Dress the home stylishly and responsibly this Christmas with beautiful hemp tableware, home furnishings and shower curtains from Draper's Organic.

In a variety of gorgeous winter colours, Draper's Organic offers a range of quality, co-ordinated hemp products for the eco-friendly home, including curtain panels, cushion covers and table decorations, as well as hemp shower curtains.

Hemp is an ideal fabric solution for the home, being not only non-toxic but highly sustainable and even biodegradeable and is thus the perfect alternative to gas-emitting PVC and other chemically-manufactured furnishing fabrics which may be hazardous not only to the environment, but also to health.

The Draper's Organic curtain panels were specifically requested for inclusion in the Woking Eco-House, a showcase for the Woking Low Carbon Homes Initiative, renovating an existing property to the highest sustainable standards. The house will be open for public display before being donated to a family at the top of the council's waiting list, and is envisaged as a model for future new house-build programmes across the UK.

Drapers Organic are also suppliers of hemp fabric for sofa covers for the UK Green Building Council's exhibition stand at the Eco-Build 2008 show at Earl's Court, as well as a pioneering "healthy" sofa made by Harland Furnishings. Drapers have also been requested to display hemp tableware and cushion covers for an Energy Saving Trust exhibition.

It all started on Christmas Day 2006. We sat and watched the children open their presents with all the joy and excitement we hoped there would be. But as the unwrapped present pile grew Bigger so did the pile of discarded wrapping paper. This was a turning point, the realisation that all that paper was going into land-fill.

We knew that we alone could not stop and would not want to stop people from sending cards and wrapping presents but surely we could do something

Our aim from that moment on was to make a difference and in January 2007 we set about producing a Recycled, Eco-friendly range of Greeting Cards and Wrapping Paper.

We researched, studied and learned. We sourced the papers, which had to have a high recycled content and had to be FSC certified. Then the inks. We only wanted to print with Vegetable inks (no nasty VOC's) and we only wanted to work with like-minded companies who cared and like us, wanted to make a difference. We even found envelopes that are 60% recycled juice cartons and 100 % recycled plus fully compostable wrappers.

Now 12 months on, we have launched several collections of Recycled Eco-friendly ranges of Cards and wrapping paper all FSC certified and all can be Recycled or composted.

The latest collection being our Christmas range which is hitting the shops right now. So ,this Christmas we have the pleasure of knowing that on Christmas Day our presents have been wrapped in recycled paper and our pile of discarded wrapping paper is going to be heading straight for the recycling bin. We sincerely hope many other families will be doing the same.

If you would like more information please visit our website, email us at info@recocards.co.uk or call us on 01395 567286.

Desirable objects handcrafted from discarded things

Eco Emporia announces the launch of their unique collection of eco-friendly gifts, handmade by craftspeople with a passion for reusing and recycling.

Obsolete vinyl records are now a hit as hand-painted fruit bowls; decommissioned fire hose becomes a hot fashion accessory and worn out circuit boards look great worn out as smart cufflinks.

Founder, Anna Burns said "Eco Emporia is different because we only sell recycled crafts. Everything is lovingly handmade by skilled craftspeople and beautifully gift wrapped using reclaimed and recycled materials. Many of our items are one of a kind pieces you won't find anywhere else".

To find out more about Eco Emporia and to buy online visit www.ecoemporia.com

15% Off for Pulse Readers at Red Robot 

Culturally turned-on clothing company, Red Robot, designers of seriously cool and quirky clothes inspired by cult movies, music from the edge and the politiks of sanity, are offering Pulse readers 15% off their range of orgasmic, organic clothing. Just use the discount code ETHJUNC15 when prompted in the vicinity of the checkout. So come on, get yer kit on!

Shop in luxury on-line this Christmas

Beat the crowds without compromising quality with ethical gift store Boutiko.

Luxury ethical on-line gift store Boutiko offers a beautiful range of individually and sustainably sourced handmade, ethical gifts for family, friends and colleagues for the festive season and beyond.

handmade jewellery - recycled leather notebooks - winter scented soy candles - handcrafted Christmas decorations - clocks made from recycled coffee cups

Boutiko really is mad about the gift business - offering individual customer service and next day delivery wherever possible to ensure gift hunters a shopping experience as luxurious as their purchases! Not only that - but gift wrapping is free (and beautifully done) and gifts can be sent straight to the recipient.

