Eat Better, Eat Green 

Buy locally - It is estimated that the environmental & social costs of transporting food into and around the UK is around £9 billion pounds a year. According to DEFRA, food transportation accounts for 25% of all HGV miles.
help reduce this by buying local, check out the farmers markets, the local farm shop & search for a box scheme (visit The Ecologist

Rediscover the seasons - get yourself a fruit & veg calendar and stick to it. You will notice a difference in taste & quality.

Grow your own - Start your own 'Good Life' Growing your own veg is now coming back. Why not dedicate part of your garden to a veg patch?

B & Q start selling do it your self wind turbines! 

B & Q have started selling DIY wind turbines for £1498

The Windsave wind turbine delivers up to 1KW of supplementary energy synchronised and adjusted to supply directly into your household power circuits, using Windsaves unique technology the appliances in the house will absorb all the energy from the turbine before using grid voltage.

This will contribute to the average home a saving of approximately 30% (based on average wind speeds and suitable locations) of the average electricity bill whilst reducing the household CO2 emissions

Other Information
AC Input (Mains): 230 Volts (nominal) ac, @ 50Hz
Power Input (Mains): 6 Watt (Power consumption of the Plug n Save %u2122 unit in "standby" mode)
Rated Power Output: 1kW @ rated wind speed
Rated Wind Speed: 12.5m/s
Cut-in Wind Speed: 3.5 to 5 m/s @ hub height
Cut-out Wind Speed: 14 m/s@ hub height
Reference Extreme Wind Speed: 35 m/s @ hub height
Wind speed figures assume a steady value, as gusts to this figures will not always provide maximum output
Operating Temperature Range, Generator: - 15C through + 40C at altitudes < 1000m above sea level
Weight Generator System: 25kgs excluding support pole and brackets
Weight, Plug n Save %u2122: 11kgs
Dimensions - Generator Assembly: 320mm long x 150mm wide x 110mm deep support shaft
Swept Area, Blade Assembly: 2.4m sq
Swept Diameter: Blade Assembly: 1.75m
Dimensions: Plug n Save %u2122: 535mm long x 315mm wide: 130mm deep
Noise, Generator System: 52 dBA 5m behind turbine @ 7m/s gusting
Noise, Generator System: 33 dBA 5m behind turbine @ 5m/s gusting
Operating Speed Range of Blades: 100 - 900 rpm (useful power output range)
Expected Safe Life: 10 years (depended upon actual conditions the system has been subjected to)
This system is CE marked and conforms to all BS and EN legislation
This product is not available for self install, you will be contacted on purchase of this item regarding installation
Values are nominal only as slight variations will be present from unit to unit
General references above relate to BS EN 61400 part 2
Design and specification are subject to change without notice

The price is fully inclusive of installation including pre-installation survey.

5 Easy changes 

That really make a difference

1) Buy Local - Buy local produce & products whenever & wherever possible.
If there is a local box scheme sign up for it the produce is usually amazing value and 10 times better then the supermarket - To find a scheme visit The Ecologist

2) Go on holiday in the UK - A lot of people miss out every year because they have been programmed to think a holiday = going abroad. There are many beautiful places to go in the UK to find a few go to www.organicholidays.com & http://www.holidayuk.co.uk or buy (or borrow from the library) the BBC book Coast for some information

3) Sign up for green electricity - http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/ is a good place to start.

4) Put less rubbish in your bin

5) Choose the most fuel efficiant car as possible - This doesn't mean you have to spend £20000 on a hybrid - for examle the VW Lupo has reasonably green credentials - If however you are thinking about a new car & like the idea of a hybrid find out more about my Prius here Synergy Drive Lens

Thinking about installing renewable energy? Get a grant to help! 

Low carbon buildings programme

The DTI's Low carbon buildings programme provides grants for microgeneration technologies for householders, community organisations, schools, the public sector and businesses. The progarmme is managed by the Energy Saving Trust.

Launched on 1 April 2006, the programme will run over three years and replaces DTI's Clear Skies and Solar PV programmes, which closed for applications on the 31 March 2006. The programme is UK-wide (apart from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and will demonstrate how energy efficiency and microgeneration will work hand in hand to create low carbon buildings.

There will be two streams of grants available:

* Stream 1 - these grants apply to smaller projects for home owners and community groups among others.
* Stream 2 - these grants apply to medium and large scale microgeneration projects and will available to public, not for profit and commercial organisations. Stream 2 grants will be launched later this year.

The technologies covered by the Low carbon buildings programme are listed below:

* Solar photovoltaics.
* Wind turbines.
* Small hydro.
* Solar thermal hot water.
* Ground source heat pumps.
* Water/air source heat pumps.
* Bio-energy.
* Renewable CHP.
* MicroCHP (Combined heat and power).
* Fuel cells.

Find out more
Visit the Low carbon buildings programme website for more information.

Found a great site about hybrid cars and their mileage 

www.greenhybrid.com

GreenHybrid.com was founded by Toyota Prius owner Jason Siegel. He started the site to reach out to other enthusiastic owners and give them a way to track and compare notes on their fuel efficiency. Traffic quickly took off with the growth in hybrid owners, who by now have contributed more than 42,000 posts on 5,000 different discussion topics.

"No one is more informed and passionate about hybrid technology than hybrid car owners," said Siegel. "GreenHybrid.com provides a means for enthusiasts to share their knowledge with the community and other interested consumers."

www.greenhybrid.com

Majority back recycling fines 

From The Telegraph - www.telegrapgh.co.uk

A majority of people think householders should be fined if they do not recycle their rubbish, a survey has revealed.

rubbish
Rubbish sits on the side of the road wating to be collected

Fifty-eight per cent of those questioned called for fines and 66 per cent thought all of their household waste, including their recycle bins, should be picked up every week.

They did not, however, think that they should bear the cost of this service: 59 per cent of those quizzed felt they should not have to pay councils for having their waste collected.

The survey, commissioned by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB), found that a majority of those who supported instituting fines thought up to £50 was acceptable.

Paul Sanderson, editor of Materials Recycling Week, which commissioned the survey, warned that people could face charges for waste collection in the future, noting that it is already common in Europe.

He said: "Compulsory recycling is spreading across London boroughs and will probably move outside of the capital eventually."

The survey comes after the Institute for Public Policy Research, the independent think-tank, called for"pay as you throw" charges last month.

BMRB interviewed 965 adults between August 11-13.

From The Telegraph - www.telegrapgh.co.uk

The Prius has landed! 

At last my Toyota Prius has arrived!

Visit my other Squidoo Lens to find out all about the Prius, my experience with it, how I got money off and free stuff thrown in and lots more.

www.squidoo.com/synergydrive

The Average UK Office 

In the average UK office

* each person uses approximately 10,000 sheets of paper per year
* that is enough paper to stretch nearly 2,000 miles
* that is a pile of paper 500 metres high (as high as four times the London Eye);
*
o for each tonne of paper recycled we can save 1,500 litres of water;
o for each tonne of paper recycled we can save 4,200 KWh of electricity;
o this is enough electricity to power a large house in the UK for a year;
* once paper is landfilled it takes over 50 years to decompose;
* one piece of office grade paper can be recycled seven times;
* to supply the UK's paper consumption, a forest the size of Wales is required each year

Plastic

* It takes about 25 recycled soft drink bottles to make one fleece jacket.
* In Britain we use about 275,000 tonnes of plastic bottles in our home / work every year. We use 15 million bottles everyday.
* One tonne of plastics is equivalent to 20,000 two litre drink bottles or 120,000 carrier bags.
* Plastic consumption is growing about 4 per cent every year in Western Europe.

Aluminium

* Every year 34,000 tonnes of foil and 50,000,000,000 aluminium cans are used in the UK.
* Recycling just 1 aluminium can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours or a 100watt light bulb for 20 minutes.
* Recycling 1 kg of aluminium saves 8 kgs of bauxite (Aluminium ore), 4 kgs of chemical products and 14 kilowatts of electricity.
* If all the aluminium cans in the UK were recycled there would be 12 million fewer full dustbins each year.

