Read All About It - UK Aware in the News

By all accounts, UK Aware 09 was a roaring success. Here’s what is being said in the press and in the blogosphere. And don’t forget, we want to hear from you. What did you think of the event? What were your favorite things? Got any suggestions for improvement? Are you planning on coming next year?

The Ecologist

GreenFinder Blog

Ethical PR Girl

The New York Times Green Inc. Blog

Healthy Planet

THANK YOU

Thanks to everyone who attended UK Aware 09 and in doing so made it such a positive experience. Everyone agreed that it was a spectacular success. Here's some interesting facts about UK Aware 09:

• UK Aware 09 had more than 7,500 visitors, more than double last year's attendance.
• UK Aware 09 had 60% more exhibitors than last year's UK Aware show.
• UK Aware 09 was over double the physical size of last year's.
• UK Aware Green Machines Expo saw the largest collection of low-carbon vehicles every assembled under one roof in the U.K.

The team at UK Aware is asking for your feedback, so that they can make next year's show even better and bigger than this year's. If you registered your details at UKAware.com, then you should receive a short survey in the near future. Please take a couple of minutes and fill it in, and you'll receive a free ticket to the next UK Aware exhibition and also be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a pair of tickets on Eurostar from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels.

If we don't have your details, we still welcome your feedback. If you have any particular comments, then please do drop a message to info@ukaware.com. The show organizers, Danny and Jodie, promise to read, absorb and appreciate them all! You're also welcome to leave comments here on the blog. I look forward to reading them and will pass along to Danny and Jodie. Check back to the blog soon for pics from the big event.

Oh, and Happy Earth Day everybody!

It's a Family Affair

If you’re planning on attending UK Aware this weekend and leaving the kids at home, maybe you should reconsider and bring them along.

By bringing together some of the country’s most influential environmental organisations and companies, UK Aware will provide the perfect opportunity to inspire your little ones and teach them about global warming and the importance of green living. It will help you talk to your kids about how they can live a greener lifestyle by doing such things as riding a bike, using renewable energy and eating organic produce. Climate change is going to present younger generations with immeasurable challenges. Creating awareness in children is the first step toward getting them to take action. Knowledge, after all, is power.

So make sure you bring your whole family, and stop by the Footprint Friends booth, where kids can paint eco-art on the soles of their feet! (All painted feet will be photographed and placed in the Footprint Friends art gallery.)

Footprint Friends is a web-based social networking site for 11-18 year olds. It was launched in 2007 to encourage young people to participate in the climate change conversation and to raise greater environmental awareness and inspire positive action among youth around the world. Make sure to check it out. Hope to see you—and your family—there!

For more info about Footprint Friends, click here.

UK Aware or Bust

How do you plan to get to UK Aware this weekend? In the spirit of all that the show stands for, we suggest leaving the car at home and taking public transport. The venue, Olympia Two, is in West London, near the Olympia tube stop, so it will be much easier to get around via public transport anyway. Plus, showing up to UK Aware in a Chelsea tractor would go against everything the show stands for, no? Then again, if you choose to drive a big car, hopefully you will learn how to green other aspects of your life to help offset your car’s carbon emissions.

You really should have no trouble getting to Olympia. EC&O Venues has loads of helpful travel information on their website, including interactive maps, walking maps and maps of bike racks, as well as a link to the Transport for London Journey Planner and National Express, plus much, much more. Olympia is incredibly easy to access from virtually anywhere by public transport. Don’t get your tickets in advance and start planning your trip. Safe travels everyone!

For travel info to Olympia Two, click here.

Let the Countdown Begin!

It's now less than a week until UK AWARE 09 taking place in Olympia Two on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April from 10am to 6pm.

For those of you who have registered to attend the event: Thank you! We would like to remind you to bring a few bits and bobs ... this year's event will be even more inspiring and interactive than ever! 
Here's what to bring if you would like to get involved...

• Old mobile phones to be recycled. (You'll be supporting charity, as well as making use of your old handsets.)

• Clothes that are in a good condition but sitting unused in your wardrobe - beat the crunch and swish your way to a whole new wardrobe completely free!

• Old batteries to be recycled. In exchange, you'll get a discount on the ubercool rechargeable USB cells that are on sale at the show.

• Unused material to make into a Morsbag.

• Your camera - please send your best photos of UK AWARE 09 to photo@ukaware.com. Whoever sends the best one will receive two standard class Eurostar return tickets to Paris, Brussels or Lille.

