It's perhaps not a subject we want to think too much about, but it seems more of us are deciding to reduce our carbon footprint when we die as well as well as during our lifetime.

Natural, or eco, burials are on the increase with over 270 sites having been created in the UK since 1993 (the majority of these in the last 10 years alone). And apparently the UK leads the world when it comes to natural burial, thanks to this country's unregulated funeral industry.

A recent MORI poll found that 70 per cent of us would choose natural burial if they better understood it - the same percentage as those who currently opt for cremation.

Cost effective

Unlike a conventional burial, natural burials are both 'green' and cost effective. Cremation uses fossil fuels and creates toxic fumes while traditional burial, because of the depth of a grave, can cause issues with methane. Likewise, the materials used to build a coffin are often non-biodegradable. Coffins used in natural burial are usually made from wicker or cardboard and can cost as little as £120.

But the popularity of natural burial isn't just about environmental issues, as Rosie Inman-Cook of the Natural Death Centre explains:

"Most people decide on a natural burial having attended such a service. They love the freedom and slow pace - you don't have to have a hearse, for example. Some people have chosen to use a VW Camper van and one family even turned up with their grandmother's coffin in her beloved Renault Clio.

The experience is time rich - there's no sense of urgency and people can stay as long as they like at the graveside. I've visited sites with people who are terminally ill and it's given them a great sense of relief to see their final resting place whether or not they have religious beliefs."

Final resting place

Landscape architect, Ann Sharrock (pictured below) is hoping her show garden at this year's RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show will help to raise awareness. Based on a natural burial site she created for multi-millionaire publisher Felix Dennis at his estate in Warwickshire, the garden is the antithesis of manicured cemeteries and contains few hard landscaping features to respect its rural location (see image above). Many such sites are designed to return to their natural state over the course of 50 years.

Whatever type of burial we select, it is clear that there is a shortage of burial space. Within the UK Green Infrastructure typography, cemeteries and graveyards are seen as assets and Ann Sharrock believes urban areas, as well as rural areas, may well reap the advantages.

A natural burial site provides a unique, bio-diverse environment helping to counteract air pollution and contribute to the health and wellbeing of the local community.

Both Ann Sharrock and Rosie Inman-Cook will be at the RHS Spring Show, taking place May 9 to 12 at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern. The Natural Burial Site Garden is Show Garden OS909.

We'd really like to end the week with some more cheerful news, but it would be wrong not to mention this. According to new research, more than 11,000 elephants have been killed by ivory poachers in Gabon since 2004 and campaigners are saying the situation is 'out of control' and if not changed soon the 'future of the elephant in Africa is doomed'.

The African country is home to over half of the continent's forest elephants (recently featured on BBC excellent 'Africa'). These magnificent creatures have excellent quality tusks which sadly makes them prime targets for poachers hoping to get rich on ivory trade.

Since 2004 between 44-77% of the elephants have been killed as demand for jewellery and other ivory in Asia remains high.

Despite efforts by the government, they are failing to monitor the vast area of Minkeve where the elephants live. It is believed that 50 to 100 elephants were being killed every day in the park in 2011.

You can help by signing WWF's petition to remove loopholes that allow ivory trade to continue.

"Every day in the savannas and forests of Africa, elephants are being gunned down for their ivory tusks. Across the continent, tens of thousands of these majestic animals are being slaughtered each year. In many places the species has already been poached to extinction. If we don't act now there may be no wild elephants left.

Elephant poaching is being driven by demand for ivory carvings and trinkets in Asia where many consumers think "elephant teeth" simply fall out and re-grow without hurting the animal. The truth is that ivory comes from dead elephants."

The new research has been carried out by the Gabonese national parks agency (ANPN) alongside WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Image via WWF

Consumers are becoming more aware and concerned about the origins of the products in their wardrobe, and fake fur, cruelty-free fabrics and pleather are fast becoming the go-to materials for those wanting to enjoy the latest fashion with a clean conscience. And everyone from high-street retailers such as Topshop and French Connection to high end designers like Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney are meeting consumer demand for animal-free fashion.

