eco appliances

Try eco appliances around the home –as well as doing a great clean they can cut your energy bills.

Check out the new Ecolectric PerformAir 1000w Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner from all good retailers for a spotless and healthy carpet. This bagless upright is light, easy to carry, gets into places you wouldn’t imagine and has a huge 4.2 litre capacity for less frequent emptying. As well as being packaged in recycled and 100% recyclable materials, it has an economical 1000w low energy motor leading to a 50% energy saving, helping to reduce your energy bills but without compromising on performance. It is a great hoover!

I am loving the Morphy Richard's New Ecolectric Toaster from www.ecotopia.co.uk. There’s nothing like great toast. You’ll get it quicker too, thanks to the unique auto-close lid that keeps the heat around the toast, which means less waiting around. ...it helps you do your bit to save the planet Better still, by keeping the heat in, that same innovative feature - the lid - helps use 34% less energy. So you can enjoy your breakfast without eating up valuable resources.

Morphy Richards also do an eco iron and kettle which again save electricity!

no more shop sarnies!

Save money & ‘Lunch Box’ it!

Would your parents disapprove of your workday lunch costs? Try bringing your lunch in reusable containers a couple times a week to conserve cash and landfill space and you could save over a staggering £500 a year.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) claims that throwing food and packaging away rather making your own lunch costs the public £5billion a year. WRAP officials reckon if the food and packaging for take away luches was not wasted it would also save 18million tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year, the equivalent of taking one car in five off the road.

So raid the fridge every morning to make a much healthier lunch from last night’s leftovers and help save the planet!

Winterise your home

It’s November and it’s cold. Take comfort though in my credit crunching tips to help you winterise your home - protecting you and your investment. (Image courtsesy of energysavingtrust.org)

1. Beat the drafts

Worried about the draft? Drafts can waste 5 to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old fashioned fixture – the excluder. Place a rolled bath towel or custom-made "snake" across the bottom of leaky doors and windows. Seal all the draughts around windows and doors will keep you warmer and lower the cost of your bills. Your letterbox can let in a nasty draught so fit a nylon brush seal or spring flap.

2. Turn down your water heater

Reduce hot water temperature - Set your water heater to the "normal" setting, unless the owner's manual for your dishwasher requires a higher setting. Savings are 7-11 percent of water heating costs. Insulate the first five feet of pipe coming out of the top of your water heater or the whole length until the pipe goes into the wall if that is less than five feet. Pipe insulation is available from your hardware store. You can also save money by insulating pipes.

3. Insulate, insulate and insulate

It may not be sexy but insulating your home can save you hundreds of pounds. Half of typical home heat loss is via walls, floors and lofts so make sure you insulate these key areas.

4. Reduce your thermostat

Turn down your thermostat - For every degree you lower your heat you'll save up to 5 percent on heating costs. Wear warm clothing like a sweater and set your thermostat lower during the day and evening, health permitting. Set the thermostat back to its normal position or off at night or when leaving home for an extended time saving 5-20 percent of your heating costs.

5. Give your Boiler an MOT

You give your car a regular service and so you should your boiler. Now is the time to get your boiler ready for winter; book a service with a qualified and reputable heating engineer so you can sort out any small faults before they cause a breakdown which can cost thousands. A serviced boiler will also work more efficiently, which can save you energy and money

6. Think curtains

Open windows on the sunny side of the house when the sun is up so that the sun can warm the rooms. Close all curtains when it gets dark.Do not have furniture close to or in front of radiators. If you have deep windowsills, curtains should sit neatly on top of them and not cover the radiator. Use lined curtains to keep the cold out and warm in

7. Heat reflective foil behind radiators

Fit heat reflective foil behind radiators on outside walls to keep the heat inside your home, with the shiny side facing into the room.

gorgeous goodies for Xmas

"Believe You Can" designs fun, colourful and exclusive Fair Trade fashion and home accessories. Founder and designer Louise Birchmore feels "passionatley about Fair Trade and believes in creating modern and innovative products" "Believe You Can" products are all handmade, and wooden items are FSC certified. This wonderful ethical and Fair Trade range benefits the Fair Trade producers business and community through "trade not aid", but also offers products perfect for the design conscious and ethically aware.

Have a Green Halloween

This Halloween think of the planet and have a green halloween. Putting together an eco celebration of all things spooky is as easy as having a traditional orange and black one – especially for children.

