With the transportation by vehicle of entire film crews, and the disposable props and bottled water of film shoots (not to mention entire large-scale sets being built and thrown away- think of the entire freeway that was built for the Matrix sequels), the sustainability of film-making appears to be a pressing issue.
As part of the BFI’s 2009 London Film Festival, a discussion on the sustainability of the filmmaking was held in association with Time Out magazine, featuring environmental writers and film industry insiders.

Andy Whitaker, of the distribution company Dogwoof, discussed how the premiere for his release of Franny Armstrong’s film The Age of Stupid was a ‘0-footprint’ affair, where big names like Vivienne Westwood turned up on a bicycle rather than in a limo. Next, the Guardian journalist Leo Hickman reflected on the Mayor of London’s recent ‘Green Screen’ report, which examined the capital’s film and television industry. Apparently, 125,000 tonnes of CO2 is emitted by this sector per year (that's the equivalent of 24,000 households). According to report, the breakdown of the London screen industry’s emissions consists of 40% from studio production, and 17% from location shooting. The report also indicated that London is the third busiest centre for movie production.

Leo picked up on a fascinating project planned for Pinewood Studios, outer West-London, where a ‘living and working community for creatives’ will be created, consisting of 1,400 sustainable new dwellings situated in the re-created streets of New York, San Fransisco, Amsterdam and Paris. This somewhat bizarre place will enable people to live in an atmospheric re-creation of a foreign city, where crews can come and shoot scenes without having to constantly re-build sets or transport a film crew to the foreign city in question. Pinewood hope that the project will bring about a maximum 77% reduction in emissions for the average film or commercial (quite optimistic). A local resident of Pinewood pointed out that, at £300- £400,000 per property, these homes will be far from affordable.

This ‘re-usable set’ concept brought up the ‘Film City’ of Bombay, where a variety of indoor sets exist and are re-used, with slight modifications, by many film crews working on different films. It also brought up slightly humorous memories of the Hammer films and the gothic castle on the Thames which served in many of their 1970s productions.

An interesting company mentioned in the discussion was Green Shoot whose business it is supply green runners to film sets, who are responbible for on-set recycling. They also provide a film set recycling service (currently sets all go to landfill), and carry out green audits for productions. Green Shoot’s founders come from a standard film background, and its creation had more of a financial motivation that a green one, going to show that recycling the elements of film production can be a profitable venture. They’ve greened up productions such as the St Trinians movies, amongst others.

Another issue mentioned was the distribution of films throughout the UK cinema network. At four to eight weeks of release per film, and with over half of UK cinemas still using 35mm film, a lot of large and heavy cans of film (up to seven cans per normal-length film) have to be transported around the country, and indeed the world. The 35mm film is generally thrown away by the cinema at the end of the run.
Nicola Giuggioli of Brightwide.com discussed his own internet platform which streams high-quality eco, green and social film. A great example of a high-quality green film streaming online is ‘Home’, an aerial film of Earth available on YouTube in High Definition.

Despite the emotionally persuasive breed of environmental films ‘emitted’ by Hollywood (excuse the pun), whether they be disaster movies such as The Day After Tomorrow or child-based animation like Wall-E, many factions within Hollywood still stay away from environmetal film-making; one reason for this is that whilst the clients of advertising companies often want to look green for marketing benefits, and will therefore be open to ways to green up their advertisement shoots, larger feature-film companies exist on their own plain and have less to answer to.

However, the talk did highlight the perhaps little-known fact amongst the cinema-going public that Warner Brothers are actually leading the way in recognised, commended green initiatives. What with the wholesale Fairtrade conversion of Starbucks, the weather seems to be finally turning- another omen exists with the rumours of looming legislation, including a ‘landfill tax’ that will make it a financially necessity to green-up film. This pressure is perhaps what is stimulating some of this change.

Although, as one person at the talk aptly put it, if there’s a skip on every film set, why not put a ‘green skip’ there instead?

Posted under Articles, Events, Lifestyle & Fashion

"Love your Environment! Love your Garden!" It seems that the best place for your kids these days is outside. A collective parental Phew! might be being heard across the country after that revelation, but its true, and there is an online site dedicated to this very ethos. Formed by The Recycle Works Limited, the home of Gardening with Children has been plotted out to serve as an interactive fun zone for any child of the 21st century.

