Think about this: The UK has nearly twice as much food as is required if looking at nutritional needs of its populations, while some European countries have more than three times the food they need. The US however is the big bad wolf in the food distribution debate, having around four times more food than its inhabitants need...

Food waste is a real problem in the Western world with approximately 40 million tonnes of food wasted in US households, retailers and food services each year alone - which is horrible considering there are nearly one billion malnourished people in the world. And while governments are worried about over-population and food supply issues, a lot could be done with a bit of re-distribution and more conscious thinking by all of us. How many times have you not bought vegetables that have ended up in the bin one week later because you just forgot about them? In fact, UK households waste around 25% of all the food they buy over a year. Another culprit is the 'rule' that supermarkets cannot sell 'imperfect' produce, in other words vegetables that haven't got the right shape according to cosmetics standards set by some regulatory body. Here's the shocker: they still taste the same as their perfect counterparts!

So while four million Brits and 43 million EU citizens suffer from food poverty silly rules and regulations and mindless waste keep adding to our problems.

Feeding the 5000 hope to show how easy it is to reduce the unimaginable levels of food waste in the UK and internationally, and how governments, businesses and individuals can help.

To show how bad our country's food waste is, Feeding the 5000 is hosting a free lunch for 5000 people made entirely out of fresh ingredients that would otherwise have been wasted: wonky carrots, misshapen potatoes and other fresh surplus produce.

Feeding the 5000's free lunch takes place on Friday 18th November 2011 at Trafalgar Square, London, from 12pm (noon) to 2pm. So head down there for a bite to eat and show your support. Oh and sign their pledge here!

Tonight on Remembrance Day, 11 November, British celebrities like Peter Andre, Martine McCutcheon, Ester Rantzen, and Nicky Clarke will show their support for our furry friends as they attend the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home's Collars & Coats Gala ball, the biggest annual fundraiser for the animal charity.

The Battersea Home's legendary Guard of honour, made up of dozens of Battersea dogs, will line the red carpet entrance and will most certain provide an emotional welcome to the guests.

The Collars and Coats Gala Ball, which celebrates Battersea's unparalleled work caring for thousands of lost, abandoned and unwanted animals, is hosted by media personality Peter Andre and promises a high octane evening with a distinguished guest list that boasts the showbiz and entertainment glitterati, influential business leaders, society and public figures, stars from the world of sport and British Royalty.

There will be musical performances by legendary act Status Quo as well as Lulu.

Guests include celebrated British actresses Prunella Scales and Martine McCutcheon, fashionista Brix Smith Start, television presenters Esther Rantzen, Kate Walsh and Jasmine Harman, Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel-Horwood, and celebrity hair-dresser Nicky Clarke.

On September 24 over 150 countries will join in on the Moving Planet day to help put the focus on the global climate crisis and spend a day without fossil fuels.

In Moving Planet's own words "for too long, our leaders have denied and delayed, compromised and caved," it is now time to call for the world to go beyond fossil fuels. It doesn't matter if you're marching, biking or skating, just get around in a sustainable way.

On Thursday, people all over the world are organising events that work locally but have a potential global impact: cycle to work, drum up a non-violent march against the use of fossil fuels, or to get your local community to hold a mini-festival with fun, food and talks about creating a sustainable future. The more people that join in the more effect our actions will have!

The global fossil fuel infrastructure is a threat to our planet's future; it is polluting our oceans, our lands, our communities , our air and our lungs. Don't be part of the things that will tip climate change into climate catastrophe - take action now!

If you live in or around London, UK, we found a couple of interesting events that might be worth joining in on:

Camden up Close: a treasure trail

Camden Friends of the Earth will host a treasure hunt that will link some excellent eco haunts, hidden green spaces, unique shops, pubs and cafes using sustainable transport to explore trendy Camden.

To take part, pick up your treasure trail map and instructions from our stall at Camden Lock (outside Lock 17), between 10am and 12 noon on Saturday 24 September.

Be part of London's biggest bike aerial photo - Haggerston Park, Hoxton

Bring yourself - and your bike if you want - to be part of a gigantic aerial art image to create London's biggest ever bike! With an aim to show how transport is a key part of reducing the use of fossil fuel this is a fun event that is certain to get much attention.

