Most women dream of owning a designer handbag, but seeing as most of them cost the equivalent of a month's rent it usually stays just a dream. However, what if I said buying said bag also means that you'd be doing something for a charitable cause...

British fashion model Erin O'Connor is leading the celebrity support of Save the Children's Christmas 'Bag to Save a Life' appeal when it launches tomorrow, Friday 25th November 2011. Erin is joined by other well-known names such as Sienna Miller, Tilda Swinton, Florence Welch, Gemma Arterton, Georgia May Jagger, Annie Lennox and the UK's Prime Minister's wife and Save the Children Ambassador, Samantha Cameron to raise funds for the charity's lifesaving work in the poorest countries.

If you fancy snapping up a bag by the likes of Christian Louboutin, Mulberry, Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu, Prada and many more - donated or designed by the lovely celeb ladies previously mentioned - make sure you join in on the online auction from tomorrow on www.savethechildren.org.uk/bagtosave.

Samantha Cameron has donated her Jimmy Choo bag, Sienna Miller a Miu Miu, Tilda Swinton has donated a bag from Chanel AND a bag from Victor & Rolf, while Gemma Arterton has donated a leather patent Prada bag.

Save the Children ambassador Samantha Cameron said: "I am delighted to donate one of my handbags to Save the Children's Bag to Save a Life auction. It a great cause and the proceeds will help provide more health workers around the world who in turn will stop the needless deaths of children. Please get involved and do your bit to help save a child's life."

Tilda Swinton said: "Bid high! Bid so much higher than you think you will or can! Think of a dicey number and double it. And then double that. No fancy bag can ever carry what your generosity will mean to the children it will help to live. Make this beautiful object truly valuable by investing real money in real life - and carry the evidence with pride. Don't count the cost. Think of it as paying something back for all there is to be grateful for in your days."

If you want to take part in the auction, the starting price will be at around a quarter of the bags' recommended retail price. You can also donate any unwanted bags you might have laying around at any of the Save the Children stores around the UK to be included into the auction.

The online auction will be live from Friday 25th November to Sunday 4th December 2011.

There are plenty of eco-friendly presents available for the men in your life. But if bamboo socks aren't just what you're after - although they're probably very comfy - check out our five top choices for ethical presents to put under the tree this Christmas.

I love the playfulness and British eccentricity of Lu Flux's designs. A myriad of colours and a couple of pineapples, the A Lu Ha Spring Summer 2012 collection has definitely been inspired by the island of Hawaii (the name gives it away really...)

Lu Flux debuted at London Fashion Week as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout's 'Ones to Watch' show in 2009, and has after exhibiting under the Estethica initiative at Somerset House for two seasons been awarded the Innovation Award which celebrates her inventive and exciting designs in the world of sustainable fashion.

Check out the Lu Flux website for stockists details.

We've previously written about 'reverse graffiti' and 'living billboards', and we're familiar with 'guerilla gardening' and 'knit graffiti' but have you heard of moss graffiti? The latest in street art projects aiming to enrich derelict urban spaces is cleverly named Mossenger and is the brainchild of London-based artist Anna Garforth.

Anna's project uses biodegradable ingredients to attach moss letters to walls to spell out poems. How wonderful isn't that? The poem you can see on these pictures are by Eleanor Stevens and will be featured in four parts - each sentence is to be displayed somewhere in London.

Have you spotted any other green street art projects where you live?
If you see Anna's work when you're out and about in London tweet us @Hippyshopper as we'd love to see more!

(via Environmental Graffiti)

With predictions of Arctic winter conditions looming, Britons will not be happy with the news that energy costs won't get slashed just yet - and may continue to increase in the future.

Prices are set to continue to rise because of the rising cost of gas on the international market, and now Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted the Government need to work "harder and faster" to bring down energy bills ahead of a summit being held at Downing Street today, Monday 17th October 2011, to discuss the hostile energy market in Britain.

Following the latest Ofgem report, David Cameron has in a joint article with Energy Secretary Chris Huhne on moneysavingexpert.com outlined what the Government are looking to do: "Energy bills have increased by more than £100 for most people since this summer (the cost of gas and electricity has risen by up to 18% in the past few weeks). These price rises couldn't come at a worse time for consumers who are already feeling the pinch from rising petrol prices and the cost of the weekly shop."

Regulator Ofgem published plans last Friday in which it said suppliers will be forced to have no-frills tariffs - one standing charge plus a unit charge for energy used - to make it easier for consumers to figure out which supplier is best for them. But unfortunately this won't be put into motion until 2012 and while big energy providers like British Gas and Npower expected to pledge not to raise prices again this year, it can't be avoided that people will see their bills increase this winter.

But there are some things you can do to cut your energy bills, here are four tips:

Don't you dare to dust away those cobwebs - Halloween is almost here! At the end of the month it's time for trick-or-treating, scary costumes and sweets, lots and lots of sweets. A big business in America, this 'holiday' is catching on over here in England too but unfortunately can be one of the most wasteful times of the year. Just thinking about all those individually wrapped sweeties that get given out and the plastic decorations bought at the local pound shop only to be thrown out afterwards makes us feel bad. That said, we're not saying you shouldn't enjoy the festivities, so here are some tricks to have a greener Halloween.

