VERY produce glossy 'biblettes' to the style hotspots of cities around the world, and have recently started doing a greener-themed version called VERY Eco. And now, visitors to London can benefit from this well researched and handy little guide with their new Style Guide to London.

Whether you want to track down a pair of ethically-made shoes, dine out in a sustainable restaurant or get around town in an eco-friendly cab, everything you need to know is here. I'm quite impressed by the range of products and services, and in most categories could not name a single glaring omission. Definitely one to bookmark if you live in the capital or are planning a visit there soon!

Recycled art is all the rage, and plastic makes a great basis for an arresting sculpture: it's tough, comes in every colour of the rainbow and scores highest in recycling points as it would otherwise take so long to biodegrade.

Artist Robert Bradford is using discarded plastic toys to full effect in his upcoming exhibition, which will be in London from the start of next month. 'Plastic', which features as well as the dog above a much less friendly AK-47 made out of toys, will go on display at the Trafalgar hotel, just off Trafalgar Square on 2nd April.

The Poppytalk blog is a visual treat for anyone who appreciates handmade design and crafts, and I've noticed it getting greener and greener lately, what with quirky eco-totes and recycled notepads aplenty.

So it's good to see the blog has now branched out with its own eco themed online craft market, Green Pop, where you'll find the absolute best in vintage, recycled and environmentally aware art, craft and accesories. These include the Ormolo range of recycled paper tags, labels and coasters, which will add a touch of sustainable class to your correspondence and, er, drinking sessions.

Whatever will we do with all those electricity sockets once solar and renewable energy makes them totally redundant? Perhaps not the most pressing concern of the 21st century environmentalist, but one we should indulge, because it's led to some really amusing design ideas...

Scott Amron has created some rather inventive 'socket stuffers' that symbolise our determination not to rely on mains electricity - or something. He calls these 'die electrics'; insulating materials that use power plugs and sockets without the need for electricity. His website showcases these ideas, which include a socket-mounted flower pot, a handy toothbrush holder, and towel hook. In each case, the object is held secure with the attachment of a normal electric plug, but no current is allowed to pass. Neat! [Via Alternative Consumer]

The idea of living 'off-grid' sounds very romantic to many. But what would the reality of living without mains water or electricity actually be like?

This book, by journalist Nick Rosen, gives a glimpse into the world of self-sufficiency that makes fascinating reading, even for those of us who shudder at the thought of not knowing the exact time and location of our next hot shower. From the relative comfort of his own camper van, Rosen's adventure saw him visit some 'real characters' of Britain's off-grid community, from radical hermits and backpackers to right-wing survivalists. With photographs throughout, it's all very interesting stuff, but far from being a mere freak show of oddballs, the book provides lots of useful and practical info on how to disconnect your own life from the mains should you choose to do so. £9.09 at Amazon

C4 continues in its green-themed programming tonight with The Woman Who Stops Traffic; the story of Kris Murrin, who attempts to bring traffic to a halt for one day in three of England's most congested locations.

Kris will certainly have a challenge on her hands, as she goes head-to-head with proud car owners in Marlow, Bucks, where there are more wheels per person than anywhere else in the UK. She'll also be trying her luck in Boston, Lincolnshire and Durham. If you're curious to know where your local area sits on the CO2 emissions stakes, there's an interactive map on the site to accompany the show. The Woman Who Stops Traffic: tonight, channel 4 at 9pm.

Want to care for your body the nautral way? This beautifully presented little book is a bible for anyone who wants to avoid chemical nasties while looking every bit as good as the next botox-injecting, shark-liver coated 'beauty'.

Written by organic beauty expert and founder of natural skincare store Green People, Charlotte Vohtz, the book has up-to-date information on what goes into the potions and lotions we buy at the beauty counter, tips on diet for different skin types and anti-ageing, as well as instructions on home-made skin treats. There are some great tips here, and the book would make a great mother's day gift. On sale at a reduced price of £8.99 at Green People. Visit our sister site Kiss and Makeup for more beauty news!

