bemoreeco

On 2nd December Bags of Change is co-hosting an Eco Christmas shopping event with guest speaker Zac Goldsmith, champion of independent retailers, plus organic wine and nibbles and a special Eco Christmas raffle.

Come and have a glass of wine and a browse. What better way to do your Christmas shopping?

Goodies will include: our beautiful organic cotton Bags of Change; stylish vegan shoes and accessories from Bourgeois Boheme; Voodoo Blue’s fairly traded sisal and soapstone products from Kenya; Bam’s bamboo eco clothing for men and women; Plant Your Tree gift cards, organic T-shirts and towels and more from One Green Earth and Green Sisters; eco Christmas trees from Treecycle; English knits from The North Circular; plus more sustainable stocking fillers from the Sea Shepherd marine conservation charity.

Wednesday 2nd December 2009, from 6.30pm to 9pm at the Bourgeois Boheme Showroom, Hydrex House, Garden Road, Richmond TW9 4NR.

Map. – Free parking on Orchard and Garden Road – 5-minute walk from North Sheen station – Walk or bus R68, 419 or 190 from Richmond Station

Since Christmas is coming up fast and the MoreEco team know you’re all very busy, we’ve decided to make things easier for you!. Twice a week we will be publishing a great selection of christmas gift ideas and eco-products to make this Christmas something to remember…

Keep checking back to see what we’ve added to help you have a very merry eco Christmas!

Previous BeMoreEco Christmas Post;

• Happiness is a Christmas Holiday? Isn’t it?
• Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
• Top 10 Green Gadget Buying Tips
• How an old phone can make money
• Merry Christmas

Is there a link between happiness and sustainable families/communities? I wonder if we all gave up the desire to own stuff, ask Santa for a wide screen TV, dream of a fast car, wish for a bigger fridge with an ice machine… would we all be happier?

How many friendships are formed between kids who go to school using walking trains rather than those on the backseats of Chelsea tractors? Or relationships cemented as a church or village hall community collaborates to raise money for solar thermal heating system?

Your thoughts…

• resourceful and happy
• green is beautiful
• climate remorse or use your resource

And where is everyone going for Christmas? At Christmas we tend to visit our relatives – sometimes this means flying abroad but generally we drive or take public transport to see our sisters, brothers, cousins and mothers.

Do we regard this as holiday? If Christmas were in August perhaps it would feel more like a holiday and be spent walking in the Welsh hills, the Lake District, along the Cornish coast or the Norfolk fens, negating the need for expensive flights to foreign sun. The UK is a fantastic holiday destination isn’t it?

Source: Britain Unplugged

In these eco-aware times, what sort of Christmas tree can be justified? Leo Hickman from the Guardian has the answer.

It’s at this point each December where I begin to feel as if I’m being haunted by the ghost of Christmas dilemmas past. Every year most of us go through the ritual of worrying about which Christmas tree to buy, or indeed whether to buy one at all.

Aren’t they just a colossal waste of money? Can such a decadent waste of resources be justified in our (supposedly) eco-aware times? (Such cries have been heard for centuries – Oliver Cromwell banged on about the “heathen tradition” of decorated trees, but he had his own all-together-different reasons.)

And then we buckle and relent as the children at our feet whimper and plead with us to get one. So what are the options for those of us who still want to follow this once-pagan yuletide tradition?

Buy a real tree

This is still considered the only true option by most tradition-loving followers of Proper Christmas. There’s something magical, they say, about the aroma of those pine needles and the presence of a just-felled, real tree in their home. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without one.

The reality is a little less romantic: the vast majority of the trees we buy from garden centres and garage forecourts are intensively farmed on an industrial scale, sometimes beyond these shores.

As with most monocrops, Christmas trees are typically sprayed with potent fertilisers and herbicides such as Monsanto’s Roundup (glyphosate). Just how much Christmas cheer does that spread to local biodiversity and the seasonal workers hired to harvest the trees? Erase from your head any idyllic notion that these trees are carefully scythed from a snow-laden forest floor ready for your home.

In many ways, though, this is a positive. If Christmas trees were gathered this way they would be responsible for deforestation on an epic scale considering that we get through millions of things each year. They also offer some farmers a profitable harvest for otherwise unproductive fields positioned on steep hills.

There are some basic things to look out for, though, when sourcing a real tree. The Soil Association has details of retailers selling organic Christmas trees. And the Forest Stewardship Council has a list showing you how to get hold of an FSC-approved tree. Between them, these standards offer a guarantee that your tree has been farmed sustainably.

