Hippyshopper

RSPCA names M&S UK's most animal-friendly store

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:36:40 GMT

Marks & Spencer has been named as the UK's most animal-friendly retailer at the RSPCA Good Business Awards; an award it has now scooped four years running. Which begs the question - what are other major retailers really doing to push its animal friendly policies?

Good Natured Fruit has great packaging idea

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:20:26 GMT

Good Natured fruit already has a lot going for it, with all its produce coming from Scotland where the fruit is grown without the use of chemical pesticides (the farm's favourite pest-control weapon is the ladybird). But now, the young company has come up with a great new packaging solution that's far more sustainable than the usual plastic containers.

The holy grail of gelatine-free marshmallows

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:20:26 GMT

What could possibly be more fun at this time of year than toasting marshmallows on a roaring fire? Unfortunately, if you're vegetarian it's an experience you may have to consign to memories, as marshmallows are one of those products that almost invariably contain animal-derived gelatine. Bye bye to bonding over a bonfire...

GALLERY: the manifold uses of hemp

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:27:34 GMT

I was so inspired by the many uses of the humble hemp plant when I visited Collabear hemp Farm last week that I've done a bit of research into the various places this wonderfully sustainable, fast-growing organic crop ends up. From the kitchen table to your car and your underwear drawer, Its desinations are diverse. Click on the hemp sneakers below for more products you may never have guessed contained hemp.

Komodo and WaterAid charity sneakers at Schuh

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:29:59 GMT

If you were a fan of Komodo's iconic Free Tibet sneaker, you'll be pleased that the ethical footwear brand is allowing you to 'vote with your feet' for a good cause once again: this time it's WaterAid who stand to benefit, a charity that's fighting to overcome poverty by enabling the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. The stylish men's sneaker is ethically produced with all components locally sourced. £44.99 at Schuh, with £5 to WaterAid from each purchase.

Upcycled toy menagerie by Snuggle Herd

AbiSilvester — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:29:59 GMT

A great way to use up old fabric scraps and padding is to make toys. Irregular shapes and crazy colours make for fun and imaginative fuzzy friends that kids will love, while adults will know they've come from pre-loved sources, helping rid the planet of excess waste. Snuggle Herd has perfected the art of upcycling and makes the cutest softies out of thrifted t-shirts and stuffs them with shredded wool fiber reclaimed from unwanted sweaters. You can buy members of the ever expanding herd, including Elsa the Elephant (pictured) who was once a sweater here.

The Independent names Britain's top 100 environmentalists

AbiSilvester — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:05:23 GMT

The Independent on Sunday published a list this weekend of who it considers to be the UK's 100 most influential environmentalists -- with some surprising results. Instead of picking a headline-grabbing 'sleb for the top slot, the newspaper chose John Stewart as its no. 1 environmentalist: a man who has been working behind the scenes on transportation issues for years and now spearheads the campaign against airport runway expansion at Heathrow.

Do you have a favourite supermarket 'bag for life'?

AbiSilvester — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:55:31 GMT

While I was out enjoying some noodles on Saturday night, a lady approached me and asked me where I got my lovely bag. I'm not sure what planet she'd been living on, because the bag in question was the greater-spotted "ladybird" bag for life sold at Tesco (pictured). But it is my favourite shopping bag, if I have to choose.

More eco shoe lovliness: Te Casan 'Liu' pumps

AbiSilvester — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:16:38 GMT

Sustainable shoes continue to stomp their way to the very forefront of fasion, and Te Casan is a brand that really came to fame this year with Natalie Portman and her collection of vegan shoes.

GREEN GLOAT/GREEN GUILT: Susi Weaser

AbiSilvester — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:45:01 GMT

As editor of Shiny Shiny, Susi's carbon footprint is legendary. But word has it she has a greener side that is getting stronger every day. Watch the video to find out what a gadget-loving girl's gotta do to go green.

A Divine treat for Chocolate Week...

AbiSilvester — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:10:11 GMT

As of today, we're into possibly one of the least necessary awareness weeks of all time: it's national chocolate week.

This weeks eBay picks: taffeta and heels

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:35:28 GMT

Click image to enlarge, full product details after the jump This week's eBay picks from Catwalk Queen really go to show that you don't need to buy new to be the absolute height of fashion. Is it a sculpture? No it's Prada's fantastic banana heel brogue detailed shoe! Bow ties are hot, just ask Elinkan, put it on your head and you will loks wonderful. The fuchsia vintage heels will really add a pop of colour to any outfit, snap them up and Topshop's taffeta skirt is a great find if you missed it first time round.

Hot and bothered: comedy night for the planet

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:16:35 GMT

I do know that hearing the words 'charity' and 'comedy' in the same sentence can chill the heart, but Hot and Bothered promises to do nothing but warm it: not only is the charity in question a good 'un (the Rainforest Foundation) but there's a top lineup too, including Patrick Monahan the fabulous Josie Long, with XFM's Alex Zane comparing.

