Arts & information
Ecorazzi reported today that they've heard a rumour that Richard Branson is putting together a television show that addresses celebrity mansion excesses — sort of a green version of MTV’s Cribs — but with a lot more scorn and less “Everyone should have a temperature controlled six-car garage” type praise. Who does he want to host? From Holy Moly:
“Branson hopes to get Natalie Imbruglia to host a green version of MTV’s ‘Cribs’ where, instead of going to the houses of the ludicrously rich and finding out what awful nouveau riche tastes they have, she would give them a damn good telling off for wasting quite so much electricity, gas, oil and heat. Calm yourselves. There are people who would pay good money to get ‘a proper telling off’ from Ms Imbruglia.”
Green News
The results of tests conducted over a period of almost two years have confirmed that levels of bacteria and viruses in Thames river water after bouts of heavy rain exceed recommended safety levels.
Although in recent years the Thames had gained a reputation for being one of cleanest rivers in Europe, the research found that discharges of untreated sewage into the river after bad weather was putting river users including rowers, canoeists and anglers, at risk of gastro-enteritis and other water-borne infections.
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Ethical & green gifts
We're coming into October, and now is the time for thinking about next year’s garden. It may seem that this year’s crop is only just ending, but with frosts predicted for this weekend, the Autumn is well and truly here and it’s time to start planning those bulbs for next Spring, the over-wintering onions, peas and garlic, planting those raspberry canes and ordering next year’s seeds.
That’s where the 2008 Organic Gardening Catalogue comes in handy and makes you spend more money than you’d planned.
In case you’ve not come across it before, the Organic Gardening Catalogue has everything you could possibly need – and many things you didn’t know you needed – for organic gardening, at home and in the allotment. This is the place for organic seeds, heritage varieties of plants, green manures, organic fertilisers, biological pest controls, tools, books, and even Christmas gifts for the enthusiastic gardener in your life.
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Here's another great idea for keeping warm without resorting to central heating! These stylish and warm-looking blankets are made from recycled cashmere sweaters by artist Moonching Wu, along with his company Sun Moon Lake.
As well as the blankets, Wu also makes rugs, toys and other unusual household items. No two items are the same, and there's a huge range of colours and styles on offer.
So next time you feel like having a 'duvet day', why not curl up with one of these former sweaters instead?
Health & beauty
Any breastfeeding mother will know the importance of a breast pad which is soft and comfortable, and if you care about the planet you'll know they should be washable rather than disposable too. The creator of Lanowool pads knew all of this and came up with a pad made from New Zealand merino wool. They are processed with biodegradable detergents and are treated with an emulsifier of purified, pesticide free lanolin. The merino wool makes the pads extremely breathable and moves moisture away from the body, and unlike synthetic pads they won't cause overheating. They are recommended by midwifes in the UK and New Zealand and have won several awards. They cost £10 for one pair and are available from Babykind.
Star-encrusted green movement Global Cool has teamed up with Vodafone to give a push to handset recycling in the UK with a new campaign dubbed 'Superheroes'. The joint aim is to recycle 500,000 old mobile phones by inviting customers to bring old handsets into Vodafone stores, sparing the world an enormous chunk of CO2 and raising funds for Global Cool's projects.
Related: Five ways to recycle your mobile
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Transport & travel
Love it or hate it - we all have to travel sometime. But now Multimap has joined forces with carbon-reducers Carbon Clear to help us keep our travel carbon footprints to a minimum.
By looking at things like mode of transport and engine size, Multimap will provide information how much CO2 each journey will use up. Travellers will also be able to compare their carbon foot print if they were to take other modes of transport.
Multimap's founder Sean Phelan, said, "We all know that driving has a negative effect on the environment. We've partnered with Carbon Clear to help raise users' awareness of the impact of driving, and also to make it easier to offset the carbon emissions of those journeys."
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