The new MuLondon face wash range is deeply cleansing yet mild on the skin. Like all MuLondon products, the new cleansers are especially suitable for people with sensitive skin types. They are 100% natural and plant-based and contain no SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), detergents, alcohol, mineral oils, parabens, sorbates, silicones, emulsifiers or other man-made chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin. They are mild enough for babies and children.

The cleansers are a testament not only to MuLondon’s continued commitment to its consumers, but also to the environment: All new cleansers come in recyclable HDPE plastic bottles that are free from phthalates, bisphenol-A and PVC, and contain no propellant gas. All cleansers are registered by The Vegan Society and PETA, and are completely free from Palm oil.

Boris Zatezic, the founder and head cream-whipper of MuLondon, says: “I am very excited to launch our organic, mild and preservative-free foaming facial cleansers. You can now feel fresh and clean with all-natural ingredients based on certified organic liquid soap. All MuLondon face cleansers are free from detergents like SLS, preservatives and Palm oil. They are ideal for your morning and evening face cleansing routine or to wash your hands. Great for shaving, too!“

MuLondon cleansers come in three unique varieties:

Organic Rose – Foaming Face Wash – Luxury organic foaming face cleanser with Rose Otto oil, Rosehip Extract and Rosemary Antioxidant. This amazing trio will clean, balance and nourish dry, irritated and sensitive skin.

Organic Lavender – Foaming Face Wash – Mild and organic foaming face cleanser with Lavender, Jojoba Oil and Rosemary Antioxidant. Great for all skin types, including dry and normal skin.

Organic Fragrance-Free – Foaming Face Wash – Foaming organic Fragrance-Free face cleanser with Jojoba Oil and Rosemary Antioxidant, for the most sensitive skin types.

All MuLondon products are carefully and lovingly handcrafted and contain a unique combination of certified organic ingredients, herbal extracts and essential oils that heal, balance and repair all types of skin, even the most sensitive.

More information about MuLondon can be found at www.MuLondon.com, where customers can place secure online orders, 24/7, with affordable worldwide shipping.

Ethical Junction members can get 10% off their whole order containing any new cleanser by using the coupon code ETHICALCLEAN10 before the 30th of November.

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Established in 2008, MuLondon is based in London, UK, specialising in producing the finest natural and organic products for skin, body and home. MuLondon fine products are made by hand from pure, natural and certified organic ingredients. They contain no artificial preservatives, emulsifiers or fragrances. Instead, pure natural essential oils and herbal extracts are used to divinely scent and gently preserve.

All MuLondon products are 100% vegan and are registered by The Vegan Society and PETA. MuLondon never uses any animal ingredients. All suppliers of ingredients to MuLondon are thoroughly vetted and and share the company’s green and ethical ideals: no animal testing, proactive environmental, recycling and fair-trade policies and support for community projects.

MuLondon – Natural Organic Skincare is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

For a high quality health conscious life, nutrition plays a very important role. The genuineness of the products, the characteristics of the environment where they come from, the traceability and the organoleptic values – all these aspects are difficult to find in a single offer. As ambitious as it is, this goal has been reached at La Cerreta. As a biodynamic farm, La Cerreta bring into being more than 95% of the products that are served at the table. We serve a highly nutritious breakfast, with yogurt of cow’s or goat’s fresh milk, fruit jams of our production, to be spread on our whole bread baked in the wood oven, or cheese and eggs of the day for those who like to start with a salty taste. The same quality is offered at lunch and dinner. Fresh vegetables grown in the garden, oil obtained from pressed cold olives, Maremmano’s beef meat, Cinta Senese’s pork and chickens Livornese of our farm. The wines of our vineyards accompany our recipes inspired by ancient rural traditions, presented with that creative touch that makes of a primary need the most popular form of art, the only one that satisfies all senses, giving fulfillment to palate and being. A balanced food, conceived as a genuine expression of a territory, as a culture that has deep roots, men and women who still do personally the many delicate phases of collection and the transformation of the products, to see them garnish a dish that comes literally from around the corner and reflects coherently the value of seasonal offering that we care so much about. In addition to traditional offerings, we also offer light menus – dedicated to users of the Holistic Spa Centre. The restaurant is open all year. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/2604.htm

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

The online eco directory My Green Directory has recently partnered with King Lion Media, the publishers of GREEN Magazine to create a paperback eco directory.

