Eurostar, electric cars and Fairtrade are today identified as
among the best ethical products of the past 20 years according to a
survey of leading politicians and environmental campaigners by Ethical
Consumer Magazine.

In the survey, 20 leading politicians and environmental campaigners
were asked what was the best ethical product of the past 20 years.

In response Ben Stewart, Head of Communications at Greenpeace chose
Eurostar, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London chose electric cars whilst
Hilary Benn MP, secretary of state for the environment, chose Fairtrade.

In response Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly
chose short-haul flights, Hilary Benn MP, secretary of state for the
environment chose Bluefin tuna, Climate Camp activists chose carbon
offset companies and Caroline Higginson from the fashion industry
campaign group Labour Behind the Label chose throwaway fashion.

responsibletravel.com,
the world’s leading travel agent for responsible holidays has seen an
8% increase in enquiries during the last three months (May – August
2009) compared to the same period last year from travellers looking for
gap year breaks.

As more and more people consider taking a gap year, Justin Francis, managing director, responsibletravel.com
(which offers over 200 gap year trips, all screened for their
responsible tourism credentials) warns travellers of the importance of
booking with a company that holds responsible tourism at the core of
its business:

“Gap years are a great opportunity to take some time out and
explore the world, picking up new skills and friends along the way.
However, we strongly encourage travellers to choose companies that run
trips and programmes that maximise the benefits to local communities
and environments. Particularly with volunteer holidays, it’s important
that you choose a project that is based on a real local need – so we
recommend doing plenty of research and asking lots of questions of the
companies you are considering.”

View the whole press release here: http://www.mailshotmagic.com/Mail/Mail.asp?MailID=739

Celebrate with Ethical.TV the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People!

“The world’s indigenous peoples – 370 million in 70 countries — are the custodians of some of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. They speak a majority of the world’s languages, and their traditional knowledge, cultural diversity and sustainable ways of life make an invaluable contribution to the world’s common heritage.”

                                      Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

How much do you know about Indigenous People?
The United
Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the
World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year.

Find out more and watch some good stories about indigenous people:

Connectivity of the Indigenous People in the Americas (click here)

In Latin America there are around 50 million indigenous people.

History’s B-Sides (Lado B de la historia) (click here)
History’s B-Sides explores past events whose effects continue to resonate in the present.

Ecuador: A model of Green Enterprise (click here)

How to balance development and conservation in Ecuador.

Visit Ethical.TV to watch more films related with this issue.
    How much do you know about Indigenous People?

The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

This
year the theme focuses on the fact that co-operatives are enterprises
that can effectively contribute to global economic recovery, but also
that these enterprises will do so in respect of the co-operative values
and principles which guide their operations.

Burma Video Journalists (click here)

The Co-op is bringing to life the award-winning film Burma VJ.

The Story of the Fenwik Weavers Co-operative (click here)
Local Fenwick weaver Thomas Barr meets a stranger in the Kings Arms one cold winter’s night in 1763.

Empowerment for Women (click here)
Kuapa Kokoo involves women in all decision making.
    The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

What’s new on Ethical.TV?

Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries (click here)
European Union supports those who want to start a business.

Help Connect the World Through Music (click here)
This is an introduction to the Playing For Change Foundation.

Just Coffee (click here)
A look at the biggest fair trade certification labels on the market.

A Commitment to Health in a Borrowed Land (click here)
“Sex Education and STI and HIV prevention” project in the Saharan refugees camps of Tindouf.
    What’s new on Ethical.TV?

Do you have any new ideas or comments about Ethical.TV?

Get
involved and let us know what do you think about Ethical.TV. What kind
of films and features would you like to enjoy on Ethical.TV? Send us
your ideas, suggestions and comments to: info@ethical.tv !

Send us films and news of your organisation.

Do
you want to create your organisation’s own channel on Ethical.TV?
Ethical.TV will work with you from concept through delivery to create
your own.

Your organisation has a film to be made?
Ethical.TV can help by providing you with industry filming experts from
camera, editing to final delivery.
    Do you have any new ideas or comments about Ethical.TV?

