Tuesday 31 March 2009

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.

Friday 27 March 2009

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.

Thursday 26 March 2009

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.

Monday 23 March 2009

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!

Thursday 19 March 2009

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.

Tuesday 17 March 2009

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.

Friday 13 March 2009

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!

Tuesday 10 March 2009

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.

Saturday 7 March 2009

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.

Wednesday 4 March 2009

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!

Monday 2 March 2009

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!