Browsing: Climate Change

Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, has just launched its new campaign. It’s one you can all get involved in and maybe win some great prizes.

Swap just one car trip between 29th June - 4th July ‘09 and walk, cycle, take public transport or car - share instead. This is the week to join with thousands of others and Change Your World.

If we all pull together, this one small action could reduce car pollution by 10%, giving us healthier journeys, cleaner air and quieter streets.

We’ve contributed a £100 EthicalSuperstore.com voucher as a prize too, so if it’s free stuff you want then head to their website www.changeyourworld.org.uk.

Image: mrhayata - Flickr

I know I’m a little premature with this one, but with the festive season over yet winter still upon us, my mind is turning to holidays. You must have noticed the travel agents’ New Year advertising campaigns trying to tempt us all with the promise of the exotic, and year on year increasing numbers of Brits are taking the pundits up on their offers, and fleeing the country searching for weather, activities and the holiday atmosphere that you just don’t get in the UK.

I’m feeling like one of the lucky ones at the moment. Rather than still having several months to wait, I shall be jetting off to foreign lands sooner than most – in only a few weeks time I shall be exploring all that India has to offer. It’s a trip I’ve been looking forward to for a while now, and although I’m sure the country has many challenges to offer, I don’t think India will fail to disappoint in terms of beauty and wonder, cultural diversity and tasty food.

In the face of such excitement in anticipation of a holiday, there is nevertheless a big issue looming… It’s all very well looking on at SkiDubai’s desert snow dome in judgement when I myself am indulging in totally unnecessary long-haul flying. Ok, so one trip to India versus 3 football-pitches of snow frozen exclusively for Dubai’s affluent skiers may not be an entirely equal comparison, but where exactly do you set your boundaries for what is, and what isn’t acceptable as a luxurious indulgence. It is possible to indulge in chocolate ethically with brands such as Green & Black’s and Divine, but is there such a thing as ethical long-haul flying? Offsetting the carbon emissions of your flight is a good place to start when journeying abroad (you can offset the carbon emissions of your shopping here at EthicalSuperstore too) but I’m not convinced that even that can entirely assuage the negative impact of aeroplane travel.

Read the rest of Ethical Adventuring and Green Getaways »

I’ve been avoiding the news of late. I realised I needed to take a serious time out from it last week when I caught myself day dreaming of launching a cheap and nourishing breakfast cereal which I’d call ‘Credit Crunch’.

Last night though, I thought I’d risk a glimpse – perhaps the sacking of Luiz Filipe Scolari by Chelsea (and let’s not forget Portsmouth’s dismissal of Tony Adams too) might provide a little colour in the monochrome news diet.

I have to say I was flabbergasted, not by (or perhaps that should be not only by) Scolari’s reported pay out, but by a report from Northern Ireland.  Predictably it involved two words, each starting with C – but this time they represented a different global threat – Climate Change.

It would seem that Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson has banned government television adverts in Northern Ireland warning of the effects of climate change.

The DUP man said he was not prepared to allow “insidious New Labour propaganda” about the impact of climate change which would have been screened on UTV.

Read the rest of Am I alone? »

When I heard of SkiDubai, the world’s largest indoor ski centre, I felt convinced to the core that the world had indeed gone completely mad. An area of 22 500 sq m (the size of three football pitches) covered in real snow all year round - in the middle of a desert. The biggest and best - this is Dubai, after all - the centre boasts the world’s first indoor black run and the world’s largest interactive Snow Park. With the temperature maintained at -1 - -2 C, you can hire an overcoat if you have not packed your suitcase with snow in mind.

As I perused the website, I was silently screaming - “This is utterly mad. Instant gratification at what cost? The world is running out of energy and we are allowing this?” It reminds me of when I found out about the artificial beach on the banks of the Seine brought into Paris by the lorry load every summer. It just doesn’t seem right, just so unnecessary….

Read the rest of Have it all - at what cost? »

Gordon Brown & Queen Rania -WEF Annual Meeting Davos 2008

On the 28th January, Heads of state, business and religious leaders are meeting in the Swiss alpine town of Davos to initiate the start of the five day World Economic Forum (WEF).