Animal welfare organisation PETA is recognising the best cruelty-free contributions to the fashion world with a new awards - the first ever PETA-approved Vegan Fashion Awards.

The awards mark the launch of PETA's new logo, which designers and retailers can use to identify vegan clothes and accessories that they sell online or in stores.

Check out the 2013 winners below - more information can be found here.

British PM David Cameron might be gearing up to address the question of 'to EU or not to EU' and potentially promise a referendum in 2017. But that's not the only thing on his plate this morning.

Today, Wednesday 23 January, a major new campaign called Enough Food for Everyone IF will call on David Cameron to use his presidency of the forthcoming G8 summit to take a lead on world hunger, which kills two million every year.

IF's research estimates that by 2025, 937 million young people's life chances will be permanently damaged by childhood hunger, and the malnutrition will cost developing countries £78billion each year in lost economic output by 2030. That said, IF also notes that by tackling the four big IFs - on land, aid, tax and good governance - there can easily be enough food for everyone.

100 charities, aid organisations and faith groups, including Unicef, Save the Children, Oxfam, Cafod, Action Aid and Christian Aid, have formed the largest coalition of the aid world since Make Poverty History in 2005, and the campaign is backed by a host of famous faces, such as actors Bill Nighy, Keeley Hawes and Bonnie Wright, musician Baaba Maal, athletes Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson and England rugby legend Matt Dawson.

The IF campaign launches tonight at Somerset House in London and will see its architecture brought to life with a 3D projection on its walls that tells the story behind the campaign: that there is enough food for everyone but not everyone gets enough food. The spectacle will also incorporate live tweets from the public - join the campaign on @EnoughFoodIF - including a message from Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Enough Food for Everyone IF events will be held across the country tonight in London, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, Northern Ireland and more than 20 other towns and cities. For details go to www.enoughfoodif.org.

For a seafood enthusiast it is sad to wake up to the news that mackerel has now been bumped off the list of fish that are suitable to eat.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has downgraded the mackerel, saying that international arguments about quotas mean it is no longer a sustainable choice. Of course you don't need to cut mackerel out of your diet completely, but only choose it occasionally.

So which type of fish should you eat instead? To ensure you are choosing the sustainable option, make sure you read the labels of where the fish has been caught before ending up in your local supermarket. To help you make a more sustainable choice, here are some of the types of fish that feature on the MCS's 'good list':

- Pollock (Alaska or Walleye) from the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea or Aleutlan Islands

- Anchovies from the Bay of Biscay

- Cod (Atlantic) from the North East Arctic, East Baltic or Iceland - not off the Norwegian coast!

- Haddock from the North East Arctic, North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat.

- Herring or sild from the Bothnian Sea and Iceland

- Monkfish

- Red Mullet

- Salmon from the Pacific (all species, Alaska) and Atlantic that has been farmed and organic certified.

- Sardines from Cornwall

- Sole (Dover/Common) from the North Sea and East Channel, Celtic Sea and West Channel.

For more information about sustainable seafood check out the Good Fish Guide.

Image: Flickr Creative Commons / 46137

Did you start the new year as a vegetarian? Whether it's due to being appalled of the way animals are treated or because you've realised that a highly carnivorous diet so many of us follow is not sustainable in the long run, going vegetarian can be a fantastic experience - as long as you make sure you get the nutrients you need.

To ensure you get the best advice possible, we spoke to nutritional therapist and hebalist at the Nutri Centre, Elouise Bauskis, to find out how to get the essential nutrients in an all vegetarian diet.

Elouise explained: "A vegetarian diet can be good for many people, and it's especially recommended to those who are 'acidic' or 'inflammatory'. A vegetarian diet can help to 'alkalise' the body which in turn has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body's chemistry. Acidity and inflammation provide the environment which encourages many Western disease states such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis and cancer."

