As part of our UN Global Compact (UNGC) commitment  to respect human rights, Article 13 supports the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty (http://www.oct17.org/en) 2009 on  17 October. This special day, established by the UN in 1992 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, represents a social movement, which strives to end world poverty. It brings together, on a local level, people living in extreme poverty, and those fighting extreme poverty, in order to generate opinions, decisions and ideas for actions.

There are several ways for individuals and businesses to support this cause:

• Advertise World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty in articles, press releases, and email signatures http://www.oct17.org/Support-this-campaign.html;


• On a local level people can meet up to bring together their ideas for action;


• Sign the Call to Action online at: http://www.oct17.org/Striving-together-to-end-poverty.html;


• Wear the campaign ribbon; and


• Start an event in order to build awareness and raise money for this day.

To do our bit here at Article 13 in the build up to Saturday, 17 October, we will include the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty logo and link, as well as a brief descriptor on our email signatures to disseminate this initiative to our network of clients, associates and in-house team.

Read some of Article 13’s resources to explore the poverty issue in more detail: 

• Poverty, governance and individual action http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1038


• Mother Earth: we grow fat while she grows thin http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1277

Article 13 case studies:

• Centrica: HELP programme http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1329


• Diageo plc: A long standing commitment to Tomorrow’s People http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1332

For more information please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450. Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

There is a great deal of talk about ‘greening’ your home on the outside to reduce energy costs and heat loss (and rightly so) but what about the inside of the property? Can we improve the carbon footprint environmental friendliness of our home interiors?

There are various factors to consider when looking at our home décor: the carbon footprint of each individual item in a room, such as the sofa manufacture, or the chemical content of the paint on the walls; the sustainability of the resources used for each product; and the health issues surrounding the products for your family e.g. off-gassing of paints and varnishes or MDF boards?  Let’s face it, unless we were lucky enough to start from scratch within the last few years, we all have houses that are pretty toxic and not very eco-friendly.

So how do you go about ‘greening’ the interior or your property? First of all, let me say what you shouldn’t do – do not jump in with both feet and scrap everything you possess in order to replace it with a ‘greener’ version. Our resources are scarce and the landfill sites are full. Take it one room at a time and take stock of what you have. Can some of the items be revamped and used in the new room scheme? Can they be passed on to a friend or needy student setting up their first home? Your local freecycle group will be grateful for pretty much any item – there is always somebody who can make use of something you no longer need.

Greening your rooms: Step by Step

Now that we have that straight, here is what to do next. Take it a room at a time and think carefully about the following aspects of the room:

• Lighting - Can the wattage of the lights in use be reduced? Do you need to introduce new light fittings with greater efficiency? How about building in some new technology such as timers, dimmers or sensor switches. LED designs are improving all the time and can look stunning in any room scheme.

• Flooring – Don’t scrap the old carpet if it still works for the room scheme you want. If it doesn’t work or is too worn, then look at the many different options out there such as bare or naturally stained/painted floorboards with rugs made of sustainable materials like wool, felt or sisal. The new style cork flooring or revamped rubber flooring or Marmoleum can look great in the right room and there are several companies out there launching 100% broadloom wool carpets that have been left undyed. Check out your local carpet retailer for more information.

• Wallcoverings - this aspect is becoming much easier with the growth of the natural paint market. Beware of some paint suppliers claiming to be ‘green’ because of low VOC content – they should have ‘0′ VOC content and if they don’t there are many out there who do! Wallpapers are now being produced using paper from managed forests and non toxic dyes and we have even discovered gorgeous ceramic tiles with 30-40% recycled content!

• Window Dressing - A great tip from Oliver Heath in his Urban Eco Chic book, is to try to bring as much light into a room as possible to reduce the amount of time we are reliant on electric lighting. Painting the window frame and sill white can help reflect light into the room as well as designing curtains or blinds that sit back from the windows and do not cover too much of the glass. Gecco Interiors carries a wide range of organic and sustainable fabrics and can make any of them into curtains or blinds with organic bamboo linen lining.

