UPM ProFi nominated as Green Hero

UPM ProFi Deck has been nominated as one of renowned architect and broadcaster Kevin McCloud’s 10 Green Heroes. Selected as an outstanding example of a new high performance and environmentally sustainable material, UPM ProFi’s low maintenance composite decking system will also feature in the Grand Designs Live Show Garden at London Excel 30 April to 8 May.

As the face of the Grand Designs brand, Kevin McCloud has documented hundreds of buildings over the past two decades. This has given Kevin an enormously wide knowledge of materials, the latest technologies and new sustainable practices out there in the construction market, making him a touchstone for innovative ideas and inventive products.

Bluesocket Joins the World in Celebrating Earth Day 2011

Bluesocket, the first and only provider of wireless networks with virtualized control, today announced numerous initiatives in celebration of Earth Day 2011. An ardent advocate of sustainability efforts and focused on “zero-waste”, Bluesocket revolutionized the wireless LAN industry with its virtual wireless LAN (vWLAN) solution, which brings all of the advantages of virtualization to the wireless network.

By removing 100% of the wireless LAN controller hardware, Bluesocket’s vWLAN reduces capital costs, decreases energy consumption by 80%, minimizes carbon emissions while at the same time producing significant gains in network capacity and performance over conventional controller-based solutions.

Organic Care Systems: Ethical hair products for Earth Day

Award-winning hair company OCS, recently name-checked in Vogue, New York Times, Wall St Journal and the Observer magazine, and winner of a Celebs on Sunday Beauty Survey award, are the perfect product choice for Earth Day. As well as using certified organic ingredients and carrying the Choose Cruelty Free bunny logo, they have implemented a number of clever green initiatives.

Factory

* Now uses shredding from the office as packaging material. They also shred cardboard boxes and use them instead of bubble wrap.
* IBCs (containers for bulk product such as peroxide) are now being removed by an interested party instead of being sent to landfill.

Offices

* Installed motion sensors on the corridor lights to reduce electrical usage.
* Windows in reception have been glazed with a film which filters the light and reduces heat loss in winter and negates the need for cooling in summer.
* Replaced the printers with more efficient ones with energy saving functions to save electricity. They now all have compatible consumables as well, so reducing consumable waste.

Fever-Tree have quinine and more at Chelsea Flower Show

While the co-founders of Fever-Tree have been risking life and limb to work with small specialist producers in the Democratic Republic of Congo or the Ivory Coast, visitors to the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show are offered a more theatrical and playful welcome from Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow. The first Fever-Tree garden comes complete with Tree House (made partly from reclaimed Chinchona Ledgeriana wood – the perfect place for G&T drinkers to enjoy a summer cooler.

But there is little rest for Charles and Tim who travel to inhospitable and dangerous countries, ravaged by years of civil war, ethnic strife and widespread disease, to seek out a supply of only the highest quality natural ingredients for their range of premium mixers.

Proud to be the only drinks company going such lengths, Fever-Tree will showcase some of their inspirational ingredients in their ‘Tree House Garden’ at the Chelsea Flower Show, 24th–28th May 2011.

Organic Clothing Company Frugi Awarded Beacon Status

Frugi, the organic clothing company is celebrating their recent prestigious achievement of ‘Beacon Company’ status. It’s the first children’s clothing company to receive the accolade, having demonstrated outstanding achievement and significant performance. Lucy Jewson, co-founder, is also featured in Saturday Telegraph Magazine’s Eco Hero piece.

Following a rigorous and in depth validation assessment, Frugi is upheld as one of the south west’s most forward-thinking and ambitious companies. Particular strengths of the family owned company include export, fair trade sourcing, marketing and offshore manufacturing.

Exclusive Charter Featured in "Bid to Save the Earth" Auction

An unprecedented collection of "bragging-rights-for-life experiences" is now open for online bidding in the “Bid To Save The Earth” Green Auction. Bidders can choose from the star-studded list of exclusive events providing rare access to the world’s best known celebrities and icons and the chance to live their lifestyle, such as chartering a superyacht, all while helping four environmental nonprofits, including OCEANA. Bidding is open now until 7th April 2011 at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSaveTheEarth.com.

