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1 - NO KINDA SURPRISE – PLASTIC POLLUTION

2 - PLASTIC MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

3 - PLASTIC BEACH RUBBISH IN LE TOUQUET

4 - THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

5 - PLASTIC FOOD CHAIN

6 - PLASTIC BOTTLES IN SAINT MALO

7 - FRENCH SUPERMARKET MINI RECYCLING CENTER

8 - HEATHROW TERMINAL 1 RECYCLING BINS

9 - RUBBISH TIDE AT LE MONT SAINT MICHEL

10 - PORSCHE 918 SPYDER HYBRID SUPERCAR

Organise the perfect green Christmas this year and save money with top 10 tip guide; reduce your carbon footprint and have a more eco friendly and sustainable holiday season.

1. Serve local, healthy and seasonal December foods at your events and xmas parties. Choose vegetables that are in season and do not have to be flown in from abroad. Broccoli, cabbage and onions can all be grown without the aid of harsh chemicals so you can spend your organic pounds elsewhere.

2. Decorating your house can be one of the most enjoyable parts of Xmas. Go for ethically made and traded decorations. Natural Collection, Big Green Smile, Nigel’s Eco Store and Vita Etica all have a great range. Kids really enjoy making their own green decorations out of old scraps of material and leftovers. Try popcorn garlands – which are really fun and cheap to make and scour a woodland floor for fallen pinecones and twigs that are great for decorations!

3. E-mail party invites and Christmas cards rather than post them. There are loads of free Xmas themed party invite e-cards around or alternatively make your own out of scrap and recycled products. If you really want to send cards, choose charity ones or check out these really funky recycled ones. After the big day, make sure your Christmas cards don’t go to waste – take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point.

4. Christmas heating and lighting bills can be huge! Save cash and protect the environment by using energy saving devices such as standby busters and radiator boosters. Don’t forget to turn off the tree lights or better still try these solar powered ones.

5. Use recycled paper, gift bags or even colorful cloth to wrap the Christmas presents and instead of tape, use colorful ribbon to tie up the gifts.

6. Make a green statement this xmas! Send a message to the manufacturers of consumer goods by shopping for & buying only natural, non toxic, eco friendly, organic presents this year. Shop through www.moreeco.com for the largest selection of green retailers on one site and earn cashback and offset carbon at the same time.

7. Which makes a better tree? Artificial or a real one? Simply real ones are as they are great for the environment and can be replanted after use. If replanting isn’t an option, most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes. Contact yours or go to http://www.letsrecycle.com. If you need to use an artificial one avoid those made in China or Tawian which have transport costs associated with them. They also can be made with nasty chemicals, metals and plastics which can emit into our homes. Adorn with fair trade and ethical traded decorations or again make your own.

8. How do we give children what they desire but without poisoning our planet? Take electronic toys for instance. There are 900 million batteries used each year in the UK alone and many are in toys. But only 2% of batteries are currently recycled – the rest end up in landfill sites and are poisoning our planet! So what do you do? Choose an eco toy. Green and eco-friendly toys shouldn’t cost the earth so choose from a great selection here that don’t require batteries. Alternatively go for rechargeable batteries which will save you pounds throughout the year.

9. Recycle your unwanted presents. Unfortunately everyone receives at least one unwanted gift at Christmas. Many recycle their unwanted presents to charities. Local hospitals and hospices are often very pleased to receive unwanted smellies to give to patients. Or you could try Nigels Eco Store’s regifting forum or www.freecycle.org and swap them for other people’s unwanted gifts.

10. Don’t go overboard especially in the current climate and remember – reduce, reuse and recycle.

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Finally if you are stuck for eco gifts for him, her or your kids, then check out EcoTrendSpotter’s Eco Christmas Shopping Guide.

Thanks in major part to Switzerland’s tough legislation regarding pollution, they made it to number one on the world’s most eco-friendly nations. Their long-term plans target cooperation between organizations and individuals. Individual awareness is also a factor, since Switzerland charges for their water and waste management services as well as establishing a sever environmental taxes, promoting personal responsibility. Prevention is a third key tenet, shown by the 2006 development of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), meant to sustain natural resources and develop safety measures for natural hazards.

2 – Norway

Norway earns a high spot for being first home to the world’s largest solar production plant, owned by REC Group. They have also taken emissions seriously, now planning on becoming carbon neutral by 2030, not 2050 as originally expected, in major part by funding green projects abroad and reducing at home driving and flying.

3 – Sweden

Sweden’s mandate for a country free of fossil fuels by 2020 puts it in third. A majority of the country’s power is either nuclear or hydroelectric already. Solutions for automobile and flight transport include ethanol and animal waste conversion. Furthermore, the power of waves is in the process of being harnessed as well. Thanks to development at the University of Uppsala, Sweden is developing “wave power” which converts waves into 4x as much energy as solar power in the same amount of time, with no waste and no emissions.

4 – Finland

Finland is a country showing remarkable recovery from industrialization with its initiative to clean up water and air quality in industrial areas as well as land preservation. What’s more is that Finland’s forests are now growing at a greater rate than they are being deforested, showing an environmental gain even with the annual timber harvest. Finland can also be attributed with starting the United Nation’s Environmental Programme (UNEP) Task Force for Sustainable Building and Construction, which looks not only at the sustainability of the building, but of the resources and process used to construct it.

5 – Costa Rica

While there is a strong correlation between a country’s economic wealth and their environmental stewardship, Costa Rica still scores a five on the EPI scale. With 5% of the world’s biodiversity contained in one country, Costa Rica has always been on the forefront of environmental conservation. In fact, a full quarter of the nation is devoted to park preservation. But other developments such as the used on hydroelectric power in 80% of the country and the 5% gas tax which funds environmental programs put Costa Rica in fifth.

