There are some lovely products available for sensitive skin these days – from Logona FREE, Essential Care, et al – but it can still be hard to get hold of a good scalp-sensitive shampoo. We are comparing here a few that we found, which really clean your hair, really leave it feeling lovely, and are really sensitive to irritable skin.

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If you’re planning to replace your windows and doors this winter, then Green Building Store’s Ecoplus³ range comes with triple glazing as standard, to help keep homes extra toasty. Triple glaing is around 30% more efficient than double glazing and can significantly improve the comfort and energy efficiency of homes. Ecoplus³ also offers a range of ther eco benefits, including use of sustainable FSC 100% oak or redwood timber, natural timber finishes and boron preservatives. The range, which is handcrafted at Green Building Store’s workshops in Yorkshire, is now the subject of a short film showing the care and craftsmanship which goes into the range.

The six minute film can be viewed at www.ecoplus.co.uk and takes the viewer through the making of an Ecoplus3 window – from preparing the FSC 100% timber to adding the triple glazing and hardware. The film also includes an interview with Ecoplus customerrs, as well as Green Building Store Directors Chris Herring & Bill Butcher.

For more information on Ecoplus3, ring 01484 463336 or go to www.ecoplus.co.uk

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There are so many benefits to going natural with regards to beauty. Firstly there is no chance of delicate skin being “polluted” when one uses natural beauty products. In fact, there are all manner of chemical nasties which tend to lurk deep within conventional high street brands. Imagine taking a cocktail of different test tubes of sometimes potentially harmful chemicals and putting them all over the skin of you, your family and even your children. That just would not make sense would it?

One of the biggest “nasties” found within so many conventional beauty products nowadays are petroleum related products. This substance is found in thousands of commercial products such as shampoos, conditioners, solid perfumes, make up and so on. It is even used to manufacture some of the synthetic clothing fabrics which many of us wear every single day. Fabrics such as polyester, acrylic and nylon are made with petroleum. Plastic jewellery too contains the substance In fact there are so many items which we use every day which are created with some form of petroleum usage that there would not be enough space to list them!

If you take a look at any conventional beauty products on the shelves it can be seen that petroleum and mineral oil are often included in the basic ingredients. Both of these substances are closely related and are commonly found within facial skin products especially. Their purpose is to lock moisture against the skin. However due to this process and due to the way the product sits on the surface of the skin, rather than being absorbed, pores can become blocked. This will give a negative cosmetic appearance due to spots and pimples potentially forming. Obviously these are only cosmetic effects but there have been studies which show that there are also potential health implications through using petroleum derived products. These are not to be found in natural beauty products.

Another way in which petroleum can invade our systems is through fragrances which are added to conventional cosmetics. There are numerous aromas which are derived from this source.

Names to look out for are propylene glycol which is a popular addition to conventional shampoos and conditioners. This chemical has been strongly linked to very serious health problems. There are potential connections to kidney and liver damage as well as respiratory problems too.

Another name to avoid if you can is isopropyl alcohol which is an antibacterial agent. This can generally be found in products such as cleansers and toners and so on. The problem with this product is that it can dry out the skin so much that it will crack and as a result bacteria can enter and cause infections and pimples.

Perhaps the “biggest” name in this ball park is sodium laureth sulphate which has many other similarly named derivatives. The interesting aspect of this chemical is that the actual lauryl fatty acids within the preparation are derived from natural oils, for example, coconut oil. However these are then treated industrially with petroleum based products to create a foaming agent. SLS is related to hair loss when used in shampoos and many people also believe that it poses a significant health and even cancer risks.

Remembering that as much as 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into it then it is about time we all began trying natural beauty products?

Shop at Lush Duck range of natural beauty products.

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Maintaining simplicity, internally and externally, is a crucial part of moving to a more sustainable existence. Why? Because being overwhelmed with what we no longer need, or with more than we need saps our energy. Whether that’s extra internal stuff, such as limiting beliefs, attachment to drama and gossip, or fantasising or whether it’s external stuff such as material goods, rubbish or simply an overgrown garden, it all contributes to our attention being commandeered by the meaningless rather than dedicated to the meaningful.

As a recovering hoarder and ‘just in case ‘ fanatic, I’ve explored a variety of approaches to keeping  mess and clutter at bay.
Here are some ideas I’ve come up with for how to overcome hoarding and live more simply:

1)    Monitor usage – to begin with just observe how you use technology, clothes, books, kitchen equipment, tools etc. You will probably find that your usage follows the 80:20 rule (The Pareto Principle) that you use the same 20% of something 80% of the time.

2)    Sell, freecycle, recycle or give away anything you haven’t used in the last year.

