The Green Providers Directory Blog

Greener cities – the future

2012-01-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

Are greener cities the future?

There is a common misconception that during tough economic times we must abandon ‘nice to haves’ in favour of harsh commercial realities. That green initiatives and environmental concerns must take backseat.

A recent study by GreenWise, however, dispels this myth. Not only is investment in green initiatives justified but actually delivers real economic benefits. According to the study, cities in the UK that adopt a green stance can realise a return on investment within 4-5 years, whilst potentially saving billions of pounds in energy use and creating thousands of new jobs....

Will carbon dioxide emissions defer the next Ice Age?

2012-01-11T07:57:00.001-08:00

Climate sceptic groups who oppose limiting greenhouse gas emissions have already begun citing this research as a reason for continuing with industrialisation and carbon emissions (ironically including some who had previously disputed that carbon emissions contributed to global warming!) Read more

Urban tree planting programme launched

2012-01-11T07:21:00.001-08:00

A £4.2m scheme to plant one million trees over the next four years has been unveiled by the government. The scheme involves planting trees in urban areas of England that need them most, and is the first government tree-planting campaign since the 1970s.

Led by Defra, alongside the Forestry Commission and organisations such as the Woodland Trust, the aim of the scheme is to halt the decline in the number of trees being planted in towns and cities. Trees for Cities and the Tree Council will also be involved in the Big Tree Plant scheme.

Indian mines company accused of unlawful deforestation

2012-01-11T07:20:00.001-08:00

According to the BBC, a subsidiary of the Vedanta mining group in India, Sterlite Industries, has cleared forest land in violation of Supreme Court orders. The trees were cut down while constructing a new power plant in Chhattisgarh state. Two government reports - dated October 2010 - said that trees were cut down in an area owned by the state government which is officially designated as forest land in government records.

Fracking hell

2012-01-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

Fracking is the process of injecting a high-pressure mixture of sand, water and chemicals thousands of metres into hard shale rocks to shatter them and release the natural gas inside. The concerns around this controversial technique surround its potential to contaminate water aquifers and poison drinking water. It will also simply extend our reliance on fossil fuels and contribute further to greenhouse gas emissions....

Environmentally Reckless Marketing Ploys

2011-12-31T06:28:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that in order to create products in an industrial world, we have to commit some harm to the environment. While major corporations receive backlash for their treatment of the land we live on, they also make attempts to disguise their actions in the form of “green” marketing. Some companies have been exposed for their false messages while others have blatantly disregarded the sanctity of Mother Earth. Here are 5 of the most devious displays of reckless abandonment ever seen in the marketing world:

Every Mobile Product Commercial

The mobile companies run intensive advertising campaigns that make their products look clean, crisp, and current. If you see any marketing venture for Apple, you are going to get an onslaught of white mixed with slick black and chrome features.

While the advertising is designed to throw you off guard, the truth is that these companies employ millions of workers in foreign countries in sweatshop conditions. Every new release promises the fastest connection ever, but it is really slowing the earth down with billions of tons of waste going directly into landfills and the ocean.

10,000 Red Balloons

In what seems to be an homage to the German singer Nena's 1980's hit “99 Red Balloons,” a San Francisco video game company called TrashTalkFCM released 10,000 red balloons over the entire bay area. While it was no doubt a spectacle, the marketing stunt is wreaking havoc on the birds and marine life which calls the bay home. According to the SF Weekly, the city is fining the company $7,000 and is expecting payment within 30 days.

McDLT

McDonald's is one of the most egregious exploiters of the environment in the history of industry. They generate billions of tons of waste, create unhealthy food sources for impoverished urban citizens, and release unnecessary amounts of methane into the atmosphere with their factory farmed cattle. Back in the 1980's, before people got into the entire “green” movement, McDonald's introduced a product known as the McDLT.

As evidenced by this extremely dated commercial featuring Jason Alexander, the McDLT was served in a Styrofoam container which kept your burger hot and your veggies crisp. Instead of actually preparing food fresh, the fast food giant decided it was a good idea to make consumers do all of the work themselves and add waste to landfills across America.

GE's Green Week

When GE owned the NBC network, they promoted an annual “Green Week” once or twice throughout the year. While this was a nod to the entire environmental movement, the fact is that GE is a pillar of industry and creates more waste than most developed nations. This bi-annual PR stunt was a clever way into deceiving the public about the inner-workings of the company.

Biofuel

The corn producers of America have the government in their pocket. Not only do these farmers get to control what most of what the entire world eats on a daily basis, they also want to change how we power our vehicles and buildings. A few years back, ethanol became a buzz word for reducing carbon emissions and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.

In reality, ethanol and other biofuels emit even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and take more energy to cultivate. This is an example of how an extensive lobbying budget and the control of Congress can create just as effective of a marketing campaign than any money spent of television advertising.

Before falling for advertisements claiming the purported convenience or green capabilities of certain products, use your head and analyze what is really going on. Companies need to unload products in order to make profits and will do so at virtually any means necessary. Become a smarter and more informed consumer by visiting sites like The Education Update and Consumer Reports.

Hydrogen cars - the future?

2011-12-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

The opening of the UK's first public refuelling station for hydrogen vehicles in Swindon is part of efforts to create a "hydrogen highway" along the M4 motorway. It is also seen as an important step in a UK-wide scheme to make hydrogen vehicles a viable alternative to petrol-driven cars. "A hydrogen car is much cleaner than a conventional car," says Professor Kevin Kendall, a hydrogen and fuel cell expert from Birmingham University. "This will clean up our cities enormously," he says in an interview with BBC News. "No emissions whatsoever." For more information on green cars and green insurance visit the Green Insurance Directory.

Plastic debris 'killing Adriatic loggerhead turtles'

2011-12-29T08:02:00.001-08:00

One in three loggerhead turtles in the Adriatic Sea has plastic in its intestine, according to research in the Marine Pollution Bulletin. The Adriatic sea floor is one of the most polluted in Europe and the shallow waters of the Adriatic are important feeding grounds for the turtles.

Hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic litter the world's oceans

2011-12-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

Scientists are investigating ways of dealing with the millions of tonnes of floating plastic rubbish that litters our oceans. One of the largest areas of plastic litter is in the North Pacific and covers an area twice the size of France. As well as damaging coasts and killing marine life who mistake the plastic for food, contaminants in the water, which attach to the plastic debris, are distributing waste chemicals across the world's oceans. This dire situation emphasises the need for sustainable goods being used in preference to (arguably) cheaper but ecologically damaging alternatives. The plastic debris now strewn across our oceans is a sad indictment of our collective failure and a burdensome mess for future generations to clean up.

Survey reveals environmental damage of car washing

2011-12-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

It's a typical Sunday morning chore, but over half of British motorists are unaware of the environmental harm of regularly hand washing their cars.

Whilst nearly three quarters (74%) of Britons understand that their individual actions have an effect on the environment, they appear to be unaware that washing a car on streets and driveways causes dirty water to run into the nearest rivers and streams, where it affects water quality and harms wildlife.

Survey organisers Total UK and TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk say if half of the 43 million British motorists decided to hand wash their car, 14 billion litres of untreated water would flow into local waterways .

Green cars

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hybrid cars use a conventional petrol engine as well as an electric battery that charges as you drive and automatically switches on when the car slows down, making city driving more eco-friendly. These cars cost around two-thirds less to run than a petrol car, have reduced road tax and are exempt from the London congestion charge [read more]

What is carbon neutral?

2011-12-24T08:53:00.000-08:00

When insurance companies talk about being carbon neutral, they mean balancing a measured amount of carbon emissions with an equivalent amount that is captured through one process or another. With net emissions being zero it becomes ‘carbon neutral’.

The most environmentally aware insurance companies will always seek to firstly reduce their own emissions and those of their customers. This will include making their buildings more eco-friendly and cutting energy use. Customers will be encouraged to drive more fuel efficient cars and given advice and incentives to reduce their carbon footprint. Only after this will unavoidable emissions be offset.

Carbon emissions can be offset in a number of ways. For example, carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels can be balanced against renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions are compensated. More dubiously, insurance companies can pay others to remove carbon emissions by planting trees or by funding 'carbon projects' that lead to the prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, or by buying carbon credits to remove them through carbon trading.

Dangerously radioactive sites in UK revealed

2011-12-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

New disclosures from the Ministry of Defence reveal that at least 15 sites across the UK have been contaminated with radiation from military equipment used in World War 2. The extent of the contamination is largely unknown yet the sites are still accessible by the public and are even being considered for the development of home and businesses [read more]

Good news! Cairn Energy's Arctic drilling misadventures are over

2011-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

After spending more than a billion dollars and risking ecological disaster in the biggest oil exploration campaign ever in the Arctic, Cairn has found no commercially extractable oil at all, putting its entire Arctic drilling project in doubt.

The astronomical costs (and the company's plummeting share price) mean that there will be no further exploratory drilling off Greenland for the foreseeable future.

Not by Cairn, anyway.

Other oil companies - including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Statoil - all hold licenses to drill in an untouched area off the north-east coast of Greenland. Elsewhere in the Arctic, Shell plans to start drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas of Alaska next year, and Gazprom in the Pechora Sea north of Siberia.

Cairn's demise is good news for the environment but we must remain vigilant.

The great River Taff cleanup project

2011-12-05T08:20:00.001-08:00

A few short decades ago, the River Taff drained some of the largest coal mines in South Wales. Tributaries ran black with coal dust, and there were plenty of other contaminants flowing into the Taff and on into Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel. Along with large reaches of the Ebbw, the Rhymney, the Ely, and the Rhondda, the lower waters of the Taff were too toxic to support much life. It's estimated that the river once received about 100,000 tonnes of mining waste per year.
30 years ago the Taff was considered unfishable below the industrial works around Merthyr Tydfil. It now plays host to international fly fishing championships. Salmon can be seen leaping the weirs just a mile from Cardiff city centre, and waterbirds, insects, and amphibians have all returned to the lower reaches. It made a recent Environment Agency list of the 10 most improved rivers in the UK.
While the cleanup began with the closure of the mines it would be a mistake to assume that the Taff returned to a healthy state on its own. Huge efforts have gone into restoring it, including everything from small tributaries like the Taff Bargoed, which flows past the site of Merthyr Vale Colliery, to the artificial banks put in place to protect Cardiff suburbs from flooding. Sewerage treatment works have been improved and the remaining industrial outflow points more tightly controlled. The weirs have been modified to allow salmon to pass more easily and wetlands re-established to provide vital habitat for other species.
The efforts to clean up South Wales rivers have delivered immense benefits to the local community as well as the environment. A 55 mile cycle path winds down the Taff valley now, and country parks have been built on the Taff Bargoed and the Rhondda. The rivers are now used for fishing, birdwatching, kayaking, and rowing rather than draining industrial waste.
Volunteers, angling and watersports clubs, environmental campaigners, and local and national authorities all played a part in the tremendous recovery of the Taff and other South Wales rivers, and they should all have a share of the credit. However, the work is far from over. Out the 6114 rivers in England and Wales only five are pristine. Just over a quarter are considered to be in good condition.
Under EU regulations that figure ought to be 95%. Cleaning up Britain's rivers is a formidable task, but it can be done. All it takes is a short walk by the Taff so see that it's not only possible to return heavily polluted rivers to sound condition but also get some idea of the potential benefits. The clean Taff now has a tremendous value to local people as well as flora and fauna.