• A friend - they can use the code UA09AAA to book a free ticket - we need more people like you!

This years attractions include...

• FREE world-class speakers panels with more than 40 expert speakers.

• Green Business Startup Surgery - lectures and business advice that will help you take your first step toward becoming your own boss.

• 100+ amazing exhibitors showcasing 1000's of sexy green products and services.

• The Green Machines Expo

• Clothes swapping party

• Morsbags

• The Green Screen Cinema

• Footprint Friends Eco family action

• Green Marketplace

• Chillout lounge

• More than 7,000 visitors

We look forward to seeing you later this week!

Green Your Home

UK Aware is just nine days away, and the list of exciting exhibitors is growing faster than daffodils in spring. Here are a few that offer brilliant green products for your home. Make sure to stop by their booths at the show to check them out!



The Fair Trade Furniture Company
Although furniture cannot be officially labeled fair trade by the The Fair Trade Foundation, The Fair Trade Furniture Company uses the same criteria as their guiding principles, paying a fair price for the goods and helping improve the working conditions and lives of their suppliers in Indonesia. The company also works to minimise its environmental impact as much as possible, using sustainable materials that are environmentally harvested and avoiding carbon-intensive air freight for more eco-friendly sea transport. Their furniture is modern and unique, anything but cookie cutter. Check out their offering here.






Tami4 Filtered Water Dispensers
Bottled water may be convenient, but it’s not exactly a boon to the environment. Plastic water bottles are major sources of waste, and they take loads of energy and oil to produce. Break your bottled water habit with a Tami4 Water Filtration System for your home. Available in a range of lovely colors, Tami4 dispensers are stylish and modern—not like anything you’ve seen before. They connect directly to your mains water supply and provide filtered, chilled and boiling water at the touch of a button. See them for yourself here.

Don’t forget: Get your tickets for UK at www.ukaware.com. You better be there!

UK Aware Speaker Panels Just Announced!

The symposiums for this year’s UK Aware have just been announced, and I have to say the topics are brilliant and quite relevant to our lives and the times we live in. There will be eight sessions in all, four on Friday and four on Saturday. Each symposium features a panel of some of the brightest lights in London’s green scene, but the discussions are designed to be understandable—you don’t have to know anything about global warming or carbon emissions to enjoy and gain something from these panel discussions.

The speaker panels include: “Local to Global,” which focuses on how to drive change from the boardroom to the neighborhood; “The Big Carbon Debate,” where the panel will discuss the role that government, business, communities and individuals should play in reducing carbon emissions; “A to B Without the C02,” will cover what the future holds for personal transport; and “The Future’s Bright, The Future’s Green,” where the panel will discuss simple, practical steps you can take to live a happier, greener life.

The expert speakers are some of the brightest lights in London’s green scene, including Arthur Potts Dawson, Executive Chef of Acorn House, London’s famous eco-friendly restaurant; Michael Walton, Director of Shared Interest; Charlie Browne, IKEA UK Environment Manager; Polly Higgins of Trees Have Rights Too; Andrew Davis, Director of the Environmental Transport Association; and Anna Shepard, author of How Green Are my Wellies? Plus, many, many more. With a lineup like this, the speaker’s panels are on track to be the star of the show!

For a full list of panels and speakers, and a complete schedule, click here.

Lights Out for Earth Hour

For only the third time since WWII, the lights at Piccadilly Circus will be turned off on Saturday night, 28 March, at 8:30 p.m. for one hour.

What’s the occasion? Earth Hour! Organized by the Word Wildlife Federation (WWF), Earth Hour aims to get a billion people around the world to turn off their lights for 60 minutes to support the fight against global warming and send a message to world leaders that the environment should be a top priority.

Pledge to join the movement here, then head to Carluccio’s for a romantic dinner. The Italian café chain will be dimming the interior lights for Earth Hour and serving up its famous fare by the soft glow of candlelight.

Check out this link for more ideas of fun things to do in the dark during Earth Hour.

Greening the UK

Global economies may be shrinking, but there is still one thing growing during this recession: the UK Aware exhibitor list. Loads of new companies have been added to the ever-growing lot of participants over the last few weeks, including Onyabags, Eco-Camel, Cycle2job, NoMorePost.com, Zaytoun and Eco Hi Solar. If you have no clue what any of these businesses do, then that’s even more reason to come to UK Aware, April 17-18, and find out! It’s shaping up to be a brilliant show, so don’t miss it.