For children, teachers and all family members, this website has been designed to encourage our children's interaction with the soil around them. It has aligned itself with the developments happening within National Curriculum at key stages 1, 2, 3, and 4, and is a really inventive way to branch out and sustain those essential skills that children in any school will be rolling up their sleeves for.

"We want to share the experiences of Flagship Schools as even the smallest schools use interactive white boards in class and as many children do their homework online," says Gardening with Children's website "our aim is for this site to become an invaluable resource for obtaining information in relation to gardening with children."

And it's clear to see how well the site works. It encourages a network of online users to get outside and put what they're learning to good use. The balance of theory and practise is delivered in bitesized, digestible segments that will keep you and your kids energised whilst out on the allotment or digging in the backgarden.

The 'Kids Zone' has been broken down into three great sections: Fun & Games, which has been carefully selected into a variety of age ranges to help challenge your child in the best way possible; Fascinating Facts, which does exactly what it says on the tin and helps to stimulate your child's overall understanding of how, for instance, worming works, or why it is better to eat healthier foods; and finally, a Competition section - regularly updated with ongoing competitions for your young ones to enter. It is a great tool for your child's development:

"As we all know and perhaps remember from our own childhood, memorable learning experiences can stay with us throughout our lives and can really influence the adult that we become.

School gardening projects are a great way to get children exercising out in the fresh air, and the Government's Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, launched in 2006 recognised the importance of young people experiencing the world beyond the classroom as part of the learning and development."

The Family Zone and School Zones are set out in the same way so, once ready, your child can start to navigate his or her way through the web pages, picking up handy tips, facts and little discoveries along the way.

In no time at all you'll see the varied usages for this site, and its interactive qualities will have you bookmarking it as a regular favourite. All you will have to make sure is that you and your kids take off your wellies and wash your hands before logging on each time and learning more about how gardening can encourage local ecology.

For further information and to visit the Gardening with Children's website, click here.

Posted under Articles, House & Home, Lifestyle & Fashion

Is leather green?

As a product, it seems to be- it’s natural, will eventually biodegrade, has a decent lifespan and promotes a culture of natural products, against cheap synthetics which are not bought to last and which often use fossil-based energy or materials to create.
Is its production green? It can be eco-unfriendly when chemicals are used to process it, and farming animals can be harmful to the environment. But chemicals don’t have to be used and farming doesn’t have to be intensive.

Leather is a substance that, as a natural material of durable quality and ancient origins of ritual craft, has regularly intrigued and enchanted this EcoSwitch writer. Synthetic materials- whether they be straps on bags or grip-tape on a cycle’s handlebars- certainly are resistant, but abrasively so- a cut or burn from synthetic fibres sting deeply and seems wholly unnatural; the material will get shabby and unusable without losing its integrity, meaning that it becomes a useless shell; and if and when the item made from synthetic material gets ripped or torn (more the case with less durable synthetics like thin polyester clothing) the thing seems irreparable and as if it has nowhere to go- it wont rot, so what the hell do you do with it?
Leather, on the other hand, doesn’t burn you and wears in naturally. It is strong enough to be stitched (in most cases) and repaired. An old leather belt looks good and feels good. There are other natural materials than leather, of course; but it is a strong and protective fibre. If one has enough green-consciousness, one will keep irrepairable or soiled leather items for some future use, and will not go crazy on purchasing leather items; they will treat each piece of leather as a sacred object (of sorts) and appreciate all the energy, life, craft and time that has gone into each piece. A green-conscious leather-user, then, will exercise respect, care and moderation (one mustn’t forget that over-consumptive non-greens could probably make an environmental crisis occur through the overuse of hemp, or by planting too many trees in the wrong place- the key here is moderation).

Leather, then, seems to have the potential to be as renewable as sustainably produced meat. If organic beef can be cultivated sustainably, with an accreditation system and recognised certification bodies, then the ‘next step’ of extending these systems to the side-product of edible meat doesn’t seem to be an impossible goal. Leather has been used for millennia; think of the heroic characters of Homer’s epics who wore leather circa 1200BC, aside from much more ancient instances (which is not to say that leather production has always been a ‘noble’ trade; aside from perhaps the native Americans, in many civilisations, the trade was considered foul because of the urine and faeces that was used to tan hides).

