Green Tipster

Green Gums

2007-05-04T00:00:35+01:00

Brushing one's teeth is an everyday job and so I am not too surprised that two people have written in to me over the last month asking similar questions: essentially they both wanted to know my thoughts on green toothpastes. So sit back Lisabeth from Bow here in the UK and Shelley from Boston (USA) and enjoy as I help you green your gums.

For my money there are two options:

1) Use an organic toothpaste. Many of the chemicals used in regular toothpastes may not be that cool. Toothpastes from people like Kingfisher, Toms of Maine, Green People and Lavera provide some wonderful alternatives.

2) Go completely off piste and choose the Natural Toothbrush which is essentially a magical stick.

I have personally used all the examples from the first option but have not used the Natural Toothbrush. Tough to pick a winner....try them all over time and make your own choice.

Keep it green

Until next time

Green Shoes

2007-04-04T23:20:59+01:00

Connor from Poole writes to ask for ideas and tips on green shoes and I feel obliged to answer his email. Why? Well because I am the proud owner of a pair of limited edition Worn Again shoes. The style I purchased, and am wearing on the train home whilst writing this post are called: The Bigger Shoe and were a special shoe created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Issue magazine.

Worn Again are definitely a top recommendation as they combine style with sustainability without sacrificing quality or demanding huge premiums. In fact my trusty paid of Worn Agains (my second pair no less, my first pair were the Jack Military style, see image above) cost me only £65 if I recall which is way less than a pair of decent trainers produced god knows where and god knows how.

The shoes themselves are made from recycled materials and the Military Jack pictured above is made from army blankets, old buttons, in-car leather for the outer, rubber for the soles and denim and t-shirts for the inners. I kid you not. And they are very comfy.

But there is much more choice out there if you know where to look. I recommend checking out Vegetarian Shoes & Ethical Wares and it would be remiss of me to not mention the fab new spring footwear available from my employer, Natural Collection. Check out our hemp and recycled tyre sandals for men and women (got a pair on my next shopping list already) and our hemp holly shoes for gals.

Hope that helps Connor.

Keep it green

Until next time

Green Getaway

2007-03-20T23:24:25+00:00

It's the time of year when one's mind starts to drift off and dream of laying by a pool, ipod gently caressing your mind and an alcoholic fruity something to sip under a cool parasol...sigh.

My wife and I have been thinking about our own holiday plans so when Dez (with a z) from Clapham wrote in to test my skills re his own summer getaway strategy I thought this would be a great opportunity to check out our options at the same time. Dez (with a z) said:

Hey GreenTipster

I care about the planet but I need a rest. I am knackered from working hard and I need a break. Can I reconcile my ethical standards with having a holiday? What are the options? Will send you a postcard I promise.

Thanks in advance

Dez (with a z)

Well Dez (with a z) the good news is you do have options.

The assumption that one has to rest by dragging oneself halfway round the world at massive cost, financial and environmental, is a bit odd for a start. If you really want to lie in the sun and soak it up by a pool then get a map and find the nearest sunniest spot that involves the least amount of travel and investigate further. If you live in the South of the UK why not get the train to Nice...lovely sun, lovely food and wine, great markets. Not cheap but gorgeous. And very close compared to the Maldives for example.

But don't for a minute think you have to do nothing to relax and recharge. Your brain needs a rest and as the saying going: a change is as good as a rest. So why not think a bit off the wall and give yourself a treat by doing and experiencing something that is new and exciting? Let's face it - egg, chips and beans on a cheap lastminute package deal to somewhere foreign where the locals speak english is hardly worth the bother. Even traipsing off to Thailand these days rarely means escaping the CNN and Burger King global trail. Know what I mean?

I recommend checking out Responsible Travel for some awesome ideas for greener holiday ideas here in the UK and abroad, the Guardian Travel Site Green section and the Surefish Ethical Travel section for plenty of advice and info on the options out there.

Me? Well this year Mrs Tipster & I have pretty much decided, due to economic constraints (ahem, we have a kid and are skint), that we are going to stay at home and spend our money on babysitters, nights out in Cambridge and London and generally hanging out as a family etc.

Would love to hear your holiday plans and ideas folks?

Until next time

Keep it green

Super Subscription Offer

2007-03-15T17:54:26+00:00

Just a quick note to say that Lifescape have just asked me to let you all know that they are delighted to offer all readers of their blogs a 12 month subscription to Lifescape for only £14.95 as a special limited offer until 28 March.

Normal sub is £29.95 and price of mag is £2.95 per issue. So that means you get more or less a half-price subscription. Not a bad deal at all if you ask me.

PLUS as if that is not enough you also get a nice beauty product worth about £10-£15 FREE for subscribing!!! So what are you waiting for?

To subscribe just send a cheque payable to Lifescape Magazine to: Blog subs offer, Lifescape magazine, 301 Canalot Studios, 222 Kensal Road, London. W10 5BN.

Or email Claudia (claudia -- at -- lifescapemag -- dot -- com) with 'blogs sub offer' as the subject line for more info.

Until next time

Keep it green

Sustainable Shades

2007-03-14T00:38:26+00:00

Summer is not far away and as the days get brighter my shades see more and more action.

