Music lovers – you can now donate as you download at no extra cost. Friends of the Earth is a founding partner of fairsharemusic, the first ethical music download site, which gives half of its profits to charity.

Friends of the Earth supporter and Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell has put together an exclusive playlist for the green campaign group which is only available through its dedicated portal.

Johnny says, “Friends of the Earth’s campaigns help you to make a real difference by calling on politicians – the people who can change the law – to tackle climate change and protect the planet’s resources.

“Friends of the Earth’s partnership with fairsharemusic offers you a great new way to support its campaigning work without paying extra when you’re downloading music.” 

Check out the new website for yourself at foe.fairsharemusic.com – and if you register before the end of September, you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw to win an ipod nano. Happy downloading!

Friends Of The Earth is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Comedy, live music, retro beats and dance…..

……a spicy mix for a Christmas celebration with an Indian twist!

On Thursday 10^th  Vibe Bar is hosting a night of comedy from Miles Jupp (BBC 2’s “The Thick of It” and Radio 4’s “The News Quiz”)  and Gareth Richards; a live performance blending hip hop beats with classical Indian and jazz melodies from Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee; Bollywood dancing from Shreya Dance Arts and an eclectic mix of swing and retro beats from DJ Spencer Mac.

There will also be amazing prizes including Christmas hampers from Divine Chocolate, Suma Wholefoods, Australian Bodycare and Cafe Direct.

The proceeds of the event will go to Find Your Feet, a UK based charity that works in rural India and Malawi, supporting people to improve their day-to-day lives by improving their harvests, setting up small businesses and accessing vital services such as clean water, healthcare and education. Visit http://www.fyf.org.uk/ for more information.

Tickets are £12 from Chilli Tickets http://www.chillitickets.com/AsianEvents/Events/Product/6804/FYF101209/FindYourFeet-ComedyMusicandRetroBeats-CharityEvent.aspx, £15 on the door.

Find Your Feet (FYF) is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

THIS
SATURDAY 5pm-12pm TABERNACLE, NOTTING HILL, LONDON, W11 2AY  

What
do Trousers London, Eako Belts, THTC, Simple Shoes, Credau &
Catarin Vassalo have in common? Well, apart from being the most
sought-after ethical names in the design business, they have all
aligned themselves with eco-entrepreneur Jarvis Smith. 

Jarvis
has a Midas touch for the twenty first century: everything he touches
goes green. His band, the Phoenix Rose, is even signed to the UK’s
1st ethical label, Archangel Green.

Now,
Jarvis and The Phoenix Rose are offering something very special. On
September 19, to coincide with the launch of their new single, Sick &
Tired, they’re taking over London’s historic venue The Tabernacle
to lay on an event which fuses ethical music and fashion.

To
the sound of the guitars and classical Indian vocals of The Phoenix
Rose, those who care about the planet can sit back and enjoy a
catwalk showcase of ethical designers and then rock out to an
exclusive live performance of Sick & Tired.

Jarvis
Smith says: “Music and fashion have always been a way to express
ourselves, and both are a powerful influence in today’s society. By
uniting and working together with the common goal of being ethical
and sustainable, we can leave a habitable planet behind for our
children. One love, one world – one chance to get it right.”

Kicking
off the evening will be beats from world renowned DJ and producer
Banco de Gaia. With a set featuring tracks from his forthcoming album
Memories,
Dreams, Reflections,
Banco is “proud to be a part of something so unique”.

The
Venue: Tucked away on Powis Square, London’s stunning Tabernacle
has played an important part in the capital’s nightlife for over
120 years. Opened by Lord Shaftesbury in 1888 it went on to epitomise
Notting Hill’s cultural diversity in the 50s and 60s. It has also
played host to the likes of Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones.

Supported
by the Big
Issue,
who are offering free entry with a current copy, join us and be a
part of history in the making.

Are
you Sick & Tired of waiting? Well now the wait is over. It’s
time for change and the change is here.

ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION

Date:
19/09/09

Time:
5.30pm
doors open till late.

6.00pm
Banco De Gaia DJ Set 7.30pm Part 1 Ethical Fashion Show and The
Phoenix Rose Semi Acoustic Live set 8.00pm Fundraising Auction of
exclusive product donated by the labels and other ethical partners.
8.30pm Part 2 Ethical Fashion Show and The Phoenix Rose Semi Acoustic
Live set.  9.15pm DJ from special surprise

More
treats to be confirmed

Venue:
The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, W11 2AY  

Wewow limited have announced
plans to launch a unique product design competition in the coming months. 
Following the success of wewow’s ‘WOW’ range of eco-friendly media
packaging products, the Bradford-based company are looking to encourage
students, graduates and budding product designers to develop innovative,
‘green’ packaging solutions for the optical media industry. 