Toner Cartridges

*
In 1999 over 7 million toner print cartridges were consumed in the UK. Three-quarters of these were thrown away.

Visit the BBC's The Green Room 

A series of thought-provoking environmental opinion pieces

The BBC have a whole section of their news site dedicated to green issues The Green Room"

Issues covered include:

Water abuse is costing the earth

Lighting is still in the Dark Ages

Clean coal can plug energy gap

Welcome Homer the tree-hugger

Forgotten front in war on waste

Share a car and save the planet

Conservation goes back to roots

The illness in Planet Earth

Lost connection to animate Earth

'Business can save the planet'

Real changes need real incentives

Contract to end environment evils

Eco-Vas Making cars more sensitive to the environment 

Eco thinking at the product planning stage
Eco-VAS utilizes a widely adapted methodology called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It functions as a framework for analysis of environmental impact. Eco-VAS takes LCA to the next level: from just analysis to actual design changes in a vehicle's development. This enables Toyota engineers to improve environmental performance while a product takes shape from drawing board to assembly line.

Toyota product engineers set and implement targets for vehicles in the following six critical dimensions:

* Fuel efficiency
* Exhaust emissions
* External vehicle noise
* Reduction of environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of vehicle use
* Improved recyclability
* Reduction of use of substances of concern, such as toxic metals

All the necessary data are available online, and the chief engineer can access the information and carry out the evaluation at a personal terminal.

Below are some of the areas of measurement:

Vehicle production stage

* Reduce substances of concern, such as lead and hexavalent chromium
* Minimize use of energy in production
* Manufacture some parts from "eco plastics," which are derived from agricultural products, not fossil fuels

Driving stage

* Improve fuel efficiency
* Operate quieter on the road
* Produce fewer exhaust emissions
o Greenhouse gas
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
o Smog components
NOx -- Oxides of nitrogen, a smog component
SOx -- Sulfur oxides
PM -- Particulate matter
* Reduce impact of batteries, tires, oil, and parts used in maintenance

Recycling and disposal

* Collect and reuse recyclable materials
* Make dismantling easier
* Prevent harmful waste from being generated during vehicle disposal

Hybrid vehicles score points
Eco-VAS studies of Toyota hybrid vehicles confirm what most would expect: the total environmental impact is lower than conventional vehicles. For instance, Prius has an Eco-VAS lifetime CO2 index 35 percent lower than a gasoline-powered vehicle.

A holistic view of continual improvement
Eco-VAS is in harmony with Toyota's concept of Kaizen -- continual improvement, new thinking, and openness to change. Toyota engineers are challenged to incrementally reduce the environmental impact of their products year after year.

A beginners guide to making a difference 

From the WWF

A beginners guide to making a difference: Thanks to the WWF

Choose fresh produce carefully
Buy organic produce. The cultivation of non-organic produce involves the use of damaging chemicals such as pesticides, which can pollute waterways and the rest of the environment

Buy fruit and vegetables that are in season to help reduce enormous transport costs resulting from importing produce and, where possible, choose locally produced food

Replace one meat meal per week with a vegetarian option. Land used for beans and vegetables produces 10 times as much protein as land used for raising beef

Reduce waste and pollution, save energy
Choose energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs

Don't buy products with excessive amounts of packaging and, where possible, choose products with re-useable containers

Buy pump-action sprays rather than aerosols - even alternatives to CFCs can contribute to greenhouse gases

Buy recycled or recyclable products such as toilet tissue and stationery

If you are going to the supermarket by car, take a friend with you - one car journey is better than two

Take your own bag or re-use plastic carriers when shopping

Buy in bulk wherever possible - it saves packaging and money

Send e-cards, if you can, rather than buy paper cards

The Green Apple 

ethical shopping at it's most stylish

The Green Apple is for like-minded individuals who care about what they buy. They provide stylish and unique products that have been made without exploiting people, animals or the environment.

It's really that simple - they don't sell products made in sweatshops or using child labour (they should be playing with toys, not making them) and we don't sell toiletries that have their ingredients or end results tested on animals. They do sell products that are considerably less damaging to the environment - organic cotton for example; did you know that, on average, 17 tsps of toxic chemicals will have been used to grow enough cotton just to make one shirt? That shirt will then be dipped in formaldehyde to remove the creases%u2026 and it wasn't for a Damien Hirst art exhibition.

Overall they want to prove that having a conscience and caring about what you buy doesn't mean you have to look like an ageing hippie still dreaming about Woodstock (but if you are, that's still cool with them!)

They hope every little does help as 1% of our pre-tax profit is going to charity. This quarter's charity is Tusk Trust. Tusk Trust promotes the conservation of African wildlife and the protection of endangered species. It is committed to improving environmental education, establishing valuable rural community development programmes, encouraging the rehabilitation of habitats and promoting responsible eco-tourism.

visit the green apple here

Recycle your clothes 

Textiles
Unwanted clothes can be put to many uses as they are items that can be re-used before being recycled.
Outmoded or outgrown items are welcomed by other people, especially in developing countries, where goods of such quality are often too expensive or unavailable.
Clothes are made from many different fibres, originating from many sources. They do not need to be sorted into fibre type before they can be recycled.
Almost every item collected in textile banks will have a useful second life, but it has to be graded and sorted before being put to appropriate use.
Good quality clothing will be sent for use in developing countries, where it is desperately needed.
Slightly worn or damaged garments that cannot be worn again are stripped down to the fibres and made into new clothes, blankets, rugs and even furniture padding.
Damaged and well worn items are cut up and converted for use as industrial wiping cloths. The range of natural materials available often make them far superior to paper equivalents.

Earn a penny a day 

Imagine if you earned a penny a day and doubled it after each day for a month. On the second you would earn 2p a day and so on. And so on. Indeed, if you carried on doing that for a month, you would have earned over a million pounds.

It's funny how little things can add up like that.

We think that in order to make a difference, we need to do big things. We always want to hit that home run. But more often than not it's all those tiny little things that will make the real difference.

A little can sure do plenty.

So tonight turn your television's red standby light off. It's not a big thing. It's more of a small thing.
But as daft as it might sound, it could save a little on emissions.

It might even save you a few pennies on that darn electricity bill.

And oh boy, you know how those pennies can add up.

We could save 150 million a year just by switching off our TV's and Videos.
http://www.wattbusters.com

Surfers Against Sewage Launch their Climate Chaos Campaign 

& some cool t-shirts

Climate change is a serious problem facing us all. Help us make everyone aware by buying this cool (but hopefully not freezing) T-Shirt. PVC and phthalate free printing on olive green 100% organic cotton T-shirt produced without exploitation. The first run of these is slightly wrong, with the print low, as pictured, and more to the left of the shirt, so we are discounting them by £5. We will re-run them correctly in about a month, with the print higher and central.

find out more

BBC's Newsnight Ethical Livivng Experiment 

live as ethical a lifestyle as possible for a whole year...

Justin Rowlatt has agreed to take part in an experiment for the programme - to live as ethical a lifestyle as possible for a whole year...

Follow the adventures of Mr Rowlatt on the Newsnight site here

A Cool Clothing company that push the environment 

Howies give us HOPE

Howies is a clothing company that started in 1995.

They do things differently, and are concerned about the environment and are donating money to grass-root environmental and social projects

our beliefs

A higher quality product will invariably last longer. It will keep on performing as it was designed to for longer before it finally needs replacing. And so over its lifespan it will have consumed less valuable resources than an inferior product that will have been replaced many times.