I have a pair of Oakley Monster Dog sunglasses purchased three summers ago (I think it was three - how time flies eh?) but having a young son has ensured that they were not going to last. Lo and behold they now have a brutal scratch on the left lens.

What to do? Buy new? Seems a terrible waste of materials and money and frankly I like my shades.

I will get in touch with a local supplier to see if I can get the lens de-scratched (?) or replaced.

But wait! What if I needed to get a new pair of sunglasses regardless...what would the ethical options be?

Well Vicky (who used to write for me on CityHippy and is now half of Make Hay Ethical Emedia & the founder of the GreenGirlsGlobal blog) writes asking exactly that:

If I’m going to buy some decent glasses then I don’t particularly want to get them from the regular high street shops or designer ones (for obvious reasons).

Is there such a thing as sunglasses made from recycled plastic / glass / anything else and where can I get them?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts

Well that got me thinking...a vague and distant recollection of something relevant on Treehugger led me to this specific post. Not sure the designs would suit everyone and at $350 US I can think of another 350 reasons why they would not work for me. Interesting to see though and presume others will be soon to follow.

Some of the commenters in that post mention a few other options including:

Why not buy from a charity or second hand store - always worth a good browse
You could always buy a brand new pair (for less than $350 US I imagine) but maybe offset the purchase with a contribution to whatever green causes you support.

I would add checking out Ebay for bargains and trying to repair your existing pair before buying new.

Any other ideas? Great question Vicky.

Until next time...

Keep it green...

Fair or Free?

2007-03-06T17:25:00+00:00

Fairtrade Fortnight is now well under way and Elaine from Aberdeen has written in with a great question:

What is the difference between Fairtrade and Free Trade and which is worth supporting more?

Now that is a meaty question and one I will not be able to do total justice to without writing a 50 page research paper. But I can give you a brief summary of both and my take on how they interact.

Fairtrade is in essence a certification to ensure that a product you buy has been produced by people being paid a fair and sustainable price. In practice this means that people get a stable price for their hard work and can plan ahead accordingly. We all get paid stable amounts but imagine if we were paid against a fluctuating market price...try getting a mortgage on that basis. Fairtrade seeks to extend to others something we therefore essentially take for granted.

Free Trade is the committment to a market free of barriers i.e. subsidies. Many economists believe Free Trade to be the answer to societies ills as the market will naturally heal all if left to do so. It is only when we interfere with the market and place obstacles to regulate, direct and control the market that causes it to act unnaturally.

How do they connect?
Most economists fall into either the Fairtrade or Free Trade camp and very rarely do they cross-over. The reason for this dichotomy is that Fairtrade is fundamentally an interference in the market. Not many will disagree with that point to my knowledge. But those who believe in Fairtrade see it as a neccessary interference, a positive amendment to an already broken market.

On the contrary those committed to Free Trade argue that no interference with the market can be good. In their eyes two wrongs do not make a right.

The final word?
As you can tell this is a complex issue. My take is that the market is broken and imperfect. I wish we did live in a world where a perfectly free market were possible but ultimately we do not. When faced with the reality that the free market is an abstract impossibility one is morally obliged to relieve the negative impacts of the market through the use of adjustments, which in this case we call Fairtrade.

Got that?

Until next time...

Keep it green...

Greening the office

2007-02-28T00:11:22+00:00

A common desire expressed by many people who have managed to be a little greener in their own lives is how to convince their MD at work to actively care more about the environment and take the business itself down a greener path. When it comes to business one has to make the business case to achieve change and this is often daunting.

Priya from Brixton asked me that exact question. This is the answer I give nowadays:

There are a few key areas you can focus on and all of them get the best results when management spreads the word and sets a good example by leading the way. Make your bosses job easy by doing the research and giving him the answers he needs.

Energy
There are many alternate energy suppliers able to offer a business alternative energy. Check out Good Energy & Ecotricity. Lots of companies, big and small, from newspapers to football clubs, are making the switch.

Food & Drink
What goodies does your kitchen or canteen stock? Coffee, Tea, Milk, Fresh Fruit...much of what is purchased can be organic and/or FairTrade...at least they can offer a choice to assess what the staff want. If enough staff sign an email asking for a trial it is likely that the company will take note and act accordingly.

Stationary
How many mouse mats, pens, pencils, staples, Christmas cards, labels, flip-chart markers, paper and envelopes does your company use? Great green office alternatives here (note: shameless plug for my employer). Not saying it will all be cheaper but I will come onto the cost-benefit in a minute.

Personal space
One of the things that used to drive me wild was leaving the office at the end of the day and seeing stuff i.e. computer monitors left on overnight.

I used to wander round switching stuff off for a good 3 minutes every day. Get your colleagues to switch stuff off themselves to save the company electricity bill from soaring for all those appliances left on over night.

And make sure the office lights get switched off...there is nothing worse than an entire floor of lights left on over night for no good reason...and again it is a huge waste of company cash.

Business strategy
Ultimately we know that money is important to a business. Lets assume as much energy is saved as possible it might still be hard to calculate the saving quickly enough but going green is more than just about direct cash.

