Ethical weekend in Cardiff

Heaven forbid, but that guilt has finally caught up with you. Endless reminders of CO2 emissions have got the better of you, you've started to imagine what your carbon footprint might look like and food miles – because you need a loan every time the car needs filling up – is something you're finally beginning to understand.

Say no to polythene, take out your re-useable shopping bag and join Itchy on an ethically healthy weekend, no tie-dye necessary.

Friday night – Head to Tafarn Taf (53-59 Despenser Street) selling local beers and Fairtrade drinks and start your conscience-free merry making.

Saturday morning – Leave the car behind and drag yourself to Roath Real Food Market (Keppoch St/Plasnewydd Pl, Sat, 9.30am-1pm). After filling your face with local food from pancakes to Welsh burgers, you realise you haven't actually bought anything for dinner so Casanova's (13 Quay Street) has amazing Italian food, all made with local ingredients. For something a little easier on the wallet try Canteen (40 Clifton Street) for some good honest organic and veggie food – don't worry there's meat available too.

Shared Earth or Fair Do's (14-16 Royal Arcade and 10 Llandaff Road, Canton) are perfect places to find Fairtrade and recycled gifts. Oxfam bookshop (St. Mary's Street) allows you to shop for a decent second-hand read, without the musky clothing smell of a retirement home.

Stop off at Comfortably numb (47-49 Castle Arcade) where charity begins in your stomach. All profits go to the Joshua Foundation – a Cardiff based cancer charity. Fairtrade and organic, this is pure altruism so quaff away for cancer.

Zero degrees (Westgate Street) a microbrewery brewing its own variety: less environmental travel costs, colourings, preservatives or sweeteners (read: no hangover). Plus they give all the used hops (for free) to local farmers as feed, meaning happy, healthy and conversely delicious cows.

Sunday morning – Are you hungry for breakfast? Making your own is an option with local produce from: Riverside (Fitzhamon Embankment, Sun, 10am-2pm), Cardiff Central (St Mary's Street/Trinity Street, Mon-Sat, 8am-5.30pm), or Roath Real Food markets. But why bother when Milgi's (213 City Road) do all the legwork, sourcing their fried breakfasts from these farmer's markets – guilt-free gluttony on a plate.

Refreshed, take a cycle along the Taff Trail, hire a bike from Cardiff Caravan Park (Pontcanna Fields). Pick up a Big Issue for the final dose of good karma and walk past the charity vendors smug in the knowledge that you are doing your bit.

Disclaimer: No environmental egos were harmed during the making of this weekend.

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