Here are our top 10 tips to get you started:

1. E-mail party invites rather than using the royal mail. There are loads of free Halloween themed party invite e-cards around or alternatively make your own out of scrap and recycled products. Try http://www.halloween.co.uk/ for a great selection

2. Serve local, healthy and seasonal October foods at your events. The options are endless. Remember pumpkins are not just decorative items. Make use of all pumpkin parts. After carving a pumpkin, make sure to save the seeds. Bake them and serve them to party guests or feed them to the birds. Pumpkin flesh is great or making pies, soups and even lasagna! Check out www. freerangereview .com to find local food to you! Apples also are at their best this time of year. So make use of the nation’s favourite crunchy fruit. Fill party bowls with several varieties of fresh apples, from granny smiths to pink lady’s. Bake a few apples for healthy, tasty dessert.

3. Use re-usable plates, cups, utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Paper party goods can be expensive and just add more clutter to our nation's landfills. Check out www.ecotopia.co.uk’s extensive range of eco tableware !

4. Make your own costume or buy one at a second-hand shop. An old favourite a charity shop cotton sheet still makes a great ghost. Can't find anything suitable in the house? Try http://www.freecycle.org/ for a great selection of second hand clothes, costumes and materials.

5. Autumn is great so experience nature. Visit a local farm. Pick fresh apples. Talk a long walk outside. Look up at the sky. Notice the moon. Remember, it's Halloween and take this great Bat Torch with you.

6. Give kids a reusable bag instead of a plastic or paper one to collect their goodies. Plastic and paper ones are bad for the environment and can tear easily.

7. Give away eco friendly treats such as organic sweets or fairtrade chocolate.

8. Instead of buying materials for decorations, gather supplies, arts and crafts throughout the year. Reuse and Recycle! For instance:
- Turn old tights into spider-webbing
- Paint foam peanuts (packing materials) and turn them into worms
- Turn old cardboard boxes into tombstones
- Reuse your decorations from the previous year

9. Facepainting? Use organic and eco friendly facepaints! Try http://www.greeneyedfrog.co.uk/Children/Artsandcrafts.aspx

10. Recycle and reuse as much as possible after your party or celebration. Put all costumes, decorations and anything save-able away for next year.

Be safe and have great green halloween.

Decorating?

Check out local Stroud author Lynn Edward’s Handbook for Eco Paints and Finishes at £9.95 from http://www.thegreenshop.co.uk/.

It gives a comprehensive introduction to the range of natural and eco-friendly, non-toxic paints and finishes available in the UK. The manufacturers of all these products are mindful of the health of our bodies, of our living spaces, and of the wider environment.

Auro Natural paint is available from http://www.ecotopia.co.uk/

It's Autumn!

Even though many of us are in denial, there is no doubt about it - it was the first day of Autumn yesterday! Though everyone has been saying that it’s been like Autumn for the last few months as summer has been so wet and cold, there is no smell in the world like that of a proper Autumn. It hangs in the air bringing an earthy smell and hues of burnt orange and gold. This is definately my favourite season!

Check out http://www.moreeco.com/ 's top 5 Green Tips for Saving Energy and Cash this Autumn

1. Save up to 10% on your water heating!
Chances are you can turn down the thermostat on your home’s water heater a few degrees, and still have plenty of hot water for everyone’s daily shower, not to mention the dishes and laundry. Lowering the temperature from 140 to 120 would reduce your water heating costs by 6 to 10%. Give it a try!

2. Get an Energy Monitor
According to the Energy Saving Trust, 8 out of 10 of us Brits do not understand their energy bills or understand what energy rates they are on. Get a closer handle on your home energy use with an advanced energy monitoring device.

3. Unplug Unused Chargers
Even when they aren’t charging anything, plugged-in mobile phone, laptop and other chargers continue to draw electricity. Briton’s throw away about 8% of our annual electric bills this way, wasting millions of pounds. The solution is simple: just unplug them, or plug them into a standby buster and flip that switch when your device has pulled enough juice.

4. Turn fallen leaves into compost
Rake up and shred fallen leaves and add them to the compost bin. Besides autumn leaves, you’ll find other carbon-rich materials in your garden. Look for waste-material that are brown in color such as sawdust, straw and dried grass clippings. Even your teabags, coffee grains and newspapers are great to add.

5. Out with the old and in with the new or freecycled!
Freecycle any of your old summer clothes that you will not wear anymore and help benefit someone else. If you fancy an item for your winter wardrobe check out moreeco’s list of ethical clothing retailers such as Adili, Seasalt, Gossypium and Green fibres and earn yourself points, as well as free carbon offsets on all purchases.

Big Carbon Experiment - Families Wanted

Save Energy and Win an Eco-hamper

Gloucestershire residents are being asked to take part in an exciting new energy saving competition. Communities will go head to head in the competition to see who can reduce their energy consumption the most over a 6 month period. Winners will be awarded an Eco Hamper for each household as well as tickets to travel to an International Awards Ceremony in Brussels .