3)    If that’s too big a step in one go, put everything from 2 (i.e. that you haven’t used in the last year)in a holding space e.g. spare bedroom, loft space, cupboard. Anything that’s still there, unused, after 6 months, get rid of (mark a date in your diary to do this). You’ve then got 6 months to get used to living without those items and to test to see which you really have a need for.

4)    Then go back to 2.

5)    Keep a box, or other space in the house where you put items that are leaving your living space and preferably separate items for sale from those to freecycle, recycle or give away. Completely clear this space once per month.

6)    Own up to underlying beliefs that support hoarding:

a)    I’m keeping it just in case
b)    I’m keeping it because someone else would want me to (often someone who’s not longer there e.g. has passed away.)
c)    I’m keeping it for someone else
d)    I’m keeping it as a momento of my past
e)    I’m keeping it because it’s too good to throw away.

7)    Recycle those beliefs:

a)    Keep for the foreseen, not the unforeseen. The only way to plan for the unforeseen is through building personal resilience, not through hoarding.
b)    Keep for myself and what feeds me only.
c)    If it’s someone else’s, they can take responsibility – give it back, renegotiate a storage arrangement for a limited time only, or get rid of it.
d)    Living in the past holds me back. I let go of the past with gratitude for all it’s taught me. (For someone who’s died, and with whom I want to keep some material connection, keep one small item, or one small box of treasures, if this serves me in some way e.g. by supporting me through the grieving process.)
e)    If it’s too good to throw away, then it’s too good to keep and not use. Let it go to someone else who would use it and appreciate it. Take steps to sell or give it to them. Pass it on with joy.

8)    Think carefully about anything you bring into your living space. E.g. through shopping, accepting items from others etc. Do I really want this? What is the underlying need? What do I already own that would fulfil that need?

9)    When introducing anything new into your living space that is definitely needed, create a space for it from the outset, so you’re clear on where it lives/where it can be stored.

10)     Apply all of these principles to electronic hoarding too e.g. files on your computer. Have a place for everything and everything in its place. Delete anything you haven’t used in the last year. For any new information you receive and want to keep, create a folder for it straight away that’s clearly labelled.

I know this can be really challenging, because at the root of hoarding are likely to be some pretty strong feelings about my identity and security (and maybe the identity and security of those I care about too.) In my experience, what can be especially self-supporting and self-empowering with this process is to begin by setting an intention, for example to reclaim my energy for meaningful work, to benefit others by passing on useful items, to enjoy living and working in a clutter free environment. It can also help to take some baby steps in order to get the momentum going and to make it easier to embed the new simplicity habit.

An intention I find particularly effective  for those about-to-depart-from-my-life items is:

‘ May these items be well used and bring happiness and benefit to others, either in their current form, or after being transformed by nature or by man.’

What is it that most helps you to overcome hoarding?

(c) Sally Lever.

Sally writes about the heart and soul of downshifting to a more sustainable, ethical and holistic way of living and working, in keeping with the needs of the planet, humanity as a whole and ourselves as individuals. She works internationally as a coach for sustainable small businesses, offering 1-2-1 coaching by telephone or Skype and group workshops. You can subscribe to her blog and monthly, email newletter via her website: www.sallylever.co.uk.

Sally Lever is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Misconceptions about henna as a hair dye are common – that it only dyes your hair red; that it won’t dye your hair well or cover grey; that it contains metallic salts or other harmful ingredients. We want to set the record straight with a bit more information to help henna be understood.

100% pure organic henna powder has absolutely no artificial ingredients. This means no PPD, no metallic salts, and no other added chemicals at all – it is purely the ground, dried leaves of the henna bush. Some products marketed as henna have actually had chemicals added to them – so be careful, check the ingredients of any henna before you buy it. We have been really shocked by how many products claiming to be henna actually have seriously damaging chemicals in them.  To be completely safe, we will only sell Certified Organic hennas, so you can be sure it contains nothing unnatural.

Pure henna powder with a high lawsone content (2-3% is very good) is a very powerful dye. Some natural dyes, or just cheaper, weaker henna, might not be as good as chemical dyes at colouring your hair, or might wash out sooner – this gives natural hair colourants a bad name. In fact, if you use high-lawsone henna (ideally Body Art Quality Henna, which is stronger and a finer-quality powder), you can get really powerful tones that really last a long time. This even applies to grey hair, which is known for being hard to cover. In the twelve years we’ve spent becoming natural hair dye experts, pure henna is by far the most effective solution to grey hair that we’ve found.

