Taken from Low Carbon Economy

Climate change could cripple UK infrastructure in the future if action is not taken to mitigate its effects, a new report has warned.

Engineering the Future was presented to the government’s chief scientific advisor this week and states, unless measures are taken to protect infrastructure, climate change “could have seriously detrimental effects on UK society and the economy”.

Lord Browne of Madingley, president of the Royal College of Engineering, which compiled the report, said: “Climate change is a genuine risk. While efforts must continue towards mitigating its effects, we need to think very carefully about how we adapt to the changing climatic conditions that are anticipated over the coming century.”

He added that engineering “is one of the best chances we have” of dealing with issues such as rising sea levels.

Last year, the Met Office dramatically revised its worst case scenario for rising sea levels, more than halving its prediction to 6ft from 13ft.

>>> Please read the full article here

A Suffolk-based inventor believes he may have found the answer to Britain’s rapidly developing landfill crisis.

Each day some 15m plastic bottles are used in the UK, many ending up on the country’s burgeoning waste mountains. And as the average plastic bottle takes 500 years to decompose, this legacy will have an impact on generations to come.

But now, inspired by a papier-mache balloon that his son made at school, Martin Myerscough believes he has come up with the answer. The GreenBottle, which looks remarkably like the conventional two-litre plastic bottles on supermarket shelves, comprises a sturdy paper shell with a plastic liner to keep the milk fresh.

Once the lining is ripped out, the paper shell can be quickly flattened and recycled up to seven times – plastic bottles can be recycled only once. Alternatively the paper bottle can be turned into compost within a matter of several weeks.

The bottle has been trialled at Asda stores in East Anglia and a national roll-out across the supermarket chain will start this week, beginning in Cornwall.

Myerscough dreamt up the idea for Greenbottle after talking to a man in his local pub. “A chap I row with was running the local landfill, so I asked him what was the main problem and he said plastic bottles, especially milk bottles, and that set me thinking.”

Recalling his son’s efforts with papier-mache, Myerscough played around with several designs before coming up with a prototype.

Currently 1,000 two-litre bottles are supplied to shops around Suffolk, and Myerscough claims customers have been “overwhelmingly positive”.

There are plans to make the next generation of bottles entirely from paper and to sell products to other industries, such as detergent and shampoo manufacturers.

Asda’s decision to introduce the bottles nationally should help bring costs of production down. “The price is the same as a plastic bottle,” Myerscough said. “Our target is to be competitive with plastic bottles.”

>>> Please read the full article here

CarbonTrack, which has been developed in association with the Carbon Trust, has provided a benchmark for the UK advertising industry, estimating it produces two million tonnes of CO2 each year.

This figure is equivalent to the carbon footprint of heating 364,000 homes for 12 months.

The system is capable of taking into account emissions produced from “TV to radio, outdoor, magazines, newspapers, digital display and search”.

Ifti Akbar, co-managing director of Envido, energy, carbon and sustainability consultants, said the development reflects the fact carbon accounting is becoming “more sophisticated and widespread”.

“Companies utilising CarbonTrack will be ahead of the UK legislation curve and actively contributing to reducing the emissions of their industry,” he added.

Over 100 different suppliers have so far provided CarbonTrack with data, however, the system will not allow direct comparisons between different media enterprises.

The Guardian News and Media Group was recently awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for cutting its emissions by 28 percent in three years.

>>> Please read the full article here

KATHARINE E HAMNETT
Katharine Hamnett is a true ethical clothing innovator, and a tireless campaigner for the use of organic cotton. After visiting Mali with Oxfam in 2003, the designer saw first hand the devastating effects of the conventional cotton industry, and immediately vowed to help drive the demand for the organic alternative. Her iconic slogan tees are the produced to the highest environmentally friendly standards and are the height of eco-chic.

HOWIES
For Howies, taking an ethical philosophy isn’t just about using organic cotton (although they do this as well!); it’s about making products that will last. This is why the brand’s selection of organic basics are some of the best out there, and are a good place to start if you want to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly.

EDUN
Founded by Bono and wife Ali Hewson in spring 2005, EDUN is far from being a celebrity fashion label. Created to encourage Fairtrade practise, the label fosters sustainable employment schemes in developing countries around the world. The fact that the clothes are some of the most stylish in the eco-market is merely a bonus.

CIEL
When Sarah Ratty established eco-fashion label Ciel she wanted to create clothing that would offer an ethical and environmental choice to fashion conscious women. She certainly succeeded, and her covetable collection garners as much attention for its beautiful cuts and colours as it does its’ impeccable eco credentials.

