Arabella Miller, the kid’s organic cotton clothing company, has launched a new agent’s scheme giving eco-minded mums the chance to set up their own profitable "green" business.

Unlike most party plan schemes, Arabella Miller offers its agents 50% commission, which is the same mark up offered to retailers. Joining the scheme is easy and it costs as little as £75 to start up with telephone training and online support (including an exclusive e-course). All orders are managed online so paperwork is kept to a minimum.

"Currently we sell our clothing range online and in boutiques here in the UK and internationally. But kid’s clothing is ideal for mums to sell to other mums at parties," explains Alison Oultram, mum of two and founder of Arabella Miller. "Nothing beats being able to touch and feel organic clothing, and if you sell via parties, it’s a lot of fun too.

"While setting up my scheme I looked at other party plan companies and saw that the commission offered was often very small compared with the effort sellers put in, some insisted on membership fees too, set targets to reach and had complicated tiered commission systems.

"I want to offer other mums a way to earn money which easily fits around their family, but also offers them the opportunity to run a profitable business. Arabella Miller strives to be an ethical business, so agents will receive the same discount as my wholesale customers, making each sale extremely profitable for them," she says.

Arabella Miller is looking to recruit agents across the UK. Potential sellers can call Alison on 020 7043 2120 for a non-obligatory chat about the scheme.

Climate Realities, policy, opportunities & risks

5pm to 7pm, Tuesday 8th July, Linklaters, One Silk Street, London EC2

• China Now: Growth, Climate Realities, Chinese Policy on Climate Change
• How China informs and contributes to the global negotiating process
• Climate Change business opportunities and risks in China
• Securing environmentally sustainable supply lines from China

http://www.greenbizevents.co.uk/events/china/

Agenda

Chair: Isabel Hilton, Editor – China Dialogue

1700 Geo-Political Overview: Where climate change sits with other national goals
Isabel Hilton, Editor – China Dialogue

1710 Chinese Policy & Climate Change
Professor Li Shantong, Director – Development Research Center, P.R.C.

1720 Climate Realities: How climate change is already affecting China
Elizabeth Economy, CV Starr Senior Fellow and Director, Asia Studies at Council on Foreign Relations (USA)

1730 Doing business with China
Thomas Ng, Partner, Beijing, Linklaters

1740 China, carbon trading and the global negotiating process
Nick Mabey, Chief Executive, E3G

1750 Climate change opportunities in China
Roger Wood, Associate Director, Arup

1800 Q&A

Event Summary

China’s growth continues at over 9% a year. Growth that the Chinese government is keen to maintain. There are many concerns over the foundations of this growth and its environmental consequences. Production is understood to be very wasteful and the growth has contributed to the rapid degradation of China’s environmental well being. The Chinese government recognises its environmental problems and has many measures in place, but at a local level it is very difficult to implement change. In the provinces it is still growth at all costs.

Climate change is already having a huge affect on China – one being the ecological migrants forced to move on from China’s western provinces. They may number over 150 million in the next few years. And the link between this mass exodus and a changing climate has been made explicit by Pan Yue, deputy director of China’s Ministry for Environmental Protection. The Chinese administration is very concerned and there is an understanding with the party’s senior ranks that action is needed. However the Ministry has a hard battle reconciling these concerns with China’s growth strategies and in enforcing policies locally where many do not understand the problem.

In the same reckoning it must be remembered that Chinese CO2 emissions are, per capita, roughly a fifth of UK and a tenth of USA emissions and its contribution to pre-existing greehouse gas stocks is negligible. China is looking for help on this issue – help that it can afford and that will accelerate its transition to a low carbon economy.

In engaging China on the issue of climate change, the scale of opportunity and risk is very high. We will explore the opportunities and pitfalls of doing business in China in the climate change arena – be it emissions trading or any other business supporting their transition to a low carbon future - and the wider challenge for global brands of migrating the manufacturing centre of the world towards a more sustainable future.

Background on our conferences

As a little bit of background, here are some previous speakers who have spoken at Linklaters’ climate change series: Lord Stern, Professor John Shepherd, Tyndall Centre; Dr Steve Howard, Climate Group; Lord Browne of Maddingley; The Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn MP; Peter Ainsworth MP; Ben Verwaayen, ex-CEO of BT; Professor Bob Watson, DEFRA; Green Business Events has been set up to help businesses understand the implications of climate change. Our home page provides a lot more information.

Cycling remains one of the most sustainable forms of transport available to us, it’s pollution free, noise free and congestion free and as petrol prices, global warming and obesity figures continue to rise there’s never been more reason for us all to think about ditching the car in favour of the healthier, cheaper and more eco friendly option on two wheels.

