bemoreeco

Make sure the only crunch you feel is the bite of your home-grown vegetables next year with our retailer’s large range of grow your own seeds, tools and accompaniments. You could save money, get fit, do your bit for the environment and be super-trendy all at once.

Check out Ecotopia’s Raised Seed Bed at £29.95.This is an easy and adaptable system for growing fresh produce in the smallest of gardens or large vegetable plots. Constructed from FSC certified cedar, the raised bed is naturally durable and resistant to rot and insect damage. The stackable design offers a multitude of layouts and deeper raised bed options to suit any area and desired produce. The varied height options also accommodate those who would prefer higher beds for greater ease. It features the unique “coppastoppa”, real copper strip which deters slugs and snails from damaging valuable growing produce.

Pack includes comprehensive colour HDRA Organic Vegetable growing and plant guide. There’s nothing like growing your own vegetables - as well as the satisfaction it gives, you have the peace of mind that they’re maximum quality, nutrient-packed, and chemical-free, with that “fresh-from-the-garden taste” at a fraction of the cost of the supermarket. Ecotopia’s carefully selected range of vegetable seeds at £1.85 will provide a bounty of tasty fresh produce all the year round. Choose from a whole range of vegetables including peppers, spinach, tomatoes, radish, rocket and carrots.

By composting your organic waste you are returning nutrients back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue and you can save money. Visit Ethical Superstore for a good range of composters. Try the Compost Machine at £44.95 which has been designed to optimise the composting process, providing a well-insulated environment with good ventilation. This ensures the rapid composting of domestic kitchen and garden waste.

The potting shed collection [FSC] at £19.95 from Nigel’s Eco Store contains a Paper Potter for making pots, a Dibblet for pricking out seedlings, an Oak Pot Tamper for firming the soil, a Dibber for creating the perfect space for your seedlings and garden lines to get the professional row!

Be well prepared for a gardening session with this useful plastic-backed jute waist-tying pocket at £8.00 from Simplyfair. With one flap compartment containing twine and five others, there’s plenty of room to have all your equipment within easy reach. 
Handmade by Bangladeshi women getting a fair deal.

Finally water the garden with this funky fair trade Recycled Tin Watering Can at £9.99 from Natural Collection. It’s made from misprinted tin cans, which have been ingeniously shaped to produce this collection of quirky homewares. Because each one is handmade, yours will be unique.

This is part 3 of my BemoreEco Winterproof guide so take comfort though in my credit crunching tips to help you winterise your home - protecting you and your investment. 

6. Think curtains

Open windows on the sunny side of the house when the sun is up so that the sun can warm the rooms. Close all curtains when it gets dark. Do not have furniture close to or in front of radiators. If you have deep windowsills, curtains should sit neatly on top of them and not cover the radiator. Use lined curtains to keep the cold out and warm in.

7. Heat reflective foil behind radiators

Fit heat reflective foil behind radiators on outside walls to keep the heat inside your home, with the shiny side facing into the room.

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

This is part 2 of my BemoreEco Winterproof guide so take comfort though in my credit crunching tips to help you winterise your home - protecting you and your investment. 

3. Insulate, insulate and insulate

It may not be sexy but insulating your home can save you hundreds of pounds. Half of typical home heat loss is via walls, floors and lofts so make sure you insulate these key areas.

4. Reduce your thermostat

Turn down your thermostat - For every degree you lower your heat you’ll save up to 5 percent on heating costs. Wear warm clothing like a sweater and set your thermostat lower during the day and evening, health permitting. Set the thermostat back to its normal position or off at night or when leaving home for an extended time saving 5-20 percent of your heating costs.

5. Give your Boiler an MOT

You give your car a regular service and so you should your boiler. Now is the time to get your boiler ready for winter; book a service with a qualified and reputable heating engineer so you can sort out any small faults before they cause a breakdown which can cost thousands. A serviced boiler will also work more efficiently, which can save you energy and money.

When interviewed by Good Housekeeping magazine Kate Hudson, mother of Ryder, 4, said

“When it comes to living a healthier life, I really feel you have to call your own shots. I’ll make things myself, partly because it’s fun, partly because I’ve been doing it since I was little, mostly because it gives me a sense of control. I’ve made homeopathic treatments and aromatherapy treatments. I’m constantly looking for the best products out there, and I helped my hairdresser launch a line of organic hair-care products, free of animal products as well as parabens and sulfates [chemicals thought by some experts to have a negative impact on health and the environment] called David Babii for WildAid. Ten percent of the money goes toward protecting endangered species.”

“Food is another area where I try to exert control. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do; when I’m away on a set and can’t cook for Ryder, it drives me crazy. I like to get as inventive as possible. He doesn’t like veggies, so I boil them, puree them, then hide them in his food so he doesn’t say, ‘Mommy, I see something green….’ Often I put them in lasagna or other kinds of pasta. I’ll also put flaxseed oil or a flavored omega-3 oil in peanut butter. It’s all about taking charge. You can’t stop your child from doing what they’re going to do outside the home. But I can do something — quite a lot, actually — about the products in my home. That requires my being as conscious about things as possible, what I put in and on my body. Plus, I believe in constantly finding new ways to do things — myself.”

It’s November and it’s cold. Take comfort though my 4 part series of credit crunching tips to help you winterise your home - protecting you and your investment. 

