London based Eco furniture brand Bambienti are excited to announce the launch of a new range of lounge, dining and occasional furniture. All produced using Environmentally Friendly Bamboo.

Here they add a very different look and feel to their existing catalogue. A look that is based on clean lines and simple design. 

Each piece can serve a number of purposes and compliment a variety of decor.

Using naturally anti-bacterial Bamboo in a composite form each design offers stain resistance and hard wearing durability over the long term.

Bambienti are passionate about providing beautiful and durable products using plant-based alternatives to conventional timber. 

Currently they use Bamboo exclusively, a material that is hard-wearing and widely recognised as a strong and fast growing alternative to conventional timber.

For more information please visit www.Bambienti.com

Bambienti is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Eco Print as a ‘one -stop -shop’

Print and everything else.

Eco Print are a 100% environmentally friendly alternative to traditional printing methods using recycled paper and card. Our new energy efficient digital printer needs less heat in the process and at the end of its use will be broken down and recycled. Our litho printer uses a plate-making process that is totally chemical free and uses vegetable based inks.  

A recent addition to our service is the provision of banners made from biodegradable material – there is no loss of quality it is just when discarded the banner will start to degrade in weeks as opposed to years. We are proud to offset carbon generated in the postage of our printing and we use a telephone provider that carbon offsets and has a good environmental policy in place.

As an environmentally friendly print company you would expect this kind of thing, so what makes us stand out from the crowd?

Well, we have a full Graphic Design service available – our head designer boasts 30 plus years of experience and offers high end work ranging from stationery design to logo design, full branding and corporate I.D. We are also happy to develop your existing artwork and provide simpler designs to suit differing budgets.

 Eco Print is sister company to Addison Design  and both are based next to each other – this allows us to provide the full design service as mentioned above but also Website Design and Build.

 Many of our regular clients benefit from our ‘one-stop-shop’ for all their branding, print and design needs. Our experience means that Eco Pint can build, maintain and protect your brand giving consistency to your marketing materials.

 For more information please contact us:

 marketing@ecoprintuk.com

 01722 340350

Eco Print is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

The National Measurement Office (NMO), took over the role of enforcing the EU’s energy efficiency standards and labels, from Trading Standards, after Defra research showed the rate of non-compliance with the energy efficiency regulations was at least 15% – and for some products was 25% or higher. In one case, John Gillman and Sons (Electrical) Limited of Gloucester, pleaded guilty to advertising and selling chest freezers with incorrect energy ratings. The Ice King DM-35 chest freezer, made in China, was advertised online as having a B energy rating, but arrived with labels showing an A+ energy rating and an energy consumption of 215 kilowatt hours per year. Subsequent tests carried out on the appliances found the energy rating to be E or F and that on average the energy consumption was 382 kilowatt hours per year – some 77% higher than shown on the label provided with the appliance. This could cost consumers £22.03 extra per year, which over the products lifecycle could end up costing more to run than it did to buy! The company had to pay a £5,400 fine and £9,400 in costs. More recently, tests carried out by Which? found Beko’s claim that its WMB81445L washing machine used 50% less energy than a standard A-rated machine, making it, they said, an ‘A+++++’ was not all it was cracked up to be. The energy used per kg of washing on a small load was the second highest of all the Beko washing machines Which? tested last year, and only got an average rating of three stars for energy efficiency.

Energy Labelling and eco-design standards have been crucial in getting manufacturers and retailers to recognise the value of energy efficiency and in raising consumer awareness, but if the predicted environmental benefits are to be achieved, it is vital that it is properly enforced, especially as brands feature their eco credentials so heavily in marketing.

At last year’s International Energy Agency Conference, Defra Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Lord Henley said “Consumers who are choosing more efficient products – to either save money or to reduce their emissions or both – deserve to be 100% sure that the product they are buying delivers the standard it promises.”

And, as energy labelling on TV’s comes into force later this year, (it’s currently a voluntary scheme), stiff penalties for non-compliance and rigorous market surveillance are vital. The NMO will soon have an additional range of civil sanctions at its disposal, without needing to go to court, including imposing fines which will reflect the harm caused to consumers and the environment.

Sust-it is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

EcoMoneySaving.com is a new website which offers consumers and small businesses a one-stop shop for all the latest money saving and eco-friendly products.

