Click the link to see the picture;
1- THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH
3 - 21 WASHED UP PLASTIC BOTTLES
4 - NO KINDA SURPRISE - PLASTIC POLLUTION
7 - GLASS RECYCLING BINS IN BRUGES
8 - EUROTUNNEL WIND POWER GENERATION
]]>MoreEco are supporting the Emissions Equality campaign which Volvo launched this week. The aim is to to make people more aware of the dangers that car emissions pose to our health.
Did you know that as many as 50,000 people a year are dying prematurely due to toxic air emissions, linked to fossil fuel combustion?
That's more than 20 times the number that die in road accidents in the UK each year! [source: Environmental Audit Select Committee] The most dangerous of these emissions NOx, Hydrocarbons and Particulates. But together, we'll call them "Nasties". Watch this animation to see the Nasties in action.
Find out more about the Fight for Your Right To Clean Air at www.facebook.com/insidevolvouk and join the debate at www.twitter.com/insidevolvouk
]]>Volvo have launched a campaign to make people more aware of the dangers that car emissions pose to our health.
Did you know that as many as 50,000 people a year are dying prematurely due to toxic air emissions, linked to fossil fuel combustion? That's more than 20 times the number that die in road accidents in the UK each year! [source: Environmental Audit Select Committee]
The most dangerous of these emissions NOx, Hydrocarbons and Particulates. But together, we'll call them "Nasties". Watch this animation to see the Nasties in action.
Find out more about the Fight for Your Right To Clean Air at www.facebook.com/insidevolvouk and join the debate at www.twitter.com/insidevolvouk
Check out Sorven Media's latest eco and green blog - Eco Vid Of The Day or EVOTD.
The team at EVOTD, just love posting videos about everything Eco, Environmental, Sustainable, Natural and Green from our daily lives.
If you like this site you may also like EPOTD or Eco Pic Of The Day.
Take a look and see what happening in the world.
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1. Get in the Garden – get outside and have some fun gardening! There are plenty of fantastic green products around and growing your own fruit and veg helps reduce your carbon footprint and persuades you to keep healthy!
2. Compost Compost Compost! – Make sure you keep a compost bin and make the most of your left over food scraps. Just place all peelings and left over biodegradable vegetables in your compost bin and then watch your home-grown vegetables thrive.
3. Walk – walk your kids to school, walk to work, walk to town. Reduce your carbon footprint and tone up by ditching the car keys and grabbing your walking shoes.
4. Watch that water level – Only boil the amount of water you need, fill your dishwasher to the brim, time your showers, limit the number of baths you have and watch your water bills (and carbon footprint) decrease.
5. Turn it off – turn off those appliances. Turn off the lights you aren’t using. Switch the TV off at the plug each night and don’t leave your laptops and mobiles plugged in all day everyday. Not only will you be helping the environment but you will notice a difference to your energy bill.
6. Recycling can be fun! – Get the kids involved. Check with your local council what can be recycled and make sure to adhere to their rules. And get creative! Old clothes can be given new life, old containers can be used to make toys (think Blue Peter!) and wrapping paper and gift cards can always be personalised and re-used.
7. Find eco-alternatives – Going on holiday? Take a train, not a plane. Try and stay local or take an eco-route where possible. Or looking to buy a new book? Head to your local charity shop, they will have plenty!
8. Get eco-fit – don’t stay at home watching television. Grab the kids, turn off those lights and get active! Take a walk to your local park, have fun and get fit. Learning to enjoy the outdoors will help you appreciate the importance of keeping our environment healthy and getting active will make you feel more energised and less like sitting in front of the TV or computer.
9. Teach those around you – Make sure your family, your children and your friends know the importance of making small changes in their lives that can considerably reduce their carbon footprint.
10. Get involved – stick to your eco-resolutions and find out about any local charities or organisations that need help with their green agenda. If you can spare some money look to giving a monthly sum to a non-profit organisation that concentrates on ecological issues and, if you have the time, campaign your local MP and local companies to make green promises (and stick to them!).
]]>UK AWARE is unique, established and respected and will be taking place on 16th and 17th April 2010, in Olympia Two, London, UK AWARE is the UK's only green and ethical lifestyle exhibition.
>>> Click here for more information.
>>> Click here to buy discounted tickets
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What is Fairtrade?
The concept of 'fair trade' has been around for over forty years but did not include a formal system until the late 1980s.
It was established by Christian Aid, CAFOD, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement and later joined by the Women's Institute. The first product to be certified was Green & Black's Maya Gold Chocolate followed by Cafedirect coffee and Clipper Tea.