Contact us:

Tania Pramschufer

tania@ethical.tv – (0044) 131 226 2674 / 07914 254 334

Katie Williamson

katie@ethical.tv – (0044) 131 226 2689 / 07712 647 664

For more information about Hand Up Media click here

Thank you,

www.ethical.tv

responsibletravel.com,
the world’s leading travel agent for responsible holidays is the first
travel agent to team up with newly launched TravelPledge – www.travelpledge.org 
 - the online charity donation scheme for travellers wanting to give
back to people and projects in the destinations they have visited.

This new partnership will offer responsibletravel.com customers the chance to donate money to trusted social and environmental projects in seven popular holiday destinations. responsibletravel.com
will also promote the scheme to its 900+ members (tour operators and
hoteliers around the world) to further encourage the take up of the
give back scheme among travellers.

TravelPledge screens the projects and facilitates online donations from travellers, adding gift aid when applicable.

Justin Francis, managing director, responsibletravel.com:
“This fantastic scheme has my full support. The feedback from
travellers we work with is that they are often left moved and inspired
by a holiday – whether it be due to encounters with local people,
wildlife or social and environmental issues in destinations – they come
back home wanting to help in some way. TravelPledge offers them the
chance to give something back.”

TravelPledge was set up in 2008 to respond to the increasing number
of requests from travellers to be able to contribute financially to
charitable social and environmental projects in the destinations they
visit. The charity ensures donations are processed effectively and that
the greatest amount possible reaches the destination. As a registered
charity, it retains zero percent of the consumer money donated to cover
its overheads.

Nick Chaffe, director, TravelPledge said: “By working hand in hand
with the travel industry and local delivery partners, TravelPledge
helps travellers to connect in more rewarding ways to the places
they’ve visited. We aim to deliver the most effective give back
mechanism for this sector. Our platform enables travellers to choose
projects and to donate quickly and easily online. Importantly we will
feed back to donors on the completion of each and every project they
choose to support.”

See
http://travelpledge.org/support/responsibletravel  for more information.
For interviews contact Krissy Roe, responsibletravel.com – mobile: 07717 348368

15%
off Peak District self catering accommodation for two people -
from £237 per cottage for two nights short break before 27 August

Set
in a peaceful location close to Buxton, Derbyshire this farm occupies
a stunning position in one of the Peak District’s most breathtaking
valleys. It is equipped with the latest in green building technology
including ground source heat pumps which collect solar energy stored
in the ground and provide hot water and heat. Excellent walks, pubs
and cycle network plus organised activities (indoor and outdoor rock
climbing, caving, trekking, canoeing, kayaking, archery) arranged in
conjunction with local licensed activity centre.

Plus:
Guests who arrive using lower carbon transport options, are offered
free collection from Buxton bus or train station and a complimentary
breakfast box containing locally produced bread, butter, milk, honey,
jam and yoghurt.

More
info:
http://www.responsibletravel.com/PDdeal  

For more offers and travel discounts see the rest of the newsletter here

ORGANIC PLACES TO STAY – UK AND IRELAND – 3RD EDITION

Available now from Green Books here.

Your organic lifestyle away from home – Linda Moss – Revised and updated edition, now including Ireland
Are you looking for a bed and breakfast, guesthouse or hotel that serves organic food?
Would you like to self-cater in a cottage on an organic farm and have an organic vegetable box delivered? Or would you prefer to camp on an organic smallholding with the possibility of buying the holding’s own fresh organic produce?

This completely revised and updated edition, with over 175 new entries, now includes a selection of organic places to stay in Ireland and gives you all the information you need for an ‘organic holiday’. It includes:….

• bed and breakfasts, guest houses and small hotels offering organic, local and sometimes home-grown produce

• self-catering accommodation on organic farms, generally in renovated farm buildings

• camp sites on organic farms and smallholdings, ranging from those where you pitch your own tent to more luxurious camping in a yurt

There are four new symbols in the third edition of the book, so you can see at a glance if meals containing organic produce or fresh organic produce to buy are available either on-site or within five miles of your holiday accommodation. The book includes 588 accommodation entries.

The Author: Linda Moss created www.organicholidays.co.uk ten years ago. She is married with three grown up children and two grandchildren, and has lived in Guiseley, West Yorkshire all her life.

