Arsenal unveil environmentally-friendly retro new home kit
Having been accused of lacking bottle in the past, Arsenal will have no excuses on that front this season – at least in the kit department
The club revealed their new strip for the 2010-11 campaign today and, as exclusively revealed by Telegraph Sport, they are going back to the Seventies, with an environmentally-friendly twist.
Arsene Wenger’s side will return to the familiar and popular block red body with a white round neck collar and white sleeves, and every shirt is made entirely from recycled polyester crafted from up to eight plastic water bottles as part of Nike’s ‘Considered Design’ programme.
The Dri-Fit fabric is claimed to be 13 per cent lighter than previous kits and one of those who will wear it, Theo Walcott, said: “The colours are very traditional, it feels nice and it’s made from recycled plastic bottles so what more can you ask for?”
Alex Song added: “The shirt is traditional, it’s red and white which the fans love, and it shows the history of the Club.
“I watched Arsenal on TV lots when I was young and just saw red and white. If someone told me six or seven years ago I’d be able to wear these colours it would have been unbelievable, so today I’m so happy to wear this shirt and to do my best for this shirt.”
Defemder Thomas Vermaelen said: “I really like this new kit. It’s the typical colours for Arsenal, white and red, and it’s really nice. Every club has their own traditional colours. For Arsenal it’s red and white and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
>>> Please read the full article here
July 11, 2010
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Green Events Update
2010 has seen some fantastic green events already. As eco innovation develops and more and more consumers demand
sustainable companies it is important to keep on top of the new trends, technologies and fashions in the eco-friendly world! Eco-online stores are your first stop to learning more about going green but if you want to check out the products, services and technology first hand look no further than these fantastic events:
Earth Day - The 40th Anniversary – April 22nd 2010
Marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
Real Food Festival – 7th to10th May 2010, Earl’s Court
Discover some of the best food and drink from small producers from around the world. Tastings, workshops and more.
Walk to School Week – 17th – 21st May 2010
Walk to School Week is an action-packed awareness week in spring each year. We encourage parents, teachers and local authorities to run fun events and activities to raise awareness about walking to school. Each year we set a new theme and produce loads of bright and colourful resources to go with it and to help you take part!
Sustainabilitylive! – May 20th to 22nd, 2010
Sustainabilitylive! taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from 19 – 21 May 2009, is the UK’s largest forum for excellence and innovation in environment, water, energy and land.
Green Festival – Saturday 22nd May, 2010
Planning is underway for the Green festival in 2010. 2009’s festival was a big hit and the planners are currently looking for a theme for this years festival!
World Environment Day – 5th June 2010
World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action
Newcastle Community Green Festival – 5th – 6th June 2010
The North’s biggest free environmental festival. In 2008 they had over 16,000 visitors and if you’re on the lookout for a weekend of fun for all the family then look no further! The weekend festival is jam packed full of top class entertainment, workshops, activities and music to suit all tastes and ages. Combining the weird and the wonderful to spread the environmental message.
Their aim is to promote positive solutions to environmental problems and raise awareness of green and ethical issues. From mad-cap bike powered music stages to a solar powered cinema – they have something for everyone! The festival takes place in the picturesque setting of Leazes Park – a 5 minute walk from the city centre. Check the site in the new year for details of dates etc.
Brighton Naked Bike Ride 2010 – June 13th
In June 2010, in cities around the world, people will be riding bikes naked to celebrate cycling and the human body. The World Naked Bike Ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against car culture.
Recycle Week – 21nd to 27th June
It’s easy to get involved this Recycle Week which is organised by Recycle Now. We can all help by doing anything from re-using our carrier bags to recycling old electrical items – remembering to put as much of our recycling out, reducing our food waste and home composting of course! However you choose to waste less, it’s easy, it helps the environment and you might even save money in the process.
