For the first time ever,  I’ve sorted out Valentine’s day a good two weeks before the actual date…

The guys at LoveYourLarder.com have put together a delicious Valentine’s hamper which contains everything you need for the perfect night in:

• Chocolate pudding with Morello cherries, Kirsch liqueur and chocolate sauce
• Half a dozen raspberry & rose dark chocolate truffles
• Strawberry & cream fudge and dark chocolate and orange fudge
• Chilli and fennel popcorn

All for just £19.99 with delivery included. They say food is the way to a man’s heart but I reckon this will appeal to anyone. I’ve ordered mine and you’ll have to hurry as orders close on Sunday!

Update: use the voucher code valentines at checkout to save £2.50!

Like charity and family values, energy efficiency begins at home. So with your washing on at 30 and the kettle half full you might be looking at your rickety old boiler as the biggest energy thief in the kitchen, but before you rush out and buy the combi-boiler they’ve got next door, take a minute to check out Greenheart Installations and their renewable plumbing services.

They offer a variety of systems designed to reduce energy costs and carbon consumption, as well as prolonging the life of your boiler by cutting its workload. Their systems include Solar Thermal Heating, Air Source Heat Pumps, Biomass Boilers and Under Floor Heating.

Solar Thermal Heating involves hooking up a specialist boiler to a solar panel on the roof; this collects solar energy which is then used to heat water for your system. Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) uses energy from the condensation of gas to liquid within a closed system to heat water, and with 1Kw of electrical energy producing 2.5Kw of heat energy it is a very efficient method of doing so. As you might expect biomass boilers are just like normal boilers except they run on wood and biomass rather than gas or electricity. Under Floor Heating (USH) is exactly as it sounds, it constantly pumps water through small pipes under the floor, but at a lower temperature than normal central heating meaning it has a less work to do and thus saves energy.

We spoke to Rob Holmes at Greenheart to find out more:

“Each system we install is tailor made to the customers needs. For example a big family will have a higher water consumption so will need a bigger tank and more solar panels than a couple living alone.”

“To help customers make the right choice for them we conduct a site survey and discuss what they want. Some ring up and say they just want some renewable technology and we go over the options and recommend certain products, others have particular ideas and we’ll do the research on the products they want. We’re flexible and work with the customer to get what they want out of it.”

As you might expect installation costs for these systems are not cheap, but with the savings made on your energy bills they’re still a worthwhile investment if you own your home. There are also grants available as part of the governments Low Carbon Buildings Program (LCBP) and, if you live in the Chichester area, from the Chichester District Council (go to www.lowcarbonbuildings.org or www.greenheartinstallations.co.uk/government-grants for more info).

“With a typical Solar Heating system you can go six months to a year without using gas and customers generally save at least 50% on their bill, with some even saving as much as 70%. If you have an Air Source Heat Pump you don’t use gas at all for heating water. The average time to recoup installation costs is roughly 5-7 years, but it can be as little as 3.”

“You can apply for the government grant online, we give them the information they need and it’s fairly simple. With the council grant we give them the names and numbers and talk them through it, it’s fairly straightforward and the grants come through pretty quickly.”

These new technologies are not only renewable but reliable as well:

“The only maintenance required is an annual check up. This is a simple inspection that only takes about half an hour and it’s another service we provide. We always endeavour to give customer satisfaction and we even service systems that have been installed by other companies.”

If you want to make a carbon difference in your own home then Greenheart could help you take a significant chunk out of your footprint. They offer renewable energy alternatives to cut down on harm to the environment and the cost of your bill, so if you’re interested in killing two birds with one green stone then check out www.greenheartinstallations.co.uk

Luxury chocolates are about indulgence. They give us little moments of excess in which we allow ourselves a brief bite of lavishness in an otherwise sensible and responsible day.

However the complete lack of any need for such expensive treats can lead to unfortunate traces of guilt when we buy them and this, annoyingly, will usually put us off. In these situations I often think to myself “If only there was a way that I could be helping homeless people to a new chance in life whilst spoiling myself to a face full of chocolate”.

Beyond Boyle has given me a solution, and it’s their new range of Beyond Chocolate Luxury Truffles.

Founded by chef, charity worker and all round lovely man Simon Boyle, Beyond Boyle is a hospitality company that has evolved into a social enterprise. After working with tsunami victims in 2004 Simon returned home and set up the Beyond Boyle Foundation to give greater focus to his charity efforts, and by working in partnership with several homeless charities he has developed a program to give those who have experienced homelessness the chance to start a career in cooking.