Jess Spate lives less than a mile from the River Taff and has been lucky enough to see the salmon running there. She has cycled beside it, enjoyed the wading birds in the wetlands, and kayaked reaches that were toxic not so long ago.

Forget oil. Population growth and water supply, the Arab worlds real challenge

2011-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Rapid population growth, spreading water shortages and growing food insecurity are already plaguing many Arab nations. For example, grain production has started to fall as aquifers (underground water-bearing rocks) have become depleted. Saudi Arabia used to be self-sufficient in wheat production but has now phased this out as its aquifers have been bled dry. As a result it will become totally dependent on imported grain to feed its growing population. Realising that its population cannot eat oil, the Saudis have started to buy or lease land countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan. The problem is that these countries often have real problems feeding their own people, let alone trying to support the food needs of other countries [read more]

Is carbon capture feasible? The race to bury carbon dioxide under ocean

2011-11-24T06:56:00.001-08:00

Often touted as the solution to halting climate change, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for electricity generation has not yet been carried out commercially anywhere across the globe. Early efforts in the UK and around the world have so far produced little in terms of practical and workable models... [read more]

Kenya’s forests and the legacy of Wangari Maathai

2011-11-24T06:55:00.000-08:00

Over the last 30 years, vast swathes of Kenya’s forests have been ruthlessly felled for fuel wood, building materials and other uses. Abusing nature in this way always results in a payback. In Kenya’s case it has been rising temperatures, increased droughts and persistent water crises...[read more]

Smaller families reduce carbon emissions

2011-10-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

As the human population nears the 7 billion mark, questions have once again been raised about the ability of our planet to support this vast increase. Will there be enough food and water? How long will the population carry on growing? What will happen to already threatened eco systems and endangered species as they compete with humans for space?

According to the Guardian, more than 200 million sexually active women who do not wish to become pregnant do not have access to modern contraception. A quarter of all births worldwide are unplanned and 42 million abortions are performed each year, half of them clandestinely, killing 68,000 women. The human toll of denying women the fundamental right to plan their families is extraordinarily high and also a significant source of population growth.

The report goes on to state that if family planning was provided to all women who wanted it, then the reduction in carbon emissions by virtue of there being less people consuming more resources, would be the equivalent to stopping all deforestation or increasing the global use of wind power by forty fold.

These figures are truly staggering. Both in terms of the suffering caused to women worldwide and also with respect to unnecessary damage being caused to the environment.

These sentiments are echoed in a statement signed by 1600 senior scientists from 70 countries, including 102 Nobel Prize laureates - Pressures resulting from unrestrained population growth put demands on the natural world that can overwhelm any efforts to achieve a sustainable future. If we are to halt the destruction of our environment, we must accept limits to that growth.

Does Fair Trade really make a difference?

2011-10-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

Fair trade has come under criticism from some quarters as marketing hype. The Adam Smith Institute has even claimed that fair trade is actually unfair because if offers only a small number of farmers a higher, fixed priced for their produce at the expense of a majority of farmers, who can be left worse off. So does fair trade really make a difference? Read more

Money saving tips and ideas

2011-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Piggy Bank is a free site dedicated to helping you find ways of saving money and cutting costs. You'll find the site packed full of useful ideas, tips and suggestions on how to save money on a vast range of everyday goods and services including books, clothing, fuel bills, water bills, driving and mobile phones.

More wool rugs and jute rugs at the Natural Rug Store

2011-09-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

The Natural Rug Store, the online seller of rugs made from natural materials, has added more wool rugs and jute rugs to its product range. Since buyers have the option to build rugs to their own specification, the additional styles make the product range effectively limitless.

Among the vibrant new wool rug patterns at The Natural Rug Store are a wide range of stripes including Audrey, Mississippi, and Chicago. Stripes give rug-buyers a chance to design their own striking conversation piece rugs. By blending lighter or darker stripes with matching or contrasting borders, they can create a rug that's entirely unique.

The new jute rug patterns include herringbone – a look that is at once classic and modern.

"The popularity of wool and jute rugs is increasing," says James Hughes, marketing director at The Natural Rug Store. "These are natural materials that rug-buyers are already familiar with. People know what wool and jute are capable of – what we've been able to do is give them more choice and more scope for creativity."

Rug designers choose jute when they want to add a touch of luxury in sitting rooms and bedrooms. Jute has a soft natural sheen that the weavers at The Natural Rug Store exploit to the full. The effect is calming and luxurious.

The Natural Rug Store team go to the fertile Ganges delta for their jute. Here the climate is hot and humid – perfect for growing top quality jute. To keep the fibres intact, the plants are harvested by hand, then soaked for up to 20 days. By this time, the fibres can be separated with ease, ready for drying in the sun.

Wool is by far the most familiar natural rug material. It feels soft underfoot and gentle on the eye. It's an easy material to work with, which is why The Natural Rug Store is able to offer such a wide range of colours and weaves. By choosing breeds of sheep that produce soft yet hard-wearing wool, the designers at The Natural Rug Store have created a range that will take the pounding of feet without losing any of the warm and welcoming softness that rug-buyers expect.

To see the full range of natural wool and jute rugs, visit The Natural Rug Store

Plastic debris in the ocean

2011-09-26T04:36:00.001-07:00

A study has measured the amount of plastic debris found in a region of the Atlantic Ocean over a 22-year period. US researchers, writing in Science, suggest the volume of plastic appeared to have peaked in recent years perhaps due to tighter marine pollution rules that prevent vessels dumping their waste at sea.

The team found plastic, most pieces measuring no more than a few millimetres, in more than 60% of 6,136 samples collected by dragging fine-meshed nets along the ocean's surface.

The researchers - from the US-based Sea Education Association (Sea), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of Hawaii - described plastic as a "major contaminant".

Green cars

2011-09-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hybrid cars Hybrid cars use a conventional petrol engine as well as an electric battery that charges as you drive and automatically switches on when the car slows down, making city driving more eco-friendly. These cars cost around two-thirds less to run than a petrol car, have reduced road tax and are exempt from the London congestion charge.

Electric cars With no exhaust emissions, electric cars are currently the most eco-friendly way to drive (assuming your electricity supply comes from a renewable source of course!). Plug them in, charge up for a few pence and away you go. Electric cars are really only suitable for local driving as they have a typical range of about 40-50 miles and a top speed of about 50 mph. However, technology is fast improving.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Adapting your car to run on LPG typically costs £1000 - £2000, but it is more efficient than petrol and produces less pollutants than diesel. A full tank will cost around half the cost of petrol, although the cost of new LPG cars will be higher - typically £1200 - £2000 more than for non-LPG versions.

Petrol versus diesel? Diesel cars are more fuel-efficient than petrol-driven ones - burning a litre of diesel creates more CO2 than burning a litre of petrol, but the engine efficiency just about makes up for that. However, diesel will create more dirty emissions such as nitrogen oxides and particulates that can affect health. If you are considering buying a diesel car, choose one with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), as this will reduce these emissions. That said, if you live in an urban area and drive a petrol engine that uses the latest low-sulphur fuel, it will be greener than diesel (source: Friends of the Earth).

The largest carbon-neutral settlement on the planet

2011-09-23T05:51:00.001-07:00

Samsø island in Denmark is the largest carbon-neutral settlement on the planet, with a population of 4200, based on wind-generated electricity and biomass-based district heating. They currently generate extra wind power and export the electricity to compensate for petro-fuelled vehicles. There are future hopes of using electric or biofuel vehicles.

Green car insurance. What is carbon neutral?

2011-09-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Supermarkets, which are the greenest?

2011-09-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

The number of supermarkets in the UK has risen dramatically over the last few decades. Its not just the numbers that have risen - supermarkets have aggressively expanded into a wide range of non-food markets including clothing, electrical goods, books, CDs, DVDs, financial services, pharmacy products. The list keeps on growing.

At the same time, the number of independent shops, grocers, butchers, florists and corner shops has been in gradual decline as they struggle to compete with the sheer size and prices offered by the large supermarkets.

The current picture is one of a rapidly expanding supermarket sector coupled with the demise of local and small shops.

Whereas it was the small food retailers that were previously threatened by supermarket expansion, a plethora of smaller shops are now facing increased competition as the supermarkets diversify their product range.

The dominance of the supermarkets is also centred around four main companies; Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons. Most people in the UK now shop at one of these big four supermarkets. According to the Independent (6th June 2011), Tesco has a 31% market share, Morrisons 12%, Sainsbury's 16% and Asda 17%.

Supermarket dominance is important not just from a local economy perspective but also from an ecological standpoint. That is because the big four supermarkets often pursue business models which are inherently unsustainable and damaging to the environment. Whilst they try to mask this with pseudo-green marketing campaigns, underneath the facade it is apparent that their true motive is profit.

For example, cheap food is often flown in from around the globe clocking up a huge carbon footprint whilst cutting out local producers. Palm oil in many of the supermarket products such as biscuits, sweets, confectionaries, margarines, breads, crisps and bars of soap often comes from rainforest areas that have been cleared for palm oil plantations. Cheap labour and sweatshops in third world countries are used to produce bargain clothes. Landfill sites, streets and the countryside are littered with plastic bags given away free. These are just a few examples of the long list of ecologically damaging and unfair practices that the supermarkets pursue.

The problem, however, is that in the real world profit-driven monopolies seldom change their policies in the face of a largely apathetic or uninformed general public who are seeking to reduce their outgoings in response to the economic downturn. That is why it is important to expose unsustainable and unfair practices amongst the largest supermarkets and publicise them widely, so that consumers can make more informed choices and see exactly what they are buying.

So, which are the greenest supermarkets? And how do you measure green? There is no single measure that can be used to establish green credentials but typically a range of measures would include its stated ethical policy, commitment to protecting the environment, its policies and procedure for reducing carbon emissions and pollution, labelling of products, treatment of employees including those in other countries, the way it deals with its suppliers, packaging and use of plastic bags, and its contributions towards charities and local causes. In combination, these provide an indication of how green a supermarket is.

Ethical Consumer conducted one such exercise in 2011, measuring 19 supermarkets against a range of environmental and social indicators. It found that the Co-operative was the greenest supermarket followed by Marks and Spencer. From their fishing policies to palm oil use to renewable energy, both companies scored well with a genuine commitment to protecting the environment.

Languishing at the bottom of the table was Britains biggest supermarket Tesco. Its policies and lack of concern for the environment were illustrated in a Guardian article about the Tesco 'flights for lights' promotion, offering air miles in exchange for low-energy light bulbs, which it said was like giving away a pack of Benson and Hedges with every Nicorette patch.

Tesco, every little hurts.

Celebrity environmental quotes. How celebrities influence public opinion on environmental issues.

2011-09-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

All too often, people concerned about the environment and trying to make a difference are parodied by cynical celebrities as tree huggers, eco warriors and cranks. TV programmes caricature the hippy eco warrior with long pleated hair, silly looking hat and cardigan stood in front of some symbol of corporate excess and refer to them as protestors from the environmental movement.

In reality, I suspect that very few people would claim to have no concern about the environment and the world that our children will inherit. And it is not just about the now tiresome debate over whether global warming is true or not. It is also about protecting the rainforests and endangered species from extinction, working out how we will feed and support a rapidly increasing human population, where we will get our energy from as fossil fuels run out and much more. Then there are issues of fair trade. How many people are truly comfortable knowing that the cheap shirt they bought was produced by young children working in sweatshop conditions? These are very real and pressing concerns for all of us and not just the preserve of a small group of so-called eco warriors.