National Shed Week - 9th to 14th July 2010
“Do you have a garden shed that is unique?” asks Uncle Wilco head sheddie of readersheds.co.uk. “Maybe it’s your own little bolthole away from the trials of life. Maybe you have converted your humble garden building into a pub, or it’s just a normal wooden building that’s special to you.”
Fiddler’s Green International Festival – 18th – 25th July, 2010. Rostrevor, Northern Ireland.
The Fiddler’s Green Festival has come a long way in the last 24 years. It began as a one day event, progressed to a weekend one and now extends to eight days and seven nights of music, culture and craic. With up to 200 events the festival caters for music fanatics, families who wish to enjoy a safe, child focused festival, and those who come just to soak up the scenery, the friendliness and the free outdoor music. Based in the scenic village of Rostrevor, preparations for the 24th festival are well in hand.
There will be free outdoor ceilis, an open air stage, art exhibitions, children’s entertainment and even a literary pub crawl, with the emphasis on ‘literary’ rather than ‘crawling’! All musical tastes are catered for (folk, blues, country, classical), with lunchtime, early evening and night time folk clubs Each year the Festival bestows two special awards; the Hall of Fame Award which celebrates lifelong achievement in Irish Music, and the Creative Arts Award to acknowledge achievements in the Arts and Literary fields, the first award having been presented to poet laureate Seamus Heaney. The recipients of these awards are traditionally named closer to the Festival’s formal launch.
The Big Tent 2010 – Saturday 23rd-Sunday 24th July 2010
Scotland’s biggest eco festival
The Big Tent Festival of Stewardship, will be held in Falkland, Fife – expect a return of activities like the Climate Challenge Ceilidh, Earth Climate Champion’s Zone, Earth Action Talks sponsored by WWF Scotland, a Family Zone, a brand new Wood Zone, plus the return of our celebrated Food Village.
National Allotments Week – 9th to 15th August 2010
A week to promote awareness and availability of allotments both locally and nationally as well as showing the public and the local authorities the strength of support and interest for the heritage of allotment culture.
Croissant Neuf Party – 13th-15th August 2010
Greenest festival of the year 2009 The Croissant Neuf Summer Party is brought to you by the team responsible for one of the oldest features of Glastonbury festival – The Croissant Neuf Solar Powered Venue.
As well as great music expect internationally renowned street theatre, workshops of all kinds from dancing to bushcraft, open mic sessions, sports activities, and more.
World Water Week – 5th to 11th September 2010
Experts from 100 countries are assembled this week in a global effort to improve human; welfare and the planet’s health.
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – 16th September 2010
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – reflects the urgent need to preserve the ozone layer, which filters sunlight and prevents the adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, thereby preserving life on the planet.
Peace One Day – 21st September 2010
To some it’s just a single day. But to us, 21 September is a 24 hour-long platform for life-saving activities around the world and an opportunity for individuals – particularly young people – to become involved in the peace process. 21 September is the UN International Day of Peace, a day of global ceasefire and non-violence: Peace Day.
By 2007, the UN estimated that over 100 million people from all walks of life actively supported Peace Day around the world. That same year, Peace One Day was instrumental in securing the conditions by which mass polio vaccinations could be carried out in Afghanistan on Peace Day; 1.4 million children were vaccinated in some of the most remote areas of the country. And in 2008, an additional 1.6 million were treated. That’s an estimated 3 million children in Afghanistan alone – on Peace Day.
On Peace Day 2008 in Afghanistan the United Nations Department for Safety and Security, which monitors security related incidents, recorded a 70 per cent reduction in violent incidents on the day itself.
World Carfree Day – 22nd September 2010
World Carfree Day is an annual celebration of cities and public life, free from the noise, stress and pollution of cars.
World Toilet Day 2010 – 19th November
Did you know there is currently a world sanitation crisis? Hard to believe that 2.5 billion people do not have somewhere safe, private or hygienic to go to the toilet! World Toilet Day is all about raising this sort of awareness and converting awareness into action.