The WEF is a Geneva-based non-profit foundation best known for its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland which brings together top business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world including health and the environment.

In 2008, some 250 public figures attended the Annual Meeting, including: Ban Ki-moon, Condoleezza Rice, Ferenc Gyurcsany, François Fillon, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Gordon Brown, Hamid Karzai,  Queen Rania of Jordan, Shimon Peres.

Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Bono, and Tony Blair are also regular Davos attendees.

Read the rest of Dear Davos »

"I had already been obsessing about apples all week."

Last night, my sixteen year old son told me that his girlfriend had said something really nice about me. I anticipated what it might be - perhaps a compliment about my appearance, personality or skills as a domestic goddess?

“You choose good apples.”

Not quite what I was hoping for. So then what was intended as a throwaway comment becomes a topic worthy of the Inquisition - the green ones or the red ones? the colour, the size, the juiciness..?

Coincidentally, I had already been obsessing about apples all week. I have been buying organic fruit for some time now. Last week, however, I noticed that the organic apples were from the USA. Although I am warming to the United States with the new President taking office this week, I stood in the supermarket aisle agonising over my dilemma: surely the good I am doing for the planet in supporting the organic cause is being cancelled out by the environmental damage of flying said apples from the States. I put them back.

Reaching for the fair trade apples, I was perturbed to see that they were produced in South Africa. Still such a long way. I put them back.

I eventually settled on apples from

Read the rest of The Knowledge of Good and Evil »

Avoid this! Walk to work. Or go by bike!

That’s right, today’s the day to leave your car in the garage and hop onto your bike, suss out public transport in your area, or stretch those legs in order to get to school, college or work.

Read the rest of Go Green - It’s World Carfree Day »

Footprints by Andy_5322

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Carbon Footprint’, and I’m pretty sure most of us will know that it would be a good thing for our planet if we could each reduce our individual footprint.

But what does that involve? How does one go about reducing something that is difficult to ascertain?

Well, having read a great article on the Times Online by eco columnist Donnachadh McCarthy, I’m pleased to see that we now have a National Carbon Footprint Day. So, on October 2^nd every year we will now be prompted to take readings of our ‘Eco High 5’s’ to calculate your carbon footprint with a view to reducing it year on year.

Head on over to the official National Carbon Footprint Day website to pledge your support and find out more. . .

(Image: Andy_5322)

With the schools starting up again this week and September well and truly under way, it’s time for us all to start thinking about Autumn. For those amongst us who love Autumnal colours and the crunch of fallen leaves this is all very well, but what about the rest of us who need to stock up our memories of summer for the dark days to come…?

Image via Flickr: Anataman

The BBC tells us that this August has been the gloomiest on record since UK records began, which makes it the least summery summer for at least 242 years – there hasn’t been an August with less sunbathing on the cards since the reign of George III – if not earlier!

If this kind of news doesn’t lead to thoughts about thoughts about climate change then I don’t know what will. DEFRA describes climate change as the ‘greatest environmental challenge facing the world today”, and although we don’t appear to be seeing the direct effects of global warming in the mercury of our thermometers, with Arctic ice melt becoming an increasingly serious issue, there are other problems in the offing.

So it’s time to for everyone to start taking notice of their carbon footprint: buy eco-friendly, use energy efficient gadgets and pay carbon offsets if and when you can.

Newcastle Green Gathering is back, bigger, better and, erm, greener than ever! It aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and living ethically by providing a creative and educational environmental at an arts and music based event.

There’s a Kids Area and Healing Zone as well as a plethora of local and national bands performing - ensuring there’s something for everone to be entertained by. As well as this there will be a whole host of stalls and pitches around the site in Exhibition Park inspiring the ethical consumer and green living enthusiast in all of us.

 As the official site says;

‘The festival will be taking place in Exhibition Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne on the 30th & 31st August. Featuring 5 stages of local and national music, arts, community groups, alternative therapies, stalls, food, drink (please note – no alcohol to be brought onto the site - drinks available through event bars) and much more. All dedicated to making sure that everyone in the city and beyond can make small but practical steps to change the environment we live in for the better; and have a great time while learning a bit as well.’

For more information check out the Green Gathering website

Photo: BBC