Memorable events in Tanzania are celebrated with the printing of a new kanga, One such event was the election of Barack Obama celebrated with great pride in the whole of East Africa.  Moyo, a small business based in Tanzania have creatively used these kangas to produce these funky retro style aprons – we have a few yellow ones left and are waiting on a delivery of a few more orange.

To see the full range of Moyo Adult and kids aprons visit: www.kibibidesigns.co.uk/catagory_Aprons_20.html

Kibibi designs is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Hi,

We have teamed up with Ecover to bring you 3 great offers from their ecological cleaning range to help get 2010 off to an eco-friendly start.1 – Free Ecover Rinse Aid when you buy two lots of their dishwasher tablets

2 – 20% off 1L Washing Up Liquid

3 – Free 250ml Hand Soap when you buy the 1L Refill

To see offer details click here. 

Big Green Smile is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Education has been evolving over thousands of years. But if we can educate scholars such as Aristotle in ancient Greece and Copernicus in medieval Poland why do we struggle to achieve an educational programme that is fully fit for purpose in 2010?

Whilst we learn of medical advances that push the boundaries in health care, education seem to have stagnated.  Disease control, organ transplants, keyhole and robotic surgery have emerged but teaching appears moribund, struggling to meet required literacy and numeracy standards in primary schools.  The possible reasons for this situation are legion.  The effect of the national curriculum, SAT’s, 11 plus, GCSE and special government schemes costing billions of pounds have failed to achieve the intended breakthrough.  

The dilemma for parents wanting the best for their children starts when their child is four years old epitomised by the frantic activity needed to get their child into the ideal school. Although five years is the formal schooling starting point for the UK greater academic success has been achieved in countries where children start school aged six or seven, such as in Finland and South Africa. In fact they are critical of the early years controlled schooling in the UK claiming children should be involved in structured and unstructured play activities during this period.

The type of school in the UK creates further anxiety.  The choice of Montessori, Steiner, Kumon, and faith schools in the independent or state school system complicates the decision, as does that old chestnut of class size. Some techniques appear more successful than others but no single technique emerges as the outright winner. Is it the skill of the teacher or the teaching format that is the common denominator?

Technology in the schooling process has moved on. Kids are taught keyboard skills and teaching resources are awash with interactive white boards. Soon many schools could be linked through the web to allow a strong teacher to simultaneously broadcast to several schools.  So what is not working?  There appears no simple answer. Various influences are cited as inducing a negative effect, notably teaching to test, where lessons are geared to passing exams rather than providing a broad educational strategy.  

Strangely the combined forces of the European Union have failed to influence the UK educational programme.  This seems odd. Whilst we have the specification for the shape of bananas, the one area we could benefit from a European standard is in education. A federal approach could remove the duplication in each member state and pull in the best practice from the members. The potential benefits are demonstrated in the International Baccalaureate and International GCSE both of which offer benefits welcomed by trend setting schools, but predominately rejected by schools overwhelmed by the current inefficiencies and reluctant to adopt yet another change. Yet these schemes have proven effective in other European countries whilst the UK has little to show despite the effort and determination of it’s teachers and pupils.

The clock ticks on. Educational development must be the primary focus of any government. Technology, improved communications and the paradigm shift in the commercial centre of gravity towards the far east has changed the emphasis. Our children will need to thrive in a global market. They need the career flexibility of a broad based education to take advantage of emerging opportunities.  

It been proven beyond reasonable doubt that we need help. The average tenure of the Secretary of State for Education is around 18 months yet they are charged with the strategic policies for a schooling journey lasting a minimum of 10 years. Perhaps we should leave teaching to teachers and establish a team tasked with the definition and implementation of a new curriculum and procedures drawn from the very best in Europe.  It must be better than the current situation which if maintained could leave us the poor relation justly receiving the condemnation of generations of children to come.

Keen 2 Learn is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

At the end of 2009 I was fortunate enough to attend the Seacourt Seminar  – ‘Sustainability….Moving Forwards’. The seminar promised to look at exciting new movements in sustainable practices, from energy and investments to communications and zero-waste.  
 
Seacourt are a “naturally responsible” print company, who have worked their way to being virtually 100% zero waste over the last 40+ years.  As the primary person responsible for moving Allen & York towards being a fully sustainable company, I am always looking for new innovative ideas on how we can reduce, recycle and reuse more of our waste.
 
The speakers featured David Kidney MP from the Department of Climate Change & Energy, Peter Maddox from WRAP, Stile Jensen from Radley Yeldar (an award winning business communications expert) and Jim Dinnage, the MD of Seacourt – however without a shadow of a doubt the highlight of the day was Professor Jim Barber from Imperial College who expounded the innovative process of creating a bio-fuel using the the ‘Artificial Leaf’ theory.  
 
