Herbivore, 47

vegan atheist I have found that a little exercise before a blender full of bananas to be the best way for me to start the day. Time spent walking, conversing, gardening or reading also do me good. Few things are as nourishing as being useful to others.

I love dancing to live music, but parties hold little interest for me. I much prefer conversations one-on-one or in small groups. I am not looking for lots of friends, just a few good ones. Sharing a laugh is as important as a fabulously deep discussion. I am particularly partial to British humour. The silly, the absurd and satirical amuse me endlessly.

Quiet solitude is slso something I need. One of my favourite things to do is sit on my verandah overlooking the garden with a book in one hand, a coffee in the other, with some fine Japanese jazz playing on the stereo.

I'm passionate about sustainable cities and design. I have a keen interest in permaculture, organic food and urban agriculture. I love hiking in the wilderness, but I am an urbanite at heart. I want to be able to walk or cycle everywhere - to work, to the markets, to the cafe or to the beach. I'm appalled by much of suburbia and yearn for the tight cobbled streets of medieval European cities like Venice and Amsterdam.

Besides spending much of my life studying, I have valued my time making documentaries and volunteering with environmental groups. I studied politics, philosophy and sociology along with media before going onto to do an MA in sustainability. I studied that which interested me. I'm now reaping the seeds I sowed - doh! I would love to get some more work in sustainable assessment. I've been having a bit of a break, but looking to re-emerge from my comfy cottage and engage with the world again.

When I become overwhelmed by the problems of the world, I try to remember that everything we do changes the world - at least in some way. As Gandhi said, 'be the change you want to see in the world.'