Company News

"The Hub" is a new project, aiming to build a centre for young residents of Lyme Regis, located on the borders of Dorset and Devon with a population of 3,700. Lyme Regis faces economic struggle as a result of the current weak financial climate. However, The Hub youth centre could arguably regenerate the community, producing jobs and training opportunities. The Hub will be a social and progressive platform providing opportunities for music making with a recording studio, dancing and eating alongside playing sports and participation in the arts and summer schemes for all ages. The “Lyme Regis Development� bid for and subsequently purchased The Boys Club building, at an auction, with the intention of modernising it before presenting it as The Hub’s youth centre. A new roof is to be built in Jan/Feb 2012. Consequently, The Hub strongly advocates an eco-friendly lifestyle and so The Hub creators wish to produce an Eco-friendly sustainable building. Energy saving plans includes an installation of the Photovoltaic System, a solar installation that allows users to earn financial income from the use of the system. The solar panel, which is installed on the roof, converts energy from the sun into electricity by an inverter, thus making the energy usable in households. The Photovoltaic System not only generates renewable electricity but it offers a financial income with the Feed in Tariff (TiF), which ideal for the long-lasting financial running of the building. For every kilowatt hour of solar energy produced by the solar panel 41.3 pence is earned. See www.photovoltaicsystem.org.uk for more information. Plans also involve a new heating system, a combination of air source heat pump and low energy condensing gas builder. Heat pumps, which utilises heat from outside air, heats radiators, under floor heating systems, warm air convectors and hot water. Moreover, heat can be produced from air as cold as -15 celsius. Such a capacity allows the sustainment of heat, thus keeping warm longer and lower fuel costs resulting in a minimal carbon footprint. Moreover, using air source heat pumps can also generate financial income from its use through the government’s plan to launch the Renewable Heat Incentive in October 2012. See www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for more information. As dependence on grants for main financial support is unadvisable in today’s economical climate thus the generated income from the use of eco-friendly devices would be ideal in generating financial income to help increase the longevity of the running the building, whilst also creating an eco-friendly sustainable building, saving money and allowing the ability to pay staff such as the energy manager whose role is to promote green power to the community. Consequently, The Hub’s limited dependence on grants has led to hopes of gaining support from Energyshare. An organisation who are consistent in advocating the saving of energy, to finance the purchase of the eco-friendly devices such as the Photovoltaic System and air source heat pumps. In addition to saving energy The Hub fully intend to sustain an eco-friendly lifestyle, discussing and presenting on The Hub’s attempts to embody the eco-friendly lifestyle, for example all who enter and use the building’s facilities will be consistently encouraged to ensure energy is constantly saved. Arguably, such practice can be transferred into homes, particularly by the younger generation, helping to cultivate a more knowledgeable generation better informed to protect our planet. The Hub already has a close relationship with The Woodroffe School, allready great advocators of green power, boasting an environmental curriculum and ‘Eco’ club activities. Such dedication and partnership clearly demonstrate The Hub’s genuine passion and concern for the planet, evident in the desire to orally promote green power as well as through their own lifestyle. The Hub can finance an environmental friendly building with the financial aid of Energyshare. However, The Hub needs to gain the largest amount of votes to become the recipients of the £100,000 offered by Energyshare; the last day for voting is 3rd December. The securing of the £100,000 not only would help create an eco-friendly sustainable building, it would also provide the prospect of regenerating the Lyme Regis community with jobs and training opportunities derived from The Hub. Vote for The Hub on Energyshare’s website at, http://www.energyshare.com/hublymecouk You can donate money to The Hub at www.hublyme.co.uk You can join The Hub Facebook support group at www.facebook.com/groups/hublyme/?ap=1 Author Leia Licorish

The children at Marsh Gibbon CE School are interested in environmental issues, both through the curriculum and with their Eco-Team. Last week, for example, they held a bring-and-buy sale to raise enough money to sponsor a tiger. Now they are keen to raise awareness of eco friendly products and would like to hold a raffle to win an ‘Eco Hamper’. They have received some very generous donations already but would be grateful for more! If anyone is able to donate a small eco friendly item for the hamper please contact us at csymonds@bucksgfl.org.uk. Hopefully it could inspire new purchasing habits for our school community.