Choose something unique from the personally selected range of unusual presents - here are a few of our new and most favourite:

Recycled Clocks/Clock & Thermometer
Perfect for indoors or out - gardeners and homebodies will adore these weather-proof sturdy clocks, intriguingly made from recycled coffee cups and which look and feel very much like slate. Various styles, from £24.95 to £26.95

One-off Handmade Jewellery & Cufflinks
Made with silver and recycled glass beads, Boutiko’s one-off jewellery designs are exquisitely made and come in a fair trade organza bag.  Includes earrings from £13, and bracelets from £35.  For men, there are stunning handcrafted silver & hardwood cufflinks for men at £50, which also come in a fair trade pouch and a handcrafted box.

The prettiest embroidered washbags you've ever seen - handmade by a family business in Vietnam, these exquisite bags are lined with water resistant fabric, £20.

Children will love tidying their toys away - and so will their parents! - with our Toy Pockets - handmade by the same family as the wash bags - which hang neatly on the back of a door or wardrobe, £30.

Winter and Christmas is a great time for candles - our handmade, soy wax candles from a family run business in Cornwall also come in bio degradeable, recycled packaging. The Country Range has three fragrances: Redcurrant & Thyme, Lavender & Rose, Raspberry & Vine Tomato - perfect for those long winter evenings, £12.

Recycled Leather Address Books, Journals & Mini London A-Zs - all handmade by Undercover - in a variety of cover colours (aqua, lipstick, mauve and petrol) - the perfect gift for just about anyone! From £10-£15.

Last but not least - handmade and fairly traded from India, beaded Christmas decorations including hearts, fairies and trees - guaranteed to make every tree sparkle! £3.50 each. Or a set of fine porcelain tealights spelling NOEL, handmade in Britain from recycled off-cuts of porcelain, £40, perfect for creating a magical glow this Christmas.

Oh - and if you do need to pop to the shops at the last minute - take along one of Boutiko's ingenious One Less Plastic Bag - handmade from Indian saris with every single bag unique in its design! These bags fold away to a tiny pocket size but can carry up to 2kg - plus are machine washable, £10.

Please note prices quoted are from October 1st - there is currently a Boutiko sale on, with many reductions including most of these showcased items.

New eco-shop Mimimyne has just launched their range of carefully selected sustainably designed furnishings and fashion for children and parents this weekend at the Spitalfields Show & Green Fair in London; the first chance to see the products away from the online shop.

Mimimyne is an eco-friendly company selling a range of quirky and contemporary quality designer products aimed at children from toddlers to teens. The brainchild of writer and researcher Tabitha Potts, co-author with Daisy Goodwin of Bringing Up Baby: A New Mother's Companion, Mimimyne aims to fill a gap in the market for excitingly designed, contemporary products for kids which also consider the designer's and consumer's carbon footprints, and encourages children to "grow up green".

One showpiece product is The Rainy Day Box from Creative Charlie - which this weekend won overall winner in the Practical Pre-School Awards 2008 Toys and Games category. The testers said that "everything in the Rainy Day Box was great - its value as a creative resource as well as incorporating flexible and enjoyable activities, whilst helping teach children about the environment." Mimimyne also stocks Creative Charlie's Travel Kit, which will appeal not only to creative children but frantic parents too - both kits are ideal for school holidays, car journeys and miserable, wet days.

Another of Mimimyne's key products is award-winning designer Naomi Dean's Tiny Footprint Desk. Described by the coolhunter.net as "a cutting-edge young designer", Naomi's designs emphasise sustainability. The Tiny Footprint Desk uses recycled office furniture and timber offcuts that would otherwise be dumped in landfill to create a unique and beautiful piece which can be enjoyed from age 7 to adulthood. Her Spin Tables are the perfect size for storing toys, books and DVD's and offer a lovely, practical solution to the perennial problem of where to store kids' toys!

Samuel Morgan at Spinifex is the designer of the funky OTO and OTA blackboard/storage unit which is a perfect ‘information hub' for a family hallway or teenager's room. He will be featuring his new SPLATT art storage chair for children, on show at the Designer's Block this September, later this year. Mimimyne also stocks toys from Paperpod which children can paint and decorate themselves to their heart's content without getting a telling-off!