From a private jet excursion piloted by Harrison Ford to the ultimate couture experience in Paris with Karl Lagerfeld, all package participants are generously donating their resources, including BURGESS courtesy of the owners of the magnificent 57.9m(190ft) superyacht LADY SHERIDAN. Bidding is already heated for this four day luxury yacht charter in the French Riviera valued at US$200,000 and the priceless opportunity to make the ultimate statement at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

One of the stars of the BURGESS superyacht charter fleet, the remarkable LADY SHERIDAN accommodates up to 12 guests in six stunning ensuite staterooms and offers every conceivable amenity and five star service, including a professional crew of 15 and a world-class chef, all while cruising the world’s most fashionable yachting destination. For a full description and photos of LADY SHERIDAN visit the BURGESS website.

The complete LADY SHERIDAN auction lot includes: the 3 day/4 night charter of the luxurious private motor yacht (12 guests max); service of 15 crew; and 2 round-trip tickets courtesy of Delta Air Lines. Package validity is May 19-26, 2011 and the yacht’s operating expenses are not included.

Funds raised will benefit OCEANA, which is supported by BURGESS in its mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans. For more information, please visit www.oceana.org.

Chinese New Year Celebrations Fuel Cooking Oil Recycling Bonanza

Chinese New Year celebrations get under way this week (Thursday, 3rd February). As communities prepare to cook up feasts fit for kings to welcome in the year of the Rabbit, what will happen to the tonnes of cooking oil used to produce delicious dishes like crispy Peking duck and spring rolls?

If you are one of the growing number of householders who take their recycling responsibilities seriously, you will already be taking the used cooking oil (UCO) to your local recycling centre where it can be safely placed in one of the collection tanks installed by renewable energy company, Living Fuels.

Living Fuels collects the cooking oil from sites all over the UK and converts it into a new green fuel called LF100 which produces clean electricity and heat. Just one litre of used cooking oil is enough to make 240 cups of tea


Dan Gillert of Living Fuels warns householders against the perils of tipping their used cooking oil down the sink. “Thousands of tonnes of used cooking oil are mistakenly poured down the drain each year, causing untold damage to our watercourses. Water companies spend at least £15m annually to clean up this damage,” said Dan. “By recycling your used cooking oil, you’re not only helping to solve this problem but you are also turning this waste product into clean, green electricity and heat that ultimately feeds into the national grid.”

After the Chinese New Year celebrations are over, why not do your bit to help build the country’s renewable energy future by taking the leftover oil to your local recycling centre? Every tonne collected by Living Fuels is enough to power the average home for an entire year.

To find out more about recycling facilities and the nearest centre in your area, visit www.livingfuels.co.uk .

Order a phone recycling box and help the homeless

It is estimated there are currently 80 million redundant mobile phones in the UK, but a new corporate drop box scheme will help put them to good use. The scheme has been organised by Broadway, a leading London homelessness charity, as part of its “Phones For Homes” campaign whereby the charity receives a minimum of £3 and up to £30 for every phone donated.

Rebecca Sycamore, Broadway’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing, commented: “The money raised from the campaign will help fund our work with homeless people in London, helping them to find and keep a home and supporting them into training and work. As well as phones employees can also re-cycle empty inkjet cartridges in the boxes. Companies can also help by becoming commercial sponsors for the campaign.”

To order a donation box or envelope contact the Broadway fundraising team by phoning 020 7710 0576, or emailing fundraising@broadwaylondon.org. Further information on the campaign is available on Broadway’s web site at www.broadwaylondon.org or www.facebook.com/broadwaycharity.

Sell Mobile Phones and Compare Recyclers

Mobile phones are big business. Not just buying them but selling and
recycling mobile phones as more awareness is raised around it many more are
recycling old mobile phones.