at the Goethe-Institut London, the Austrian Cultural Forum London, Ciné lumière, the Hungarian Cultural Centre, & the Italian Cultural Institute 4 – 11 November 2010 Screen Green! brings together documentaries from 14 European countries which focus on the ever relevant theme of the environment and in particular humankind's fragile relationship with the natural world. Recent news regarding oil spills, environmental pollution and dwindling natural resources no longer concern a minority of people, but engage communities throughout the world. As during previous years, a number of cultural institutes and embassies in London and the European Commission Representation in the UK collaborate to present Screen Green!, an eight day festival from the 4 to 11 November at five different London venues. Screen Green! puts commonplace materials and aspects of our everyday life under scrutiny. The film PLANEAT investigates the West's indulgence in meat and dairy products and its environmental repercussions, Fish n' Pills forces us to look at the pill in a new light, whilst Plastic Planet questions the benefits of one of the most popular materials of our time. The themes of pollution and the impact of climate change are explored in Green Line – Urban Transport and Pollution as well as Climate Chaos in the South. Renewable and sustainable sources of energy and recycling are discussed in Selective Waste Collection – From Myths to Reality and The 4th Revolution – EnergyAutonomy. Furthermore Screen Green! presents documentaries that chart the livelihoods of isolated communities and their complex relationship to nature. Gold Futures sees people in a picturesque Transylvanian village confronted with a choice, as a Canadian company prepares to excavate a massive open-pit gold mine where their village stands. The Mirror presents a fascinating insight into life in a mountain community which in winter exists in permanent gloom and awaits the construction of a giant mirror designed to reflect sunlight onto the village. The River follows the lives of inhabitants in a Lithuanian village who live on the edge of a chemical plant. Three Men and a Fish Pond surveys three elderly country bachelors who appear to live closer to nature than fellow humans. And Stop, Look, Listen investigates the impact of planning decisions on the beautiful Tua valley in Portugal, which has welcomed the railroad but is now threatened by a dam. Finally French environmentalist Nicolas Hulot takes us around the world on an eye-opening journey through fragile but magnificent landscapes that alarmingly appear absent of nature (One). The documentary addresses some of the social and political issues that stand in the way of environmental solutions. Most screenings will be accompanied by a Q&A to enable and encourage debates. Screen Green! is the fourth joint film project of the EUNIC London cluster (European Union National Institutes for Culture in London), supported by the European Commission Representation in the UK, which aims to improve and promote cultural diversity and understanding between European societies. Countries taking part in this year's European Documentary Project are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the UK.

"The Energy Saving Trust will be giving groups, organisations and people like you the advice, tools and support needed to take control of managing and reducing energy used whether that's at home, at work, or travelling. Each day of the week will have a theme: * Monday: Launch day * Tuesday: Insulation * Wednesday: Generate your own energy * Thursday: Energy saving products * Friday: Transport Plans are still being firmed up at the moment, but I do know that the Energy Saving Trust is keen for everyone to get involved! Ive also been assured that you'll have access, through a variety of means, to a whole range of Energy Saving Trust experts who All give you the advice and support you need to take action!"

Did you know that the new Arsenal away shirt for the 2010/2011 season is made from recycled polyester from 8 plastic bottles. Let hope more clubs follow suit and produce Eco friendly football shirts!

The government is set to offer the eco-town project in Bicester (Oxforshire) £9m towards the seting up of, A sixth-form centre, affordable new green homes & features to promote walking & cycling Bicester was originally chosen along with three other areas to have eco-towns This money is part of the £60m in government funding allocated this financial year with futher government expenditure expected next year.