Pick of the green blogs: healthy halloween, secrets of Sarah Palin's tote bag and more

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:23:40 GMT

• My Zero Waste is challenging all its readers to reduce their bills in October. Not in the way you might think (though I'm sure the site's owner Mrs. Green would improve wholeheartedly of you turning down your thermostat), but by saying 'no' to paper bills. More info here.

ASUS N-series notebook scoops EPEAT gold award

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:23:40 GMT

The new generation of sub-notebooks (netbooks or just super-tiny PCs depending on what you want to call them) is a great step forward in green computing. Most models on the market today run on a fraction of the electricity guzzled by standard PCs; even those claiming to be green.

Pick of the green blogs: healthy halloween, Sarah Palin's tote bag

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:51:40 GMT

GREEN GLOAT/GREEN GUILT: YOU, the public

AbiSilvester — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:17:21 GMT

It's Friday, which everyone knows is chat on the internet day. So, I thought I'd extend the 'green gloat/green guilt' series to you, dear reader, to get an idea what shade of green hippyshopper fans really are.

Bulldog's new gift sets: approved by real men!

AbiSilvester — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:20:31 GMT

I've come to the conclusion that there must be something a bit special about Bulldog natural skincare products. Before now, I never really believed men could get excited about shower gel or moisturiser, but since I started giving Bulldog stuff away as presents, I've found out my assumption was completely wrong: every guy I've met who's tried this stuff comes back clamoring for more! It's no wonder the range is growing.

Banish draughts from your home in style

AbiSilvester — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:49:34 GMT

I love draught excluders! No other domestic item is quite so good at being simultaneously cute, retro and functional in quite the same way. Of course, you could always get a plain strip of plastic or brush to stop air escaping from under your doors, but what would be the fun in that? Follow the jump to find out where I found these guys

Starbucks in hot water over cold water tap scandal

AbiSilvester — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:15:45 GMT

I'm not entirely convinced that anyone ever took Starbucks' claims to greenness seriously in the first place, but those who were taken in now need to wake up and smell the coffee, after it emerged that the global megachain is wasting unthinkable amounts of water every day in most of its branches. According to Ecosalon, the 'average' branch of Starbucks has something called a 'dipper well'; a type of sink that uses a constantly running tap for quick and easy cleaning.

A 52 inch TV that's eco-friendly? Believe it...

AbiSilvester — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:56:21 GMT

This is 52 inches of sheer dedication to saving energy and being green. Sharp's solar powered LCD not only takes the environment into consideration, but its design is very *very* nice as well (a feature which often goes unnoticed by manufacturers of eco-friendly gadgets). This mammoth sized TV has an LED back light and is almost completely powered by solar energy. The winter months and dark nights might let you down a bit, which probably explains why it's only partly powered by solar energy.

Make your own natural moisturising cream

AbiSilvester — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:40:48 GMT

We're used to skincare being presented as a complex science, so at first glance, making your own potions and lotions sounds like a daunting idea. But skincare is really very simple, and you can make a very versatile day to day moisturiser using just three ingredients. In an age of ruinously expensive skincare products and obscure additives, there's no surer way to avoid putting unneccesary junk on you skin than going down the homemade route, so here's a basic 'recipe' to get you started.

Tube trains transformed into sustainable spaces

AbiSilvester — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:14:42 GMT

I'm a bit of a closet underground nerd, so I got quite excited when I saw that someone with some obvious architectual flair had created some artist spaces in London recently out of disused tube trains! This may not sound like anything new, but the way the trains have been kitted out is what's interesting: once 'gutted', the carriages get a complete makeover using sustainable materials. Energy is provided by carbon neutral resources, and there's even a roof-top garden.

How to make a vintage doily hippy shopper bag

AbiSilvester — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:25:04 GMT

Indie Fixx featured a great idea for making shopping bags from recycled materials this week: they've used old doilies, fresh from granny's table, and sewn them to a basic drawstring bag top made from vintage fabric.This gives you a really cute, folksy looking bag that would be perfect for shopping trips in true, eco-friendly style. The tutorial is here, with detailed step-by-step instructions. [via Crafty Crafty]

Peta Halloween game mocks ghoulish Olsen twins

AbiSilvester — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:12:02 GMT

After being lampooned in a spoof dress-up game last year, the Olsen twins are being reminded why it's a seriously bad idea to piss off PETA. The twins' incorrigible attachment to fur coats has made 'Trashley' and 'Hairy-Kate' a consistent target for the organisation, which has now cast the 'Trollsens' in a special haunted-house themed edition of the original dressup game, just in time for Halloween. New items to try on include Hairy-Kate and Trashley masks, because "only someone as heartless as a troll would wear the skins of dead animals".