Integral to ECOutlet’s range of environmentally friendly products, the online eco store has recently expanded their range of bicycle accessories to help cyclists increase their green credentials in time for the summer cycling season.

• Green Oil Bicycle Chain Lubricant:
  To keep everything running smothly, Green Oil is a new high performance bicycle chain lubricant made from naturally occurring plant extracts. Green Oil’s formulation of long-chain molecules repels water molecules protecting the chain from from rust and helps give a smooth, low friction ride.
  Unlike standard bicycle chain oils, Green Oil does not contain any petrochemical components or Teflon and subsequently is not irritant, hazardous or harmful to the environment.

Reelight Battery Free Bicycle Lights:
The arrival of summer means longer, brighter evenings and the latest addition to ECOutlet’s battery-free bicycle lights means cyclists need no longer worry about being caught out without lights.
Reelight bicycle lights do not use batteries but produce their own green energy using magnets attached to the spokes of the wheel.  The lights are permanently mounted on the side of the bicycle and are always on, day and night, constantly flashing.  Just as important there are no batteries to buy or throw away when used.

Two versions of the Reelight dynamo bike lights are available to purchase, the Reelight SL100 UK Standard which flash constantly when the bike is in motion and the Reelight SL120 UK Standard which flash whenever the bike is in motion and continue to flash for two minutes after the bicycle has stopped.

Bicycle Clips made from recycled inner tubes:
The company has also recently branched out into producing their first in-house product when cyclist and one-half of ECOutlet, Marco Puig, set about the task of designing a pair of trouser bicycle clips made from recycled materials. ! After a period of trial and error, a simple yet effective design of t rouser clip was created using recycled bicycle inner tubes which had been donated by his local bicycle shop.

The recycled bicycle clips help enable a safer ride whilst protecting trouser cuffs from rips and stains as a result of contact with the bicycle chain.  Practical and effective, the bicycle clips are also an innovative solution to the problem of disposing of bicycle inner tubes which are not routinely recycled.  Each pair is approximately 29.5cm long and the elastic nature of the material means one size fits all.

The Riverside Group is a Registered Social Landlord providing social, supported, sheltered and shared ownership housing. 27th June 2008 will be The Riverside Group’s staff conference, an opportunity for all the hundreds of staff from around the country to gather together. This year to celebrate the groups 80th birthday it will be the biggest ever held at the Liverpool Echo Arena. I am a member of a group responsible for  organising the staff lead Fairtrade promotional and launch event with the aim of increasing staffs awareness and enthusiasm for fairtrade in preparation for the wider implementation into the corporate strategy.

The theme for the staff will be informative but also fun with a range of products to sample – is our "taste challenge"as well as our free raffle (ticket provided to everyone visiting the stall) with the aim of creating a buzz of excitement around the stall. A second launch event is also planned at our tenant conference in October, launching our dedication to taking the education and promotion f fair-trade out to out tenants of over 52,000.  
 
We are therefore looking to establish relationships with retailers to gather promotional information on their fairtrade ranges etc to supply to staff promoting the availability etc. We are also looking for any donations which could possible be made towards the fairtrade raffle.

Any help you could provide in term of promotional cards / leaflets or products etc would be greatly appreciated. Any we hope our relationship can continue as we progress with our aim of integrating fairtrade throughout our organisation nationally and to our tenants and within their communities. If you think you can help please email Jennifer.Friday@riverside.org.uk

Now in its sixth year, The Bristol Vegan Fayre remains the largest vegan event anywhere in the world today – and the most fun!  A superb site location by the Waterside in the heart of Bristol, plus an excellent organising team, top rate security, some stunning stallholders and sponsors, some supreme entertainers, an awesome line up of talks and demos, and a brilliant team of stewards and helpers ensures that everyone who visits the Bristol Vegan Fayre not only has a memorable day out, but leaves brimful with inspiration, education, some excellent shopping and of course extremely well fed.ut leaves brimful with inspiration, education, some excellent shopping and of course extremely well fed.

Whether you’re a raw foodie looking for the latest info and products, a committed vegan in search of new cookery ideas and some leather free footwear, a veggie tempted by the idea of going vegan and wanting to know more about it, an ‘omnivore’ who is after reducing their meat intake and in search of a few ideas, recipes and products – or none of these, eats anything but likes a good time, enjoys a decent festival and some good bands, and can put up with a veggieburger and pint without too much issue – you know you’re all welcome – it’s an inclusive show designed to suit all comers.