That's why we make the best quality products that we know how. Because ultimately the best thing we can do for the environment is to make our stuff last a real long time.
Functionality

We believe in making products that serve a purpose and that stand the test of time. We avoid the fashions of the day and just ensure our products are as functional and as simple as possible.
'That which has the greatest use, possesses the greatest beauty'.
Our Purpose

Why are we in business? For us it is not as simple to make a profit. Like any company we require a profit to stay in business. But it is not the reason we are in business. The thing that has not changed from day one is the desire to make people think about the world we live in. This is, and always will be, why we are in business.
Earth Tax

We pledge to give 1% of our turnover or 10% of pre-tax profits (whichever is greater) to grass-root environmental and social projects. To find out more about our donations, please visit the website. It is only a small amount but as our company grows we will be able to give more. Which gives us a nice reason to want to grow.
Fun

We are trying to get the balance right between work and play. Whenever a real nice day comes along, it'd be a shame to waste it. So if you phone up and no-one answers, don't worry. We are out there doing what we love. So leave a message and we'll get back to you in a while.
The rocking chair test

Every product we make has passed the 'rocking chair test'. This is something we use to guide us along the path we are taking. So when we are old and grey and sitting in our rocking chairs, we can look back on the company we created with a smile. That's why we go to the trouble of using the best quality materials to make sure our clothing lasts longer. The longer our products last the less impact they will have on the environment, and the bigger our smile will be.

Visit the Howies site here

More about recycling 

Paper and Cardboard
Paper and cardboard collected from recycling banks and kerbside collection schemes is transported to a recycling mill where it is mixed with water to produce a mixture we call 'pulp'.
It is then de-inked where the ink is literally floated off the paper. Once all the glues, varnishes, staples and bindings have been removed, the pulp is ready to be made into new paper.
More water is added to the clean pulp before it is fed into the paper making machine, where large rollers are used to press it.
It is then heated until completely dry before being wound onto rolls, ready for use.
Glass
Bottle banks are providedusually for 3 different colours of glass. The colours must be kept separate as mixed glass often cannot be recycled.
Once collected in the bottle banks, the glass is transported to a recycling merchant who puts it through several processes to remove any contaminants such as lids, caps, corks, plastic bottles, china and other glassware.
The glass is first crushed and screened. This means the crushed glass is put through a sieve and any large contaminants such as lids can be removed at this stage.
The glass then travels along a conveyor belt where any remaining contaminants are removed by hand.
The colours are processed one at a time. If the colours are mixed the grade of recycled glass is reduced and useful applications are limited.
It is then cleaned and fed into a furnace where it turns into molten glass and can then be used to create new products.
The glass can be blown into bottles and jars, turned into a material used in road maintenance or used as an alternative to gravel in ornamental gardens.

Links to green stuff 

Freewheelers

Freewheelers Home - The Free International Lift Sharing Website. Linking drivers and passengers to share the cost of travel. Saves you money, helps other people and reduces pollution. Hook up with people travelling to work, festivals, gigs and sporting events. Be environmentally friendly.

- allthingsgreen.net - the organic marketplace

- allthingsgreen.net - the organic marketplace organic health, organic clothing, recycled craft paper, hemp clothing, green books, organic cakes, green greeting cards, hemp products, recycled handbags, hemp bags, recycled stationery, eco fashion

Solio - Portable Hybrid Solar Power Charger

Explore SolioWhat is Solio
Environmental Benefits
"How can I do my part to help the planet?"

Charge from the sun as much as possible. It's free, and it helps the environment.

Wall chargers consume electricity even if no device is attached. Please ensure that you disconnect them when not in use.

Charge as many mobile devices as possible with your Solio.

Charging outdoors in direct sunlight will give you better performance. Alternatively, leave Solio attached to a sunny window for future need.

Find out more at www.solio.com

Recycle now - Home Composting

Home Composting.
Buy the bin that makes your garden more beautiful

ree-store

Reestore take everyday waste objects and cheekily turn them into charming yet functional pieces of furniture & axxessories

More Hip Than Hippie

Dori and Val tell you everything you wanted to know about living a green lifestyle that is more hip than hippie. It's upbeat, informative, and at times rather funny. (Yes, we shave).

Handbags - Ecoist Accessories

Founded in 2004, Ecoist develops fashion accessories for the eco-minded consumer.

Our objective is to merge design with environmental and social awareness in order to provide an array of accessories to the style-conscious consumers that care about the world around them. All our products are made from recycled, organic, and earth-friendly materials.

It is our quest to spread the message of sustainability, and it is our vision that every consumer will become an "Ecoist", an individual that seeks a modern, eco-minded lifestyle.

Elegant wind power

An elegant vertical-axis wind turbine, quietrevolution has been designed and developed by XCO2, an established low-carbon energy consultancy and engineering practice.

Nigel's Eco Store - Enviromentally friendly products for home and office

Hi, I'm Nigel Welcome to my store - we sell eco-friendly stuff that you'll love... stuff

Remarkable Pencils Ltd - UK Recycled Promotional Pens

UK Recycled Promotional Products from Remarkable Pencils Ltd. We manufacture a range of environmentally friendly stationary and promotional gifts made from recycled paper and recycled plastic.

Green & Black's

Green & Black's make award winning quality organic chocolate combining the highest environmental and ethical standards. Their delicious range of organic chocolate products includes chocolate bars, hot chocolate, cocoa, ice-cream, chocolate covered almonds and hazelnut chocolate spread amoung man

Sustrans

Sustrans is a charity which works on practical projects to help reduce motor traffic, including the national Cycle Network and Safe Routes to Schools

FSC: Forest Stewardship Council

WHAT
IS FSC?
About FSC Governance Accreditation Policy & Standards FSC's Case Studies Document Center Contact FSC FSC is an international not-for-profit membership-based organization
that brings people together to find solutions to the problems created

Naturesave Policies Ltd. | Ethical insurance which protects you and your environment

Naturesave Policies Limited - the ethical insurance company which protects you and your environment. We are based in Totnes, Devon, England.

ETA : Welcome to the ETA

Why the ETA?
We are the only
motoring organisation
to campaign for a
sustainable transport
system
98% of members would recommend us to their friends

greentomatocars.com - the right way to go

London's environmentally friendly private hire service. By using the greenest car around, greentomatocars ensure you do the least damage to the environment when getting from A to B

Manufacturers and distributors of 100% recycled machine made and handmade paper. UK's sole distributors of both Ellie Poo and Ellie Eats range of 100% recycled papers.

Manufacturers and distributors of 100% recycled machine made and handmade paper. UK's sole distributors of both Ellie Poo and Ellie Eats range of 100% recycled papers.

design: e2

With each passing hour in the United States, 365 acres of wilderness, countryside, farmland and native habitat disappear under the foundations of new houses. Every development creates a new group of people addicted to cars that pollute, lawns that suck water and air that requires conditioning. The building of shelter consumes one-sixth of the world's fresh water supply, one-fourth of its wood harvest, two-fifths of its fossil fuels and manufactured materials and one-half its waste stream. Sustainable architecture is a direct response to the need to change the relationship between buildings and the environment.

EDF Energy - Green Energy

Green energy

Chevron - Will You Join Us - Home

Discussion of energy issues

Grand Designs

Grand Designs from Channel4.com/4Homes

CleanMPG

This discussion forum is dedicated to increasing fuel economy, mileage ( MPG ), and lowering emissions of whatever automobile you own and drive.

Disposable nappies or reusables. What does the Environment Agency Say? 

Does it make any difference to our environment?

If you're confused about which type of nappy you should use to to avoid damaging the environment, you're not alone.

Makers of both disposable and reusable nappies claim their products are better for the environment. We commissioned a comprehensive, independent study to establish the true environmental impacts of using disposable and reusable nappies.

What does it show?

We compared using disposable nappies, washing reusables at home and using a laundry service. To make the comparison fair we examined all the impacts while a child was wearing nappies. We found that there was little or no difference between the different types of nappy.

The most significant environmental impacts for the three uses of nappies were using up resources such as fossil fuels for electricity, acid rain, and global warming. These impacts happen at different points during a nappy's use.

* for disposable nappies, the main impacts relate to manufacturing including raw material production and waste management
* for home use reusables and commercial laundering, the main source of environmental impact is from generating the electricity used in washing and drying

What does the Environment Agency recommend?

We believe that people should be free to choose whatever nappy suits them.

Neither type of nappy is better or worse for the environment. Our study showed that there are many reasons why people choose one sort of nappy over another. These include:

1. cost (including pins, cream, overpants etc.)
2. health and welfare (does the nappy protect my child adequately from discomfort, for example, nappy rash)
3. ease of use (how easy is it to change?)
4. performance (do they stay up, do they leak?)
5. convenience (how much time can I spend on this activity?)
6. the environment (am I harming the environment?)