Give and Take - Clothes Swap Update

Daisy Green, our favorite online magazine for sustainable style and beauty, has all the latest information on the massive clothes swap taking place at UK Aware this April 17-18. They even have pictures of some of the items already collected for the swap, including the flouncy floral skirt pictured here. To learn more about the Swishing party at UK Aware, check out Daisy Green. And tell your friends!

Jewellery With a Heart of Gold

Spring officially starts today, so you know what that means! Mother’s Day is right around the corner. This year, I’m thinking about giving my mom some new jewellery. Perhaps some earrings such as the pair pictured below from my new favorite website: Avasarah.

Avasarah sells some of the most beautiful, unique and contemporary jewellery I’ve seen anywhere, and they do it all with a heart of gold. Every ring, earring, bracelet and necklace available on Avasarah.com will be making a difference in some way, whether the item is fairtrade, made with recycled materials or supporting a charity. It’s a reminder that where we shop and what companies we choose to support matters and has repercussions far beyond our comprehension. Buying power doesn’t just refer to the amount of sterling in your bank account -- it can also refer to the ability of your purchases to change the world.

Fittingly, Avasarah means opportunity in Sanskrit. Avasarah gives designers who are trying to make a difference in the world an opportunity to showcase their work. It creates the opportunity to talk about the bad and the good of the jewellery industry, and it gives us all an opportunity to contribute directly to the betterment of underprivileged communities. To see some of Avasarah’s pieces in person, come to UK Aware on April 17-18. They will be exhibiting there, along with loads of other cool companies.

Pedal Power

Britain has seen a major uptick over the last few years in the number of people riding bicycles. In London, trips by bikes increased by 50 per cent from 2000 to 2005 to 450,000 per day. It’s easy to understand why: Two-wheels aren’t just better for the environment than four, they also help you get in shape, let you sail through traffic jams, and give you that wind-in-your-face feeling of freedom that walking or driving simply can’t muster. And riding a bike sure beats being packed like a canned sardine on the tube.

But city cycling calls for a certain kind of bicycle – you need a BMX about as much as you need a noisy neighbor. Nope, you need a bike that is extremely practical and comfortable, made to hug city streets, haul your groceries, and stop on a dime.

Enter Really Useful Bikes. The name says it all. These blokes, Mark and Rob, created Really Useful Bikes (www.reallyusefulbikes.co.uk) to bring together the bikes that they think are especially relevant for today. As they note on their website, they make it easy for you to discover a bike that you may never have seen before, but that may be a useful addition to your daily life, whether it’s for carrying you, you and your stuff, your family or your business.

At Really Useful Bikes, you won’t find a bike that will let you do a back flip or ride up a mountain—only sensible, sexy solutions to practical cycling problems. In an urban environment, for instance, you have to make frequent stops. So Mike and Rob offer the Electra Townie, which has “Flat Foot Technology” that allows you to easily put both feet on the ground when you stop, but still allows you to extend your legs to pedal properly. You can also get what is called a “FreeRadicalised” Townie – it’s like a regular Townie but it has this contraption on the back that lets you carry loads of stuff (see pictures).

My favorite bike from Really Useful is the brand-new but über-retro Paper Bicycle (pictured above). A true hipster ride, it has an enclosed chain and mudguards to keep you clean and dry, as well as puncture proof tyres and internal gears, cables and brakes.

Let’s face it: Cars are, like, so 1990’s. Visit Really Useful Bikes here, and let me know your favorite. You can see some of them in person at UK Aware on April 17-18.

Inaction is Inexcusable

For anyone out there who still denies that the burning of fossil fuels is causing the earth to warm in dangerous ways, the meeting of scientific minds that took place in Copenhagen this week should convince them of the harsh reality.

The scientists at the Climate Crisis congress laid out recent observations confirming that the worst-case scenario trajectories (or even worse) are being realized and the climate is moving way beyond the natural patterns of variability in which we have thrived for so long. What’s more, recent observations have shown that societies are highly vulnerable to even slight levels of climate change, with poor nations at particular risk.

One of the key messages from the event is that inaction is inexcusable. Sure, governments everywhere need to step up, but don’t we all? Things are dire: We should each and everyone of us be doing our part to help stop global warming. Find out easy ways you can live a greener lifestyle at UK Aware this April 17-18 in central London. (See previous post for info on how to score free tickets!). You’re probably aware that taking the train, turning the lights off and recycling your rubbish are all ways to be green, but did you know that you can power your flat with wind, buy footballs that are fairtrade, or invest your money in green companies? Find out how at UK Aware!

