Excitement erupted earlier this week, when a wind turbine in Conisholme, Lincolnshire suffered unexplained damage, following reports from local residents that 'strange lights' had appeared in the sky. The giant turbine, used to make green energy by Ecotricity, lost one of its 72-foot blades in what is being described as a freak accident - and it wasn't long before the usual whacky theories started to emerge...
In the light of recent rants by Dr. Ben Goldacre and others, it suddenly seems distinctly unfashionable to be using the 'd' word. What was once a yearly ritual for most self-respecting health freaks is now seen as a bit of a joke, with many people simply admitting that they don't want to punish themselves by avoiding booze and comfort food during their 'holiday comedown' and when the weather's at its bleakest. Words that all but the most strong willed will cling to in an instant...
So, let's assume that quite a few of you will be shunning the season of self-flagellation in 2009, and talk about the substance that has taunted many a fad-dieter over the years: chocolate.
Still got any old-style lightbulbs around the house? If so, they'll soon be switching off for the last time, as shops have already begun to phase them out, re-stocking only with low-energy CFLs.
I don't need to spell out the good reasons for making the switch to low-energy bulbs here, but I have had an awful lot of fun watching the various different reactions to the news, which seems to stir up strong feelings on both sides of the fence. The Daily Mail has been predictably 'incandescent' with rage at the demise of 'old fashioned' lightbulbs, while several crafty sites have got to work concocting inventive uses for the defunct objects.
As ways of getting to work go, using the underground is a pretty eco-friendly option, even if 'friendly' is not a word I'd use to describe your average fellow commuter!
Lest we forget this fact, the Tube has introduced a range of 'green' products now available online. They include this smart little 'envelope angel', a sticky label dispenser decorated with a map of Angel station. Pop them on an old jiffy bag or envelope, and hey presto, you can re-use. You could always do this with your own bits of scrap paper, of course, but I admit this is rather neat.
£5.86 at the London Transport Museum Shop.
[Via Going Underground]
One week in, and new year's resolutions that seemed like a good idea at the time are beginning to take their toll. Why not forget trying to detox (it's terribly unfashionable anyway) and worrying about your nailbiting habit and think about making some longer-term goals that will help the planet instead?
I've been compiling a list of the best lifestyle changes you can make to green up your life, none of which are a major hassle for you, but all of which will make a really positive impact if we all try and bear them in mind.
Follow the jump for green new year's resolutions 6-10
Our techy friends over at Shiny Shiny reckon we're going to be seeing *a lot* of environmentally friendly gadgetry this year and to get the ball rolling, here's the MOTO W233 Renew from Motorola (could this move be a sign that they're trying to get out of the red zone in the Greenpeace guide to greener electronics, I wonder?)
So what's green about this phone? First, its outer casing is made from our old friend the PET bottle; a selling-point that might not immediately grab those seeking the must-have handset of the moment, but novelty seekers will be impressed to learn that this is the first time recycled bottles have been used in phone technology. And if being kind to the environment ranks pretty high in your books and getting "the quality you expect from a Motorola device while empowering you to reduce your carbon footprint" sounds befitting to your lifestyle, this could be a smart mobile option.
Related: The 3110 Evolve: Nokia's new greener handset is 60% recycled | Eco mobile phone cases
Gone are the days when 'recycling' meant nothing more than taking a few empties to the bottle bank: today, designers and crafty types are working magic with everything from lolly sticks to cat fur. But can you guess what this cute little bolero top is made from?
[Via Crafty Crafty]
One of the best things you can do for the planet is ensure that your home is heated as efficiently as possible. Central heating accounts for a massive proportion of your carbon footprint, so the more you do to reduce it, the bigger an impact you'll make.
The simplest way to do this is to cut down on how much heating you actually use. But that isn't always easy as the winter weather sets in. And this is where renewable energy packages start to look seriously attractive. But what about the cost?
Christinanity is getting a greener conscience, it seems, as the latest item to get the eco-treatment is the Holy Book itself. And when you consider that the bible is the bestselling book on earth, this is good news for those of all faiths and none!
The Green Bible, published by Harper One, is a printed on recycled paper with soya ink and is already flying off bookshop shelves, with over 25,000 copies sold in the first few weeks of its release.
In a new series looking at genuinely positive moves by companies whose overall ethical record leaves something to be desired, we examine Nike's latest offer in its sustainable 'Considered' range, and ask ourselves whether we should lust after these shoes.
If you're more of a trainer officionado than I am, you'll probably already know that the Pegasus is a popular style from Nike that has stood the test of time. Not known for its ethical credentials, Nike has recently brought out an 'eco' version of the shoe that's made from what the brand describes as 'environmentally prefered materials' or EPMs, using techniques that keep waste to a minimum.
Now, before you wrinkle your nose in disgust and move on, let's look a bit more closely at the implications of this move. When Nike launched the Considered range back in 2005, with just a few minority designs made using this technique, we dismissed it as greenwash (and slated its rather 'hippyish' looking designs). But this shift into the mainstream has positive implications...
If you're looking for a bit of pampering after the excesses of Christmas and new year, getting hold of some skin-nourishing treatments is always a pleasant and calorie-free way to go about it. On my radar for new smellies to try at the moment are these fun products Body America Organics.
They call themselves 'Organics with attitude' and their saucy imprints of sailor girls and forties style bikini babes definitely give that impression. They contains no parabens or UREA and are made up of 72% organic ingredients. You can choose from scrubs, body butters and lip balm to mists and mousse, and I haven't even told you the best bit yet- the scrumptious flavours.
Just a quick remnider that it's sadly time to take down all those cards that have been brightening the gloom, and send them away to the great mantelpiece in the sky. If you're unsure about how to do this in a green and responsible manner, all you need to know - from shops accepting cast-off cards to how you can help protect native forests is here. Meanwhile, all you need to know about recycling your tree can be found here.
Whether or not you go in for new year's resolutions, making changes to help slow the pace of climate change is now a matter of urgency, and one we all need to take more seriously by the year. And however good your green intentions may be, everyone has areas of weakness, so the season of self-denial is a good time to take a look at where you could improve your lifestyle and make it greener.
Between now and the end of January, I'll be compiling a list of ways to be greener, giving tips on how to make the transition as painless as possible in each case. They're all changes that even the laziest among us can make with a bit of practice, and that can make momentous changes to our collective plight when made by enough responsible individuals.
Read on after the jump for resolutions 1 to 5
You may have sometimes heard chewing gum referred to as 'chicle', which is because gum originally came from a tropical evergreen tree called Manilkara chicle before the present day, synthetic sort became common. And now, a small cooperative in the Mexican rainforest is hoping to ressurect the chicle industry by selling the natural gum as an organic, sustainable product that's also fully biodegradable - unlike the unsightly stuff that's spat on to our pavements costing millions in street cleaning each year.
A friend of mine recently invited me to his forthcoming 'carbon neutral' wedding, which made me curious to know how greener couples are going about lowering their carbon footprints as they tread lightly down the aisle. There are all sorts of options to choose from, including offsetting your guests' travel, an option that's now becoming fairly commonplace, with some really useful carbon calculating tools available online.
But a really charming way to commemorate your wedding while adding something beautiful to the planet is to have a tree planted; a favour your guests can purchase as part of your wedding list.
From: Ethically produced jewellery by The Hairy Growler Jewellery Co.