What can you do?

If you use reusables :

* only flush liners containing bowel movements
* use low temperature detergents
* buy more nappies initially and wash full loads
* don't use fabric softener
* look at the label and try washing at a lower temperature
* air dry rather than tumble dry where possible
* purchase electricity on a green tariff

What about businesses?

We also want disposable manufacturers to:

* look at the use of recycled paper in the manufacturing process
* use renewable or non-fossil electricity in the production process
* ensure sustainable sources of pulp (from managed forests in Europe and North

Things you can recycle and what happens to them 

Fluorescent tubes
Fluorescent tubes can be recycled - there is a facility in Manchester run by Mercury Recycling Limited.
At the facility the various components - glass, metal and mercury - are separated and recovered for re-use.
The recovered glass, aluminium and ferrous materials are dispatched to other companies for use as raw material or for further processing.
For more information on how fluorescent tubes are recycled, please visit the Mercury Recycling Limited website

Garden waste
Composting is the process of recycling kitchen and garden waste, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, grass cuttings and prunings, which would otherwise be disposed of to landfill.
It is a natural process of decomposition caused by organisms and creatures, such as bacteria and worms, which turns this waste into a nutrient rich and peat-free material which can be used to feed and condition the soil.
The end product 'Nature Mix' is an organic peat free compost soil improver.

Metal
Metal for recycling can be identified as two types: ferrous metal such as iron and steel and non-ferrous metal such as aluminium.
You can tell the difference by using a magnet, ferrous metal is magnetic.
Most can banks accept all types of can which are usually separated at the recycling plant by magnetic extraction.
A few banks may specify a certain material and ask for drink cans or aluminium cans only.
Recycling aluminium is a simple re-melt process. Labels are removed from tins during the melting process.
Scrap metal products are processed at shredding plants until they are reduced to fist-sized fragments of metal.
These fragments are then used as high quality furnace feed for melting new steel.
This recycling process produces valuable energy savings, both in the melting process and in reducing the amount of raw materials needed.

Paint
Many of us have left over paint from decorating projects sitting in cupboards or sheds in our homes.
Some council household waste recycling centres accept unwanted paint and it can be re-used through the Re>Paint Scheme.
The paint is collected by a local community group and sorted ready for distribution to voluntary organisations, community groups, charities and those in social need.
The paint is often used to decorate elderly people's homes, maintain village halls, brighten-up youth clubs, decorate charity offices etc.

Get out of your car & on your bike 

Go Green get on 2 wheels instead of four

Cycling is a great way to be environmentally freindly and get fit in the process.

Here are some great lenses to get you started.

Bicycle Design - James Thomas

Bicycle Commuting - James Thomas

Beginner Cycling Tips by SportStartUp .com

Green Writings 

Books that help us think greener

As suggested by Cole, who posted a question below. I am starting to add books that help us to think in a more sustainable way.

I will add a new book each week. I'm starting off with a book about unique and culturally authentic travel experiences that protect and preserve the ecological and cultural environment.

The book in question is Code Green

This book, Code Green - Experiences of a Lifetime by Kerry Lorimer from Lonely Planet publishers illustrates the point well. Kerry Lorimer, who has sailed the Atlantic and hitchhiked through Africa in her travels around the world, offers a wide range of ideas for the conscientious traveller with an aim to contribute to a new kind of travel culture.

For those of us who need the space and time to be grounded and to make a connection either with a stunning landscape or a totally different culture but want to do it in as a sustainable way as possible - this is the book is a great place to begin your travel research.

Hybrids help boost Toyota profits 

From the BBC News Website

Continued demand for cars such as the Prius hybrid have helped Toyota to healthy quarterly profits.

Toyota said operating profit rose 14% in the October to December period, as a weaker yen boosted overseas earnings.

The firm, Japan's biggest carmaker, is seeing strong demand for its hybrids, which use petrol and electric power.

Toyota, which this year may surpass General Motors as the world's biggest carmaker, recorded an operating profit of 482.21bn yen ($4.05bn; £2.3bn).

US roll-outs

Toyota hopes to see worldwide Prius sales of one million a year by 2010. Demand for hybrids looks set to increase in coming years as they address global environmental and energy supply problems.

Meanwhile, Toyota's cost-cutting has enabled it to embark on capital spending on new and bigger manufacturing plants across the globe.

New models such as the Camry and Lexus LS sedans are to be rolled out in the US market soon, as Toyota looks to build a record number of vehicles in 2006.

View the whole story here

Apple Mac the coolest, fastest, greatest and now GREENEST computer in the world. 

Apple go green

I have been a fan, user, and evangelist of apple computers for the past 7 years. Having owned 3 powerbooks, a G4 and an ibook in this time. That is already a lot old computers, plastic, electronics and other stuff. Thankfully I was able to sell on the items that I no longer required which fits the reuse part of being green.

Apple have now made it clear where they stand with the environment and what they are doing to reduce the impact that they have on the planet.

Visit http://www.apple.com/environment/for more info.

Here is an extract from their site:

Apple and the Global Environment

Apple takes pride in its history of innovation and thoughtful design. But technological leadership goes beyond what's in the box. How we impact the environment is also important to us, and environmental considerations are an integral part of Apple's business practices. From the earliest stages of product design through manufacturing, use, and recycling, we take care to keep our activities and our products environmentally sound.

Four areas of particular attention are product and packaging design, responsible manufacturing, energy efficiency, and recycling. Each aspect of the design cycle provides significant challenges, yet our efforts in these areas have resulted in some impressive results.

TESCO LAUNCHES GREEN CLUBCARD POINTS TO CUT CARRIER BAG USE 

Ikea join the Plastic Bag Revolution 

Whilst shopping at IKEA I noticed a large poster stating that they were now charging 5p for each plastic bag that was used. The poster said that it was to help save the planet. The cynical side of my personality thought that IKEA was just doing this to make money.

So when I returned home I checked out their environmental policy on their website:

On the 5th of June, IKEA UK will make a pledge to reduce plastic bag usage from 32 million per year to 12 million per year. We will achieve this by encouraging our customers to refrain from using plastic bags by charging 5p per bag. We will reduce the price of the Blue bag to 25p to encourage customers to switch to a re-useable bag. IKEA will not make any profits from this. The profits will be donated to local community forests.

A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP
England's Community Forests is a national initiative to revitalise and expand the network of trees, woodlands and green space in and around some of our major towns and cities for work, wildlife, education and recreation.

The first Community Forests were established in 1990 as a partnership between The Countryside Agency (soon to become part of a new agency called Natural England), the Forestry Commission and the local authorities covering the Forest area.

There are now twelve Community Forests across England, each directed by a Local Forest Partnership and delivered by a dedicated Forest Team. Each Forest works to a long-term Forest Plan, developing a wide range of environmental and community projects to create more attractive and sustainable places to live and enhance the quality of life of local communities.

For more information, visit the Community Forest website - www.communityforest.org.uk

Visit this great lens by Melissa Mansfield about plastic bags 

Whilst browsing Squidoo I came across this wonderful lens by Melissa Mansfield

Here is an extract:

The billions of plastic bags we use every year are harming the environment. Take a look at these facts, courtesy of EarthResource.org and ReusableBags.com, on the environmental impact of plastic bags.

* Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.
* According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.
* According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion.)
* Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade-breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest.
* Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.
* Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation.
* Four out of five grocery bags in the US are now plastic.
* The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store.
* Plastic bags are light and hard to contain. Because of their light weight, plastic bags fly easily in wind, float along readily in the currents of rivers and oceans, get tangled up in trees, fences, poles, and so forth, and block the drainage.
* Plastic bags are made from a non-renewable natural resource: petroleum. Consequently, the manufacturing of plastic bags contributes to the diminishing availability of our natural resources and the damage to the environment from the extraction of petroleum.

Visit http://www.squidoo.com/plasticbags/

Visit my 'Travels with my Prius' Lens 

I've just started a lens that covers everything I know & experience with my 2006 Toyota Prius.

