We all know how un-ethical many banks tend to be, but now due to public awareness and therefore financial incentives, some banks are starting to offer more ethical products. One such product is the new green credit card from Barclaycard called Barclaycard Breathe.
The new card launches in the summer and will be different to existing Barclaycard products in a number of ways.
Statements will only be issued on-line and all advertising will be on-line only. Obviously this is better for Barclaycard too as it is much more cost-effective.
The Breathe cards will be made of more environmentally friendly materials.
Cardholders will get discounts and lower interest rates on energy saving products.
Even better though is the promise by Barclaycard to donate 50% of after-tax profits from Breathe to carbon emission reduction projects around the world.
It’s a good idea and no doubt will get many people applying for a Breathe card. It’s a simple step to take and will help the environment. People still need to shop ethically though, buying unnecessary products only uses energy and resources needlessly.
At least now we can spend money with a slightly easier conscience.
So boring are savings and investments that the Government has to pay us to think about them. But it’s not bad getting £250 free when you open a trust fund for your child. Here’s a great option that is also an investment into the world’s future. Family Investments is the only company which offers an ethically managed Child Trust Fund and they promise never to invest your money in companies that test cosmetics on animals, in alcohol or tobacco firms or those using intensive farming methods.
If this isn’t enough to titillate your trust fund taste buds here are some staggering facts we can be proud of. According to the Ethical Investment Association the UK accounts for almost three-quarters of Europe’s market in ethical investment. This compliments a YouGov survey which revealed that 64% of British parents would choose an ethical CTF over a standard one. So if you’re not with it in ethical investments get with Family Investments who have been offering ethical products for about 10 years and are currently the leading child trust fund provider. The company holds £1.6 billion of for over 800 000 people in the UK.
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Yesterday I found out how to escape Britain by train more cheaply - today I've discovered some ways to take advantage of the byzantine rail fare structure when staying inside the country, courtesy of some tips from the BBC.
Most of my friends think I'm mad for choosing to use the British train system to get around when I can drive, but green concerns aside I still have an idealised view of the way trains should run.
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The concept of Coworking is to hook up lonely telecommuters so that they can share office space, tables in cafes, work tips, long walks on the beach, litter boxes, etc. To get involved, you can join the Google Coworking group or check for Coworking chapters in your city. It's set up as a wiki, so you can easily start your own. [GT]
Coworking
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There is a call for entries for the Women in Ethical Business Awards.
Run by Tridios Bank and Eve magazine, the contest is looking to reward businesses that are founded on ethical principles, and that benefit people or the environment.
Last year's winner (pictured), Juliet Davenport, was the founder and director of Good Energy, a green energy company.
[Via ecostreet]
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Saving Green by Going Green is a six month intensive program to turn your business in a greener direction. The idea is to introduce businesses to each other in a context where they can find green services that already exist, so they can support each other and make the world a better place in the process. Done in San Francisco to good results, Saving Green by Going Green is branching out into other communities in 2007. [GT]
Saving Green by Going Green
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A new study may shed some light on the non-sharing of haves with the have-nots. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that subjects primed with pictures of money were more self-reliant, but also more selfish. One group was shown pictures of money, and another, pictures of fish. Then, all were asked to bring chairs for everyone to sit on. Those who saw the fish, also brought the chairs closer. However, those primed with money also spent 70% longer working on a difficult puzzle, before asking for help. "It always bothered me that most people looked only at the desire for money, and that the bottom line was if you wanted money you had problems," said Professor Vohs. [GT]
Mind over money
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