Meanwhile, for the fashion-conscious child or teen, why not try cutting-edge designer productofyourenvironment's ‘I Love My Pony' t-shirt - an ironic take on the ubiquitous ‘I Love NY' T shirt? Or bag a reversible, reusable cloth carrier bag with their names on, designed by Sally Walton of carry-a-bag? Mothers can accessorise with their own reusable ‘Mum's bag' carrier, and save the planet at the same time. Dads will soon get a slice of the action with a Pint and Half-pint father and child T-shirt combo from funky kid and babieswear designer Twisted Twee - with all these products made from organic or recycled cotton.

The clothes range is rapidly expanding with soon to be added Teenytini by JK Lange's hand-made in the UK woollen outfits for babies and toddlers. Finally, Mimimyne also stocks own brand T shirts, designed in collaboration with 3lotusmedia, featuring quirky illustrated characters Mimi and Myne and their friend Cyril the Squirrel.

Sones Organic clothing for nature loving babies and children have recently branched out and are now stocking some colourful and funky Fairtrade toys and gifts.

Their products were designed in England and handmade by approved Fairtrade producers in India. Over 40% of profits go to support local community projects in Education, Health and Animal welfare.

Purity a fair trade and organic boutique has opened its doors in Farnham, Surrey. Selling women's, children's and baby clothes it is the brainchild of Paula Beaumont.

She explains that, 'After working in the mainstream fashion industry for 20 years I was increasingly frustrated by the lack of emphasis larger retailers put on selling green clothes. We wanted to bring organic and fairtrade fashion to the general public. It would have been easy to have just had a web presence and be a virtual store, but we felt that we would be just selling to the converted. We wanted to make a difference and show the average high street shopper that beautiful ethical clothes do exist and shake off the 'hippy' image that many consumers have. It's amazing how many of our customers don't realize that the clothing is organic or fair-trade until they reach the till - and we see that as a good thing".

Purity offer some tips on buying ethical clothes, as there are many companies out their claiming great green credentials. Always check the labels for certification of organic or fair trade status. If you can't find it - ask! If they can't produce evidence then it is usually an indication that all is not what is claimed. Many fabrics claim to be "green" - but their credentials aren't quite as green as you would think. Bamboo fabric, for instance, claims to be a very green product. While it can be grown sustainably, manufactures fail to mention the dangerous chemicals used to transform it into a fabric. These chemicals can cause health problems and neural disorders for workers.

Soya fabric is another product that some of the "eco" designers are turning to. This fabric has very little green credentials and Soya farming is causing the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. So the message we give is, just because a fabric is new and made of something different - it doesn't make it green. Always check for organic certification. Up and coming trends in green fashion include an increasing amount of designers working with reclaimed materials.

Reusing existing local materials has got to have one of the lowest impacts on planet earth. We have a fantastic range of clothes coming in for the autumn/winter made from reclaimed clothing. One of our designers spends their time scouring the jumble sales for clothes that nobody wants any more only to turn them into new funky fashionable items. Purity can be found at 20 Downing Street, Farnham, Surrey, or on the web at www.puritystyle.com

The new Autumn range is launched at www.organicboutique.co.uk

This gorgeous wrap top is made from pure New Zealand organic mountainsilk. Organic mountain silk is made from supersoft and superfine merino fibres which are perfect for transition and winter.

Catarina, a young upcoming designer from Portugal, has produced an exclusive range of fashion accessories for our web boutique. We are delighted to present this beautiful collection made from a fabulous collage of materials including vintage fabric beads crafted from the offcuts taken from Enamore's own production studio.

Catarina Vassalo's commitment is to create beautiful jewellery that will make you look and feel gorgeous, source only ethical suppliers, use as much as possible eco-friendly and recycled materials and produce as little waste as possible. All Catarina's designs are hand made in the United Kingdom.

If you think it's difficult to get planning permission for your conservatory or outhouse, you should try building a wind farm!  Following protests in my local area against two proposed wind farms, which recently delayed the planning process days before the government unveiled its timely scheme to focus more heavily on renewable energy - in particular wind turbines - I decided it was high time to find out what all the controversy is about and pay a visit to one wind farm developer, Renewable Energy Systems.

Based just off the M25 at Kings Langley, I went on the company's "energy trail" - designed mainly for school parties to visit but just as fascinating for adults.  Any cynicism you may have will vanish when you see that this environmentally focused organisation certainly does practice what it preaches - its headquarters are the world's first commercial low-emissions office redevelopment and is self-sufficient, generating power for heat, light and hot water through its own flagship wind turbine as well as solar panels, biomass crops (elephant grass grown on-site is used to fuel the boiler), an underground heat store and natural groundwater cooling system, as well as a wild grass orchard, beehives and hornbeam trees around the office windows - an old-fashioned technique to create natural shade.

