London. 31 May 2009. Ryan Frank’s ‘Isabella’ stool will be exhibiting at Pulse 2009 Earls Court.
The totem pole style stacking stool now includes a new ‘multi-coloured’ felt and a new ‘brother’ stool to add to the family.
The Isabella stool is made entirely from straw and wool. Drawing
inspiration from traditional hand carved African seating, but wanting
to avoid the use of exotic hard woods, the stools are made from a solid
section of ‘Strawboard’.
Strawboard is a sustainable formaldehyde-free material made from
compressed straw an agricultural by-product. The straw profile is then
wrapped in wool felt, making a more comfortable, tactile product, and
also allowing for a broad range of colours. 
‘Spruce’ a ‘felt-free’ version of the stool spices up the re-launch of this now in-demand stool.

‘Spruce’ offers a more budget, rugged option.
Keeping the same iconic shape, but constructed from  a solid section of
FSC certified Spruce ply wood, ideal for heavy-duty usage.
Isabella recently won ‘Most sustainable product’ 2008/09 at the Hidden
Arts annual award, received an Honorable Mention at the annual Green
Dot Award 2008, and has been selected by the National Design Museum of
New York for inclusion in the next Design Triennial exhibition.

The stools can be stacked on top of each other
when not in use, allowing for efficient use of space, as well as
creating a striking totem pole structure.
The Isabella range is in production with acclaimed design consultancy
‘Pli design’ and is currently being distributed in the UK and Europe.
The ‘Zilka’ clothes hanger range made from reclaimed British
newspapers, will also be on display and available in a range of earthy
colours.

Read on to see more pictures!

 

Brighton
Permaculture Trust runs a variety of courses from hands-on gardening
to a diploma in permaculture design. We also hold special events such
as Green Architecture Day.

Read on to find out about our up and coming events in 2009.

GREEN
ROOFS - A two-day course

13-14
June 2009 (New
date)

Learn
about green roofs and how to build them. Includes hands-on experience
and site visits.

FOREST
GARDENING -
A two-day course

4-5 July
2009 (New date) 

How
to grow fruit, nuts, salads and perennial vegetables as a low
maintenance, highly productive garden ecosystem. Includes a site
visit.

NOW
TAKING BOOKINGS

SCYTHING -
A two-day course

19-20
September 2009 (New date)

Learn
how to mow lawns, meadows and even scrub land and also how to make
hay.

NOW
TAKING BOOKINGS

For people interested in a sustainable future
Saturday January 24th 2009 9.30 – 5.00
hosted by Transition Bristol

What’s this training about?
When you (or others) are in conflict how well do you cope?

Would you like to deal with conflict more constructively and creatively?

Does it sometimes seem to be very hard to be true to / stand up for yourself and your values and avoid getting into conflict?

A group can have high aspirations, and yet suffer from internal dynamics that hold it back. We know we need diversity and inclusion, but we can still fall into issues of power and helplessness. Conflicts may float around unresolved in the background and continue to affect the life of the group, and are sometimes only resolved by withdrawal or
exclusion. Unresolved conflicts can bring overwhelm and burn-out.

How did this training come about?
At the recent Transition Cities conference in Nottingham, there was a short workshop on Working with Conflict.  It was facilitated by Iona Fredenburgh and introduced theory and practice from “Process Work”. There was a lot of interest from participants in having a longer training, so here is the first one, hosted by Transition Bristol.“Process Work” has been used all over the world to work creatively with conflict and group dynamics, as well as many other applications. (see below for info links) It welcomes all voices, perspectives and experiences as valuable, and offers skills for facilitating the way they all interact.

Who is it for?
This training aims to be relevant and useful for anyone who wants to add to their relationship and group skills, whether in the Transition movement, Sustainable society work or in everyday life. We will focus especially on skills for leadership and participation in groups. We welcome your interest, and want to share our excitement about creating effective collaboration between those who want to make a difference in our society.  

What will we do?
There will be some theory and lots of practice.  Some of this will be in pairs and small groups, and some as a whole group together. We will share the ‘metaskills’ of respect, curiosity and compassion that make it easier to explore challenging areas.

We will share skills for leadership, facilitation and participation in groups. How to work with conflicts that arise internally, in relationship and in groups, organisation and teams. This will include noticing early signs of conflict, talking about it, and practices for working together creatively to find out more about it and learn from it.We will look at how ‘rank’ differences affect the way we relate to each other, how to notice this and use our rank skilfully. This helps reduce power dynamics in groups. We will show how roles emerge in a group and can interact creatively in group process.

