Final Reductions at Purity

With up to 70% off some items, grab a bargain from the last of the winter stock at www.puritystyle.com

* All trousers and jeans are half price or less, People Tree Boyfriend trousers were £59 now £19
* All dresses half price or less People Tree Bora Aksu Drape front Dress was £84 now £39
* All dresses half price or less Bora Aksu Drape front Dress was £84 now £39
* All knitwear is half price or less e.g Giggle Organics Tara Cardigan was £59 now £19
* All Trevarno organic body care now half price

Beautiful clothes shouldn’t cost the earth

12 July 2009 

Find Your Feet is proud of its 10k running teams. Last year a team of 22 ran their way round London and raised a fantastic £5,287.43 for our important work.

The support of our runners has, for example, enabled us to continue working with 1,500 Adivasi women in Jharkhand, India. As a result they have improved their food security, gained access to proper health care and developed the confidence to make sure their voices are heard at a local and national level. Click here to find out more > > >

Do you want to work with us to end rural poverty too? Applications to join our 10k team 2009 are now open! This year’s run will take place on July 12th so, with any luck we will have lovely summer weather…and a post run celebratory picnic in the park!

Click here to find out more and download an application form > > >

Ask most people what they think would make the biggest difference to their lives and the chances are that they’ll say something about having a bit more money. It may be an indirect reference such as they could do with an bigger car or the resources to have a longer holiday but the ‘extra’ that most people see as making their lives just that bit better usually revolves around affluence. And yet we in the UK, relatively speaking,have never had so much wealth. Sure there are many people eeking out a living on minimal income but overall in western countries like ours we are incredibly well off.

The conundrum that Richard Docwra explores in his fascinating new book is that, why, given what I have just said, are people generally increasingly dissatisfied with their lives and surroundings. Maybe the old Biblical saying that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil’ has more than a little truth in it. But if it does it is important to examine the various manifestations of the outcomes of our acquisitive species.

Richard opens the book with a run through of the ‘problems’ he sees. These range from the fact that many complain about their lives being too rushed to the anxiety created by seeing the natural world around us being raped and pillaged. My personal favourite amongst the problems that Richard analyses is that ‘Shopping is Hell’. I have recently found myself becoming increasingly dispirited when I join the ranks of hundreds of other blank faced shoppers wheeling their trolleys round huge warehouse style stores like some frightening scene from Brave New World!

Following a brief look at what might be the causes of this general dissatisfaction with modern life Richard presents some extremely good advice and observations on what we can do about it all. He tackles the matter of how we can change society before looking a little more introspectively at what we can do to makes changes at a personal level. It’s hopeful stuff and I found much of what he has to say chiming with a general sense I have that people have really had enough and want something new. It meshes beautifully with the new spirit to be found in ideas such as the Transition Towns movement and the Greening Campaign.

This is a great book. It helped me with my own analysis and reinforced the fact that it is not just me who wants positive change. Go out and buy it – you’ll be glad you did.

To order your copy of/ Modern Life: As Good as it Gets/ at the special
offer of £8.95 with free p&p, phone 0845 4589910 quoting the Ethical
Pulse reader offer.  All major credit cards accepted.

Richard Barnett – The Barn Vegan Guest House – Hampshire

Is this madness?

On 23rd February 2009, a group of people from the UK, and all over the world, will meet in a remote refugee camp in the Algerian desert, for a 5km amble, or a 10km, 21km or 42km run. This is the alternative Sahara Marathon, now in its 9th year, which takes place to raise funds and awareness of the Saharawi people who live in refugee camps, in exile from their homeland, Western Sahara.

JOIN US! Whatever your fitness level, there is something for you. You don’t even have to run, you can watch the camel races, listen to music in the dunes, and learn the culture and story of the Saharawi refugees, as you stay with individual families.

IT’S ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Participants will be encouraged to fundraise for Sandblast, the only UK charity involved directly in the camps. The Saharawi people have lived in exile for 32 years, ever since Morocco occupied their country, Western Sahara. Sandblast aims to help them find a voice through the arts, and will act as your UK facilitator, and help you make your way to the camps.

To find out more email beatrice@freelancejourno.demon.co.uk or look at www.sandblast-arts.org

New from eco-logic books

A Handbook for Eco Paints and Finishes is the first book to comprehensively addresses the environmental issues surrounding these common household materials. Invaluable to both the professional and home decorator, it will introduce them to the wide range of products on the market.

It will also help them select the most appropriate products for their particular situation gives useful hints on application and other technical matters and a list of suppliers.

As more people become aware of the possible toxic effects of conventional paints they look to natural and eco paints to provide a solution. In this new book from eco-logic books the author, Lynn Edwards passes on her many years experience of working with natural paints.Contents

Contents
Part 1

• The main components of paints, stains and varnishes

• Raw materials and production

• Toxicity

• Protection and durability

• Application

• Storage and disposal

• The future

Part 2

• Paints for interiors: distempers and eco emulsions

• Paints for exteriors: limewashes, mineral paints, latex, masonry paint

• Interior wood and floor finishes

• Floor soaps

• Varnish

• Timber finishes

• Suppliers

Technical Details: ISBN 978-189923317
110 Pages – 147 x 210mm – Printed on 100% Post Consumer Waste – this book is fully compostable

RRP £9.95
Order direct from eco-logic books for £7.95

Phone 01225 484 472 or online at www.eco-logic books.com

The first ever British Open Base Jumping Championship was decided this weekend with spectacular jumps from the Ecotricity Turbine in Swaffham – the only wind turbine in the world with a viewing platform open to the public, owned and operated by leading green energy company Ecotricity.