Unfortunately every onshore wind farm proposal attracts a group of local residents who feel compelled to continue to hinder the essential progress of society towards renewable energy in the face of horrifyingly diminishing fossil fuels (the current transport fuel crisis is unfortunately just the tip of the iceberg), and environmentally suspect alternatives such as nuclear power.  Such groups use clever tactics to encourage the planning inspector to scrutinize the developers' credentials and wind speed statistics, threatening to take further legal action against the development whatever the inspector's recommendations, which could ultimately end up in a protracted high court appeal.  And, by the way, all these proceedings cost money, which us as taxpayers are funding.

One criticism of protest groups is that wind farm developers' motives are merely commercial - and that there isn't enough wind to justify building a wind farm.  Renewable energy producers certainly are commercial enterprises and as such are highly unlikely to propose building a wind farm on a site which has little wind!  Wind speeds are indeed vitally important, and form the main initial investment in terms of time and money, in order to be absolutely certain that the site will produce enough energy to be commercially viable. Studies are conducted over several months and are therefore hardly undertaken on a whim. 

There are in fact very few opportunities in England for wind farm developments because of the density of population, housing and the landscape, and I was shown how technology is used in conjunction with planning restrictions to identify rare "pockets" of space suitable for wind speed testing, before a development is even proposed.  You may be interested to learn that although the RES onsite turbine does not benefit from the best wind speeds in Britain, it still produces excess energy because the offices are so energy-efficient.  This excess energy is fed back into the national grid and redistributed by Good Energy, one of the green electricity suppliers you can pick to supply your energy (and which has just won this year's British Renewable Energy Company Award).

A wind turbine itself is a majestic, beautiful feat of engineering.  Standing tall and serene, its mechanism is simplicity itself - using schoolbook physics to take the natural wind around us to create precious, clean energy.  I stood right underneath the RES on-site turbine and the myth of how noisy they are is nothing short of propaganda.  I could only hear a slight "wicking" sound which was actually surprisingly calming, and only when I stood right underneath the turbine.  How do RES's immediate neighbours feel about living so close to a wind turbine, I asked?  They love it, apparently, as do the residents of Lowestoft who have recently acquired a turbine of their own, which the local community have affectionately named "Gulliver". 

I was dismayed to learn that most wind farm developments in England are rejected due to protests by local groups. Success is greater in Scotland and Ireland, and the USA has positively embraced the beauty and simplicity of this truly clean and inexhaustible supply of energy production - one of the largest wind farms in the world in Texas boasts over 240 turbines.  Anyone who remembers the opening scenes of the film "Rain Man" will surely be left spellbound at the breathtaking vision of the army of windmills lining the road - surely more attractive and without the health risks of pylons, which are as much a part of our modern landscape as TV aerials and satellite dishes, which were all condemned as blots on the landscape when they first appeared on the scene, but at which we don't bat an eyelid now. 

How ironic that the Planning Inspectorate itself - there to decide on complex planning issues but usually ending up as piggy in the middle between developers and the inevitable opposition they face - are in fact employed by our government, currently strenuously pontificating about its commitment to renewable energy and climate change policies.   Hardly anything to do with one of the main concerns always raised against wind farms - aesthetics, and yet this is one of the many spanners protest groups throw into the works.  But how relevant is this argument? 

Is a wind farm's appearance as judged by a handful of people really more important than the distinct advantages of the energy produced (those pylons again)?  If that's the case, what about nuclear power stations, hypermarkets, distribution centres, incineration plants, heavy industry and other commercial developments which are nowhere near as beneficial to the environment as a wind farm, and in some cases highly pollutive and disruptive to the local community.  When it comes to issues raised by protesters such as landscape and visual impacts, these are so subjective that unfortunately they are left to the planning inspector's personal opinion - the outcome of which can hardly be said to be impartial.    

It can be hard for people - individuals and communities - to accept and embrace change, but for the sake of the future I do wish wind farm protesters and the powers they court would expand their fears of such changes to the environment around them as whole rather than just their own homes and villages.  Have you ever seen the film Mad Max?  The reality of no fossil fuels is nearly upon us - make no mistake about it!   Before protesting against a wind farm, I would encourage anyone to get up close and personal to a turbine and consider a trip to a wind farm, stand right underneath a turbine and see how precious electricity can be produced cleanly and sustainably, before forcing the rest of us to forego the opportunity of embracing wind energy for the benefit of ours and our children's futures.