Because of the awareness raised around mobile phone recycling, and that
there are now many sites on line run by professional organizations set up
under government pressure because of the effects that they and other
electrical products can have on the environment if they are not recycled
properly. Couple this with the many millions of people all over the world
upgrading their old mobile phones over Christmas and during the January
sales.

Easy eco ways to credit crunch proof your home

With the cold spell set to return, fuel prices at record high and the cost of food rising steadily, now is the time to start thinking about ways you can save money. Nigel Berman, founder of www.nigelsecostore.com says that with a little effort and some small investments, especially when it comes to home heating, people can make a sizeable dent in their household bills.

From heating and laundry to cleaning and saving water, Nigel and his team have come up with a few ideas that can help you save money and a range of products that start at just £1.99 that you can buy from www.nigelsecostore.com. None of the products require any expert help to use or install, so there is no excuse! For more details on how you can save over £500, check out the money-saving page.

British households lose £6.2billion "into thin air"

New TV series, "HOW TO...Reduce Energy Consumption & Save Money!" can tell average British household how to save as much as £1,500 per year

Rising wholesale energy costs, burst pipes and a long cold winter can only mean one thing for Briton’s 26.5 million households – a hike in bills, not to mention CO2 emissions.

But incredibly, only six out of ten British households made any effort to reduce its energy and water consumption in 2010 – which means that 10.6 million households saw £6.2billion of their hard-earned cash evaporate into thin air – or £592 per household on gas, electricity and water bills.

Roses are red violets are blue, Valentine's Day can be greener too

Forget flowers, mass-produced cards and chocolates this Valentine’s Day. Plan to be more eco-friendly this year and give gifts that are long lasting, useful and memorable.

The exact origins of St. Valentine are often disputed, with many variations of his story and traditions. For instance, in Denmark people swap poems and give candy snowdrops. In Japan, women are expected to give chocolate and other gifts to men on Valentine's Day.

In the UK and other Western countries, Valentine’s Day has become the traditional day when people express their love for each other by giving gifts and cards, but often without thinking about the impact on the planet.

Nigel Berman, founder of www.nigelsecostore.com has come up with ten top tips to help you have a low-carbon and guilt-free Valentine’s Day.

Can drinking good healthy water help us enjoy better health?

Isn’t it a strange paradox - much of the developing world is suffering from diseases due to not having access to clean healthy water. Yet the developed world population is suffering from a plague of modern diseases extensively contributed to by their failure to drink adequate amounts of clean healthy water. They have been brainwashed to believe that they can drink any fluid and it will meet the body’s hydration needs. Unfortunately that is not the case.

Dehydration is implicated in many if not all of our modern diseases. For many years it was believed that water was just a solvent to carry nutrients and was just filling the spaces between the solid matter in our body. However leading scientists and some doctors are beginning to realise that its role is much more extensive and much more important.

Breathe easy with Peugeot!

From the Amazon jungle to Peugeot’s lower-emission line-up… Peugeot’s new eMag called Breathe is now live.

Peugeot is proud of its environmental credentials and the fact that it has always taken a pioneering approach to reducing CO2 emissions.

With this in mind, Peugeot has launched a new online magazine called Breathe, which takes readers on an interactive journey from the inspiring new world of lower carbon urban mobility to the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

Given Peugeot is one of the leading producers of low emission vehicles in Europe, Breathe also showcases Peugeot’s exciting new fuel-efficient line-up.

Not only that, but along the way readers can enjoy plenty of video content including:

• A documentary about Peugeot’s exciting ‘carbon sink’ project in Brazil’s Amazon jungle
• Video diaries of Ed Stafford, the first man to walk the length of the River Amazon, from source to sea
• Footage of Peugeot’s new 508, which boasts an e-HDi Stop and Start system
• Film of the world’s first diesel hybrid car and the record-breaking electric EX1

There’s also the chance to win a break at the fabulous Scarlet, Cornwall’s luxury eco hotel. Plus, there’s the chance to win £50 worth of Mu credit – Mu being Peugeot’s revolutionary new personal mobility scheme.