GREEN is distributed quarterly in the Guardian’s Saturday Supplement, and it has been announced that the My Green Directory paperback will also be distributed with GREEN in the Guardian in January 2012.

‘We’re delighted to have been given this opportunity. The sole purpose My Green Directory is to help and inspire the environmentally conscious, bringing to light green companies, green issues & green lifestyle choices, so to get our advertisers in front of a broadsheet audience is just fantastic.’ said Sue Jueno, Director and founder of My Green Directory.

‘Online we promote all types of eco businesses, a large number of which are small start-ups with little advertising budget.  Our low cost paperback options now give even the smallest of businesses the chance to be seen in main stream media’

Not only will the paperback be with GREEN Magazine in the Guardian, the 200,000 copies will also be distributed by Permaculture Magazine, the Eden Project,  Mamapacks – the ethically influenced mum & baby sample packs, Suma Wholesale’s distribution network, Planet Organic in London, The Eco Village events throughout the summer, at Bricks & Bread, the leading Sustainable Living Centre, at the London Green Fair and more…

Unlimited free digital copies will be available from January 2012 and you can reserve your copy here.

Eco/ethical companies – to book your space please email Sue on hello@mygreendirectory.info or call Jo / Livia on 01737 237900.  See our media pack for more information.

My Green Directory is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Guinzano is a restored 17th century farmhouse on a sixteen acre organic farm with olive groves and pasture. Located near Gubbio, it is in an environmentally protected area in the green hills of Umbria. You can taste our organic products in the restaurant. Breakfast is buffet style and includes homemade bread, cold cuts, cheeses, fresh eggs, cakes, honey, homemade jams, butter, milk, coffee, tea, fruit juice, yoghurt. At dinner, the recipes are made with organic or local products. Truffles and mushrooms grow spontaneously on the farm. We can organise courses in natural cooking on request. Explore the surrounding area with its abundant flora and fauna on foot or, by reservation, on horseback. Mountain bikes are available on site. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/3007.htm

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

Our 2011 ‘Different Journeys’ programme is now complete.  It was our most ambitious programme of visits to date, taking the public to see 20 of our borrowers during National Ethical Investment Week.

These visits have enabled us to share directly with our customers and the public the difference that money saved and invested in Charity Bank is making to charities, social enterprises and communities across the UK.

Our stakeholders were offered the opportunity to meet borrowers and the people they work within their local area.  In doing so they have cemented a three-way bond among savers and investors; borrowers; and the Charity Bank team, reinforcing the values that the bank has developed.

They evidence how everyone can choose to use their savings to make a difference whilst earning a financial return.  And as one commentator put it, the visits are ‘bringing trust and responsibility back to banking’.

Charity Bank remains committed to showing that everyone can be a ‘Social Investor’, or ‘Social Saver’ – and we believe there is no better way to convince people than to show them the projects their money could be supporting.

To learn more about Charity Bank visit our website, to catch a flavour of the visits you can view our photo album, or to receive details of future visits please sign up for the Charity Bank news bulletin.

Charity Bank – Ethical Bank is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Introducing our new anti-ageing skincare range….

New Zealand based Comvita is the world’s largest manufacturer of Manuka honey and has used this expertise to produce a fabulous range of natural anti-ageing skincare.

Comvita’s high performance skincare uses HUNI®XA – a special type of Manuka honey which slows the visible signs of ageing by supporting the natural structure of the skin, so it feels firm, lifted and the appearance of wrinkles is smoothed.

The facial products are suitable for normal to oily skin and each product comes beautifully packaged, perfect for gift giving or just to treat yourself.