If you are pro-wind farm then you can make a big difference to the appeals process. Whilst a lot of protesters often speak out at public inquiries, it is just as important for wind farm supporters to find their voice.  Unfortunately it is more common to complain about something than encourage it - but you certainly can make a huge difference by helping the planning inspector make a balanced judgement.  For information on how you can support wind farm developments visit RES at http://www.res-ltd.com/ or Ethical Junction members The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) at http://www.bwea.com/ Also see the Energy Saving Trust http://www.saveenergy.co.uk/, the Sustainable Development Commission http://ww.sd-commission.org.uk/ and The Carbon Trust http://www.carbontrust.org.uk/

We all have shares in our future, and by saying Yes to Wind we can help make it a lot brighter.

ENERGY FACTS

85% of the general public support renewable energy

81% of people support wind energy

Over 60% of people would be happy to live within 5km of a wind farm

There are 94 wind farms in the UK with 1,100 turbines

Turbines provide power up to 85% of the year

They are quick to build, easy and cheap to maintain and last for over 20 years

Currently renewable energy makes up just 3.2% of fuel in the UK

Aims are by 2020 for the UK to generate 20% of energy through renewable sources

14 nuclear power stations are to be taken out of service over the next 30 years.

By Lisa Jackson

Firewinder® – The stunning original windlight, launches at Ecotopia.co.uk

Ecotopia announces the launch of the Firewinder -  a 100% wind-powered decorative outdoor light that magically breathes with the wind. Firewinder is an innovative outdoor light, which harnesses the power of the wind from whichever direction it blows, to create a simple yet stunning visual effect with universal appeal.

Firewinder requires no power supply or batteries, magically and elegantly transforming wind into light, enabling the abundant and free energy in the wind to be seen as an endless upward spiralling helix of light. From wind speeds of 3mph the lights begin to gently glow, and as the wind speed increases the faster the Firewinder twists and the brighter it shines, creating a pulsing mesmeric glow.

The product makes maximum use of recyclable materials, is designed for disassembly and recycling after life as a Firewinder and is available to pre-order now for £98.95 at www.ecotopia.co.uk

Clean your home safely and healthily without harsh chemicals!

Shattering the myth that eco-friendly cleaning products don't work - the fantastic Bio-D range of cleaning and laundry products is now available in its ethical entirety at online organic lifestyle store buyOrganics http://www.buyorganics.co.uk/.   With this biodegradeable, SLS free, natural range of house cleaning products, not only will you get the job done in no time, but you can be safe in the knowledge you haven't harmed your own health or that of the planet in the process!  They are all allergy tested and contain no animal products - and it goes without saying that they haven't been tested on animals too (which most regular products have been). Raw products are mainly from renewable sources and all packaging is recyclable.

Regular cleaning products may be great at killing germs and cutting grease but this comes at the expense of health and environment - the array of harsh, toxic chemicals and additives we are now exposed to via the sprays, polishes, wipes, bleaches and cleaning fluids have been linked to a host of problems ranging from mild allergies to cancer. 

Bio D products are the best all-round solution for safe, ethical cleaning - and results are as effective as regular products and are a particularly good choice for homes where there are babies, young children, expectant mothers, pets, allergy sufferers (such as eczema and asthma), and people undergoing chemotherapy who need to limit their toxin intake.  The laundry powder and liquid are especially useful for these vulnerable groups.  All products are safe and perfect for use in homes with cess pits and septic tanks. 

These eco-conscious products are also friendly on the pocket - good news with the current economic climate - with products ranging from just £1.89 to £4.00.

BuyOrganics is an online organic lifestyle store dedicated to a healthy lifestyle and the future of the planet, with attention to customer service, fast delivery and product quality and integrity.

Full range of Bio-D Products at buyOrganics:  

Bio D Washing Up Liquid (£1.89)

Kind to hands, the waterways and won't kill the fishes!! 

Bio D Toilet Cleaner (£2.49)

The smallest room will never be the same again - gets rid of smells, stains and even limescale.

Bio D Glass & Mirror Cleaner (£3.04)

Streak and smear free and not a cough or splutter to boot!

Bio D Laundry Washing Liquid (£3.84)

Safe for you and your washing machine - not to mention the dolphins!

Bio D Washing Powder (£3.05 for 1kg)

A little goes a long way with this concentrated powder

Visit this link for the buyOrganics Healthy Home store:  http://www.buyorganics.co.uk/HomeStore.aspx

Cleaning has never been more fun or more healthy!