We will explore some of the specific roles and issues that emerge within Transition, and what we can learn from them to strengthen our resilience and sustainability.

Importantly, we will find out how these skills make our practical activities more effective.

There will be an opportunity for lots of interaction and feedback, and for people to bring other questions.

Venue and cost
The workshop will be held at Rookery Farm, Shellards Lane, Alveston, Bristol BS35 3SY

Directions and travel info will be sent out to participants, including lift share info.

Cost is £50 (if the cost is an issue, do contact us). Please send a deposit of £20 asap to Paul Baker at Rookery Farm, cheques made out to Transition Bristol. Please contact Paul paul@paulbakerandcompany.co.uk or 07828882213 if you have any queries.

Please bring lunch for yourself or to share.

The facilitators:

Iona Fredenburgh Dipl POP. I am a Process Work Therapist and Facilitator based in Stroud, where I’ve been involved for several years with Ruskin Mill’s work with land, sustainability, therapeutic education and teenagers with special needs. I’ve worked for over 30 years as a group facilitator in various contexts, including team and leadership development, open forum facilitation in organisational settings, ecopsychology and shamanism. I am a Faculty Member of RSPOPUK, the Process Work Organisation in the UK.

Mark O’Connell Dipl POP, Dipl FT. I am a Process Work Therapist and Facilitator, and a founding member of RSPOPUK, with a private practice in Ipswich. I specialise in working with organisations caring for children, and with young people with Learning Difficulties and EBD. I live on an organic fruit farm from where I co-run The Apricot Centre, an eco-venue for training workshops related to sustainable living www.apricotcentre.co.uk. I have worked for many years in the field of environmentalism and ecopsychology, having designed and co-run the HNC for Sustainable Environments – The Ecology of People and the Land.

More info about Process Work (PW):
Process Work in the UK: www.rspopuk.com
Arny Mindell, founder of PW: www.aamindell.net
Examples of PW around the world:
www.maxfxx.net ; www.deepdemocracymovement.net and www.worldwork.org

Image courtesy of weirdvis

A brand new range of organic skin and body care by Raw Organic is launching this month at So Organic, and you can save 20% off the entire range until the end of the month. Every product in the range is certified by the Soil Association and the performance is quite wonderful.

Click here to see the Raw Organic range.

We test all of the products thoroughly before we put them on sale at SoOrganic.com and the whole team completely fell in love with Raw Organic’s new range. Everything is under £10, everything is Soil Association Certified and it all works beautifully.

The packs are very generous 250ml tubes which are great value, perfect for those looking to switch to organic toiletries but who are cost conscious too, given the current economic conditions.

The Raw Organic range consists of the following:

Juniper & Bitter Orange Moisturising Bar Soap (125g) – £3.50 (now £2.80)
Apple and Elderflower Refreshing Body Wash (250ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Bilberry and Juniper Conditioning Shampoo (250ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Apricot and Rosehip Warm-up Massage Oil (100ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Frankincense and Sandalwood Massage Oil for Delicate Skins – £8 (now £6.40)
Honey & Barley Moisturising Liquid Soap (250ml) – RRP £6 (now £4.80)
Organic Baby Oil (100ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Spearmint and Eucalyptus Cool-down Massage Oil (100ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Wild Chamomile and Olive Organic Hand and Body Lotion (250ml) – £8 (now £6.40)
Ylang-Ylang and Neroli Relaxing Massage Oil (100ml) – £8 (now £6.40)

Algae Phytoplankton Investment Set to Cut Price of Omega 3 Essential Fat Functional Food Additives for Food Manufacturers

London based Nutraceutical Company Eau+ latest investments look set to dramatically change the landscape of the functional food manufacturing market. With an ethical, sustainable, plant based alternative to fish oil long chain fatty acids Docosahexaenoic acid – DHA and Eicosapentaenoic acid EPA that is set to undercut the market fish oil price Eau+ look set hold their lead as the cutting edge face of the functional food market.

Using more environmentally friendly, more sustainable, more ethical production methods than their bigger competitors, Eau+, manufacturers of V-Pure EPA DHA, have managed to corner a section of the market and carved out a substantial niche business in omega 3 products.

Increased Production, More Omega 3 Choice

Development of a major European fermentation facility will allow Eau+ to massively increase production output of phyto-plankton omega 3 oils to over 1,000 tons of oil per year. V Pure should now keep up with ever increasing demand for the unique, sustainable, functional food product. It will also allow Eau+ to provide a wide range of omega 3 potencies giving V-pure products greater application with 40 – 80% DHA and 10-50% EPA as well as range of combination oils.