• Furniture - Finally, take a good look at your furniture. Can any of it work in the new scheme? Could a beloved chair of sofa be re-covered in a new organic upholstery fabric? Look at repainting a bookshelf or coffee table to give it a fresh look. Many second hand shops carry sets of stylish dining chairs which can look fabulous with a new seat cushion. Eco Style means that it does not have to match and it is often much more fun to have a collection of stylish yet slightly mismatched pieces in one room rather than everything looking uniform. Have fun creating your own style! If you do decide to buy new, take the time to source furniture made in an environmentally sensitive way using timber from FSC managed forests and as locally made as possible.

• Kitchens & Bathrooms – these are the rooms that can cost the most in any house, but they are often the most wasteful when it comes to energy or water usage. We are lucky these days that companies are innovating all the time and new technology has brought about energy efficient appliances, fixtures and fittings for both of these rooms. Many leading bathroom suppliers now carry low flow taps or showers and eco bathtubs that take much less water than traditional tubs. Rubber flooring, Marmoleum and recycled ceramic tiles come into their own in these room schemes and there are now some truly stunning worktops made from recycled materials such as wine bottles or shells! (check out Glass ECO)

For any other information or tips please do not hesitate to contact me at any time and I will love helping you to solve your eco design dilemma! You can reach me at angie@geccointeriors.co.uk

15^th October 2009 London – Following three days of intense deliberation by the judging panel, the Green Awards^TM 2009 is pleased to announce this year’s shortlist across 16 categories. The winners will be announced at the 4^th annual Green Awards^TM ceremony on 18^th November.

The shortlisted work ranged from the informative to the amusing, with entries being selected from a competitive pool for the clarity of their message, creativity of expression and their sustainability rationale.

The hot topic throughout was whether companies could be accused of ‘Greenwash’ or were in fact truly living their values by providing both qualitative and quantitative evidence of the positive sustainable impact of their campaigns.

Dr Peter White, Director of Global Sustainability, P & G and Chair of the UK judging panel, said: “This year’s Green Awards will recognise excellence in sustainability communications from organisations large and small, public and private, and from home and abroad.”

“The entrants demonstrated the innovation and creativity needed to communicate sustainability, even during the current financial downturn. The diversity and creativity of the entrants resulted in much discussion on the judging panel to select the final and worthy winners.”

For details of the shortlists and to see which companies are setting the benchmark in green communications visit http://www.greenawards.co.uk/.

responsibletravel.com, the world’s leading travel agent for responsible holidays, has announced today that it plans to remove the facility for its customers to offset carbon emissions via its website. The company was among the first travel organisations to introduce carbon offsets in early 2002, and is now one of the first to remove them for environmental reasons.

Justin Francis, MD, responsibletravel.com said: “We have thought long and hard about how we can continue to offer our customers the leading advice they expect from a responsible tourism business when it comes to the fast growing impact of flying on the environment.

“We believe that the travel industry’s priority must be to reduce carbon emissions, rather than to offset. Too often offsets are being used by the tourism industry in developed countries to justify growth plans on the basis that money will be donated to projects in developing countries. Global reduction targets will not be met this way.”

Francis agrees with the recent report by Friends of the Earth which labelled offsets as a ‘dangerous distraction’(1):
“Carbon offsets distract tourists from the need to reduce their emissions. They create a ‘medieval pardon’ for us to carry on behaving in the same way (or worse).”

responsibletravel.com has sought advice from Friends of the Earth to put in place a clear, alternative ‘carbon caution’ for travellers offering advice and tips (see www.responsibletravel.com/carboncaution).

Tips for travellers

Francis summarises responsibletravel.com’s advice to travellers:
“Ultimately we need to reduce our carbon emissions. We can do this by flying less – travelling by train or taking holidays closer to home for example, and by making carbon reductions in other areas of our lifestyles too, alongside travel.

“There is no hiding the fact that tourists will continue to want to visit destinations requiring a flight, and that tourism contributes to livelihoods, local economic development and the conservation of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. We will continue to offer a more responsible choice of overseas holiday so that when tourists do fly they can ‘make their holiday count’ by choosing a more responsible holiday.”