6 – Austria

Austria’s environmental conservation measures are enforced by all levels of government, from federal to municipal authorities. Waste disposal especially is a highly regulated department encompassing everything from individual waste to cooperate chemical, air and agricultural pesticide pollution. Water quality and forest preservation, however, is the highest priority. The quality level for Austria’s lakes and rivers is some of the highest in the world. The development of Austria’s National Protective Forest Plan has also helped in keeping the nations natural beauty pristine.

7 – New Zealand

This nation’s relatively small population in relation to land mass has helped preserve this nation’s natural resources. While automotive emissions do prove a real threat, as well as industrial pollutants, New Zealand is working hard to develop restrictive legislation and alternative energy sources. The nation was also host to the 2008 World Environment Day, as well as developing the Environmental Risk Management Authority, which regulates the introduction of non-native species and environmental components to determine their threat to New Zealand’s pristine atmosphere.

8 – Latvia

Latvia’s relatively small size is no indicator of their pride in their natural resources. By monitoring and reducing water pollution, their salmon and freshwater bodies are all in the range of “good.” Lativia has also begun dismantling unnecessary and pollutive farms to reduce fertilizer and insecticide chemicals and allow room for the return of natural forests. In fact, since 1990 Lativa has decreased stationary pollution by 46% and wastewater by 44%, devoting a major portion of environmental funds to water treatment and energy conservation techniques.

9 – Colombia

Beating Costa Rica, Colombia is home to 10% of the world’s species, with a wealth of ecological diversity. While Colombia has had problems in the past concerning deforestation, the detrimental effects of the coca trade, and political strife involving their natural oil deposits, all these factors have helped to move Colombia towards energy conservation and new, less politically tumultuous resources. Colombia has also begun programs for the cultivation of natural parks that support the growth of native medicinal plants. The Orito Igni-Ande Medicinal Flora Sanctuary is a 10,626 hectare preserve that may just show that Colombia is on the right track.

10 – France

The French government is very aware of the problem of climate change, and it is for this reason that France has made tenth of the list. Their strict environmental protection measures are incorporated into the national Constitution and reviewed every year with the eventual goal of 54 million tons of saved C02 by 2010, one of the few in the Kyoto agreement to cut such a large amount of emissions in so short a time. These laws are also comprehensive, covering every setup of production from supplier to producer to consumer, also helping to make them the number one producer of renewable energy sources in the EU, 78% of its energy being nuclear powered, which in turn has reduced nitrogen oxide and other hazardous emissions by 70%.

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1. Recyclezone

The Recyclezone is sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and is a great source of green information for school children. It’s bright, interactive and easy to use with a wide range of brain teasers, jokes and ideas – don’t miss Recycler the Rapping Robot’s musical debut.

For more information visit: Recycle Zone

2. The Greens

Meet the Greens is a website about an environmentally conscious family who are trying to do their bit for the planet. This US-based site features short animated adventures, which all carry an eco-message. ‘Tons of trash’, ‘birds need trees’ and ‘food rescue’ are just a few of the episodes on the site.

There’s also an interactive blog where children can discuss how they feel about the programmes they’ve watched.

For more information visit: Meet The Greens

3. CBeebies Green Balloon Club

The Green Balloon Club stars four eco-warrior children and a dog, who live in a virtual green club house. The site is full of songs, videos, print and colour activities – and there’s a green star club where you can print out a chart and collect reward stickers for good green behaviour.

For more information visit: Green Balloon Club

4. Environment Agency – Fun and Games

The Environment Agency’s dedicated children’s section is home to a wealth of games, information and animated news bulletins. There are lots of surprising facts and figures to get your little ones thinking, as well as a tool to calculate your family’s eco footprint and tips on how to reduce it.

For more information visit: Environment Agency

5. National Geographic Kids

The National Geographic children’s site is a great resource, which focuses on topics like animal migration, the environment and how it affects the wildlife around us. There are plenty of quizzes, videos, games, stories and tips to bring your children closer to the nature around them. Check out the step-by-step guide to planting your own garden.

For more information visit: National Geographic

6. WaterBusters!

This interactive game has been created by the Saving Water Partnership, Seattle, USA. Your mission is to help Phil Dumpster and his friend Bert the Salmon (who is on hand with green advice) to find the areas around the house where they can save water, money and the environment before they are washed away!

For more information visit: Waterbusters

7. Nature Challenge for Kids

Meet David Suzuki – he’ll challenge your children to follow a ten-step action plan covering topics such as food, travel, and the home. The idea is for children to gain better eco-awareness and apply it to their everyday lives. You’ll also find fun role play ideas and activities to encourage kids to express their views on nature and the environment.

For more information visit:Nature Challenge for Kids

8. Scholastic Explorers – Earthwatch Partnership

This educational site is a great tool for inspiring children to expand their learning skills, as well as their knowledge of wildlife and the environment. Find tips on discovering the eco systems in your garden as well as the chance to watch a wildlife video and submit a report on what you see.

For more information visit: Teacher Scholastic

9. Charlie and Lola – Look After Your Planet

This popular game is a fun way of familiarising your children with the process of recycling. The task is to navigate one of the Charlie and Lola characters to collect falling rubbish in the correct recycling bins. The fun graphics and illustrations make this a pleasure to play, and you can progress through the site to bigger challenges depending on your level of skill.

For more information visit: Charlie and Lola

10. Kidsrgreen

This hands-on site offers plenty of advice to children who want to go green – both in and out of school time. You can hop on a spaceship for a round-the-world tour or go on a mission with ‘Trip the Drip’ to discover the importance of water to the planet.

For more information visit: Kidsgreen