To celebrate the launch of this fantastic new range, every customer who spends £20 or more* by 16 December 2011 will be entered into a prize draw to win a fabulous Comvita Anti-ageing Gift Set worth over £100!

*spend per order on any brand

	Comvita Purifying Cleansing Gel A lightly foaming facial wash to deep cleanse and balance the skin – gently unclogs pores & purifies to reveal brighter skin without overdrying.
	Comvita Gentle Balancing Toner A soothing toner to balance & refine the skin – absorbs excess oil to gently clarify, calm and tone the skin.
	Comvita Protective Day Lotion This easily absorbed moisturiser is designed to fight the signs of ageing as it restores skin balance – helps to control excess sebum in the T-zone area, while boosting hydration & protecting the skin from damage.
	Comvita Gentle Revitalising Exfoliant A gentle skin refiner to reveal a brighter more luminous complexion – improves the appearance of dull skin, while gently buffing away impurities to reveal softer smoother skin.
	Comvita Nourishing Hand & Nail Cream Strengthen nails & protect your hands from the visible signs of ageing with this indulgent cream – keeps cuticles supple & reduces nail breakages, while intensively moisturising the hands.

Shop Comvita @ www.naturalworkscompany.co.uk

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

Wood and plants such as bamboo, have a large number of vessels that carry water and nutrients up from the earth when they are alive. The types of charcoal that are suitable for water filtration are made using a slow and careful process, so that these fine vessels remain intact, leaving a highly porous and permeable structure. (You could say charcoal is the carbonised skeleton of wood and plants). The size of the pores varies – anything from 50 nm to less than 1nm. (1nm = 1 billionth metre). So when water roams through those myriad porous cavities, chemical constituents such as chlorine are trapped in the cavities, removing the familiar tap water taste and odour.

If we were able to unfold all the pores and spread them on a flat surface, amazingly 1g of high quality charcoal could cover between one and three tennis courts – depending on the type of wood and processing temperature. Generally bamboo charcoal made at 800-1000 degrees is considered to be the most porous – and it is this kind of charcoal that has a surface area equivalent to up to three tennis courts per gram.

In Japan, people who use charcoal for water filtering at home tend to use either ‘binchotan’ or bamboo charcoal. Binchotan is an oak wood charcoal, which is very tough and heavy. For many centuries it has been an indispensable feature of high-end restaurant grills, as it generates an excellent quality, long-lasting flame that adds a wonderful flavour to meat and fish. It happens to make a rather good water filter too. ‘Kishu binchotan’ made in the Kishu region of south west Japan, is considered the best of its kind.

Bamboo charcoal tends to be made mostly for non-fuel uses. Due to its fantastic ability to absorb pollutants both in air and water, it is widely used as a natural water filter and air purifier. Bamboo grows in most parts of Japan and so bamboo charcoal is made throughout the country.

Whether it’s binchotan or bamboo charcoal, well-made charcoal is the result of real craftsmanship. It is almost always made in traditional clay kilns. Charcoal making is all about heating wood or plants without oxygen (or almost) and experienced charcoal makers have their own kiln design and temperature control techniques. They raise the kiln temperature slowly over several days to ensure thorough and even carbonisation. The process culminates with the ‘nerashi’, in which air is blown into the kiln in order to raise the temperature to 1000 degree or more. In the case of binchotan, after the ‘nerashi’, the charcoal is pulled out of the kiln while it’s still red-hot and extinguished by being covered with ashes. By contrast, bamboo charcoal is usually extinguished inside the kiln by sealing the air passages and it is left for a few days to cool down. In either case, it takes 10-14 days, in a labour of love. Charcoal made in this way is very ‘pure’ with a very high carbon content of, typically, 95% – the remainder is mainly minerals.

Other characteristics of slowly made high temperature charcoal pieces are that they tend to have a silvery sheen and are much harder and heavier than ordinary barbeque charcoal – which can be a bit ‘woody’. They are also beautiful objects. It seems only right that two weeks of hard work create not only a highly versatile charcoal, but also one that is aesthetically attractive and appeals to the human senses.

