LaCoquette.com is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

FREE new guide – ‘How to make the world better’
We all want to live in a fairer, happier and more sustainable world but it can sometimes feel that we can’t make a difference on our own. But there are many important things we can each do, and this new guide gives 10 simple ideas on how you can make the world better – starting now. Check it out here.To download this, or any of our free publications (including ‘The mind diet’, ‘How to find wonder in everyday life’ and ‘How to live ethically’), just visit the Publications section of our website and go through the usual checkout process of purchasing them in our shop – and you will not be billed for them or asked to give any financial details.

Join our mailing list
Join hundreds of other people by signing up to our fortnightly e-newsletter.  It keeps you up to date with all the new FREE goodies we’ve added to the Life² website – and we add lots of new stuff regularly, so don’t miss out!  Sign up now – we won’t share your details with anyone else.

Check out our knowledge base
We’re constantly adding new materials to our free knowledge base, so check out the ‘Good Stuff’ section of our site for a wide range of free ideas, resources, videos and links to help visitors gain perspective on the modern world and live happier, more ethical and more meaningful lives.  The resources include a number of new Life² articles and guides.  Visit them now!  Become a fan of us on Facebook to be notified each time we add a new item to this section of the site.

FREE new MP3 audiobooks
We’ve recently added a couple of new MP3s to our Courses section, which you can download for free and listen to whenever you want.  You can download these by visiting the Courses section of our website.  Our new MP3s include ‘How to appreciate life’, which explores how many of us tend to be so busy and absorbed in the pressure and rush of everyday living that we rarely (if ever) take time to step back from our lives and appreciate the remarkable fact that we are alive and what this really means.  This audiobook shows that learning to appreciate life like this, and reminding yourself about it regularly, can be one of the great pleasures of life, and can bring us a real sense of meaning.

Leeds ‘just think…’ group starting in June
We will be running our fabulous ‘just think…’ course in Leeds (UK) soon, so why not register for it now?  Visit the just think… section of our site for more details of the course or contact the founder of the Leeds group, Antonia Roberts, on antoniaroberts@googlemail.com to find out more.  If you live outside Leeds but are interested in starting a group, you can do so at any time!  See the ‘just think…’ section of our website for details of how to get started or to try out our free taster version of the course.

Volunteers wanted
We have some new opportunities for volunteers at Life² – including a designer and a publicity coordinator.  If you (or anyone you know) would like to get involved in Life² at this exciting time please have a look at our vacancies page.www.lifesquared.org.uk to check out our other publications, ideas, courses and consultancy.
 
All the best,
 
Richard Docwra
Director
Life²
www.lifesquared.org.uk
info@lifesquared.org.uk
Visit my new blog – http://changestar.blogspot.com
Become a fan on Facebook
Follow Life_squared on Twitter

Do keep visiting us at

Life² is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

1.    Get in the Garden – get outside and have some fun gardening! There are plenty of fantastic green products around and growing your own fruit and veg helps reduce your carbon footprint and persuades you to keep healthy!

2.    Compost Compost Compost! – Make sure you keep a compost bin and make the most of your left over food scraps. Just place all peelings and left over biodegradable vegetables in your compost bin and then watch your home-grown vegetables thrive.

3.    Walk – walk your kids to school, walk to work, walk to town. Reduce your carbon footprint and tone up by ditching the car keys and grabbing your walking shoes.

4.    Watch that water level – Only boil the amount of water you need, fill your dishwasher to the brim, time your showers, limit the number of baths you have and watch your water bills (and carbon footprint) decrease.

5.    Turn it off – turn off those appliances. Turn off the lights you aren’t using. Switch the TV off at the plug each night and don’t leave your laptops and mobiles plugged in all day everyday. Not only will you be helping the environment but you will notice a difference to your energy bill.

6.    Recycling can be fun! – Get the kids involved. Check with your local council what can be recycled and make sure to adhere to their rules. And get creative! Old clothes can be given new life, old containers can be used to make toys (think Blue Peter!) and wrapping paper and gift cards can always be personalised and re-used.