Our partners WaterAid work hard to educate people on this serious issue and to enable some of the worlds poorest people to gain access to effective sanitation. It’s not just having a safe, clean place to go to the toilet that’s important but washing your hands after too! The simple act of washing hands with soap and water after going to the toilet can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by over 40%.
To read more about this worldwide call to action follow the link below.
Buy Nothing Day – 27th November, 2010
Everything we buy has an impact on the environment, Buy Nothing Day highlights the environmental and ethical consequences of consumerism. The developed countries – only 20% of the world population are consuming over 80% of the earth’s natural resources, causing a disproportionate level of environmental damage, and an unfair distribution of wealth.
As consumers we need to question the products we buy and challenge the companies who produce them. What are the true risks to the environment and developing countries? The argument is infinite – while it continues we should be looking for simple solutions and Buy Nothing Day is a good place to start.
Big Green Gathering 2010 – date to be confirmed
What is it? The Big Green Gathering is a 5 day camping event which is currently located in the Mendip Hills in Somerset. It has grown out of the original Green Gatherings of the 1980’s and the Green Fields of Glastonbury Music Festival. It has developed organically in response to a desire from people within the green movement for a festival that was focused on Green issues.
For more information check out MoreEco’s Green Events page
May 9, 2010
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‘Biodegradable’ plastic bags may not be as eco-friendly as thought
‘Biodegradable” plastic bags used by major supermarkets do not break down as quickly as believed and may not be as environmentally-friendly as they sound, according to Government-funded research
A study into ”oxo-degradable” plastics, often labelled as degradable or biodegradable, found there was uncertainty about their impact on the natural environment.
The carrier bags, bin bags and flexible packaging, made from common plastics with small amounts of chemicals to speed up their breakdown, are also not suitable for recycling with other plastics, reuse or composting, the research by Loughborough University found.
In the wake of the study funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, ministers called on the industry not to claim the plastics were better for the environment than more conventional ones.
And the Co-operative said it would not be using carrier bags made from that type of plastic in its stores in future.
Oxo-degradable plastics contain additives to help them degrade into smaller pieces more quickly with the help of heat or light. The report said adding the metal compounds to the plastics did not improve their environmental performance and ”potentially gives rise to certain negative effects”. Researchers said it was hard to estimate how long the plastics would take to degrade, though somewhere between two and five years has been suggested if they are left out in the open UK environment.
But they do not degrade in the absence of oxygen so are unlikely to break down in landfill, where much of the plastic would end up. One of the claims made for oxo-degradable plastics is they reduce litter as they are biodegradable, but the report said they would still be lying around for several years before they broke down in the environment.
And there are concerns about the impact the degraded fragments of plastic could have in the natural world, potentially being consumed and building up in insects, animals and fish.
The additives also make the plastics unsuitable for recycling with mainstream plastic packaging and for reuse, particularly for long term storage because they will begin to disintegrate. The report called for the description of the plastics as ”biodegradable” to be replaced with a greater explanation of how exactly it will break down, or the correct method of disposal.
Iain Ferguson, environment manager for the Co-operative Food, said: ”We have already decided to stop purchasing carrier bags with the oxo-biodegradable additive and with the support of our customers and staff, we have reduced carrier bag numbers by 60% in the last three years.”
Defra said bags and other products made from compostable plastic are tested to make sure they are able to bio-degrade within six months, and are marked with logos showing they are suitable for composting.
>>> Read the full article here
March 20, 2010
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Why Green Events are So Important
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.
March 8, 2010
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Green Events 2010 – One Life Live
Are you looking for inspiration to make a change in your life? One Life Live at The Vitality Show is the perfect place to start! Packed with life coaching experts, career gurus and volunteering specialists, One Life Live has everything you need to start making a real difference to your future.
Whether you feel unfulfilled in your job, want a new personal challenge or simply achieve a happier work/life balance, One Life Live can help! To start you in the right direction, they have an exclusive ticket offer for you.