BEYOND SKIN
Proving an ideal example of how far the ethical fashion industry has come in the past few years, Beyond Skin’s designs are as stylish as they are ethically sound. Handmade in a family run factory in England, the company has a cruelty free philosophy, in terms of not only animals, but humans and the environment as well.

ANNIE GREENABELLE
Available at Equa, one of our favourite eco-boutiques, Annie Greenabelle is one of those labels that instantly debunk notions that ethical fashion can’t be both green and stylish. Combining organically grown and recycled fabrics, her party dresses are a must for green goddesses.

AMANA
Amana was one of our favourite discoveries at last season’s London Fashion Week Estethica exhibition, an area dedicated to the best eco-clothing labels out there. Marrying beautiful design with ethical production, the entire collection is created by a fair trade co-operative of women artisans in Morocco. On top of this, organic silks and cottons alongside hemp mix fabrics ensure that the collection has minimal negative environmental impact.

>>> For more information on each of these designers and to see Marie Claire’s top tens click here

Green festivals promote the awareness of ecological concerns whilst engaging with entertainment Festivals such as Chorlton’s Big Green Festival (27th March), the Real Food Festival (7th-10th May), The Green Festival (22nd May) and Fiddler’s Green International Festival (18th-25th July) promote positive change whilst providing fun, interesting and thought provoking days out for the whole family. The Big Tent (23rd-24th July) is Scotland’s biggest eco festival and has been a phenomenal success in the past providing a format that everyone can benefit from. The Croissant Neuf Party (13th-15th August) won the Greenest Festival of the Year award in 2009 and combines exceptionally great music with renowned street theatre, workshops, open mic sessions and sports activities. Perhaps one of the best known green events comes in the shape of the Big Green Gathering (dates tbc) which is a wonderful five day camping event in Somerset. Grown out of the Green Gatherings and Glastonbury Music Festival events it is definitely not one to be missed.

Another fantastic way of promoting the green agenda is by getting involved with an action day. Fairtrade Fortnight is currently underway and Walk to School Week will commence on the 17th of May – a great way to get the kids involved! World Environment Day takes place on the 5th June, recycle week begins on the 21st of June, World Water Week on the 5th of September and Buy Nothing Day takes place on the 27th of November.

The most famous action day comes in the form of Earth Day which celebrates its 40th anniversary on the 22nd of April. These days provide an opportunity to show your support for a great cause and teach your family about the impact of their actions on the environment at large.

Or how about the EcoBuild exhibit (2nd-4th of March) where sustainable designers, innovators and constructors come together to provide more than 100 free conference and seminar sessions? Or One Life Live (18th-21st March) which provides inspiration and advice to those who feel they want to make more of their lives? These fantastic events combine volunteering opportunities, seminars, career advice and business acumen to help you make a difference.

If you’re still not convinced then check out UK Aware (16th-17th April) which brings together 200 exhibitors, 15,000 visitors, 100 low carbon vehicles and over 50 world guest speakers or Sustainabilitylive! (20th-22nd May) which is the UK’s largest forum for excellence and innovation in environment, water, energy and land and is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

>>> For more details on all the green events listed above, check out our Green Events page.

Speaking at the sustainable clothing conference at London Fashion Week, Environment Minister Dan Norris announced a number of new signatories to SCAP who would be joining the 40 companies such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Oxfam that have already in pledged to improve the environmental and ethical aspects of their supply chains. New signatories this year include: British Retail Consortium, Ethical Fashion Forum, Forum for the Future, Levis Strauss, MADE-BY, Cotton Made in Africa, RSPCA, Society of Dyers and Colourists.

I’m delighted to be here amongst the industry front runners on sustainable clothing, Norris said. Because of your participation, the Action Plan and wider Clothing Roadmap initiative is progressing as planned and we are as committed as ever to working with the sector on improving the environmental and ethical footprint of fashion.
SCAP covers a broad range of commitments to make fashion more sustainable throughout its whole lifecycle, from design, to raw material selection, to production, through to retail and disposal.

Initiatives so far have seen Asda, Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury are focus on green factories, reducing the impacts of clothing packaging, increasing their ranges of Fair Trade and Organic, increasing take back and recovery of unwanted clothing, supply chain traceability  and increasing consumer messaging on low impact clothing washing practices.