To take part, RSVP via their Facebook events page and get to Haggerston Park (nearest tube station is Hoxton) for 12 noon - 3pm on Saturday 24 September.

Check out the video below for more information about Moving Planet:

The Government's Climate Change act has committed Britain to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to an 80% reduction by 2050, with the aim of a 34% cut by 2030. While buying organic was a massive trend in the late 90s, the movement has in more recent years been pushed aside for other green ways of living such as growing your own and buying locally. But organic is not gone and forgotten and September is Organic Month.

To hit the governments targets we must all make fundamental changes to the way we farm, process, distribute prepare and eat our food over the next twenty years says the Soil Association. We all have to think about how we can encourage climate-friendly food production that is less dependent on oil-based fertilisers and pesticides

Organic farmers adhere to a strict set of standards that define what they can and can't do, and that really takes wildlife and environment protection into consideration. Check out the Soil Association website for the rules and regulations of organic farming.

But buying organic is not just about the farming, it also trickles into health and beauty products; it is about food and products that are good for you, good for animals and good for the environment - it is a way of life. Throughout September we'll bring you stories to tie in with living an organic lifestyle and what you can do to get involved. So keep checking in!

If you're looking for something to do the first weekend of September why not head to London for the Urban Green Fair?

Returning to Brockwell Park, Lambeth, South London, for its fifth year the great people of the Urban Green Fair Community Interest Company (CIC) are putting on an array of cool events on 4th September 2011. The free fair runs from 11am to 7pm and offers things like films, poetry recitals in the new Poetry Tent, workshops, speakers, children's activities, yummy food and BMX races, which all offer practical cost-effective solutions for a greener living.

Powered using only solar and wind energy this is set to be one great day out in the green.

Shane Collins, Urban Green Fair director said: "As well as being a fun day out, whatever your age, the Urban Green Fair is a chance to learn about the changes coming to our society and how best to navigate them together. Forewarned is forearmed. Whilst climate change is the reason we should make changes in our lives, peak oil will force us to make these changes. This collective action can be achieved through events like the Urban Green Fair, which help educate and stimulate public support for green initiatives. It brings together local people, and those from further afield, to share knowledge and skills that can help us live more sustainable lives."

So get the date in your diary and prepare for a day of learning more about how you can make a difference - and chill at the Solar Cinema with some delicious food.

Visit www.urbangreenfair.org for more information.

Despite being stuck in the office for most of National Vegetarian Week, 23 to 29 May (shouldn't we all be out and about doing a bit of urban gardening or enjoying a glass of cold organic apple cider this sunny Wednesday 25 May - it is in London at least!), there are lots of things you can do to make it a bit more fun.

Share vegetarian recipes with your work colleagues. Not only is this a great way to spread the word about how fantastic vegetables are, but also a good way to try new dishes!

Use Google to locate a vegetarian eatery near your office and get everyone (or the colleagues you like best) to go for lunch together. Not only could it be a new experience, it will give you some time out of the office to chat to the people you spent most of your time with. Who knows, you might learn something new about them! If you live or work in the capital, check out our top 5 vegetarian restaurants in London.

Alternatively, head to your local Lush store during your lunch break and let the cheerful staff guide you through some of their products. Tip: they will give you a hand massage if you show interest in their massage bars! The perfect way to get rid of some stress and you might even find yourself leaving with a sample or two.

On any given day in London you get hundreds of flyers pushed up in your face as you navigate to and from work, and you quickly learn how to ignore the street promoters. However yesterday as I left the tube station en route to my office I was intrigued by the people wearing t-shirts with gorillas on them, so I picked up one of their yellow flyers. It asked me: "Could you run 7k dressed as a gorilla?"

I smiled and thought to myself..."NO." But that is just me (because I don't run), and because it's in aid for The Gorilla Organization, a registered charity, I felt I had to share it with you in case you would be tempted to participate.