BASE jumping is the adrenaline sport of parachuting from fixed objects and is an acronym that contains the major groups of objects these jumpers generally use: Building, Antenna, Span (bridge), and Earth. 

It has historically been a clandestine sport, carried out furtively by a closed set of radical enthusiasts. But it has evolved into a highly technical, cutting-edge modern sport, no longer worthy of its reputation as the reserve of loonies.

Only jumpers who have over 100 BASE jumps were allowed to enter the championships. A “bullseye” the size of a tennis-ball tested their accurate landing skills after a very short parachute ride (8-10 seconds), marks were also awarded for presentation and style. The title was claimed by Christopher ‘Dougs’ McDougal, leading Australian BASE Jumper (image attached)

Dale Vince, MD of Ecotricity, said “There won’t be any parachutes or soft landings when the global energy crisis bites! The UK needs to harness more of its natural wind energy and it needs to do it now.”

Dave Moores, Director of UK Pro BASE said, “Unlike sky jumpers us BASE jumpers don’t burn fossil fuels to get our fun, so a partnership with Ecotricity is natural and green – the future of energy!”

Triodos Bank has launched a competition to capture a vision of social enterprise’s more progressive approach to business. And as well as the kudos of winning, there’s a cash prize up for grabs for the best photographer and the social enterprise pictured. The winning photographer receives a £1,000 prize. And the social enterprise featured in the photograph will also win a prize of £500 and a business support package worth £500. Entries from social enterprises themselves are encouraged.

The competition closes on 24 October 2008 when the judges will choose twelve finalists from all entries. The overall winner will be announced at a special event in November.

To find out more, including the rules and how to enter, visit the Triodos website.

Volunteer to help at the Homeless World Cup in Australia 

We are offering a 17 day trip from November 29 to December 15 that gets guests involved at the tournament and then explores some of Australia’s scenic highlights – Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef!

Background to the Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international football tournament, uniting teams of homeless, excluded individuals in a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives. The event attracts around 25,000 people who take part in training and trials around the world, with the top 500 players from 48 nations competing at the Homeless World Cup.

The impact on participant’s lives is significant, with around three quarters of players changing their lives for the better by coming off drugs and alcohol, getting jobs, an education, homes, training or being reunited with their families. Some even go on to become players and coaches for pro or semi-pro football teams!

Volunteers are needed as:

• Online Match Reporters
• Match Photographers
• Photographer Assistants
• Media Assistants 
• Access Monitors
• Catering Assistants – Competition Venue
• Catering Assistants – Player Village
• Player Storage/Changing Rooms Monitor

The Trip
This meaningful 17 day trip not only gets you making a valuable contribution to the tournament, but you can then experience Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Daintree Rainforest!  

The price per person is £1,590 for 17 days in 3* accommodation throughout, excluding all flights. Click here for more information or to book.

Sones Organic clothing for nature loving babies and children have recently branched out and are now stocking some colourful and funky Fairtrade toys and gifts.

Their products were designed in England and handmade by approved Fairtrade producers in India. Over 40% of profits go to support local community projects in Education, Health and Animal welfare.

Allen & York, a Wimborne based Recruitment Company, prepare to return to the waves as a strong competitor in the 21st anniversary of the Little Britain Challenge Cup (LBCC) this September.

Market leading recruitment specialists serving the Natural and Built Environment sectors in the UK, are returning to Cowes for the second year running, to compete in the worlds largest industry regatta in the UK after Skandia Cowes Week.
 
Since 1988, the LBCC has welcomed Construction Industry professionals to race in a four day sailing event in support of nine chosen charities. Allen & York have donated £000’s to these charities through taking part in the event whilst rewarding members of staff.
 
As Allen & York are an environmentally friendly company familiar with the importance of protecting the environment and supporting sustainability, it was decided upon for team building efforts to utilize a sport fuelled solely by renewable, wind energy.
 
30 places have been filled to crew the Elan 410 Racing Yacht, GBR 410L. The best managers will sail alongside the best developers, best consultants and best support staff. In addition to the pressure of this years competition, the chosen thirty have last years ‘4th in Class’ title to beat.
 
Becoming the first recruitment company serving the environmental sector to earn the Investors in People Award was an achievement won through the underlying belief that the most valuable asset for any business is the people it employs. Rewarding individuals’ performance successes with places at the event recognizes Allen & York’s commitment to its employees.
 
The Ellen MacArthur Trust, Jubilee Sailing Trust, Paralympic Sailing Team and The Cirdan Sailing Trust are the four main charities that Allen & York are supporting by taking part. They are sailing charities helping disadvantaged or disabled people experience the world of sailing.
 
Mark Allen, the Managing Director, said ‘We are very proud to be part of the Little Britain Challenge Cup again this year. It is an opportunity for us to expand our support to a wider variety of charities whilst providing members of staff with encouraging incentives for high-achieving.’