This lens includes the process I went through to buy the Prius and how I got £3000 off the showroom price, details of the car and what it can & can't do from a users point of view.

Pay it a visit here Travels With My Prius - www.squidoo.com/synergydrive

Greenpeace take on the 4x4 

Found this on the Greenpeace website - food for thought?

Many off road cars use around 300% more fuel and pump out 300% more pollution than ordinary passenger cars. Some of them pump out two or three times their own body weight in carbon dioxide every year.

In an accident, many 4x4s are three times more likely than ordinary passenger cars to kill a pedestrian. They are twice as likely to cause severe traumatic brain and abdominal injuries and 50% more likely to kill the passenger of another vehicle.

4x4s are among the worst offenders in the road transport sector - the sector responsible for almost a quarter of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. According to The Independent, one in seven cars sold in London is now a 4x4. Most of their drivers will never use the all-terrain features that make the cars so criminally irresponsible.

Climate change already kills 150,000 people every year; parents who drive 4x4s for the "safety" of their children are contributing to the likelihood that those children will face a dire global emergency while they are in their twenties.

For more facts about 4x4s, read Offroad cars, onroad menace by Dr Peter Wells at Cardiff Business School's Centre for Automotive Industry Research.

Visit greenpeace to find out more

There's no going back 

The gas guzzling Audi has now been sold!

The day has finally come and I have sold my Audi A6. What a stunning car it is and what a joy it has been to own and drive.

Unfortunately the economical and environmental side of the A6 hasn't been great hence the start of my journey to a greener life and my purchase of a Toyota Prius (Only 1 month to go until it arrives!).

The Audi has been so comfortable, stylish and powerful with it's 2.4 litre v6 engine this car could go. Obviously though the power and engine size is the cause of the poor environmental credentials of the car.

So this is my homage to a great car and a very enjoyable time owning it. If Audi were making the same progress as Toyota & Honda are it wouldn't have been that easy to choose the Prius!

BP - Alternative Energy 

By 2030 electricity consumption is predicted to almost double. As demand grows so will carbon emissions.

BP are acting now to try and rectify the situation.

BP Alternative Energy, which launched in 2005, consolidates all of our low-carbon activities in the power sector. They believe that solar, wind, hydrogen power and gas-fired power technologies have reached the tipping point and that we can create a profitable, high-growth, global business in the course of the next decade.

Visit the BP site here

Green Grand Designs 

Thinking of self building - then check out Grand Designs

I'm not a big TV watcher but there are a couple of programs that I can't miss and right at the top of the list is Grand Designs. This is an intelligent program presented by the marvelous Kevin McCloud.

The programme isn't focused on Green Buildings but a theme to the programmes and in particular to the accompanying website is sustainability.

On the Channel 4 Grand Designs website there is a section devoted to Eco Homes and many of the homes featured have a section asking How Green?

There are some great pictures, design features, ideas and resources for any house builder on this site. I recommend that even if you are not self building that you visit these wonderful homes there's bound to be something that you can learn that will help us all on our journey's to greener lives




In this feature...



Gallery of the build A visual breakdown of the detail
in the Suffolk eco-house
Gallery.



Budget & build How much did it cost?

Light Bulbs Really Do Make A Difference 

One reason to swap incandescent bulbs to CFLs

If you replaced one incandescent light bulb with a Compact Florescent lamp you save over 500 ponds of coal and over 1/2 a ton of CO2 emissions.

Imagine the saving & the effect that you could have on the environment if you changed every light bulb in your home.

Why not take it further and persuade your families and friends to start to make a difference and get them to replace their incandescent bulbs with CFLs when the incandescent blow.

It shouldn't be that difficult when you look at the facts:

CFL's can last up to 12 Years
CFL's use less electricity and therefore reduce your electricity bills
A 25-watt CFL is as bright as a 100 watt incandescent bulb

The amount of CO2 that could be saved if we all used CFLs could reduce the effect of global warming.

Yes CFLs are more expensive to buy than incandescent bulbs, but this expense is quickly made back when you consider how much less electricity they will use and how much longer they last.

As a sideline I brought all of our CFLs from Sainsbury's when they were buy one get one free


Find out more about CFLs here

Will you join us? 

Is this an Oil Company?

I was reading a magazine and came across an advert from Chevron that stated -

"A 5% reduction in global energy use would be enough to power Australia, mexico, and the entire UK.

What are we waiting for?"

You can see the full add here

This ad did it's job and caught my attention so I visited the "Will You Join Us" site.

The surprising thing is that Chevron are at the forefront of pushing the discussion about our reliance on oil.

Just visit their will you join us site and as soon as you get on the home page there is a counter that counts up the number of barrels of oil consumed worldwide during your visit.

I was on their site for about 30 minutes and consumption was a shocking 3994555 barrels!

Find it at http://willyoujoinus.com/

Water shortage 

By Imogen Foulkes

Rich countries face increasing water shortages, a report by conservation organisation WWF warns.

A combination of climate change and poor resource management is leading to water shortages in even the most developed countries, it says.

It urges water conservation on a global scale and asks rich states to set an example by repairing ageing water infrastructure and tackling pollution.

The report was released in Geneva just ahead of World Water Week.

The WWF says economic wealth does not automatically mean plenty of water.

Its report reveals that some of the world's wealthiest cities - such as Houston or Sydney - are using more water than can be replenished.

In London leaks from ageing water mains are wasting 300 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water every single day, the WWF says.

Meanwhile southern Europe is becoming drier as a result of climate change and further north Alpine glaciers - a significant source of water - are shrinking.

What are you doing to reduce water consumption?

EDF Green Energy Tarrif 

Go Green & reduce your electric bill & collect nector points all at the same time

I recently changed my electric supply from Powergen to EDF energy.

The main reason was the saving - according to the Uswitch website I could save £187 a year! The other great thing about EDF is that they offer a Green Energy package.

You also get nector points for every pound that you spend!

This package is described below:

* EDF Energy pledges to match the electricity you use with the equivalent amount of electricity from renewable sources; wind, landfill gas and small scale hydro.
* You will receive an energy efficiency pack including:
o a free home energy survey,
o information on energy efficiency grants,
o energy efficiency advice,
o two low energy light bulbs, which could save you £18 a year on your electricity bill.

How the Green Tariff works:

* As a Green Tariff customer you will pay an extra 0.42 pence per unit (inc. VAT) or £13.86 per year (inc. VAT)*.
* This money is matched by EDF Energy and is paid into the Green Energy Fund.
* The Green Energy Fund will be used to invest in the installation of renewable generation for community based and educational projects; such as solar panels for a school roof.
* We pay all administration costs, so every penny you pay goes to support renewable energy projects.

Vist EDF for more info

Solar panel road in Scotland 

I read this story on Channel4.com

A road in Wester Ross, Scotland, has been fitted with integral solar panels.

The Road Energy System, developed by an Ullapool company, traps heat, which then warms up water piped under the road that can even be used for local domestic heating. It also helps to prevent ice formation on the road in the winter - and cold water can be piped through in the summer to cool the road down and prevent damage to its surface.

The technique, pioneered in the Netherlands, was developed by Invisible Heating Systems Ltd after they noted that sheep in the Highlands often warmed themselves by lying on roads. Large expanses of tarmac easily absorb heat from the sun.

Arkadin Climate Care Day 

Came across this from Arkadin

Helping you help the environment?

Arkadin is encouraging customers to host their own 'ArkadinClimateCare Day'. The idea is simple, on one nominated day - chosen by the client, each customer internally promotes the notion of making conference calls in place of travelling on business. Less travel means less pollution and as a result the environment benefits. Businesses will not only save money on reduced travel expenses, but for every customer which participates, Arkadin will donate all billed revenue, from the customers nominated ArkadinClimateCareDay, to the charity 'Trees for Cities' www.treesforcities.org. Their aim is to tackle global warming, create social cohesion and beautify our cities through tree planting, community, education and training initiatives in urban areas of greatest need.