EcoMoneySaving.com (EMS) was created in order to cater for the growing demand among householders and small businesses for reliable, eco-friendly products and not only save energy and lessen the amount of waste generated by the manufacture and use of such items, but which also save money.

For example; solar power kits that can generate light for a shed or any dark corner of the garden, solar panel kits that can be fitted to caravans, yachts etc, dynamo (wind-up) powered radios, torches, and lamps, and solar powered chargers for mobile phones carried by travellers or people working far from the nearest wall socket. These are just a few examples of the products available.

Business owner Ben Lovegrove had this to say about the launch, “If there are products that we can use on a daily basis that both save us money and reduce our carbon footprint then using them must surely be a no-brainer. The fact is that such products already exist and we’re not talking about expensive light bulbs that give out a faint orange glow. We’re talking about innovative, cutting edge green technology available to all households and businesses. They are plentiful, inexpensive, stylish, and above all they work – they save money, reduce waste and encourage sustainable living.

EcoMoneySaving.com is now despatching orders to householders and businesses all over the UK. Why not visit the site and see what money saving gadgets you could be using in your home or office?

Eco Money Saving is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Mama Packs are the UK’s only ethically influenced new baby sample packs and they are now available from The Natural Nursery.

Mama Packs come in a reusable cotton shopping bag and while the contents will vary, they can include soap nuts, eco-washing powders, chocolate, breast-pads, eco-nappy samples and offers from ethical companies.

The packs themselves are free but there is a £3.50 delivery charge (due to their weight) but this is waived if your order is over £50, meaning you get your pack FREE.

You can spend £50 on any of the products on The Natural Nursery site, including real nappies, breastfeeding products or organic baby clothes, add a Mama Pack to your order and receive your pack free of charge.

The Natural Nursery is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Our self catering business on the Isle of Mull has been selected as one of twelve ‘Outstanding Examples’ of European Sustainable Tourism. Last September we were three Finalists in the Scottish Thistle Awards [Sustainable Tourism category], and subsequently Visit Scotland nominated us for the first ever VESTAS European Sustainable Tourism Awards held in Berlin on 11th March 2011. And the ‘Best of the Best of the Best’ were announced at an Awards event during ITB 2011. We have also been shortlisted for a Green Tourism Business Scheme Goldstar. A shortlist of forty out of the four hundred UK GTBS Gold Award holders is currently being considered and twenty will be announced as Finalists and in June, Goldstars are awarded to the top ten Finalists. We are not a ‘big’ business compared to some of the other VESTAS nominees, so we feel very proud to have been selected as one of the twelve European Outstanding Examples of Sustainable Tourism – encouraging us that small businesses in remote places can have a voice amongst larger European destinations, and when it comes to being sustainable doing as much as you can in your own way is really important. Treshnish and Haunn Cottages are eight eco cottages on a hill farm, managed for conservation and wildlife, located on a dramatic peninsula on the Isle of Mull. Our goal is to reduce our energy consumption to match our energy production. It may not be possible but it is something we are working towards and encourages us to keep on trying to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency. Four of the cottages are small [traditional] renovated ‘blackhouses’ – with thick stone walls with characteristic rounded corners. The accommodation is perfect for couples or small families. they are well insulated and cosy all year round. We heat the farmhouse, office, laundry and four cottages with a biomass heating scheme, and this coupled with a 6kW wind turbine and 3.7kW solar PV enable us to reduce our carbon footprint significantly – by 40-50T a year. We use a small herd of cattle and two flocks of sheep as grazing ‘tools’ to encourage  bio-diversity on the farm – we had nesting corncrakes last summer for the first time in decades, which was very exciting! The Isle of Mull has a growing reputation as a world class wildlife destination, and we have an ongoing log of wildlife seen locally. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/170.htm

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

Spring is almost upon us … the sun has started shine and the nights are staying lighter for longer! Now couldn’t be a better time to treat your little one to some gorgeous and soft colourful organic baby clothes! Let your baby be cool and comfortable this season in our soft, breathable and chemical free baby clothes.

Green Nippers specialise in organic, ethical and eczema friendly baby boys clothes and baby girls clothes. Our baby clothes are kind to babies suffering with eczema as there are no chemicals or pesticides to irritate the delicate babies skin. We wanted to make life easier for busy parents so therefore we designed a range of fashionable all-in-one baby grows that have been designed as little outfits for your baby.