Managing Director Stuart Jones
commented; “wewow is a market-leader in the CD/DVD eco-packaging arena
and we are keen to work with the very best design talent to spark new
packaging ideas and concepts that benefit our clients and the environment.” 

The competition will be launched
in September 2009 to mark the launch of their specialist ‘green’
packaging arm – weEco.co.uk.  weEco will showcase a wide range
of environmentally friendly packaging solutions and seeks to encourage
the industry to consider other card-based options as opposed to the
ubiquitous Jewel/DVD case. 

The winning designer will work
with wewow Ltd. to develop and commercialise their ideas which will
hopefully spawn a new range of eco-packaging solutions and change the
face of the optical media industry forever! 

Universities, colleges and
individuals who are interested in participating in the competition should
contact wewow by emailing competitions@wewow.co.uk

Sharing the environmental attributes
of the original WowWallet, wewow’s latest innovation can be produced
from FSC accredited stock or 100% recycled board and does not require
any matt or gloss laminate.  Furthermore, the wallet can be accompanied
by an FSC accredited booklet, with the option to use vegetable based
inks. 

More information on wewow’s range of
eco-friendly optical media packaging can be found at http://www.wewow.co.uk/wowwallet.asp

Come and join us on Twitter!  

Social Enterprise Coalition
International Conference Centre, Birmingham
10 -11 February 2009

Now in its fifth year, Voice09 is the Social Enterprise Coalition’s annual conference for the social enterprise movement in the UK. This year’s event will focus on pushing the frontiers of where and how social enterprise does business, exploring new business models and ways of working.

This event will be the largest conference for social enterprise in the UK, high profile speakers from government and the sector are expected to speak alongside an agenda of workshops and seminars to help further the sector.

Voice09 promises to be our biggest and best conference yet! With
over 1,000 delegates and 80 exhibitors, Voice09 will be the world’s
largest ever social enterprise event, where you’ll hear from inspiring
social enterprise leaders, senior members of Government, and a wide
range of social enterprise experts. 

So who will be attending…?

• Managers, employees and board members of social enterprises
• Social entrepreneurs thinking of considering a new venture
• Social enterprise specialist support bodies
• Members and officers from local authorities
• Board members and staff from Regional Development Agencies
• Politicians and officials from government departments and devolved administrations
• Housing associations
• Voluntary organisations, charities and community organisations seeking to engage in enterprise activity
• Business advisors, Business Links
• Banks, CDFIs and other financial institutions
  

Voice09 will provide your business with…

• Plenty of time within the programme for delegates to visit stands
• A unique national platform to exhibit your services
• Fantastic networking opportunities with people from across the movement
• A chance to interact with your competitors and other sector representatives
  

Exhibition Stand Fees:

Corporate Rate  £1,499.00 + VAT
Government Support Body Rate  £1,249.00 + VAT
Reduced rate (Charities, Voluntary sector & Academic)   £899.00 + VAT
Social Enterprise rate  £699.00 + VAT
Supported rate – (This fee applies to direct members of the Social Enterprise Coalition only)  £649.00 + VAT
Space only stands (4m x 3m)  £2,000.00 + VAT

Please follow the link to take a look at the floor plan for the
conference  http://www.tcp-events.co.uk/voice09/exhibitionfloorplan.html

And to book your stand
http://www.tcp-events.co.uk/voice09/exhibitorregistration.html please
note space is limited so register early to avoid disappointment.

For more information or if you have any queries about  booking, please
contact me or the Voice09 Conference team on Tel: 01323 637714, Fax:
01323 637777,

Email: voice09@confpeople.co.uk  website: www.voice09.org We want to
make Voice09 the most educational, innovative and inspiring exhibition
experience for all.

A new music genre 

Along with politicians, and big corporations, the music industry is also getting involved in . The new technology, now in use, enables dance clubs to run at a very low environmental impact and with reduced carbon emissions. Some musicians have moved one step further and created a new genre of music- ECOTRONICA. The genre can be described as: “Sound electronics acoustics mind blowing ecology”. Ecotronica, or in other words Grune Punk combines post punk sounds with a bit of electronic flow.

HAPI is pioneer eco-singer and ahead –of-its-time artist of yet
growing in popularity Ecotronica music. Originally from Sheffield, the
home town for many great artists such as for example Arctic Monkeys;
she’s a lady who mixes the deep voice of Courtney Love with the
environmental involved attitude of Coldplay. She is not one of those
singers with a portfolio full of throwaway bubblegum. HAPI’s tracks
take the listener on an epic voyage.  Just to name few: “Millennium
Woman”, “Reveal Myself” are carefully thought through, with meaningful
lyrics that in a gentle way try to encourage listeners to take action
and are aimed to save the planet.

