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

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?

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

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

'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

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

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

Nina Dolcetti is one of my favourite rising stars of the ethical footwear world, so it was great to bump into the designer herself at London Fashion Week.

'Raincoats, galoshes and New York at Night' were all inspirations for the Autumn/Winter 09 collection; a more mature range from the designer who's taken something of a departure from last season's girlish brights and heels. Here, shiny mock-croc contrasts with neutral matte tones, giving the shoes a very sculptural look. There are also pumps with a touch of the Vivienne Westwood rocking horse shoe about them, making for a really edgy range.

Related: GALLERY: Best of 2008 eco-friendly and sustaniable shoes | Nina Dolcetti fab eco footwear

The great and the good of the eco world were out proving that greens know how to have fun last night, when Estethica threw its London Fashion Week party at the West End's Molton House.

With a bevy of celebs on board including model Jade Parfitt, The Feeling, Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran and Mathew Horne from 'Gavin & Stacey', the party was a fitting celebration of all that Estethica has achieved in its six seasons at LFW. For more images and info on the event, check out GreenMyStyle's photo gallery.

Related: Ethical designers shine at London Fashion Week

A reader of Annie Mole's Going Underground blog sent in this picture: an example of some direct action on the Tube. The decision to expand Heathrow has really not been a popular one, and it's these small but targeted gestures that are going to ensure we don't forget about it in a hurry.

That said, someone really ought to tell them that Heathrow is the end of the line...

Related: Anger at Heathrow third runway decision | Heathrow Airport attempts to block peaceful protesters

Shrove Tuesday is here, and if you want to attempt something a bit more adventurous than sugar and lemon this year, why not experiment with some mouth-watering recipes for seriously special pancakes? I've found some great ideas for toppings today from the guys at Freedom Foods, including stewed rhubarb and ginger and cinnamon and rum-glazed bananas. Crikey. Is it lunchtime yet?

Follow the jump for the recipes!

Divine make some of the scrummiest fairtrade chocolate around, in my opinion, and to mark the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, they're giving away a free bar to anyone who takes the time to fill out this form.

The reason Divine tastes so good may well come down to the quality of the cocoa butter that goes into the chocolate and I was interested to learn that Divine uses the very same melt-on-the-skin cocoa butter from Kuapa Kokoo as The Body Shop includes in its Body Butter products. Through trade with both organisations, over 50,000 small-scale farmers now receive a fair, above average price for their above average cocoa butter. The trade also contributes to Kuapa's social fund which is used to provide schools, wells, drinking water and medical facilities.

Related: Recipes with a heart from Divine Chocolate

London Fashion Week kicked off with two ethical catwalk shows on Friday, and I caught one of them: the Autumn/Winter '09 collection by eclectic, eco designer Julia Smith.

Smith's inspiration for the show, 'Mrs. White' was an eccentric old woman that she would often encounter in her student days while wandering the streets of South London. But there were certainly no 'Streatham facelifts' to be seen in this shoulder pad-clad and big haired, 80s-inspired show: Smith's trademark masculine tailoring was offset by more quirky embellishments, while a new direction for the designer was provided by figure-enhancing heavy silk and satin dresses.

Follow the jump for more on Julia Smith's collection

As a proud owner of a pair of Beyond Skin 'Hazel' shoes (pictured left) I can personally attest to their comfort, quality and out-and-out stylishness that always gets an envious comment on a given outing, even from members of the well-heeled crowd at London Fashion Week. These are beautiful and ethical shoes that will change your life, and because no animals were harmed in their making, they're improving non-human lives, too.

Find out how to win a pair over the jump

Related: GALLERY: Best eco-chic footwear of 2008 | Beyond Skin: beautiful, stylish ethical footwear

London has always been a hugely influential, trendsetting city, but as LFW got started at the end of last week, it became clear that the bi-annual event now has a more serious remit: to become the most ethical of the four 'fashion capitals'.

The most promising sign that a shift had taken place came as soon as the first fashion shows hit the London runways: on the main catwalk, Noir, the high-end ethical label from Denmark kicked off the season's collections, while Vauxhall Fashion Scout, the area reserved for emerging talent played host to a range by sustainable designer Julia Smith. But the decision to stage these designers' work first was no empty gesture: it has also emerged that Estesthica, the event's ethical initiative, has just been given government backing. Defra has launched a 'Sustainable Clothing Action Plan', a major investment in sustainable fashion with several big high street names on board

Follow the jump to find out what the big chains are doing to help

[Via The Guardian]