Cranfield offers free re-skilling opportunities

 Cranfield
University is to offer individuals directly impacted by the current economic
crisis an opportunity to re-skill and redirect their careers to take advantage
of identified skills shortages in areas such as environmental technology.

The
University is offering free places on
selected short courses under the HEFCE Economic Challenge Investment
Fund (ECIF) for sector re-skilling.

The
courses are intended to help qualified individuals who have recently been made
redundant to secure employment with a new employer, potentially in a new
sector.  The initiative will also help
businesses who are looking to re-skill their employees in preparation for the
economic up-turn.

Courses
are available in a number of sectors from environment and materials.

Dr
Brian McIntosh, Programme Leader for Cranfield’s postgraduate Water programme,
said: “This funding will enable us to address the re-skilling needs of
individuals and businesses, and to address growing skills shortages in the UK,
such as in the environmental technology and utility sectors.”

The University received almost £500,000 overall through the ECIF, of which
nearly £150,000 will focus on offering engineers and scientists expertise and
development to help them secure a sustainable future

For
further information, please visit www.cranfield.ac.uk/sas/reskill

Claim your holiday expenses responsibly and get away from it all!

Following the news that many MPs have been
falsely claiming expenses, online travel agent responsibletravel.com is
giving holidaymakers the chance to save money at no cost to their
fellow taxpayers. Travellers can claim money off their holidays to the
equivalent of £6million – the total figure claimed by UK MPs in travel
expenses last year.

Holiday vouchers worth £50 and £100 are being given away by the website at the following link:
www.responsibletravel.com/claimexpenses

Paul Snudden, director, responsibletravel.com said:
“At a time
when public confidence in the political system is at a low and many
politicians are perceived as ‘irresponsible’ this is a chance for
holidaymakers to get away from it all. Purse strings are already tight
this year so hopefully it’ll give taxpayers a helping hand. However,
MPs are not eligible so need not apply.”

Holidaymakers who register for the deal will receive a choice of
either a £50 voucher to use towards a holiday worth £750 or more, or a
£100 voucher to use towards a holiday worth £1500 or more.

Vouchers must be claimed by 30th June 2009 and used to book a
holiday before 31st July 2009 (departure date can be any time). Only
one voucher to be used per booking.

Subject to full terms & conditions including:

Add a touch of natural luxury to your bedroom with an organicduvet from Natural Home Products (www.naturalhome-products.com).The luxuriousness of Natural Home Products’ range of organic and natural duvetsmakes you wonder how you ever made do with anything less. Handmade by craftsmenin southern Bavaria, the duvets are made from only the finest natural andorganic materials and are completely free of chemical additives.

The choice of duvets offered by Natural Home Products is itself a luxury. No longer do you just decide which weight of duvet to buy; at NaturalHome-Products.co.uk there are a number of covers and fillings to suit every taste and every season. Their natural duvets for summertime include organic Cotton for a light covering to keep you cool, with percale weave organic cotton covers, whilst the organic Merino Lambswool duvets are still light, but offer a little more cosiness and come with a choice of percale, sateen or jersey covers. Alternatively, the natural wild Silk Tussah duvets are luxuriously light – hugging the body while keeping it refreshingly cool – and are made from the silk of wild Tussah caterpillars (gathered after the moth emerges), while the organic Camel hair down summer duvets are perfect for an English summer when it can be sultry one night and chilly the next: Camel down has an outstanding ability to compensate and regulate extremes of both temperature and moisture.

All of the duvets from Natural Home Products come with a breathable storage bag so that they may be kept dust free when not in use. Natural Home Products will even add Cotton ties to the duvets, so that summer and four season duvets can be tied together for use during the coldest months of the year.

With double the weight of the summer duvets and perfect for the cooler months, the Four Season duvets also come in organic Cotton, organic Merino Lambswool or Camel hair down, giving a choice of the light covering of Cotton through to the warm and snug nest that is Camel hair down.

For those who want to be extra warm and snug, but still with a light, comfortable covering, Natural Home Products sew two duvets together, trapping a thermal pocket of air between them, to create their super warm winter duvets. So, for those who want the luxurious freshness of Silk all year round there is the natural wild Silk Tussah winter duvets or, at the other end of the warmth scale, there is perhaps the most luxurious of them all, the natural Yak hair down winter duvets, which combine wonderful warmth with a light, sleek and airy feel. In between, the choice includes organic Cotton, organic Merino Lambswool and Camel hair down.