How will this benefit the environment?
Trees, like all plants, sequester (absorb and store) atmospheric carbon as part of the process of photosynthesis, which enables them to grow. Through this process, carbon dioxide is converted into stored carbon, and this is why trees are sometimes referred to as 'carbon sinks'. By taking this carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, trees clean the air, reduce temperatures and counteract pollutants.

Find out more from Arkadin

The Green directory 

Welcome to the Green Directory, the UK's premier green resource. Published bi-annually as a book version and also online, the Green Directory offers a unique blend of people, organisations, and businesses involved in the green sectors.

The new Bi-annual Green Directory 2006-08 is now published and can be ordered here.

The Green Directory is the UK's most comprehensive guide to green living.

In the past, one of the main problems with 'environment' style directories was that no single directory existed that covered the whole environment sector - most instead targeting just one particular niche sector. We have tried to change this with the Green Directory.

Produced by the same team that publish The Environment Post, the Green Directory aims to disseminate information about the environmental sector in the UK for consumer, professional and business users. Although there are other similar directories available, the Green Directory is the only national reference directory to compile contacts and information for every sector of the green profession.

As well as being the UK's only national directory it is the only directory to also include Regional listings - helping you to find organisations close to home.

The Green Directory 06/08 contains listings for Organic Food Shops to Green Recruitment Agencies, Local Authorities to Solar Power, Green Shoes to Environmental Consultancies and much, much more!

get it at All Things Green for only £19.99

Green Levi's 

I caught this article on cs wire

Levi's Brand Launches 100% Organic Cotton Jeans; Denim Leader to Offer Organic Options in its Most Popular Styles for Fall 2006

(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 5, 2006--The Levi's(R) brand today announced it will include jeans made with 100% organic cotton in its fall 2006 product line. Organic cotton will be used in select new and popular men's and women's styles within its Red Tab and recently launched Levi's(R) Capital E(TM) lines. The jeans will be identified as "Levi's(R) Eco" and be available in November 2006 exclusively at Levi's(R) U.S. stores with additional products to be introduced in spring 2007.

"As the inventor of the jeans category, it is critical for us to continue to innovate with our products and within the category itself in order to drive positive change," said Robert Hanson, Levi's(R) U.S. brand president. Building off the brand's world-famous product guarantee, Quality Never Goes Out of Style, Hanson added, "Given our history as a leader in responsible manufacturing and business practices, this initiative is about quality and responsibility never going out of style. With Levi's(R) Eco, consumers who seek to minimize their personal impact on the environment can choose jeans that demand less from the environment without forfeiting the style or quality they've come to expect from the Levi's(R) brand."

Famous for style leadership and its product iconography, Levi's(R) jeans made with organic cotton will be available in a range of popular fits and finishes and marked with a few subtle identifiers. Jeans made with all, or a significant percentage of, organic cotton will be signified as "Levi's(R) Eco" and feature an embroidered lowercase "e" inside the front pocket, or at the bottom of the right leg of each jean. A natural colored canvas "Levi's(R)" tab and "Two Horse Patch" made from 100% organic fabric as well as natural colored pocket stitching of the brand's famous arcuate will also indicate the jeans are made from organic cotton. All external packaging will be made from organic fabric or recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink.

Among the styles made with 100% organic cotton are the Red Tab Vintage Straight Jean for men, and the women's Skinny Jean and Skinny Knee Knocker Short. In the brand's super premium line, Levi's(R) Capital E(TM), a selvedge denim Shrink-to-Fit(R) 501(R) Original Jean, and forward fits like the men's Wrapped Skinny Jean and Skinny Slouch jeans, and the women's Twisted Skinny and Twisted

Honda Civic Hybrid 

This new-generation Civic hybrid, built in Japan, shows that Honda is intending to really take on the all-conquering Prius this time around. It's a reasonably practical and spacious family-sized vehicle; it's modern and smart; it's well equipped; and, crucially, it's a good £1,200 or so cheaper, with prices starting from £16,300.

Read the full review here

Visit the honda civic hybrid sitereasonably practical and spacious family-sized vehicle; it's modern and smart; it's well equipped; and, crucially, it's a good £1,200 or so cheaper, with prices starting from £16,300.

Visit the honda site here

Design e2 

The Green Apple

There is this great site called Design e2 that heve released a selection of video podcasts that cover various areas focusing on becoming environmentally conscious.

The podcasts include:

The Green Apple - In this episode you will explore some of Manhattan's most prominant & technologically advanced structures.

Green for all - This episode follows architect & activist Sergio Palleroni as he continues his mission to provide architectorial & design solutions to regions in social & humanitarian crisis

Other podcasts include
From Red to Green
A Deeper Shade of Green
Gray to Green
The Green Machine

Find them at http://www.design-e2.com

Here is what Desin e2 say:

With each passing hour in the United States, 365 acres of wilderness, countryside, farmland and native habitat disappear under the foundations of new houses. Every development creates a new group of people addicted to cars that pollute, lawns that suck water and air that requires conditioning. The building of shelter consumes one-sixth of the world's fresh water supply, one-fourth of its wood harvest, two-fifths of its fossil fuels and manufactured materials and one-half its waste stream. Sustainable architecture is a direct response to the need to change the relationship between buildings and the environment.

Design: e2 (The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious), narrated by Brad Pitt, explores the complex social, political, cultural, environmental and economic issues of sustainable architecture. Traversing the globe, the series chronicles important stories of green architecture as they exist in New York, Chicago, China and into the future. The series is divided into six topical episodes, each a half-hour in length, and airs on PBS in June 2006 (check local listings).

Elephant poo paper 

Yep paper made out of poo!

The Sri Lankan elephant (also known as Elephas maximus maximus) has a very inefficient digestive system whereby almost 45% of it's food intake is passed through as undigested matter. As a result the elephant spends most of it's life eating and therefore has to seek out a continuous and abundant supply of food and water to survive.

Their diet is strictly herbivorous indulging in a variety of grasses, leaves and fruits. Most elephants consume 100 - 150 kilos (220 - 330 pounds) of food and 80 - 160 litres (20 - 40 gallons) of water per day.

From all this, Elephas maximus maximus produces about 1 tonne of waste material per week. So you can see, there is a limitless supply of raw material !!

There are various 'collection' points in the remote areas of Sri Lanka where the villagers deposit the waste material they have collected. The waste material is then taken to be cleansed and purified. This is done by thoroughly washing the material and boiling for a considerable time. It is then dried and is converted into a high concentrate dry paper pulp for exporting to the UK. This is undertaken in collaboration with a paper mill which specialises in the production of handmade and recycled papers, called Frogmore Mill.

The mill is privately owned and is situated between the Grand Union Canel and the River Gade in an area close to Hemel Hempstead. The site contained a waterwheel as early as 1219 for producing flour and later it alternated between making flour and handmade paper according to the needs of the local community.

In 1803, the world's first successful continuous papermaking machine - called the Fourdrinier - was installed at the mill. Its revolutionary design was the dawn of modern paper manufacture and remains today the main process throughout the world.

But time has stood still at the mill. In a world full of giant, fast and highly automated paper machined, some up to 400 yards in length, the machine measures a mere 30 yards from flow box to the reel stand. The ability of the mill to make quality papers and boards relies almost entirely on the craftsmanship of the small team of people who operate the mill.

The mill is in the process of developing their site to enable groups to visit and are actively involved with the schools' curriculum education service.

Find out more at http://www.elliepoopaper.co.uk/

More Dori & Val 

Vote for more hip than hippie at podcast alley

Now I have mentioned the more hip than hippie podcast before in this lens. But I can't help but bring this wonderful podcat to your attention again.

If you do one thing green this week subscribe to the more hip podcast you won't regret it.

Dori & Val will fill your minds with green ideas that lead you to change your ways. This podcast soon becomes a must listen and you will need your weekly fix of the hip ladies.

After catching up with the back catalog of podcasts (over 50 now) I have found that the hip way of living has entered my subconscious, I am now looking at the way I live my life with the eyes of a Dori & Val convert. The podcast & accompanying site are full of great tips, reviews and amazing resources to help us all get greener.

It's informative, fun and full of goodness.

There is also a great forum attached to the podcast find it at Listener Forum

Check out Dori & Val heremore hip than hippie podcast and vote for them at Podcast Alley

Taxi! 