Whether we like it or not, opinions and perceptions about the environment are heavily influenced by the media and celebrities, what they say, what they do and how they behave. A stark contrast in environmental quotes from a range of well known celebrities and public figures is shown below.

Does anyone really imagine for a moment that my wife gives two stuffs about global warming? She certainly did not appear to be all that bothered on Thursday evening when, during the great carbon-saving switch-off, I ran round the house furiously turning on every light, hair dryer, dishwasher and toaster. Jeremy Clarkson, TV Presenter and Journalist

It is not just global warming, it is not just a loss of biodiversity, it is not just the pollution of our oceans and the clearing of our rainforests and all these complicated systems, The [11th Hour] movie talks about the world economy, it talks about politics, it talks about personal transformation and environmental consciousness that we need to have in this generation to implement a lot of these changes that need to occur. Leonardo DiCaprio, Actor

I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defence of our resources is just as important as defence abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? Robert Redford, Actor

Cows eat grass and silage. This is melting the ice caps and killing us all. So they need a new foodstuff: something that is rich in iron, calcium and natural goodness. Plainly they cannot eat meat so here is an idea to chew on. Why not feed them vegetarians? Jeremy Clarkson, TV Presenter and Journalist

In the absence of sound oversight, responsible businesses are forced to compete against unscrupulous and underhanded businesses, who are unencumbered by any restrictions on activities that might harm the environment, or take advantage of middle-class families, or threaten to bring down the entire financial system. Barack Obama, US President

A lot of lies and misinformation has been put about by eco nuts on the back of a report by an idiot economist [Sir Nicholas Stern]. Environmental head bangers are talking nonsense when they claim that aviation is the fastest-growing source of carbon emissions. Coal-fired and oil-fired power stations are the biggest contributor of carbon but I have yet to hear any fearless eco warriors advocating nuclear power as they drive around in their SUVs to their next protest meeting. Michael OLeary, Ryanair

Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents. It is in our hands whether our children and their children inherit the same world. Richard Branson, Tycoon

We want to annoy the ******* whenever we can. The best thing we can do with environmentalists is shoot them. Michael OLeary, Ryanair

Shoot the messenger – the scandal of the rainforest killings

2011-09-07T04:19:00.000-07:00

In 2005, a 73-year-old US-born Catholic nun and activist named Dorothy Stang was murdered in Brazil. Dorothy had been campaigning to protect the Amazonian rainforest for four decades. The murderers were killers hired by local landowners. Those responsible for clearing the rainforests can’t win the moral argument as their actions are based on greed and personal gain at any cost. So, instead, they resort to killing those who try to stop them.

The killing of Dorothy Stang was high profile but it certainly wasn’t an isolated incident. In May 2011, José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva and Maria do Espírito Santo, a husband and wife team of activists who dedicated many years fighting against illegal deforestation, paid the ultimate price when they were shot dead following numerous death threats.

This situation is not recent either. As far back as April 1996 there was the "massacre of Eldorado de Carajás", in which 19 rural protesters were killed when Brazilian police opened fire on a crowd of peasant farmers who were holding a peaceful demonstration against illegal logging.

The Catholic Church's Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), which has documented rural violence in Brazil since the 1980s, has counted hundreds of such killings. There is a long history of intimidation, kidnappings and death threats against people trying to protect the rainforests. Many are murdered without anyone ever hearing about it.

Little is heard of these killings in the mass media and larger corporations who are indirectly linked to rainforest destruction are conspicuously quiet on the subject. Such is media apathy that campaigners are often derided as ‘tree huggers’ with headlines instead dedicated to footballers’ affairs, ‘reality’ TV shows and celebrity gossip.

The latest candidate for execution is Raimundo Francisco Belmiro dos Santos, a campaigner for protecting the Amazonian rainforest. His only crime is speaking out against the illegal loggers and those trying to destroy the rainforests. Apparently, landowners in the northern state of Pará have offered a 50,000 dollar contract for his death. He has already received numerous death threats against him and his family.

Clearly, large corporations are not directly involved in violence and intimidation of this nature. However, the lead up to deforestation often begins with groups of illegal ‘land grabbers’ known as ‘grileiros’ who invade and seize land belonging to others often with forged documents. This is backed up with intimidation and violence. This illegally obtained land is then sold to large landowners. And that is how much of the large-scale deforestation occurs.

Environmentalists have stressed the need to draw attention to the dreadful situation occurring in the Amazon and to highlight the plight of both campaigners and innocent people caught up in the violence and intimidation. For this to happen there needs to be much greater global awareness through the media of what is really going on, genuine commitment from the large corporations to disassociate themselves from rainforest destruction coupled with concerted efforts by Brazilian and international governments to tackle the problem. Those responsible for the threats, shootings and killings need to be brought to justice. The price of failure is no less than the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Major success in protecting Amazon rainforest

2011-09-07T04:15:00.001-07:00

Brazil’s second largest beef exporter, Bertin, has agreed to review its entire supply chain to ensure that none of its sources are involved with deforestation, slave labour or land grabbing. The move follows intensive campaigning by Greenpeace through its ‘Slaughtering the Amazon’ report. Other successes include Marfig, one of the largest beef producers and further pledges from Clarks, Nike, Timberland, Geox and Adidas.

"Bertin's decision should pave the way for the modernisation of the Brazilian cattle industry", said Sarah Shoraka, Greenpeace Forests campaigner. "Given the sheer size of both Bertin and Marfrig's operations, this commitment will have real impact on driving down Amazon deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace will closely monitor the moratorium's implementation to ensure its success.”

Whilst there is no room for complacency it’s heartening to hear of Greenpeace’s success and it is to be hoped that other major brands follow suit. The task won’t be easy as deforestation continues apace with the criminal network behind the killings of rainforest campaigners still at large. Clearly, greater transparency in tracking supply sources coupled with exposure of those brands still involved in deforestation are major factors in protecting the Amazon and its inhabitants.

http://www.green-providers.co.uk/rainforest_success_79.html

The Price of Fairness?

2011-05-12T03:20:00.000-07:00

There is a common misconception that businesses which act fairly, ethically and with a moral code of conduct and who pursue policies that protect the environment and workers rights do so at the risk of comprising their competitiveness in the real world. Such pursuits are a distraction and misuse of resources and may have an impact on overall profitability so the argument goes. Then there are many other businesses who cynically exploit consumer concerns about the environment by adopting pseudo-green policies as evidenced most commonly by some supermarkets. Green on the outside profit driven on the inside. Read more about ethical banking

Tree2mydoor

2011-05-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Tree2mydoor is a unique gift company that specialises in sending personalised trees as gifts to people all over the UK and Ireland. They have created special tree gift packs for newborn baby gifts, green wedding gifts and 4th, 5th and 25th wedding anniversary gifts. Tree gifts range from native UK tree species to garden fruit trees and indoor citrus trees.

Bamboo Textiles

2011-04-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Bamboo Textiles have launched another new product following on from their success in bamboo cot sheets and bedlinen which are made in their mill in Lancashire. Childrens pyjamas made from a blend of bamboo and cotton, 70% and 30% respectively, are now for sale on their website www.bamboo-textiles.co.uk available for ages 1 to 9. Bamboo Textiles are aware that many children suffer from skin problems so have made the pyjamas with elasticated ankles and cuffs. These make it more difficult for little fingers and nails to scratch effected parts of the child's body.

Whale mass strandings linked to hearing loss

2011-03-25T04:36:00.001-07:00

In November 2010 "one of the biggest mass deaths of cetaceans in Irish history" occurred in which at least 33 whales beached themselves on the north-west coast of County Donegal. The whales' deaths coincide with recent research into cetacean strandings, which suggests that stranded whales and dolphins often suffer from hearing loss. There is an ongoing debate over whether undersea noise pollution is harming whales.

A resurgence in wool

2011-02-23T03:46:00.001-08:00

When Naturewarm started selling wool-filled bedding in 2005, people were sceptical about the idea that wool could be used to fill duvets. Six years down the line, the company has seen a significant revival of interest in using this material from a sustainable source, manufactured in the UK. More people are now waking up to wool in their duvets, pillows and bedtoppers and, reassuring to Naturewarm, is the fact that many customers keep coming back for more. Wool is the ideal material for temperature regulation during sleep, and is hypoallergenic. Although wool-filled duvets are light, they are warm. During the winter months, their warmth can be supplemented by using a bedtopper which rests on top of the mattress, underneath the sheet.

Naturewarm also manufactures Cosy Lambs cot duvets for use by children over the age of 12 months.

Naturewarm is a Licensee of the British Wool Marketing Board and is proud to support British sheep farmers.

www.naturewarm.co.uk
sales@naturewarm.co.uk
www.cosylambs.co.uk
Tel: 01572 767258

African conservationists resort to 'shoot to kill’ to stop poaching

2011-02-15T05:09:00.001-08:00

Rhino horns command a very high price in some parts of Asia where they are used in dubious medicines, which fuels poaching and puts already endangered species at further risk. Some poachers are heavily armed professionals, who will shoot people as well as animals in their quest for money.

In contrast, the development of nature tourism has generated a great deal of international pressure to save high-profile species. This has been to such an extent that some conservation groups regard the protection of the gorilla, rhino and other endangered species as more important than human life.

Professor Rosaleen Duffy has conducted research in this field and discovered that private security firms and mercenaries are now being used to train game rangers.

Sea eagle numbers increasing in Scotland

2011-02-07T08:29:00.001-08:00

The RSPB has reported that pairs of white-tailed sea eagles in Scotland produced more young during 2010 than in any other year since they were reintroduced 35 years ago. The UK's largest bird of prey was hunted to extinction over the 19th and 20th Centuries and new birds had to be taken from countries such as Norway for re-introduction back to Scotland. Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham has said that the record increase in numbers is ‘fantastic’.

Jonathan Leech

2011-02-01T11:45:00.000-08:00

Jonathan Leech is an artistic woodturner, producing bowls, dishes and platters. All his wood is locally-sourced and is obtained sustainably, for example from fallen or storm-damaged trees. It’s then air and kiln dried before being shaped by hand. The final stages include fine sanding and finishing with lemon oil, to give a perfectly smooth finish. Each piece is truly unique, making the perfect wedding or anniversary gift. His work can be purchased through a number of Cumbrian galleries, National Trust shops or via the website. Viewings are welcome by appointment.

Otters back from the brink of extinction

2011-01-26T06:39:00.000-08:00

Pesticide polluted rivers three decades ago almost wiped out England’s otter population. However, now that many of these pesticides have been banned the otter has made a remarkable comeback according to the Environment Agency. In fact, in many watercourses in the south-west and along the River Wye otter numbers are at maximum capacity.

“You Are Pure Potential” - Martin de Maat Magnet

2011-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

YES, that’s US - all of us. We have the potential* to change things - loads of things. The thing we’re talking about here is changing behaviour and challenging our seemingly out-of-control disposable culture.

There was a time, long ago when people bought things to last and then reused them. But then a myth arrived on the scene, which made us all believe that reusing is somehow bad for us or out-of-date, and that it is better to buy new each time.

Reuse in the broadest sense means any activity that lengthens the life of an item.

Reuse is nothing new. What is new is the need to reuse.
Reuse can often be more effective than recycling. Once an item has been made at great cost to the pocket and the earth – doesn’t it make sense that it is used until it is rendered useless?