UK Director of the V-Pure brand at Eau+, Tom Brudenell-Bruce said “We have been struggling to keep up with demand and are working hard to fulfil orders from all over the world for a range of cutting edge omega 3 products. There is no doubt that even in the midst of the credit crunch consumers are putting more value on both health and environmental issues and want what we have in the pure sustainable form that we have it. Eau+ is determined to leap ahead of the competition nibbling at our heels and deliver innovative nutraceuticals that will transform the functional food manufacturing industry “

Inspirational R&D for Food Manufacturing

Acquisition of a UK Research and Development company in the health and nutrition field will give Eau+ access to a market shaking portfolio of products and the technology platforms behind them. With the deal comes an extensive development pipe line and a management team who bring with them many years of experience in both the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Eau+ will acquire rights to marketed products including an Omega 3 formulation and a mineralised (high Calcium and Magnesium) palatable consumer drink. The Omega 3 formulation has been tested by a major bakery industry giant and supports recognised health claims in the finished products.

Revolutionary Huge Cost Savings

The remarkable cost effective savings afforded by the new unique omega 3 product will revolutionise the functional food market due to it’s viability in many more products. The patented emulsifying process protects the omega 3 product from oxidisation and heat. The result of this is that manufacturers will need much less ingredient to achieve the same level of essential fats in their finished functional food product. The nutrient could save manufacturers 30-40% on previous costs for a nutritionally enhanced dairy, pastry, pasta or bread product for instance.

The new V-pure product will enable viable cost effective solutions to fulfil a growing customer demand for essential long chain omega 3 fats in products such as bread, pasta, soy milk, ice cream, yoghurt, cheese, drinks or children’s sweets from a natural more consumer friendly alternative to fish.

Foods for Life Harley St. Nutritionist, Yvonne Bishop-Weston says “The awareness over the need for pure omega 3 products has dramatically increased although there is still a reticence associated with fish. Apart from the issues of environmental sustainability the idea of fish in dairy products has put off many consumers, especially those with vegetarian preferences, ethical or religious concerns.”

New Calcium Drink Beats Milk

Eau+’s new, patented mineralised drink provides more calcium and magnesium than milk, negligible calories and no cholesterol or fat. It is an attractive drink, aimed at figure conscious teenagers and women, children and also other sections of the community who need to supplement their mineral intake as part of a balanced diet.

“With more and more informed consumers turning their back on saturated fat rich milk there is also a huge potential dietetic demand for and easy and convenient calcium drink alternative” agrees Bishop-Weston.

Bespoke Nutraceutical Solutions for Food Manufacturing

Brudnell-Bruce points out that “Our new team and set up leaves us flexible enough, but with additional expertise, to assist manufacturers with products on their functional food wish list that we haven’t yet invented. The ingredient may already be in our research and development pipeline but we welcome input from the industry’s frontline heads of NPD so we can be sure we have exactly what is expected in the finished ingredient”

A personal and group journey centred around a sequence of five workshops over the next twelve months. A sharing and learning process relevant to your business activities and your personal choices.

14 November 2008, at Coexist, Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, Bristol

The Association of Sustainability Practitioners (ASP) presents a series of events in Bristol that explores the issues raised in a new book “Creating Food Futures: trade, ethics and the environment” (Gower/Ashgate). Fundamental issues in today’s food production, distribution and retailing will be introduced by the speakers, many of whom are contributors to the book.

• Organic farming and its impact on the community

• Local or global sourcing

• Fairtrade

• The roles of supermarkets

• UK and international perspectives

Four interactive, participatory one day workshops where attendees will debate and study the impacts of key areas of food production, supply and retailing. Attendees from all areas of food production, distribution and retailing as well as regulatory bodies and research will contribute and share their experiences, views and beliefs.

A “Food Futures Summit” in September 2009 will allow leading figures from the industry and two hundred participants to review the workshop outcomes and develop new initiatives.

Creating Food Futures provides inspiring examples of what is being done and what more could be attempted.

 
Workshop 1: ‘Managing Competing Values in Organic Food and Farming’
- balancing commerce, ethics, community, culture and ecology

    * Why this is so important for all of us

1) The ‘social-economic footprint’ of different types of farming systems. Matthew Reed
    • Does a shift to farming systems that sustain ecological functioning favour the viability of farming communities and rural livelihoods?
    • Are the values that consumers want provided for?