7.    Find eco-alternatives – Going on holiday? Take a train, not a plane. Try and stay local or take an eco-route where possible. Or looking to buy a new book? Head to your local charity shop, they will have plenty!

8.    Get eco-fit – don’t stay at home watching television. Grab the kids, turn off those lights and get active! Take a walk to your local park, have fun and get fit. Learning to enjoy the outdoors will help you appreciate the importance of keeping our environment healthy and getting active will make you feel more energised and less like sitting in front of the TV or computer.

9.    Teach those around you – Make sure your family, your children and your friends know the importance of making small changes in their lives that can considerably reduce their carbon footprint.

10.    Get involved – stick to your eco-resolutions and find out about any local charities or organisations that need help with their green agenda. If you can spare some money look to giving a monthly sum to a non-profit organisation that concentrates on ecological issues and, if you have the time, campaign your local MP and local companies to make green promises (and stick to them!).

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Eco Ezee Online Shop Opens!!!

The NEW Eco Ezee Shop has now opened online. You can now buy all your brushes and paint trays online from the comfort of your own home and have them sent directly to your door.

Access to the shop is at www.ecoezeeshop.com or via our website www.ecoezee.com

The shop offers our full range of professional brushes at affordable prices and the fantastic reusable (with no washing out) Paint Tray.

Eco Ezee Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN!

It’s a bit of a conundrum this environment malarkey. We know that we are harming the environment as a race but find it so difficult to change our behaviour as individuals.

I think that the majority of us can agree that we humans are contributing to the decline of our natural environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is in no doubt that man has been and is a major causal effect of Global Warming. And they ought to know – they consult some of the brainiest boffins from around the globe.

We are consuming finite resources at an ever increasing rate and clearly don’t balance the books in terms of the energy we use now and the energy that is available in the long term to support us. It’s like we are withdrawing money from the bank faster than we are putting it in. Eventually the money runs out and it has to stop. Spot any similarities with another major global crisis of the moment?

As with any emotive and important issue, there are extremes of opinion. In terms of the Environment debate you have got one extreme extolling the virtues of the motor car and poo-pooing the “environmentalists” and their arguments. At the other end of the scale are those who are so concerned that they break onto airfields and chain themselves to aeroplanes. That said, the vast majority of us I believe (and that includes me) take a more rounded view.

Yes we can see we are harming the environment. We burn fuel virtually every time we travel, whether it’s the car, bus, train or plane. We burn fuel to heat our water and homes. We burn fuel every time we turn on a light, watch the TV or use a PC. It is very easy to use up energy  – whether it’s electricity, gas, oil or petrol. And it’s not just us as individuals. Business and industry burn fuel as well; just on a much bigger scale!

The problem is it is so easy to use energy, and in today’s society it’s virtually impossible to avoid using it. I am sitting at a PC now that is using electricity. I have got an electric heater on in the office (although a coat as well to be honest – 1 eco-browny point to me then). You will be reading this on your PC screen, probably in a heated house or office, with a light on, and a brew on the go and maybe with the TV still on even though you’re not really watching it. I know it’s true, because I still do it. It’s just too easy and energy is not so expensive (yet) that we have to save every last drop of it.

At the end of the day I don’t believe that the vast majority of us are going to take major steps to change our behaviour and help the environment unless it there is a real benefit to us. Saving energy either has to have a tangible financial benefit or at the very least make us feel good about ourselves.

Maybe the best we can hope for, until finance or imminent disaster forces us to do otherwise, is that each of us “non-extremists” does what we can to save energy. The simple stuff. The stuff that can make us feel good and lower our bills a bit.

The Hard Sell (not) 

To help you do “the simple stuff”, I just happen to sell a few great energy saving products at http://www.ecofreak.co.uk/ my online shop. If  you want to save energy and money and you buy just one thing from us, buy a wireless energy monitor such as the Efergy Elite. It is this that I believe will help to encourage you to start moving towards a greener way of living by making you think about the energy you use on a daily basis. It’s actually very satisfying finding where energy is being wasted and taking steps to reduce it. If you get the bug and want to do more take a look at our information page on how to reduce your energy bills or just browse our eco products.