1. Beat the drafts
Worried about the draft? Drafts can waste 5 to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old fashioned fixture – the excluder. Place a rolled bath towel, a draught excluder or custom-made “snake” across the bottom of leaky doors and windows. Seal all the draughts around windows and doors will keep you warmer and lower the cost of your bills. Your letterbox can let in a nasty draught so fit a nylon brush seal or spring flap.

2. Turn down your water heater
Reduce hot water temperature - Set your water heater to the “normal” setting, unless the owner’s manual for your dishwasher requires a higher setting. Savings are 7-11 percent of water heating costs. Insulate the first five feet of pipe coming out of the top of your water heater or the whole length until the pipe goes into the wall if that is less than five feet. Pipe insulation is available from your hardware store. You can also save money by insulating pipes.

The team at The Green Baby Spot discovered this interview with Gwyneth Paltrow, mother of 5 year old Apple and 3 year old Moses, who knows the benefits of green living. In an interview with Good Housekeeping, she said that she grew up eating food bought from the local farmers market, and watching her mother develop a recycling program in Santa Monica.

Once Gwyneth became aware of the harmful effects of pesticides and other chemicals in food, she started to eat organically grown foods. Becoming a parent further reinforced her decision to choose organic foods. She said “When I’d read about what pesticides do to small animals, I thought, Why would I expose my child to that? ” 

Gwyneth revealed some more green living tips that she and her family implement: 

“Now, we also do other things to protect our family’s health, from installing a water-filtration system to using nontoxic shampoos. I try to open the windows in the day — an old-fashioned airing out — even in winter, because the air inside the house is often more polluted than the air outside.

Finally she said, “I just want my kids to be as healthy as they possibly can. And I feel like eating well is the best start for living well.”

1. Recyclezone

The Recyclezone is sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and is a great source of green information for school children. It’s bright, interactive and easy to use with a wide range of brain teasers, jokes and ideas – don’t miss Recycler the Rapping Robot’s musical debut.

For more information visit: Recycle Zone

2. The Greens

Meet the Greens is a website about an environmentally conscious family who are trying to do their bit for the planet. This US-based site features short animated adventures, which all carry an eco-message. ‘Tons of trash’, ‘birds need trees’ and ‘food rescue’ are just a few of the episodes on the site. 

There’s also an interactive blog where children can discuss how they feel about the programmes they’ve watched. 

For more information visit: Meet The Greens

3. CBeebies Green Balloon Club

The Green Balloon Club stars four eco-warrior children and a dog, who live in a virtual green club house. The site is full of songs, videos, print and colour activities – and there’s a green star club where you can print out a chart and collect reward stickers for good green behaviour. 

For more information visit: Green Balloon Club

4. Environment Agency – Fun and Games

The Environment Agency’s dedicated children’s section is home to a wealth of games, information and animated news bulletins. There are lots of surprising facts and figures to get your little ones thinking, as well as a tool to calculate your family’s eco footprint and tips on how to reduce it.

For more information visit: Environment Agency

5. National Geographic Kids

The National Geographic children’s site is a great resource, which focuses on topics like animal migration, the environment and how it affects the wildlife around us. There are plenty of quizzes, videos, games, stories and tips to bring your children closer to the nature around them. Check out the step-by-step guide to planting your own garden.

For more information visit: National Geographic

6. WaterBusters!

This interactive game has been created by the Saving Water Partnership, Seattle, USA. Your mission is to help Phil Dumpster and his friend Bert the Salmon (who is on hand with green advice) to find the areas around the house where they can save water, money and the environment before they are washed away! 

For more information visit: Waterbusters

7. Nature Challenge for Kids

Meet David Suzuki - he’ll challenge your children to follow a ten-step action plan covering topics such as food, travel, and the home. The idea is for children to gain better eco-awareness and apply it to their everyday lives. You’ll also find fun role play ideas and activities to encourage kids to express their views on nature and the environment. 

For more information visit:Nature Challenge for Kids

8. Scholastic Explorers - Earthwatch Partnership

This educational site is a great tool for inspiring children to expand their learning skills, as well as their knowledge of wildlife and the environment. Find tips on discovering the eco systems in your garden as well as the chance to watch a wildlife video and submit a report on what you see.

For more information visit: Teacher Scholastic

9. Charlie and Lola - Look After Your Planet

This popular game is a fun way of familiarising your children with the process of recycling. The task is to navigate one of the Charlie and Lola characters to collect falling rubbish in the correct recycling bins. The fun graphics and illustrations make this a pleasure to play, and you can progress through the site to bigger challenges depending on your level of skill.

For more information visit: Charlie and Lola

10. Kidsrgreen

This hands-on site offers plenty of advice to children who want to go green - both in and out of school time. You can hop on a spaceship for a round-the-world tour or go on a mission with ‘Trip the Drip’ to discover the importance of water to the planet.

For more information visit: Kidsgreen

If you are anything like me  and the team at This is Green then you might be slightly annoyed when you come home from work to discover yet another directory has been left on your doorstep, whether it’s a yellow pages, a BT phone directory or a Thomson Local - All of these services can be used easily online - so if you would rather be green and not have these delivered anymore then you can cancel them easily, here’s how…

‘This is Green’ advises that If you call 0800 671 444 for Yellow Pages and request they stop delivering they will do so and then phone 0800 833400 (option 5) for BT to do the same, you might also want to stop Thomson Local delivering - Call 01252 555 555 to cancel that one.

It’s astonishing how many of these directories don’t even come out of their cellothane and when you think of the amount of paper and ink and energy that’s involved in the printing process and then the distribution it all helps.