Find out more info and how to get to the show – www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk 

The Award winning Sunrise Celebration festival is back for the 3rd year from 29th May to the 1st June 2008, featuring an inspiring mix of the very best in alternative culture, and continually committed to setting new standards in sustainability!

Run by a fellow Ethical Junction member, you still have chance to attend this exciting event.

With 12 stages in 13 arenas providing 24 hour entertainment from more than 200 live bands and 100 DJs, with shows, workshops, forums, flamboyant fun and frolics, dress up debauchery, impressive installations, and all manner of creative expressions, all over 4 days!

The Sunrise Celebration is arguably the UKs leading Independent Sustainable festival with ground-breaking environmental policies and a positive attitude towards the planetary situation we are faced with. Sunrise believe that the world is getting better.

Go to www.sunrisecelebration.com to find out all about the festival, it’s music, workshops, performances, sustainability and the facilities!

The Camden Green Fair is held on the first Sunday in June each year – this year being 1 June - to coincide with World Environment Day and London Sustainability Weeks. It is now in its 17th year and attracts some 25,000 people throughout the day.

The Fair aims to inspire Londoners to help make their capital a world-class Green City, letting visitors find out about the huge and growing number of sustainable companies, products, campaigns, and lifestyle choices that are available to us all, and it claims to be the UK’s largest free green event.(www.camdengreenfair.org.uk)

Ethical Junction has a stand, and will be in the Financial Zone.  If you’re visiting the event do come and say hello!

The Sports Hall of the Caerleon Campus, University of Newport is the venue for the Fair Trade Fair 6-7 June.  The trade fair is being split into two parts, with a business to business day running on the Friday and a retail fair on the Saturday.

Friday 6th June - Fair Trade Wholesale Fair. Open 10am – 5pm, Free Entry with car parking available.   

A great opportunity for those wishing to source Fair Trade products and make new contacts. Stallholders include importers recognised by the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Fairtrade marked products. Products include jewellery, crafts, homeware and food items.

Saturday 7th June - Fair Trade Retail Fair.  Open 10am – 5pm, Free Entry with car parking available.   

The perfect place for stocking up on Fair Trade goods and seeing the amazing range of Fair Trade products available. Stallholders include importers recognised by the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Fairtrade marked products. Products include jewellery, crafts, homeware and food items.

For more details please visit: www.fairtradewales.com

Announcing the Sustainable Innovations at the Base of the Pyramid conference on September 26-27, 2008 at the Helsinki School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland. The conference addresses the interrelated social, technological and business innovations at the Base of the Pyramid. It will particularly focus on the sustainability of Base-of-the-Pyramid approaches and innovations.

The speakers include business people, academics and NGO representatives as well as public sector participants from developed and developing countries. In addition to expert speakers, there will be interactive workshops on current themes on sustainability and innovations at the BOP. The industry speakers will include, among others, representatives of the Nokia Corporation, Philips Design, Grameen Phone and small and medium-sized enterprises. More information is available at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001CFaRhivYuWW0Bi4Kcb4cPqNt_0L2Qy8Rpg67l1-M4Z9Pb7U4QNhS9VGSNMmtsKUXcH299DKLfOs7UuRuB4tckorFiOlpJIp1oR0jXVRShcY=

Please register early. We have a limited number of places. We hope to see you there.

The conference will coincide with the publication by Greenleaf Publishing of Sustainability Challenges and Solutions at the Base of the Pyramid: Business, Technology and the Poor, edited by Prabhu Kandachar and Minna Halme – a comprehensive new collection of Base-of-the-Pyramid studies. With 28 topical papers it is a heavyweight, state-of-the-art contribution to the debate, and essential reading for anyone in this field. For more details, full TOC and an opportunity to reserve a copy at 20% discount, go to the Greenleaf Publishing website.

Sustainability Challenges and Solutions at the Base of the Pyramid: Business, Technology and the Poor

Edited by Prabhu Kandachar and Minna Halme.

Coming soon – The Green Guide for Weddings !  This 208-page, full-colour publication with advice on how to green up your special day. Each chapter includes a detailed explanation of the social, ethical and environmental considerations for your wedding, offering alternative but glam and gorgeous options, with inspiring photography.

There is also a comprehensive directory that covers budgeting, venues, gowns, beautification, the gift list, honeymoons and more, ensuring you have all the choice to make your day perfectly green-hued.

The Green Guide for Weddings will be available to buy in Waterstones, Borders, Books Etc and many independent wholefood and book shops for £8.99 from mid June. You can also find out further information and buy directly from the Green Guide website.

It goes without saying that all the Green Guide books have strong eco-credentials including being printed on 100% recycled paper and using vegetable-based inks!