Loved ones will be delighted to receive a thoughtful gift that is as kind to the environment as it is to the body.  Gorgeous organic beauty treats and fragrances are a natural choice for treating that special person to a little well deserved pampering on Valentine’s Day.

www.lucyrose.biz offers a beautiful selection of Valentine’s gift packages, to suit every budget, and with free postage and packing on every UK order, there’s no excuse not to be prepared in time for this year’s celebration of St Valentine.  Just a few ideas include:

Inika organic mineral make up looks and feels great on the skin.  The Essentials Collection from Inika costs £29.50 and includes a foundation, kabuki brush and lip whip.

Jo Wood Organics ‘Amka’ Organic Eau de Toilette has a romantic heart of Iranian rose otto and Egyptian jasmine – Amka means ‘to wake’ in Swahili. Available for £36, this luxurious fragrance is certified by Ecocert.

Dr Wendy’s, the new 100% botanical skincare range from New Zealand, is made from 100% plant based ingredients which are in a concentrated form and produce excellent results.  An extra indulgent facial treat, the full range of cleanser, toner and moisturiser is available for £55.

Green People’s Ultimate Organic Spa Experience is the perfect treat for a romantic occasion.  Pamper and indulge the skin with pure, exotic blends of precious organic oils.  Price £20.50.

www.lucyrose.biz hosts a vast selection of organic beauty brands, so is a one-stop-shop for all organic beauty needs.  Postage and packing is free on all UK orders and there is a consultation and sample service if you need further support. 

Lucy Rose is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Within the UK, there is currently no existing government legislation or definition that states what natural and organic beauty is. So: time for a New Year and a New You. If you want to be your own organic beauty this year, then why not become symbol savvy so you can make an informed choice? Jen Marsden writes.

We are what we put on our skin and without certification, beauty brands can dupe us into thinking that products that have potentially harmful chemicals within them are in fact natural, animal and eco friendly.

The cosmetics industry has been known to be naughty telling us an ingredient is safe, only to remove it later when it realises that it has adverse health effects. That happened with certain phthalates – a group of chemicals used as solvents or fixatives in our nail polish and perfumes – recently. And, as our products eventually wash back into the land, organic and natural certification of beauty products not only protects us, but also the environment.

Ingredient lists on beauty products are confusing and tricky to comprehend with their Latin lingo: “parfum” could be a cocktail of over 100 chemicals. Existing bona-fide standards that certify our products do the hard work for us and act as a guarantee. Standards check that the product ingredients are what the brand says it is through regular audits and inspections, ensuring transparency from the raw materials that have been farmed and processed right through to the finished product. Certain considered permitted synthetic (manmade) ingredients are accepted in certification, to ensure that products are safe for use, but that is as long as they biodegrade quickly. However, petrochemical ingredients that make up the most of mainstream beauty products are never usually accepted in organic and natural certification as these are not environmentally considerate or beneficial to our skin. The more stringent standards support localisation too, ensuring fair practice within communities and preservation of local skill and expertise.

Look out for these logos below to ensure you buy a truly organic or natural beauty product. And beware of copycat logos!

Soil Association is one of the most stringent organic standards within the whole world. UK based, it focuses on the management of the soil that grows many of the ingredients within its certified beauty products, ensuring natural quality, best practice, and protection of the environment and wildlife. Brands which certify to this standard and are available at BigGreenSmile.com include Cowshed, Duchy Originals Organic, Bentley Organics, Natracare, Balm Balm and Hedgerow Herbals, all certify to this standard.

Biodynamic / Demeter is an organic standard association based on biodynamic agriculture systems founded by Rudolph Steiner. It focuses on natural rather than synthetic fertilisers, and crops are produced holistically with the help of traditional knowledge, time and astrological consideration. Weleda is one example brand that is certified by the Demeter symbol.

Ecocert  is an increasingly popular organic agriculture certifying organisation throughout 80 countries. France-based, it manages the auditing and regulation of ingredients to its standards. Evolve Beauty and Melvita are examples of Ecocert accredited brands.

USDA Organic is an American based and one of few actual government standards from the United States Department of Agriculture. It covers organic certification within cosmetics ingredients. Yes to Carrots is certified to USDA Organic standard.

ACO stands for the Australian Certified Organic and is recognised by the Bud logo and accredits organic operations, appearing on around 70% of all certified organic products in Australia, including exported products.

