If you've seen my Video Nation film and want to know more about my work as a writer, journalist and composting queen, this is the place.

I'm currently hard at work on a book about ethical living, inspired by the 'eco challenges' I set myself when I was writing my column for The Press. The book is called 'Does This Come in Green? The Trials of an Eco-Smart Shopper', and it will be published by Hodder in May 2008. It looks at environmentally friendly ways of changing the way we live and how we can help save the planet through our power as consumers. What's different about my book is that it's not another intimidating 'How to' guide - you know, those books of great long lists that make you feel defeated before you've even started? It's a 'How it went when I did it' book that tells it like it is, from breaking off my love affair with Florence & Fred (the Tesco label, that is) and learning to identify mystery vegetables in my vegebox to trialling crystal rock deodorant at a sweaty salsa class and attempting to waylay a milkman in the middle of the night. I've been teetotal at a wine tasting, got high on caffeine, scrubbed my loo with bicarbonate of soda, moisturised with udder cream, done worm charming in high heels and attempted to go vegetarian while being a gangster's moll - and alot more besides. It's a personal, anecdotal, funny and informative book that describes one woman's attempts to save the planet and still get home in time to make the tea. It's also a book about what happens when you embark on a journey and start asking questions - questions that people, and especially companies, don't always want to answer.

The Video Nation film shows a little of how I and my family live. I'm not doing the 'eco-challenges' for a novelty; most of them have brought about real and permanent changes to our lifestyle. Composting was the first big change I made. It was something I took up over two years ago after writing about recycling in The Press, and in a strange way it's the thing I'm most proud of. Perhaps it's because you end up making something extraordinary out of a load of rubbish, or perhaps it's because I've reduced how much we throw out each week by three-quarters, but whatever the reason I'm pretty chuffed at how good I've become at it. There's a connection between what we buy, what we eat, the waste it creates and how that can be ultimately be transformed back into the soil to grow food again, and that's what I wanted to show in the film.

Why bother with all of this? Because we've all got a responsibility for this world. You might not be 'into' green living, but I'll bet you care about your family. Your kids. Your future. And, more importantly, their future. My daughter - who doesn't look terribly impressed in the film (she hadn't been very well and had just woken up and slouched down the garden to see why I was talking to myself on the bench) - is my motivation, but not my only one. Yes, I do it for her, but I do it for myself, too. Because once you begin to ask questions - and learn the answers - carrying on as before isn't an option. It starts with a  compost bin . . .