It is rare nowadays that an artist can be described as unique and genre
bending, and yet HAPI truly defies categorisation and transcends
today’s music fan’s expectations of what music can be about. With the
new album “Every Atom is Sacred” released next year- full on, fresh and
in our face, HAPI makes a statement:” I am on the side of planet earth.
I represent the planet. Stop destroying it!” Her thing gets deep under
your skin and makes you want to make a difference.

“I really like your stuff… what a clear distinct voice you have Punk edge is really cool – very unique sound.”- Stereofame

“Addictive aural tapestries you’ve woven Hapi!-innovative
arrangements/inventive,vibrant lyrical imagery!!!-thumbs up all
around!-just UNIQUE and addictive to listen to!(Soho Girl)…” -
Stereofame

To find out more about HAPI’s ideology and listen to her eclectic and
forward thinking style please check out her MySpace
www.myspace.com/hapivibe or join HAPI singer fan group on Facebook

Any media enquires please contact:  Magda  -  hapiartist@hotmail.com or call 0735637379

Help & Advice from Fairgift – the Fair Trade Wedding List Company

The Fair Trade Wedding List company, Fairgift®, is offering help to any Wrapit customers worried about their wedding list. They are also offering advice for couples thinking about setting up an online wedding list for the first time.

With the recent announcement that the wedding list company Wrapit is experiencing financial difficulties, most of their customers will be extremely worried and other engaged couples would be forgiven for rejecting online wedding services altogether.

"It would be terrible if Wrapit’s announcement damaged the whole industry" says Brian Walmsley, founder of the fair trade wedding list service, Fairgift.

"The internet is the perfect place for couples to set up a wedding list" adds Brian, "They can ensure they get the gifts they really want and it is extremely convenient, especially for guests coming from a long distance away. Moreover, so long as people use a credit card and some common sense, it is perfectly safe & secure to shop online."

Wrapit customers should remember that so long as items between £100 and £30,000 were purchased with a credit card, they are entitled to a full refund if the goods are not received within the time promised. Many credit & debit card companies also offer protection beyond this, so customers should call their card company to enquire & arrange the refund. For the couples with the wedding list, this means that the money will be refunded to their guests – so they will need to find an alternative wedding list service and ask their guests to shop again.

Fairgift will help any couple move their wedding list at the last minute, plus will send a free handmade rose petal wedding journal to any existing Wrapit customer who makes the switch. Simply email info@fairgift.co.uk and set up a new list at http://www.fairtradegiftlsit.co.uk/

Fairgift offers a wedding list service with a difference:

• Fairgift is a social enterprise that partners with artists & craftspeople across the world to create a wide range of beautiful, original & ethically sourced homeware.
• Everything is fair trade so each item enables the producers in Africa, Asia & Latin America to build a future for their families and their communities. Like the Cotton Co-operativesof Mali& Burkina Faso who, thanks to the Fairtrade premium they have received, have been able tobuild a health centre and who’s cotton has created stylish bedding, towels & bathrobes.
• "As well as being fair trade, the products are also outstanding quality", says Brian "The Fairgift range is made by skilled artisans who have a real stake in what they are doing, which is a great way to work together to ensure superior quality."
• Moreover, the products are predominantly handmade in small quantities, so your gift or wedding list is highly original. No normal high street brands here!
• All Fairgift profits are reinvested back into growing sales of fair trade products and the remainder donated to the development charity, Traidcraft Exchange.

Unlike Wrapit, Fairgift partners with just 45 fair trade producer groups and does this without the heavy overheads of a retail network: just one showroom near Henley-on-Thames and a warehouse in Cornwall.

Five tips to ensure online security:

• Use a credit card for purchasing any item between £100 and £30,000
• Make sure that the web address of the page starts https:// before you enter any personal information or payment details. The ’s’ stands for ’secure’. There should also be a small padlock that appears in the bottom of your screen.
• Always print out a copy of your order and a copy of the acknowledgement that you should receive.
• Always check your bank statements carefully if you purchase something on the Internet.
• You should never be asked to tell anyone your card’s PIN number – even if they claim to be from your bank or the police. Never send your PIN number to anyone over the Internet.

Logon today at http://www.fairtradegiftlist.co.uk/ to see the full range of gifts and set up the perfect wedding list. Or to arrange an appointment to see their products in person at their showroom near Henley-on-Thames simply email info@fairgift.co.uk

For further information about Fairgift, go to http://www.fairgift.co.uk/ or telephone 0870 803 3226

To see products in person visit the Fairgift showroom near Henley on Thames – about 45 minutes west of London off the M4 or M40.  To make an appointment, simply email Fairgift at info@fairgift.co.uk with contact details, your event date and preferred dates/times to visit.