Ethical Pulse

A recent letter from the UK Advertsing Standards Authority (ASA), (in response to a complaint) tackles head-on the issue of the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) promoting itself widely as: "The Governing Body for Yoga".

Well, the ASA's response seems to indicate that such a claim just does not appear to be entirely, "standing up straight".

Such a claim by the BWY appears then to have been "misleading" its members, (and everyone else) in the UK Yoga community for years.

Now though, "the game is up" - the ASA say:-

".. the claim BWY is the governing body for Yoga in the UK could misleadingly imply BWY regulates yoga in the UK, monitors and/or co-ordinates UK yoga activities and is a British authority on yoga teaching and/or practice."

The ASA's recommendation seeks to clear up a lot of confusion and will help the UK Yoga community grow stronger, as there is now authoritative advice on how the BWY should promote itself from now on:-

"We (the ASA) have asked them to amend the claim to state BWY is a Sport England recognised national governing body"

This sometimes painful and confusing situation has been with the UK Yoga community for many years now and it is with some relief that (finally) it seems to be very close to being resolved.

We recommend that all Yoga teachers, groups and websites review their active links and all other marketing materials used to comply with the ASA's recommendations as to the correct "wordage" to use when referring to the BWY - in anticipation of the BWY's expected compliance with the ASA's recommendations in the near future.

More info here.

"Go Ape" with our July Paper of the Month, "it's bananas!!!" Our eco-friendly banana stock is made from banana skins and is available in paper and card weights. The Banana Paper is ideal for fruit sellers, milk shake bars, cake makers, health food shops and any organic and food related businesses. This paper also looks great for special occasions, weddings, birth celebrations, as well as offering something different for everyday stationary.

Along with our more exotic range we print on 'standard' white cards and papers that are also 100% recycled too!

Our Eco Policy is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and this should not mean compromising on quality, or for that matter costing the earth! Eco Print handles all jobs, digital and litho, specializing in short and medium size print runs. We even have an experienced graphic designer on board if extra help is needed.

Like our printing process, every member of the Eco Print team is free from artificial colours and preservatives and happy to offer friendly helpful advice. We are an approachable, locally based company, big enough to cope but small enough to care.

For more information on us and our range of papers and cards, check out our stunning website. http://www.ecoprintUK.com We have just added an FAQ page on the website which will answer all your questions in a nice and concise way! You are though more than welcome to call us on 01722 340350.

N.B. No monkeys were harmed in the gathering of the bananas apart from one...the cheeky monkey wouldn't give up his bunch.

Sustainability initiatives in leading organisations are increasingly focusing on transformational and systemic change, rather than incremental improvements. It is this link between transformation, and the shift to new levels of individual and organisational leadership and development that highlight how can coaching is critical for innovation and sustainability.

In essence, this research identifies that:

1. ‘Inner' (personal development, organisational values and culture development) and ‘outer' (organisational, business, market, sustainable) development are linked;

2. That real innovation and transformation, and the biggest leverage points for integrating sustainability, occur in the ‘interior' of mindsets, values, and culture; and

3. Inter-subjective, developmental approaches like coaching, are the most powerful and effective way to grow leaders and support the adoption of new values and culture.

The most common association with coaching in an organisational context is with one-on-one executive coaching. This form of coaching arguable emerged in a cultural context that is very individualistic, and focused on independence, freedom and self-actualisation. This sort of culture is legitimate and important has not always been the norm; and even now it is not the norm across all cultures. A value system that directs excessive attention to the individual may best serves us in the face of sustainability challenges. The shift from seeing individuals as the primary beneficiary of coaching and primary agent in driving change, to instead focusing on the impact on the collective, collaboration and on the reality of our interdependence is aligned with sustainability

Back to work, Simon de Glanville left the pigeons in Peckham and headed for sunny Somerset for a seven day photo shoot of Myakka's fair trade furniture and home accessories. Myakka's annual photo shoot is on Simon's professional calendar, whereas the recent national media coverage he received for his photos of London's pigeons were taken in his spare time!