Participants begin the two year apprenticeship by learning basic cooking techniques and kitchen regulations, and as they progress to more advance skills they work alongside professional chefs at Beyond Boyles’ own hospitality events. The training is complimented with personal development coaching to rebuild their confidence, the aim being that participants not only achieve paid employment, but are motivated in starting a career. By the end of the program they have all the necessary expertise to cook fine cuisine, with many of those who make the grade going on to work for Beyond Boyle professionally.

If all this behind the scenes stuff isn’t enough then you might like to know that the chocolates themselves are made from ethically sourced, home grown ingredients, and are free of nuts, egg and gluten. They are suitable for vegetarians and are available in dark chocolate, peppermint tea and caramelised orange flavours. You can find them on the Beyond Boyle website or at Waitrose for the special introductory price of £6.49. They taste lovely as well!

So if your looking for a way to be indulgent and responsible then look no further, and if you just want to treat yourself then why not help out the homeless while your at it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BeyondBoyle

http://www.beyondboyle.com/shop/

Many have claimed to produce tasty, organic baby food but my babies have always shunned the stuff.  Ultra heat-treated and slimy-textured, they may be labelled differently but they all taste the same.  Babies of discerning taste who love home-cooking are not easily fooled.

But sometimes, as a mum, I need a break.  Taking a road trip, visiting friends or even, let’s face it, making life easier for myself at home, it is good to have pre-prepared baby food in stock.  The Owl and The Pussycat’s new range of chilled baby food is all it purports to be.  “Just the way you’d make it,” is the claim and, I would argue, slightly better than I would have made it, in fact.

The recipes are adventurous and tasty (even by adult standards) with the texture of real ingredients.  The fact that it’s organic is just the icing on the cake.

Each pack of The Owl and The Pussycat chilled baby food contains two individual 100g pots, for £2.79.  It’s pricy, yes, but you’re getting high-quality, organic food that is genuinely tasty and nutritious.  To me, there is no comparison with conventional jars of baby food, which I simply would not buy for my children.

You can find The Owl and The Pussycat food in the fridge section of Waitrose or online at Ocado.  If, like me, you don’t regularly shop there, you can stock up the freezer as you would with portions of home-made food.

How do you fancy:

• Sweet potato with chicken, French beans and coriander,
• Tomato and celeriac risotto with cheddar cheese
  or
• Parsnip with beef and apple?

Personally, I My six-month-old daughter thought they were all delicious.  The fact that they are lightly steamed and then chilled means that the food has real flavour and nutritional value.

I have yet to sample the recently launched sweet dishes from The Owl and The Pussycat but they are sure to be delicious.  The proof of the pudding?  Only one way to find out!

Strangely enough, this is nonsense. The many and variety of ways that each person can make a difference has been reported in almost all media for several years. The continuing problem I feel is instant results. People like instant results.

A quick scan online for products to help solve the growing feeling of frustration rife in my household turned out to be surprisingly fruitless. There are a range of products available which give a read out of power usage in your house. But these are absolute values. The problem with an absolute value is you have to know 1) what your measuring, 2) the value that each appliance contributes and 3) its a bloody number. Who cares if that number one minute says 5 and the next minute says 50? Clearly something has changed but this presumably happens constantly throughout the day.

I continued my disenchanted search and finally came across wattson. Like the other devices, Wattson gives you an absolute value which is essentially useless to the layperson. But! If you plug in your rate of pay, it can forecast your yearly bill.

Wattson is also a wireless box so can be placed conveniently where you are likely to look at it. Not just in the kitchen. He will emit a glow of blue, purple or red depending on your electricity usage to encourage lower consumption.

Not to mention the digital output that allows you to study usage over time. At last, a relative reading! The wobbly line is made of absolute values but placed in a display you can clearly see the trend going up or down which is a great help. You would never go to a meeting with a Powerpoint of figures. You go with charts because people understand them.

Designed by three graduates from London College of Arts, it is the most attractive and persuasive tool for lowering electricity bills I have seen so far.

Click here to buy one now from Firebox!

Ben Rogers recently graduated with a degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh. You can follow him on Twitter: @BonjamonRogers

Take cotton, for example.  A simple, natural material, you might think, but Natalie Southgate, founder of The Organic Toy Company knows otherwise.