BDIH is a label from Germany from the Association of German Industries and Trading Firms who guarantee natural cosmetics standards. Weleda are an approved BDIH label.

Cosmebio is a French based not-for-profit association that represents natural and organic skin care manufacturers. 

While animal testing and cruelty has been banned in the UK and Europe since 1998, there are still an estimated 180 million animals that are used in experiments every year around the world. The following symbols protect the rights of animals and ensure that no animal derivatives are used within beauty products, whether they are organic, natural or not. Some brands may use both an animal and organic/natural standard as extra guarantee.

The BUAV is a UK based pro-animal rights organisation and the bunny logo is an international independent symbol for cruelty free products. Avalon Organics, Burt’s Bees and Jason Natural Cosmetics are example brands that wear the bunny logo.

The Vegan Society is a UK based membership organisation that allows that have vegan products and are cruelty free to carry its logo. Incognito is one brand example that is registered by the Vegan Society.

The Vegetarian Society is another UK based membership organisation that allows vegetarian approved products to carry its logo, including on beauty products. The male grooming brand Bulldog is Vegetarian Society approved.

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

February is make a difference and make a profit month at CommunitySoul.

Twice each week, throughout February, CommunitySoul are running free tele-seminars and webinars aimed at helping you make your difference and make a great living too.

These seminars look at mindsets and strategies, as well as tools and techniques.

Almost 2000 people have already participated in these sessions, which have been promoted by TV presenters in the UK and USA, as well as best-selling authors, publishers and internet marketeers.

Director, Neil Fellowes says, “Our role is just to show the conscious business owners how they can become more visible and create strong businesses, so that more business comes to businesses that have a conscious approach.”

You can join in the seminars by registering at www.communitysoulbusiness.com

CommunitySoul is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Booking is now open for the second edition of BOOK OF GREEN, the paperback eco living directory, and the new BOOK OF GREEN iPhone App.

Due for release in June this year, the paperpack will have a print run of 60,000 copies. Distributed again in WHSmith with Permaculture Magazine and in Planet Organic’s London shops. Also by the well known Suma Wholesale, to their 3,500 health store network across the UK.  As well as by National Geographic GREEN magazine as a reader offer, not forgetting selected eco shops, sustainability centres, online stores & events.

Book of Green is a trusted A5 eco directory, full of green businesses from all sectors, available to the consumer for free. It provides low cost year long exposure nationwide and is a great opportunity for those wishing to reach the conscious consumer. 

 To be in Book of Green’s iPhone App ready for it’s launch you need to book by Feb 28th.  Free to download it will allow users to find their nearest green businesses across all sectors.  Users will also be able to search by category and alphabetically for companies with geo-location and ‘online only’ companies.  Advertisers can also feature in the App’s news and twitter feeds – providing free interactive exposure.

There are at least 1.75 million iPhones already in use in the UK.  With Orange, Tesco and Vodaphone having launched their iPhones over the last two months the new iPhone app provides multimedia exposure to an affluent growing market of iPhone users.

To appear in the Paperback and the App please visit www.bookofgreen.com to find the full details  deadlines and download the media pack for prices.

Southampton based Freeset Ltd has been successful in satisfying key criteria to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, which identifies them as trading for social and environmental purposes.

The Social Enterprise Mark was launched nationally on February 1st at Voice10, the Social Enterprise Coalition’s national conference. The Social Enterprise Mark is the brand for social enterprises. The Mark will identify businesses which meet defined criteria for social enterprise, and consumers will recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and planet.

Freeset Ltd joins other ethical businesses that have been recognised by being awarded the Mark such as the Eden Project, Hill Holt Wood, Bristol Wood Recycling Project and the Co-operative Group South & West. The Social Enterprise Mark builds off the pilot work run by RISE, the voice for south west social enterprise.

Social enterprises are working to make a difference across the UK and beyond, but not enough people know what they are or how they work. The Social Enterprise Mark aims to raise awareness of what social enterprises do in order to get more people to buy from, engage with, start up and work for social enterprises.

Freeset was started as a social enterprise at the close of 2006 to provide employment to women who had been trafficked into and exploited by prostitution.  Through working with partners in India and creating conference and promotional bags along with great gift items, Freeset ensures that women vulnerable to exploitation are able to take part in dignity-giving employment. The women learn new skills of making handmade bags and gifts. All our seamstresses are paid fair wages and have healthy working conditions. Through this work, the women become free from sexual exploitation and are free to make the choices they want for their lives.