The Myakka annual photo shoot is an intense week providing the imagery required for their new catalogue which will be released in the autumn. The images are also used to promote their latest new products through their ecommerce website.

"We have worked with Simon for four years now and the results we achieve are fantastic. The shoot is intense and exhausting, but we have a lot of fun along the way!" comments Georgie Hopkins, Director of Myakka.

Four beautiful old English properties were used as locations including the impressive Marston House. The manor house on the outskirts of Frome was restored in 1984 by the Foster Yeoman family and is currently used as parent company Aggregate Industries head quarters.

As with every year, the smooth running of the shoot is all in the planning which takes many weeks of preparation prior to Simon arriving with his cameras. Now the shoot has been completed the catalogue designers are busily compiling the new Myakka catalogue ready for release in September.

"We jokingly suggested Simon train the pigeons he photographs in Peckham! Carrier pigeons would be a very environmentally friendly way of distributing our new catalogues across the country, although utilising his training methods we would get through a lot of kebabs!" said Georgie.

Myakka tailors the designs of their furniture for the British market. All the furniture is made in northern India by skilled craftsman using the latest German computer controlled machinery ensuring the quality is second to none. Myakka is an ethical business following fair trade principles and is a recognised importer and retail member of BAFTS (British Association of Fair Trade Shops). With a sophisticated ecommerce website, a Warehouse Outlet in Wincanton, Somerset and a comprehensive mail order catalogue, Myakka has a large database of loyal customers across the UK. This summer Myakka is celebrating a decade of business with a huge 10^th Birthday Summer Sale.

For more information about the shoot, Simon de Glanville and Myakka visit their news blog at www.furniture-home.myakka.co.uk/ or the online shop at www.myakka.co.uk.

Introducing the letterbox Ecoflap, the Ecoflap is a cleverly designed letterbox draught proofing system that can be retro fitted to your existing letterbox to totally illuminate draughts.

With up to 27% heat loss occurring through the letterbox the Ecoflap will help you to keep your home warm and save money on energy bills and pay for its self many times over.

The Ecoflap does not use any springs brushes or seals to operate, so there are no components to break , it actually operates using its own weight and the wind to form a draught proof seal with no rattles

Ecoflap is adaptable to fit various sizes of delivery items through the letterbox up to A4 size thick newspapers and magazines.

The Ecoflap is easy to install and comes in the following colours white, silver or black to suit your door .

Here at NeonCollective.com we are all about killer heels without the kill. Neon Collective is the world's first one-stop shop for high-end vegan accessories. We aim to shatter the misconception that vegans aren't fashionable and provide green alternatives for the modern shopper.

We feel passionate that fabulous footwear can be free of leather and all other animal products but even if you don't give a stuff about Daisy the cow, the leather tanning industry is one of the most polluting industries on Earth. So we are joining Paul and Stella McCartney on their 'Meat Free Monday' campaign (supportmfm.org) to prove that by cutting down on leather, meat and any other animal products, you are making a positive step to promote animal welfare and are directly cutting CO2 emissions.

Throughout July NeonCollective.com will be specially discounting a different style of killer heels each Monday.

In follow up to the recent launch of their Shabby Chic range ‘Bamboo Chic by Bambienti' bamboo interiors specialists Bambienti this week announces that London based retail group Chest of Drawers will be stocking Bamboo Chic by Bambienti at all of their three stores in Islington, Chiswick and Kingston.

As an established retailer who specialises in sustainable furniture Chest of Drawers came to prominence in recent years when they pioneered an ethical and environmental rating guide which advises their customers on the ethical credentials of each and every piece they sell. For more information please visit www.chestofdrawers.co.uk

Founder and Director Charles Colbourne said "I am delighted to welcome Chest of Drawers as a retail partner. To be able to work with such an established and credible company, one who has led the way for such a considerable time with respect to responsible and sustainable sourcing of products is such a boost for everyone associated with Bambienti. We're looking forward to supporting them'

Bamboo Chic by Bambienti is a white range of interiors that is hand-made in small to medium sized workshops out of Bamboo, a material that offers strength, style and natural sustainability.