Alongside the new advice page, responsibletravel.com aims to help responsible travellers by offering:

• Over 200 UK based holidays. The UK is now the best selling destination on the website as many of its UK-based customers chose to holiday closer to home.


• The functionality to book Europe and worldwide train tickets or UK train tickets to reach their holiday destination.


• A special section dedicated to holidays whose organisers have gone that extra mile in helping travellers choose more environmentally friendly methods of transport. See lower carbon travel holidays.


• Thousands of holidays around the world that work towards reducing their carbon footprint within destinations as much as possible.

responsibletravel.com offers over 3,500 holidays around the world, all of which can be booked as ‘land only’ holidays.

For further information and advice see: www.responsibletravel.com/carboncaution

responsibletravel.com has also teamed up with leading responsible tourism academic Professor Harold Goodwin, Director International Centre for Responsible Tourism on his FlySmart Campaign for Responsible Aviation: http://www.flysmart.org/ . The campaign supports a Carbon Friendly Flight Search functionality, enabling travellers to search and compare the cheapest and most environmentally friendly fares available around the world.

For further information on Harold Goodwin’s FlySmart campaign visit: http://www.flysmart.org/

For interviews with Justin Francis or Harold Goodwin, please contact Krissy Roe: press@responsibletravel.com or 01273 648 519.

1. http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/news/dangerous_distraction_20319.html

Start living the good life with My Greener Home (http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/ ). My Greener Home is an online shop dedicated to making living the good life very simple with hundreds of the most inventive green gadgets plus all your staples for the garden and home.

Organic Window Box Garden   £24.95

Do you love the idea of cooking with home grown food, but have limited outdoor space? The window box garden is for you. Vegetables included have been specially selected to be happy growing on a window sill. You’ll be amazed at how much food you’ll harvest from such a small garden.

The window box garden includes the following organic baby plants: Dwarf French beans, Mixed lettuces, Rocket, Spinach, Spring Onions, Beetroot, Basil, Parsley, Chives

£24.95 at http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/ or on 0208 133 9002

Organic Children’s Garden  £34.95

Everyone knows that children are more likely to eat vegetables that they’ve helped to grow. It’s a great way to teach kids about food, the environment, and gardening. Vegetables included in this garden are simple to grow, they can be grown on a vegetable patch, in pots, or growbags.

Includes: Pumpkins, Courgettes, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Runner beans, Beetroot, Borlotti, Peas, Carrots, Mixed lettuce, Spinach, Potatoes

£34.95 at http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/ or on 0208 133 9002

The gardens are ordered by visiting http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/ or by calling My Greener Home on 0208 133 9002. The gift is presented in the form of a voucher -with the box being delivered in early spring 2010. The gardens arrive ready to plant with seedlings of 10cm tall.

For more information or hi res images please contact Helen Trevorrow at Green Row on 020 8960 8950

Yew Clothing is proud to announce the launch of its new range of active wear made from 100% recycled materials. Visit http://www.yewclothing.com/ to discover the first complete collection of high performance sports gear that’s kind to the environment.

Whether you’re a gym bunny, a city cyclist, a weekend walker or a long distance runner, follow your instinct for adventure with a little help from Yew – providing stylish, all purpose clothing for your active lifestyle.

Designed by athletes who wanted a little more from the sports clothing they wear, Yew’s selection of jackets and Everywear performance tops feature everything you would normally expect from your workout gear, but are made with 100% recycled polyester from consumer waste. This means that the fabric used to create them is produced from re-processed plastics like drinks bottles or food containers, helping to reduce waste and using much less energy to produce than brand new fibres.

The result… A collection of high quality, durable garments that are built to last, fit well, and will keep you comfortable and dry whatever challenge you are facing.

Discover the Yew Clothing Range:

ACTIVE

Yew Everywear Performance Tops for Men & Women

All purpose tops for every active adventure. Suitable for everything from a gym workout, to running, hiking, yoga, and skiing, this is one essential product for all your sporting needs. Made from 100% recycled polyester, bright colours and contrasting colour side panels add visual interest to these performance tops. The lightweight, wicking fabric features flat-lock stitching for comfort, a seamless shoulder to prevent chafing and will keep you cool when it gets hot. A reflective print on the front and back of the neck will make sure you’re visible in the dark.