Mark Wakeling, Executive Director said, “We’re really proud to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark.  Freeset is absolutely committed to supporting sustainable businesses and consequently helping local communities to thrive and prosper”. 

Lucy Findlay champion from the Social Enterprise Mark Company (manager of the Mark) advised:

 “As the distinctive and exciting brand for social enterprise, the Mark identifies businesses which meet defined criteria, enabling consumers to recognise those that are trading to benefit people and planet. It also helps those businesses promote their business ethics and values. We hope that the Social Enterprise Mark will do for social enterprise what the Fair Trade Mark did for fair trade.”

Visit www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk or www.freesetbags.co.uk to find out more.

Freeset is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Social enterprises – businesses which trade primarily for social and environmental purposes – now have their own distinctive Mark. The Social Enterprise Mark was launched yesterday in Cardiff at Voice10, the Social Enterprise Coalition’s national conference.  The Social Enterprise Mark will identify businesses which meet key criteria for social enterprise, and consumers will recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and the planet.

The Mark was developed by a group of social enterprise leaders working with the COI and the Office of the Third Sector, and aims to raise awareness of social enterprise to as wide an audience as possible.  The design and implementation was informed by a social enterprise Mark developed and delivered by RISE, the voice of social enterprise in South West England with funding from the Big Lottery Fund.

Speaking at the launch Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, Cabinet Office says; “The Mark has the potential to be a real catalyst to put social enterprises where they belong – clearly defined and at the heart of the UK economy and society. I have seen some amazing and innovative examples of social enterprises, and the more people that know about them and the more people that get involved in the sector, the better!”

Peter Holbrook, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition, the national body for social enterprise, confirms the importance of the Mark for the growth of the movement in the UK. He says; “Social enterprises are businesses doing really extraordinary things in new and innovative ways but they have until now been hard to recognise, partly because they work in practically every industry imaginable and range from community enterprises to international companies. The time is right for the introduction of a visually powerful Mark which indicates, at a glance, the integrity of an organisation and around which we can drive awareness and understanding.”

The Mark will be administered by a joint venture set up by the Social Enterprise Coalition and RISE. Lucy Findlay, CEO of RISE, says; “The Mark represents a set of clear criteria which a business must meet to prove that it is a genuine social enterprise. Its achievement and use by businesses up and down the country will be crucial in spreading the message about a different way of doing business that has the potential to revolutionise attitudes to consumerism.”

Albert Tucker, on the board of the Big Lottery Fund’s England Committee, says; “As the funder of the original RISE project which pioneered the use of a Social Enterprise Mark in the South West region, the Big Lottery Fund is extremely proud that this scheme has been so important in moving Social Enterprise Marks onto the national stage. We look forward to seeing the widespread take up of the Mark and the benefits it will bring to the social enterprise movement.”

This emerging sector already contributes £24bn to the UK economy and employs 800,000 people in the UK in a wide range of businesses from health and education to IT and retail. The ‘Trading for People and Planet’ Mark will play a key role in growing the sector as more consumers turn to businesses which use their profits for social and environmental benefit.

Probably one of the greatest boosts to children’s learning is the help they can get at home. Playing educational games at home with parents  and closer links to the school can help  improve achievement  in class by two grades. The new Home Access scheme announced in January 2010  by the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) opens the door for poorer families through a grant to buy  a laptop and broadband access. The scheme  links  families on-line to the school where parents can monitor progress and get advice from teachers where children would benefit from extra help at home.

We are asked frequently for details of the scheme, and have reproduced the following guidelines from Becta. The list is growing so we have now grouped the information into two categories: Parents,  and Schools and Local Education Authorities. There a number of overlaps so take a look at both lists to see you have all the information you need.

Parents

1. Home Access Introduction
2. Home Access Something for Everyone
3. Home Access making it easier for everyone to learn
4. Home Access Technology Software
5. Home Acess Eligibility Criteria Updated 01/02/10
6. Home Access Packages
7. Home Access Looked After Children
8. Home Access e-safety

Schools and LEA

1. Home Access Info for Schools
2. Home Access Background to the Programme
3. Home Access Information For School Governors
4. Home Access information for Sencos
5. Home Home Access Overview for School Business Managers
6. Home Access FAQ’s for LEA
7. Home Access Purchase Schemes via LEA or School

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