The popularity of Shabby Chic style interiors, particularly furniture and accessories continues unabated in 2009. However the problem for many is that the original sources for this overtly neutral look, namely antique shops and flea markets have become increasingly expensive. The result is that more and more people have started to buy new furniture and accessories that replicate the Shabby Chic look at cheaper prices but in many cases the source of the wood used is unknown and can often be found to be logged using unsustainable methods.

With the launch of ‘Bamboo Chic by Bambienti' buyers who are going for the Shabby Chic look have a naturally sustainable alternative.

For more information about Bambienti, Bamboo Chic by Bambienti or to find a stockist closer to home please visit www.bambienti.com and we will be happy to put you in touch with your local store.

To find out more about Chest Of Drawers please visit www.chestofdrawers.co.uk

Celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution

2.00 - 4.30pm Saturday 25 July  

Congress House, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3LS (tube station: Tottenham Court Rd)

Entry by optional donation

 On 19 July tens of thousands of Nicaraguans will gather in Managua to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship and the coming to power of the Sandinistas. Join us to celebrate the astonishing  achievements against tremendous odds of the Sandinista government in the 1980s, the legacy of the Revolution today within the Latin America context and NSC's contribution to the global solidarity movement.

¨ Launch of the film ‘American Sandinista' about the US war of aggression against Nicaragua through the life of US volunteer Ben Linder, murdered by the contra in 1986. The film will be introduced by the director Jason Blalock

¨ Grace Livingstone, author of ‘America's Backyard: from the Monroe Doctrine to the War on Terror'

¨ Francisco Dominguez, Latin America Department, Middlesex University

¨ Alicia Sandino, charge d'affairs Embassy of Nicaragua (invited)

Further information: Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, campaigns@nicaraguasc.org.uk, Tel 020 7561 4836

www.nicaraguasc.org uk

Please find following artilce written by Chris Arnold...   the original can be found here.

It's one thing for a French energy company to hijack the Union Jack for greenwash purposes but to take the ad campaign (or something very much like it) of a genuine green electricity company, Ecotricity, has really inflamed green minded consumers.

EDF's sponsored Green Britain Day is taking place on Friday, July 10th and has been positioned as "a community aimed at harnessing the power of collective action". Seems they have created another community aimed at harnessing the power of collective action - true greens are organisisng a boycott and calling it the EDF ‘Greenwash Britain Day' and are urging politicians, musicians, sportsmen and the public not to be taken in and to 'unplug EDF'.

Those in the green space have already started a campaign against EDF (Electricite de France), check out GREEN BRITAIN DAY group on Facebook, and are urging people to complain to the ASA about EDF's claims.

From the heights of the Andean Altiplano to the vast plains of the Kenyan savanna, the Fair Trade Market in Cutty Sark Gardens on Sunday July 12^th will bring you handmade gifts, clothing, accessories and food to amaze and delight you. By popular demand, the Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich SE10 is hosting its second annual Fair Trade event from 11 am - 4 pm. With 25 fair trade stalls inside a huge marquee featuring products from 16 developing countries ranging from handwoven Ugandan fruit baskets to handloomed block printed cotton shirts from Nepal, this year's event is a must for the conscious consumer.

What you can buy

Products available will be: jute bags, rice sack bags, Ugandan cotton bags; banana fibre and raffia baskets; men's and women's handloomed Nepali shirts and dresses; Indian cotton and lace tops; crochet flower necklaces, shawls and brooches; kids' clothes from South America; jewellery from Mexico, Ecuador, Nepal, Uganda, Morocco, Chile, Kenya; skincare range; mobiles, wine glasses, purses, incense, cards and paper, gifts, scarves, handwoven, hand-dyed applique Bolivian cushion covers; food - biscuits, chocolate, Palestinian olive oil, almonds, couscous, tea, coffee; and a whole lot else besides.

Producer groups represented...

Over 50 styles available at new online shop Reusablebottle.co.uk

From a 1 litre bottle which folds down to the size of a (thin) wallet, to completely natural charcoal-based water filters and an unsuspecting looking bottle which purifies water from normally un-drinkable sources  www.resuablebottle.co.uk is a one-stop shop for this year's must have accessory - the reusable bottle.  