View Breathe, Peugeot’s environmental eMag

Visit Peugeot on Facebook

Stroud Council wins eco-friendly award

Stroud District Council has won the 2010 Green Energy Award for being the south west's Most Proactive Local Authority, at the South West Green Energy Awards.

The award – which is designed to recognise the crucial role local authorities can play in supporting sustainable energy – was presented to the council at a ceremony, held at the Bath Assembly Rooms.

Head judge of the category, Dermot Grimson of the Crown Estate, said: "Stroud is increasingly seeing things happen 'on the ground'. There has been tremendous improvement in the district over the past 12 months, and its model is an exemplar to all smaller local authorities."

The council was particularly noted for its three-year Climate Change Programme "Target 2050", which has helped over 180 householders, 66 businesses and 20 community buildings to reduce their CO2 emissions. Their 'cross tenure' project in an off-gas area has delivered 48 renewable heating solutions, and their involvement in the 'DECC PAYS' pilot finances tailored local solutions with local suppliers and installers.

LATIS launches green ideas network

LATIS, a leading innovator of sustainable built environments worldwide is utilizing the social media tool Meetup.com to launch a new green ideas and innovation networking group in the UK.

Focused on improving people's lives through design and innovation, LATIS aims to encourage and promote green ideas, design and innovations within a social context, encouraging a collective entrepreneurial spirit to tackle the environmental challenges of the 21st Century.

1.2 million acre bioenergy plantation for Tunisia

Clean Development Projects Ltd has signed an agreement with a Tunisian cement company to develop a 500,000 hectare (1.2 million acre) bioenergy plantation. The oil from that plantation will be used to power cement plants in Tunisia, reducing emissions by more than 2million tonnes of CO2 per year over the next 40 years, Further, the 574,500,000 trees will sequester more than 1 million tonnes of CO2 every year for 40 years.

Clean Development Projects Limited is a London based company with the sole purpose of promoting and facilitating sustainability in energy. Primarily the Company works in the developing world in projects which are centred on bioenergy but supplemented with other forms, for example hybrid bio-wind-solar schemes. Further the Company is working in partnership with industry partners to develop schemes such as this where biological energy stores can be harvested and used in what was previously one of the dirtiest industries we have.

Advanced Business Solutions wins prestigious environmental award

Advanced Business Solutions (ABS), formerly COA Solutions, has been presented with a gold award at this year’s National Green Apple Environment Awards in recognition of the environmental benefits of its electronic payslips module. ABS’ document management subsidiary, Version One, also won a Green Apple Award for its document management green meter which calculates carbon and paper savings as a direct result of using Version One’s software solutions.

GreenRoad Wins in GP Bullhound Cleantech Connect 2010 Awards

GreenRoad, the world's leader in driver safety and efficiency, today announced it won two of the six categories in the GP Bullhound Cleantech Connect 2010 Awards. At an award ceremony in London, GreenRoad was acknowledged for its business, operational and customer success with wins in the Best Execution and Best Management categories. GreenRoad was also named as the second fastest growing company out of the top 25 companies.

The judges were very impressed with GreenRoad as "it is truly delivering against its ambitious business plan" and "it is a company that has truly grown into its reputation". The judges were also impressed by the management and its ability to deliver strong revenue growth as GreenRoad's service is adopted by an industry that is historically slow to adopt new ideas and technologies.

National Trust museum generates its own income

The National Trust's carriage museum at Arlington Court is now generating its own income following one of the UK's largest installations of photo-voltaic (PV) cells on a historic building.

The 113 m2 installation near Barnstaple in Devon will generate up to 6.3 megawatt hours (mWh) of energy each year, saving the museum about £600 from its electricity bill and generating income of around £2,270 per year by feeding energy back into the grid.