On Saturday 24th September 2011 - so there is a lot of time to get training still - "the most fun event for conservation going on anywhere in the world" according to Bill Oddie takes place in London. This is your chance to dress up as a gorilla and run 7k among 100s of other runners on the streets of London. By doing the Great Gorilla Run you'll be playing a crucial role in helping save the remaining 720 mountain gorillas left in the wild. So not just a chance to go ape then!

If you're interested and would like to register simply head on over to www.greatgorillarun.org or call 0207 916 4974.

And don't you worry the organisers will send you a free gorilla suit when you register.

Whether you eat fish or not, could you ever imagine a world without fish in the sea?

London landmark retailer Selfridges has launched a new initiative with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) called Project Ocean through which the department store is collaborating with campaigners to increase awareness, inspire consumers to change their habits and to raise funds to help the world's marine life.

Launched today, 11 May 2011, the project is both a celebration of the oceans and a forum for conservationists to issue and urgent appeal for people to address issues of sustainability, overfishing and marine protection.

If we continue like today, we might experience a world with no more fish in the sea in the near future - and we don't want that!

Driven by this unthinkable prospect, Selfridges has given itself over to leading international marine protection campaigners and 22 environmental NGOs as well as high profile activists from the worlds of art, fashion, culinary arts and entertainment.
From today until 12 June Project Ocean will take over the store. Everything from its iconic windows, façade and atrium, to The Wonder Room, foodhall and restaurant will be transformed in homage to the ocean. The Ultralound will act as the hub of all activity so make sure you head down there to see it for yourself! Every Friday evening for five weeks, the Ultralounge will also emerge as the Dive Bar, and be host to musical acts and performances.

Easter is over and you're feeling all the fairtrade chocolate you devoured over the long weekend. But there are only three working days until we can do it all again! With the royal wedding on Friday and May Bank holiday next Monday us Brits are set for another long weekend (perhaps a bit less sunny and less chocolatey) than the one just gone.

If you're lost for ideas of what to do on 1 May, this cool event we came across on Facebook might be just the thing!

Sunday 1 May 2001 sees the fifth International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day, where guerrilla gardeners around the world unite to sow sunflowers wherever they see fit - such a nice way to bring some beauty to the neighbourhoods.

According to event listing on Facebook by GuerillaGardening.org "make a plan for 1 May and head out to a patch of public land" and we're guessing with some sunflower seeds and get planting!

If you want to see more of what the idea is check out this YouTube clip, and if you're taking part share your photos on Facebook and Flickr.
Happy sunflower planting!

On our daily quest to find the eco movements out there we came across Green Office Week - yes there is a week for everything these days.

It's all good being green at home, but what is the state of your office? A 2010 Avery environmental survey found that one in three office workers has a lazy attitude when it comes to looking after the environment at work, despite 69% believing that being eco-friendly at work will make a substantial difference to the environment.

Simply by making a few small changes you can make a difference to the environment - something we all should be doing every day of the year. Green Office Week (GOW) runs from Monday 9th May to Friday 13th May this year and is encouraging you to make your office greener by daily themes. So why not use this year's Green Office Week as a start to a greener office environment!

Check out the gallery below to see how you can make your office greener in just five steps!

If you've ever traversed your way around London's streets you know it can be a daunting and dangerous task - both on foot and on bike!

Following numerous serious and fatal incidents the capital's cyclists and the London Cycling Campaign are taking to the streets on Wednesday 30 March 2011 to highlight the problem of lorry-related cyclist fatalities and to collect signatures for its No More Lethal Lorries petition.

Gathering across nine locations during the morning and evening rush hours they hope to emphasise the problem of preventable accidents that involve lorries and bikes - lorries may only make up 5% of London traffic but are involved in over half of the cyclist fatalities.

Campaigns officer Charlie Lloyd said, "Too many cyclists have died or been terribly injured already in 2011, and all councils are being asked to take steps to prevent further casualties.

"Councils must take the lead in providing cyclist-awareness training for all their HGV drivers, and we hope that one day such training will be mandatory for all London lorry drivers."

If you want to show your support for the Londoners that think about the environment and cycle instead of using gas guzzling cars, you can sign the petition on www.no-more-lethal-lorries.org.uk.

