Thinking back to when I first heard about the concept of carbon offsetting, I remember thinking that while it seemed like a lovely idea to absolve your eco sins by adding some scenic foliage to the world, it all seemed a bit too good to be true. I wanted to believe, but it wasn't long before the doubts started to be expressed by those with more of a grasp on the science, I knew it was only a matter of time before carbon offsetting began to sound at best quaint, and at worst, crazy.
A story in the Guardian's Ethical Living Blog gives even more reasons to be sceptical about carbon offsetting, and frankly, I'm sold. But am I being defeatist? Let me know your views on carbon offsetting in by voting in the poll below.
As a long-term veggie and seasoned believer in animal welfare, it came as no surprise to me to see the carnage and mayhem in a shed of intensively farmed chickens last night on Hugh fearnley-whittingstall's Chicken Run on Channel 4. And what's the betting that Hugh's mock-up barn was practically the Ritz compared with the far larger real sheds that don't get shown on TV?
But that familiarity didn't stop me from feeling a sense of sadness and resignation at the fact that some people I've talked to afterwards (even one of those taking part in the show) will continue to buy intensively-farmed chicken because it's so much cheaper -- as much as one third of the cost -- of free range. With this in mind, how has the show affected your choices? Fill out our poll, and be honest!
Last week, we gave you five alternatives to central heating during the colder months. Do you have any better suggestions? If so, we want to know them, so we can compile an ultimate guide to avoiding the thermostat; a guide you can print out and stick underneath the switch.
In the meantime, I'm battling with my own housemates to keep the heating off. By November, I've usually succumbed, but I'm going to see how long I can hold out this year. Living in an upstairs flat, I find that it's rarely necessary to keep the heating switched on, but it's hard to get out of the habit.
So, being entirely honest: at what point in the year do you normally fire up your central heating?
If you've seen our natural skincare roundup, you'll probably be aware that a group of chemical preservatives called parabens are the latest 'controversial' ingredients in cosmetics.
For those who haven't heard, the lowdown is that some people are beginning to avoid using these additives, having read that there is a link between parabens and cancer, while others argue that there is no real evidence to suggest this is the case. But where do you stand on this issue? Are you checking labels on your shower gel and looking out for more natural products?
When Al Gore's grand plans for Live Earth were announced earlier in the year, I remember a lot of green types rolling their eyes and muttering about the current speed of the green bandwagon. And when Madonna was confirmed as a performer, singing her own specially-written Live Earth song, the muttering got even louder and it looked like the whole thing could be a bit of a damp squib. 'Do we really need celebrity endorsement to make us take action?' people asked.
Maybe we don't. Maybe you and I don't, but what about those less educated on the seriousness of global warming? There's something to be said for bringing these issues to the masses, and what better way to do so than by getting a bunch of rock stars to hammer the message home with music. And the Live Earth pledge; a simple set of rules to cut down on energy consumption, are all actions we should be taking, so why not take this opportunity to ensure everyone knows it's better to use energy efficient lightbulbs and not leave gadgets on standby?
The floods we've seen this week in the UK are on nothing like the scale of disasters like Hurricane Katrina and other catastrophic weather events that are happening more often worldwide, but being used to a mild climate, it's shaken many people into asking some serious questions about climate change.
Last night between 9 and 10pm, Lights out London saw several landmarks, institutions and individuals switch out their lights and other non-essential appliances for an hour, in a symbolic stance against climate change. Iconic London landmarks like the Houses of Parliament and Piccadilly Circus's huge advertising hoardings were plunged into an eerie darkness, and even the Queen joined in, ensuring that Buckingham Palace was as darks is it was during the blitz.
The campaign appears to have been a big success, as an estimated 2 million light bulbs went out around the capital, saving roughly 750 MWh of electricity in just one hour – enough to run 3,000 televisions for a year. Many others, around the country and worldwide also showed solidarity by taking part, despite a warning from the National Grid not to try and stage nationwide blackouts for fear of causing a power outage with the surge resulting from too many appliances being switched back on at once. But did Hippyshoppers let the side down? Let me know if you swtitched off last night in our poll!
Thinking back to when I first heard about the concept of carbon offsetting, I remember thinking that while it seemed like a lovely idea to absolve your eco sins by adding some scenic foliage to the world, it all seemed a bit too good to be true. I wanted to believe, but it wasn't long before the doubts started to be expressed by those with more of a grasp on the science, I knew it was only a matter of time before carbon offsetting began to sound at best quaint, and at worst, crazy.
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As a long-term veggie and seasoned believer in animal welfare, it came as no surprise to me to see the carnage and mayhem in a shed of intensively farmed chickens last night on Hugh fearnley-whittingstall's Chicken Run on Channel 4. And what's the betting that Hugh's mock-up barn was practically the Ritz compared with the far larger real sheds that don't get shown on TV? 
Last week, we gave you 
If you've seen our 
When Al Gore's grand plans for Live Earth were announced earlier in the year, I remember a lot of green types rolling their eyes and muttering about the current speed of the green bandwagon. And when Madonna was confirmed as a performer, singing her own 
Last night between 9 and 10pm, 