This item is from http://www.springwise.com/eco_sustainability/

The Toyota Prius, the world's most popular hybrid car, emits half as much carbon dioxide as a traditional black cab does. This made it an obvious choice for greentomatocars, an environmentally friendly cab service in London that was launched on 1 March 2006 and was founded by two young ex-City lawyers. Hybrid cars have an electrical engine that takes over from the petrol engine when the car is moving slowly, which eliminates toxic fumes and noise. The company also buys carbon credits to offset unavoidable emissions.

Most green services come at a greater cost to consumers. Not so for greentomatocars. In their words: "A radical change in consumer behaviour is needed if society is to arrest climate change. greentomatocars believes that such change is only achievable if environmental businesses do not charge a premium for their goods and services." For example, a journey from West London to the West End costs GBP 10-11, which is GBP 4 less than than the fare would be in a regular black cab.

Visit greentomatocars here

Join Surfers Against Sewage 

Having been a supportor of Surfers Against Sewage for the past few years I can't recommend enough that you check them out and offer your support

This extract is from the SAS site and sums up what there about:

Sometimes the men in suits need a little reality check; the opportunity to understand how the decisions made in the comfort of their offices affect the people in the water. SAS provide that reality check in a refreshing yet resolute way, and it's all thanks to members' support.

Now, with a plethora of water quality legislation flooding out of Europe, SAS need your support more than ever. If you want to ensure that the people using the water are kept at the centre of the debate, if you care about the quality of the water, the future health of the planet and the health of generations to come, then now is the time to invest in SAS.

why now?

After fourteen years of campaigning, SAS is now part of the core team of decision makers re-writing key water legislation that will affect every inland and coastal recreational water user in the UK. It has taken twelve years for SAS to reach this position and for the European Commission to agree that this piece of legislation, the Bathing Water Directive, does not properly protect recreational water users and should be revised.

If the Directive contains proposed SAS revisions, it will mean that the need for year round protection at sites that are regularly used for surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and dinghy sailing will have been recognised and essential water quality information will be provided to ensure users can make an informed choice before entering the water.

SAS is at a crucial point in this campaign and it is vital that pressure is maintained to ensure water users' needs are recognised by legislators and politicians.

Let SAS represent you. Help shake the cosy world of polluters and politicians and bring decision making back to the people who matter. To the people who have to put their faith in politicians and civil servants, who ultimately fail them, and polluters who show a complete disregard for the health of the planet or its people.

The campaign stems from a solid base of fact and substantiated evidence, creating awareness of the problems and offering viable sustainable solutions.
SAS also do some really great clothes & accessories mostlu made from organic materials

Visit Surfers Against Sewage here

Take part in the larget climate change experiment 

Donate your spare computing power and take part in the world's largest climate experiment

The BBC & OU are organising the world's largest ever climate experiment, and they need your help.
They need thousands of people to help

Trying to predict climate change is hard. There are lots of factors involved - air temperature, sea temperature and cloud cover all play a part - as do dozens of other variables. Therefore, there are a huge number of calculations involved.

One solution is for scientists to use the largest supercomputer they can find. But even the biggest supercomputers are only so good.

We think you can do better.

Using a technique known as distributed computing, we're hoping to harness the power of thousands of PCs around the world. If 10,000 people sign up, we'll be faster than the world's biggest computer. And we're hoping to be even better than that.

More about climate prediction and distributed computing
What do we want you to do?

Use your model as a screensaver, and watch it progress as a detailed spinning globe.

Taking part is easy. All we're asking you to do is download a simple programme, which doubles as a screensaver. Once you've installed it, your computer will take care of the rest. You don't have to send us anything. You don't have to enter any data. In fact - if you decide not set the programme as your screensaver, you probably won't even notice it's there.

However, if you want to, you can follow the progress of your experiment on a 3D spinning globe.
If I'm not doing anything, how am I helping?

The experiment works by making use of your spare processing power. All you have to do is use your computer exactly as you normally would, and the programme will run calculations in the background. When it's done, it will send results back to scientists in Oxford, who will combine everyone's results. The more people who take part, the more complete their predictions about the future climate will be.

Take part in the experiment

BBC Climate Change 

The BBC's in depth guide to climate change

Whilst reading on the BBC news site about the German Governments appalling decision to cut carbon emissions from business by less than 1% by 2012.

When I came across the BBC's guide to climate change BBC Climate Change

There are some great resource, information, and news articles on the BBC site. Highly recommended
reading

Get more for your car insurance 

join the drive for greener motoring

Car insurance is essential but did you know that there are greener insurance companies out there?

Environmental Transport Association (ETA)

Founded in 1990, the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) aims to raise awareness of the impact of excessive car use and help individuals and organisations to make positive changes in their travel habits.

ETA's mission is to be the ethical alternative to other motoring organisations, by providing high quality services to everyone concerned about the impact of transport on the environment; in doing so, we will generate funds for ETA's campaigns.

www.eta.co.uk

NatureSave

Naturesave is an ethical insurance intermediary offering personal and commercial insurance policies.

Naturesave's aim is to encourage the adoption of more environmentally aware trading practices in the business community, by using the insurance industry as a vehicle for sustainable development.

Naturesave provides bespoke policies with competitive premiums, tailored to your individual or business needs. For more information on the policies we provide and our work in encouraging the greater commercial adoption of sustainable development

http://www.naturesave.co.uk

Water Water Everywhere 

check your system for leaks

Average UK families now use over 5000 litres of water a week!

An amazing 16% of this is lost due to leakage. That's 800 litres a week!!

If you have a water meter check & write down the reading before you go to bed and then re-check the reading when you get up. If it shows an increase get your water system checked. www.h2ouse.org

While we're on a water theme make sure your following these water saving tips:

Get a Save-a-Flush device www.stwater.co.uk/saveaflush
The Save-a-Flush is a harmless bag of crystals, which when placed in your toilet cistern will expand & save 1 litre of water evrytime you flush.

Save-a-Flush bags are free to Severn Trent customers, but ask your supplir if you reside in other areas.

Wash dishes in a bowl rather than under a running tap

Only fill the kettle with the amount of water that you need

Water your garden in the cool of the evening or very early morning it helps to reduce evapouration loss

More Green Gardening 

Not to be confused with the heavy, inconvenient 'mowing the lawn is a workout' push mowers of old. Thanks to a new contact free cutting system and excellent build quality these mowers are unlike any you will have ever used, and make mowing a simple pleasure. Truly the 'Rolls-Royce' of hand lawn mowers%u2026 their quiet efficiency brings the peaceful 'purr' back to grass cutting. Whether you choose the 30cm or 38 cm cutting width, your eco mower will undoubtedly rank amongst the best pieces of garden equipment you will ever own! Comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty. A grass collector is also available.

The cutting height is infinitely adjustable between 14mm to 45mm.

At 7.3kg they are easy to push! Do not confuse with any other product in the market place. Using the unique Contact free cutting system the blade misses the bed knife by less than a millimetre. The resultant loss of friction makes pushing easy and offers the further benefit of increasing blade life significantly.

What sets the Brill apart from the rest?

Contact Free Blade system - Means the blade misses the bed knife by less than a millimetre. The resultant loss of friction makes pushing easy and offers the further benefit of increasing blade life significantly.

Flame hardened steel blades - Blades flame-hardened precision-ground steel, harder than tempered alloy (as used on virtually all other push mowers), this also helps increase blade life which means you shouldn't have to sharpen for 5 years or more.

Environmentally Friendly - Mowing your lawn with a Brill mower produces no air pollution and no noise!

Excellent Lawn Finish - a cylinder mower will give you the best finish a mower can give your lawn, for this reason they are the first choice for golf greens, tennis courts, bowling greens and show lawns the world over.

5 Blades - Provides the best balance for lawn cut quality and blade life versus ease of pushing.

7.3 kgs - light enough to hang in a cupboard, on the garage wall or pick up with one hand.

Sealed ball bearings - this offers an improved friction resistance and lifetime to other bearing methods, whilst eliminating the need for oiling, cleaning and general mechanical maintenance.