Available in a range of styles and colour ways priced £25.00 (short sleeve) or £27.50 (long sleeve).

Yew Local Warming Jackets for Men & Women

Cosy, fleece-lined jacket that will help keep you warm when the temperature drops. Perfect for throwing on after the gym, jogging on winter mornings, hiking, a bike ride, or simply running to the shops to get some more milk. Made with 100% recycled polyester, the jacket features hidden pockets, a seamless shoulder to aid comfort and a fold over zip to protect the neck. The warm, breathable material will keep you snug and dry, and the slimming, fitted shape makes this a stylish alternative to your old fleece. Available in Carbon Grey and Skyrise Blue priced £55.00.

CASUAL

Yew Organic Cotton T-Shirts for Men & Women

T-shirts made from 100% organic cotton. Super soft and super comfy, these fitted tees feature a Yew graphic print across the chest and are a classic style solution for any occasion.

All Yew Clothing products are available at http://www.yewclothing.com/. All Yew recycled polyester comes from Taiwan where recycling is more prevalent. The material is manufactured into Yew active wear at a modern factory in Istanbul with good facilities for staff. 

Businesses across London are celebrating their achievements in green purchasing after being awarded the gold level of the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code.

The Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code is a free support service for London organisations committed to reducing their environmental impact through responsible purchasing. It is one of the measures in place in London designed to help achieve the Mayor, Boris Johnson’s, target of cutting the capital’s carbon emissions by 60% by 2025.

By signing up to the Green Procurement Code, members commit to achieving progressive environmental targets and their progress is measured through an annual survey, which asks for information on their green procurement activities. This information is used to measure members’ environmental performance and they may achieve bronze, silver or gold level of the Code.

This year sixteen signatories have achieved the gold level. These include all five members of the Greater London Authority group, two leading London boroughs, Greenwich and Hackney, as well as six small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), one charity, Cancer Research UK and two large private corporations, Mapeley and Ove Arup. In addition, a further 28 companies achieved the silver level, while 24 organisations were awarded bronze.

This is a significant increase on last year’s numbers, which is all the more impressive due to the fact that this year’s criteria made it even more challenging to achieve the higher levels.

The Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code, funded by the London Development Agency, has gone from strength to strength and now has over 500 members from the public, private and third sectors. Over 180 of these members submitted data for this year’s survey, up from 126 in 2008.

As well as measuring the achievements of individual organisations, the survey also measures member’s collective environmental savings. In 2008, the combined purchases of Green Procurement Code signatories diverted the equivalent of 187 Olympic sized swimming pools of waste from landfill, representing a saving of 22,643 tonnes of CO2. Early indications are that the savings reported in 2009 will be even greater.

Companies will get the chance to celebrate their achievements at the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code awards, which will be held at the Royal Institute of British Architects on October 26. Awards will be presented in 5 key categories – people; policy, strategy & communication; procurement process; engaging with suppliers; measurement and results; as well as an award for the best performing SME.

Graham Randles, Programme Manager of the Green Procurement Code praises the efforts of signatories. ‘We are delighted with the numbers of organisations taking part and achieving the top levels in this year’s progress review. In the current challenging economic climate it may be tempting to think of sustainable procurement as an expensive luxury, but many London businesses are realising the continuing benefits of keeping sustainability at the top of their agenda.’

London lights up at Christmas! Visit some of the best lights in the world, go open-air ice skating, see The Nutcracker ballet, take in a pantomime or watch the spectacular New Year’s fireworks off the London Eye. If you’re feeling very brave, join the morning swim in Hyde Park’s Serpentine on Christmas Day (or maybe just watch). Our chemical, allergy and toxin free apartment is available for short breaks over the holiday season. Organic welcome hamper. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2694.htm

Kirklands is the perfect place to stay over Hogmanay. There will be a roaring log fire in the drawing room to greet you on your arrival or after a day sightseeing. Organic and locally sourced yummy breakfasts are served in our oriental style dining room. You’ll find cosy robes to wrap around yourself in our warm inviting bedrooms. We have twenty acres for you to stroll around – and we’re just 25 miles from Edinburgh for all the Hogmanay celebrations. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2556.htm

