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!