Professor Barber is an expert in photovoltaic science and in his lecture to the Seacourt audience he explained the method of ‘creating’ energy as a leaf would in nature, similar to the process of photosynthesis, in order to produce a renewable source of energy.   The process would involve the splitting of Water (H2O) into Oxygen and Hydrogen – the hydrogen then being turned into bio-fuel and the water a harmless bi-product.  
 
According to Professor Barber, if artificial photosynthesis systems could use around 10 per cent of the sunlight falling on them, they would only need to cover 0.16 per cent of the Earth’s surface to satisfy a global energy consumption rate of 20 terawatts, the amount it is predicted that the world will need in 2030.
 
The main issue is not whether the ‘theory’ is possible, as it has been proven to work, but rather at there has been a lack of investment given to its development, to enable this type of bio-fuel to be produced on a mass scale.
 
Professor Barber pointed out that the future is not nuclear (you would need to build a nuclear power station every week for the next 10 years to supply the world’s energy supply) but instead it could be a truly sustainable solution, such as extracting hydrogen from water!
 
Professor Barber left us with the Jules Verne quote “I foresee that in the future, water will be used as fuel… water will be the coal of the future.”  – who would have thought that a 19th Century French science fiction writer would become such a visionary.

Allen & York are leading recruiters, working in the field of Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Carbon Management.  If you are a professional in this field please contact us to progress your career or to find you the best professionals in the business.
 
For more information about Professor Barber & the ‘Artificial Leaf’ please visit http://www.bio.imperial.ac.uk/research/barber/people/jbarber.html

For more information about Allen & York please visit; www.allen-york.com

Allen & York is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN!

It’s a bit of a conundrum this environment malarkey. We know that we are harming the environment as a race but find it so difficult to change our behaviour as individuals.

I think that the majority of us can agree that we humans are contributing to the decline of our natural environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is in no doubt that man has been and is a major causal effect of Global Warming. And they ought to know – they consult some of the brainiest boffins from around the globe.

We are consuming finite resources at an ever increasing rate and clearly don’t balance the books in terms of the energy we use now and the energy that is available in the long term to support us. It’s like we are withdrawing money from the bank faster than we are putting it in. Eventually the money runs out and it has to stop. Spot any similarities with another major global crisis of the moment?

As with any emotive and important issue, there are extremes of opinion. In terms of the Environment debate you have got one extreme extolling the virtues of the motor car and poo-pooing the “environmentalists” and their arguments. At the other end of the scale are those who are so concerned that they break onto airfields and chain themselves to aeroplanes. That said, the vast majority of us I believe (and that includes me) take a more rounded view.

Yes we can see we are harming the environment. We burn fuel virtually every time we travel, whether it’s the car, bus, train or plane. We burn fuel to heat our water and homes. We burn fuel every time we turn on a light, watch the TV or use a PC. It is very easy to use up energy  – whether it’s electricity, gas, oil or petrol. And it’s not just us as individuals. Business and industry burn fuel as well; just on a much bigger scale!

The problem is it is so easy to use energy, and in today’s society it’s virtually impossible to avoid using it. I am sitting at a PC now that is using electricity. I have got an electric heater on in the office (although a coat as well to be honest – 1 eco-browny point to me then). You will be reading this on your PC screen, probably in a heated house or office, with a light on, and a brew on the go and maybe with the TV still on even though you’re not really watching it. I know it’s true, because I still do it. It’s just too easy and energy is not so expensive (yet) that we have to save every last drop of it.

At the end of the day I don’t believe that the vast majority of us are going to take major steps to change our behaviour and help the environment unless it there is a real benefit to us. Saving energy either has to have a tangible financial benefit or at the very least make us feel good about ourselves.

Maybe the best we can hope for, until finance or imminent disaster forces us to do otherwise, is that each of us “non-extremists” does what we can to save energy. The simple stuff. The stuff that can make us feel good and lower our bills a bit.

The Hard Sell (not) 

To help you do “the simple stuff”, I just happen to sell a few great energy saving products at http://www.ecofreak.co.uk/ my online shop. If  you want to save energy and money and you buy just one thing from us, buy a wireless energy monitor such as the Efergy Elite. It is this that I believe will help to encourage you to start moving towards a greener way of living by making you think about the energy you use on a daily basis. It’s actually very satisfying finding where energy is being wasted and taking steps to reduce it. If you get the bug and want to do more take a look at our information page on how to reduce your energy bills or just browse our eco products.

Save some energy, have some fun, save some money – it feels good!

