bemoreeco

A new report has been released which suggests that altering the clocks in the UK by one hour could have a significant impact on carbon emissions.

The research was led by Dr Elizabeth Garnsey at Cambridge University and was based on the concept of putting the clocks forward by one hour, meaning the UK would be on GMT+1 in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer.

Such a move would save half a million tonnes of carbon emissions in the winter alone, the report published in Energy Policy suggested.

The study was carried out on behalf of the 10:10 climate change movement, which is currently running a Lighter Later campaign.

Dr Garnsey said: “The carbon savings associated with this clock change are significant, equivalent to the carbon footprint of the production of 1,800 plastic bags for every home in Britain every year, or taking around 200,000 cars off the road.”

To compile the study, researchers looked at half hourly electricity usage over the winter months and assessed how this was affected by the clocks changing.

The 10:10 campaign aims to current carbon emissions by ten percent this year, with the London Underground recently becoming the latest organisation to sign up.

>>> Please read the full article here

A lack of clarity remains in the business community over the UK’s environmental policies, a new survey has revealed.

Research by PriceWaterhouseCoopers revealed that two-thirds of businesses in Britain believe that current green policy is unclear and would not feel comfortable making any investment decisions based on the existing regulations.

There was also confusion over environmental tax incentives and, of those who were aware they could apply for such financial breaks, 75 percent said the process was “too onerous to make them worth applying for”.

Some 94 percent of business believe that climate change policy will impact on their business in the next two or three years.

Mark Schofield, global leader of sustainability and climate change tax, said: “The business appetite for leadership is there. As with many tax and regulation issues, the call for action is for one of simplification, clarity and long-term certainty.”

The results of the survey come as a report by The Work Foundation suggests that a lack of clarity over the low carbon economy as a whole could be having an adverse effect on the development of green skills and may be “eroding Britain’s competitive advantage”.

>>> Please read the full article here

Clean water campaigners Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and four of the UK’s best Stand Up Paddle-boarders aim to cross the English Channel and set two new Guinness world records in one go, with a relay team and a solo paddler taking on the challenge. The SAS 2010 Challenge will launch on the day with optimum conditions, during the week of the 18th – 25th of June.

Launching from either Shakespeare’s Bay or Sapphire Hoe the champion paddlers will be aiming to raise £10,000 for SAS’s campaigns, celebrate the organisations 20th anniversary and mark International Surfing Day (double check date20thof June). Success is a real possibility and the relay team are the first ever team to attempt the famous crossing. They include 2009 UK stand up paddleboarding champion Jock Patterson, Matt Argyle (Chairman of the British Stand Up Paddle Association (BSUPA) and ranked 2nd in the UK for stand up paddleboarding) and Simon Bassett (BSUPA head coach) will be joined by 2005 European, reigning Welsh longboarding champion and SAS South Wales rep Elliot Dudley, for his solo attempt. All of the paddlers have been training hard, putting in hundreds of lonely hours on the water and are extremely determined to claim these world records and raise as much money for SAS as possible.

Stand-up paddleboarding has become extremely popular amongst recreational water users across the UK and this will be the first official attempt of its kind. The current record was set by a prone paddleboarder, the USA’s Michael O’Shaughnessy in 2006 in 5 hours and 9 minutes. During the week of the 18th – 25th of June, SAS and the paddlers will be poised, waiting for the best tides and conditions in which to complete the grueling, 21 mile crossing in record time.

The event has been put together by SAS with the support of BSUPA, and the paddlers aim to raise £10,000 in sponsorship money to support SAS’s campaigns to protect surfers, waveriders, waves and beaches around the UK. If you would like to sponsor the 2010 Challenge please go to www.justgiving.com/2010challenge and make a donation. You can also check out the paddlers training blog on www.supglobal.com.

Elliot Dudley, solo record paddler, says: “I am really looking forward to taking on this famous challenge and I hope that I will be reaching France as a world record holder. What makes this even more exciting is the opportunity to raise both money and awareness for SAS. As a passionate surfer and SAS Rep, I feel that the work SAS is doing is vital for the UK’s marine environment”

Hugo Tagholm, SAS’s Executive Director, says: “These guys are the best paddlers in the country and we are hoping for a great attempt. It’s fitting that in our 20th year SAS are still pushing the boundaries and supporting the development of recreational watersports. All the money raised will help us to continue developing our campaigns, making recreational waters safe for all. Good luck to the boys!”

African leaders are meeting in Chad to push the idea of planting a tree belt across Africa from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east.

