There’s been much talk about prompting and nudging as ways of getting people to do the right thing.  But aren’t these just euphemisms for the old ‘push’ mentality that points the finger and blames and shames people into taking action?

People have never liked being told what to do – it’s no different now.  But they don’t seem to mind being reminded about what they are capable of.

Any brand or organisation with sense will put out messages that are attractive, appealing and accessible. People don’t have to be pushed into buying an iPad, going on holiday or buying the latest handbag.  They want to do it.  

Creating a greener business is not about goading people into being more responsible, but about encouraging them to be more resourceful in ways that are easy and appealing to do. Businesses – regardless of size – are in a great position to do that. They have everything they need to pull people in the right direction. It’s not rocket science.  All it takes is commitment, collaboration and an appetite for win/win situations. With a bit of incentivisation, creative thinking and inclusivity everyone can own the challenges and the successes of being a green business – not just the top management.

We know the best way to persuade people is to make things easy, fun and relevant. This approach informs every aspect of our environmental policy and it’s one of the reasons why we won the Sunday Times Best Green Business award last year. Introducing imaginative programmes can help your company stand out as a place to work, they needn’t cost much to implement – and can make significant savings to your bottom line.  With so many financial benefits to successfully promoting green policies, organisations like The National Trust, Bike Week, Waste Watch and The Science Museum having been working with us.  But nothing we do is revolutionary, anyone can do it – once you know how.

At Forster, running our business sustainably is part of our DNA.  But we’re still coming up with new ideas, mainly generated by our staff. To get you started, here are 10 tips from Forster’s Green Guide to Pulling:

1. Not everyone gets cold at the same time. Why not have jumpers available for those who feel a chill more easily and only put the heating on when the majority of the office request it? We gave some staff jumpers and hot water bottles and held off reaching for the thermostat for over two weeks at the beginning of last winter.
2. Get in touch with your local BID (Business Improvement District) to see what services they can offer. Forster is a member of Better Bankside who provide free recycling collection through funding from Smart Green Business. This has saved us over £1000 a year.
3. Organise a Biking Breakfast or lunchtime cycle while there’s still a bit of sunshine out there – and if it is a bit nippy, it’s a great way to get the blood pumping!
4. Another cycling one – offer prizes for the most journeys cycled, longest distance cycled and most improved cyclist over a month.
5. Do you have lights left on all day in some areas of your office, when they aren’t always occupied? Motion sensors can be fitted to lighting systems so that lights only come on when people are actually present, avoiding wasting electricity on empty meeting rooms and toilets. The initial cost to install can be under £200 but the savings will be much more over time.
6. Arrange cycle training for your staff. This can either be on personal bikes or one borrowed from a trainer, or in certain boroughs training on the Hire Bikes can be arranged. Click here for further information: https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/cycling/request-cycle-training.aspx and you can locate or organise a Dr Bike session so that staff can get their bikes checked and learn basic maintenance skills. Evans offer this service: http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=876 but other local bike shops in your area might do the same.
7. Undertake a workplace travel plan – you can get funding for equipment, training or, like us, company pool bikes http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14120.aspx#section-4
8. Swishing, swapping and sharing can be great staff social events and help the environment too. At a Swishing event last year Forster raised over £500 for charity and lots of ladies found exciting new additions to their wardrobes.
9. Start a loan shop. We asked staff what items they would find useful to have available to borrow and so purchased a drill, a sewing machine and a tent among other things to make up our loan library and avoid lots of people buying the same items, but not using them very frequently.
10. Think you’ve got no room for growing your own? At Forster we’ve made the most of every possible space with flowers and herbs in window boxes and potatoes growing in bags on our ‘compact and bijoux’ balconies. When it comes to harvesting we all get to share the benefits with tasty and fresh additions to our lunches. We’re coming to end of our season now – but we’ll soon be planning what to plant next year.  

Forster is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Sheabutter Cottage is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Do you promote car-sharing to your staff? Is it an option which is viewed as positively as commuting by bus or train? Because it may surprise you to know that, if a car is full, it is actually more sustainable than public transport!  

So if you’ve not thought about it before – here’s a good reason to do so now. The world’s first ever liftshare Week takes place from 4-8 October. It’s a week when thousands more people will be encouraged and enabled to discover the benefits of car-sharing:

From an environmental point of view, just by sharing with one other person, a driver is cutting the CO2 emissions from that journey by 50% – since one of them is leaving their car at home. As a result, their employers see the company’s carbon footprint drop too.