In addition, the UK Department for International Development ( DFID ), as a Sustainable Clothing Roadmap stakeholder, has launched The Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector ( RAGS ) initiative to help clothing manufacturers improve working conditions for their producers in developing countries.

The RAGS fund will make £3.5 million available over three years for bids from organisations who want to make the clothing business more ethical and contribute more strongly to development in poor countries.

Read the full article at ecotextile.com

Turn things off at the plug. Make sure that little red light on your TV is switched off at night time and don’t leave your computer endlessly on charge!

2. Energy-Saving Products

Energy saving products can be a fantastic way to upgrade your home and keep your carbon footprint down. Water-saving products are a particularly efficient way to keep your bills down and your home eco-friendly.

3. Commit to 10:10

Make it your New Years Resolution to cut down your emissions by 10% in 2010

4. Clean your filters

Make sure all of your appliances are efficient by keeping them clean

5. New Appliances!

Ironically, keeping your old appliances might mean your using more energy than you need! If it’s from before the 90s then it might be time to think about buying a new and more energy efficient replacement.

6. Tumble Dryers

Turn them off!!! Dry your clothes outside for a nicer smell, a better feeling and a much-reduced energy bill

7. Heating

Heating can be one of the biggest expenditures, especially around this time of year. Try to exclude any draughts and seal your windows and doors as best as possible. Have thick curtains instead of blinds to retain the heat and don’t keep your heating on all day! If you keep your windows and doors closed you shouldn’t need the heating on.

8. Use The Dimmer

Using your light dimmers is a great way to cut down on electricity. Try not to have your lights on full power and remember to turn them off whenever you don’t need them.

9. Run Full Loads
In your dishwasher and washing machine. This can dramatically save water-use and save you money and time!

10. Insulate!

Insulation in your attic or home is the best way to retain heat on those chilly winter days

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!

Find out what your local council recycles and make sure to adhere to their rules. Clean out your cans and jars and take your paper (newspapers, cardboard, old letters etc) to your local dump. Recycling is one of the best ways we can cut down on our unnecessary consumption!

2. Simplify

Your life – cut down on any unnecessary expenditure. Take any un-used clothes to your local charity shop and try not to buy too many things you don’t need! Getting rid of things you don’t use and cutting down on things you don’t need helps reduce unnecessary waste in the future!

3. Avoid Throwing Away Food

Try to budget and plan your weekly shop so you don’t throw away food. Keep a small compost heap so any raw vegetables that you might have thrown away get put to better use. If you enjoy gardening then grow your own instead of buying your fruit and vegetables down the shop!

4. Reusable Products

Get rid of all your disposable products and replace them with reusable products. This might include plates, cups, cutlery, razors, bathroom products, towels, bags, pens etc.

5. Use the Library!
The library is a great local free service. Instead of buying all your books new go down to your local library and borrow for free! Great for the environment and your purse strings.

6. Buy Organic, Local and Free Range Where You Can

One of the best ways to be sustainable is to keep your local businesses thriving. Instead of tescos head down to your local butchers or grocers and try to support your local Farmer’s Market. Try to avoid food which uses unnecessary packaging and has been processed. It’s better for your health and the eco-system! Only purchase ‘dolphin-safe’ Tuna and try to buy fair trade wherever possible. Helping other people is the first step to helping the world.

7. Cut Down on Your Energy!

Buying an energy-meter can be one of the best ways to measure and cut down on your energy use. Turn off your TV at the socket and try to keep your computers off-charge when they don’t need it. Turn off lights when you’re not in the room – it is these little changes that can make a massive impact on energy consumption in your community! Try these changes in your office as well!

8. Conserve Water

Try to commit to cutting down your water consumption. Place a water-saving product in your shower such a timer and try to avoid having too many baths! Only fill up your kettle to the level which is needed and consider buying a low-flow flush toilet. Always run your laundry and dishwashers on full – they should be packed before you turn them on! Use a dishwasher instead of hand washing and don’t rinse your dishes before putting them in the wash! Fix your leaks and try to use a recycling-water car wash!

9. When Outdoors

Don’t throw your trash on the floor and try to pick up any you see left along the roadside. Get involved in a local clean-up project and think of planting some trees in your local park. Helping to support local parks is an important part of keeping your community green.

10. Natural Products

Try to use natural products whenever possible. This includes make up, cosmetics, body lotions, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner etc. Make sure they’re cruelty free. Good for your body and the world! Try to use natural products for the home as well (such as Ecover)