The Best Things Come for Free

The best things come for free, right? We think so. That’s why we’re now giving our blog readers the chance to score free tickets to UK Aware, which is taking place on April 17-18, at London Olympia, in the heart of West London.

You don’t want to miss this show – it’s truly the most exciting green lifestyle event for consumers in the U.K. Almost 80 exhibitors are confirmed and the number keeps getting growing! You'll discover all sorts of ways to green your life without putting yourself out, or emptying your pockets for that matter.

So, here’s how to get your free tickets (a £5 value). Just click here and type promo code UA09BLOG in the box. See you there! Oh, and check www.ukaware.com for a full list of exhibitors.

Cadbury's Goes Fairtrade

Fairtrade got a massive boost last week when Cadbury announced that its Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar is going Fairtrade. By the end of summer, the Fairtrade certification logo will appear on all of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate Bars, as well as its packaged cocoa.

Cadbury’s will certify 300 million of its Diary Milk Chocolate Bars at a cost of £1.5m. This is wonderful news for cocoa farmers in Ghana who will benefit from the scheme.

By guaranteeing to pay a minimum price to cocoa farmers no matter what the market dictates, Cadbury’s will help improve the living standards and conditions for farmers and farming communities in Ghana.

One source of the Ghanian cocoa is the Kuapa Kokoo Union, a cooperative of more than 40,000 cocoa growers. Although they are currently only selling 3 percent of their cocoa as Fairtrade, those sales have allowed them to implement community projects like building primary schools, constructing wells and investing in corn mills. Now that they will have the chance to sell cocoa to Cadbury on fairtrade terms, their earnings will stabilize and they will be able to do even more to better their communities.

Cadbury’s has certainly set a new standard for the chocolate industry by going fairtrade. The deal will do much to boost awareness of fairtrade among the public and will set a new standard for the industry. Hopefully mass-market coffee and tea brands will follow suit.

To learn more about fairtrade, come to UK Aware in April in central London. The Fairtrade Foundation will have a booth there and will have reps on hand to answer any questions. Get your tickets to UK Aware now at www.ukaware.com.

UK Aware Featured in the Telegraph

UK Aware got a nice little write-up in the Telegraph last week. If you missed it, you can still check it out on the Telegraph website here. It's all about UK Aware's Green Machines expo, which will feature environmentally friendly vehicles like the Tesla Roadster pictured above. Don't miss it!

Your Chance to Get in Free

Tickets to UK Aware at London Olympia this April will cost you five quid per ticket. That's not a massive amount, but hey, we realize times are hard out there. If you're hesitant to put up the five quid for a ticket to UK Aware, but are keen to come to the show and peruse all the cool exhibitor booths, then check out the Susu Organic website here to see how to get in for free. That's right, F-R-E-E.

Even if you're not interested in the free tickets, Susu Organics is still worth checking out. They just recently signed up to be an exhibitor at UK Aware this year. You'll find loads of interesting articles on ethical, green and sustainable living on their website, as well as delicious recipes that will help you figure out just what to do with all of that good stuff you picked up at your local farmers' market this weekend. You can find gardening and nutrition tips, too.

Remember: UK Aware this April 17-18. It will be here before you know it!

Start a Green Revolution at Work

You buy organic groceries and use eco-friendly cleaning supplies at home, but do you forget the environment when you’re busy at work? Many people do. A YouGov poll from December shows that three out of four office workers are leaving their eco-efforts at home.

In April at UK Aware, there will be many exhibitors on hand who can help you learn how to be green at work. One exhibitor, First Impressions Last Longer, is the world’s first carbon-neutral supplier of office products. The paper they sell is made in a factory here in the UK from UK recycled waste, and the factory is powered by methane released through the recycling process. While of First Impressions' product lines are more expensive than others, the company says they can save your company money overall. First Impressions does not believe in a green ‘premium’ for business; they think going green should reduce your costs, not increase them. Come and see some of what they offer at UK Aware.

In fact, going green at work is not only right for the environment, it can also be good for business. I mean, if you want to really impress your customers, why not outfit your entire office in recycled furniture from The Recycle Warehouse. They have all sorts of recycled office goods, including pencils made out of recycled newspapers, waste bins made from recycled crisp packets and lovely pedestal desks made from recycled timber. You can also check out some of their offerings at UK Aware this year.