Pant Y Cae organic farm nestles in the foothills of Cadair Idris near the beaches of Fairbourne and Barmouth. Spend Christmas or New Year in an eco-friendly solar and wind powered lodge in a quiet, natural environment. It’s a great base for exploring southern Snowdonia and Cardigan Bay. You’ll find natural wool throws, made from the wool of our own Welsh mountain sheep and spun in Wales, on the beds. Seasonal organic vegetable box available with prior notice. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2572.htm

Why not bring your nearest and dearest to a beautiful organic farm in Herefordshire and experience a truly sustainable Christmas break. The Woodhouse and the Bunkhouse are log cabins, insulated with sheeps wool, powered by wind and sun and warmed with woodburning rayburns and offering you a heavenly Christmas that won’t cost the earth. Our farm shop will provide delicious organic delights and the farm and woodlands let you walk off that Christmas dinner! http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2577.htm

Cashel House welcomes you to a quiet, traditional Christmas and New Year in Connemara in the west of Ireland. Luxury and tranquillity, big turf fires, good country house homemade food using the best of local and home-grown produce. Christmas is a very special time at the house and it is our hope to make it your best Christmas ever. New Year at Cashel House sees out the old and welcomes the new year in after a celebration dinner with festive accompaniments. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2686.htm

Self-cater in an 18th C building in the heart of rural Lincolnshire lovingly restored using environmentally-friendly materials and traditional methods. ‘We’ve all had the most wonderful Christmas, the children had an absolute blast, waking up Christmas morning here was a dream, thank you for the hampers, flowers, goodies, etc’ – ‘A warm welcome, a lovely hamper and the added bonus of a Christmas tree. Accommodation fantastic and many good reasons to stay in!  http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2560.htm

You’ll find all the above, plus hundreds more organic places in the UK and abroad, on the website Organic Holidays http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/

Or why not buy a copy of ‘Organic Places to Stay, UK and Ireland’ to give away to somebody as a Christmas present http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/Book

JESSICA BIEL, ALEXANDRA COUSTEAU, PETE WENTZ, ANGELIQUE KIDJO AND JENNY FLETCHER JOIN Live Earth, GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGE AND DOW TO LAUNCH THE DOW LIVE EARTH RUN FOR WATER – THE LARGEST GLOBAL WATER INITIATIVE IN HISTORY TO HELP SOLVE THE WORLD WATER CRISIS

Cities Hosting the Event Include Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Hong Kong, Jimbaran, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Mexico City, Milan, Minneapolis, New York, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Singapore City, Stockholm, Toronto and Washington, D.C.

October 13, 2009 – Live Earth announced plans to implement the largest worldwide water initiative on record to help combat the global water crisis.  The Dow Live Earth Run for Water – to take place April 18, 2010 – will consist of a series of 6 km run/walks (the average distance many women and children walk every day to secure water) taking place over the course of 24 hours in countries around the world, featuring concerts and water education activities aimed at igniting a tipping point to help solve the water crisis.  Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau, Pete Wentz, Angelique Kidjo and Jenny Fletcher will lend their names and their time in support of this important cause.

“The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will bring people together around the world, raising awareness about the sources and consequences of the water crisis, locally and globally,” said Alexandra Cousteau, global water advocate and founder of Blue Legacy International.  “It captures perfectly the interconnectedness of life on our water planet and drives home the message that the water crisis is a global issue that isn’t going to be fixed by scientists or policymakers alone.  It’s up to each of us.”

Water scarcity is an issue affecting countries, communities and families all over the world.  One in eight people don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. Eighty-eight percent of diarrheal cases worldwide are linked to inadequate and unsafe water. These cases result in 1.5 million deaths each year, mostly among children under five. In these areas, women and children are forced to walk 6 km (3.7 miles) each day to secure water that is likely unsuitable for drinking.