But in order to reap the benefits of a vegetarian diet, eliminating meat and/or fish, you must inform and educate yourself on why and how you will replace this in your diet. Here are Elouise's top tips on eating well and getting the nutrients you need as a vegetarian.

The importance of the 3 P's: Protein, Pulses and Phytic

PROTEIN is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of every cell in the body! When following a vegetarian diet, you need to know how to obtain good protein from your food. Combining pulses with wholegrains will provide you with a complete amino acid profile that is an alternative to animal protein.

Consume PULSES every day! These include lentils, peas and all kinds of beans (soybeans, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, white beans, adzuki, and pinto). These are packed with protein and complex carbohydrates including plenty of fibre, calcium, iron, vitamins and precious minerals.

Pulses contain anti-nutrient factors including PHYTIC acid that prevent your body from absorbing the nutrients the food contains. Sprouting, soaking or souring reduces anti-nutrients. It is ideal to soak pulses (overnight at least for beans) in order to reduce the phytic acid. By reducing phytic acid, you can more than double your body's absorption of key minerals, as well as aiding digestion and often improving the taste. Any soaking is better than no soaking! Drain and rinse well.

Remember to mix it up!

Don't make the mistake and eat a lot of beige food, such as pasta and bread. Good wholegrains to combine with pulses include millet, oats, rice, and buckwheat. Quinoa (pronounced 'keenwah') and amaranth are excellent to use in place of rice or cous cous. They are actually seeds not grains, and are high in protein, minerals and nutrients, whilst being gently alkalising as well!

You need to consume a wide variety of foods daily in order to provide yourself with all of the vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients necessary for optimum functioning. Consume a rainbow of variety of fruit and vegetables per day, ideally between 8-12 servings. Include some raw food daily as this is full of enzyme activity!

If consuming soy, it's ideal that you have fermented soy in the form of tempeh and miso. The traditional way to consume soy is the best way!

Where is the protein?

Look at every meal you are going to eat and ask yourself, 'where is the protein?' and make sure the meal contains it. Also ask yourself, 'where is the good fats?' Good sources are from flaxseed, hemp, chia, coconut, avocado, nuts and seeds.

Eggs (free-range and organic only) are an excellent source of protein, that can be enjoyed on a daily basis. Other protein sources include houmous, tahini, nut butters and 'milks', nuts & seeds (unsalted and unroasted to preserve the beneficial omega oils).

Vital vitamin B12

You need to be acutely aware of your Vitamin B12 intake (or lack-of with a vegetarian diet) and just how crucial B12 is for the proper functioning of the nerves, the energy release from food and the production of red blood cells. It is essential to supplement this in order to avoid B12 deficiency, which can take years to occur, but then by the time you are presenting with deficiency signs, the damage may have already been done! The best form of B12 is the Methylcobalamin form, which is much more absorbable and usable than the Cyanocobalamin form.

Limit your intake of processed food

We're not big fans of processed foods and try to avoid them as much as we can. Besides cooking from scratch is so much more fun! When moving on to a veggie lifestyle, it's advisable to avoid processed vegetarian foods as much as possible. Elouise explains: "Imagine ALL of the processing these foods have gone through in order to create them! Check the list of ingredients to see how long it is - the more ingredients, the worse the processing generally."

Powder power

Include good quality protein powders in your diet as a way to enhance your protein intake. Excellent for breakfast, add some flaxseed oil and lecithin granules to make it a more balanced meal.

Superfoods to the rescue!

Consume daily some green superfoods such as Spirulina, chlorella, blue green algae, Barley grass and Wheat grass. These are foods that 'flood' the body with easily absorbable and usable nutrients. They are gently cleansing, alkalising and detoxifying. Start slowly and build up your dosage over time.

So which supplements are recommended?

