Like Justine Greening, I can't understand the arguments made by some against spending 0.7% of GNI to relieve suffering overseas. They should remember that 7p in every £10 is a small slice of our national income when compared with the spectre of people dying unnecessarily, living without access to education or even clean water.
In the UK, 15 million plastic bottles are used every day, and, despite increasingly improving waste disposal services, 80% of these are not recycled. Everyday approximately one billion bottles and cans are dumped in parks, rivers oceans and landfill sites - almost 400 million of those in America alone.
Yesterday the Olympic torch relay passed the top of my road. As a graduate (or "NEET" as we're called in the current climate), it was more intrigue than patriotism that caused me to break from my Jeremy Kyle marathon and leaving the house. For one reason or another, people were in excellent spirits.
The Future Flames idea is sick... and something that I feel really strongly about. It takes young kids from different parts of the country that are really doing great things for their area - these kids are pushing positivity despite the issues or problems that life has thrown at them. These kids have used their passions to inspire others and having met some of them - its pretty humbling. They have all done amazing things and it just really drills down to what it's all about. These youngsters are our heroes of tomorrow and I feel very lucky to be involved with such a thing.
As the opening ceremony approaches, a steady drip of 'sweatshop' and 'forced labour' allegations over poor conditions for workers manufacturing official Olympics merchandise have emerged.