And try to find a tree that’s been grown as close to your home as possible – for anyone living outside a large conurbation this usually isn’t too tricky as it’s usually easy to find a local farmer who sells Christmas trees. Whether they are grown sustainably or not is another matter that only your questioning will uncover.

It is also worth considering getting a potted tree, rather than one that has been felled, so that you can use it again, following a wee trim, in subsequent years. The problem, of course, is storage. Not everyone can host a living Christmas tree at home throughout the year even if they are blessed with some outside space.

If you do have to buy a cut tree it is worth finding out first from your local authority whether it offers a Christmas tree collection service whereby it chips up all the trees into mulch. Many local authorities still do not offer such a service which could leave you with the headache of working out what to do with the tree come the twelfth day. Streets strewn with naked trees in early January is usually a good sign you do not live within a progressive local authority.

Buy a plastic tree

This option is often presented as the eco alternative to buying a real tree, but such claims fail to stack up in my view. First, there’s the canard that a plastic tree is “for life”, whereas most plastic trees are used little more than a handful of years before being discarded.

There’s also the claim that a plastic tree prevents a real tree from being cut down, whereas, as has already been mentioned above, Christmas trees are no different from any other farmed crop and are only planted with harvesting in mind.

And do we really want to encourage the production of yet another piece of plastic tat being produced thousands of miles away and shipped around the planet for our seasonal gratification?

Decorate an existing tree/plant

You may well get a nasty neighbour shouting “Scrooge!” at you through your front window, but some families just decorate a large house plant instead of buying in a cut conifer, as tradition dictates. Decorating a tree in the garden is also an option, although this could leave the presents underneath a tad soggy.

Do nothing

How about just foregoing the whole tradition altogether? (Granted, this is probably a little easier to pull off in child-free homes.) Some charities try to exploit – in the nicest sense – the fact that some of us just don’t like to suffer the guilt of excess that comes with Christmas.

The Woodland Trust, for example, offers its Plant a Tree for Christmas gift. For £25, the price of a modest Christmas tree, you will be able to dedicate three trees in a wood of your choice.

Source: The Guardian

5 minutes with Elaine Dutton, Director of Pure Design 

Tell us about your business? 

Pure Design is an online eco gallery that promotes and sells the work of talented UK designers. We seek out new designer eco accessories, brining work out of the gallery or artists studio and to your door. 

What makes the company a great place to work? 

At the moment we are very new and so I am the company! But I do work very closely with the artists and designers we represent, and meeting them and hearing about their work is truly inspiring. 

Who do you most admire in the green industry? 

I suppose my ultimate shining star is Anita Roddick.  She achieved so much, and challenged preconceived conceptions about how a business could be successful and green and ethical. On a more day to day basis, I would have to say it is the artists, designers and other green entrepreneurs I meet – there is a great sense of being part of something that can make a real difference. It’s really motivating.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

The moment when I tell a new customer or colleague about a product or artist and they say ‘that’s amazing’. It’s great sharing my enthusiasm for what these talented artists and designers are doing with others. I suppose it’s a little bit of a missionary exercise, converting people to the ‘green’ side…

If you could change one thing in the green retail industry what would it be?  

For it to be mainstream and not niche – I think eventually we will get there, but one step at a time.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry today? 

Make use of all the fantastic networks and business support organizations out there. Business Link, Striding Out, London Rebuilding, KX Creative – there’s loads and they are all there to help you. 


Second thing is you must listen to advice – it’s easy to be headstrong and follow your dream but sometimes you need someone to bounce ideas off and have a reality check from.

What is your vision for an ‘eco Britain’? 

Wonderfully designed interiors and everyone wearing beautiful eco fashion! And happy people. 

What is your number one Eco Christmas Idea? 

Snuggle up with your family by a log burning stove and under an organic throw (!), toast chestnuts, and turn the central heating down by a degree. 

What is the most important piece of information you have ever been told? 

Success in business is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration. 

If you were prime minister for the day, what one thing would you do? 

I’d probably end up donating vast sums to aids orphan charities in Africa. Although my business is an eco one and I do my best to be green – I think my heart would rule my head and this is a cause I feel very strongly about.  

Please could you also tell me your top gifts for Xmas? 

• Nina 18ct Gold (ethically and ecologically mined – will be on site next week), £1,364.00.

• 
Karin Helena Turner Designs Eco Gift Wrap, £8.50 for 5 sheets
Bamboo
• Baby Bodysuit & PJ Gift Set, £65 (free shipping)
• 
Firehose Washbag, £50
 Firehose Card Holder, £30 
Firehose Tote, £180
• Diskette Bracelet, £45

• The Howgill 100% Wool Throw, £150

• Treat! Esther B , Vintage lace and silk evening bag, £525

Many of us this Christmas will give and receive new gadgets. Some of these with be eco and some not. The question we discussed in the BeMoreEco office was what is the best process of buying gadgets this year. What should our green eco gadget shopping tips be.