Pete Postlethwaite stars in climate change documentary from the director of McLibel and the Oscar-winning producer of One Day In September The Age Of Stupid (formerly known as Crude) is the new documentary/drama/animation hybrid from Franny Armstrong (McLibel, Drowned Out), and Oscar-winning Producer John Battsek (One Day In September, Live Forever, In the Shadow of the Moon). Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name of the Father, Brassed Off, Usual Suspects) stars as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055. He watches 'archive' footage from 2007 and asks: Why didn'' we stop climate change when we had the chance? Pete, who recently received planning permission to install a home turbine on his own property, and has spoken out about the ever-increasing dangers of climate change, said: "The stakes are very, very high. They're through the roof. So when I looked at the subject and what the film is trying to do, there was no option really. I had to do it." He added, "This film's not quite as big as Jurassic Park, but it's lovely to be on a set where people really want to be there and are committed to what they're doing." Pete's character lives in The Global Archive - a storage facility built in 2030 to protect humanity's greatest achievements from the ravages of climate change. He's surrounded by all the artwork, films, science and so on, but has been alone for fifteen years. Director Franny said, "It's such a difficult role that our list of dream actors started and ended with Pete Postlethwaite. We are truly honoured that he said "yes". The day we filmed him in a carpet warehouse in Willesden will be engraved in my memory forever." The Age of Stupid is "crowd-funded": 280 investors gave between 50 and 5000 pounds and each own a percentage of the film. This gives the filmmakers complete editorial freedom, plus control of the distribution. All profits will be shared between the investors and crew, who are working for massively reduced rates. There are 13 "shares" left. After three years filming in six countries (New Orleans, India, Nigeria, France, England and Iraq) the film is now in post-production and will be released this Spring. VIRTUAL FUNDING EVENT The producers will be selling 13 final £5,000 "shares" live in virtual world Second Life, on Tuesday Feb 26, at 8pm, via www.oneclimate.net

www.greenorenaturals.com - created by Suzanna Miles, who was inspired to make organic & chemical free products when she was diagnosed with M.E. Following her diagnosis, Suzanna began to make her own skincare, mindful of the unknown effects of many chemicals used in proprietary products. It soon became clear that it was quite difficult to purchase soap and skincare made from organically certified ingredients that did not contain extraneous chemicals. Whilst there were some very natural organic products available, it frequently seemed there was little consideration given to packaging. Aware of this, Suzanna began to research this area, which led her to stumble upon handmade recycled paper, shot with seeds which may grow when planted. This inspired the design of the skincare range �Sow Tomorrow, Planet Friendly Products - Plantable Packaging�. The aim of this organic skincare range is to plant seeds of awareness with regards to green issues and encourage thoughtful use and recycling of packaging materials. The concept of ethical trade and manufacture has been extended to the Green Ore Naturals range of GM, pesticide and wheat free cakes, preserves and mincemeat, which are hand produced on a reclaimed Rayburn oven fuelled mainly by carbon-neutral wood briquettes. Three years later, and with the collaboration of her qualified pharmacist husband, Suzanna is proud to announce the launch of her web shop specialising in : handmade organic skin care and soaps, organic cotton towels, soy wax candles with organic essential oils, hand carved olive wood gifts, made-to-order GM, pesticide & wheat free Christmas cakes, preserves & mincemeat, supporting green manufacture & ethical trade. We also support a number of charities : Tusk, Send A Cow, Acorn, The World Land Trust and Bath Cats & Dogs Home.

Do you have a washing line or an indoor close horse, if not Why not! You might not be aware but by drying your clothes in a Tumble drier you are causing untold damage to the environment not to mention racking up your electricity bill (up to £200 a year). The EERA estimates that tumble driers are responsible for 5million tonnes of CO2 a year. A staggering 55% of us now own tumble driers. These energy guzzlers use between 3-5Wh per dry, and is one of the worst culprits for energy waste in our homes. There is plenty of sunshine in the UK, to meet our drying requirements without having to resort to artificial means. However convenient tumble driers might seem we should all be more responsible, and only use them when absolutely necessary. Do the environment a favour and use your washing lines or indoor clothes horse as much as possible.

Millions of tonnes of food bought in the UK are wasted each year by people buying more food than they need, this despite the fact that large parts of the world lie in terrible poverty. British supermarkets are being blamed for perpetuating food waste, by promoting irresponsible food offers. The UK government is to crack down on food waste by advising our leading supermarkets to stop promoting offers such as three for the price of one, buy two get two free, which the government believes encourages irresponsible buying, at a time when millions of less fortunate people are starving. The amount of food wastage in the UK is rising at a worrying rate and the government believes tacking the major supermarkets on this issue will help control a contributing factor, in the long term reducing the amount of food wasted by in the UK. The Government also want’s clearer identification when food is reaching it’s use-by date, millions of tonnes of mouldy food is thrown out each year, because people aren’t aware of the its use-by date.

