However 'green' you think you are, you've got to admit that 'the travel thing' is where most of us fail miserably. On the one hand, we're told that our flights and cruises are responsible for as much as a quarter of the world's pollution; on the other, we know only too well that the mad pace of modern life leaves us all in need of a break every so often, and who wants to deny themself the pleasure of discovering new and exciting places?
The Green Travel Guide was written with the dilemmas faced by eco-conscious travellers, and offers helpful suggestions on how to reduce your holiday footprint as much as possible, focusing in particular on the issues many people simply aren't clued-up on, such as "is it better to cross the Channel by train or ferry?"
Related: How to reduce your carbon footprint on holiday
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Ever wanted to know what really goes on in one of those evil sweatshop places we all do our best to boycott? This Sunday will give you the opportunity to do just that. In 'The Devil Wears Primark' showing on 1st June on Channel 4 at 9:00pm, Alexa Chung will attempt to explose the sweatshop conditions of workers who produce Primark's £2 t-shirts.
I'll be interested to see if Primark can withstand another blow to its already abysmal ethical record; in 2005 it was branded 'Least ethical clothes shop' by Ethical Consumer Magazine, scoring 2.5 out of 20 in an ethics index, and its name is synonymous with cheap, throwaway fashion, produced under all kinds of questionable conditions. But does the public really care?
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It started life as a humble power-point presentation, then became an oscar winning film. But is turning An Inconvenient Truth into an opera taking things one step too far?
Al Gore himself would disagree, it seems, as he's given the go-ahead for Milan's famous opera house, La Scala, to produce an opera based on the documentary. So far, all anyone seems to know is that the composer will be Giorgio Battistelli -- currently artistic director of the Arena in Verona -- and the production will be staged in 2011. This information vacuum has led to a lot of speculation about how on earth they're going to do it, but I'm thinking polar bear tenors, and a screeching soprano number from that toxic diva, C02.
Anna Shepard's down-to-earth style and practical approach to environmentalism has made her column in the Times a huge hit. Now, the Eco Worrier has brought out a yearbook, drawing on her wisdom and experience in green living.
The book is aimed at those who want to have fun while living responsibly (don't we all?) and describes Anna's efforts to live a life that is both enjoyable and sparkly green. Whether growing vegetables, throwing a clothes-swap party or concocting natural potions, she proves that being planet-friendly is liberating and enriching. Get it for £9.89 at Amazon
If you like the sound of guerilla gardening and think you might want to indulge in a spot of this new urban activity yourself, help is at hand in the form of the first ever guidebook to be published on the subject.
On Guerilla Gardening is crammed full of seed-bombing secrets from Britain's foremost guerilla gardner, Richard Reynolds. Reynolds has been illicitly planting flowers and shrubs outside his tower block in South London since long before the term existed, and has now found himself at the centre of a phenomenon that's blooming in cities all around the world.
On Guerilla Gardening is available for £13.99 at Zavvi
Not so very long ago it was the green movement that was trying to imitate fashion, but now it's surely fashion trying to imitate the greens.
This much was clear in London's Regent's Park today, as contestants from the new series of Britain's Next Top Model took to the grass for an 'eco-friendly' shoot. This consisted of four of the 14 aspiring models posing in outfits made entirely out of bags to promote recycling (and the show) at the same time. What a trashy stunt!
[Via The London Paper]
With a substance as hard to recycle as plastic, you have to be creative about how you re-use it. And one way to do this is by turning it into art.
Steve Wiman creates wonderful pieces of contemporary art from vibrant found plastic bits. All are everyday items; toys, dishes, books, clothes, photographs, paper ephemera, tools, jewelry, bicycle tyres. And most would probably be sent to landfill under normal circumstances. This artist's work would set a great example for anyone wanting to bring up green kids, and inspire their creativity.
[Via Haute*Nature]
However 'green' you think you are, you've got to admit that 'the travel thing' is where most of us fail miserably. On the one hand, we're told that our flights and cruises are responsible for as much as a quarter of the world's pollution; on the other, we know only too well that the mad pace of modern life leaves us all in need of a break every so often, and who wants to deny themself the pleasure of discovering new and exciting places?
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