Book two tickets in advance for just £20, saving £15+, and be in with a chance of winning one of 20 introductory coaching days with The Smart School of Coaching worth £100 each. ook your tickets now or call 0871 230 5569 and quote SSL.
Roz McLeod is the founder and owner of Tall Poppy Training and Coaching (www.tallpoppytrainingandcoaching.com) and will be speaking on the One Life Live Theatre – come along and hear how you can make positive steps to change your life for the better.
Book 2 tickets for £20 now and be in with a chance of winning a coaching day worth £100 with The Smart School of Coaching. Book now or call 0871 230 5569 and quote SSL.
If you’re interested in a more personal and in depth experience, book your ticket for a One Life Live Workshop. Get expert advice in a friendly and informal environment on everything from careers to health and diet and life change to making the most of your CV. Limited availability. Tickets will be on a first come, first served basis.
>>> Link
February 4, 2010
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Good News on Wind Power
Earlier this month the government announced a £100bn plan to boost wind power to an unprecedented scale. The Crown Estate confirmed the latest round of leasing of UK waters for offshore farms, which will add 25 GW of electricity generation (to the existing 8GW); this will be enough to power every household in the UK.
Additional plans for offshore wind farms in Scotland could bring the total capacity to about 40GW.
This is all very impressive. Construction is planned to begin 2013-2015. I was at parliamentary seminar on energy policy earlier this week where the shadow minister for Energy Charles Hendry rightly commented on these plans en passant ”we have a shortage of ships, skills, engineers, manufacturing capacity, and absolutely
no money, but other than that everything is going fine”. It’s a typical “Yes Minister” moment, and probably spot on, but there’re reasons to be optimistic.
There is a huge challenge in delivering the necessary volume to build these offshore farms and the cost involved, especially at a time when Britain is risking a rating downgrade and needs to keep a lid on printing money, but I have no doubt that we will rise to the challenge. It also beside the point that in all likelihood all this technology will be sourced from abroad.
The concerns about the unreliability of windpower are unjustified. If there’s wind for a net 50% of the time during the year, and we need to resort to burning coal and gas for the remainder to make up for the shortfall, that is a 50% cut in emissions already. There is no objective need to expect that any one renewable source will produce electricity
at a continuous level 24/7. The key is to diversify the energy mix and securing that the main elements of the mix delivering the lion’s share of the demand are low carbon.
The same applies at a micro-generation or household level. Solar panels can be a great investment because the excess production can be sold to the National Grid. The limited number of hours of daylight means that a household needs to buy back from the grid part of the time. However the net balance
is that an average set up with an initial outlay of £30000 can bring dividends of about 5-7% p.a. by selling the electricity, which is more than one would get from putting the money in a savings account, plus there’s the added advantage that the household becomes a carbon negative contributor to reducing emissions.
This is far from a trivial point. Micro-generation and energy efficiency can play a crucial role in decreasing demand that would otherwise spiral out of control.
Article by Mikel Susperregi – full article can be found at http://www.baseshow.co.uk/
February 1, 2010
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Eco-Friendly Schools
Wind turbines and solar panels will be popping up on schools across the country as part of a Government drive to 
educate children about climate change.
From today every school in the country will be offered a hi-tech smart meter that shows pupils and staff how much energy is being used at any one time.
Ultimately schools will be expected to go carbon neutral by improving energy efficiency through insulation, double glazing, using low energy equipment and encouraging children to turn off appliances. Schools will also be expected to generate their own heat and power where appropriate by installing solar panels, wood chip boilers and wind turbines.
Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, said it was important people learn about cutting carbon at a young age.
“As parents know, their children have a real desire to become the environmental champions of the future and help save the planet for future generations – and we need to harness this interest and do even more,” he said.
The £12 million initiative to provide smart meters to every school will help monitor energy use. It can also be used as a teaching tool by demonstrating how different appliances and lifestyle changes can cut energy use.
See full article at telegraph.co.uk
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Top Ten Ways to Save on Energy
1. Turn it Off
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!
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.
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
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
December 13, 2009
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