Since the smoking ban the amount of cigarette buts littering our streets has dramatically increased. This is often not because people don’t want to dispose of their cigarette buts, because they are afraid to do so in case of causing a fire. Some smokers are also under the illusion that cigarette buts biodegrade quickly as they are perceived to be made out of cotton. This is not the case; cigarette buts are made out of cellulose acetate and can take up to 10 years to breakdown. Emma Snowden from The Marine Conservation society states that there have been “cases where they have been found in the guts of Whales, dolphins, seabirds, fish and turtles” Smokers need to be aware that by throwing their butts on the floor, into bushes or down drains they are causing problems for the environment. But local Governments also need to react by providing more cigarette bins and increasing public awareness.

Tesco are to go green, with a giant eco friendly superstore to open in Woolwich, South East London in 2010. The store will also incorporate a grass roof & rainwater harvesting which will be used as grey water for toilet flushing and car wash facilities. This eco friendly Tesco will also have a market area, selling locally produced food. This will be the biggest planned eco store in the country and will be Tesco’s flagship as it strives towards make the shopping greener!

The largest breeding ground for Puffins in the Firth of Forth in Scotland has reported a reduction in the population of Puffins by almost a Third over the last five years. Figures show that the Puffin population is down from 69,300 in 2003 to 41,000 today. The reasons for this are being firmly fined upon Climate change and irresponsible over fishing. The warmer sea, caused by climate change, reduces the amount of Plankton, which in turn reduces the amount of fish.

An unassuming three-bedroom house, situated on the remote Scottish Isle of Unst has quietly become one of the most famous houses in the world. Last year the associated web-site www.zerocarbonhouse.com was the fourth most popular site worldwide on Google. The house is the brain-child of Michael and Dorothy Rea and has become the test bed for living "off-grid". The Rea's generate all their own power from renewable sources, grow most of their own food and run a car without a petrol station. The house itself, made from an off-the-shelf timber frame cost approximately £210,000 and is being used by the Scottish Executive in Edinburgh as a benchmark for new sustainable housing building rules. Environmental officials as far flung as China are studying its innovative technologies as a guide for their own eco-towns. The house is heavily insulated, with underfloor heating that draws warmth from the outside air, which is stored in a huge "water battery". Heat from inside the house is captured via a ventilation system that can then be reused. Rainwater is collected for use in toilets and the washing machine. Power for all the usual mod-cons and lighting comes from a wind turbine which charges fuel cells then able to store power for four days. The house's entire LED lights will use the same power as one 100W bulb. The greenhouse will have its own wind turbine and LED lights which will create artificial seasons allowing growth throughout the year. The Rea's car is a converted battery-powered Toyota Yaris which will be charged by the fuel cells.

The following is an interview with Grand Designs award winner Rachel Shiamh, who designed and built an amazing eco straw-bale house in Pembrokeshire. A truly incredible building and a remarkable lady. I discovered the plot whilst taking a break from a life in New York, to visit my parents. I found the plot during a magical walk through the woodland, or it found me. I then discovered that it was privately for sale. I put an offer in and a year later it was accepted. Q1) What led you to do move into the above plot- a desire to do it for a long time, a snap decision or? Did you buy the land with this intention? How old were you when you decided to move onto the plot? I never consciously planned to have my own home here, being quite nomadic, but it all unfolded and made sense along the way. I then moved onto the plot with a strong desire to be in nature, to undo my learnings and learn from nature. I was 30. Q2) What did you friends/family think of you doing this? Family and friends were interested, a bit concerned but supportive, altho I was quite hermit-like in my life for a while. Q3) What did you do for a living before this? Before this, I lived as a contemporary dancer, but my interest was very much going towards yoga and meditation. Q4 ) What interests do you have outside this work that might shatter any stereotypes people may have When I moved onto the land, I trained in healing and making flower essences and oils, plus silversmithing. Other interests I have are music, walking on beach and the hills with dog and friends, crafts.... Q5) Where did your interest in living and learning from the land come from? The interest in living and learning from the land came from a desire to let go of the identity I was carrying in the world, and to discover who I was. Q6) Were your parents/ involved in anything related to this- if not, what did they do? My parents were not involved in what I had chosen to do here, although my mother had begun to practice in complementary therapies. My father was more in the education system and an Olympic athlete and team manager for the British athletics team. They both inspired me in different ways, but I had to find my path. They supported my vision, and after my father passed away, with the inheritance, I was able to manifest the vision to build this eco home. Q7) Where are you from originally ie grew up, and where are you living now? I grew up in Yorkshire, with many holidays here in Wales, as my father was welsh. This place felt like home, and now it is, here in Pembrokeshire. Q8) Are the services (and products) you offer now making you a living? - who tends to make use of your services? The services and products I now offer are starting to help me to make a living. Building the house has been a long process so now I am more free to set up my work and a centre here called The Quiet Earth Project, Centre for Authentic Living. I intend to build a couple of smaller eco dwellings on the land for people to be able to come and experience living here in such a close way to nature, whilst at the same time learning new skills and approaches. Q9) How do people generally react to what you do? The reactions to what I have and am doing are generally very positive. Early on there was some suspicion in the village about what I was doing here in the woods! But the positive media attention has helped to dissipate that. Q10 What gives you the most pleasure in what you do? What is your big highlight so far? The Grand Designs Eco House of the Year Award has just been awarded to me and I feel it goes also to the extended community not just locally, but globally who have supported this vision too. There have been many who have helped and learned from this project and I hope the award will help to encourage others to find the resolve to take their own steps to support this beautiful environment we live in. My greatest pleasure has been working harmoniously with others on this project and to see people leaving with greater confidence and enthusiasm in there own potential to create positive change in their lives and the world. Q11) Whats the biggest obstacle in your opinion, to more people doing what you do? Is it preconceptions, lack of awareness, knowledge or....? Obstacles are created by the mind.... All pure visions are possible and yet they take great patience, flexibility and usually time. Q12) Whats your message to people? My message to people: same as Gandhi. If our lives are our message, we have no one else to blame and we can only take responsibilty for our selves and our choices in life. This includes choices about how we think about things which is very important. Q13) is there something we can learn from your work to improve harmony between people. I think the greatest way to improve harmony between people is firstly through acceptance. This then creates a space for harmony and for love. Rachel Shiamh Grand Designs Eco House of the Year Award Winner see http://www.ecohouseagent.com/eco-straw-house-pembrokeshire.html for more info