Ecofreak is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Up to 50% off our great range of eco homewares in our January clearance sale! www.ecocentric.co.uk

EcoCentric is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Time is a precious commodity in education. The greatest benefit in learning retention comes with practice yet many parents miss  the opportunity to  play educational games with their children, the greatest of all being  to read stories during their early formative years. At keen2learn we have a  practical example of how story reading can be equally rewarding to both child and parent. Some years ago Shirley Clarkson lived with her family at Home Farm, now  the base of www.keen2learn.co.uk. She would regularly read bedtime stories to her two young children.  One of the favourites   enticed Shirley to make a toy model of Paddington Bear to support the story scene. Based on the reaction from the children she was spurred  on to manufacture  and distribute the toy bears worldwide. Equally, one of the children listening  to Mums’ stories was Jeremy Clarkson. It is conjecture but we’re convinced the reading games played between Shirley and “Top Gear” Jeremy had a significant hand in developing his vivid imagination and literacy skills.

It is  concerning therefore  that many parents fail to read to their children. The bedtime story encourages the imagination and develops a learning bond between children and parents that should last until at least GCSE.  After  that the lead in the process generally reverses! Encouragingly British forces have recently seized the opportunity and recorded CD’s of mothers and fathers reading stories for their children. Played during their absence overseas it has served to encourage children to listen to stories, as well as providing a reassuring  link between  children and their absent parents.  Ideally we could all do with a little time management and spend more quality learning time with our children. Even the busiest  parent should at least record some stories if they can’t make it home in time, you never know where it could lead to.

Keen 2 Learn is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Using traditional Kantha stitches, these beautiful scarves are made from recycled Indian vintage saris, put together by hand and hand stitched. Soft to the touch and full of vibrant colours, these scarves will make a great addition to your winter outfits. Scarf dimensions are approx 30(w) x 190(l) cm.

Sari Bari is a business initiative that seeks the freedom and restoration of Kolkata’s red-light areas through dignity-giving employment opportunities for women affected by the sex trade. Every scarf’s tag includes the name of the woman who made it. Every purchase participates in her freedom.

To see the range, visit  http://www.freesetbags.co.uk/cat_products.aspx?catid=7834

 The name ‘Sari Bari’ comes from two symbols. A sari is the traditional clothing worn by women in India. Saris represent the essence of womanhood. The word ‘bari’ in Bengali means ‘house’ or ‘home’. Our hope is for Sari Bari to be a safe home where women who have been exploited in the sex trade can have their dignity restored and experience new life in the making. 

Freeset is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

The 8th annual edition of The Good Shopping Guide reveals a huge disparity in corporate social responsibility standards in UK consumer goods companies. The research covers everything from banks to butter and uses several ethical criteria including armaments involvement, animal welfare, boycott calls, carbon emissions, child labour, corporate corruption, environmental impact, ethical accreditation, fair and un-fair trade, human rights abuse, nuclear power, political donations, pollution, rainforest timber and third world debt.
 
Headlines from the book are as follows:
The Good Shopping Guide’s top 50 ethical brands:
New Look Group Plc; Natural by Nature Oils; Good Energy Group Plc; Seasalt Ltd; Charity Bank; Brother UK Ltd; People Tree; Caurnie Soap Co; Medivac Healthcare Ltd (vacuum cleaners); Green Energy UK Plc; C Mobile Ltd; Woodex Ltd (Osmo eco paints); House of Goodness (Atmos boilers); Triodos Bank; Ecology BS; Honest Cosmetics; Green People Company (skincare); The Little Pet Food Company (Lily’s Kitchen); Monsoon Plc; Suma Wholefoods; The Village Bakery; Doves Farm; Redwood Wholefood Company (Vegi-Deli); Bio-D Co Ltd; Kingfisher plc (B&Q); Faith Products (Clear Spring); Casio Computer Co Ltd; Ecos Paints; GoinGreen (cars); Bskyb (Amstrad); Clipper Teas; Cafedirect; Essential Care; Aromatherapy Direct; Bodywise UK Ltd (Natracare); Hoover; Organico Realfoods Ltd; Food Brands Group; Equal Exchange (coffee); Cafédirect; Traidcraft Plc (chocolate); Highland Spring Ltd; McBride (Surcare washing up liquid); Premier Foods (Quorn & Cauldron foods); Hain Celestial Group (Linda McCartney); Rainbow Wholefood; Natural Organic Soap; Groupe SEB (kettles); Premier Foods Plc; Ecover.
 
The Good Shopping Guide’s least ethical brands:
Esso; Horlicks, General Electric; Altria Group (Chocolate Orange); Chevron Corporation (Texaco); Capital One Financial Corp; Bayer AG (Aspro Clear pain remedies); Schering-Plough (Coppertone sun protection); Glaxo Smith-Kline (Horlicks, Beechams, Day Nurse, Hedex, Ribena, Aquafresh) Procter & Gamble (Max Factor, Ariel, Bold, Daz, Fairy, Pampers)
 
The research shows the top 50 companies score between 86 and 100 and the worst performing companies between 5 and 28.  Household names such as Ritz and Horlicks score amongst the lowest, whilst cosmetic brands Boots No 7 scores over twice as well as Oil of Olay and Max Factor. Interestingly, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are ethically more responsible than Budgens, Asda and Tesco, with the latter scoring only 38.  Household brands such as Ribena, Pampers, Tampax and Crest score at the bottom due to Proctor & Gamble’s low score of 29.
 