A Flick of a Switch

Have you heard about the World Wildlife Fund’s “Earth Hour”? On Saturday 28 March 2009, at 8:30 p.m., people, businesses and iconic buildings around the world will switch off their lights for one hour – WWF’s Earth Hour. The campaign will kickstart WWF’s Global Deal campaign to convince governments to agree on effective action for fighting climate change, leading up to December’s UN climate summit in Copenhagen.

Some 377 cities from 74 countries have already signed up to take part in Earth Hour. Many iconic landmarks including the Forth Bridge, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Sydney Opera House will be cloaked in darkness for the hour.

You can register to take part as an individual, organisation, school or business. Once you’ve registered, WWF will send you information on what you can do to become more involved in Earth Hour, including resources and tips. You could arrange a movie night or host a candlelight dinner party, for example. WWF even has menu suggestions. Or you could persuade your local pub to put on a pub quiz in the dark.

Earth Hour is a wonderful way to unite people from all over the world in a common cause: stopping global warming. WWF will host a booth a UK Aware this year, so make sure to stop by and learn about all the various ways the organisation is working to save the planet and conserve its resources, and how you can help.

Will you Join the Bandwagon?

Tickets for UK Aware just recently went on sale, but within the last two weeks, almost 3,000 have been sold. Looks like this year's show at London's Olympia in Earl's Court, April 17 & 18, is on track to be even bigger and better than last year's!

Some people may wonder why we bother stressing the importance of eco-friendly living during these times, when so many people are worried about losing their jobs and their savings, and the economic forecast looks more dour every day. Aren't there more important things to worry about? Indeed, times are tough, but passing down a livable planet to future generations should always be a priority, right? What's more, living your life in an environmentally friendly way can actually help you beat this bloody credit crunch.

At UK Aware, many of the exhibitors will show you how being green can help you save money and cut costs, too. At the Eco-eye booth, you'll discover how installing an electricity monitor can help you cut down on the total amount of electricity coming into your home. Eco-eye monitors, the only British designed electricity monitors on the market, literally "keep an eye" on the amount of energy you're using, and they display this information in a user-friendly way, serving as a reminder to turn off unnecessary lights and appliances.

Then there's the National Trust for Green Energy, a new, renewable electricity product, available to everyone, that is produced from clean energy sources such as offshore wind and hydroelectric power. At their booth at UK Aware, you'll learn how switching to green energy is simple and can, yes, save you money! The National Trust Green Energy was created by the National Trust and npower to make it simple for consumers to switch to green energy. When you sign up, npower will give the National Trust £15 to invest in low and zero-carbon initiatives at its sites, and as a customer, you will receive great offers and ideas to help you save energy in your home.

So hurry up and join the other 3,000 people who just bought tickets to UK Aware. You can purchase them here. See ya there!

The E-book Revolution

An article in this week’s Economist talks about how electronic books are growing in popularity, and, well, we just have one thing to say about that: Finally! Newspapers and magazines are now widely read online, and have been for some time, but when it comes to books, could the digital revolution really be starting now?

Indeed, a new wave of portable e-readers is making it easier and more comfortable for readers to curl up with a good e-book. One of the exhibitors at UK Aware this year is Libresco, distributor of the Iliad Reader, a lightweight, portable device that lets you read digital documents as easily and as conveniently as print. You simply upload books, newspapers, work documents or what have you onto the Iliad using WiFi, a PC connection or flash memory, and voila! Your reading material is always at hand.

Most importantly, investing in an Iliad is an investment in the environment. Paper production is harmful to the planet on so many levels. According to the UK charity Waste Watch, the average UK household throws out 4kg of paper each week, and as that rubbish rots in landfills, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

What’s more, the rising demand for paper is leading to a loss of diversity in the world’s forests – this also according to Waste Watch. The loss happens when magnificent old-growth forests are chopped down and replaced by managed plantations of fast-growing trees such as conifers. This process destroys valuable wildlife habitats and damages ecosystems.

So come to UK Aware in April and try out the Iliad reader for yourself. After all, nobody said being book smart was a bad thing.