Well after some searching we found these Green Gadget tips posted by Plant Green.

Sara at Bemoreeco had 5 minutes with Gavin Wynne’s Red Robot.  This is what she found out.

Tell us about your business?

Red Robot is a new organic clothing company – we make cool t-shirts and sweatshirts for Men and Women. The designs and the quality of the finished product are very important to us. We are trying to switch everybody on to the brand, bringing organic / low impact clothes to the masses without coming across as too leftfield for the average man in the street.

What makes the company a great place to work?

With Red Robot being a new and small business there are so many things to be done and so few people to do them – so you just have to roll your sleeves up and get on with things, stretching yourself, often into areas that are not your core skills. You feel you are in the trenches somewhat but it is very satisfying to stick your head out every so often to someone wearing one of our t-shirts, or hearing positive feedback and then the dreaded to do list reappears on the horizon! 

Who do you most admire in the green industry?

We like Howies a lot, Anita Roddick was a groundbreaker in many ways but it is probably the number of “unknown” individuals who making their own small contributions we admire the most. I remember seeing a woman called Jackie, whom I had worked with number of years ago previously in a completely different capacity, having her clothes recycling business showcased on the “Clothes Show” and thinking “Well done”. Little things like that stick in your mind and spur you on.  

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Sticking on my accountants hat – I have to say making sales. For two reasons: one, it’s time for talking to stop -  does the customer really like the product it enough to put his or her hand in their pocket – it is the acid test; and, secondly, for Red Robot, it provides the basic economic fuel to help us to the next level.

If you could change one thing in the green retail industry what would it be? 

This might sound like a “cop out” but we don’t know a lot of the other green retailers as we are ploughing our own furrow to a degree and are new to the party, so without knowing the other businesses and their agendas and priorities it is hard to comment. If we look at Red Robot, we know we have to prioritise and constrain what we feel we can achieve at this level in order to grow to achieve more at the next level. To many that might be the wrong thing to do, but I am sure a number of businesses are facing these same constraints and are trying to run their businesses accordingly and that may not be to all observers’ satisfaction.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry today?

It would be a tad rich for us to be offering advice to others on their business idea and model as Red Robot is very much on the first rung of the ladder only and has a very long journey ahead. On a personal level I would say “Don’t live to regret not having had a go” this might only translate into the research and due diligence stage to ensure that the idea is actually a bona fide business. The other bit of advice I would give is to take positive strength from your previous successes to help you tackle all the challenges ahead. 

What is your vision for an ‘eco Britain’?

That “Eco Britain” will be the norm as soon as possible.

What is your number one Eco Christmas Idea?

We have a very traditional view of Christmas which should be enjoyed to the full with family and friends, just ensure you keep doing all the normal positive things you do everyday. 

What is the most important piece of information you have ever been told?

It’s a boy! (twice)

If you were prime minister for the day, what one thing would you do?

Don’t get me started; one day wouldn’t be long enough. I think the place to start would be that governments have to deliver their pre-election manifesto when they take office. If I was only given one day I would declare a national “Eco Day” holiday.

Please could you also tell me your top five gifts for Christmas;

• Fuel Gauge Men’s Organic Cotton White T-Shirt -High quality regular fit, men’s white organic cotton t-shirt made by Red Robot. Limited Edition “Here Today / Gone Tomorrow” message print by Red Robot. £17.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Multi Robot Men’s Organic Cotton Blue T-Shirt - High quality regular fit, men’s skylight blue organic cotton t-shirt made by Red Robot. Limited Edition “Multi Robot Dot” print by Red Robot. £17.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Robot Dogs Men’s Organic Cotton White T-Shirt - High quality regular fit, men’s white organic cotton t-shirt made by Red Robot. Limited Edition Reservoir Dogs Movie inspired print by Red Robot. £17.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Robot Hoodie Men’s Organic Cotton Grey Sweatshirt - High quality medium weight, men’s grey marl organic cotton sweatshirt with full length zip and front pocket. Large embroidered logo on the hood and Red Robot appliqué design on the sleeve. £39.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Fat Cat Women’s Organic Cotton Blue T-Shirt - High quality regular fit organic cotton t-shirt made by Red Robot. Limited Edition “Fat Cat” message print by Red Robot. £17.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Rainbow Turbine Women’s Organic Cotton T-Shirt - High quality regular fit, women’s cream organic cotton t-shirt made by Red Robot. Limited Edition “Rainbow Turbine Landscape” print by Red Robot. £17.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery
• Floral Organic Cotton Grey Hooded Sweatshirt - High quality medium weight, women’s grey marl organic cotton sweatshirt with full length zip and front pockets. Large floral embroidered logo on the lower back just above the waist and floral design on the sleeve. £39.99 Free UK & Ireland Delivery

Organise the perfect green Christmas this year and save money with our guide; reduce your carbon footprint and have a more eco friendly and sustainable holiday season.