BioCare's Vitasorb B12, £4.85 for 15ml liquid
Purple Balance's raw protein powder powders, from £8
MitoGuard from Biocare, £29.95 for a month's supply

All products are available from The Nutri Centre stores nationwide and online at www.nutricentre.com.

There you have it. Your beginner's guide to vegetarianism. Anything you would like to add? Leave us a comment below.

Image: www.nutricentre.com

The Born Free Foundation, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, has today taken a new stand against the crimes against elephants and is revealing the shocking truth behind the illegal ivory trade.

Through www.bloodyivory.org the organisation hopes to expose the challenges facing elephants throughout their natural range and the depth of the ongoing crisis. Recently, news out of Kenya reported that an insidious criminal cartel had wiped out an entire family of 12 elephants for their ivory in the worst single incident of its kind in the country.

Moreover, on 5 January Hong Kong's customs seized 779 ivory tusks weighing more than a thousand kilos and valued at more than £900,000.

Will Travers OBE, the charity's Chief Executive Officer, acknowledged: "The ivory trade is a brutal business, devastating entire elephant families, causing massive suffering to individuals - and now severely impacting populations in all four regions of Africa. This is putting some of these most vulnerable populations at risk of extinction. Bloodyivory.org shows the world what is really happening to elephants and encourages all compassionate people and 'Elefriends' everywhere to lend their voices to the chorus declaring: NO MORE IVORY TRADE."

The new site includes a petition which calls on the CITES Parties (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora) to reject any future proposals for trade in ivory and to support improved protection for elephants. They are meeting in Bangkok this March and elephant ivory trade will be high on the agenda.

Image copyright George Logan / via Born Free Foundation

My oh my hasn't Coca-Cola been busy... Perhaps it has looked closely at the witch hunt of tax dodging global corporations such as Starbucks and Amazon, and figured they needed to up their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity?

The soft drinks giant has partnered with environmental charity WWF for a pan-European 'Arctic Home' scheme to invest in Arctic conversation projects and raise awareness of the plight of polar bears, an animal which has appeared in the brand's ads for almost a century.

The scheme will see Coca-Cola donate £3 million each year to help protect the polar bear population and support WWF's lobbying of international governments.

Whichever reason, it is good news that investment is being made to put a spotlight on the challenges that are facing the white kings of the north, which are facing extinction if the polar ice continues to melt. The funding will be spent on researching polar bear numbers, helping local communities to live harmoniously with the animals and encourage governments to do something.

Polar bear conservation - coming to a coke can near you!

[via Marketing Magazine]

London-based designer Peter Jensen has teamed up with ethical fashion label People Tree for a capsule collection of graphic prints and contemporary shapes. The Dane's designs can now be found on the brand's website. Choose among dresses and t-shirts featuring quirky cat and soldier prints that start from £45.

It's a brand new year, which means a lot of us will be thinking about making an effort to lose those extra pounds we've always wanted to.

Reducing your weight and waistline to a healthy level is great for both body and mind, as long as it's done in a good way. Fad diets that tell you to eat just one thing (cabbage, soup, fruit, protein to name a few) are not the way to battle the bulge. These crash diets are more likely to do more harm than good, and many find that they're piling on the pounds and more as soon as they go back to 'normal'. What is needed is a change of lifestyle. And if you're in no rush, there are plenty of green and healthy ways of losing weight.

This January why not make three changes to your habits that will not only help the environment, but also help you lose weight naturally and healthily.

1. Ditch the car and take up walking or cycling

If you're used to driving to whichever place you are going, make an effort to leave the car at home and instead walk or cycle. Both provide a great workout and you'll soon find a new spring in your step. There's no better way to lose weight than burning calories through exercising.

2. Sign up to volunteer at outdoor activities

If you take a look around you'll probably find lots of volunteering groups involved in outdoor activities such as picking up rubbish in your local park or planting trees. Not only will this get you out of the house and moving, but you'll also be helping the environment.