All participants will receive a variety of energy saving gadgets and eco goodies throughout the competition, including energy saving lightbulbs, eco kettles and hot water tank jackets, and will have the chance to win spot prizes of standby saver gadgets, water powered clocks, fridgesaver plugs and wind up radios and torches. Competition organisers are looking for 10-15 households in each of the following areas:· Cam Parish · Stroud Town · Wotton Town · Cirencester Town · Gloucester City · South Gloucestershire · Tenants of Fosseway Housing Association · Tenants of Gloucester City Homes · Tenants of Cheltenham Borough Homes · Tenants of Two Rivers Housing · Tenants of Stroud District Council

To take part or find out more contact the Severn Wye Energy Agency ( www.swea.co.uk) on 0800 512 012. If you are not in one of these areas but would like to be involved, please contact Severn Wye Energy Agency to find out about other projects in your area

Check out the Energy Saving Trust Website

The Energy Saving Trust are a non-profit organisation that provides free impartial advice tailored to suit you. It's advice can help you save money and fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from your home.

Other useful stuff you can find on the site includes:

• Guides to grants
• Calculate and reduce your carbon footprint - There are so many ways to reduce your impact on climate change - use our new carbon cutter to create a personalised action plan that suits your lifestyle.
• Simple measures to get started - 10 things you can do today
• Free home energy report

Great site with some good info!

Green Loyalty Scheme @ www.bemoreeco.com

Check out this fab green rewards site at http://www.moreeco.com/

What is moreeco?

MoreEco is a shopping reward site that searches the internet for the best organic, green, environmental, and natural online retailers and negotiate with them a reward level which can be passed on to the moreeco registered users.

Once you have chosen your shop click through and then you are then on the retailer’s own site and will be dealing directly with them from that point.

Why use it?

You get loads of green stuff for free and unlike the green rewards site, http://www.moreeco.com/ only uses green retailers and checks out their ethical credentials too. Everyone's a winner!

Flight offsetting tool

Found this piece on the www.bemoreeco.com blogsite, which i thought was really useful.

Calculate your flight emissions with this neat tool

This is a handy new tool from Carbon Planet. It lets you enter in your next flight details and work out how much CO2 your trip will cause. Not everyone on the plane, just you. Though it does assume a full flight. As we know, this isn’t always the case.
Anyhow, it’s a good estimate and it even divides between economy, business class and first class.
So try it out before your next trip, then use a CO2 offsetting program to fly carbon neutral.

Also be sure to read the two supplement pdf guides on Greenhouse Gas Flight Emissions and the Myths of aviation CO2.

Get a free ecotopia.co.uk reuseable bag by entering 'give me a free bag' in comments box at checkout with any purchase! A cool design means that these bags can be used for more than just shopping and at 24litres (34cm x 22.2cm x 32cm) they are large enough for a wide variety of uses.

*while stocks last

I am loving Bags of Change (http://www.bagsofchange.co.uk/) which tackles both ethical shopping and that eco hot potato, the plastic carrier bag.

Instead of reward points, Bags of Change awards shoppers a discount off ethical local and online , sustainable, organic and fairtrade goods when they use one of the hemp and organic cotton bags at a participating retailer.

Great concept and the bags are so funky!

Go free range and save a hen!

Why not adopt some hens, save on the food miles and do something good for sustainability - and give a second chance to some of the 20 million battery hens currently living in dire conditions, with no possibility of exhibiting natural behaviours.

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust website has loads of useful information on the adoption or sponsorship process and the rewards of keeping chickens. A great organisation that works with battery farmers to make positive changes within the industry, they've rehomed over 97,000 hens to date and can count Jamie Oliver and poet Pam Ayres amongst their patrons.

I’ve just signed up to the website One Hundred Months which provides a monthly action on helping tackle climate change.

Backed by organisations including Greenpeace, www.ecotopia.co.uk and the good old WI!, it’s based on the conclusion that even using cautious calculations, we have only one hundred months before we pass the climate’s ‘tipping point’ - the point of no return - where the chance to tackle global warming could be far beyond our reach.

The site gives you month by month guidance on doing your bit. The first action is to invite others to join so click here http://onehundredmonths.org/

For more info... read the guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/01/climatechange.carbonemissions

tea and coffee

I love filtered coffee and drink copious amounts of the stuff along with my 5 cups of tea a day - fairtrade of course. I have been digging around the internet to see what i can do with leftover coffee grains and tea bags.

First, if you're a tea lover it's better to buy loose-leaf tea or tea bags without strings. Used tea bags can be recycled as compost as can coffee grains. These can be put straight on to the garden or into plant pots

Tea is also good for the skin. Before you recycle it, you can put a tea bag on your face. It can make your skin fresh and even smooth.