1. Serve local, healthy and seasonal December foods at your events and xmas parties.  Choose vegetables that are in season and do not have to be flown in from abroad.  Broccoli, cabbage and onions can all be grown without the aid of harsh chemicals so you can spend your organic pounds elsewhere. Buy loose vegetables rather than packaged from a farmers market or try a vegetable box from Abel & Cole which are packed with the season’s best foodstuffs. Choose an organic Turkey or Goose. If you are a vegetarian or vegan go for a substitute from www.Ecotopia.co.uk or www.ethicalsuperstore.com Check out www.freerangereview.com to find local food to you! Click here for all foods that are in season. (located at the end of this post)

2. Decorating your house can be one of the most enjoyable parts of Xmas. Go for ethically made and traded decorations. Natural Collection, Big Green Smile, Nigel’s Eco Store and Vita Etica  all have a great range. Kids really enjoy making their own green decorations out of old scraps of material and leftovers. Try popcorn garlands – which are really fun and cheap to make and scour a woodland floor for fallen pinecones and twigs that are great for decorations!

3. E-mail party invites and Christmas cards rather than post them. There are loads of free Xmas themed party invite e-cards around or alternatively make your own out of scrap and recycled products. If you really want to send cards, choose charity ones or check out these really funky recycled ones. After the big day, make sure your Christmas cards don’t go to waste – take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point.

4. Christmas heating and lighting bills can be huge! Save cash and protect the environment by using energy saving devices such as standby busters and radiator boosters. Don’t forget to turn off the tree lights or better still try these solar powered ones.

5. Use recycled paper, gift bags or even colorful cloth to wrap the Christmas presents and instead of tape, use colorful ribbon to tie up the gifts.

6. Make a green statement this xmas! Send a message to the manufacturers of consumer goods by shopping for & buying only natural, non toxic, eco friendly, organic presents this year. Shop through www.moreeco.com for the largest selection of green retailers on one site and earn rewards and offset carbon at the same time.

7. Which makes a better tree? Artificial or a real one? Simply real ones are as they are great for the environment and can be replanted after use. If replanting isn’t an option, most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes. Contact yours or go to http://www.letsrecycle.com. If you need to use an artificial one avoid those made in China or Tawian which have transport costs associated with them. They also can be made with nasty chemicals, metals and plastics which can emit into our homes. Adorn with fair trade and ethical traded decorations or again make your own.

8. How do we give children what they desire but without poisoning our planet? Take electronic toys for instance. There are 900 million batteries used each year in the UK alone and many are in toys. But only 2% of batteries are currently recycled – the rest end up in landfill sites and are poisoning our planet! So what do you do? Choose an eco toy. Green and eco-friendly toys shouldn’t cost the earth so choose from a great selection here that don’t require batteries. Alternatively go for rechargeable batteries which will save you pounds throughout the year.

9. Recycle your unwanted presents. Unfortunately everyone receives at least one unwanted gift at Christmas. Many recycle their unwanted presents to charities. Local hospitals and hospices are often very pleased to receive unwanted smellies to give to patients. Or you could try Nigels Eco Store’s regifting forum  or www.freecycle.org and swap them for other people’s unwanted gifts.

10. Don’t go overboard especially in the current climate and remember -  reduce, reuse and recycle.

December Food In Season

VEGETABLES:

Artichoke

(Jerusalem), Brussels sprouts, Broccoli (purple sprouting), Beetroot, Cabbage(red), Celeriac, Celery, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chicory, Chard, Celeriac, Cardoons, Cabbages, Endive, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lamb’s, Lettuce, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Rocket, Shallots, Spinach, Swede, Turnips, Watercress

FRUIT & NUTS: Apples, Chestnuts, Pears, Pomegranate, Quince, Rhubarb

MEAT, POULTRY & GAME: Goose, Grouse, Hare, Mallard, Partridge, Pheasant, Rabbit, Snipe, Squirrel (grey), Turkey, Venison, Woodcock

FISH: Bream (black), Herring, Mussels, Oysters (native), Scallops, Turbot

CHEESE: Stilton, Wensleydale

List courtesy of www.naturalmatters.net