Gifts from the Heart

If you're still searching for that perfect Valentine's Day present for your sweetie, I found some lovely, heart-themed gifts on the website Green Fairy Godmother. I love this bright, cheerful heart-shaped rag rug, which is made from recycled materials. You'll also find a recycled aluminum, handpainted bowl, which would be perfect as a candy dish or as a place to keep rings and jewelry, and a delightful nibble tray with three tiny spoons. Green Fairy Godmother is a great place online to shop for ethically sourced and environmentally sound gifts. You'll find organic baby clothes, fair trade Indian jewelry boxes, recycled glass tumblers and much, much more. The company will also have a booth set up at UK Aware this year, so stop by to check out their myriad offerings. And make sure to visit them here.

One Person's Rubbish is Another's Hubcap Creature

One of the most-exciting and best-loved exhibitors at last year’s UK Aware was Hubcap Creatures, and lucky for all of us, Hubcap is making a return appearance at this year’s UK Aware show in April.

So just what does a hubcap – a rather measly and inanimate car part – have to do with a living, breathing creature? Quite a lot actually, once artist Ptolemy Elrington gets his hands on few used ones. Ptolemy turns the old, worthless pieces of metal into all sorts of creatures, including sharks, dragonflies, fish, dogs and even lovely little penguins.

The beauty of Ptolemy’s work lies not just in the end result, but also in his ability to see art in the everyday, his genius mixture of resourcefulness and imagination. As he notes on his website, hubcaps are automatically rubbish when on the side of the road, but with a little effort and creativity, he transforms them into something that gives people a great deal of pleasure. Ptolemy finds something more in abandoned objects than their intrinsic worthlessness.

So leave the lillypads and landscapes, the bridges and ballerinas to other artists. Give the used hubcaps to Ptolemy, and next time you are about to discard of something that seems to have no value or purpose, consider its infinite possibilities.

Come to UK Aware, April 17-18, where you can see some of Ptolemy’s hubcap creatures, and maybe even purchase one! Get your tickets here.

Mean, Green Machines

Just announced: This year’s UK Aware will feature a Green Machines Expo, which is on track to be the largest and most diverse collection of green vehicles ever seen under one roof in the U.K.!

More than 30 manufacturers have been invited, and more than 50 cars are expected to be on hand. It’s all adding up to an amazing showcase, and a must for car aficionados and anyone in the market for a new ride, or interested in learning more about electrical and hybrid vehicles.

The Battery Vehicle Society is also going to take part in the Green Machines Expo. The U.K.-based society, founded in 1973 and more than 500 members strong, is dedicated to owners and designers of electric cars and to increasing awareness of electric and hybrid vehicles. They will offer advice to anyone interested in buying or driving an electric vehicle—whether it’s a bicycle, motorbike or car—and to those who are interested in the in-depth technical stuff, too. Members of the society will be present at the show to help explain the environmental and financial benefits of trading your gas guzzler for something a little more eco-friendly.

Green Right Down to the Brochure

Behind every good event, is a snazzy brochure, right? Well, given that UK Aware is an environmental show, the organizers have decided to print the brochure on recycled paper. They recruited the team at Ecologist magazine, who are also exhibiting this year, to oversee its production.

Ecologist magazine is one of the most respected environmental affairs publications and is a must-read for anyone interested in environmental issues and how they affect the world we live in. Each issue features amazing photography and helps set environmental and political agendas around the world by focusing on the root causes, not just the effects, of current events.

The articles in the magazine examine a wide range of issues, from toxic chemicals to corporate fraud, mass media to farming, pharmaceuticals to fishing. In this month’s issue, for example, you’ll find stories on biofuels, bird flu, pig farming and noise pollution, in the sea of all places!

The Ecologist offers both a print and a digital edition, which can be read from any computer. The digital edition is identical to the print edition but eight quid cheaper. You can visit the Ecologist website here to get a free trial issue. And visit UK Aware to pick up some complimentary copies. Buy your tickets to the show now at www.ukaware.com!

Refrigerator Smackdown

An article in today’s New York Times talks about how a small segment of the green movement has come to regard the homely refrigerator as an unacceptable drain on energy, and is choosing to go without it. Go without a refrigerator! No cold beer or ice cream. No yogurt, no juice. Talk about dedication.

You can begin to understand why someone would want to unplug their refrigerator when you realize that an older model uses about 1,300 kilowatt-hours per year, or produces roughly 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide – the same amount from burning 105 gallons of gasoline. A newer, more energy efficient model would cut that figure in half yet still produce an abundance of CO2.