2) The impact of the organic sector in Berlin-Brandenburg (Germany) on sustainable regional development. Martina Schäfer
    • How does the organic sector – farms, processors and retailers – contribute towards regional sustainable development with market and non-market activities?
    • How can the organic sector itself strengthen its role in regional development and how can politics take strategic advantage of this innovative sector?

The Hub Bristol, Bush House, 72 Prince Street, Bristol BS1 4QD

Tickets
Companies, NGO’s, Academics: £125
ASP members: £85

Registration:
Download registration document

Event description:
Download programme

For further information email Gwyn Jones, or call him on 0779 563 2607

Future events: (subject to change)
Following meetings in spring and early summer 2009 will explore contrasting and conflicting ways of achieving ‘food literacy’, whether ‘fair’ really can be mainstreamed, and values-based branding. The final meeting will bring together the learning of the first four events into a ‘Food Futures Summit’. The events will use elements of song, theatre, food and wine to make the day inspiring and a unique experience.

February: Workshop 2,The values of fair trade and empowerment,
April: Workshop 3, Sourcing food locally and the role of supermarkets
June: Workshop 4, Enabling consumers to connect with the food they eat
September: Food Futures Summit

We want to involve the participants in as many ways as possible in these events. For example, we plan to source all the refreshments from the attendees’ own businesses. It may not be possible to accommodate everyone on the first event, but we will do our best!

A great opportunity to take time out to develop more confidence, energy and effectiveness in your business development

10% off for EJ Members until 20 October

We all know the amazing value of taking time out to think or plan away from the pressures of work – but we always put it off. How about a conference which offers the opportunity to learn and recharge in beautiful countryside?

Last year, Ethical Junction got involved in an extraordinary gathering for people to inspire and be inspired about moving from great ideas to great actions. Our experience made us see the idea of Strategic Awaydays in a new light. As a result, we’ve organized a special EJ discount for this year’s gathering because it so clearly advances ethical enterprise and lifestyle.

Walk Your Talk is a chance to take your business/organisation on an exceptional strategic retreat which is guaranteed to enrich and refresh both you and your work. Not only do you get the space to relax, think and plan, but you do so with around 60 other enthusiastic, energetic and inspiring people who are doing the same thing – entrepreneurs, execs, designers, artists, activists, inventors, investors and consultants.

The result is that the whole gathering acts like an expanded team which puts its energy into helping each other with advice, new ideas, partnership deals and more. It’s like having 60 talented colleagues show up in your organisation for three days. You set the agenda, you talk about what you need to talk about, and you get to meet people who share your interests and concerns.

We love figures, so we did some maths and reckon that by adding up the equivalent person hours and brain power brought to bear on a business, each day of retreat is worth about a month in the office.

So how does it work? Walk Your Talk is held in ‘Open Space’, a facilitated process in which there are no designated leaders. Instead, you steer your own course as the conference evolves, discussions deepen, and connections and realisations emerge. The dramatic Brecon Beacons provide the backdrop for three days of reflection and interaction in a warm and friendly environment, whether on strolls along the banks of the River Usk, or beside the fire with a drink. People learn by walking and talking, sharing passions, curiosities, hopes, expertise and questions. Drawing on each other’s wisdom and experience, everyone supports each other towards the creation of really good personal action plans to take back into their lives and work.

The Walk Your Talk team use a question designed to make it easier to find a common threads amongst a wide range of interests. This year it’s ‘Can we afford to work without heart?’ This question brings up lots of practical issues, like how to balance head and heart stuff, how to set a truly heart based culture and how to communicate it well.

As an Ethical Junction member, you’re entitled to 10% off the fee if you book by 20 October. Fees at individual and small business rates include accommodation, food, facilitation and all that brain power of your fellow guests. The only extras are your bar bill, and a supplement if you can’t bear the thought of sharing a twin room.

Walk Your Talk is at Buckland Hall in the Brecon Beacons from 16-19 November 2008. Full details are on www.walkyourtalk.net and to claim the EJ price, simply mention your membership in the ‘special requirements’ box of the on-line booking form and make your payment for the total shown, less 10%.

What people said about Walk Your Talk in 2007

“A wonderful clearing house of inspiration, wisdom, debate and motivation.”
Jason Elliott, Ethical Jobs

“An absolute must in a crowded diary. Although the thought of taking time out from the office caused some anxiety, the reality was worth every moment.”
Thea Allison, Brighton & Hove Business Community Partnership

“The most extraordinary experience where I felt alive, alert, and came home hopeful and zinging from head to toe. Nothing will ever be quite the same again and the only disadvantage has been that conferences with pre-arranged agendas now seem rather staid and stale.”
Anna Jenkins, Ethical Change

“It has value as a practitioners’ personal development space, allowing those engaged day to day in trying to make the world a better place to recharge, reconnect and refocus.”
Andy Middleton, TYF Group

You can usually tell when a book’s been well read by the fact that its spine is creased and its pages are dog eared.  Not so with (EJ Member) Provokateur’s wonderful new publication  Acme Climate Action.  If its readers have done their job properly there should be nothing left of the book!