You might think that a reusable bottle or bag can’t make that much difference in the grand scheme of things. BUT... remember that we have the potential to change things - it is part of us.

*POTENTIAL existing in possibility: capable of development into actuality

Onya Bags

Reusable Bottle

Does Fair Trade help us?

2011-01-20T07:21:00.000-08:00

UK consumers are now familiar and well aware of the Fair trade movement. Countless supermarket products come with the fair trade stamp of quality, almost to the point that its presence is diluted. Greedy westerners putting another selling point on their commodities – does this compromise the ethos of the Fair Trade Foundation?

The Fairtrade organisation’s core values remain intact. The movement is aimed at aiding both producers and consumers – encouraging clearer communication with a transparent set of standards.

The Fairtrade mark is a certification for products sourced from companies based in developing countries, with a goal of helping poverty and improving long term development. This is an internationally recognised logo and is in many terms a household brand in the consumer’s eyes.

The Fairtrade standards for generic producers are set high and provide detail in their requirements. This drives businesses such as commercial farms into improving their processes and operations but also supports financially and managerially.

Ethical products have seen a rise in sales volumes over the past four years. Organic food has seen a recent decrease which is attributable to the economical downturn. Contrastingly RSPCA backed Freedom Food products have seen considerable increases in the past two years showing the level of support in the UK economy for ethical consumerism.

The question is does the average consumer knows what the ‘ethically produced’ means? Large organisations such as Sainsburys and Starbucks openly support Fairtrade and there is high amounts of information and retailers backing fair trade products. Therefore, part of the increase of ethical product sales has to be down to genuine demand.

Experienced ethical product wholesaler Premcrest penned a great ‘what is fairtrade’ article giving more information on the Fairtrade and its impact to us in economical terms – visit Premcrest

Solar panels on the White House

2011-01-11T05:27:00.001-08:00

US President Barack Obama is to install solar panels on the White House roof, in a move which will please climate activists and send out a strong message about the nation's energy future. The panels will heat water and provide electric power. "Solar panels on one house, even this house, won't save the climate, of course," global warming activists 350.org wrote on their website. "But they're a powerful symbol to the whole nation about where the future lies."

HSBC Insurance

2011-01-11T05:12:00.001-08:00

HSBC Insurance has switched all of its marketing material in the UK, including direct mail, to FSC certified virgin/recycled paper, affecting the 4000 tonnes of paper destined for customers' letterboxes. Over the next few years, as more FSC certified paper grades become available, this policy will be extended to all of the paper the HSBC Group uses around the world.

Con-fused Arts

2011-01-09T03:26:00.000-08:00

Con-fused Arts aim to provide you and others across the UK with contemporary high quality Fair Trade jewellery that easily competes with high street and fashion brands. All their products are sourced from business and social projects that follow Fair Trade Practices ensuring fair payment to disadvantaged craftspeople and artisans alike. They also endeavour to ensure only natural and sustainable materials are used minimising the impact on the environment.

Cold winter in a world of warming?

2011-01-08T07:53:00.001-08:00

At a New Year’s Eve party I was approached by someone with a cynical grin, “Looks like your global warming theory thingy has gone badly wrong, it’s the coldest winter on record – how do you explain that?” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard such comments. My son recently came home from school and told me that his friend’s dad had said global warming was a myth, and that the recent cold snap ‘proved’ it.

The two very cold winters we’ve had in the UK have been seized upon by sceptics as evidence that global warming is a lie. Unusually cold winters may make some people think that scientists have got it all wrong. However, the truth is far deeper than this. There are now strong findings that suggest that the unusually cold winters of the last two years in the UK are in fact the result of heating elsewhere.

Record high temperatures were experienced in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Burma and Pakistan, causing heatwaves and devastating harvests throughout 2010. In fact, record high temperatures were set in 17 countries. Two leading groups of scientists say it was the warmest since records began in 1850; another suggests it was the second-warmest. This decade also proved to be the hottest on record, with temperatures averaging 0.46C above the 1961-90 average.

Last June, during the International Polar Year conference, James Overland suggested that there are more cold and snowy winters to come in the UK as the rest of the world heats up. The reason? The exceptionally cold snowy 2009-2010 winter in Europe is connected with the loss of sea-ice in the Arctic, which results in a persistent ‘blocking event’ bringing in cold air over Europe from the north and the east.

The UK has experienced very cold temperatures recently. But that doesn’t ‘prove’ that global warming is wrong. Quite the opposite. The world is warming and record temperatures are being seen across huge swathes of the globe. The UK’s lower temperatures follow from loss of sea ice in the Arctic caused by global warming.

The largest windfarm in the world?

2011-01-05T04:02:00.001-08:00

Construction will begin next year on one of the largest offshore windfarms in the world, led by RWE Innogy, and is expected to be completed in 2014.

The £2 billion Gwynt y Mor windfarm will consist of 160 wind turbines around 10 miles off the north Wales coast near to Colwyn Bay and Llandudno. It is claimed that around 1,000 jobs will be created by the project.

Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said: "This is excellent news. Gwynt y Mor will be one of the single biggest private investment projects ever seen in Wales, creating up to 1,000 quality jobs and contributing many millions of pounds to the regional economy of north Wales.

"It will also become one of the largest offshore windfarm projects in Europe, able to provide enough clean, green electricity to power the equivalent of around 400,000 homes.”

"Surrounded by wind, wave and tidal resources, we are in a prime position to be able to benefit from investment in the green economy whilst making a significant contribution to the UK government's carbon reduction targets through safe, clean renewable means."

The project has, however, been opposed by some people in Llandudno who claimed it would destroy the resort's views out to sea and that wind energy was unreliable. Which brings us back to our often cited counterargument – where would the protestors like their electricity to come from? Imported foreign oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran? Nuclear power stations (presumably not on their own doorstep)? Or from burning dirty coal? Finally, what happens when fossil fuels run out? (Yes, fossil fuels are finite unlike wind).

UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said: "This is the first of what I hope will be many examples of how we can make the most of our island's huge renewable energy potential. I want to make sure we grab all the opportunities the rapidly expanding renewables industry has to offer, and that wind power can come of age under this government."

Oxfordshire town uses human waste to heat homes

2010-12-17T05:08:00.003-08:00

Householders in Didcot have become the first in the UK to use gas made from their own human waste and supplied via the national grid to heat their homes. Up to 200 Oxfordshire homes will be using biomethane made from sewage they had flushed away three weeks earlier. British Gas, Thames Water and Scotia Gas Networks now hope to roll out the process across the UK.

China now the largest energy user in the world

2010-12-17T05:08:00.001-08:00

Figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicate that China's energy demand has doubled in the last decade. China’s surging economic growth means that it has now overtaken the US to become the world’s top energy user. Whilst China has challenged the IEA findings, it sets a precedent since the US has been the biggest consumer of energy for more than 100 years. The surge in demand for energy in China was further fuelled by its rising population.

Big increase in animal populations in Ugandan national parks

2010-12-15T05:09:00.001-08:00

It seems as though the number of animals in Ugandan national parks and game reserves has soared over the past decade. In fact, Lillian Nsubuga from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) claims that the population of some species has actually doubled since 1999.

The biggest increases in population have been for zebras, impalas, buffalos, giraffes, elephants, hippopotamuses and waterbucks. The successes are believed to be due to improved monitoring, the expulsion of rebels from the country, and offering incentives to local communities to protect wildlife.

Fortis buys Kwik-Fit Insurance, owner of the Green Insurance Company

2010-12-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

We reported in February 2010 that Kwik-Fit was selling its business. Well, it’s now been sold to Fortis UK for £215m. The deal gives Fortis a combined retail customer base of 1.6 million, making it the 4th largest personal lines intermediary distributor in the UK.

This is important for the green and eco-friendly insurance market since Kwik-Fit owns the Green Insurance Company, one of the flagship eco-friendly insurance companies offering to offset 100% of a driver’s annual emissions.

It is unclear at this stage what will happen to the Green Insurance Company, and its promise of offering to offset a driver’s carbon emissions. Last year we reported that I Buy Eco had abandoned its commitment to offset drivers' carbon emissions and were instead offering a £5 charity donation

Is Africa's wildlife being eaten to extinction?

2010-12-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

Rapid growth in the global demand for bushmeat is leaving many African species facing the possibility of being eaten out of existence. Whereas traditional bushmeat hunting was a subsistence activity it’s now a multi-billion dollar international trade involving hundreds of species including elephants and primates.

Commercial logging and road building has also given hunters easy access to previously impenetrable African forests, and ready-made transport routes to towns and cities.

It is estimated that more than a quarter of all mammal species hunted for bushmeat are threatened with extinction.

Arctic ice melts faster but shrinks less

2010-11-16T04:41:00.000-08:00

According to initial findings from US scientists, ice floating on the Arctic Ocean melted unusually quickly this year but did not shrink down to the record minimum area last seen in 2007. However, 2010's summer Arctic ice minimum remains the third smallest recorded by satellites.

Call to stop fossil fuel subsidy

2010-11-12T05:18:00.000-08:00

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has urged nations to stop subsidising fossil fuels and claims that in 2009 governments (mainly in the developing world), spent $312bn subsidising coal oil, gas and coal even though they agree these fuels cause climate change.

The IEA has argued that removing the subsidies would be the most expedient way to control the soaring demand for energy whilst cutting carbon emissions by nearly 6%.

According to the IEA, vested interests and political inertia are the main stumbling blocks to making progress on the issue.

Inbred bumblebees 'face extinction threat'

2010-11-09T04:43:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein once said: “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.”

Some of the UK's rarest bumblebees are at risk of becoming extinct as a result of inbreeding, research suggests. It seems that the lack of genetic diversity is making the bees more vulnerable to a number of threats, including parasitic infection. Scientists warn that some populations of bees are becoming increasingly isolated as a result of habitat loss.

Brazilian government gives the go-ahead for huge Amazon dam

2010-11-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

The proposal to build a hydro-electric dam on the Xingu river, a tributary of the Amazon in the northern state of Para, has long been a source of controversy. The project was originally abandoned in the 1990s following widespread protests both in Brazil and around the world.

Environmental groups say the 6km-long (3.75-mile) long dam will threaten the survival of indigenous groups, and the lives of up to 50,000 people could be affected as 500 sq km (190 sq miles) of land would be flooded.

If it goes ahead it will become the world's third biggest hydroelectric dam.

New predictions for rising sea levels

2010-10-18T05:07:00.002-07:00

New research suggests that up to 150 million people could be displaced as sea levels rise by 30cm to 70cm by the end of this century. This could result in flooding of low-lying coastal areas, including some of the world's largest cities.

The team published the study in the journal PNAS.

'Ten years' to solve nature crisis

2010-10-18T05:07:00.001-07:00

The UN biodiversity convention meeting has opened with warnings that the ongoing loss of nature is hurting human societies as well as the natural world. Much hope is being pinned on economic analyses showing the loss of species and ecosystems is costing the global economy trillions of dollars each year.

Buddhist scholar Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki said 'the problem of nature is the problem of human life'. Today, unfortunately, human life is a problem for nature," he told delegates in his opening speech.

A sign of things to come?

2010-10-05T05:05:00.001-07:00

The abnormally warm and dry weather in Moscow, shrouded in a blistering haze of smoke from wildfires is another symptom of global warming according to experts from the environmental group WWF Russia.