Established with the aim to help reduce plastic waste, ReusableBottle.co.uk is the only UK-based independent online bottle shop, stocking more than 8 different brands of reusable bottles (and more to come) as well as a host of practical and quirky accessories.   

Reusable Bottle.co.uk is doing more than just encouraging people to be eco-savvy explains the brand's founder Dan Brousson:  "We wanted to create a single point where individuals could find a bottle which reflects their personality, a practical need or conveys a message they want to share with the world."

Read on for top picks...

Tabitha Potts, a local home business owner, from London has entered The Remote Worker Awards, in association with BT Business, and hopes to achieve national recognition if she wins so she can inspire Mums to run their own business from home.

When Tabitha came across the Awards, she couldn't resist the opportunity to win the fantastic line up of business support prizes for her home business, which sells eco-friendly children's clothes, toys and furniture.

Tabitha and Mimimyne (Me Me Mine Ltd) now join the other entrants in a national search in The BT Home Business Award to find the most innovative business that demonstrates how remote working and home working has made a beneficial impact on their business and home life.

Feelgoodhandbags has now been online since April 2008, providing ethical handbags, accessories and shoes for the discerning shopper. Feelgoodhandbags seek designers and suppliers who use only animal friendly materials in their products.

For most people moisturizers should be not be necessary because sufficient oil, secreted from the sebaceous glands in the form of sebum will attract water from within the body. These compounds then react with an emulsifier which we naturally produce in the skin, cholesterol, forming a protective film known as the hydrolipid mantle. Cholesterol isn't all bad. This oily mantle in the upper layer of the skin, if you like, our own personally formulated and produced moisturizing film, works like a team of night club bouncers by allowing water, toxins and carbon dioxide to leave the body while keeping water and pathogens from entering the body and infecting the skin.

Green and ethical businesses are defying the grey economic climate and booking up for the EcoVillage at the Kent County Show this year. The EcoVillage is in its second year and is going from strength to strength having expanded its space to over 5000sq m, showcasing over 80 exhibitors.

Visitors to the Kent County Show can come and find ideas and inspiration for greener living at The EcoVillage from a wide range of exhibitors - we have everything from cars to insurance, clothes to garden features, bikes to timber buildings - everything you need for greener living!

If gardening is your interest, Co-op will be giving away free wildflower seeds as part of their Save the Bees Campaign, learn about growing your own with the Soil Association, or get inspiration from English Oak.

If transport is your thing, come and see the Seat Ecomotive range - three of the most eco-friendly cars on the market, or look at the latest in electric bikes with Greased Lightening Cycles.

Paperpod and Playmais will have plenty to keep children occupied and they'll love making their own smoothies with Move ‘n' Smooth! Mums and Dads will find it hard to resist treating them to clothes from Kidz Organic or toys and games from Woodland Children.

The Mark Group will be on hand for advice on making your home energy efficient, while Invicta Clean Energy, Eternal Energy Systems, Solar Age and Viridus Energie will be available to discuss how you can help to power your home with renewable energy.

At The EcoVillage 2009 visitors will discover exhibitors of all shapes and sizes, arranged in village streets such as Energy Avenue and Protect Kent Path, EcoVillage Hall and the Market Marquee. They can also relax in the EcoVillage Green Picnic Area where Well Hung Meats will be providing delicious organic food all day, or visit Goji Wah Wah, a converted London Routemaster bus serving gourmet vegetarian food.

We are also please to be collaborating with sponsors Protect Kent and Countrystyle Group this year, John Suffolk of Countrystyle Group comments:

"Countrystyle Group is pleased to be sponsoring the EcoVillage at this year's Kent Show.

The EcoVillage is a great initiative for green business in the South East and totally in keeping with the business philosophy of Countrystyle Group. We hope that by supporting the event this year that we can help to highlight the importance of protecting the environment."

There will be plenty to see and do at The EcoVillage, so come and find us at this years' Kent County Show to find out how easy it really is to be green!