Fantastic Opportunity – Calling all eco designers and makers…

Want to get involved in a co-operative venture to run an eco friendly shop in central London on Westbourne Grove (off Portobello Road) for a shared rent of just £60.00 per week over the Christmas period?

Then look no further, Sarah Baulch and Lisa Harland are setting up Our Eco Shop for the second year running at 303 Westbourne Grove (opposite Paul Smith) over the next two weeks. We are looking for likeminded designer-makers to be involved in opening and manning the shop for 9 weeks leading up to christmas. Rent is shared equally between all involved and all monies on each sale goes to the individual designer.

We will dress shop, change the windows, deal with payments, press and marketing, etc, organise a fabulous opening party and ensure it all runs smoothly. The shop measures 14 by 6 metres and is double fronted with a further generous retail space in its basement.

Our aim is to create a ‘Green Boutique’ full of the great and good from the eco friendly world, with a kind of vintage vibe in terms of the shops décor – all display furniture painted white, white washed walls and natural wood where possible.

Visit our website for more details and to see lasts years temporary shop which Lisa ran.

If you would like to display flyers in the shop, at £5 plus VAT per week, email katie@onegreenearth or call 07760 444415.

The deadline is this Thursday, the 16th October and we aim to be open on the 24th October. Monies due on the 17th October, contracts offered.

For more information call Sarah on 07949 1170381 or email slb@sarahlouisebaulch.co.uk

This is being organised (beautifully) by two EJ members: Harlands Organic Furnishings and Revampt.

Total Coverage has made it through to the finals of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sustainable Business Awards 2008.

Total Coverage plus other shortlisted businesses will be judged at the end of October by an eminent judging panel including representatives from the Environment Agency, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hampshire County Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

The winners of the awards will be announced on 21 November at the awards ceremony to be held at the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton.

What is at the very core of what we all strive for? Do we actually have a shared strategy?
Lloyd Apter of eee.coop champions co-operation over competition

In a world where the strongest and richest rule, where focus and planning make things happen, what is our plan? Without a shared plan we are all pushing too little (some notably more than others but on global and even national terms still too little) in too many directions towards making our planet a friendly home. And that are we really trying to achieve? Greener and healthier living? Ethics? Equality? There is no way we can change the existing backward systems without a common focus. Is there a common thread that connects us all?

Logically we all know that there is a common thread connecting us all to a single core what we are all working so hard to reach. And it is very hard work indeed.

So, why are we all competing so much, not just between ourselves but with the wonderful and harmless domestic animals and the amazing wild animals as well?

It’s because we view our planet as having limited resources. But slowly we are starting realize that if we are smart and considerate enough we start discovering that there are, in fact, unlimited resources around us, at everyones disposal.

So, why continue to compete when there is plenty to share?

This is an attitude that requires a leap of faith. We need to share with an open hart. Give totally equal opportunity to those who are less fortunate than us. We don’t want power we want peace. We yearn to feel one with everything and to achieve this we need to physically connect with everything around us.

Our very ability to change and adapt has enabled us to evolve to who we are today. In fact, the core of our strength is our ability to adapt.  Let’s evolve together towards sharing and cooperation. We all know that there is nothing more powerful than this and once we can achieve this, the change we all want so much will happen.

About the author:

Lloyd Apter, is founder and network manager of eee.coop, an ethical, ecological and economical co-operative that is the first green affiliate marketing network online.

About eee.coop:

eee.coop is totally free for merchants and affiliates – no setup or on going fees at all, just pure performance based. It is established as a co-operative in order to attract partners as part of the strategy and philosophy of the network.

Founding clients include:

Natural-Friends.com, the first ethical dating community in Britain
AISO.net, the first self-powered solar powered web host in the world
Allthingsgreen.net, a U.K. marketplace for small green produces and traders

Click here to join the movement for co-operation or click here to find out more.

The date for this year is Sunday 5 October from 10am – 5pm. in the Market Hall, Abergavenny. We have backing from Fairtrade Wales as well as local businesses and Abergavenny Council. There will be plenty of local and regional press coverage as well as BBC Wales.

Last year saw a huge attendance and we will increase this year. Stalls last year included – Love Zimbabwe, Goodies from the Gambia, Bag- Age, Bryn – y – Cwm project, Smouldering Sage,Biltong 2 U,Tropical Forest, Fairtrade Abergavenny & Crickhowell, Tools for self reliance, VSO, etc.

We also had fantastic catering from Scrumptious catering and Taste Zimbabwe. We will be having the Fairtrade fashion show again and the drumming workshop from Dave Roberts. Also, hopefully the amazing Chrys Blanchard and Abercapella. We have a school group performing African Dance and hope to be bringing over from Zimbabwe Sam Mtukudzi son of Oliver (Tuku) the most well known Zimbabwean artiste.

There will be a childrens area this year with face painting and a bouncy castle. Music and entertainment will be going on all day and there will be lots more to announce as we get nearer to the date. I realise that it is still relatively early, but it would help us enourmously if those who are interested in taking a stall this year could let me know as soon as possible. Looking forward to seeing you all in October.

Kind Regards,
David and Martha Holman.

Email: fairsfairfairs@mail2world.com
Telephone: 07879400897 / 07774608215 / 01873854055