The Great Green Wall project is backed by the African Union and is aimed at halting the advancing Sahara Desert. The belt would be 15km (nine miles) wide and 7,775km (4,831 miles) long. The initiative, conceived five years ago, has not started because of a lack of funding and some experts worry it would not be maintained properly.

The BBC’s Tidiane Sy in Senegal says the initiative has the full backing of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who is in Chad with 10 other heads of state to discuss desertification. His government has created the website dedicated to the Great Green Wall. But our reporter says many other leaders seem ready to forget the project. At the Copenhagen Climate Change summit last year, for instance, the Senegalese delegation made a presentation on the project.

It is envisaged that the belt would go through 11 countries from east to west. The trees should be “drought-adapted species”, preferably native to the areas planted, the Great Green Wall website says, listing 37 suitable species. The initiative says it hopes the trees will slow soil erosion; slow wind speeds and help rain water filter into the ground, to stop the desert from growing.

It also says a richer soil content will help communities across the Sahel who depend on land for grazing and agriculture.
Senegal says it has spent about $2m (£1.35m) on it and communities are being encouraged to plant trees. The BBC’s former Chad correspondent Celeste Hicks says older people in N’Djamena – where the conference is being held – talk anecdotally about how the capital city has become a dustbowl over the last 20 years as the Sahara Desert has encroached southwards.

The country has made efforts to plant a green belt of trees around the capital, and tens of thousands of young trees are being grown in nurseries on the outskirts of the city, she says. But so far little has been done to transplant these trees to the northern desert areas to become part of the Great Green Wall.

>>> Please read the full article here

The Green Party’s only member of parliament Caroline Lucas has created an alternative Queen’s Speech for Channel 4.

In her official address at the opening of parliament the Queen outlined the development of an Energy and Green Economy Bill, which will be used to enhance the production of low-carbon energy and more efficient use of power.

Ms Lucas also highlighted her desire for further investment in renewable energy sources in her alternative speech, but she spoke about much more ambitious carbon reduction targets than the current government has planned.

“My government will seek effective global and European collaboration to combat climate change, in a globally equitable manner, which will involve a 90 per cent cut in UK CO2 emissions from 1990 levels by 2030,” the Green Party leader told Channel 4.

She continued by stating that a ten per cent cut should be made in the coming year.

Many of the proposals laid out in the party’s election manifesto were reiterated in the alternative speech, such as a lowering of public transport fares and the creation of a fairer tax system.

Ms Lucas holds the Brighton Pavillion seat with 31 per cent of the vote.

>>> Please read the full article here

The last winter was the coldest the UK has experienced in 30 years and the harsh climate has now proved to have been particularly damaging to honey bees.

According to the British Beekeepers’ Association, around 17 per cent of the country’s population of the insects was lost to the cold.

However, there was some good news for bees, as in the last three years the number of hives has doubled to 80,000.

The association said the figures showed a “small” but “encouraging improvement” as it was revealed that the winter had a less damaging impact on bee populations than in previous years.

President Martin Smith said: “It shows our honeybees are slowly moving out of intensive care, but they are still not healthy enough.”

Many eco products make use of honey in their ingredients, including beauty lotions and potions.

Last year, the Telegraph reported that the Public Accounts Committee had estimated £200 million-worth of crops could be lost if bee numbers continue to decline.

>>> Please read the full article here

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is to announce a major investment boost for London’s ‘green’ economy at BASELondon tomorrow May 27th, 9.30am at ExCeL. On the morning of the conference, the Mayor will be joined by Andreas J Goss, CEO of Siemens plc, and Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham, in announcing major new plans to boost London’s share of the growing global low carbon economy.

Boris Johnson will then deliver BASELondon’s opening keynote speech, at 10am in the ExCeL conference centre, outlining his vision to make London the world’s leading low carbon centre, stimulating thousands of job opportunities in green goods and services, and creating innovative low carbon enterprise.

BASELondon is a day-long event where business and the public sector meet to crystalise the opportunities inherent in London’s transformation to a low carbon economy. Other keynote and panel speakers include Tim Smit, founder of The Eden Project, Lord Browne, formerly CEO of BP, Ian Marchant, CEO of Scottish and Southern Energy, President Jose Maria Figueres, chairman of the Carbon War Room and former president of Costa Rica, and, by video, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City.

To register as a delegate to BASE go to www.baselondonshow.co.uk.
The delegate rate is £350 and the local authority and public servant rate is £250 which provides access to all keynotes, breakour briefing sessions and the exhibition.