When designing the collection of baby grows we aimed to create a product that looked smarter than an ordinary baby grow but most importantly practical and comfortable. Our baby grows have been designed specifically for babies to sleep, eat and play in, whether out and about or just lounging at home. Such an occasion could be an evening meal, if parents were to take their baby out with them their baby could wear a fashionable Green Nippers baby grow and parents would not have the worry that their baby is underdressed. Subsequently if baby fell asleep they could happily put them to bed in the baby grow without having to disturb them changing them into sleepwear.

Our most popular girls baby grow this season has been ‘Polly Pintuck’, and our best selling boys baby grow has been ‘Ollie’!

Treat your little one today and save 15% off too. Enter the code: ETHICAL15 in the discount code box at the checkout: www.greennippers.co.uk

*Save 15% from now until 30^th April 2011*

Green Nippers is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

How much is enough?

This question has never been more relevant or important than it is today, and Vicki Robin has been at the forefront of these issues ever since the publication of her seminal work Your Money or Your Life?

During the 5 day course she will work with participants to find joyful ways of living at your “enough point” – the point where you have all you need and nothing in excess.

How do you have everything you want and need, but nothing in excess?

Individuals, communities and organisations can benefit from this rich exploration of what makes transformation possible through to practical action and impact.

Vicki Robin

Vicki Robin is co-author with Joe Dominguez of the best-seller, ‘Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence’, an international best-seller which has been translated into eleven languages.

For more information and to book:
Tel: +44 (0)1803 865934

Schumacher College is the perfect space for reflecting, sharing ideas and engaging in change for the individual, community and the environment.

Schumacher College, Dartington is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

New for 2011. Located on a working organic farm, Archie’s Farmhouse has just been renovated to the highest standards. Kintyre Cottages is a family run enterprise comprising of nine self-catering holiday cottages on Kildalloig Estate, on The Mull of Kintyre. Set against the rugged beauty of the sea and the wild landscape of the Kintyre peninsula, Kintyre Cottages provide an idyllic sanctuary, offering modern amenities and historic coastal charm. Spread over approx 4000 acres on the eastern coastline of the Kintyre Peninsula, the estate encompasses over a mile of coastline and beaches and rises gradually to about 1200 feet at its highest point, from where there are many vantage points enjoying panoramic views over the sea to the highlands and islands beyond. The landscape offers a myriad of differing environments, from tropical gardens, lowland pastures, wooded glens and waterfalls, rising to heather and moorland. And yet it retains an alluring remoteness and sense of space that can be hard to find elsewhere and, although more accessible than ever before, large areas still have that undiscovered feel. Kildalloig Estate is an organic farm producing beef and lamb. Our organic breeding stock includes Aberdeen Angus, pedigree registered Blueface Leicester, Blackface and North Ronaldsay. We also have two Highland Cows – Agnes and Dorothy who live on Davaar Island. As well as being organic, Kildalloig Estate aims to be ecologically sustainable and encourages guests where possible to use best practice in terms of water use and detergents. We have a 20kw wind turbine which provides electricity to power the farm. Water for all of the cottages is from natural springs from the hills and has been stringently tested to meet EU water directive standards. Kildalloig Estate benefits from being right on the Gulf Stream providing a milder climate than the rest of Scotland and providing a wonderful holiday destination to enjoy the great outdoors. Also part of the Estate is Davaar Island. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2953.htm

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

What is the New Forest Food Challenge?

The New Forest Food Challenge is a community based project run by New Forest Transition that is getting people thinking about the food they eat and where it comes from. We want everyone to be more aware of the impact of what they eat, environmentally, economically and health-wise.

Mainly through our interactive web site we have helped develop a number of initiatives from local food markets to community garden schemes. We have organised and attended many events throughout the New Forest including Seed Swaps, a Local Food Summit, School projects, Food Demonstrations and Green Fairs.

We believe it is especially important to involve young people and to teach them about the creative solutions that exist to help us all out of the difficulties we are facing. By being positive we can change direction. The project has been successful in helping to develop networks and bringing communities across the Forest closer together but there is much to be done.

What are we trying to do?

We want to reach out to a wider audience through the medium of drama and challenge more people to think about, and act on, the vital issue of sustainable food production and consumption.