The Good Shopping Guide enables ethical shoppers to channel their spending power in the most effective way possible. Compiled from researching public records, campaign and government information, The Good Shopping Guide lists those companies that have a progressive attitude towards the environment, human rights and animal welfare, and penalises those that disregard or fail to uphold their social responsibilities. The eighth edition rates over 700 consumer brands in seven product sectors: Home & Office, Energy, Travel, Money, Food & Drink, Health & Beauty, Fashion. Please visit www.ethical-company-organisation.org for a sample PDF.
 
 
William Sankey
Director, The Ethical Company Organisation:
“As the world’s leading ethical shopping reference book, The Good Shopping Guide enables multitudes of consumers, trade buyers, NGOs, investors and government procurers to see clearly which companies and brands to support.”
 
Tony Juniper
“The biggest influence on companies comes from customers. The Good Shopping Guide provides everyone with the information they need to persuade powerful companies to behave more responsibly.”
 
Juliet Davenport
CEO, Good Energy Ltd
“The Good Shopping Guide provides the benchmark for consumers to be able to buy the best products from the best companies.”

Source: Ethical Company Organisation

Make next year that year you make being green a habit and countdown to 2010 with the environment in mind. Check out our top ten New Year resolutions to help you conserve the planet and the cash in your wallet this New Year.

1. Cleaning without toxic chemicals is a wonderful way to turn your home into a healthy and healing place to be in the New Year. Unfortunately, over past decades the ever-expanding store of home cleaning products has included a number of dangerous weapons, loaded with strong, artificial colours and fragrances and harsh cleansing agents like bleach, ammonia, alcohol and more.

At MoreEco, they have a great range of eco shops that sell green cleaning products at great prices. There are a great range of green cleaning product ranges such as Ecover, Method and Bio D that are just as effective as the traditional chemical laden products you find on supermarket shelves. And don’t forget multi buy and bulk options to save you even more money.

2. Stop using the refrigerator that is ten years old and get an appliance recommended by the energy saving trust instead. You will drastically cut down your carbon emissions by doing so. Try eco appliances around the home –as well as doing a great clean they will cut your energy bills.

For instance, check out the new Ecolectric PerformAir 1000w Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner for a spotless and healthy carpet. As well as being packaged in recycled and 100% recyclable materials, it has an economical 1000w low energy motor leading to a 50% energy saving, helping to reduce your energy bills but without compromising on performance. It is a great vacuum cleaner! 

3. Every household in Britain produces more than a ton of waste annually, almost 80 per cent of which is buried in landfill sites, polluting ground water and producing gases that contribute to climate change and global warming. You may already recycle the waste you produce, but what about not producing it in the first place? Try and buy in bulk! These retailers sells many products in bulk quantities to save you money and reduce packaging by refilling old containers.

4. Shun at least one non-green product all year. Make it something that you really like, but can live without it but would purchase if it were more eco-friendly. You can always write to the company that manufactures this product and tell them why you now choose not to buy it

5. Not so fantastic plastic! Stop drinking bottled water. Drinking tap water reduces your carbon footprint, landfill rubbish and saves you money. Need water for the gym – buy a reusable bottle!

6. The best resolution to make for the earth is to use the car less or get rid of it altogether. Walk, bike, use public transit or car share. The emissions and money saved will be immense! The World Wildlife Fund advocates going car free one day each week.

Get out of your car and find an alternative way to work one day a week. 1 in every 2 of us drive to work each and every day. Think what would happen if we all left our cars at home just one day a week and walked, rode our bike, or took public transportation instead. We would have cleaner air to breathe, less traffic, and a smaller carbon footprint to boot.

7. Insulate your hot water cylinder. Water heating is the single biggest energy consumer in the average home. Cut your power bill and reduce the energy your household uses by investing in a wrap for your hot water cylinder.

8. Grow your own to beat the credit crunch. Make sure the only crunch you feel is the bite of your home-grown vegetables next year with a great range of grow your own seeds, tools and accompaniments . As well as tasting great, you could save money, get fit, do your bit for the environment and be super-trendy all at once.

9. To make it easy to switch off chargers and electronic equipment when you’re not using them, get a standby buster to switch off all your machines and equipment. It will help you save electricity and money! Check out our range of energy savers here.

10. Don’t make Earth Hour a once a year event – commit to switching off your appliances at the wall and turning out any unnecessary lights. Use energy saving light bulbs in every light 

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more