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The concept has taken off dramatically since these first products were certified and now includes a variety of food, clothing and gift ranges. The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation which envisions a world in which sustainable development, equality and fair pay form the basis of any trade structure.
In order to achieve this, Fairtrade attempts to transform previous trading structures in order to help the disadvantaged and poverty-stricken. They work with businesses, communities and individuals all around the world to improve the trading rights and position of organisations who are often taken advantage of.
Why Should You Buy Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is not just any non-profit organisation. Not only do they provide a fair and honest service to the communities and businesses involved but they also provide the consumer with great quality produce at a fair price. You reap the benefits of investing in Fairtrade products.
The Fairtrade certification enables the consumer to make informed decisions about their purchase choices and means they can be safe in the knowledge that their money is providing a reasonable income for those people who are involved. The quality of the produce is well worth the price, especially with the realisation that the people putting in the groundwork get fair compensation for their services.
Fairtrade Towns
Fairtrade also promotes the education of local communities involved with trade structures and issues. As a charity it believes that ordinary people can make a dramatic difference to the livelihood of the producers and aims to increase awareness of this belief. Fairtrade towns are those which are committed to promoting understanding of trade issues in their local community – to find out more please take a look at the Fairtrade website.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2010
Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 took place from the 22nd of February until the 7th of March and was labelled 'the big swap'! Fairtrade asked the nation to swap their usual produce choices to Fairtrade – whether it be coffee, chocolate, fruit or socks. By doing this the general public proved that they care about their responsibility as consumers and can make a real difference to the lives of the people who grow or sew that which we buy, eat and wear.
Fairtrade fortnight was a phenomenal success with celebrities such as Emma Watson creating Fairtrade fashion lines, Oxfordshire schools hosting a week of incredible green events and Cadbury's offering songs from the likes of Paolo Nutini and Sway when you registered your swap to Fairtrade.
The nation spoke out and showed the world that Britain cares about the lives of the farmers and workers that provide us with so much of our material goods. Why not try to make the swap to Fairtrade certified products yourself and reap the benefits of great quality products that make a real difference to the lives of the producers.
]]>In recent years there has been an exponential growth of green events – everything from festivals to film screenings have been proposed, funded and managed by a wealth of different people and organisations. These events are a wonderful means by which to increase awareness of green issues and engage with members of the population who are not predisposed to reading or learning about climate change.
Green festivals promote the awareness of ecological concerns whilst engaging with entertainment Festivals such as Chorlton's Big Green Festival (27th March), the Real Food Festival (7th-10th May), The Green Festival (22nd May) and Fiddler's Green International Festival (18th-25th July) promote positive change whilst providing fun, interesting and thought provoking days out for the whole family. The Big Tent (23rd-24th July) is Scotland's biggest eco festival and has been a phenomenal success in the past providing a format that everyone can benefit from. The Croissant Neuf Party (13th-15th August) won the Greenest Festival of the Year award in 2009 and combines exceptionally great music with renowned street theatre, workshops, open mic sessions and sports activities. Perhaps one of the best known green events comes in the shape of the Big Green Gathering (dates tbc) which is a wonderful five day camping event in Somerset. Grown out of the Green Gatherings and Glastonbury Music Festival events it is definitely not one to be missed.
Another fantastic way of promoting the green agenda is by getting involved with an action day. Fairtrade Fortnight is currently underway and Walk to School Week will commence on the 17th of May – a great way to get the kids involved! World Environment Day takes place on the 5th June, recycle week begins on the 21st of June, World Water Week on the 5th of September and Buy Nothing Day takes place on the 27th of November. The most famous action day comes in the form of Earth Day which celebrates its 40th anniversary on the 22nd of April. These days provide an opportunity to show your support for a great cause and teach your family about the impact of their actions on the environment at large.
Or how about the EcoBuild exhibit (2nd-4th of March) where sustainable designers, innovators and constructors come together to provide more than 100 free conference and seminar sessions? Or One Life Live (18th-21st March) which provides inspiration and advice to those who feel they want to make more of their lives? These fantastic events combine volunteering opportunities, seminars, career advice and business acumen to help you make a difference.
If you're still not convinced then check out UK Aware (16th-17th April) which brings together 200 exhibitors, 15,000 visitors, 100 low carbon vehicles and over 50 world guest speakers or Sustainabilitylive! (20th-22nd May) which is the UK's largest forum for excellence and innovation in environment, water, energy and land and is guaranteed to have something for everyone.
Click this link to purchase tickets for £6 now rather than £15.00 on the door.
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