Haven Holidays have teamed up with legendary environmentalist David Bellamy to introduce a series of green measures to their caravan parks. They include employing a full time Environmental Consultant and having 'Green Teams' who ensure the parks are run in a sustainable and responsible manner. They have introduced extensive recycling facilities and are taking responsible for protecting local wildlife and plants, landscaping to encourage biodiversity and measures to save water and electricity. As a result all of Haven's caravan parks now carry either a silver or gold environmental award.

Despite the recent floods a pair of Montague Harriers have managed to rear four chicks at the RSPB reserve at Digby Fen in Lincolnshire. The adult birds, which have a wingspan of around four to five feet struggled against food shortages and extreme weather to raise four healthy chick, which have just been seen taking short test flights around the nest site. There are fewer than 10 pairs nesting in the UK each year, so the family have attracted over 3000 visitors to the reserve. Agnes Rothon, the RSPB's Aren't birds brilliant! officer in Eastern England said, 'This breeding season has been such a roller coaster ride for our Monty's especially with so much rain making it hard for the adults to find food. To know that all their hard work has paid off is just brilliant.'

Many of us are packing to go on long-awaited summer holidays at the moment, breathing a sigh of relief to be leaving behind the rain and the floods and going to hot and sunny climes. But with the weather so miserable here, it’s easy to underestimate just how hot it can be in other countries and leave behind that all-important sun protection. Obviously, the best way to prevent burning and sun-damage to the skin is to cover up – hats and clothes – and stay out of the sun in the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm, but sun cream can also form part of our repertoire of sun protection aids. And here are some great ‘green’ lotions and creams.

Gardeners are being urged to leave parts of their gardens slightly wild to encourage bumblebees to nest there. Dr Juliet Osborne, an ecologist at Rothamsted Research (an agricultural research centre) explained: "These kinds of gardens really provide a refuge for bumblebees, as long as people don't manage them too carefully. If you've got different grass areas, flower beds, compost heaps and hedges, there's a vast variety of habitats for bumblebees."

Tickets have just been released for this years 'Between Two Worlds' event which will take place between the 2nd and 18th of November in Glenmore Forest Park in the Scottish Highlands. Visitors will journey through the Caledonian Pinewood around Lochan Uaine to experience an art, music and light presentation which has been created by light artist Malcolm Innes and environmental artist Diane Maclean. The event, which takes place in the evening, starts at Glenmore Village, then visitors are taken into the ancient forest for a 3km walk through the nature reserve, parts of which will be centre stage for the breathtaking light installation. Tickets cost £12 and are available here.

Related: Forestry Commission to help save butterflies and moths | Dalby Forest eco friendly visitor centre opens

Britannia Building Society are supporting the Woodland Trust's Trees For All campaign, which aims to allow every child in the UK to plant a tree. They hope to plant 12 million trees over the next five years, making it the largest children's tree planting project ever. Britannia Building Society have pledged to donate £5 to the Tree For All fund every time a children's account is opened in one of their branches, which will help the Woodland Trust reach their target and also raise awareness of the need to protect and create new landscapes in Britain. As part of this coalition 10,000 additional trees will be planted in 'Britannia Grove' at Wragby Wood, an existing Woodland Trust woodland in Lincolnshire.

Related: Playhouse Disney and the Woodland Trust team up | Dorothy Perkins teams up with the Woodland Trust

Endurance swimmer Lewis Gordon Pugh has completed a 1km swim at the North Pole to highlight the effects of climate change. The 37 year old lawyer from London swam for 18 minutes and 50 seconds in temperatures of minus 1.8C, which is the coldest water any human has ever swam in, wearing only a pair of skimpy trunks. He completed the challenge at 2am BST yesterday, swimming along a crack in the ice towards the geographic North Pole. Pugh described the moment he dived into the icy black water "the pain was immediate and felt like my body was on fire. I was in excruciating pain from beginning to end and I nearly quit on a few occasions". The reason for the swim was to highlight how Arctic waters are now much warmer due to global warming.

Related: More green news

My Abodo is an interactive toy for children which allows you to build your own house and then see how the choices you've made affect the environment. It's been created by DEFRA, School Councils UK and several other environmental organisations in the hope that it will highlight how we can change the ways we live to save energy and produce less waste. There are useful projects which get the users involved in their own environmental changes, like growing your own veg, switching to energy saving light bulbs and riding bikes rather than driving cars. It's a fun way to educate kids about the environment, using a format they are familiar and comfortable with. One word of warning...it's slightly addictive and it's not just kids who will enjoy it!