Everybody counts in helping to solve the water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a global movement focused on the actions individuals can take to effectively address the issue.  People are encouraged to START solving the problem today, RUN in a Dow Live Earth Run for Water run/walk in their community or organize their own run/walk through the Friends of Live Earth program, SAVE water in their home and local community through conservation efforts, GIVE money to support clean, safe water projects and SPEAK UP by signing the Live Earth petition to add water as a basic human right to the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.

“Water scarcity is an issue that affects all of us and we all have a responsibility to do our part to help solve this global crisis,” said actor and Dow Live Earth Run for Water supporter Jessica Biel.  “The beauty of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is that it gives us a platform to encourage others to be part of the solution to help everyone have access to clean, safe drinking water.”

Dow Live Earth Run for Water cities unveiled today, include Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cape Town, South Africa; Chicago, IL, USA; Hong Kong, China; Jimbaran, Bali, Indonesia; London, UK; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Manchester, UK; Melbourne, Australia; Mexico City, Mexico; Milan, Italy; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York, NY, USA; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; São Paulo, Brazil; Singapore City, Singapore; Stockholm, Sweden; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., USA.  For a full list of Dow Live Earth Run for Water cities, visit http://liveearth.org/run.

The Dow Live Earth Run for Water run/walk registration opens today via The Active Network at http://liveearth.org/run.  All participants will receive a free online ActiveTrainer plan to help them prepare for the event. Ten percent of all registration fees go directly to the NGO selected for their country.

“Dow is proud to be the title sponsor for this groundbreaking event,” said Ian Barbour, general manager at Dow Water & Process Solutions, a business unit of Dow.  “As part of our 2015 Sustainability Goals, we are committed to leveraging science and technology to help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges – like the water crisis.  Our partnership with Live Earth is just one of the many ongoing efforts Dow is making to address water scarcity and help millions of people around the world gain access to safe, clean drinking water.” 

Through a cross-platform global fundraising effort, all donations raised by the Dow Live Earth Run for Water will be disseminated to fund sustainable and scalable water programs.  A growing global network of NGO partners including Global Water Challenge, A Child’s Right, Akvo, Fondo Para La Paz, Indonesia Water Partnership, Lien Ad, Pump Aid, Wildlands Conservation Trust and many others who will successfully implement water and conservation projects around the world.  For the comprehensive list of Live Earth’s NGO partners around the world, please visit http://liveearth.org/runforwater/partners.

“The world water crisis is the single greatest avoidable health challenge of our time,” said Paul Faeth, president of Global Water Challenge, the lead beneficiary and non-profit partner for the Dow Live Earth Run for Water in the United States.  “There is a solution.  With appropriate funding and scaling simple technology, we believe we have the ability to ensure universal access to clean and safe drinking water.  The Dow Live Earth Run for Water will serve as a catalyst to rally the world community around the critical issue of water scarcity and empower citizens to be part of the solution.”

The water crisis is not only limited to developing nations.  In cities such as Los Angeles and Singapore City, growing demand on limited water supplies has led to enforced water rationing and increased costs to the public.  Adding to these existing issues, the affects of climate change are increasingly impacting both supply and quality of available fresh water throughout the world – shifting traditional rainfall patterns, altering water-shaping ecosystems and magnifying the effects of pollution.

“Building on the massive success of the Live Earth: Concerts for a Climate in Crisis in 2007, the Dow Live Earth Run for Water will mobilize the global community to once again come together on one day and take action on one of the most serious environmental issues today, the global water crisis,” said Kevin Wall, founder and CEO of Live Earth.  “Water scarcity affects everyone whether they are aware of it or not, and the goal of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is to raise the profile of this issue, educate the world’s citizens about its challenges and offer opportunities to be part of the solution.”

Those interested in organizing their own run/walks in their communities to support the Dow Live Earth Run for Water can register their run/walk as a “Friends of Live Earth” event at http://liveearth.org/friends.  Friends of Live Earth registered events receive approved materials, including event guidelines, logos, video and photos assets, as well as an invitation to join the Friends of Live Earth social network for regular updates.  To date, nearly 20 Friends of Live Earth events are confirmed to take place in cities around the world, including: Accra, Ghana; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Asunción, Paraguay; Bogotá, Colombia; Cotonou, Benin; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Hamilton, Bermuda; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Santiago, Chile; Eldoret, Kenya; Kampala, Uganda; Lima, Peru; Lusaka, Zambia; Panama City, Panama; Praia, Cape Verde; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Port Louis, Mauritius.