Find food local to you

Find the very best local produce with River Cottage & Free Range Review. Join THE local food community to discover, review, add and discuss your fave foodie places. Remember to vote for your favourite Glos outlets

I love this gadget

Firewinder is a decorative, 100% wind-powered outdoor light which harnesses the power of the wind from whichever direction it blows, to create a simple yet magical visual effect with a universal appeal. Easy to install, you simply mount it on a tree in your garden, on your roof terrace or attach to a post or wall and watch it light up and glow every time the wind blows! Firewinder magically breathes with the wind - in low winds the lights shine with a dim intensity and as wind speeds increase, the faster it spins and the brighter it shines, creating a pulsing, twisting glow in varying and inconsistent wind speeds. http://www.ecotopia.co.uk/product/140/dd0147/firewinder.html

I so want one!!

Green Electricity

What is Green Electricity?

'Green electricity' means electricity produced from sources which do not cause negative impacts upon the environment. Of course, every type of electricity generation will have some impact, but some sources are much greener than others. The cleanest energy sources are those which utilise the natural energy flows of the Earth. These are usually known as renewable energy sources, because they will never run out.

Green electrical companies such as Ecotricity harness power from natural sources, like the wind power, the sun (solar power) and water (wave), that don't pollute and don't contribute to climate change.

Deep green electricity sources

As mentioned previously, Green electricity is harnessed from natural sources, like the wind, the sun and water, that don't pollute and don't contribute to climate change. We call these Deep Green, because they're the ultimate in clean electricity generation. They don't involve any burning and offer a pollution-free, endless source of electricity.

Pale green electricity

There are other sources of green electricity. We call these Pale Green, because in most cases they involve some form of burning and there is some associated environmental impact. Examples of Pale Green sources include sewage, landfill gas and biomass. The first two provide a non-intermittent and comparatively cheap source of power and in most cases enable significant greenhouse gas savings compared to conventional sources. Pale Green sources helped Ecotricity to kick start the UK's green electricity market place and to get them where they are today, but they are no longer a feature of our generation. Our focus is on building new Deep Green capacity: the most important factor in reducing the threat of climate change.

The future of green electricity

Creating new Deep Green energy sources is crucial in the fight against climate change. This will mean a significant boost to green electricity capacity in the UK and will have a major positive impact on the environment; reducing Carbon Dioxide, other gas emissions and pollution. Every unit of green electricity that is made directly replaces electricity normally generated from conventional polluting sources.
Green Electricity Policies

Green Electricty companies should adhere to the following standards when it comes to their policies:

Increase the use of green electricity.

Minimise energy use wherever possible. Continual improvement on environmental issues where economically feasible.

Control the activities of the company to minimise risk of pollution to the environment.

Minimise the production of waste where possible and any disposal of waste produced will be carried out with due care for the environment.

Minimise the use of new products where other recycled materials are a suitable substitute.

Make every effort to ensure that where waste materials or products can be recycled they are recycled in an environmentally responsible way in order to conserve resources.

Be a responsible employer and neighbour.

Ensure that all employees carry out their duties in line with the above statement and, through training, are aware of their obligations.

Minimise the use of mobile phones and monitor existing use.

Ensure that our operations comply with or exceed current legislation and other relevant requirements

Cleaner home, cleaner Environment

With increasing emphasis in the media on climate change and the way in which we pollute our planet, environmentally friendly consumers i welcome Ecotopia’s move to increase accessibility to quality, natural household cleaning products.

The online ethical shop is a specialist supplier of Ecover products and is now the cheapest internet source of all Ecover branded items.

Many householders are unaware that the chemicals they use for washing their dishes, clothes and home can leave harmful residues, or contain petrochemicals which do not biodegrade once they have been thrown away,” says Ecotopia director, Steve Jones. “The government estimates that in, around 100 million tonnes of household waste is produced annually. Most of this waste is not recycled, ending up instead in landfill sites. This generates methane as it biodegrades which then adds to harmful greenhouse gases polluting the atmosphere.”

Ecotopia supplies a huge range of innovative, ethical products which can be easily incorporated into everyday life. Actively promoting a lifestyle which produces less impact on the environment, the emphasis is on hip not hippy. “Along with products such as the recycled car tyre mouse mats and bamboo screen computer monitors, the Ecover range is a fresh and fun way to do your bit for the environment,” adds Jones. “ Ecover shower gels and Ecover hand soaps are kind to the planet and to skin, making use of natural ingredients like lemon and Aloe Vera. Not only do Ecover products not cost the earth, they actually smell nice too!”

All Ecotopia Ecover products contain plant extracts instead of chemicals and are sold in 100% recyclable containers. To encourage consumers to make a commitment to creating healthier homes, all ordesr over £100 are delivered free of charge.
Find out more and order online at http://www.ecotopia.co.uk