Luxury ethical on-line gift store Boutiko (http://www.boutiko.co.uk/) has just added a stunning range of handmade craft kits for children designed by Karen Lewis.  These lovely kits are not only fun and pretty but also ethical, packaged in convenient recyclable "take away" boxes and suitable for young children.

There are three kits to choose from, all using felt and with two craft options - glue for smaller children and embroidery thread for the older, more confident child.  The Felt Flowers kit makes two pretty flower brooches, the Egg Cosy Kit two egg covers and the Hanging Heart kit a door hanger every girl's bedroom would be proud to sport!  All kits come with full instructions and ideas for patterns and make excellent gifts or party bag treats.  Gift wrapping at Boutiko is free of charge and orders can be despatched for next day delivery - perfect for last minute emergency gifts or even an impulse buy.

Boutiko's beautiful, easy to shop website combines the joint passion of founder Tara Leaver for exquisite, attractive gifts with a high standard of ethics.  "We make sure that everything Boutiko offers the public comes from a good place; it might be made from recycled materials or organic ingredients; it might be fairly traded or locally produced (everything is easily identifiable with our handy key).  So you buy a beautiful gift, shop with a clear conscience, benefit the producers directly and everyone is happy!"

Boutiko's other main priority is its personal service, particularly in the often impersonal medium of internet shopping, and feedback from customers is encouraged. Not only this but Boutiko really is mad about the gift business - a handy "how to find the perfect gift" section on the site is full of inspiration and the regular newsletter a godsend for perplexed present shoppers.

A stylish summer party to enjoy with friends.  

Check out and purchase some fabulous products from the hottest new brands in ethical fashion, including Devidoll, Izzy Lane, Amisha, Amoosi, BoBelle, Julia Smith, Pure Design, Eako  

Bid for your favourite piece at the auction and get some top tips from our personal stylists at the newly launched eco-bar at Surya Bar - Club4Climate, Kings Cross.   Find out more and register to attend at http://www.eco-fashion.co.uk/

This coming September parents and students can help reduce the environmental impact of the Back to School rush by considering the 3 R's when stocking up on supplies for the new term.

Reduce:

"If everyone in the UK saved one staple a day that would be 72 tonnes of metal saved a year" - Wasteonline.
With the eco stapler, metal clips become a thing of the past as this clever little gadget will attach up to three pages together by cutting and folding the paper in one action thus avoiding the need for paper clips.

Re-use:

Most of the waste we generate in the UK comes from packaging and school lunches are no exception.  It has been estimated that the average disposable school lunch generates 30kg of waste per school year.  That's the equivalent of up to 8.5 tonnes of waste per average sized schol per year.

One way to avoid the packaging from lunches is with a re-usable Wrap-N-Mat, an innovative solution to cling film and plastic sandwich bags.  Designed to last for many years, the Wrap-N-Mat is a simple way to reduce waste going to landfill.
Easy to use, you just fold it around the sandwiches or other lunchbox favourites like biscuits or vegetable snacks, fold the cotton wrapper closed and secure with the velcro strap. 

The Wrap-N-Mat also unfolds into a handy placemat measuring 33cm x 33cm providing a pratical and clean eating surface wherever you are that is big enough to catch any spillages.

Recycle:

Encouraging a younger generation to reduce waste and recycle from an early age is a vital role we all need to play in order to reduce the volume of rubbish generated by future generations.  One way to achieve this is through promoting recycled materials in school supplies.

ECOutlet's kids range includes backpacks, lunchboxes and aprons made from recycled juice packs.  The stationery range includes pencil cases, rulers, notepads, pens and pencils made from a variety of recycled materials including car tyres, packaging, car parts and juice ca rtons.

Bright, colourful and interactive, they send a clear message to a younger generation on the possibilities of recycling and how we can all reduce our environmental impact by recycling and choosing recycled products.

The best way to reduce waste is not to produce it in the first place...

The Charcoal People are unique in the UK in offering beautifully made pieces of bamboo charcoal to use for filtering tap water. This method of filtering water is tried and tested in other parts of the world, particularly Japan and the Far East. The charcoal is made in the traditional way in clay kilns and uses no chemical processing. Bamboo itself is an abundant and sustainable plant.