The head of the climate and energy programme at WWF Russia, Alexei Kokorin, said the abnormal temperatures soaring to up to 40C increased the likelihood of wildfires around the capital.

"We have to get ready to fight such fires in the future because there is a great possibility that such a summer will be repeated. This tendency won't stop in the coming 40 years or so, until the greenhouse gas emissions are reduced," he said. "We can now say that the wave of abnormal phenomena that the rest of the world has been experiencing has finally reached central Russia," Dr Kokorin added.

Water map shows billions at risk of water insecurity

2010-10-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

About 80% of the world's population lives in areas where the fresh water supply is not secure, according to a new global analysis appearing in the journal Nature.

The most severe threat category encompasses 3.4 billion people.

The analysis is a global snapshot, and the research team suggests more people are likely to encounter more severe stress on their water supply in the coming decades, as the climate changes and the human population continues to grow.

Going green will be rewarded with gold

2010-09-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

We always hear about China and US being the great polluters but is it the full truth? By international standards the UK’s spend in developing a green economy is very low; the US for example spends three times as much as we do relative to GDP on low-carbon innovation, whilst China is very active in renewable energy, energy-efficient buildings, electric cars and clean coal.

The MP Tim Yeo in his pamphlet Green Gold: The Case For Raising Our Game On Climate Change, has said "We must beware of China who, behind a smokescreen of recalcitrance in international talks, is moving faster than most Western countries to decarbonise its economy," he writes. "If we lead the way in switching to a low carbon economy, we will reap the rewards as going green will be rewarded with gold."

Property prices soar in the desert

2010-09-22T01:18:00.000-07:00

The Thar desert spreads 200,000 square kilometres across North West India, abd land there has gone from virtually worthless to being very valuable almost overnight.

The reason? The Indian government recently launched its National Solar Mission - a $19bn plan to generate 20,000 megawatt of solar electricity by 2022. And the Thar desert is a vast place basked in sun with abundance, meaning that it is ideal for generating solar energy. The beauty of this project is that it uses land that would otherwise be barren.

The region's solar revolution is expected to get underway shortly when one of India's biggest energy companies - Reliance Industries - switches on its 5 megawatt solar plant in the nearby town of Khimsar.

Blow to promise on stopping illegal timber imports

2010-09-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

The coalition is being accused of back-tracking on its commitment to stopping imports of illegal timber and is a further dent in the credibility of David Cameron's promise to lead the "greenest government ever".

According to the Guardian, the government will not now honour a pledge to make it a criminal offence to possess, or bring into the country, illegal timber. Campaigners say such legal measures are necessary to help curb the 350m-650m square metres of forest that is illegally logged every year – possibly as much as 40% of the total market.

Green campaigners are highly disappointed at the apparent dropping of more stringent measures on illegal timber because the coalition document explicitly committed the two parties to introducing "measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence."

Protecting the rainforests is vital in the fight against climate change and preserving endangered species.

Concern over Serengeti road plans

2010-09-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

A group of scientists writing in the journal Nature has appealed against a road planned in the Serengeti National Park, saying it would cause an environmental disaster and curtail wildebeest migration. The migration of the wildebeest was the "largest remaining migratory system on Earth", they said.

Instead, the scientists have proposed an alternative road running to the south of the park. However, there has been pressure to start building the 50km stretch of road through the north of the Serengeti due to increasing economic interest in central African mineral wealth. The planned road would form part of a link between Tanzania's coast and Lake Victoria, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The proposed road could lead to the collapse of the largest remaining migratory system on Earth - a system that drives Tanzania's tourism trade and supports thousands of people," the appeal said.

Buying pieces of rainforest through organisations such as the World Land Trust is one way of helping to protect rainforests and wildlife habitats threatened by so-called ‘economic development’.

Chernobyl plant life overcomes radiation

2010-09-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

It seems that scientists have uncovered the mechanisms that allow plants to thrive in highly radioactive environments like Chernobyl. The study in the Environmental Science and Technology journal reveals that plants have an innate ability to cope with radioactivity.

The research goes on to speculate that this defence mechanism could date back millions of years, when early life forms were exposed to higher levels of natural radiation.

The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in 1986 was the worst nuclear disaster in human history killing dozens of people whilst striking down many hundreds with radiation sickness. Although the plants are adapting some believe that there area will be uninhabitable for generations to come.

A Natural Alliance-Garden Buildings from Decorated Shed

2010-09-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a guest post from Decorated Shed about the benefits of working from home

Decorated Shed offer a range of garden building designs that unifies architecture and nature in a striking mix. The existing beauty of the garden is used as an impressive stage on which to showcase each building’s stylish form. From the pen nib of scrawled design to the muscles of materialisation; the garden studio is moulded from ecologically sound practices and materials, standing as an enduring mark of environmental respect that permeates up from its foundations.

Decorated Shed provide garden studios that reduce environmental impact without compromising upon visual impact and functionality. The convenient position of a garden building means that it is a perfect alternative to a lengthy commute, providing an office space that eradicates the need to pump harmful car fumes into the atmosphere. The garden studio and office encapsulate a green lifestyle, as leafy surroundings promote an appreciation of nature’s precious qualities. Humans are biologically classed as animals; we therefore thrive in an outdoor setting, which explains why we feel invigorated when we spend time amongst nature, just as a lion thrives in the African plains. We are ultimately one of the many strands that make up nature; it therefore makes sense that we should strive to conserve the habitat that boosts our contentment.

All dimensions of a Decorated Shed garden studio and office are energy efficient; the walls, roofs, windows, doors and foundations are all engineered to save energy. The floor is a multi-layered structure that offers a high-insular performance, set on an augured pile foundation system, which serves as a permanent means of saving energy. The timber frame of each garden studio offers substantial insulation, with a heat reflective membrane that traps internal heat, together with windows, that offer some of the lowest U values; top-to –toe. The window positions flood the internal space with illuminating light ensuring that the need for electric light is reduced. Wall panelling also seals the heat within the structure, armouring the building against the cold, so that energy requirements are limited. The garden building becomes a cosy cocoon of warmth and light. Decorated Shed also work with FSC and PEFC accredited suppliers to ensure that materials are sustainably and ethically managed, which means a garden building is cut loose from the overbearing shadows that are created as a result of environmental scarring.

The roof can be made from recycled rubber or zinc, with the option of a sloping sedum roof that integrates the attractive greenery of the garden with the structure, literally living up to the name; green building. A planted ‘living’ green roof system can support a flower bed, which will adorn a studio top like a hat pinned with decorative flowers. The exterior cladding is made up of premium Western Red Cedar wood cladding, which also acts as an effective thermal insulator, while displaying a rich colour which ages beautifully, due to natural internal oils, which prevent the need for the wood to be treated with environmentally harmful chemicals. The exterior acts as an inviting display, nestled into nature’s hands, while the interior acts as a hollowed out retreat of modernity, style and immaculate design.

Although one green building may seem like a drop in the ocean compared to larger scale influences, such as deforestation and city pollution. However, the road to recovery starts with a single footstep. By rejecting to join a relentless force of environmental destruction, the impact is lessened and a new trend is set. Decorated Shed garden buildings provide shining examples of why green built spaces are so attractive. Just as an extension, garden buildings add extra space and value to a home but unlike an extension, they provide a private retreat that is energy efficient and cost effective, as a dazzling gemstone of investment, set in the emerald cushion of the garden, while standing as a stroke of engineering brilliance, in its own right.

Trophy hunting

2010-09-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Trophy or 'sport' hunting has been used as a conservation measure, with the money hunters pay then used to help protect a wider population of animals. For example, in Tanzania quotas of lions and leopards are shot each year by trophy hunters.

However, conservation experts have started to question the viability of trophy hunting with some arguing that lion and leopard numbers will crash in countries such as Tanzania unless fewer big cats are killed.

Tanzania holds most of the remaining large populations of African lions and also has wide areas of leopard habitat. Vast areas of the country have been set aside as 'hunting blocks', in which private companies fund trophy hunting by tourists.

Tanzania currently allows about 500 lions and 400 leopards per year to be killed for ‘sport’.

How deeply depressing to think that there are people out there who get pleasure from shooting and killing such magnificent animals.

Freshwater turtles in catastrophic decline

2010-09-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that over a third of the estimated 280 freshwater turtle species around the world are threatened with extinction.

The unsustainable collection of turtles for food and to supply a lucrative pet trade are believed to be the key drivers behind the worrying fall in numbers.

Habitat loss as a result of river-damming for hydro-electricity is another major concern.

Exactly what is ethical fashion?

2010-09-09T01:35:00.000-07:00

The Ethical Fashion Forum (EFF) defines ethical fashion as an approach to the design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing which maximises benefits to people and communities while minimising impact on the environment.

For the EFF, the meaning of ethical goes beyond doing no harm, representing an approach which strives to take an active role in poverty reduction, sustainable livelihood creation, minimising and counteracting environmental concerns.

Ethical Fashion Forum has drawn up a set of 10 criteria for ethical fashion, to inform the fashion industry’s official ethical fashion awards:

1.Countering fast, cheap fashion and damaging patterns of fashion consumption
2.Defending fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights
3.Supporting sustainable livelihoods
4.Addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use
5.Using and / or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components
6.Minimising water use
7.Recycling and addressing energy efficiency and waste
8.Developing or promoting sustainability standards for fashion
9.Resources, training and/ or awareness raising initiatives
10.Animal rights

For more information visit The Fair Trade Clothing Shop where you can find more useful information on ethical and fair trade clothing, along with a list of suppliers.

Huge growth at largest wind farm

2010-09-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

It has just been announced that a massive expansion is to take place at Europe's largest onshore wind farm in East Renfrewshire.

ScottishPower Renewables is to add another 75 turbines to the wind farm on Eaglesham Moor by 2012, taking the total number of turbines there to 215. As a result, its electricity generating capacity will be increased by around two thirds.

The wind farm on Eaglesham Moor already generates enough electricity to power 180,000 homes, and with the planned expansion this will increase to 300,000 homes.

Ice on Mount Everest disappearing

2010-09-07T05:29:00.001-07:00

Photos of Mount Everest comparing it in 1921 with 2010 shows that the ice mass is disappearing at an alarming pace.

"The photographs reveal a startling truth: the ice of the Himalaya is disappearing," an Asia Society statement said. "They reveal an alarming loss in ice mass over an 89-year period."

The Asia Society says that the findings are "vitally important" because the Himalaya is home to the world's largest sub-polar ice reserves. "The melt waters of these high altitude glaciers supply crucial seasonal flows to the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Salween, Irrawaddy, Mekong, Yangtze and Yellow rivers, which hundreds of millions of people downstream depend on for their livelihoods," the statement said.

Chatting chimpanzees are 'socially aware'

2010-09-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

Primatologists have discovered that chimpanzees are aware of the social impact of their communications, and use a variety of calls and gestures.

Even more surprisingly, researchers found that chimps will actually change what they "say" depending on who is listening at the time. This represents an important finding because it reveals a previously unrecognised social awareness that may even have implications for the origin of human language.

Details of the discovery have been published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

Up until now, the high level of awareness of the potential social consequences of calling has not been shown in any non-human primate.

It also appears that chimpanzees are biologically programmed to appreciate pleasant music!

The more we learn about our closest evolutionary relations the more we realise just how close we are and why it’s so important to protect species and the environment on which they depend. In particular, its imperative that we do everything possible to protect the rainforests.