Grimsby Docks, Sunday morning 7.15am. The smell of fish wafts up from the bay as a middle aged man takes his Staffie for a walk past a load of broken-up, fly-tipped bedroom furniture. The dog takes a wee on a broken coil from the mattress of a discarded double bed. Nice.

It may not be everyone's idea of a good time, but I'm surprisingly excited despite the inauspicous surroundings. Thanks to British Gas, I'm about to visit one of Europe's largest offshore windfarms, situated about 35 miles down the coast in the usually very windy North Sea. Luckily, today the water is as calm as a millpond, so I can sit back and enjoy the journey in the state of the art catamaran decked out with all the latest gadgets - including, cleverly, seats that move to compensate the feeling of motion sickness.

Technicians from British Gas' base in Grimsby take this journey out to the wind farm everyday (except in really terrible weather conditions), but today I'm out here with a film crew shooting extras for Channel 4's eco-series, Three Hungry Boys.

Now in its second series (due to air later this year), the programme sees three hirsute fellas travelling around Devon and Cornwall meeting various communities and getting involved in different eco-causes, powered only by an electric milk float called Daisy. Tim, the leader of The Hungry Boys, is very nice, but he doesn't half look like The Green Wing's sexy doctor played by Julian Rhind-Tutt (I phone my wife, she's very excited and asks for lots of pictures).

Seriously impressive

While we all like the idea of renewable energy, the truth is that many people complain about the environmental impact of wind turbines on land (not really sure why as they definitely more beautiful than electricity pylons). Putting them at sea therefore seems like a great idea, not only because it lessens their environmental impact, thereby reducing protests from complaining NIMBYs, but also because it makes good use of the North Sea's high winds - and believe me it does get windy here.

There is also, inherently, something a lot more exciting about visiting a wind farm rather than say an oil rig or power station - maybe because it feels like you are looking into the future rather than back at the past. I think Mick Turner, Centrica's Head of Renewables, Operations and Maintenance sums it up best: "We are all learning so fast about renewable energy, it's a bit like being involved in North Sea oil exploration in the 1970s."

Bags of energy

While naysayers constantly talk about wind power's inability to produce enough electricity to meet our needs, the truth is that it is becoming more important. "Realistically wind power is only part of the solution to our energy needs - we do need to look at other sources like nuclear," admits Mick. "But last week when we had quite a lot of wind it was enough to provide 10 per cent of our total electricity."

Comprising 54 wind turbines (don't let Mick hearing you call them 'windmills'), the Lynn and Inner Dowsing Wind Farm is one of the biggest in Europe, producing 800 Mega Watts of electricity - enough to power 130,000 homes. They are also seriously impressive. Pulling up to the wind farm, you are quite simply overwhelmed by their size and unbelievable grace - like the modern day equivalent of the Pyramids, as Tim from The Hungry Boys succinctly puts it .

Measuring the size of a football pitch in diameter, the blades are near silent despite moving around at speeds of up to 180Km/h. And to be honest, how can anyone complain about their presence this far out to sea (except perhaps the engineers who have to come out here when it's blowing a gale).

For British Gas customers, there's also the opportunity to assuage your environmental guilt at using fossil fuels by signing up to to its Energyshare tariff. Basically under this tariff all the energy that you use is matched by electricity produced by British renewable sources - at the moment 100 per cent comes from the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm.

Anyone signing up to the tariff before February 2011 will have the opportunity to win Solar panels worth £9,999 as well as receiving a free gift to help save on bills and carbon emissions (take your pick from an electricity monitor, a standby saver, water widget and eco-kettle and a set of radiator panels).

Seems like a no-brainer to me, although rather shockingly only 2 per cent of us have so far signed up to a 'green tariff' so there's a long way to go before we all get our electricity from wind farms like this one off the coast of Lincolnshire.

You can see the Three Hungry Boys in action on Channel 4's website.

TOMORROW WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO THE ENERGYSHARE FUND - A GREEN INITIATIVE BETWEEN FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, RIVER COTTAGE AND BRITISH GAS

I've recently become obsessed with lace; especially black lace. And with autumn bringing with her promises of cold evenings and glamorous events (one can but hope!), I am on the hunt for beautiful and durable, yet sustainable pieces that I can fill my wardrobe with.

The dark romantic feel of the Minna autumn/winter 2011 collection is perfect for the long wintery months ahead. Consisting of a series of pieces in hard wearing fabrics such as wool jersey mixed with reindeer leather and silk that have been hand dyed to create a vintage feel.

This is true Eco Luxe with each piece hand embellished and made from sustainable, organic, recycled and locally produced textiles.

My favourites are Marileen (£322), Pauline (£342) and Tilly (£311).

Browse the collection below or go to minna.co.uk.

OK, so this particular skyscraper hasn't been built yet but the images we've seen of the Bionic Arch are very impressive.