Saving energy in the home Teach yourself: Saving energy in the home by Nick White In association with Hockerton Housing Project * Do you want to cut your energy bills? * Would you like a more energy-efficient home? * How can your home achieve a better Environmental Performance Certificate? * Do you want a greener life at little extra cost of effort? Saving energy in the home offers you straightforward and achievable strategies for reducing your energy bills and living a more environmentally aware life. With lots of useful tools to assess your energy and carbon use, it gives practical advice on everything from heating homes to managing those teenage consumers. * Detailed installation costs and savings are provided to assist the reader in making more effective decisions. * Topical issues, such as HIPs and smart metering are covered. * For the more ambitious guidance is provided on the most effective ways of generating your own power. * Beyond the bricks and mortar, suggestions are also provided on green driving and being more sustainable in the garden. * Resource sections provide plenty of suggestions for further investigation and assistance. Nick White is a director and member of the Hockerton Housing Project (HHP), the UKs first earth sheltered, self-sufficient ecological housing development, and the winner of several sustainability awards. Nick has been a member of HHP since the start of the construction of the homes in 1996, and contributed to the self-build. Since 1998, Nick has led the development and marketing of the Projects on site eco-business, including coordinating publicity and media coverage. To read a book review from Ethical Review - Click here How to get a copy: From HHP Signed copies for £11 (incl p&p) Please send a cheque made payable to HHP Trading Ltd, and post to Hockerton Housing Project, The Watershed, Gables Drive, Hockerton, Southwell, Notts NG25 0QU Please supply on separate piece of paper your delivery address and any special messages you would like included. On-line E.g. Amazon and WH Smith. Most leading bookshops For trade orders/discounts, Please contact Jane MacRae (Sales Development Manager) from Hodder Publications (jane.macrae@hodder.co.uk or call 0207 873 6146) Please note: HHP get a much better return for sales via them! Other feedback: "This book is fantastic. It provides comprehensive and accessible information for anyone wanting to start looking at options for reducing their domestic carbon footprint. It picks apart the issues with unbiased clarity and gives clear and impartial steps that anyone can take, from little day-to-day 'to dos' to the life-changing leaps. Essential reading!" (Josh Steiner, Action for Sustainable Living, Manchester) Notes: (1) Teach Yourself Launched in 1938, the teach yourself series grew rapidly in response to the worlds wartime needs. With the over 50 million readers, the series has continued to respond to societys changing interests and passions and now 70 years on, includes over 500 titles, from Arabic and Beekeeping to Yoga and Zulu. More relevant this book are Green parenting and Ethical Living. For more information see www.teachyourself.co.uk. (2) Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are an important part of the recently launched Home Information Packs or more commonly known as HIPs. An EPC informs prospective buyers about the energy performance of a house. (3) Book extract Preface "Little did I know the task ahead when I was contacted by Hodder to write this book. I had for many years thought about writing a straightforward practical book about energy saving in the home. This started I suppose because of an old gardeners cottage that I lived in with my family in the early 90s. Energy prices were not anywhere near as high in real terms as they are now, but being an old detached cottage with all four single brick walls braced against the wind, it leaked heat like a sieve. The result was damp walls and ridiculous bills. I could never work out how the central heating system worked as the previous owner was DIY enthusiast! There seemed to be no easy way to find out what to do about improving the situation. Hence my idea of researching and writing a book. But then in 1996 my family had the opportunity of joining an eco-community self-build project in Nottinghamshire, the Hockerton Housing Project. Within months we had sold up, moved into a caravan, and started to build our own zero-heated, ultra low energy homes with four other families. Ten years on, our earth-sheltered home has used less than £5 on space heating, whilst never going below 18degrees C. Overall we only use 10% of the energy we used in our previous cottage, and most of that we meet with wind and solar power. But this is another story and book. I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity of joining the Hockerton Housing Project and going on a very real and practical journey of creating the ultimate in low energy living. I hope experiences of living in very different types of properties has allowed me to reflect in this book, realism but also aspiration, both in financial and environmental terms. By the way my last quarterly energy bill was £15.70! It was interesting and challenging therefore writing a book about normal houses. I had to think back to my days in the cottage and not get too carried away with zero heating and community wind turbines. What I did discover was how many simple things people could do to make a big difference to their energy use, many just behavioural. I wish you all the best in saving money and doing your bit for the planet."