Nonetheless, getting rid of your refrigerator because it contributes to global warming is a bit extreme. The truth is, you don’t have to go to such radical measures to live more sustainably. That’s the purpose of UK Aware – to show you how you can incorporate little changes into your day to day life that help cut down on greenhouse emissions without sacrificing your modern lifestyle. Attend UK AWARE in April to find out how you can help save the planet without suddenly morphing into Fred Flintstone.

The Battle Over Heathrow

Swords are drawn over the British government’s decision to add a third runway at Heathrow airport. While BAA, the airport operator, is praising the move, residents who live near the airport and environmental groups are going to battle over the proposed expansion.

The U.K. branch of the environmental activist group Greenpeace has launched a major campaign to reverse the government’s decision and support of aviation growth. The group, which is one of the exhibitors at UK Aware in April, teamed up with actress Emma Thompson, comedian Alistair McGowan and parliamentary candidate Zac Goldsmith to buy a plot of land in the middle of the proposed third runway site at Heathrow in an effort to try and stop the expansion.

Activists with Greenpeace say that coal-fired power plants are the biggest contributors to global warming, but the growth in aviation as a source of carbon emissions cannot be ignored, especially in the U.K., where the per-person aviation emissions are already higher than in any other country in the world.

Greenpeace says that an expanded Heathrow would overtake the U.K.’s current biggest single source of carbon emissions, the Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire, to become the biggest U.K. emitter of greenhouse gases. According to Greenpeace, the U.K. will never be able to meet the emissions reduction targets it has set if it allows the Heathrow expansion to happen.

If you want to learn more about the proposed expansion and what you can do to help stop it, swing by the Greenpeace booth at UK Aware and visit their website at http://www.greenpeace.org.uk.

Fairtrade Irish Coffee

With London transport running on delays (if at all), the sidewalks slippery, and the roads practically impassable, today is the perfect day for skipping work and curling up on the sofa with a good book and a warm Irish coffee. Lovely!

Lately I’ve been trying to make sure that most all of the coffee I buy is Fairtrade certified, meaning that the product meets the international standards set forth by The Fairtrade Foundation. Fairtrade means better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world who grow and harvest coffee beans. Look for the Fairtrade mark on bags of coffee at the supermarket, as well as on goods like sugar, spices, tea and chocolate. Representatives from The Fairtrade Foundation will be on hand at UK Aware to answer any questions you may have about the organization and its benefits.

Ready to make the perfect mug of Irish Coffee? Here’s how:

1 shot of Bailey’s
1 shot of Irish Whiskey
freshly brewed hot Fairtrade coffee
1 tablespoon whipped cream

In a glass, combine Baileys and whiskey. Top up with coffee. Add a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle some grated chocolate on top. Enjoy!

Snow Day in London

All of London and the southeast of England woke this morning to a world blanketed in white—the largest snow in 20 years, and it’s still coming down in buckets! Global warming skeptics will undoubtedly use this rare weather event as proof that temperatures are not really rising, evidence that global warming is a hoax. But global warming is about average temperatures across earth, not about two days in February in southeast England. Local weather and global climate are not the same thing and this incident does not mean that average temperatures across the planet are not slowly and steadily rising. For more information about global warming, be sure to visit UK Aware in April.

Do the Swish

Many people think that being "green" means recycling your old newspapers, turning off the lights and taking public transport. But there are many other things you can do that are environmentally friendly, only when you are in the midst of doing them, the last thing you may be thinking of is how you are helping the environment.

Take swishing, for example, the exciting new trend that has been called "a swap shop for the smart set." Just what is swishing? It's basically clothes swapping or recycling, and swishing parties are when friends get together to swap clothes and make merriment at the same time. How many times have you coveted a friend's coat or worn a shirt twice and then tired of it? At a swishing party you bring at least one item of gently used clothing that you would be proud to hand on, and you get to walk away with an item of your choosing for free! It's an absolutely eco-chic and fun way to clean out your closet. 

The organizers of UK AWARE are planning a massive swishing party at this year's event in April. Keep checking this blog and the UK AWARE website here for updates and more details. It's just one more reason to mark your calendars now for UK AWARE!

Farmer for a Day

If you're a city dweller like me, then you know living in a fast-paced metropolitan area can certainly be exciting. But you also understand that sometimes you need to get away from it all and breathe some fresh air, enjoy a little green space, have some peace and quiet. One of the exhibitors at UK AWARE this year will show you how you can escape from the city for a weekend or for a long while, but with a catch: You may have to get a little dirty.