Taichung in Taiwan is in dire need to reduce the city's carbon and as part of the 'Taichung Active Gateway City' Vincent Callebaut has put together a proposal that is an architectural gem - a green gem.

With its vertical gardens and living facades the Arch is almost like a vertical park, and will receive all of its electricity from bio, solar and wind energy sources. It will have zero emissions so will help towards achieving the city's carbon reduction plans.

To go with the Bionic Arch Callebaut has also proposed to create green living quarters nearby for sustainable urban communities to prosper in.

I love the Shard that is currently being built in London, but can we also get a Bionic Arch please?

The Edun Autumn Winter 2011 Menswear Collection uses layers and dimension to create a well-travelled feel that is juxtaposed with modern silhouettes.

Styles are made unique with added pockets, stitching and darting details. Sweaters and knits span the spectrum, from lightweight layering, to a fresh twist on vintage Fair Isles.

Washed wools, pilled cotton jersey, and distressed French Terry provide a variety of textures for a worn-in tee. Tops are oversized, elongated and deconstructed, consisting of slouchy oversized chunky knit sweaters and soft tailored jackets. Bottom silhouettes range from clean slim straight tailored pants to tapered leg drop crotch pants. Denim is workwear influenced; most of the denim is made from recycled fabrics in Africa and finished with organic washes.

Colours are inspired by natural elements and include stone and ash accented with petrol and ice. Red brick and cranberry wine play off sediment black, and dark neutrals like storm and tar are accented with raisin, mulberry and peacock.

I'd very much like my man to dress like the Edun man - actually come to think of it just give me the clothes AND the man!

Edun's Autumn Winter 2011 collection focuses on fashionable, utilitarian outerwear, particularly jackets and coats that combine leather and wool. Textured knitwear that has been made in Africa by nuns also took centre stage: dresses, cardigans, pullovers and skirts were seen on the catwalk in variations in the classic Fair Isle pattern.

In contrast to the more heavy winter wear were girly draped dresses and blouses in intense patterns and vivid colours.

Founded by Ali Hewson and Bono in 2005, Edun is a for-profit business with the aim of creating a global fashion brand, making beautiful clothing whilst committing to developing trade with Africa and encouraging others to do the same. Having already established itself as a cult brands, Edun is based on a belief that style should have substance and while it has always sourced globally, as its business grows so does its production and work in Africa.

With things being very hot in the UK these days we can't help wish that we'd invested in some footwear that is kind to nature as well as keep our toes comfy...

These cute eco-friendly flip-flops from California based brand Simple are biodegradable so in case you forget them - or lose them - you'll do no harm to the environment! And they will definitely keep your toes nice and airy.

Festival Flippee - £30.

Simple's sustainable shoe collection is made from materials such as eco certified leather, suede and cotton - even old car tyres are used to make the soles! All of the cotton is from non-genetically modified seeds and is grown without the use of herbicide, pesticides or chemical fertilizers, making sure you can take greener steps.

Take On Ribbon in Charcoal - £50.

Satire Stripey Laces exclusively via Schuh - £46.

Take On Polka - £45.

Not that July has given Britain many sunny hours so far, but with the news of rising electricity prices many Brits are undoubtedly thinking about installing a solar panel or two on their roof to reduce their electricity consumption. A Suffolk company has gone a couple steps further though by installing 7,000 (!) solar panels.

The roof of Promens' warehouse in Beccles, Suffolk claims to be the UK's largest solar farm and will use almost 100% of the energy generated in the company's manufacturing process. Since the Government has dramatically reduced subsidies available for any solar scheme over 50KW after 1 August 2011, it is likely this is the largest roof-top installation we will ever see on the British Isles.

It is great to see that companies are doing more to make use of the great renewable energy source sunlight is and we hope more will follow. Developed by Lightsource, the 7,000 solar panels will give the site a capacity of 1.65MW.

If you are thinking about installing solar panels on your roof, you can find out more about the benefits here.

Ethical fashion label Liv offers a great range of super-soft separates made from Fairtrade organic cotton and hand-knitted Alpaca wool for you, your man and the baby!

Liv originated in 2005 from an idea to create ecologically and socially sustainable lifestyle brand and the entire collection is made up of comfortable, yet stylish eco-friendly clothes that have the Fairtrade stamp of approval.

Oh and did we mention they also do a homeware range...

With the summer looking to have skipped straight into autumn, and the heavens have opened above us this eco bikini by French label g=9.8 is the perfect way to look good while thinking about the environment. We're not sure about how to pronounce the name (gee-equals-nine-point-eight?) but these bikinis ensure you can be eco, sexy and sensual.

Made from recycled wood the fabric is, according to designer Sophie Young, as soft as silk with the feel of cashmere and coolness of linen. The material is also biodegradable and anti-bacterial - triple great!

If you don't want to be walking around in a bikini all day, there are lots of other fantastic eco-labels out there that can keep you stylish and eco-savvy.

Over the last couple of years, we've seen an increase in the high street brands introducing organic cottons and ethical fairtrade collections, and celebrities like Emma Watson have teamed up with labels to show that fashion can be fab and eco!