Don’t throw away your old mobile phone!

2010-09-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

When upgrading to a new mobile phone many people simply throw their old phone in a drawer and leave it to gather dust. Worse, some even throw them in the dustbin where they end up in landfill sites leaking out hazardous chemicals, causing contamination and health problems.

Remember that mobile phones can be sold or donated to give them a new lease of life, helping poorer people in the developing world. Those that can't be re-used or re-furbished in this way are recycled according to EU Standards. By recycling, you give new life to old technology and keep those toxic e-waste materials from causing harm to our environment. Many mobile phone recycling companies also use some of the proceeds to support charities and sustainable causes. For more money saving tips and ideas on how to live more sustainably visit Piggy Bank

Humpback whales form lasting bonds

2010-09-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

Scientists have found that female humpback whales reunite each summer to feed, swim and socialise in the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada.

Though humpbacks spend the rest of the year apart migrating and breeding, it seems that individual humpbacks manage to find each other again in the open ocean each summer, spending the season feeding together.

It also seems that such friendships benefited the female humpbacks, since those with the most stable and long-lasting associations tended to give birth to the most calves. How the whales find each other each summer remains a mystery.

Loss of bees could be 'a blow to UK economy'

2010-09-03T03:56:00.000-07:00

Honeybees, hoverflies, wasps, bumblebees, moths and butterflies play a vital role in feeding people through the pollination of crops. If bees and other pollinating insects were to disappear completely, the cost to the UK economy would be around £440m per year according to scientists. In a bid to save the declining insects, up to £10m has been invested in nine projects that will explore underlying reasons for the decline whilst looking at ways to re-populate.

Whilst there is no single factor that could explain the decline, loss of flowers and other habitats, disease, environmental change and pesticide use are being blamed.

BP oil disaster

2010-09-03T03:42:00.000-07:00

More oil is spilled from the Niger delta network of terminals, pipes, pumping stations and oil platforms every year than has been lost in the Gulf of Mexico, the site of the major ecological catastrophe caused by oil that has poured from a leak triggered by the explosion that wrecked BP's Deepwater Horizon rig.

Polar bears face 'tipping point' due to climate change

2010-09-03T03:41:00.000-07:00

The journal Biological Conservation has published research which suggests that polar bears face a ‘tipping point’ due to climate change. The research claims that there will be a dramatic and sudden decline in the number of polar bears, due in the main to falling pregnancy rates and fewer bears surviving during longer, ice-free seasons.

As these ice-free seasons lengthen, fewer bears will have enough fat and protein stores to survive the fast. "Some populations are expected to go extinct with climate warming, while others are expected to persist, albeit at a reduced population size," says Dr Peter Molnar of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

The US Endangered Species Act lists the polar bear as "Threatened".

Five Thousand Gulf Oil Spills

2010-09-02T05:36:00.001-07:00

That's the rate at which humans are releasing carbon into the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation every single day. That’s the same as five thousand spills into the Gulf of Mexico, all going at once, each releasing 40,000 barrels a day, every day for decades and centuries on end. Mankind is burning a lot of carbon!

Turning the concrete jungle green

2010-09-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

Trees play an essential role in improving the quality of life in UK towns and cities, according to the Woodland Trust. Planting more trees has been shown to improve air quality, reduce ambient temperatures and benefit people's health it said in a recent report. The trust is launching a campaign to plant 20m native trees each year. "Towns and cities tend to put into sharp relief some of the key problems we are facing as a society," said lead author Mike Townsend. "So they are a good place to start when try to illustrate just where green spaces can deliver significant improvements for relatively little cost."

During a speech in May, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: "If any organism has demonstrated an ability to multi-task, it's trees. They capture carbon and hold soils together, prevent flooding and help control our climate. They also add immeasurably to the quality of life of our towns and cities." She added that in some parts of inner London, it was calculated that each tree was deemed to be worth as much as £78,000 in terms of its benefits.

'Great Green Wall of Africa' to halt Sahara

2010-08-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

There are plans to plant a tree belt all the way across Africa, running from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, in an effort to halt the advance of the Sahara Desert.

If it goes ahead, the tree belt would be 15km wide and nearly 8,000km long. The project is still tentative because there are concerns about lack of funding and longer term doubts regarding its maintenance.

The trees that would be planted are more drought resistant, helping to reduce soil erosion, slowing wind speeds and helping rain water to filter into the ground thereby holding back the desert.

Urban trees 'help migrating birds'

2010-08-22T12:26:00.001-07:00

US researchers have found that migrating birds use urban trees to rest and refuel en route between winter and breeding sites. The scientists made the discovery by fitting tiny tags to thrushes, which tracked the birds' movements. The findings are important because the world is becoming increasingly urbanised.

"With the expansion of urban areas worldwide, migrating songbirds increasingly encounter fragmented landscapes where habitat patches are embedded in an urban matrix," wrote co-authors Stephen Matthews and Paul Rodewald, landscape ecologists at Ohio State University in the US. "These findings suggest that remnant forests within urban areas have conservation value for Swainson's thrushes and, potentially, other migrant land birds."

Disappearing lizards

2010-08-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that lizards are more vulnerable to climate change than we previously thought. According to one study, climate change could wipe out around a fifth of the Earth’s lizard species by 2080. Nor is this scaremongering since rising temperatures have already driven around 12% of Mexico's lizard population to extinction.

The research team from the University of California in Santa Cruz states that "lizards have already crossed a threshold for extinctions".

The research team have shown that lizards are more susceptible to climate change because rising temperatures leave them unable to spend enough time foraging for food, since they have to rest and regulate their body temperature.

Steep rise in India’s carbon emissions

2010-08-22T12:23:00.002-07:00

India's greenhouse gas emissions increased by around 60% between 1994 and 2007, a government study says. The government says that emissions grew from 1.2bn tonnes in 1994 to 1.9bn tonnes in 2007, providing India with the unenviable title of one of the world's biggest emitters.

The rapid increase in emissions has been blamed on the growth of industries such as cement production, electricity and transport as India’s economy surges.

Importantly, India did not sign up to binding targets at the climate change talks in Copenhagen last year.

However, India’s per capita emissions are far lower than that of most industrialised nations and its Environment Minister has argued that its emissions are not comparable with those of the US and China. "The emissions of the United States and China are almost four times that of India in 2007," he told the AFP news agency.

Remember the ozone hole? Have we learned anything?

2010-08-22T12:23:00.001-07:00

The scientist responsible for leading the team which discovered the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985 has spoken out about the lack of co-ordinated effort to tackle global warming.

When Dr Farman's team at the British Antarctic Survey reported the ozone hole in 1985, it highlighted the earth's fragility and catalysed the environmental movement into action.

In an interview with the BBC on the 25th anniversary of the reporting of the ozone hole, Dr Joe Farman said the environment was still being damaged in many ways.

Dr Farman was particularly critical of politicians who he claimed had failed to show leadership on combating climate change, saying it was "damned stupid" to keep increasing carbon emissions when we know it is a warming gas.

But, in a nod to climate sceptics, he also blamed the scientific establishment for failing to take specific criticisms of detailed climate science seriously enough.

As with the relationship between carbon emissions and warming, it was found that the ozone layer was being stripped away by chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were mostly used in aerosols and refrigerators. Although resisted at the time by some manufacturers, the making of ozone-depleting chemicals was controlled within two years under the Montreal Protocol.

Dr Farman says that governments have failed to learn the lesson that they need to move swiftly and act decisively on global threats to the environment. "You ought to be able to convince people it's a damned stupid thing to increase CO2 - clearly that must trap more energy," he says.

Is carbon offsetting a con?

2010-08-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

Every time we turn on the central heating, cook a meal, take a trip by car or aeroplane then carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.

Carbon offsetting involves paying someone else to reduce these emissions by the same amount; thereby counterbalancing the two.

This process has become the subject of much debate. Some have argued that it is dangerous because it suggests that we can somehow buy our way out of climate change. It has also been argued that it doesn’t encourage people to change their behaviour. Others claim that carbon offset schemes are dubious and unaccountable.

Clearly, it is an area that has caused controversy and cynicism. Our view is that true carbon reduction efforts should always come first, but that when emissions are unavoidable then they should be offset through clear, unambiguous programmes that genuinely help the environment.

One good example of a genuine scheme we came across is from Climatesure, who offer carbon offsetting with their insurance policies. One of their projects is restoring rainforests in Uganda, funding part of a forest restoration programme in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. The project aims to re-create a rainforest canopy by planting and managing 30 species of local trees. The area is an important wildlife habitat – with one of the highest number of primate species in the world - and the project provides employment for local communities. Each hectare of rainforest that is restored there is expected to absorb 400 tonnes of CO2.

Always be cautious when evaluating the claims of some companies to be carbon neutral and ensure that they are firstly reducing their own emissions and secondly investing in genuine programmes to help the environment.

Carbon footprint? What about water footprint?

2010-08-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

We have long argued that population growth is a much overlooked contributor to environmental damage and climate change. You can have all the carbon reduction measures in the world but they simply won’t be effective so long as the global population goes on increasing.

Rising populations are also making the world a thirsty planet. Conversations about carbon footprints are now turning towards water footprints. The reason? Growing populations require more food, and this can only be created from more water. The inevitable consequence is greater water scarcity.

Today, one-third of the world's population has to contend with water scarcity, and there are worrying signs that this proportion is set to increase rapidly. Some projections suggests that up to twice as much water will be required to provide enough food to eliminate hunger and feed the additional 2.5 billion people that are expected to join the current population.

Worse still, wealthier, urbanised populations tend to consumer a diet higher in meat, which is very water intensive. Given the escalating water demands, it seems unlikely that we will be able to provide water for producers to grow enough food and sustain a healthy environment.

The only solution is to learn how to live with less water by making much better use of what we have.

Disputed island 'vanishes'

2010-08-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

A tiny island claimed for years by India and Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal has disappeared beneath the rising seas, scientists in India say. The uninhabited territory south of the Hariabhanga river was known as New Moore Island to the Indians and South Talpatti Island to the Bangladeshis. The irony is that the island was the subject of territorial dispute, involving the deployment of naval vessels at times.

"What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking, has been resolved by global warming," said Professor Sugata Hazra of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University in Calcutta.

NASA study concludes that no cooling evident in past decade

2010-08-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

A comprehensive analysis of global air and sea temperatures by NASA climatologists shows that the planet has not experienced a cooling trend in the past decade and is continuing to warm at a rate of about .3 degrees F per decade. The NASA scientists, affiliated with the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said the warming trend has continued despite the sun's irradiative power being at one of its lowest points in a century. Read more on climate change

Tar sands are among the world’s dirtiest fuels

2010-08-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

Their extraction produces on average three times the greenhouse gases of conventional oil. The associated pollution, deforestation and disturbance of wildlife also threaten the traditional livelihoods and well-being of indigenous communities.

If you are a pension holder it is highly likely that your pension provider has substantial shareholdings held on your behalf, either in Shell or other companies involved in tar sands developments. Friends of the Earth Europe and FairPensions have created an online action that will target Shell and BP shareholders directly. You can express your concerns to your pension provider or if you don't have a pension you can email one of Shell and BP's largest shareholders.

China is the world’s worst polluter, right?