The Dow Live Earth Run for Water has enlisted the expertise of the best in the business to assist with the event – Control Room, executive producers of all Live Earth events, is responsible for global entertainment and broadcast production; Ignite, overseeing concert production; Pacific Sports, handling run production around the world; Ignition, handling water village event production; and the Active Network, providing online registration technology to support the races around the world.  Additional strategic partners are listed at http://liveearth.org/runforwater/partners

For more information about the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, visit http://liveearth.org/.

Organically grown produce, barnyard animals and a warm welcome with meticulous service awaits

Located on the Cambridgeshire to Hertfordshire border, South Farm is a beautifully restored Grade II listed country house owned and run by the Paxman family, who welcome weddings, parties and corporate functions. A nine acre organically grown fruit and vegetable garden and farmyard animals, including Kune Kune pigs and Angora goats roaming the grounds, show how passionate this family is about providing as much as they can from their home to their guests.

South Farm has belonged to the Paxmans for the last 35 years but it was only five years ago that father and son, Philip and James and Philip’s partner Christine decided to open their home to parties from as few as eight to 200 people. South Farm’s reputation speaks for itself playing host to a very respectable 120 weddings this year, with 140 scheduled for 2010. Its success is down to the enthusiasm that each member of the family plays; Christine the chef, Philip the passionate gardener and James who undertakes the general day to day running of the farm.

With couples in the UK spending an average of over £20,000 on their weddings, and over 250,000 weddings in the UK a year, this makes for a business sector worth an annual £5 billion. The wedding budget is probably the second biggest investment in a couple’s life, with the venue accounting for about half their spend. The choice of location is the critical decision and this is where South Farm plays a crucial part as justifiably one of the most popular wedding venues in the county.

“We’ve really created a virtuous circle with our clients” says managing partner James. “We have always been conservation minded and the wedding revenue has funded the restoration of our fine old listed farmyard, our romantic collection of Romany caravans, the development of an outstanding organic smallholding and the creation of enchanting gardens and conservation areas in what used to be a pretty bleak and windswept site. The more improvements we make the more bookings we win; it’s a happy state of affairs. Increasingly, we find people who choose South Farm do so because they empathise with our whole ethos.”

Wedding couples take over the entire property for the day, and plan the programme, menus and entertainment exactly as they wish. With accommodation for 24 and any amount of campers, it’s like home from home, but without the chores, and knowing it will all work on the big day. There is even a massive standby generator, just in case (and it’s saved three weddings already). Accommodation includes a bridal suite, three double bedrooms, a courtyard apartment and four striking and lovingly restored Romany caravans.

South Farm also welcomes corporate and private events, from board meetings for 8 people to black tie parties up to 250 people, providing either canapés, buffets or formal three course menus. Team building activities such as fly-fishing, clay pigeon shooting and archery are also available.

The menus at South Farm are seasonal and produce is locally sourced, with much coming from the garden. Dishes on the menus are created using where possible the 200 different varieties of fruit, vegetables and herbs, free range eggs and pork, from the farm as well fresh fish from the lake at the nature reserve and game from a nearby estate. All menus are individually tailored and Christine and her team can execute a whole range of international cuisine, including rustic Italian, French, and Oriental. Such is the reputation of the produce, that any surplus is willingly snapped up by local award winning restaurants including Three Horse Shoes and Alimentum, as well as local farm shops and delicatessens.

One percent of the population marries every year, so making the right choice about setting, service, food and atmosphere is absolutely key. An impressive 40% of prospective couples who visit South Farm choose it to celebrate their weddings because they feel it includes everything they want in a perfect location including exclusivity, a rustic farmyard, splendid barns, with gardens and grounds featured in the Good Garden Guide, and impeccable food.

For further information please email: info@south-farm.co.uk
South Farm, Shingay-cum-Wendy, Royston, Cambridgeshire, SG8 0HR Tel: 01223 207 581 http://www.south-farm.co.uk/