Save some energy, have some fun, save some money – it feels good!

Ecofreak is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Below we have listed 10 way to keep yourself Eco-Healthy these holidays.

1. Take Your Vitamins! Keeping healthy on the inside is one of the best ways to feel healthy on the outside. Make sure to get your supplements from eco-friendly stores such as Higher Nature or Holland and Barrett. Keeping your body healthy stops you from craving extra foods and therefore creating surplus waste!

2. Use Natural Skin Products There are plenty of eco-stores selling amazing green skin products that use only natural ingredients and haven’t been tested on animals. These products are kinder on your skin and produced more sustainably than other commercial cosmetic products. Once you’ve finished your current foundation or body lotion replace it with more natural products and reap the benefits.

3. Organic, Unbleached Clothing and Bedding Products Kinder on your skin and good for the environment try to buy un-dyed and un-bleached clothing and bedding wherever possible.

4. Exercise Outside Avoid the gym and exercise outside instead! Running, yoga, power-walking, swimming… a lot of these activities can be done outdoors saving you money and lowering your carbon footprint!

5. Eat ‘Green’ Foods Try to eat organic, fairtrade, natural, un-processed and local foods. Not only are these better for the environment but cutting out processed foods has been proven to be better for your health and your body! Drink plenty of water instead of carbonated drinks and try to snack on natural plants, seeds and products.

6. Turn It Off Turn off your electronic products. Try to avoid charging your phone or laptop unnecessarily and avoid some of the health risks that can come with using a computer or phone too much. Cut out those headaches, save on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint all in one!

7. Spend Time Outside Get some fresh air! Spending more time outdoors is better for your body and helps avoid spending hours in front of the Tv.

8. Go Vintage! Shopping at thrift stores saves you money and can revamp your wardrobe to bring you into the fashion-forward lane! Look amazing whilst recycling old clothes, what a great excuse to go shopping.

9. Plan Ahead! Sticking to your goals and plans without being distracted by the commercialisation of the world can help keep you focused and happy. You can save money simply by sticking to your shopping list and not being taken in by the fancy displays! Never get the post-shopping blues again!

10. Walk the Dog Walking the dog combines exercise, fresh air and bonding with your special pet! Getting outside of the house for a set amount of time each day can reduce stress and help keep you (and your pooch) trim… what an eco treat!

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Appearing
this month on the shelves in WH Smith and Borders nationwide, new eco-living
directory BOOK OF GREEN is the most comprehensive guide for everybody to
genuinely and easily green their lifestyles.

With
the general public currently becoming more receptive to living a more
eco-friendly life, this completely free guide points the consumer in the right
direction – it includes hundreds of approved ethical providers in a wide range
of sectors including business services, health and beauty, home and garden,
green energy, travel, parenting and food & drink.  All the companies
in the directory are in some way mostly or completely environmentally friendly,
sustainable, fair trade, organic,  ethical and socially responsible.

Book
of Green is intended to show everybody how to easily reduce their carbon
footprint, live a healthy lifestyle and make  a personal positive 
impact on the environment by integrating truly ethical products and services
into their daily home and family lives.

With
an initial print run of 30,000, the guide comes in a handy A5 format and is
printed in vegetable inks on 100% recycled paper.  An online flip magazine
version is also available at www.bookofgreen.com 
 Book of Green will be available in WH Smiths this July, attached to the
front of Permaculture Magazine as well as distributed across the UK in high
street eco stores, online eco stores, and at events during the summer as well
as at the Eden Project and the Kent Eco Village, the Kent Show by The
Ecologist, July 17-19.

Book
of Green is co-founded by Sue Jueno (founder of Allthingseco) and Katie Keegan
(founder of One Green Earth),
 whose combined experience of 6 years in the eco/ethical business arena
has given them the experience, knowledge and contacts to create a guide for
green living which everybody can trust.

“Being
green is more than reducing the threat of climate change, it’s also about
ethical trading and personal health.  The companies found within Book of
Green provide solutions across all sectors through their products &
services to help build a positive foundation for your family’s future
generations,”  says Katie Keegan.