Why did the chicken cross the road? To hunt Colonel Sanders down and carve him up, actually. In case you were in any doubt as to Moby's vegan credentials - and he's been a bit quiet about all that recently - this video for his stonking new tune "Disco Lies" should put you straight. It's as subtle as a KFC Zinger, but if that bothers you maybe just enjoy the tune. And close your eyes at the end if you don't like the sight of blood... [Via My Chemical Toilet]

Eco friendly fashion is such a big industry these days that it can be hard to keep up with what's new, what's hot and what's actually as green as it claims to be...

Grechen's Closet is a fun site that tracks all the developments in sustainable style for women and gives you all the details you'll need to find bona fide eco chic. Grechen updates the site daily, so you won't miss the latest styles; she presents her findings in the form of a blog with a list of items on sale now and her outfit of the day. There is also a comprehensive list of places to buy sustainable fashion, which is worth adding to your bookmarks. A great, informative site that's worth keeping an eye on.

In a consumer society, it's easy to feel distanced from where your belongings come from. But what would happen on a world trip to discover the origins of your everyday possessions? This book tells the story of one man's attempt to answer that question.

In Confessions of an Eco Sinner, science writer Fred Pearce travels from the market at the end of his own street to the ends of the earth to investigate his ecological and social footprint and discover the real story behind where his belongings have come from. And that's everything from the cotton in his shirt to the prawns in his curry.

The journey takes him to African rainforests, central Asian deserts to Bangladeshi sweatshops and Chinese computer factories. But it's not all doom and gloom: Pearce says that the experience left him with 'some optimism about humanity and the huge potential we have to run our world better'. £17.99 at WH Smiths

Whether you're looking to buy a valentine's card or seeking inspiration for a design of your own, you'll find there are plenty of unique eco-friendly designs to choose from. Here are a few of my favourites; all hand-made and using recycled materials.

Above: Two of a set by MadeByGirl. Fun and colourful, all designs are printed on 100% recycled card, accompanied by earth-friendly envelopes.

Follow the jump for the rest of our favourite designs...

Could this be what'll happen if we keep chucking rubbish in rivers?

The art installation by Eduardo Srur 'washed up' on the banks of Sao Paulo's most polluted river yesterday; a visual reminder to warn people of the dangers of pollution from non-biodegradable stuff like plastic bottles.

You certainly wouldn't want to paddle in the Tiete river, which has been in serious need of a clean since the 1960s when it used to be home to many species of fish. Now, however, the only species you're likely to encounter are bottles, and in case Srur hadn't made his point already with this one, there'll soon be a fleet of 30 giant bottles floating upstream.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Sunday's Observer Food Monthly, which has taken on a distinctly green flavour. They'll be running down a list of 'top 40 eco foodies', some of whom will be high profile types, but the list will also include some unsung heroes who've done their bit for making the culinary arts a bit greener.

They'll also be featuring a selection of fairtrade recipes, with lots of mouthwatering ideas for feel-good meals. And a handy 'nutrition guide' will identify the best and the worst everyday supermarket staples, from cereals to crisps, pizzas to pasta sauces. So get your bags for life at the ready, and prepare for a weekend of sustainable shopping, cooking and face-stuffing.

Want to make your spring cleaning go a bit further than dust removal this year? Donnachadh McCarthy is the UK's leading authority on 'eco auditing' and aims to help you carry out a green overhaul of your home or office with this handy new book.

In Easy Eco Auditing you'll learn how to overcome bad habits like not using too much water and keeping an eye on how much you throw away. You'll learn about how to make your shopping choices greener and how to avoid polluting transport. You'll even learn a little bit about how to generate your own energy -- without a degree in physics.

Ever wondered what two million plastic bottles looks like? That, incidentally, is the amount that Americans throw away every five minutes, and is also what you're looking at in the picture above.

This photograph is just one of many shocking visual renditions of the statistics we try to ignore shown on artist Chris Jordan's website. Other works include a dizzying 410,000 paper cups, equal to the number of disposal hot-beverage paper cups used in the US every fifteen minutes, 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number of cell phones retired in the US every day and 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags, the number used in the US every hour.

The pictures, at actual size, are so enormous there's no way they'd fit on a screen, but you can zoom in to see the detail, bringing the extent of the waste even closer to home. Seeing them in person, I think, would just blow me away.