The beauty of this method of filtering water is that there is none of the plastic waste that comes with bottled water and conventional water filters. You simply put the charcoal pieces in your water jug, fill the jug and leave it for a few hours and your water is ready to drink. The result is a water which is very smooth on the tongue and easy to drink. And, uniquely, the charcoal doesn't just filter impurities out - it also deposits minerals in the water and makes it more alkaline. 

The pieces can be re-used to filter water as often as you like for about 2 months and after that there are many household uses to which you can put them. You can, for instance, put them in the bread bin because they inhibit mould, or in your shoes because they inhibit odours (see www.charcoalpeople.co.uk for more). After you have used them for between 6 months to a year in this way, you can bury them in your garden, as they are beneficial to the soil, so completing the life cycle of the product in an eco-friendly way.

Bamboo charcoal water filters ~ a genuinely eco-friendly alternative

Bamboo charcoal water filters for a complete eco-cycle...

At Ecotopia.co.uk we believe water is the most precious resource on earth. Full stop! Careless use of our water resources is the surest way to bring about a future water crisis. That's why it's important to learn about water saving devices now. The place for each of us to start saving is in our home, and most people are surprised by the impact they can make there.

Ecotopia.co.uk is supporting the new Tap campaign which is mobilising a mass consumer backlash against bottled water and a return to good old tap water - in a similar way to the plastic bag rebuff brought about by the I'm not a plastic bag products last summer. The first product in the Tap range at www.ecotopia.co.uk is a pack of DIY bottled water stickers at £6.99 -allowing you to re-use a standard water bottle up to 10 times. We know even the most hardened tap water drinker is going to buy bottled water from time to time, so these labels increase the lifespan of a bottle (thereby reducing waste) and let people de-brand their big name water bottle and promote tap water. We also carry a range of the funky new tap water bottles from just £6.00 . Very importantly, 70% of all profits from these products sold go to clean water and sanitation projects in Africa.

Ecotopia.co.uk also sell a wide range of water filter kits. Check out the Doulton HIP DIY plumbed water filter kit at £75.00. Made from food grade acetal and polyester, the HIP is a cost-effective and easy to use filter unit. It can be used either to filter all cold water running into the kitchen sink, or to provide filtered drinking water via a separate tap.

For people who do not have a reliable pressurised mains water supply, whether it is at home, on a campsite, or in a holiday cottage, a gravity filter at £54.99 enables you to have clean filtered drinking water on tap. Water is poured manually into the upper chamber. It passes through the filter candles under pressure of gravity into the lower chamber where the filtered water can be accessed via a tap on the front of the filter.

The fabulous Interflush WC water saving kit costs £17.95 fits on top of your WC siphon and connects to the front mounted flush handle. Did you know that every person uses 150 litres of water per day. 60 of these litres are used for toilet flushing. The InterflushTM saves half of the flushing water, that is 30 litres per person per day.

Watergreen at £19.99 has won the Waterwise Marque by Waterwise, the leading authority on water efficiency. WaterGreen is a clever syphon pump. Put one end in your bath; the other end out the window, connect to a hose, squeeze the pump and let gravity syphon your waste water onto your garden. It moves water from your water butt, bath, shower or sink to your garden - simply, cleanly and affordably. It can also be used to empty cisterns, blocked sinks and dishwashing machines. It stores neatly and can be used at any time. Best of all, you can use your hosepipe to move recycled or rain water, even during a hosepipe ban! Easy: a few squeezes of the hand pump gets it going, then it runs by itself. Efficient: empties baths in minutes and can be left unattended Flexible: fill a water butt, wash the car or use straight onto the garden Convenient: attaches to any standard garden hose Effective: recycles water - saving money, your garden and the planet

Check out the Tefal Quick Cup at £59.99. For real instant drinks here's a very clever device that brings you instant hot water at 95C. In this way it uses around 65% less energy than conventional kettles. Only the water that is required is heated instantly - no pre heating is required and therefore no cooling and loss of energy takes place.

Prefer a traditional kettle, try our Eco Kettle at £33.95. Introducing a breakthrough in environmental energy saving design and technology, ecotopia.co.uk is proud to offer the eco kettle. No other kettle saves you as much water, time and energy. The eco kettle is innovative and is revolutionising the way we efficiently boil water for hot drinks or cooking, as the unique design of the eco kettle allows you to boil just enough water that you need by releasing water from a full reservoir incorporated within the kettles body via a measuring button. Pressing the measuring button selects the volume of water you wish to boil, from a single cup to a full kettle. The result is the ability to accurately measure the amount of water you wish to boil which until now has been an unavailable option on any kettle. Not only do you save electricity whilst lowering carbon emissions but using the eco kettle ensures that you will always boil the exact amount of water from now on.

