Tesco has become the first supermarket to trial new carbon footprint labelling as part of the Carbon Trust's scheme. Initially on 20 products, the Green Scores indicate how much carbon dioxide is produced in the making, using and disposing of the products. Check out the news story at one of the sites below including the Soil Association's response.
BBC
Daily Mail
Planet Ark
Soil Association
Related blog posts:
Big Business Thinks About Carbon Footprints
The main UK Energy Saving site has a new Environmental Jobs page. The page contains a live feed with positions vacant in the environmental and related sectors. These have been compiled from a number of sources so that visitors no longer need to trawl numerous sites to search for suitable positions. If you are on the lookout for a new job in the environmental sector, bookmark or favourite this new page.
Check out the press release on this new page at one of the following sites:
UK Energy Saving
SanePR
PRLog
Pressbox
24-7 Press Release
Free Press Releases
Check out this downloadable guide on the Low Carbon Lifestyles website. It covers topics such as electricity, recreation and the workplace with some simple, easy to follow advice and suggestions.
The Co-op have put forward their views on the Soil Association Air Freight Consultation, arguing that the organic certifying body is placing too much emphasis on air freight. They point out that there are other issues which contribute more greatly to climate change, and yet air freight, which many producers in developing countries rely on, is the focus of the consultation.
For more details on the Co-op's opinions and the response of the Soil Association visit the Guardian website.
Related blog posts:
Second Stage of Soil Association Air Freight Consultation
UK Energy Saving Comments on the Outcome of the Soil Association Air Freight Consultation
Related UK Energy Saving pages:
Organic Products
Fairtrade
National Grid have announced their plans to introduce company-wide carbon budgets in order to help achieve new carbon emission targets of 80%. They intend to implement the carbon budgets by April 2009, encouraging involvement from the 'bottom up' of their organisations. They'll be using the next 12 months to assess the carbon footprint of the different National Grid businesses before determining individual emission reduction targets.
For more information on these innovative plans, visit the National Grid website. A short video with comment from Chief Executive Steve Holliday is also available via this streaming link.
The Green England website has introduced a new Farmers Markets directory and map to allow you to search for a Farmers Market near you. This is still being developed and you can add any other Farmers Markets which are not already included. Check out the directory on the Green England site.
Related blog posts:
Green England Green Awards 2007 Results
Green England
The 2008 Green Awards For Creativity in Sustainability is now open for entries until the 10th September. Categories include Best Green Internal Communications, Best Green New Media and, one of two new categories, Best Green International Campaign. There is a charge to enter of £75 or £125 (plus VAT) dependent on the size of your company, but check out the website for more information.
2008 Green Awards
Related blog posts:
Sunday Times Best Green Companies Awards
Green England Green Awards 2007 Results
If, like me, you're no expert on which fruit and veg are in season at any given time, then check out the I'm In Season website. The site lets you know which products are in season as well as offering a large number of recipes to try out.
Eating in season means that you can buy local, or at least UK, produced food without having to rely on imported fruit and veg. The result is fresher produce without thousands of food miles and potentially a more varied diet if you try out some different seasonal products to those you usually eat.
Related blog posts:
We Throw Food Away as Others Starve
Every Action Counts have published their new guide, Changing the Way We Work - An Every Action Counts Guide to Greening Your Office. The guide is aimed at organisations working in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) but has many points on energy saving, recycling, ethical procurement and much more which is relevant to all businesses.
You can download the guide for free from the Every Action Counts website.
The latest issue of our greenCHAT newsletter is now available online. The headline topic this issue is solar power and you'll also find links to useful green websites and new UK Energy Saving pages and press releases.
If you'd like to receive notification of the next issue of greenCHAT direct to your inbox, send your name and email address to newsletter@uk-energy-saving.com and we'll add you to our mailing list.
Related blog posts:
Next Issue of greenCHAT Coming Soon
greenCHAT Goes Live!
greenCHAT
WRAP yesterday again released statistics claiming that we throw away about a third of the food we buy in the UK! This shocking information was collated by surveying over 2000 householders and the full findings of the report are expected in May 2008. This is of course a complete waste of money, but is also an environmental disaster when you consider the production of the food, its transportation and the packaging used. And how have we become so blase about the necessities of life when there are people starving in the world?
The Love Food Hate Waste campaign from WRAP is trying to tackle this issue with tips on using up food and storing it correctly. It's probably also wise to try and buy little and often when it comes to fresh produce, as we are then more likely to just buy what we need.
See the WRAP press release here.
Related blog posts:
Love Food Hate Waste
The 22nd April 2008 is this year's Earth Day, with events planned all over the world to raise environmental awareness. The first Earth Day was in 1970 and they are co-ordinated by the Earth Day Network. There are masses of events throughout the UK, so check out the Earth Day Network website for something going on near you. Alternatively, you could organise your own event.
In anticipation of Earth Day 2008, Zerofootprint and The Big Word have teamed up to offer the Zerofootprint 1-minute carbon calculator in 16 languages thanks to the translation services of The Big Word. Check out the 1-minute calculator here.
UK Energy Saving has again commented on the air freight consultation being run by the Soil Association. Following the first stage, suggested plans were announced regarding requirements for organic producers using air freight to also abide by the Soil Association's Ethical Trading or Fairtrade standards. The second stage of the consultation is now under way.
UK Energy Saving commented that the system had the potential to be unfair as only those producers using air freight would be required to meet the other standards, but it was noted, however, that the Soil Association do in any case have plans to make this mandatory for all producers.
Check out the press release at these sites:
UK Energy Saving
PRLog
SanePR
Free Press Releases
Pressbox
24-7 Press Release
PR-GB
PR Compass
Related blog posts:
UK Energy Saving Comments on the Outcome of the Soil Association Air Freight Consultation
Air Freighted Organic Food? - How Does this Question Effect the Producers?
Should Air Freighted Organic Food be Stripped of its Status?
Related UK Energy Saving Pages:
Organic Products
Fairtrade
Check out the Life Goggles website for details of their Great Green Giveaway Competition. Life Goggles is all about going green with reviews, news and interviews. Their blog has loads of new products and information and their product reviews also include the option to buy the items online.
The Great Green Giveaway Competition itself is an opportunity to win one of a large number of eco-friendly prizes. There are currently £1,559 worth of prizes on offer from solar chargers and grooming products to gift certificates and books. To enter you simply need to provide your name, email address and country but there are also other ways to add more entries (such as putting a post on your blog)!
