I'm no scientist, but I always thought UHT stood for 'ultra high temperature', a belief that a quick google-search backs up. So I can't help being sceptical from the start about the government claim that switching from fresh to UHT milk would benefit the environment. Doesn't all that heating involve quite a lot of carbon emissions?
More to the point, anyone who's ever been on a camping trip, visited a hot country or purchased a cheap coffee from a vending machine will testify, UHT milk tastes pretty manky. At best, it's a last resort; at worst, a good incentive to go vegan.
How will using bad milk stop global warming? The theory is that if supermarkets stock mostly long-life, UHT milk, it will require less refrigeration, thus cutting down on carbon emissions.
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Since we reviewed the Tefal Quick Cup, opinion has been divided on the gadget, which heats water in 3 seconds making it not only a very quick route to a Rosie Lee, but an environmental godsend to boot.
But through clever wording, what wasn't so obvious to many people who bought the £50 kettle was that it does not actually boil the water. It heats it to just below boiling point, making it more suitable for some beverages than others. For some, this is a small price to pay for the 65% reduction in electricity use, and the speed certainly makes it useful in an office. But others were disappointed in its performance and felt misled.
If you've tried the Quick Cup, how satisfied were you?
We first mentioned it back in February, but the debate on whether a ban should be placed on imported organic food hit the headlines again yesterday with Trade Minister - Gareth Thomas - saying it would be "disastrous" for thousands of farmers. He was speaking at a London seminar organised to discuss the proposed removal of Soil Association certification on organic food which was been flown in. This follows growing concern from consumers about the impact it has on climate change. The options up for discussion are no action, labelling, or the phasing in of a ban. The idea of an outright ban has also been criticised by the International Trade Centre - a UN and WTO agency- as it would financially affect farmers and exporters in third world countries.
[via The Guardian]
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Last week, I attended a briefing on the new Future Friendly label, which will soon be appearing on products that have in some way been declared 'good for the environment'.
In principle, the labels are a good idea, as they are all about encouraging consumers to take personal responsibility for the environment on the level of small actions anyone can take on a daily basis. There are lots of ways this is undoubtedly a good thing: if everyone made the tiny effort of not leaving appliances on standby, we'd collectively save the equivalent output of two and a half power stations a year. Small actions count.
But many have expressed scepticism at the introduction of these labels, not least because the labeled products' claims to greenness are in many cases, pretty flimsy...
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I wasn't surprised when I read in the morning papers that just six months after pledging to cut down on plastic bag usage, at least two supermarket chains have failed to do that. Worse, they're actually getting through more of them, according to retail trade magazine The Grocer.
Sainsburys and Asda are the chains named in the report, but I'll bet they're not the only ones. In my local branch of Tesco, and even in environment-loving Waitrose I'm still looked at like a freak for bringing my own bag, and have to wrestle with shop assistants to prevent them providing me with a new one.
So how does this make you feel about other promises that are made to us by supermarkets and other stores claiming to do the 'green' thing? Hardly a day goes by when another large organisation doesn't make some pledge or other. Some of these may well be genuine, but I'm now far less inclined to trust them.
It seems that quite a number of us don't trust ethical fashion. A new survey has revealed that 45% of shoppers are skeptical about ethical claims made by high-street retailers, despite a significant rise in fairtrade and eco-fashion. The study, conducted by TNS Worldpanel Fashion, has found that customers are still not convinced when stores claim that their products are ethically made. However, a further 59% of those surveyed felt that ethics are important in fashion and play a vital role in what they buy.
"There is scepticism about ethical fashion on the high street because there is often a lack of transparency, particularly with organic cotton where there is no legislation," said People Tree founder Safia Minney.
Do you trust ethical fashion on the high-street? Do ethics play an important factor in what you buy? Tell us what you think by leaving your comments below [Via Catwalk Queen]
This is a scaled-down version of what a new 'eco friendly' jet to be used by Easyjet by 2015 could look like. As announced here last month, a new generation of turboprop (propeller) models are being developed to offer a greener if noisier solution to air travel, and this is Easyjet's offering. The budget airline leader claims that the 'eco jet' would emit 50% less CO2 and 75% less NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) than today’s newest aircraft (the 737 and A320 families of aircraft).
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