The Charcoal People is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

One double room and two triple rooms with balconies in the centre of Barcelona in the modernist Eixample Right area between Sagrada Familia and Passeig de Gracia. The rooms are between fifteen and eighteen metres square, painted with organic paints and cleaned with organic and essential oil products. All have views and are furnished in traditional Spanish style. The decor is attractive and the atmosphere genuine. An organic breakfast is served in the family room. It is 99% organic and includes Spanish specialties, cheese, spelt pancakes, marmalade, green tea, coffee, soya and cows milk. Mediterranean organic dinner with complimentary wine on demand. Aromatherapy massage available. Please pre arrange check in time. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/3006.htm

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

Organic Holidays at Melanya Mountain Retreat. Our garden is situated in one of Europe’s most beautiful and untouched regions. Everything flourishes abundently in the Rhodope Mountains due to the Mediterranean climate, the quality of the environment, and the lack of human interference. When out walking, you can pick and eat wild strawberries and drink from the mountain streams, safe with the knowledge that everything is completely free from any pesticides, additives and ‘grow faster’ chemicals. Melanya Organic Holidays are completely at one with nature and we are committed to a sustainable existence and responsible tourism for the village and the region. All of the organic produce available to our holiday guests is either from our own garden or is locally grown. Bread, meat and dairy products are all organic and sourced locally. Our own free range hens lay delicious fresh eggs daily. Your organic holiday can include a home made fresh cooked meal every evening if you require. You may wish to self cater if you prefer. You have the option to stock the kitchenette full of delicious organic supplies for breakfast, and lunch and there is something for everyone on the evening menu. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/3005.htm

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

Have you ever wondered where real Christmas trees come from? No doubt at that hectic time of year you don’t have time to give it a second thought.

But if you knew that the most popular kind of tree, the Nordmann Fir tree, started life in a remote area of Georgia (formerly part of USSR) and that people are injured or even die so that we can decorate a tree for a few days, maybe you would start thinking?

The Nordmann Fir tree (or the “non-drop tree”) is a high quality tree that keeps its needles well and has a lovely symmetrical, bushy shape.  These great qualities have made it increasingly popular and now about 5 million a year are sold in the UK alone. These trees are farmed, but they can only be grown using seed sourced from the natural forests of Georgia – the seed can’t be farmed to a high enough quality, even if the farmer can wait many years for a tree to produce enough seed cones.

Every September the seeds are harvested by the local people in the Ambrolauri region of Georgia, a remote and poor area of a poor developing country. These people, or “cone pickers” are mainly subsistence farmers living high up in the mountains who have little or no income all year until the seed harvest comes round. They then climb 30 metre high trees to pick the seed cones – without safety equipment, ropes or health insurance – and are paid a pittance. Every year someone is injured and there have been deaths too. The seeds are then sold off to farms in Europe where the trees are grown for huge profits, often using illegal immigrant labour and with little regard for the environment.

But things are starting to change thanks to the only fair trade certified (WFTO) real Christmas trees in the world. Set up by Danish Christmas tree grower Bols Forstplanteskole, Fair Trees® sources its own seeds from Ambrolauri using fair trade principles. All of the Fair Trees® cone pickers are paid a fair wage and are provided with modern safety equipment and health insurance. Fair Trees® has also set up a charitable fund in Georgia called The Bols Xmas Tree Fund to help the cone picking community. So far the Fund has provided dental care and health insurance for the local children and invested in community projects. Fairwind, along with an insurance repairs business called MAAssist, is currently raising £10,000 for the Fund to renovate the local school in Tlugi which is in a desperate state.

Fair Trees® not only grows ethical trees, but it is also campaigning to get Christmas tree growers to change their ways and to join the Fair Trees® programme which sets out clear ethical and environmental requirements.

Fair Trees® are for sale this year at www.fairwindonline.com. For more information please go to www.fairwindonline.com or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/114553318582105/ or www.fairtrees.co.uk. To see a video of the cone pickers go to http://www.bolsxmastreefund.com/video-en.php

Fairwind is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more