Click here to find out where the London Cyclist Campaign staff and volunteers will be on Wednesday 30th March 2011.

Climate Week is "a supercharged national occasion that offers an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change. It is for everyone wanting to do their bit to protect our planet and create a secure future."

During this week, thousands of businesses, charities, schools, councils and individuals will run events to show what can be achieved, to share ideas and encourage thousands more to act during the rest of the year and consider eco-issues like saving energy, recycling and solar power to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

The campaign is supported by several well-known faces including actress Sienna Miller, presenter and Monty Python actor Michael Palin as well as ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul McCartney says: "Anything that brings people's attention to the subject of climate change, such as Climate Week, is an important initiative."

On the official website www.climateweek.com there is lots of useful information on how to run an event, including a campaign toolkit with posters and logos, as well as a Climate Week Pub Quiz - a fun and easy way of being part of Britain's biggest environmental occasion. There is also a handy tool to find local events by simply entering your postcode, location or your chosen keyword.

To date the total number of events registered for Climate Week 2011 across the UK is 2,450.

If you would like to get involved in Climate Week but don't know what to do here are a few tips that you can do at home:

Change something small in your daily life, like reusing plastic bags (or investing in reusable bags!), turning appliances of at the socket, or reducing your water use.

Organise a low carbon meal. This can be done by using local, in-season produce. Alternatively use left overs and try to recycle as much of the packaging!

Run a swishing event! Gather your friends or colleagues and have a fun night swapping clothes and items you don't need or use.

Find alternative transport to work. We're talking about walking or cycling to work instead of getting on a stuffed tube or bus. Try it - we have - you'll be astonished how noticeably improved your mood becomes after not having to stand in a stranger's armpit for half an hour...

Take a glimpse into a Coronation Street home as you've never seen it before. This year's Ideal Home Show has joined together with Corrie to transform a tradititional two-up-two down into a modern, eco-friendly home.

The 'Before' house, Number 1 Coronation Street, sponsored by Harveys, is a near replica of Ken & Deirdre's home from the nation's favourite TV soap and will - for the first time - include a glimpse into their bedroom.

"We spend time in the kitchen, sitting room and hall but I'd never been to the bedroom," confessed William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, to The Sun recently.

A façade of the nation's most famous pub, the Rovers Return will also feature in the show house.

The 'After' home has been redesigned by Architect and TV personality George Clarke, with a little help from B&Q, to transform the old No.1 into a modern, eco home with simple adjustments that you can easily do in your own home.

George will demonstrate how simple and affordable improvements can alter not just the look and feel of the home but also unlock the potential of existing spaces if moving isn't an option. The new-look home also showcases dozens of green technologies that can help save money on your energy bills as well as the environment.

Adds William Roache who has been playing Ken Barlow for 50 years: "Nobody has a solar panel in the Street, maybe it's time Ken become more eco-friendly!"

The Ideal Home Show is at London's Earl's Court from March 11 to March 27th. For more information go to the Ideal Home Show website

Via Corrieblog.tv

Environmental charity Trees for Cities is urging people to take part in the 2011 Tree-Athlon and help regain a world record. The Tree-Athlon will take place at London's Battersea Park on Saturday 17th September.

Last year, a thousand people took part in the 5k run around Battersea Park, after which, 278 participants stayed on to help set a new record for the world's largest ever barefoot race. Only six weeks later, the Barefoot Runners of India Foundation recruited 306 barefoot people and broke the record.

This September, Trees for Cities aims to bring the title back to London at the seventh annual Tree-Athlon. The Tree-Athlon is a three part event, made up of a 5km run, a world record attempt for largest barefoot race, which anyone can join on a 100m grass track, and your very own sapling to take home to plant. The aim is to raise funds for the planting and care of thousands of trees across the UK and internationally.

Register for the event before 14 February to get the early-bird discount of 15%.

October 31st is fast approaching, and while it has long been big business in America, Halloween has now well and truly made its way across the Atlantic. A holiday hijacked by consumerism, it can be one of the most wasteful times of the year. Here are some simple ways you can reduce the impact on the earth, while still enjoying the fun this halloween.