On a human level, the typical commuter who car-shares every day saves around £800 a year (sometimes considerably over £2,000!) – and reduces their stress levels into the bargain. Not having to drive every day make a real difference: sometimes car-sharers even admit having a snooze while their liftshare buddy drives them home! Car-sharers often report making lasting friendships too. And a member of staff who has driven into work with a friend, saved money and feels less stressed is a happy member of staff: one likely to be productive and stay in their job.

To take part in liftshare Week as an individual, just sign up to the free www.liftshare.com website and search for someone else going your way so that you can share the journey. If one of you doesn’t have their own car, the passenger(s) can just contribute to the driver’s petrol costs. Everyone wins.

To take part as an organisation, why not spread the word by displaying some posters at your office, or giving staff leaflets with more information? You can download them both from www.liftshare.com/business/liftshareweek.asp.

liftshare is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

In a time of soaring fuel bills and carbon emissions “retrofitting” our homes can reduce both by more than 60%. Ozzie and Mary ffield invite you to visit their newly retrofitted Victorian Bath home to discover:

 - What you can do to make your home energy efficient

 - Why retrofitting is a good financial investment

 - How to save money on fuel bills

 - Who can help you find out more

 - How to find the right products and services

Aspects on show include three forms of insulation in an 110 year old solid wall house – of a type common to Bath and Bristol – changes in gas fire heating, changes in boiler and tank, installation of solar thermal, underfloor heating, controls and zoning, airflow control, double and triple glazing, and passive solar heating.

Drop in to see for yourself on their OPEN HOUSE days in September:

Friday 24th: 3pm – 7pm
Saturday 25th: 11am – 6pm
Sunday 26th: 11am – 6pm

at 16 Pulteney Gardens, Widcombe, Bath, BA2 4HG – See them on Google Maps!

Download their flyer: Open House – An Old Home Fit For The Future

The traditional Victorian farmhouse and luxury eco barn are completely separate but neighbouring properties located at the heart of Beer Mill Nature Trails – 130 acres of waymarked trails with rest, activity and information points. With serious green credentials – ground source heat pump, solar panels, rainwater harvesting, green electricity from our own PV system, luxury organic bed linen, wood for log burners harvested from our own hedgerows – the accommodation is suitable for parties of two to twenty two guests. Wonderful local and organic produce is available to order or from a nearby farm. Free range eggs and seasonal vegetables from our own plot according to availability. Guided walks and activities available. Families and pets welcome. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2903.htm

Organic Holidays is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Fairwind will be selling the only fairly traded Christmas trees (“Fair Trees®”) in the UK this year. They will be available nationwide from www.fairwindonline.com and orders can be placed from mid October.

The BBC, with help from Fairwind, are currently filming a documentary on the serious ethical issues around Christmas trees. This will be aired late November on TV and radio, so Fair Trees® will be a hot topic this Christmas.

Fair Trees® has celebrity support from Katie Melua:

“I am absolutely thrilled that fair trade has reached the poor cone pickers of Georgia. Fair Trees® is a wonderful project that helps improve the lives of many people in remote areas of Georgia, the country where I was born.”

Nordmann Fir trees

The trees are genuine Nordmann Fir trees of exceptional quality, grown using the best and ethically sourced seeds. They retain their needles exceptionally well and are no more expensive than other Nordmann Fir trees.

Retail prices this year will be £25 for a  tree up to 4ft (100-125cm), £29 for a tree up to 5ft (130-150cm) and (150-175cm)£37 for a tree up to 6ft.

Ethical issue

About 5 million Nordmann Fir Christmas trees are sold in the UK each year. But until now very few people in the UK have been aware of the serious ethical issues behind buying these trees at Christmas.

The seeds for Nordmann Firs are sourced from natural forests, mainly in Georgia (the seeds can’t be farmed satisfactorily). Harvesting of the seeds in Georgia is carried out by hand under remarkably primitive conditions. The Georgian cone pickers climb up 30 metre high fir trees in order to reach the seeds. They work entirely without safety equipment and in 2004 two workers fell to their death during the harvest. Several accidents happen each year, but despite working in such dangerous conditions the cone pickers are usually paid such low wages that it is difficult for them to support their families. They also have no insurance so any injuries seriously affect their already limited ability to support their families.

Fair Trees® campaign in the UK

Fairwind is campaigning to persuade UK growers to tackle the ethical issues that arise throughout the supply chain (from the Georgian cone pickers, to the migrant labour on UK farms and the environmental impact of farming trees) by converting their trees to Fair Trees®.

