Green News
Oxfam has been playing dressup with some fabulous fashion icons from the world of stage song and screen in a bid to hammer home the message that longevity is what makes an item of clothing truly desirable. It's a message that seems to be resonating not only with greens but with cash-strapped clothing addicts in all quarters at the moment, as the wisdom of having frequent, less expensive splurges on clothing you may never wear is finally called into question. God bless the credit crunch!
Jaime Winstone commented: "I love shopping at Oxfam because of the consistent originality and diversity of the clothes that they sell; the fact that no two pieces are the same allows me to create a really individual look"
Related: Oxfam's new look is 'bang on trend' | Charity shops need your help as donations drop
Fairtrade
We're into the second week of Fairtrade Fortnight now, and judging by the official calendar of events, this second half of the event seems to be all about the tastier things in life: if you're in Brighton, you can drop in on Infinity Foods on North Road for a spot of chocolate tasting, all day with Divine. In Leicestershire, kids can take part in what's promisingly called a 'choca moneky challenge' at South Wigston High School, Wigston, while Bassaleg school in Newport is holding 'Bring a banana to school day'.
So what's the big deal with bananas?
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Friday fun
Ever since the first Andrex puppy bounded down the stairs and into our hearts, loo roll has been getting increasingly soft, strong and long. At first, this represented a welcome departure from the scratchy, tracing-paper torture that many of us remember from our youth, but even the most posteriorly-challenged would agree that just recently, things have gone a bit far.
The current trend in toilet paper (if such a thing can be said to exist) is for such bloated, padded sheets that it can sometimes feel as though you're wiping your bottom with a king-size duvet. And according to campaigners, the American obsession in particular with multi-ply, quilted toilet tissue is having such a devastating effect on the environment that it could be said to be a worse risk to the planet than all the SUVs in the USA. In Europe, we are doing better, with around 40% of toilet paper coming from recycled sources. But in the States, more than 98% comes from virgin forests. Are we in danger of slipping into such bad habits?
Follow the jump to take part in our poll
Related: Recycled toilet paper: how green is it really? | Sheryl Crow says no to toilet paper to save the world
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Fashion & accessories
Sculptural, innovative and eccentric are all words I could apply to the work of rising star Ada Zanditon, who is currently leading the way in ethical haute couture. After causing a stir with her graduate collection and Emergence collection for S/S '09, Zanditon has just launched her A/W range to much acclaim.
The winter collection has all the trademark features of Zanditon's work: exaggerated silhouettes and extreme, hourglass curves, but in place of the linens and shimmery fabrics of the summer pieces, she has gone in for heavy Scottish wools, alpaca and silk. All of these materials are sourced in the UK, and an inspiration for the collection is Celtic spirituality.
Related: LFW: Julia Smith A/W 2009 Vauxhall Fashion Scout | Eco-chic labels for 2009: EDUN
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Green gadgets
'Solar' really seems to be the buzzword in green tech at the moment, so I was interested to see that batteries are the latest electrical essential to get their own panels. 'Suncat' batteries (so-called because you charge them by leaving them to bask in the sun, like a sleepy cat) are still in embrionic form at the moment, and not available in the shops. But the good news is you can make your own, following instructions on DIY boff Knut Karlsen's blog.
You'll need to be able to source some photo voltaic cells to make your Suncats, but a quick glance at the tutorial suggests that's the hardest part of the job. [Via Treehugger, Shiny Shiny]
Related: More solar-powered phones hit the market | Be your own battery in a solar powered dress
Green News
Red Nose Day is coming up on 13th March, and if you'd like to have a bit more involvement this time than a last-minute phone call to pledge £5, why not pick up a supporter pack from Ethical Superstore?
The pack contains 216 bars of Dubble chocolate (which is truly delicious stuff, and I don't care if it's meant for kids) which you can sell to raise funds for the good causes supported by Red Nose Day. A great idea for schools, the pack is available to buy here. Just don't eat them all at once...
Related: FREE Divine chocolate is one click away during Fairtrade Fortnight
Fashion & accessories
When I was over at Estethica last week, I was excited to find out that People Tree has joined forces with my all-time favourite design collective Eley Kishimoto, to produce a capsule collection of garments for Autumn/Winter 09.
So far, all I've seen are a few selected pieces from the collection, which includes the extremely cute, puff-sleeved tunic printed with a neat example of EK's trademark bright patterns. It's always good to see People Tree pushing the boundaries of fairtrade fashion with their designer collaborations, and I have an inking this may be the best yet.
Related: Bora Asku designs collection for People Tree | Summer dresses: Thakoon for People Tree
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