You probably didn’t even know there was so much choice available in a duvet, and once you have tried a luxury natural duvet from Natural Home Products, you’ll never go back to anything less. Not only does an organic duvet help to alleviate many allergies, they are a pampering addition to anyone’s bedroom.

Visit www.naturalhome-products.com to see the full range of natural bedroom products, from latex mattresses to organic pillows and much more.

Busting
the myths about sun protection – from Lucy Rose of www.lucyrose.biz

With a bit of luck Summer might be just
around the corner, and as we are collectively so passionate about a
natural and organic approach to our lifestyles, it’s a good job
that we can rely on some of the top organic beauty brands to provide
us with safe and effective SPF protection so that we can make the
most of the sun’s rays.

But understanding the array of sun
products that are available can be a tall order, even within the
organic sector. Especially when you take into account recent
recommended changes to labelling and to the ratio of UVA versus UVB
protection.

This is designed to be a
straightforward guide to unravelling some of the common myths,
misconceptions and complex science relating to sun care in the hope
that you will be able to relax safe in the knowledge that you are
slapping on the best protection for you and your family.

Read on to find out the facts!

• UVA or UVB?

UVA protection is more important in
preventing long term skin damage than UVB protection

UVA radiation penetrates deep under the
skin’s surface and is responsible for long-term cell damage
including premature ageing and skin cancer. UVB radiation causes sun
burn and therefore warns the body that it has been in the sun for too
long. It is really important to ensure that your sun lotion has
adequate UVA protection as well as UVB. New recommendations suggest
that the ratio of UVA to UVB protection should be 1:3.

• How effective are SPFs?

SPF 30 does not offer double the
protection of SPF 15

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor
and only measures the amount of UVB protection provided by a sun
screen (not UVA). So for example, an SPF 15 will protect you against
roughly 93% of UVB rays while an SPF 30 protects you against
approximately 97% UVB – you are therefore only achieving a marginal
increase in UVB protection with the higher SPFs. It is more
important to reapply the sun screen every 2-3 hours, or after
swimming or wiping with a towel, to provide effective protection from
the sun’s rays.

• Should I worry about nano
  particles?

Nano particles in 100% natural
mineral sunscreens are completely safe to use

Yes, organic sun lotions do contain
nano-particles which in synthetic products cause concern for two
reasons: they can penetrate the skin and enter the body and they can
cause the formation of free-radicals when exposed to UV light.
However, the good news is that for 100% natural mineral sunscreens,
the nano-particles are covered in a film which prevents them from
being exposed to UV light and once combined with the cream base, they
will also be unable to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin.

• Will I be safe in the shade or
  when it’s cloudy?

The sun’s rays can still be
damaging regardless of cloudy or shady conditions

Make sure you are protected from the
sun even if it’s cloudy or you are in the shade – up to 40% of
the sun’s rays can still break through even in shady conditions -
and the rays are just as strong through the cloud.

• What’s good for you

The right protection for you will
depend on your skin type, the strength of the sun, your age e.g.
adult, child or baby, the climate, the location e.g. in the sea, in
the desert or up mountains, the season and the time of day.

To be on the safe side, if in doubt,
wear protective clothing, avoid the sun or sun bathing at the hottest
times of the day and remember to keep applying a 100% natural sun
screen.

• Five good reasons to go natural

Natural mineral sunscreens work well
because

1. They act as a natural filter using
   mineral ingredients such as titanium dioxide

2. They begin to work immediately
   after application

3. The UVA and UVB rays are reflected
   rather than absorbed

4. They won’t cause any skin
   irritation

5. And last, but not least, they are
   waterproof.

If you’ve any further questions about
organic sun care, you can email/speak to the experts at Lucy Rose
(www.lucyrose.biz)
who provide an extensive selection of organic sun care products,
including Lavera and Green People, hand-picked because of their
authenticity, safety and effectiveness.

We hope that your overall enjoyment of
the sun will be enhanced by the comfort of knowing you are fully
protected by totally natural, organic and beautiful sun products. So
here’s to happy times in the sunshine and a long hot summer!