VERSATILE, sustainable, recyclable, renewable: Bamboo embodies all of these qualities and ticks every environmental box – and the range of eco products at Nigel's Eco Store has just had a bamboo injection. “Bamboo is super friendly for our planet because it absorbs 35 per cent more carbon dioxide than an equivalent stand of trees, it grows anywhere without the need of fertilizers or chemicals and it can be used to make anything from baby clothes to elegant sustainable furniture,” says Nigel. Baby bamboo range http://www.nigelsecostore.com/cgi-bin/affiliate/clickme.cgi?exec=ecohouseagent&site=site1 “Unlike cotton, bamboo is grown without pesticides or fertilizers and because it's breathable, antibacterial and hypoallergenic, it stays fresh longer, needs less washing and is perfect for babies' extra sensitive skin,” adds Nigel. The unique collection of baby bamboo clothing includes a cute and snuggly bathrobe that fits ages six to 24 months and because bamboo is 60 per cent more absorbent than cotton, it's perfect for bath times. Other 100 per cent baby bamboo clothes include a cute denim dress with ribbon detail and unisex bamboo denim jeans, both available in sizes 0 to 24 months. “And if you are having trouble getting your babies to sleep, try our sensationally silky soft 100 per cent Bamboo Baby Blanket – it's perfect for tucking up your little one and making them all warm and cosy,” Nigel comments. Bamboo Veneer Cabinets http://www.nigelsecostore.com/cgi-bin/affiliate/clickme.cgi?exec=ecohouseagent&site=site1 And for the grown ups Nigel has elegant, simple and functional cabinets that have been designed and made from grasses, using bamboo veneer with a wheat straw-board core, and with no formaldehyde or nasty glues. Either cabinet can be used as a coffee table, low sideboard or media table and because they both have curved cable cut-outs in the back to allow DVD players, games consoles and freeviews, there's no need to rewire big British plugs. The cabinets come flat-packed, ready for simple home assembly, and at the end of their life, they can be easily disassembled for recycling (aluminium legs) and composting (natural fibres). Other bamboo products at Nigel's Eco Store Other products made from bamboo include bamboo towels, maternity belly bands (95 per cent bamboo, 5 per cent spandex) and ladies T-shirts (made from a mix of organic cotton and bamboo).

