Climate change is a tough topic to make beautiful - but March of the Penguins managed it, and so has The Ship: the Art of Climate Change.  A free exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery, the pieces range from six-metre-long minke whale skeleton by Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey, encrusted in clear alum crystals, to  a poignant painting of a hermaphrodite polar bear by Gary Hume, depicting the devastating effects of chemical pollution.  There's also a film about Cape Farewell, titled Art from a Changing Arctic.  A newspaper was created by July's Student Summit to accompany the exhibition.  Monday to Saturday 10.00-17.50, Sunday 11.00-17.50, until September 3.  [GT]

The Ship: the Art of Climate Change [via thegreenguy]

Related stories: Organic Fortnight 2006 | Join the Big Noise

Organic Fortnight, from Sept 2-17, is the best time to try to turn your neutral friends green. Thousands of events and promotions will be happening across the entire UK, so put the arm on those fast-food eaters and show them that natural is better! The Soil Association site has a listing of all events happening so you can find out what's going on in your own area - but it's not too late to enter your own! Contact the Soil Association and let them know what you are contributing to the Organic Fortnight. [GT]

Organic Fortnight

Related stories: whyorganic August is out | Edible Oil '06 convention in Seville

There's nothing like a nice trip to Spain in August, unless that trip is something you can also feel ethical about because you're going to the Edible Oil '06 convention. It's a showcase for edible (and non-edible) oil products where, among other things, you can find out the latest on biodiesel, but also more conventional oils like coconut, sesame, olive and grape seed. Last year's exhibitors are mostly Spanish, but heck, it's a convention in Spain in August. Go learn the language. [GT]

Edible Oil '06 convention

Related stories: The true cost of biofuels | Episode 4 - It's not easy being green - heat recovery systems - bio-diesel from chip fat

Amid all your ethical consumption, do stop by StopGlobalWarming.org and add your name to the petition to demand our governments, corporations and politicians get on the ball (or is it globe) about the heat wave we're all experiencing. As of now, there are 430,375 signatories! Then pop over to sign another petition to save Grassy Narrows from being logged in the Boreal Forest in Canada, home to caribou, lynx and black bear. It's also where the Ojibwa tribe conducts a lot of their traditional rituals. Or, we can sit by and let the loggers dictate how the consumerism goes. [GT]

Petition pages: StopGlobalWarming.org | Save Grassy Narrows

Did you know that Dr.Hauschka has regular skin consultation events - some informal little jobbies where you drop by unannounced like the doctress was your favourite aunt, and others you actually have to schedule like a real doc appointment and where you get a prescription for your future beauty - that are ongoing from today in Southhampton through the end of July and beyond? Well, now you do. Drop by while the doctor (well, one of the doctor's interns probably) is in and find a nice clean green way to turn your suntan into silk.

Dr.Hauschka skin consultation events

Related Dr.Hauschka stories: Ski protection without the chemicals | Mmm, moisturiser

Make Trade Fair is an Oxfam initiative intended to - among many other things! - put together the largest petition in human history.  The petition, called the Big Noise, demands that global decision makers quit putting it together based exclusively on finance and start factoring in people.  Fair trade for everyone now! 

Calling all greenies in Wales!  (Like Hippyshopper emeritus Ella at Organic Jac!)    Saturday, the 8th of July, those into green building design and construction can see the best and brightest in Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies showcase their work at the Second Sustainable Science Symposium, held at the Center for Alternative Technology, in the hills of Southern Snowdonia.   Both students and prominent local experts will speak on how to go greener in business - but also in the home, so don't feel like you need to be a CEO or an academic to.  attend.  There'll be workshops on cob and strawbale construction and also clay and lime render.  If even  that is a bit over your head, you'll still be sure to enjoy a set of art workshops aimed at young adults and kiddies.

Did you know that Canadian environmental laws are so lax that companies are not required to disclose ingredients on many consumer goods? Often I find myself having to buy imported goods from the US or abroad because my disabilities require that I avoid many additives, and Canadian goods do not provide me with enough information to adequately judge the product. This is just the tip of the iceberg, of course: dumping laws are weak, accountability is poor, and protection for endangered areas is arbitrary to nonexistent. Canada plays green, but recently ranked near the bottom of the industrialized world in its environmental habits - worse than countries like Korea or Greece, both of whom are not exactly noted for being stellar. Environmental Defense has mounted a petition - overly modest in that it seeks only 5,000 signatures and already has over 3300! - calling for Canada to shape up its environmental act. It's open to international signatories, so please do go stuff your autograph in the virtual box: Canada belongs to your planet and your planet deserves better.

While you're at the Gloucester Vegan Fayre, be sure to visit the Viva! Incredible Veggie Roadshow.  The York  event was a huge success, attracting over 2200 people - more than at any previous Roadshow display.   (Visit here to see pictures.)  If you can't make it to any of the events, you can at least request a free vegan starter pack, which includes a copy of It's Time to Go Veggie magazine, plus literature and other helpful materials.  [GT]

Saturday, July 1, at the GL1 Leisure Centre, Gloucester, 9:30am-5:30pm, you could stroll into the Gloucester Vegan Fayre, the biggest, veganest event in - according to its sponsor, Yaoh (who sells those hemp things we mentioned here recently) - the entire world. There'll be a real mix of stalls at GVF, offering everything from food & drink to Indian head massages to cosmetics or books! All products on sale will be cruelty free vegan products - this means no meat / dairy / eggs / leather / silk or anything which has come from animals. Nutrition, fitness, food, videos and contests. And if you go early or go late (before 9am or after 3pm) the parking is even free - as indicated in the directions to the Fayre. [GT]

Published by Organic Valley, the Earth Dinner is an ethical dinner party with, if you wish - and here's where the publishing part comes in - a set of Earth Dinner cards that encourage you to figure out "Who grew the food? How was it grown? What is the geographic origin of the food?"

The Living on a Whim Project is the summer brainchild of  Joshua Pitts.  Send him your digital pics of yourself being whimsical, spontaneous and passionate about life.    Launched yesterday, he already has over a dozen submissions (of, admittedly, varying quality, but the child/tree mix shown here is piquant).  (via Cool Hunting)

Despite meaning well, emissions in Wales have gone up 0.2% since 1990.  There appear to be some typical reasons for this - importing lambs when there are plenty of lambs at home - more people commuting - difficulty cutting greenhouse gases since, since devolution, said responsibility rests now with the assembly government.  Depressing.  But there's some good news from the very same place - some exciting and delightful projects at Canolfan Yr Amgylchedd - the Environment Centre in Swansea. (Thanks as always for the headsup, Ella!)

The WEEE Man is a sculpture made from an amount of electrical parts equivalent to how much the average UK citizen will pitch in the bin during his lifetime. The vast majority of said parts go straight into the landfill now, but as of 2007 manufacturers and retailers will be responsible. Bristol is hosting the WEEE Man to draw attention to the need for "public and businesses to reduce, reuse & recycle." In fact, they'd like your help with it.

Pömed (Protect Our Mother Earth Daughters) is an online auction, running from June 7 to June 21.  Proceeds go to V-day, a worldwide organization founded by the playwright Eve Enssler, with the goal of ending violence against women.   All the goods donated to the auction (which haven't leaked yet but there is a list of participants so far will be eco-chic, from greenies such as lulu frost and Aveda).  (So probably you can buy some new lipstick and some bling and feel good about it.)