It is about understanding that the traditional bottom line of profit has two pals that have been ignored for too long: people and planet. Together all three make up what is now commonly known as the Triple Bottom Line. And there is plenty of monetary, and therefore even shareholder, hay to be made by those early adopting companies quick to go green.

Soon not going green will be frowned on by customers so those brave MDs who get stuck in now can make their companies look fantastic for a little extra green effort.

And if they want proof that there is green in traditional businesses going green then just tell them to check out what WalMart, Tesco and Marks & Spencers have all recently achieved in giving their companies lots of free PR and a great green competitive edge.

I am not saying those companies are perfect...but they are taking good steps in green directions and that is to be applauded and encouraged.

Until next time...

Keep it green...

Small but mighty

2007-02-20T23:23:30+00:00

Roxanne from Scunthorpe emailed me to ask perhaps the most important question of all:

Hi Al
What do I say to people when they say they are just one person and cannot make a difference?
Thanks
Roxanne

I hear this a lot and actually love to hear it in the knowledge of the answer I am about to deliver.

Gandhi is my inspiration for the answer - I believe it was Gandhi anyway. He once said:

If you think one can be too small to make a difference try sleeping in the same room as a mosquito.

Perfectly put and when delivered with understanding and support the results can be very rewarding.

Until next time...

Keep it green...

Local, organic or fairtrade?

2007-02-09T22:36:10+00:00

Another week and another great question. This time from Louise. Take it away Louise:

Hi Al,

I'm not sure there IS a definitive answer to this question, but it's one my partner and I struggle over endlessly! Which is better to buy: Fair Trade or organic?

Thanks for your input!

Louise

This is a great question and one I get asked a lot. Not sure there is a definitive answer though. And it gets murkier when you also include the local option too.

For example: would you pick the locally grown non-organic apples, the organic apples from the other side of the world or the Fairtrade & organic apples from the other side of the world?

Personally I would choose the locally grown non-organic apples.

Local wins for me because food miles, and the carbon emissions they produce, affect us all immediately with regard to Climate Change.

Next come the ethical option, i.e. Fairtrade or fairly traded, as that directly affects and improves the lives of generally less fortunate others.

Last for me is the organic option as that predominantly affects my own body first and then others and the environment in general where the produce was grown albeit to a lesser degree than ethical or local selections affect the bigger picture.

I am sure many would swap the latter two around and it is certainly murky and subjective.

How do you like them apples? Organic, Fairtrade or local?

Until next time...

Keep it green...

Get green for going green

2007-01-30T23:06:00+00:00

Got a great question for you this week...one that tested and challenged me so I really enjoyed answering it. Keep 'em coming folks.

Angela O writes:

Can you enlighten us on what grants etc the Government have on offer in our area (Hertfordshire) which in effect can help us to become greener individuals? I have heard that there are grants for re-tiling your roof with solar energy tiles. I have also heard that if your house is not insulated too well you can apply for help from your local council if the existing insulation or build of your house is below current regulations.

Right, well here is what I discovered. Now I happen to live in Hertfordshire myself so a quick look at the local council shows me that they offer a small grant if you are willing to try real nappies and I recommend giving it a go. We tried it and whilst it did not work for us (and no doubt many 'dark greens' will be quick to condemn without knowing our story) it will work for many so is well worth a go.

But going green goes way beyond nappies of course.

I happened across this Energy Saving Trust link on the fab MoneySavingExpert website which threw up a whole range of grants available to me personally due to my postcode. The search on the EST site is dead easy and full of practical solutions.

The grants available to me cover a variety of home improvement grants including grants for improvements to our cavity walls, loft insulation, boiler, heating/renewables (see LCBP below) & appliances.

But the one that really stood out was the LCBP or Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme 'provides grants towards the cost of renewable energy technologies including solar PV, wind, hydro, solar thermal, ground/air/water heat pumps, bio energy, renewable CHP, Micro-CHP and Fuel cells.' The LCBP has its own website @ www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

The programme started 1 April (and they ain't foolin') 2006 and will run over three years. The LCBP replaces the DTI's previous (Clear Skies and Solar PV grant) programmes. Phase One is open to householders and other groups in the UK (but not the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).

The goal of the programme is to 'demonstrate how energy efficiency and microgeneration can work hand in hand to create low carbon buildings.' Sounds good to me. Applications are subject to the following criteria:

Rolling first-come-first-served basis
Energy efficiency measures before you are eligible to apply
Levels of grants staggered depending on technology

The grants cover a maximum £3,000 per kWp installed, depending on the method used, and go up to a maximum of £15,000 subject to an overall 50% limit of the installed cost (exclusive of VAT).

The technologies covered include:

Solar PV
Wind turbines
Small hydro
Solar thermal hot water
Ground/water/air source heat pumps
Bio-energy
Renewable CHP
MicroCHP (Combined heat and power)
Fuel cells

Well worth diving into folks if you have any home improvement plans and even just to see what your options are. Three other sites worth checking out include EthEco, Green Insulation and SolarSavers.

Hope that helps and inspires you to go green...any other ideas or links folks?

Until next time...

Keep it green...