“With
credit crunch in mind and a passion for promoting green shoot businesses we
have made Book of Green extremely affordable to advertisers and free to the
public to show off exceptional companies that are solving environmental
problems and that will be leading us into the future,” says Sue Jueno.

                Freecycle and Swop with Points not £’s
Swop2Shop is an innovative, new, clothes swopping website, allowing its members to Replenish and Re-vamp their wardrobes, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CASH.
Membership entitles the user to NO LISTING FEES and FREE POINTS to kick start the Swopping Process.
Buy Gift Vouchers for friends and family as the ultimate Eco- Friendly present.
As Swishing events take hold, the beauty of Swop2Shop is that the whole clothes swopping process can be enjoyed from the comfort of one’s own home.
Swop2Shop has been designed to nurture all those who not only care about their bank balances but feel passionately about the environment too.
The site provides a platform for members to swop their clothes and accessories, between each other, in a safe and trustworthy environment.  Selected brands from High Street to Designer are listed on our CLASSIC , TRENDS or KIDS sites and are ready to swop.
A constant RE-CYCLING of clothes diminishes those guilty consumer feelings especially during these Credit Crunch Times.
LISTING IT….SWOPPING IT …..WEARING IT …..has never been easier.
Guilt Free,  Green Shopping, All the Way.
10% of Swop2Shop Gift Vouchers sold will be donated to Charity.  Swop2Shop is supporting Maggie’s Cancer. Be Eco-Friendly
Get Listing….Get Swopping….Get Re-Cycling
To be part of Swop2Shop or for further information please go to www.swop2shop.co.uk
Swop2Shop has issued this release.
For further information please contact: admin@swop2shop.co.uk Kathryn Jenkins on 07545493841, e-mail kathryn@swop2shop.co.uk

A new organisation is helping people tolive happier and more fulfilling lives, despite the challenges of the creditcrunch.

Life^² (www.lifesquared.org.uk) is offeringcourses, guides, public talks and advice aimed at helping people to ‘live well’ – to live happy, wise lives inthe modern world.  It is currentlyrecruiting for new participants to join its ‘just think… ‘ scheme – an innovative8-week group course that people run themselves without a tutor in their ownhomes.  It aims to help people to standback from their lives and find ways of making them better – including living inline with their values and living the lives they want.

One participant on a recent ‘just think…’
course commented ‘the course has been really useful in reflecting and focussing
on my life and making practical plans to work towards a future I hope to
realise.  It has been great to meet and
discuss these with the group who have been very supportive and encouraging’.

Life² Director, Richard Docwra, noted that ‘in
modern society, we’ve become obsessed with the idea that the only way to be
happy is to earn more money, get more status or acquire new things.  Our courses and guides show that this is not
only untrue, but also that constantly striving for this material success can
actually cause us problems in health, stress and happiness.  Our courses and guides help people to help
people to stand back from their lives, understand the world better and work out
how they really want to live.  On
reflection, many people find that the most important things in life often don’t
involve money – such as good relationships, having more time and having a sense
of purpose.  This is a particularly
important message during the credit crunch, when people have less money and
career stability and are looking for ways of making life better’.

The Life² website and shop can be found at www.lifesquared.org.uk.  

WhizzGo, the pay-by-the-hour car club, is offering members of Ethical Junction a great offer this summer. With WhizzGo, you can hire a car when you need one for as little as an hour or as long as you need and with a fleet of low emission Citroens, you can be sure that by using WhizzGo you are reducing the number of cars on the road and cutting emissions and pollution in your area, as well as saving money.

Ethical Junction members and readers can now get £20 FREE drive time when they join WhizzGo. Just enter the promo code ETHICALJUNCTION09 when signing up at www.whizzgo.co.uk or give the WhizzGo team a call on 08444 77 99 66. Valid until September 2009.

And for any businesses who want to replace their current business transport with a greener option, they can take advantage of a three-month no obligation trial with WhizzGo. For more information, contact Peter Pratt on 08444 77 99 66 or email peter.pratt@whizzgo.co.uk