3. Try to eat more vegetables

Many of you may already be following a vegetarian rich (or only) diet. But for those that are not, replacing meat with vegetables will help you reduce consumption of certain fats. This ought to help you fight the pounds. Just make sure that you don't fall into the trap and swap the meat for beige carbs (pasta and bread). These are the less healthy carbs and often have lots of unnecessary salt and sugar in them. Make your meals from scratch and ensure you have a healthy and balanced diet.

By making small adjustments to your daily life, you'll soon find yourself a lighter, healthier you.

[Image Source / Creative Commons ]

The champagne has been drunk, the chocolate has been hidden (or eaten) and we find ourselves back at work. It's January and a whole new year full of potential and opportunity is ahead. If you're like us chances are you've set yourself a goal or two for the coming twelve months, whether it is to lose weight, stop smoking or simply be better at what you already do well.

Most New Year's resolutions revolve around improving yourself and adding value to your own existence - often with a fast return on investment. Sound familiar? How about doing things a bit differently this year and set some goals that can - and will - have an impact on the environment and nature?

Below are a few of our ideas for green resolutions for 2013 - and we'd love for you to share yours with us too!

Shop till you drop - but bring your own reusable bags

We're not here to tell you how to spend your money. But you can make a big difference to the environment by saying no to plastic bags and bringing your own reusable shopping bags with you.

Buy less bottled water

Producing the bottles that your natural French or Caribbean water comes in requires a lot of oil, so it goes without saying that the fewer that are produced the less the waste. After all we're not so good at recycling PET bottles in this country... yet. And if you look more closely, most bottled water brands is someone's tap water somewhere. instead invest in a refillable water bottle to bring with you.

Ditch your car and go carbon zero

OK, this might not be feasible if you live far away from where you work, but swapping the way you get to the office can and will help the environment. Invest in a bike or walk where possible/ If not choose public transport. The less cars on the road the better!

Eat less meat

Many of you may be meat free already, but if you are discerning carnivore, make 2013 the year where you become even more selective. A good way to cut back is to introduce meat free Mondays (coined by the a certain Sir Paul McCartney and others). Eating less meat will result in greater carbon savings, is likely to improve your health and help towards the continuing battle of ending animal suffering around the world.

Recycle, recycle, recycle!

Recycling schemes vary from place to place, but knowing what and how to recycle should be as normal as breathing. If you already have multiple bins, each with a different purpose then you're doing a great job! But if your rubbish goes into one big evil bin, changes ought to be made. Read up on what your local area offers recycling wise and if it's not enough, contact your local MP and voice your concern.

[Image by epSos.de]

When the cold weather sets in it can be easy to forget those healthy eating habits of summer days (no-one's going to see you in a bikini any time soon so there's no need for the strict diet regime right?). Instead of reaching for those tempting buttery croissants, why not opt for a classic winter breakfast: porridge.

If you don't want to spend a fortune in your local cafe each morning, here are some of the British organic porridges which can be found in a supermarket near you. Sweeten it up with berry compote, chopped nuts or stewed fruits, or add cinnamon or plain old honey.

Rude Health 'Morning Glory' Porridge
A great combination of smooth oatmeal, jumbo oats, barley, rye and quinoa flakes, this porridge has sesame, pumpkin and poppy seeds added. All ingredients are wild and not refined, only natural sweet ingredients, and sustainably produced fruits, nuts and seeds. We think Goldilocks would approve.

Pimhill Farm Porridge Oats
Made from oats grown on one of the first organic farms in the country, now run by the third generation of the Mayall family, all of the products are grown in Shropshire without any artificial fertilisers or chemicals. And anyone who recommends to 'add a dash of whisky' to porridge on cold winter mornings are great in our books!

Duchy Originals Organic Porridge
Duchy Originals was launched in 1990 by HRH The Prince of Wales but their story starts earlier - back in the early 1980s The Prince moved to the Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, and began the process of converting the Duchy Home Farm, which is part of the estate, to an entirely organic agricultural system. The oats and barely porridge is a great addition to your morning routine.