Powder coated metal components - All metal components on the mower are powder coated. This protects the metal and is far more resistant to chipping or scratching than other finishes such as paint. The powder coating process is also fairer on the environment since no solvents are used.

Green Gardens 

Some steps to a greener garden

We're well into the gardening season with our sunny climate encouraging us all to stretch our green fingers.

Here are a few thoughts on how to get a greener garden & how to be a greener gardener.

Composting
Check out our earlier post to find out more about getting a composting bin for as little as £4.95

Once you've got your composter (or built your own heap!) you can start by saving up most of your kitchen waste for composting - (Not Meat, Fish & Dairy though).

Composters are not just for kitchen waste, they also accept grass cuttings, leaves, cardboard, newspaper, almost anything that will rot down.

Lawns

Lawns can be one of the most resource hungry elements of your garden. Just think about it for a minute, how often do you water the lawn? How many times do you mow your lawn? These two lawn maintenance jobs can use an amazing amount of resources.

One of the best things you can do for your lawn, your pocket and the environment is to cut your lawn LESS! I know, simple isn't it?

By keeping the length over 4cm you lesson the impact of the sun on the grass thus preventing brown patches. Less brown patches usually means we use less water. So you save water + fuel (most lawn mowers)as your be cutting the lawn less.

When you do cut the lawn leave the grass cuttings on there. These cuttings work there way back into, and replenish the soil.

Dedicate part of your garden / lawn to a 'wild' area. By allowing nature to do it's thing you will find more wildlife visiting your garden and you'll have less maintenance to do.

Garden Furniture

After spending many hours creating your garden your going to want to spend some time enjoying it.

Make sure when you buy wooden garden furniture it has the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) logo this ensures that the wood is sustainability sourced

Visit the FSC for more info

Two Wheels instead of four 

sustrans is far moe than the cycle network people

Most people probably already know that Sustrans is behind the National Cycle Network. But you may no know that Sustrans have some other great projects.

They are working on several safe & healthy travel programmes including:

Safe Routes:

Sustrans runs a national Safe Routes to Schools information service, aimed at schools, parents, pupils, Local Authorities and all those who are interested in Safe Routes to Schools Projects. We provide training, videos, newsletters, factsheets, teachers packs, resources, advice and networking opportunities as well as holding national and regional events and conferences. Additionally we work closely with policy makers and the media to raise the profile of school travel issues and the commitment to make a safe journey to school for every child in the UK.

Active Travel

Active Travel works with policy-makers and practitioners to promote walking and cycling as health-enhancing physical activity.

Sedentary lifestyles and a lack of physical activity are causing an epidemic of obesity in the United Kingdom and other Western countries, and increasing the risk of a range of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancers and osteoporosis.

One of the easiest ways to increase physical activity is to include walking and cycling in the daily routine, such as during the journey to work or school.

Green & Blacks Chocolate 

Fairtrade, organic, and nice

Green & Black's produce fine organic chocolate in the UK. Started in the early 90s they've been selling their range of organic chocolate.

The Green & Black's range keeps expanding, with bars that include:

Milk Chocolate 34% Cocoa
A darker shade of milk chocolate. We use more cocoa mass in our milk chocolate than the majority of chocolate producers, therefore placing the emphasis on the chocolate rather than the milk

MAYA GOLD
The first UK product to be awarded with the Fairtrade Mark back in 1994. Traditionally the Maya Indians in southern Belize flavoured their cocoa with spices. We recapture this by blending rich, dark chocolate with a refreshing twist of orange that is perfectly balanced by the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of vanilla.

DARK 70%
Cocoa solids are a combination of cocoa mass and cocoa butter. The latter is there to coat each individual cocoa and sugar particle, allowing the chocolate to melt beautifully and cleanly in the mouth, revealing intense, bittersweet chocolate aromas

ESPRESSO - LUXURY
To get the ultimate smooth dark chocolate espresso bar we've taken freshly roasted organic espresso coffee and have ground it until the coffee grains can no longer be felt on the tongue. Combining this with our dark chocolate gives the sensation of a strong espresso hit followed by intense bittersweet chocolate flavours.

Visit http://www.greenandblacks.com to see more of the range.

More about Green & Blacks

Formed in 1991 by Craig Sams of Whole Earth fame and his wife Josephine Fairley (a columnist for The Times) after they tasted a traditional Mayan drink in Belize, Green & Black's have a strong ethical philosophy, which means they work closely with their cocoa growers, paying a premium to grow organic cocoa in its natural environment.

Eco Office 

Turn your workspace green

It's all very well being green at home, but being greener in the office isn't as straight forward as poping a few energy efficiant light bulbs in a few sockets.

Many of us will need to persuade our bosses that taking a sustainable view to our offices & work. But there are a few steps we can take without badgering our boses. (Although badgering may get the results the environment needs).

Step number one www.remarkable.co.uk

Remarkable's products are made using only UK recycled materials. For example, their Remarkable Pencils - Using polystyrene cups from vending machines Remarkable shred & re-process them into a 'plastic alloy'. They then mix graphite & other materials with the polystyrene and use special dyes to create a new type of pencil.

For eco based products like:

Pencils
Pens
Pads
Rulers
Mouse Mats

Check them out @ www.remarkable.co.uk or click the link list below

More steps for an eco office coming soon

Nigel's eco store 

Eco stuff you'll love

Whilst looking for some eco balls for the laundry (see the previous post) I came across this really nice site called Nigel's eco store. (see the link list below).
This is what Nigel says on his site:

Nigel set up Nigel's Eco Store because, he says "I was inspired by products and ideas that solve environmental challenges; they use less energy, re-use materials, or don't pollute, and yet they do the same job as non-eco products, and look and feel just as great.

"When you buy eco-friendly, you're doing something positive, which makes it doubly good, because you love it (we hope) and it's better for the planet.

"I wanted to make these innovative, feel-good products easier for everyone to get hold of..."

Nigel's Eco Store is the result: the stuff we sell means that anyone can choose to live in a more sustainable way, and so make a positive contribution to a better and brighter future.

This is what we actually do:

* We provide practical, functional and beautiful eco-friendly goods and services that you can buy right now, at reasonable prices
* We make eco choices easier
* We carefully select the products we offer from the best of what's available right now
* We give you the ideas, the information and the inspiration
* We help you make good buying decisions
We make it easy to shop and buy

The whole site is easy to navigate and contains some great eco-friendly stuff

Visit http://www.nigelsecostore.com or click the link list above.

Eco Balls! 

Eco-balls clothes wash kit

Eco balls save money and the planet! And yes, they do really work.

Just place the three eco-balls in your washing machine instead of washing powder, together they produce ionized oxygen that activates the water molecules naturally and allows them to penetrate deep into clothing fibres to lift dirt away.

Eco balls offer a clean, fresh, and sensitive alternative to conventional washing powders, and are reuseable for over 1,000 washes - they cost on average 3p per wash (compared to 25-30p for normal washing powder).

Eco balls come with a 30-day money back guarantee, and include free refill pellets and a stain remover.

No more hassle and expense of carting bulky powders and liquids home from the supermarket ever again!

Voted one of the Ten Best Green Household Products by The Independent January 2005

You can get eco balls from Nigel's eco store (see link list above) or even off ebay.co.uk

Ecoist.com 

Sustainable & eco-friendly accessories

Ecoist.com was founded in 2004 with the idea of creating funky and original fasion accessories for the eco-minded consumer.

Their bags are made from misprinted or discontinued snack bags, drink labels and sweet wrappers.

Ecoist collaborates with its network of accomplished designers to develop new sustainable products and collections

The company believes that consumers should be able to enjoy a modern lifestyle, buying their favourite things, while also doing good to the Earth.

Also Ecoist state on their website

"At Ecoist, we strive for Sustainability in all areas of our business - the materials we use, the energy we consume, the suppliers we work with, and other aspects - to meet the demands of eco-minded consumers and to ensure that this vision is carried on, generation after generation".

Visit www.ecoist.com or check out the green links above

Elegant wind power is here 

It's a quiet revolution

An