The exhibitor, WWOOF, is an organization that serves as an exchange, linking those who are looking for an authentic organic experience with host farms, gardens and smallholdings that welcome volunteers and give them bed and breakfast in exchange for work. WWOOFers, as the volunteers are called, pay £20 a year for a list of host farms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and receive a membership card and frequent newsletters. 

Who should sign up to be a WWOOFer? Anyone who is looking for organic training, craving a rural experience or cultural exchange, or those who are passionate about organic food and the organic movement and want to be a part of it. 

You can learn much more about WWOOF, how it works and what's in it for you at UK AWARE in April. Get your tickets here!

Another Reason to Cut Carbon Emissions

Another sobering report on the projected effects of global warming was released this week by top climate researchers from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Switzerland and France. The scientists warn that if greenhouse gases continue rising at the current pace, it will lead to devastating long-term droughts and a sea-level rise that will persist for 1,000 years, no matter how well the world curbs future emissions of carbon dioxide.

According to the scientists, what makes carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas caused primarily by the burning of  fossil fuels, especially worrisome is that it does not dissipate quickly in the atmosphere like some other gases do. One scientist with the NOAA said, "You have to think about this stuff as more like nuclear waste than acid rain: the more we add, the worse off we'll be. The more time that we take to make decisions about carbon dioxide, the more irreversible climate change we'll be locked into." 

The study says that if carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to grow unchecked at the rate it is now, global sea levels will rise by the year 3000, leaving many islands and coastal regions underwater and causing droughts in southwestern North America, the Mediterranean and southern Africa as bad or worse than the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. 

While government action and regulation is required to help halt the release of carbon dioxide into the air, we can all do our part to help cut down on the amount of carbon dioxide we emit every year just by driving or leaving the lights on. To calculate your yearly personal impact, visit the carbon calculator here. And make sure to attend UK AWARE in April in London to discover ways in which you can reduce your carbon emissions! 

How it all Began

If you knew of practical, affordable ways to live a greener lifestyle, would you not adopt them into your everyday life? For example, would you fill the kettle only with the exact amount of water you need and no more? Would you flip your lights off at the mains before you left for holiday? Would you leave the car at home and take the train? Many people may not realize how simple it really is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, or that doing so can even save you sterling. Indeed, it's a win-win situation for both consumers and for the environment!

Danny Carnegie says that for the longest time he was intimidated by the terminology and jargon associated with the green movement. Phrases such as "carbon footprint" and "peak oil" meant nothing to him and made him feel as if the cause belonged to scientists and Birkenstock-wearing, granola-munching treehuggers, not to an everyday bloke like himself.

"I sometimes get the sense that a lot of these fancy terms are only being used by individuals and firms so that they can appear knowledgeable--there is a lot of showing off that goes on in the field," says Danny. "These terms scare people and until mass consumers are comfortable with these ideas and understand how green products can benefit them, we're not going to make any progress."

So Danny, a firefighter, took action. About two years ago, he cashed in his small pension and recruited his brother Jodie, who was living in Spain at the time, and began organizing a show in the U.K. that would demystify the green movement for people and introduce them to exciting green companies. Now a firefighter by night and an event planner by day, Danny, along with Jodie, who put his life in Espana on hold after ten years, manage UK Aware from their three-bed semi in far West London.

"I'm just a regular bloke who realizes that we 'normal' people/consumers are the ones who hold the key to fighting climate change," says Danny. "We need easy, green options to be as available as conventional ones. If green options were made accessible, then what sane person wouldn't choose them?"  

Be The Change

This is the first post for the 2009 UK AWARE blog! UK AWARE's first show last May in the Barbican (pictured at left) was a huge success. It brought together 80 exhibitors, more than 50 world-class speakers and thousands of interested attendees. This year's event promises to be even bigger and more exciting than last year's. 

Unlike many large environmental exhibitions geared toward the business of going green, UK AWARE is extremely consumer friendly. Nowhere else will you find so many green companies together under one roof, speaking to you in a language that is easy to understand. You won't hear any highfaluting industry jargon at this show! UK AWARE will demystify the green movement and leave you with tips and ideas to begin reducing your environmental impact. 

Most of us have probably heard Ghandi's instruction that "we must the the change we wish to see in the world." It may sound tired, but the truth is, the little things do add up. If we all made small efforts each day to live a more sustainable lifestyle, we could make a big difference -- we could help change the world! So do it. Be the change. Come to UK AWARE in April to find out how you can. Get your tickets now at www.ukaware.com and stay tuned for news and updates!

Cheers!