SYNONYMOUS with wellies, waterproofs and wet weather, festivals and camping trips should also equal the use of eco friendly products, says Nigel's Eco Store. By packing environmentally friendly products such as a wind powered iPod, camera and mobile phone charger, solar lights, wind up torches and radios, festival and camping lovers won't have to worry about running out of juice ever again while reducing their impact on the environment. “Not being able to charge a phone is not the end of the world if it's for a couple of days but having a digital camera pack up on you when your favourite band is playing is really frustrating,� says Nigel from Nigel's Eco Store. “Get the ingenious HYmini Personal Wind Turbine and you will never have a flat battery again. An alternative to a solar powered charger, HYmini is a small, handheld, waterproof charger and wind powered generator that charges mobile phones, iPods and most portable electronic devices. “Stylish in appearance but rugged in performance, it charges by wind or rechargeable internal battery and is the must have accessory this year when on the go – it has a huge advantage over traditional solar chargers as it can be left to charge over a windy night, constantly gathering energy from either a light breeze to a strong wind,� adds Nigel. Another eco gadget that makes life a lot easier when camping is Sun Jar Solar Light – it may look like a jam jar, but it's jammed full of solar cells, batteries and LEDs so that it sucks in the sun's rays all day and give them back at night. “Just leave it charging in the Sun during the day so it can glow automatically when it gets dark,� he says. No camping trip is complete without a torch - PowerPlus Dolphin Wind Up LED Torch will solve the problem of running out of batteries at the worst possible time. Just 60 seconds of winding will produce 30 minutes of light and the added bonus is it can be used as a mobile phone charger too. “And while you are at it, wind down with a wind up radio such as EyeMax wind up LED Solar Radio that will give you music wherever and whenever you want. It plays for 35 minutes at normal volume for each 30 second wind but if left in direct sunlight, the EyeMax will charge itself using a built in solar panel and play without winding. What's more, it has a built in flashlight too,� Nigel adds. General enquiries All items listed are available online at www.nigelsecostore.com and by phone on 0800 288 8970.

The amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere is at an all time high according to experts. The amount of greenhouse gases pouring into the atmosphere is greater than at any time during history and worryingly that includes the industrial revolution at the end of the previous century. Scientists have discovered that there are 387 parts per million of Carbon dioxide I the air the highest figure for 650,000 years. Some experts predict we are reaching the point of no return which stands at 400ppm, above this figure the world will see far greater extremes of climate change, resulting in floods & droughts. Professor Andrew Watson (University of East Anglia UK) said “30 per cent of the rise could be down to the weakening of the earth's natural carbon sinks, the oceans and rainforests� Friends of the Earth argue that the future of this planet rest firmly in the hands of our world leaders, they need to “push ahead with robust policies� to reduce greenhouse emissions or the world will suffer the consequences.

With growing public interest in environmentally friendly construction techniques, materials and design this years show is packed with eco-friendly ideas and technologies. The street address - Number One - Low Carbon Drive becomes the mission statement of Grand Designs. The aim is to encourage installation of all manner of energy saving devices. The group instructs residents on how to recycle waste water and save money on energy consumption. The Grand Designs program is now open at London's ExCel Centre. Houses built from straw bales, dwellings made of logs with "eco" friendly fixtures and fittings reflect public interest in the environment. This years Grand Designs Live is the 4th year in the shows history with even greater numbers coming to see the latest in eco friendly designs. Traditional values are at the heart of the straw bale construction carried out by Amazonails. This is a "not for profit" organization, based in the north of England. The group works in partnership with local business and education authorities. Amazonails, points up the effective design of buildings like these.

Environmental experts believe that the so called eco-friendly bio-plastics made from plant extracts could actually be damaging the environment. Some bio-plastics can only decompose at very high temperatures and therefore not suitable for Northern European countries. It is also thought that the manufacture of bio-plastics could also be bad for the global food crisis as bio-plastics are created from sugarcane, maize and wheat. Supporters of bio-plastics argue that they save between 30%-80% in Carbon production compared with oil based plastics, arguing that bio-plastics are biodegradable, sustainable and compostable.

The proposed plan to implement Britain's biggest wind farm has been ditched due to protests aimed at protecting rare birds from flying into the blades of the the proposed 181 wind turbines. The wind farm was due to be installed in the Bravas Moor area in lewis, which resides in the Scottish Western Isles. Jim Mather the Scottish energy minister commented "I considered the relevant issues and concluded it would not be possible to approve this application. It would have significant adverse impacts on the area, which is designated due to it's high value for rare and endangered birds."