there are people in this world who don't think like you do.. (K. Polwart)

This post caught my attention recently on Instagram via a bunch of inspiring young people with a vision, with a purpose - they are called - Rawd_Living - and they are making a difference

Now - I am yet to read the book and I'm certain a chilling update will follow once I've read it - it's on my reading list - so I cannot comment any further about that - however, I am intrigued because I am curious and I want to know more.... Not only the book, but the pencil suddenly caught my attention too - bold and bright - red and black - serious and striking! Like nothing I've ever seen before, beautiful and minimal and playful and colourful...

A few clicks along and I found the website for Perpetua The Pencil - and if you care about the environment, just a little bit or a lot - then you, yes you and you and you, because deep down we all do care - but we all just do too little. Caring is great, yes, but caring without action - its like a whole lot of nothingness nicely packaged with a ribbon and a bow - and nothing inside. I think the time has come that we put some action into our caring, and start making some changes in how we live - little changes, big changes - any change will do - just be the change

So back to Perpetua - and a bit more about this wonderfully revolutionary and beautiful pencil! First a few facts .... Perpetua is made of Zantech - which is an innovative material made of 80% graphite - which is a waste product of industrial production
So in essence this pencil is made almost entirely from waste - and what I found more interesting as well - was that as you're using the pencil, writing notes, drawing that masterpiece, sketching your dream home, sending someone a love note.... while doing all these wonderful things... you are also getting rid of the waste, but in a more sustainable way, but creating something beautiful with it

The foodgrade eraser forms a single body with the pencil, which has one flat side - makes it oh so comfy to hold and it also prevents the pencil from rolling away... it is unbreakable, non-toxic and quite frankly just beautiful. Well - obviously so, as it's the only pencil that's made in Italy! The home of elegant design and picture perfect fashion! But even more so, because knowing its created by and made from a waste material - and through its exclusive production technology - it does not need the traditional wood casing that standard pencils need... so it also saves the trees!

So a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet with someone who could tell me a bit more about Perpetua The Pencil. She was enthused and had this lovely energy about her - it was wonderful to hear from someone who seems to know it so well - the story, the technology - well, it turns out that Alice, was the daughter of the inventor of the Perpetua, Susanna Martucci - who is also the owner of Alisea.it Well worth clicking through and realising there is a whole (new to me) world of repurposing and recycling creatively - out there.

I was delighted and so surprised and almost could not believe, that one week I was reading about something new (to me) and amazing (in technology and sustainability) but also something that will make a difference to how we treat the world in the long term.... and there I was the next sat in a little cafe in Highbury chatting to Alice - and I felt inspired!

Two weeks on, and I've been delightedly writing and sketching and dreaming and drawing with my Perpetua pencils. Well first of all, I just wanted to write, or draw or sketch - the pencil kind of draws you in - it sits comfortably in your hand as it glides over the paper. The eraser - which I've been using from time to time - leaves no dreaded bits behind - it kind of just erases and that's it - no 'eraser crumbs' all over your desk! I've been using my turquoise first, then my pink, and this week I'm only my yellow! (eraser that is, the pencil is just a normal HB) There's no need to sharpen them either - even though you can if you'd like to.

So I guess the only question that remains is - how can you get your hands on one of these magical sustainable beauties! Well I imagine soon they will also be available in the UK, fingers crossed! Oh did I forget to mention - you can also have your pencils branded with your logo or any design for that matter; printed on your pencil, and it comes with a neat little black backing board, where you can tell your story (minimum order quantities apply) Head on over to their website for more inspiration and more story! And if you scroll down to the last image - you'll see a brilliant example of a custom design... striking isn't it?!

And as soon as my cash flow improves - I'll be getting some 'an urban village' inspired one's ordered and hopefully available via my blog ... in the future ... hopefully not to distant.

I guess I've also become a little bit more aware, more awakened and more interested in a more sustainable approach, a more sustainable way of living, more aware of how we treat this beautiful home of ours - mother earth. Our only home.... don't you think its a little bit strange that so much is being spent on finding 'life on other planets' in stead of investing in better ways to look after this magical place we call home? The earth can quite easily exist and flourish without our human intervention .... but without the earth - we have no home, and we will not survive.

I'd like to send a big heartfelt thank you to Susanna Martucci for inventing and creating and manufacturing this innovative pencil - and there's not only a pencil, there is also a notebook! And for sharing the Perpetua with us all - and in doing so little by little, pencil by pencil in a sustainable way collectively we're also saving the planet

Thank you x