New Puppet Kits Created by BBC Tweenies & Muppet Creator    

These new puppet sets, made from recycled cardboard, are perfect for parents looking to minimise expenditure and maximise their Children's creativity during the summer holidays, while being kind to the environment.

The great value sets have been created by a former BBC Puppeteer and Tweenie Sally Preisig, who also worked with Jim Henson's Muppets.  As a mother, Sally was fed up buying very expensive, mass-produced craft kits for children.  She wanted to create something interesting that contained more than a few pieces of paper and sequin.

There are a number of kits allowing kids to create their own individual monkey, bear, pig, sheep, giraffe, dinosaur, cat, robot or a puppet girl.  The kits contain everything you need to make the puppets including full instructions and all the materials. The constituent parts are made using recycled cardboard and wood, the cardboard packaging is recyclable too. No cutting or knotting is required, but a little adult supervision may be needed. Ideal for children aged 4 and over and not suitable for the under 3's due to small parts.

These puppet sets, costing £10, and other creative toys are available from http://www.fairwindonline.com/.

Fairwind is owned and run by Teresa Owen and Martin Abel who are passionate about fair trade and the environment.  In addition to their thriving online business they have a shop in Crouch End, London.  In 2007, Fairwind was shorlisted for an Observer Ethical Award and is a member of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS) visit http://www.bafts.org.uk/ for more information.

Fairwind's great range of fair trade and eco friendly home products and gifts include; jewellery, wooden children's toys & clothing, bags, cushions, candles, CDs and garden accessories.  To see Fairwind's full range, obtain a catalogue or further information, visit http://www.fairwindonline.com/

Tel: 020 8374 6254.

As much of the UK gets ready for summer festivals, or a holiday close to home, many more will drive or fly to the continent and
further away.

It's summer time and we need to replenish, we want to relax, have fun, forget about work, about everything, including perhaps, the state of the planet.

Wherever you might be, Nigel's Eco Store is committed to bringing you eco friendly products to add an eco happiness to your summer choices. Enjoy!

Solar Car Battery Chargers, Solar Phone Chargers and Solar Torches - ideal when driving and camping, Nigel's Eco Store's solar powered products are very useful as well as being better for the planet. Keep your car battery topped up with our solar trickle charger - it sits on the dashboard and means the car battery won't run down, whilst the solar torches use light to create light, and the solar phone chargers will keep your mobile and ipod topped up so you never run out of juice.

Biodegradable Flip Flops - eco friendly, fair trade, 100% FSC, by Ethletic -These eco friendly flip flops are the essential footwear this summer. Fairtrade, biodegradable, comfortable, and perfect for holidays, the beach, or for keeping your feet cool in the heat. The natural latex used to make these shoes is sourced from sustainably and responsibly managed plantations in South India and Sri Lanka.

 

GreenPeople Organic Sun Lotions, SPF 15 + SPF 22 and Children Sun Lotions - Our range of sun lotions will protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. They provide natural low, medium or high protection levels which will help you tan safely and more naturally. Green People's award winning sun lotions are carefully formulated with more than 84% organic ingredients and keep skin beautifully moisturised.

Tap: Do-it-Yourself Bottled Water Kit - a refreshing alternative to buying bottled water. Here's a perky solution to the expensive and environmentally contentious issue of buying water in plastic bottles. Instead of binning your empty bottle of water, revive it with one of these 10 self adhesive adhesive labels and use the bottle another ten times. Ten labels used ten times saves 100 bottles of water - that's between £80 and £150 saved (depending where you buy your water!). That's great savings for you and the planet. 70% of Tap's profits go to fund water projects in the developing world.

Life's a Picnic - an eco bag and cutlery set - for an eco picnic and day out. Fitted into a jute bag with Life's a Picnic print are plates, cups, glasses, cutlery and napkins - all fully biodegradable/compostable. In the bag are 4 or 8 plates, hot drink cups, glasses, napkins and sets of cutlery, held in place with a removable divider. Every part of this eco picnic set comes from sustainable plant sources and is ethically produced. The plates, cups, glasses and cutlery can all be re-used several times, if gently washed and dried after use. Available for four or eight people.

General enquiries

All items can be purchased at http://www.nigelsecostore.com/ or over the telephone on 0800 288 8970.