When you think of henna, you think red – but henna can actually be used with other leaf-based dyes to create a broad palette of colour. Combining henna with indigo in different proportions gives every shade from chestnut red, to warm brown tones, to jet black, even achieving a natural-looking and grey-covering effect on Asian hair. At the other end of the spectrum, henna can be mixed with cassia (sometimes called ‘neutral henna’, though it is from a different plant). This gives anything from a golden tint, to strawberry blonde shades.

Now to a quick myth about hair dying in general – that it has to be bad for your hair. The chemicals in commercially available dyes strip your hair’s natural defences and nutrients, leaving it dry and damaged. Henna, and the sister products mentioned here, actually have the opposite effect, improving the health and condition of your hair and scalp. It’s worth noting that henna loosens hair curls, which some people like; if you don’t like it, though, you can use amla powder (again, it’s completely natural) to tighten the curls up again, and give your hair greater body and strength.

In short, 100% Pure Organic Henna Powder dyes your hair safely, leaving it in better condition with no risk to your health or the health of your hair, and you can use it to get a great range of effective, intense shades.

Suvarna is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Green Nippers were asked on many occasions if we could provide a range of organic cotton underwear and pyjama’s for their babies and children … so let us introduce our fabulous range.

We conducted extensive market research into what organic children’s underwear and sleepwear was available (or lack of it)! It was clear what little found was not fashionable, pretty, trendy for the little ones. There is no need for organic not to be as pretty and cute as non-organic!

Organic cotton clothing is very important for your baby or child, especially those suffering from eczema. Organic cotton doesn’t have the nasty chemicals & pesticides which are found in conventional cotton. So underwear and sleepwear (which is closest to your little ones delicate skin) is especially important for them to wear.

Organic baby underwear
We have designed some very cute baby bodysuits, which can either be worn as an undergarment, simply on their own, or with a pair of trousers, leggings or a skirt. The bodysuits are available in 3 sleeve lengths: sleeveless, short sleeve and long sleeve. They are also available in 3 colours: white, pink stripe and toffee stripe.
The organic cotton baby bodysuits are available in sizes new born to 2 years.

Organic cotton children’s underwear sets for girls & boys
The girls organic cotton underwear is available in 3 pretty pastel shades: vanilla, rose and apple green. The fabric is simply gorgeous too; it’s made from 100% organic cotton jacquard interlock with an all-over hearts. It’s so cute. The girls underwear is available from ages 12 months – 5 years. Perfect for when you little one starts potty training or for the younger worn the knickers can be worn over a nappy.

The boy’s organic underwear sets are available in white a navy blue. Both colours are proving to very popular! The sets include a sleeveless vest and pants. The boy’s underwear is made from super soft 100% organic cotton jersey. They are also available from 12 months to 5 years.

Organic cotton boys and girls pyjama’s
Green Nippers boys and girls pyjama’s, available from newborn months to 5 years, have been really popular!
We have 2 all-in-one pyjamas which are available in toffee stripe and pink stripe (new born to 5 years). These are great for little ones suffering from eczema or chicken pox. They have fold over scratch mittens and feet, perfect to stop them from scratching!

We also have some 2 piece pyjama’s sets available in long sleeve and short sleeve, in toffee stripe and pink stripe:

Organic Cotton Nighties
The girls organic nighties have been very well received. Our customers have liked them so much that they have bought them for a summers dress! The nighties are available in 3 pretty pastel shades: vanilla, rose and apple green. The fabric is 100% organic cotton jacquard interlock with an all-over hearts. The girls nighties are available from ages 12 months – 5 years.

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

The Benefits of Organic Skin Products

Today’s consumers are well informed and intelligent. As such there is a huge increase in the numbers of us who are going organic. There are many positives with regards to choosing natural beauty products as opposed to their chemically based commercial counterparts. One only has to pick up a newspaper to read another scare story on the dangers of synthetic chemicals in our every day life. Why on earth would we want to put these cocktails on our skins?

Organic Skin Care and Make Up

There are many big names in the field of organic skincare such as Burt’s Bees, Lavera and Madara. These and similar brands carry products for men, women and children. In fact if you are worrying about the delicate skin of your baby then Burt’s Bees product come highly recommended. Organic products are perfect for sensitive skin as harsh chemically laden products can cause inflammation of the skin and other uncomfortable conditions. Also for those worried about aging, often they fins that the restorative and healing power found in natural skin preparations is far more noticeable that that which is found in conventional products.

It is important to understand that everything we put topically onto our skin is eventually absorbed into our body and bloodstream. One of the chemicals which everyone is talking about and trying to avoid is SLS or sodium laureth sulphate. This is well known for causing damage and irritation to the skin yet is still used as a foaming agent in everything from soaps, to shampoos and toothpastes.