Related: More kid's stuff

National Archaeology Week starts tomorrow, Saturday 14th July to Sunday 22nd July. Organised by the Council for British Archaeology, there are countless conservation activities to get involved in throughout the country, from archaeology-themed guided tours of Dundee’s museum collections to being a ‘history detective’ at Bath’s Postal museum.

The aim of the week is to interest more young people in conservation, our country’s heritage, and in learning from history – all vital if we are to preserve so many precious things from the past while learning how to deal with our future. The Young Archaeologists’ Club is taking a lead in many events, so if you have any budding Indiana Jones at home, there should be an event for you nearby next week.

It's always advisable to keep your expensive outdoor gear protected with some sort of waterproofing treatment, and to make sure it's cleaned and maintained properly to ensure it lives a long and healthy life. If you want to do this without the use of nasty chemicals then you should choose one of the many products in the Granger's range. Established in 1937 they were one of the first companies to use eco-friendly water based waterproofing, and none of their sprays use aerosols. They have a wide range of treatments to restore and protect your footwear, clothing and equipment, including soft shell waterproofer, leather conditioner, and odour eliminators. Prices start at around £5.

Related: Mountainsmith - Recycled PET lumbar pack | Fox River Mills Good Earth Collection - socks with a conscience

This Summer's Big Chill festival will feature a cycle powered cinema, courtesy of The Magnificent Revolutionary Cycling Cinema, who are (strangely enough) the only bike powered touring cinema in the UK! Their aim is to educate the public about the importance of not relying on fossil fuels, and instead having the ability to create your own electricity. The company show home made and indie films on their cycle powered generator, which requires around five sets of legs to get it going. The Big Chill runs from 3rd to 5th august, and the cycling cinema will be appearing at the Art Trail.

[via newconsumer.com]

Related: Charge of the bike brigade: the Pedal & Power phone charger | Volunteer Pedal-Powered Billboard

Playhouse Disney and The Woodland Trust have joined forces to create the UK's first environmental guide aimed at pre-school children. The guide, called 'Playing for the Planet' contains lots of fun games and activities, but also carries a valuable message about recycling, conservation and other important environmental concerns. According to statistics 85% of parents feel a responsibility to teach their offspring about these issues, but 58% feel they don't have enough knowledge to do it properly. You can download your free copy of the guide at Disney.co.uk

Related: Disney organic baby bedding and clothing | 101 Ways to Save the Earth by David Bellamy

Lumbar packs are great if you want to carry your bits and pieces on a hilly walk, without the hassles of a big heavy rucksack. This one by Mountainsmith has the added bonus of being made entirely from tough recycled PET (in this case plastic soda bottles). It has all the same great features of a regular top of the range lumbar pack, including several handy zip pockets, mesh bottle holders, load adjusting system, and even an optional shoulder strap to turn it into a nifty bag. It's available in black, cobalt and red, and if this 'Day pack' is too big for your requirements there's a smaller size too. US$79.95 from Reusable bags.com

Related: Fox River Mills Good Earth Collection - socks with a conscience | El Alto ethical outdoor gear

This weekend sees the start of that great British institution - Wimbledon. If you're planning on queuing in the hot summer sun for tickets (what sun? I hear you cry!) you'll need some protection for your head, after all you don't want to pass out from heat exhaustion before you reach the ticket booth! These caps and visors by Organic Tennis are just the thing. They exhibit your love of the sport (although standing in line for hours will also do that), but more importantly they are made using 100% certified organic cotton. They come in natural tan, with an embroidered logo which says 'Organic Tennis...for the natural player'. They are fully adjustable, so one size fits all. US$19.99 each.

Related: Bamboo Sports Bra from ShirtsofBamboo | Solar Powered Fan Hat

If you're at a loose end this weekend you should head up to the Highlands of Scotland, for the Outsider Festival. It will be set in the Cairngorms National Park, which is one of Britain's most stunning areas of natural beauty, with ancient pine forests, a range of spectacular mountains, lochs, rivers and moorland. It's home to over a quarter of the UK's most endangered species, including the lovable red squirrel. This weekend it will also be home to the likes of KT Tunstall, Crowded House, Idlewild and a host of other musicians and comedians.

Related: More acts sign up for 2007 Forest Tour | Yay or Nay: Would you eat a grey squirrel?