Jordans Organic Porridge
Founded by nature loving, brothers Bill and David, one who also was in a rock band once, the brand is committed to the making the British countryside more sustainable. Full of wholegrain goodness, with no artifical flavourings, colourings and preservatives your brekkie table will shine with porridge from Jordans.

Pertwood Porridge Oats
Carefully grown and milled to ensure that every box is full of premium wholegrain jumbo oat flakes this is a seriously healthy breakfast option from the fields of south-west Britain. This award-winning organic farm is now one of the largest organic farms in the country.

Having left a rather toasty house this morning, only to find the office freezing - and the thick knitted jumper at home - the electric heater is now on full to warm us up while we type at the speed of lightning to keep our hands warm. But as we all know, electrical heaters is the deep abyss of money wasting gadgets so we've been spending the morning coming up with some simple steps that will help you save money on the electricity bill this winter.

Hippyshopper's top tips on reducing your energy bill

Invest in quality knitwear and layer up

When the breeze offers a fresh Arctic chill and it feels like snow is just around the corner, it can be tempting to turn the heating up on full and forget about the harsh climate outside. But living in a sauna is not good for your skin or your wallet. Instead of wasting your hard earned money on something you cannot see, keep the thermostat on normal level and invest your dosh in quality knitwear and layer up. You'll be surprised how effective an extra layer of clothing can be in keeping you warm.

Draft-proof windows and doors

A lot of heat will escape from your house through cracks around window and door frames - and if you live in an old house then you're in for a treat. Invest in some proper draught-proofing products for the doors and windows, seal your skirting boards with silicone sealant to be on the safe side. It will cost a bit to do this, but you could save up to £90 a year, so in the long-term you'll be winning.

Install a digital thermostat

Heating your home is expensive, especially after the recently announced hike in energy prices, so there is no reason to pay for your heating when you're not at home. Have a digital thermostat from a DIY store and program it to increase the temperature half an hour before you arrive home from work.

It's not all about heating: save money in other parts of your electric bill

Darker days and nights make most up us want turn on more lights when at home. Before you do this, replace each bulb with LED bulbs as this will help you save on your electricity bill. And turn lights off when you leave a room.

Shop around for the best deal

There's no shame in wanting to move on from your current energy provider. Find the best deal for you, and switching either your gas or electricity so that you get both from the same supplier you can get a dual fuel discount. And if you choose to manage your account online and pay by Direct Debit could provide even further discounts.

Image by Widerbergs on a Creative Commons License.

We like it when big companies do their bit for the environment and make their products more sustainable - of course in an ideal world all companies would operate as green as possible...

Green is definitely the new black over at jeans giant Levi's, which has revealed its waste

Each pair of Levi's waste

Speaking at the preview last week, global president of the Levi's brand James Curleigh said: "From the beginning, we have designed our products with purpose and intent. By adding value to waste, we hope to change the way people think about recycling, ultimately incentivising them to do more of it."

"This collection proves that you don't have to sacrifice quality, comfort or style to give an end a new beginning."

The brand expect to put some 3.5 million recycled bottles into the waste

"With this collection, we're doing our own small part by taking waste and making something new from it," added Curleigh.

"We don't just want to reduce our impact on the environment, we want to leave it better than we found it. We are committed to making products in ways that are good for people and better for our planet."

[via ShinyStyle.tv and Brandish.tv]

We noticed a distinct chill in the air over the weekend, and had it not been for the autumn sun we'd frozen ourselves silly on our little walk along the Southbank to the Tate Modern.

Winter is definitely coming and it's time to wrap up warm. We've been big fans of fur coats for a while, but unless its actual vintage we will not be caught dead in a real fur coat. With this in mind we've searched the (digital) high street to find the best fake fur coats around this autumn. Whether you want to dress like a snow leopard or a cuddly teddy bear, here are our ten favourites... so far.