“Conventional, non-organic cotton is one of the most environmentally devastating and toxic forms of agriculture in the world,” she says, explaining that the chemicals involved in cotton production are responsible for polluting the environment and poisoning the farmers who work with them.  Every year there are over 20,000 deaths among cotton farmers and their workers in developing countries.

This is unacceptable.

Southgate’s investigations into organic cotton began with her own children in mind.  She found that conventional toys aggravated the symptoms of eczema and allergies: little wonder when you consider the chemical cocktail that has gone into making them.  Organically produced materials, without added harmful chemicals, are far kinder to allergy sufferers.  They’re kinder to the environment too.

At The Organic Toy Company, you will find an ever-growing selection of organic toys and baby gifts, all ethically sourced.

When it comes to online toy shopping, I have yet to find a more comprehensive website.  Product descriptions detail the precise origins of each item, including information about the source of materials used and the ethical working conditions of manufacture.  At last, parents have a real chance to consider the environmental and ethical impact of the toys they buy.

Have a look at The Organic Toy Company’s new website, which went live recently.  Gorgeous toys, quality information and unshakable ethics: we could all learn a lot.

Rachel Pattisson is a freelance copy writer. She writes a blog called Really Rachel and you can hire her here: ThoughtTrains.co.uk.

Established in 1990 by Prince Charles, Duchy Originals is a pioneer of the organic food movement. Beginning with a humble oaten biscuit in 1992, a recent partnership with Waitrose means the Duchy range will include over 500 organic products (see video below). Despite their success Duchy have remained true to the laudable values laid out in their good food charter.

Duchy are good for the environment as they are 100% organic, so no nasties, and their small producer base ensures, they remain accountable.

Duchy do good as 100% of their profits go to the Prince’s Charities Foundation, with over £6m donated so far. So as you reach for their chocolate covered toffee biscuits on the supermarket shelf you are helping to fund arts projects in Kabul and getting young people into employment in Glasgow.

Duchy taste pretty good as well! Don’t take my word for it (although their damson jam is good on toast) but that of the experts at the Great Taste Awards 2009, where Duchy was awarded 7 Gold merits for faultless flavours!

Duchy promotes a “virtuous circle” of sustainable farming, traditional skills and natural production to create a product base which will ensure your tummy AND your conscience are satisfied!

Susan Dixon is a freelance writer.

Remember Green Thing? We introduced you to him last year and while he may appear to be a hideous monster he is, in fact, not hideous at all.

The Green Thing is a not-for-profit organisation designed to promote sustainable living.  The Green Thing website is full of inspiring videos and stories from creative people around the world with excellent ideas for leading a greener life.

And Green Thing is two years old this week.  Happy Birthday Green Thing!

One of Green Thing’s recent brilliant ideas is Glove Love: a project designed to reduce waste and encourage re-use.  Green Thing describes Glove Love as “the stylish and sustainable union of the country’s single gloves.”

Green Thing are collecting lost and lonely gloves, washing them, finding them a new partner and then selling them.  When you buy a pair of Glove Love gloves, you can specify your size but the pair you receive will be a surprise.

Warm your hands and warm your heart, knowing that you have done a little bit to help the environment.  And made two lonely gloves very happy.

Rachel Pattisson is a freelance copy writer. She writes a blog called Really Rachel and you can hire her here: ThoughtTrains.co.uk.

Paul Graham, founder of ycombinator, discusses the value of benevolence when working with tech startups.

I’ve used their walk-throughs in the past for learning how to upgrade the RAM on the latest unibody MacBook Pro, as well as replacing the HDD in older MacBooks. In each case, it was a piece of cake.

If you follow my twitter account you’ll know that in the past I’ve gone on the record saying that I think in my opinion iFixit is one of the industries most underestimated companies. I’ve never come across any substantial publicity for them, in the form of blogs or anything else. The main attention they get as a company is for the awesome teardowns they publish. If you’re a gadget nerd, you’ll love them.

It’s rare to come across a company who’s business model is to fix the planet, and you know what, I believe them.

Today I put across the suggestion that they include more targeted advertising on their site, here’s the conversation in full:

You might be fooled into thinking that these were calculated responses, but I get the feeling that these folks are out to do some good. It’s nice to know there are successful businesses out there that have everyones best interests at heart.

If you’d like to follow iFixit on twitter, you can do so by going to @iFixit Head over to their site and check them out for yourselves, I guarantee that you’ll get back something useful.

Armin is as a freelance social media consultant and iPhone app project manager. He spends his spare time watching for the Next Big Thing. This post was originally published on ArminTalic.com.