2010-08-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

Er, not quite. China overtook the US during 2009 to become the biggest investor in renewable energy technologies, according to a new analysis. Researchers with the Pew Charitable Trusts calculate that China invested $34.6bn (£23.2bn) in clean energy over the year, almost double the US figure. The UK emerges in third place among G20 nations, followed by Spain and Brazil. The most spectacular growth has come in South Korea, which saw installed capacity rise by 250% in five years.

"Even in the midst of a global recession, the clean energy market has experienced impressive growth," said Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew's campaign on climate change. "They know that investing in clean energy can renew manufacturing bases, and create export opportunities, jobs and businesses."

Plastic accounted for 63% of litter found on UK beaches

2010-08-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

UK beaches are being ruined by an ever-accumulating tide of plastic litter, the Marine Conservation Society says. It said the amount of rubbish was 77% higher than in 1994 - its first annual survey - and the proportion of plastic volunteers found had never been higher. A spokeswoman said the figures showed plastic makes up an increasing proportion of beach litter - now nearly two-thirds of the total.

"Plastic does not biodegrade but breaks down into small pieces that will last for hundreds if not thousands of years. In parts of our oceans there are now six times more plastic particles in the water than plankton," she added.

Optimum Population Trust

2010-08-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Optimum Population Trust. Take the stop at two pledge here http://www.optimumpopulation.org/stopattwo.html

Commercial fishing could be destroyed within 50 years

2010-08-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

According to the United Nations, commercial fishing could be over within 50 years. Their top environmental official has been keen to point out that this is not another scare story, and that within 30 to 40 years we could effectively have run out of fish. "It is not a science fiction scenario. It is within the lifetime of a child born today," said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The UNEP report claims that as many as 22 million jobs associated with the fishing industry may have to be axed globally, if fish stocks are to be saved. The report goes on to suggest that investment should be channelled into sustainable fishing initiatives, such as Marine Protected Areas, where the most endangered fish species are given an opportunity to recover.

Working from home

2010-07-26T10:46:00.001-07:00

Working from home, either permanently or just one or two days per week is an inherently green decision. The emissions reduction from travelling is the most immediate benefit, and is one of many that become apparent over time.

Decorated Shed garden offices are built to be energy efficient and deliver phenomenal insulation performance, meaning that you need minimal heating and cooling all year round.

However, being a green homeworker doesn't end at simply working from home. There are several simple practices that can be incorporated into your working day that help to minimise your impact on the planet even further. The good news is that they’re all simple and easy to implement into your routine, and will bring tangible benefits to both your work and your pocket.

Here are some green office tips for homeworkers;

• Buy eco-friendly office products. Recycled paper is the commonly-known product here, but almost every other office item has a recycled version available. Pens, pencils, mousepads, calendars, almost every item of stationery imaginable… all available in eco-friendly variants.

• Recycle! Be a part of the process by recycling your recycled office products when you’re finished with them, and give them yet another chance to be used in a new life! It's a sad fact that while 80% of the office products used in the UK are recyclable, a pitiful 8% ends up being recycled*.

• Buy FSC-certified or second-hand desks. If you're buying new office desks try to make sure they’re from FSC-certified sources, which means they’ve come from responsible and sustainably managed forests. Alternatively, see what's available locally second-hand. As many companies regularly re-fit their office spaces there are often some impeccable quality office furniture items available second-hand, and this removes the need to buy a newly produced item.

• Buy an energy-efficient computer and other electronics. Laptops usually use less energy than computer and monitor combinations, and the eco-friendly options for these are improving on an almost daily basis. The situation is similar for printers and fax machines, with many energy efficient options widely available.

• Go easy on the print outs. "Don't print this out unless necessary" is a well-worn office mantra, but for good reason. Printing things out to read them is really unnecessary, especially considering they're on the screen right in front of you, and the process wastes paper, ink, energy, time and ultimately money - quite a lot of valuable resources.

• Switch off. If you're not in the office, it doesn't need to be on. With the possible exception of the fax machine, every single energy-using item in your office should be switched off and shut down at the end of the day. Computer, printer, scanner, copier, lights - all off.

Logicor launches a new way to cut energy bills with its Green Plug

2010-07-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Logicor have just launched their Green Plug, which is an energy saving plug that automatically shuts off the power to appliances that they are wired into. The plug enables families to reduce energy bills and save on carbon emissions if used with appliances that are accidentally left on, or on stand-by, for long periods of time. The plug also reduces fire hazards around the home by turning off devices that have the potential to start fires if left on unattended.

The Green Plug contains an air driven timer to switch off the power supply after a pre-determined amount of time. The device itself does not use any electricity and can be attached to any household appliance with a standard three-pin plug.

UK homes spend an average of £365 per year on unnecessary and wasted energy caused by accidentally leaving appliance plugged in or on stand-by when they are not in use, according to a recent report compiled by Professor Martin Crowder of Imperial College London using the data from a recent ComRes poll. It is this aspect of energy bills that the Green Plug is able to reduce when attached to devices that are frequently left on, indeed it has been proven that the Green Plug can reduce energy bills by as much as 33%.

Using the Green Plug also has environmental benefits. According to the UK Government 27 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions are generated by the housing sector so by reducing energy wastage in the home the Green Plug also makes a positive contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions.

The plugs are available in a variety of different time ranges suitable for a variety of different devices. Plugs with a shorter time range, between five and ten minutes, are suitable for appliances with a high fire risk such as hair straighteners or irons, whilst those with a longer time range, between 30 and 50 minutes, are suitable for bedroom lights.

Logicor also has a complimentary Wall Socket, which can be retro-fitted or used in new builds. This device also contains an air driven timer and automatically switches off power supply in the same way that the Green Plugs do. The socket differs from the plug because the timer on the sockets can be set and changed by the user.
The plugs cost £5.99 and the wall socket £9.99. The plugs are available now the wall socket will be available from November 2010. Both are available through CEFCO in the UK.

http://www.green-plug.co.uk/product.html

50,000 people a year are dying prematurely due to poor air quality

2010-07-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that as many as 50,000 people a year are dying prematurely due to poor air quality? That’s more than 20 times the number that die in road accidents in the UK each year! Whilst other factors are to blame, road transport is the worst offender at putting ‘nasties’ (NOx, Hydrocarbons and Particulates) into the air.

Pollutants like these can cause asthma, skin and eye irritation, poor lung development, heart disease, cancer and lung disease. All of these could be cutting people's lives short by as much as nine years.

Volvo Cars UK wants to do something about it, and this is how:

They are developing an iPhone app, which will let you search a vehicle’s make and model, and delivers easy-to-understand information that clearly illustrates the Nasties coming from the exhaust pipe of the car you drive, or are thinking of buying.
They want to launch an environmental label (just like the one you see on cars and fridges now) that will be used alongside the CO2 label displayed in new and used car showrooms. The label, like the app, will tell you just how many Nasties are emitted by a particular car's exhaust.

They are also setting up the Emissions Equality Think Tank, which will help keep people talking about air quality so governments and decision-makers take notice and do something about cleaning up our air.

To support the campaign they have developed a great animation which helps explain the issues in an easily to understand way. You can watch the video here

http://www.volvocars.com/uk/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/#!/insidevolvouk?ref=ts.

A Sensitive Subject

2010-07-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

Sarah Heenan, natural beauty therapist and founder of online organic beauty boutique, www.lucyrose.biz, takes a look at the issues around skin sensitivities.

The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in sensitised skin and allergic reactions. This is mainly due to pollution, environmental factors and altered immunity. Most skin responses to cosmetics are a result of skin sensitisation. This happens when the ingredients penetrate the skin too quickly and the skin’s natural barrier function is impaired. Once the product is removed from the skin the reaction will subside.
In most instances of skin allergy, the skin can become itchy, inflamed, red and sore. Many main stream products made with harsh chemical ingredients and synthetic compounds will exaggerate these symptoms, so it is good to search for products with organic and natural ingredients which will help the skin function correctly and not just provide a short term fix.

Quite often you can be happily using a high street product and then, out of the blue, will start to have skin sensitivity. This could be down to a change in ingredients in the product or it could be a result of the body reacting to a combination of products being used.

Three Reasons to go Natural
· We find one of the biggest reasons people turn to organic and natural products is because they have sensitive skin and are finding high street products over-fragranced and too harsh. With organic and natural products there are no harsh chemicals, no artificial fragrances, quite simply the ingredients are all chosen to be effective, gentle and help the skin work naturally.
· Organic and natural brands are very transparent in their communications and include a comprehensive list of ingredients on the product, so that you can see clearly what it is made of. If you do have allergies to a certain ingredient, it is very easy to check this.
· It is also the case that an individual can be allergic to a completely organic ingredient (for example, people can be sensitive to some of the Essential Oils) so it is important to be able to see at a glance what is in the product you are using.

The Ingredients Minefield
Where there is sensitivity to Essential Oils it is important, when checking ingredients, to check out the source, especially with fragrances. For example, Limonene is the term used for the synthetic fragrance, Lemon, but is also the name for Lemon Essential Oil. In order to differentiate, there is usually an asterisk or a comment next to the ingredient, stating ‘from natural essential oils’.
Cosmetic ingredients really can be quite confusing and sometimes totally innocent natural ingredients can sound like a harsh chemical, for example Methylglucose Sesquisterate is simply a plant emulsifier, or some ingredients which sound almost identical can be completely different.

The deciding factor can normally be found in the source, the preferred one being from an organic source. Again with organic and natural companies you will normally be able to check these ingredients quite easily and quickly.
However, there are now many ranges which are free from fragrances and herbal flower extracts. These include the Lavera Neutral and Green People’s Organic Base No Scent collection.

Everybody is Different
It is also important to remember that each of us are individual and hence our skin requirements are also very specific. Just because the product is natural and organic and has worked for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for you, so it is important to try and test the product first and find the best product for you. At Lucy Rose you can receive one-to-one advice either over the ‘phone or via email, and just to be on the safe side, there is a free sample service so that you can try first.
Be Prepared for a Skin Detox
A few people find that when switching to more natural ingredients they experience a detox period of maybe a week, where the body adjusts and the skin may feel uncomfortable or may ‘break out’. This usually lasts no longer than a week and once the skin has adjusted it will feel better than ever.

It Really Works
We recently exhibited at the Allergy Show in Olympia and the response was overwhelming. We met a lot of people who for years had not been able to wear make up, use sun cream, or have spent hundreds of pounds trying to find a product that does not cause sensitivity. After trying some of our products and testing them over the 2 days, we had fabulous feedback and many happy customers who have been able to find something that actually works and does not cause the symptoms they had previously experienced.
At Lucy Rose we are very aware of our customers as individuals and are always here to help. We offer services such as the free ‘try before you buy’ and also personal consultations. As an independent retailer of organic and natural beauty products we only stock the very best brands and can give independent advice so you can find the right product for you.

BP Oil Spill Bring New Meaning to World Ocean Day This June

2010-06-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

The month of June marks World Environment Day and World Ocean Day, two environmentally conscious days whose main purpose is to spread awareness of environmental issues taking place in today's world. However, a black cloud hangs over this year's events as 42,000 gallons of oil a day gushes into the Gulf of Mexico after the Deep Horizon oilrig exploded and sank on April 20, 2010. This oil spill is one of, if not the biggest natural disaster that America has had to deal with and it shows that the time is now to invest, innovate, and utilize specific renewable energy technologies that can reduce our dependency on oil consumption and preserve our environment.