>>> For more information click here

Charlotte Methven celebrated buying British last weekend in You Magazine from the Mail on Sunday. It featured one of MoreEco’s favourite brands, Natural Empathy as an up and coming British Brand and highlighted their hand and body lotion and indulgence natural candle. To celebrate this they’re offering £2 from every online sale of Beautifully British products as a donation to the Help for Heroes charity.

The article discusses the notion of ‘rediscovering the idea of buying British to support our economy and see how great small British brands can be’ – a concept MoreEco supports whole heartedly. So if you fancy taking a look at the article please click here and let us know what you think!

Thanks
The MoreEco Team

>>> See the article here

>>> Check out Natural Empathy’s page here

After a hotly contested debate the shortlist for The 2010 Observer Ethical awards, in association with Ecover, is announced today. Now in their fifth year the awards pay tribute to those that have an innovative way of looking at ethical issues and those who create practical solutions to these problems. In previous years the awards have attracted a diverse selection of winners from famous figures such as Ken Livingstone and David Attenborough to community projects such as Ethical Kids winners, Lomeshaye Marsh Local Nature Reserve and Stockbridge Junior Rangers.

A record number of entries was whittled down in the last round by the esteemed panel of judges that included Colin Firth, actor; Ben Fogle, TV presenter; Sue Perkins, comedian; Kate Humble, TV presenter and Ben Okri, author, and was chaired by Lucy Siegle, ethical living correspondent, The Observer.

The full shortlist

Those selected by The Observer readers:

Best Local Retailer:
Infinity Foods Shop & Bakery
Local Roots and Wellie Boots
Growing Communities

Best Online Retailer:
Riverford Organic
Abel & Cole Ltd
Frugi

Politician of the year:
Caroline Lucas
David Cameron
Ed Miliband

Campaigner of the year:
Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
Joanna Lumley
Jamie Oliver

Those selected by the judging panel:

Ecover Ethical Kids award:
Charlton Manor Primary School
The Green Team
The Recyclists

Jupiter Big Idea award:
The Wool Packaging Company Ltd (WoolCool).
Aquamarine Power
Resomation Limited

Ethical Business award:
Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate
Ecotricity
B & Q

Fashion and Accessories sponsored by Marie Claire:
Antiform – ReMade in Leeds
From Somewhere
Pachacuti

Conservation award sponsored by National Grid:
Echoes of Blackburn Meadows
Blue Ventures Community-Based Marine Conservation
Pestival

Grassroots Project:
Project Dirt
Liftshare
Abundance

For more information on The Observer Ethical awards and the shortlist visit: www.observer.co.uk/ethicalawards.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony, hosted by Colin Firth and Lucy Siegle, in June at a location in London.

>>> Please read the full article here

For once the weather in England is shining and it serves to remind us to ditch the chocolate and get bikini ready. Whether you’re staying at home or jetting off to some luxurious location don’t let the sun distract you from the importance of keeping an eye on your carbon footprint.

There are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to flying away to your favourite destinations. Check out responsible tour operators to find out what the least damaging methods of travel are to the planet. Also try and buy sustainably wherever you can. Here are our top ten tips to keep yourself eco-friendly this Summer.

1. Get in the slimming mood – eat less, drink more water and buy more organically produced food. It’s good for the planet and for your beach-body.

2. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine. There’s nothing better than ditching the car for a sunny walk to work and it will tone up those legs too!

3. Avoid those airports. Planes are the number one most damaging form of transportation to the planet. Try and find alternatives such as the train or ferry.

4. Buy eco wherever possible. We all need you need to protect your skin with sun tan lotion and your eyes with sunglasses so make those purchases count. Buy sustainably sourced products from eco-shops.

5. Recycle your old summer clothes. It’s all too easy to fall for the latest trend (maxi-dress anyone?) so make sure you truly need it before you buy. Leaving the purchase until the next day is sure to stop any impulse purchases. And if you simply have to have it then try and buy eco-friendly wherever you can.

6. Support Britain! Stay in the country and enjoy everything we have to offer. Avoid increasing your carbon footprint by lavishing in the stunning scenery the UK has to offer.

7. Shop around. Find the best deals and the most planet-friendly goods.

8. Use your green thumbs. This stunning weather is the perfect excuse to get out in the garden and enjoy the sun.

9. Talking of gardening, use those leftover scraps of food to make your own compost. Stops any wasteful disposal, recycles leftovers and it’s good for your garden. Perfect.

10. Have fun! There is nothing better for the planet than optimism. Believe you can make a difference, do what you can, buy sustainably where you can and then enjoy yourself.

>>> Find out more about responsible travel here