Acme Climate Action is actually not so much a book than a set of innovative and imaginative resources for those of us who want to rev up activity to tackle the problems of
climate change.  There are posters, factsheets, stickers, postcards, games and much much more. And the really great thing is that the serious messages are given with such style and humour that they simply cannot fail to have a positive impact.  So much more effective than a grim, doom laden tome!

For a long time I have been looking for something to give to friends and relatives that will really make them think and, more importantly,act.  Acme Climate Action is now definitely top of my list for this.

I could write more but really all I want to say is everyone who cares enough to try to influence others should get Acme Climate Active today……

To find out more about the book visit http://www.acmeclimateaction.com/

Richard Barnett – Ethical Pulse

Straw Bale Building and Lime & Clay Plastering Courses

13th, 14th 15th September 2008 – Straw Bale Building
16th, 17th, 18th, 19th September 2008 – Lime & Clay Plastering
20th, 21st September 2008 – Lime & Clay Plastering

Join the Amazonails team (Grand designs Eco Home Award) to help
build and plaster a new strawbale library extension to Shelf Village
Hall, Halifax. This build is the first of its kind in this area and
will be a unique type of loadbearing structure with a roof that lowers
down to create compression! These courses are intended for people of
all experience and abilities, and you will receive full training on
site for each of the courses, as well as receiving Health and Safety
and tool use training. Learn and have fun on this exciting build where
you will be helping to construct a much needed public facility for the
people of Shelf!For full details visit the Amazonails website

Will Aid is a partnership between solicitors and 9 UK charities. The campaign puts you in touch with participating solicitors who will draw up a basic Will free of charge during November. In return for this service, the solicitors hope you will choose to donate to the Will Aid charities the fee they would normally charge.

The suggested donation level is: £75 for a single Will, £110 for a pair
of matching or ‘mirror’ Wills, or £40 for a change or codicil to an
existing will. This provides a fantastic opportunity for people to put their affairs in order and help others at the same time.

Will Aid is supported by TV celebrity, Graham Norton. He says,

“The
only way to ensure the people you love are provided for when you die is
to have a proper Will. Living together, even for years and years, gives
you no inheritance rights and if one partner dies without a Will, the
other may be left with nothing – not even the shared home. Even married
couples and civil partners are vulnerable. If there isn’t a Will, the
surviving partner may only inherit a proportion of the estate. So don’t
tempt fate – make a Will with Will Aid in November.”

Making a
Will and keeping it up-to-date is an important way of protecting family
and loved ones in the future. This year, people should take advantage
of Will Aid to review their arrangements, especially since the
Chancellor announced changes to the Inheritance Tax (“IHT”) rules.
These changes, which were incorporated in this year’s Budget, should
reduce the tax burden on married and civil partnership couples or at
least enable many Wills to be simplified, bringing more within the
scope of a Will Aid basic Will.

Will Aid solicitor David Sinclair says, “Will
Aid is a great campaign and one I am proud to be a part of. It provides
you with an excellent opportunity to either make a Will for the first
time or amend your existing Will in light of these changes. Most
importantly the donation for making or amending your Will goes to the
Will Aid charities.”

Since its launch in 1988, the scheme has
raised almost £7m in donations and very much more in legacies. The
money raised is shared between the participating charities: ActionAid,
British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Help the Aged, NSPCC, Save the
Children UK, Sight Savers International, SCIAF and Trocaire.

In
the last campaign, more than 7,000 people were motivated to make their
Will with Will Aid and they donated almost £700,000 for the Will Aid
charities. They also pledged millions more in legacies to the Will Aid
charities and other causes.

Make your Will with a Will Aid
solicitor this November, and make a real difference to people in need
in the UK and around the world, helping to transform the lives of
children, families, elderly people and whole communities. Take the
opportunity to leave a legacy to your favourite charity and you will be
ensuring their good work can continue for years to come. And, most
importantly, you will be ensuring the security of your own loved ones.

Prospective
will-makers can find a convenient participating solicitor by using the
Find a Solicitor function on the Will Aid website www.willaid.org.uk or
by contacting the hotline 0300 0300 013. They can then make their
appointment by email or telephone.