In 1999, assessments showed that Americans consumed 25 percent of the world's oil production, but held less than 3 percent. In 2009, statistics showed that Americans consumed approximately 23% of the world oil production. It is hard to believe that with all of the new changes in energy efficiency and renewable energy technology that has been created and recognized over the last decade that more significant changes in oil dependency has not been achieved. Without more policy that demands the utilization of innovative renewable energy technology and the implementation of energy conservation measures, the country will not be able to steer itself away from oil dependency. This means continued relationships with unreliable foreign sources of oil (threatening our national security), more drilling along our coasts, (threatening our natural habitats and wildlife), and more chances for disasters to occur like the one currently in the Gulf, (ultimately threatening our economy and our way of life).

Ironically, the reduction of oil dependency and enhanced protection of the world's oceans is vital not only to the sustainability of the planet, but also for the preservation of one of our greatest resources of renewable energy that could help solve the energy problem. In essence, we must utilize the very thing we are destroying in order to save ourselves. More specifically, in order to avoid disasters like the Gulf oil spill and save our oceans we must harness the renewable power of…our oceans. (This reminds me of the 1997 quote by our worry free friend Austin Powers, “Allow myself to introduce… myself”. If only we had listened then, perhaps we’d be singing a different tune now.)

On a positive note, today there are some organizations and initiatives that target oceanic and marine wildlife preservation. One organization that is trying to connect different groups under the banner of oceanic renewable energy is the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition. The OREC is a national trade association that is "dedicated to promoting marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies from clean, renewable ocean resources." They incorporate over 40 members, all of which work towards these same goals by coming up with ideas and innovations that help build these technologies and put them to realistic use. In fact, some of these organizations are literally "turning the tide" when it comes to renewable energy by using the known green technique of harnessing ocean waves and currents to produce energy:

· Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) is a group that was founded in order to find solutions that could harness the energy that comes from the world's oceans. One way that OPT is doing this is via their PowerBuoy 40 that acts as a "wave energy converter" while submerged. As it bobs in the ocean it works a hydraulic pump that drives a generator that produces up to 40 kilowatts of electricity, which then can be sent to shore via an underwater cable. The electricity that comes from just one clean and safe PowerBuoy 40 has the capability to produce enough power for 20 to 25 homes.

· The Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) works on breakthrough technologies and environmentally safe projects that use the ocean to produce renewable and clean energy. One of these projects is installing power systems all along the Gulf Stream's ocean currents (which has 21,000 times the energy of Niagara Falls). With the constant flow of the Gulf Stream, if ORPC harnesses just 1/1000 of the Gulf's renewable energy that would still be enough to power up to 7 million homes.

Wave power technology, while underused, has been a known technology, for years. However, a future green application that can boost renewable energy is not the ocean itself, but rather something that can be found within the ocean. Algae sources are considerably new renewable energy options within the ocean that have many believing them to be "the ultimate in renewable energy" .

Half of algae's weight is based off of oil, which can be made into bio-fuel that could be used on anything from cars to airplanes. Considering that there over 65,000 known algae species this could potentially be a big time future energy source.

Yet, renewable energy from the ocean is only one step towards sustainability. Energy must be used more efficiently. Individual behavior needs to change and become more environmentally conscious. Overconsumption is becoming a big problem in the United States and the unwillingness to give up that way of life is feeding our current dependency on crude oil. Specifically, opting for bigger and better in the auto industry means big engines, lots of horse power and less fuel economy. Recently, we’ve seen a larger effort by auto manufacturers to deliver hybrid and fully electric vehicles. It is up to the consumer to make the decision to purchase these vehicles and drive demand, pushing manufacturers to produce, compete, and continuously innovate.

In 2007, the U.S. depended on crude oil to meet 39% of the total energy demand with the majority of it (45%) feeding the transportation sector in the form of finished motor gasoline . It is frustrating to see that with new technology coming out all the time, that as of 2010, approximately 46% (nearly the same amount) of U.S. petroleum consumption is used for finished motor gasoline. If we eliminate the use of petroleum based vehicles and get them running on renewable energy, we could curb nearly half of our petroleum demand. In order to do so, we would need to generate 20% of our total energy demand from other sources (more, actually, because all renewable energy sources are not strictly dedicated to supplying the transportation sector).

In 2007, hydroelectric power supplied only 2.5% of our energy demand . Renewable sources combined provided only 6.7%. As of July 2009, approximately half the states in the U.S. still had no electric vehicle charging stations . The other half had less than 10 throughout the entire state with the exception of California, which has become a pioneer in electric vehicle support, supplying over 400 charging stations. Oregon is the runner up with less than 50 (big gap). Therefore, an infrastructure made up of fully electric vehicles recharged by electricity that comes from renewable sources will require a complete overhaul of consumer behavior/demand, manufacturer supply, and energy policy.

Building structures that would also use the oceans (amongst others) renewable energy must be built properly in order to not be wasteful. If buildings are not consciously created to maintain energy and preserve resources then utilizing renewable sources from the ocean becomes a redundant endeavor (as old buildings become less efficient, we waste more energy, etc). This is why it's important that buildings and neighborhoods are developed around the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System .

According to US Green Building Council, 39% of energy use comes from buildings in the United States alone, but with LEED certified buildings these numbers can allow renewable energy from the ocean to actually have a chance of succeeding and being applicable in the real world. This is why so many companies like Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (a Chicago based architecture company founded by Niranjan Shah known for building many LEED certified buildings), Wells Fargo (which built an office tower that is not only LEED approved but saves up to 5 million kWh a year), and Kubala-Washatko Architects & Boldt Construction (which actually built the first ever LEED-platinum certified, carbon neutral building ) all incorporate LEED standards into their designs.

Since the inception of LEED certification, it took several years for the first building to reach platinum certification. Now, it is something that architects strive for. For many projects government incentives are available for businesses that reach LEED certification. Niranjan Shah , realized that the LEED benchmark is the future of architecture and that creating structures that benefit from renewable energy just makes common sense. Hopefully, in upcoming years we’ll see LEED platinum certification become the standard.

After the oil spill in the Gulf it's clear to see that now, more than ever, protecting our oceans stands for something much greater. By saving our oceans, we are making a commitment to the preservation of our natural resources, our wildlife, and our humanity. Through the promise and development of a sustainable, renewable energy future, we can follow a new path which will redefine the meaning of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Written by Marcus Reyes

Marcus Reyes studied public policy with a focus on energy research and environmental sustainability. He is an advocate of clean energy technology and contributes written work to the blogosphere related to energy conservation and environmental preservation.

42,000 gallons a day – Estimated on April 26, 2010.
Natural Resources Defense Council – Quoting the Energy Information Administration 1999 Annual Report
PowerBuoy 40 – CNN Editorial Feb 26, 2010
Algae: “The ultimate in renewable energy” – CNN Tech Editorial
Finished Motor Gasoline – EIA Stats from 2010
Hydroelectric Resource – EIA statistics from 2007 report
Map of Charging Stations - Alternative & Advanced Fuels
Fully Electric Vehicle – Nissan Leaf
LEED Certification – NRDC Smartgrowth Editorial
Globetrotters Engineering Corporation
Niranjan Shah – GEC CEO Niranjan Shah Twitter Feed
First LEED Platinum Certified Carbon Neutral Building
Niranjan Shah – Live Journal

Green Benefits of the Garden Annex

2010-05-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Decorated Shed garden annexes and holiday homes – including the Barn – are built to exacting standards that meet and exceed current building regulations on energy efficiency and insulation. This dedication to quality results in a garden annex building that not only looks amazing, but performs to incredibly high standards when it comes to heating, powering and general running.

With such class-leading efficiency - combined with a strict adherence to a sustainable material supply chain – their garden annexes represent truly green investments, providing low-impact living solutions.

The prefabricated build process – with highly-insulating composite panels developed off-site - enables the Decorated Shed team to complete a full project in around four days, massively faster and more efficient than a traditional build of similar proportions.

As with all Decorated Shed garden buildings, their garden annexes and holiday homes are built to specification. This means that the building is designed precisely around your own personal needs, and will begin performing a life-enhancing role from the moment it is completed.

10 Ways Working From Home Saves You Money ...

2010-05-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

It can be disrupting working in your kitchen or living room and not give you the chance to concentrate on your work. Research has proven that working in a separate garden office rather than your home will prevent distractions. Decorated Sheds bespoke garden offices are designed to meet your specific requirements, with their natural warmth of Western Cedar designs you can relax and complete your duties without the hustle and bustle of a work place or even your home!
So once you have your garden office – how do you save the pennies?

1. The commute & your garden office
It is obviously cheaper and more environmentally friendly to walk down the garden to your Decorated Shed garden office than it is to drive to work. Although you will have to pay for electrics and heating our garden offices are installed with high performance energy efficient insulation and heating

2. Coffee
Especially if you have a tall cappuccino addiction – the cost of Starbucks can seriously add up. One Starbucks can buy you a weeks supply of the very best organic coffee which will last a lot longer

3. Lunch and snacks
It is easy to spend up to £10 a day on lunch and snacks which does add up. When working at home you can make your own lunches and use up left overs

4. Clothing
When you just need the power suit for the occasional meeting and can wear anything the rest of the time you can save a lot of money on clothing and cleaning. Just make sure you get dressed in the morning, wear a nice shirt or top and brush your hair—more and more working from home involves video calls and conferences.

5. Communications
Business lines can be more expensive than residential lines. Some people are dumping the landline altogether and only using mobile phones as these days great deals on unlimited calls are available. Not to forget they are useful when on the road.

6. Electronics
Your garden office laptop is more likely to be quicker and more efficient than those in a large organisation. Why? Because they have a lot of people to manage and have to put restrictions on services. Not to mention that fact that laptops use a fraction of the amount of energy compared to the desktop computer. (more information on this in our last blog ‘Is telecommuting green’)

7. Furniture
Corporate firms tend to buy matching furniture quite often which is not cheap. In your Decorated Shed garden office you will be able to re use furniture from your home, or once bought i am sure you will not be replacing it in a hurry!

8. Childcare
Childcare is still an issue, but you may have more flexibility in your choices and options. For example – taking turns with your neighbour to pick the children up from school

9. Taxes
Get yourself a qualified accountant and keep all your receipts for travel and all expenses for your business. These will be deducted from your final tax bill. Your final tax bill should be considerably less than if you worked for a company

10. Your garden office
The Decorated Shed team will work closely with you to build your premium garden office. As mentioned in point one their high energy efficient insulation will cut the cost of bills drastically, and we will work to your budget and requirements. They also design the interior, and build electrical points in the foundations which is included in the overall price.

Percentage rises for home workers

2010-05-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

The past year has been a difficult time for many of us and the amount of people working from home has risen dramatically, not always in peoples' favour. In some cases people would prefer to work from home and benefit from a healthier and cheaper way of living but employers have not been crazy about it, even though it will reduce overheads and the company's carbon footprint.

For example, telecommuting is growing and eco bosses and workers are giving the carbon footprint solution a go. If the unfortunate situation arises and you don’t have a boss anymore there are plenty of options and well paid jobs out there for home workers.

Decorated Shed have become strong supporters of the working from home theory due to the recession and carbon foot print solutions. They build and design bespoke garden offices and garden studios which have become a popular product recently. They act on environmental issues through their high performance energy efficient insulation and their triple sealed doors and windows buildings. Decorated Shed also use recycled material wherever possible. Their Garden Offices are built to your specific requirements and our objective is to build a eco friendly, beautifully engineered garden office with natural and relaxing interiors to enhance your new work place.