Fair Trees® aims to bring together all of the members of the Christmas tree industry to promote socially responsible trade and production. Fair Trees®, through the Bols Xmas Tree Fund (see below):

•invests in providing safety equipment for the cone gatherers in Georgia;

•provides health care for the workers’ children;

•supports decent schools in which to educate the children;

•looks towards a future when cloning makes seed harvesting unnecessary;

•helps finding alternative work.

If any grower can commit to the following 3 initiatives they can use the Fair Trees® branding, and sell their trees as fair trade trees, in return for donations to the Bols Xmas Tree Fund.

To become a Fair Trees® producer a grower needs to:

1. Commit to growing fair trade Christmas trees and start sourcing fair trade seeds and/or saplings.

2. Cooperate with local unions for fair working conditions and fair wage agreements for all employees in the Christmas tree industry.

3. Work towards Global GAP (responsible farming) approval.

Why Global GAP and unions? Fair Trees® is more that a marketing ploy, it is a genuine social venture that covers all areas of production, nationally and internationally

Fairwind in partnership with Bols Forstplanteskole

Fairwind is currently the only importer and retailer of Fair Trees® (fair trade Nordmann Fir Christmas trees grown in Denmark) in the UK. The trees are supplied by Bols Forstplanteskole, a successful Danish Christmas tree grower that achieved Danish fair trade accreditation in 2007 and will become a full member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) next year. Bols Forstplanteskole is the brains behind the Fair Trees® scheme.

Any grower can become a Fair Trees® grower by simply complying with the terms of the Fair Trees® scheme (above).

Danish fair trade accreditation – The Bols Xmas Tree Fund

The Bols Xmas Tree Fund was founded in 2007, and shortly afterwards the Fair Trees® brand was certified by Fair Trade Danmark.

The Fund aims to create awareness about and improve the terrible conditions under which the Georgian cone pickers live and work. The Fund provides the cone pickers with Danish-made safety equipment and ensures that the workers are instructed on safety. In addition, the Fund works towards creating proper conditions for workers and their families through financial support for schools, books and health care. And of course the workers are paid a fair price for their work and are insured against death or injury.

SUPPORT THE FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN AT:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114553318582105&ref=ts

Fairwind is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Design a winning reusable bag

Reusable eco-bags are a must-have for retail, fashion and the High Street. Every time they are used they’re promoting your brand, they show you care about the environment and increase revenue if sold in a retail store. That is why it is so important to choose the right bag for your company. We see many eco-bags hastily put together, with the main reason either lack time or lack of know-how. Here are my top tips for designing a reusable bag that will make your bag stand out from the rest:

1. Be organised: Pre-planning is essential to achieve the most out of your bag. Allow the most amount of time possible for design, manufacture and shipment. This will save money as well: all too often clients end up spending as much on express delivery as the actual bag cost. It takes eight weeks for manufacture and delivery which needs to be factored in on top of the time you spend selecting the style of bag and creating the artwork for it.

2. Bag your brand: This is an opportunity to extend your marketing campaign. If you have a great logo, use it. Often a simple design that encapsulates the sentiment of your brand used with your website address can be more effective than a traditional branded logo bag.

3. Be creative: This is your chance to be different. Consider having the handles, piping or gusset in a different colour to the base bag colour. Instead of being tempted for a white bag with your logo printed in your brand colour go for a Non-woven bag made in the material colour of your brand and the printing in black, white or a complimentary colour.   So many bags end up looking the same and you want yours to stand out!

4. Use colour:  The benefit of choosing a Non-woven polypropylene bag is the huge range of vibrant colours you can choose from. Non-woven material can be matched to the exact pantone colour for large orders.

5. Think detail: Increase the quality by adding poppers, a zip or pocket. Perhaps a hard base insert to improve durability? Laminating a Non-woven bag will transform it to a totally different bag.

6. Make it simple: Style is king! You want your bags to look great so they are used over and over again to get your brand maximum exposure. Avoid the temptation to print too much text. A great image, design or colour choice will create bag envy.

7. Think about your audience: Match your style of bag match to suit your target audience. If it is mainly for women think about a tote with longer over the shoulder handles. For men, a messenger style bag would be suitable while a drawstring bag would be best for youth or sports use. For supermarket shopping a heavy duty green bag with a base might be the best choice. These are only a few suggestions, but each campaign will have different considerations.

8. Choose the right material: Make sure the material compliments your brand, style and target client:

Non-woven PP: is recyclable, contemporary and versatile. It can accommodate sophisticated full colour print techniques to achieve a photo quality as well as silk screen printing or heat transfer.

Cotton: is traditional and suited to simple one or two colour screen printing

Jute: is natural, rigid and suited to supermarket style shopping bags.

rPET: is a modern and environmentally friendly made from recycled PET bottles. This might be a feature that is important and a message in itself.