Nasty Chemicals

Many of the chemicals which are used in big brand commercial cosmetics contain known carcinogens, allergy inducing agents and also substances which can damage fertility amongst other things. Why risk a build up of synthetic chemicals and toxins within our bodies and the ones of those we love? Natural beauty products are gentle and kind to skin, there is no contest!

is it time you switched to clean, green natural beauty products?  click here to visit Lush Duck

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What About Monday Morning? Awareness, Wisdom and Compassion in the Workplace

http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/what-about-monday-morning-awareness-wisdom-and-compassion-in-the-workplace-2

21 – 23 September, 2012

Teacher: Tim Malnick

What if the very work we do, whatever it is, could become a path to greater awareness, deeper wisdom and wider benefit to the world?

In a time of global challenges, economic uncertainties and social change many of us are asking deep questions about the work we do and the way we do it. For many of us the workplace is and challenging part of our lives and can be an unfulfilling place that creates, stress, anxiety and tension. But should it be?

Far from needing to run away to a monastery or a cave, some spiritual traditions emphasise the value and potential of turning fully towards the chaos, challenge and emotionality of our work as a basis for self discovery and for benefitting others and the world at large. This weekend course offers you the opportunity to explore this possibility by using tried and tested tools and approaches from both ancient and modern traditions in a safe, stimulating and supportive environment.

This course will give you:

• Frameworks, practices and advice for approaching all areas of your work with greater courage, skill and open heartedness.

• Introduction to and guidance on simple awareness and meditation techniques that can be incorporated into the most demanding of daily schedules.

• Time and space to reflect with others on the questions that you have about your work and the discoveries you are making in a safe, supportive environment.

• An overview of key Buddhist teachings on work as spiritual practice and why practicing in the chaos of everyday life can be more powerful than any retreat!

• But what about Monday morning? – practical support and tools to take back to the office (or wherever) after the programme

Tim Malnick is an experienced facilitator, educator, consultant & coach. As co-director of the MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility at Ashridge Business School, he works with many people who seek more fulfilment & greater contribution through the work they do. He is also a student and teacher in the Longchen Foundation, a Tibetan Buddhist tradition and has a particular passion for conveying the core essence of Buddhist teachings in a way that is accessible, practical and directly applicable for people in every setting amidst the chaos and complexity of modern life.

Course Fees £400 All course fees include accommodation, food, field trips and all teaching sessions.

To find out more about this course:

Visit: http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/what-about-monday-morning-awareness-wisdom-and-compassion-in-the-workplace-2

Tel: +44 (0)1803 865934

Email: admin@schumachercollege.org.uk

The Administrator
Schumacher College
The Old Postern
Dartington
Totnes
Devon TQ9 6EA
UK

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

Some of Britain’s most environmentally friendly businesses have been honoured with a Goldstar in recognition of reaching the top of their class – including Bluebell Croft, Strontian, Argyll for Best Self Catering Accommodation. The coveted Green Tourism Business Scheme Awards were presented to eight of the country’s most sustainability minded businesses working within the tourism industry at a special event in Edinburgh on May 25. Founded by the internationally renowned Green Tourism Business Scheme, the awards honour those businesses and organisations that have done the most to promote sustainability within the industry by implementing cost saving practices that help the environment, improve customer services and benefit the bottom line. ‘The Goldstar Awards are a recognition of the best of the best’ said Andrea Nicholas, Director of the Green Tourism Business Scheme. ‘The Awards are intended to honour the highest GTBS achievers of the last twelve months in terms of innovation, ambassadorship and cost savings. A total of 52 green tourism businesses were shortlisted for the final this year, out of more than 2,300 possible contenders. Everyone is an exemplar in the promotion and practice of sustainability. Unfortunately, there can only be a handful of overall winners but I have been hugely impressed by the efforts made by all the finalists. They have demonstrated how it is possible to be environmentally conscious and successful and are prime examples of how going green makes good business sense.’  http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/1900.htm

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An early 19th century two storey stone cottage with outstanding views of the islands and St Brides Bay. Set within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, our 140 acre coastal farm is just half a mile from the unique city of St Davids. The farm’s organic enterprises include ‘green top’ milk, cheeses, potatoes, beef and cereals. We use our own organic unpasteurised milk to produce three types of cheese on the farm – Caerfai Cheddar, Caerfilly, and Caerfilly with Leek and Garlic. In high season we operate a small organic farm shop. Each of the four cottages has its own grounds, away from the present farm buildings. It’s only a 350 yard walk to beautiful Caerfai Bay – a sandy bathing cove with many colourful and fascinating rock pools. http://www.organicholidays.co.uk/at/3105.htm

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