9. Think print: Spend time thinking about the kind of print you will use:

Silk screen printing: is available for Non-woven, cotton, Jute and rPET. The most intricate of designs can be portrayed in perfect detail with single print colours.

Heat transfer: for a photo quality finish a heat transfer might be the ticket. Essentially a tattoo or a decal is created and with the use of heat bonded onto the bag. This method can be used for non-woven bags, cotton bags, jute or rPET.

Full Colour Process: best for woven or Non- woven bags. It is suited to graphic and digitally created art work where 100% print coverage is desired. It will guarantee a contemporary and vibrant bag and no limit to creativity.

10. Make your bag do business for you: Think about using your bag in promotions – customers spend over £50 and get a bag free or have a special environmentally friendly days when you give away a complimentary bag.

These considerations will affect the quality and price of an ecobag. It is worth the time and investment as it will result in the best bag possible maximising your brand, encouraging reuse and adding to the success of your marketing campaigns.

e: leanne@smartbags.co.uk          

w: http://www.smartbags.co.uk/

p:0208 242 4468        

Smart Bags is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Are you trying to furnish and redecorate your home in a sustainable way but worry about the effect of buying so much new stuff? As an eco interior designer I often try to incorporate older vintage pieces into a room scheme. It not only adds timeless style and a sense of character to the room but it is the ultimate in recycling. Give the piece a makeover with new doorhandles or paint and you have Oliver Heath’s key phrase – ‘upcycling’.

Endless pieces of quality furniture end up unloved and on the scrap heap at the end of their life as we all search for the latest interior fashion. True sustainable design incorporates quality older pieces to stunning effect.

But where can we find these beautiful wardrobes, sideboards, bedsteads and the like? Naturally you can spend your weekends leisurely strolling through local markets and second-hand stores – an activity I can thoroughly recommend! For those who live a little more remotely or simply want to see what is out there, here are a few websites to help you on your way:

www.preloved.co.uk

www.50’swarehouse.co.uk

www.luna-online.co.uk

They each work slightly differently, but all offer a range of used furniture for sale from the 20’s through to 90’s and beyond. You never know, your dream bedstead might be out there. Enjoy the search!

Gecco Interiors Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

One of the three finalists in the Sustainable Tourism category of the Scottish Thistle Awards has been listed on the Organic Holidays website since it began in 1999. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/170.htm.

Treshnish and Haunn Cottages are located on a spectacular coastal farm on the Isle of Mull. Carolyne and Somerset Charrington moved to the island in 1994 and have been responsible and careful custodians of the farm since then. Despite no longer being certified organic farmers, they continue to manage the land in a balanced and environmentally sensitive way. This care and attention has resulted in a vast increase in bio-diversity, acknowledged by Butterfly Conservation Scotland’s Dr Tom Prescott when he visited the farm in June 2010: 

‘The high quality of the habitat already present across the majority of the farm is also reflected in the number of scarce and rare species present, particularly plants, many of these being present at Treshnish in profusion. I have not seen such a diverse and colourful sward at any other farm or nature reserve in Scotland before.’

A wind turbine, small scale biomass district heating scheme and energy saving laundry facilities have helped cut their carbon emissions, alongside the importance of carefully monitoring energy use; seeking to improve energy savings and increase volumes of recycling, continuing to use eco friendly paints and so on make these cottages a great sustainable choice for accommodation on the Isle of Mull. Carolyne has found being a member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme to be very helpful and is proud to hold their Gold Award. Not only are the eight 3* and 4* cottages sustainable, but they are full of character and comforts, carefully decorated with an eclectic mix of modern and antique furnishings as well as original artworks. Everyone living on the farm values the role that the cottage guests play in the continuing ‘project’, as well as enjoying their mutual interest in environment, wildlife and nature. There is an ongoing log of sightings and guests’ input to this is highly valued. The winners of the Thistle Awards are to be announced on Friday 29th October.

Organic Holidays is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

To mark Organic Fortnight, fou furnishings, specialist luxury organic bedding company, is running a competition to win a set of our beautifully textured ‘Boutis’ organic cotton cushion covers. Ends 30th of September. So simple to enter. Just follow these two steps for your chance to win a pair of luxurious organic cushion covers to grace your organic bed or sofa.

1. Tick the “like” box at the top of our Facebook page.
2. Email us at info@foufurnishings.com with the answer to this question:

Fou furnishings Boutis is certfied by a) The UK Soil Association b) Oeko-Tex c) Neither
Check out Boutis in our bedspreads and cushions section and email your answer to info@foufurnishings.com.

fou furnishings is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more