The fact that leather is most often a by-product makes it seem an efficient and resourceful use of an animal- be it a cow, ostrich or bison; dependent, of course, on the processes and industries that sustain and ultimately kill the animal. The commercial beef industry has been much investigated and rightfully exposed for its many wrongs. Looking at another animal, the ostrich, also highlights the dangers- ostriches were at one point in history hunted almost to extinction, and in the 1700’s were hunted purely for their decorative feathers. Ostrich leather is a highly luxurious item, and is even today used to make handbags for high-class fashion houses- there is, however, a market for ostrich meat, meaning that the frivolities of consumers with disposable incomes has not led, at the present time, to a complete, massive and wasteful hunting of the bird. Naturally-tanned leather, then, gained as a by-product from the sustainable, small-scale farming of animals, will surely appeal to meat-eating greens as an eco-friendly option; with the proviso that such leather items are necessities (this elimnates leather-coated tooth-pick holders, for instance, from the equation), and that a responsible use and purchasing of leather is maintained (buying clothes for life, etc).

Leather can in theory be produced on a small scale, and without ruining land. The analyses of those more thoughtful than this writer have shown that certain animals- e.g. bison- have less of an impact on their environment than cows, the traditional source of our leather: aside from needing less water and grass than cows, bison are said to help till the soil with their sharper feet. Being primarily pastured animals (many cows, in contrast, are kept in cage-like homes) they also fertilise this tilled soil with their waste. Bison are in fact distributed in both North America and Europe (the European species being known as the ‘wisent’); this use of bison would, though, have to be squared with the meat-production of the animal (there would need to be a market for parts of the bison other than its hide to make its farmed life ‘worthwhile’).

Leather can also be produced without hard chemical involvement. Bark tanning was actually a precursor to ‘chrome’ tanning; chrome tanning is an industrial innovation, used because it’s a lot faster than plant-tanning. Amongst many other things, it has been shown in studies to be a human carcinogen when inhaled. The risks for tanning-workers adds to a negative picture of this chemical-intensive process; the chemical tanning of hides also uses fungicides and other aggressive ingredients to preserve the leather.

Natual tanning processes, on the other hand, which use the tannins in plants for the tanning procedure, use only salt water to rid the hide of bacteria. Plant tanning is the ancient precursor to chrome tanning, and was the primary method before chrome came along; it can be found throughout history, whether in early modern western civilisations or, it is speculated, in cultures such as the Egyptian world of 5000BC. Eco-tanneries use sustainably harvested pure plant agents.

If one is an optimist regarding animal farming and its sustainability and small-scale potential- or even if one accepts that people will continue eating meat and therefore feels that the whole animal should be made us of (possibly a controversial position)- then natural leather might well be a material of choice. Plant tanneries and, further down the line, small-scale leather workshops (such as that of Green Shoes, England, mentioned in another article on this site) show that it can be produced effectively without harsh chemical involvement, with low-energy methods and with minimum ecological repercussions when it has finished its use as a serviceable object.

Recycled leather is another issue, and shouldn’t be discussed here; that seems like a no-brainer, seeing as no animals were killed for a second-, third- or fourth-generation item; the ethical issue of wearing dead animal skin is another concern.

Posted under Articles, How To's & Guides, Lifestyle & Fashion

Shoes, in my opinion, should aspire to be like a piece of furniture. Let me explain- I’ve had shoes that wear at the toe, or tear slowly and horribly along funny creases, after fairly short lives. I look for shoes that age well, shoes of substance. Shoes that withstand the rot. All shoes die of course, as will any textile, and as a genus they have shorter lifespans than a mahogany desk, or a marble paperweight- but shoes should at least be repairable. Their parts should be upgradable like a well-built piece of machinery. I think of the ideal shoe as being something solid; something deeply coloured and of an esteemed nature. A practical thing, to be admired like a piece of decorative art. An investment. Looking for a green or ethical pair like this- now that’s a whole other nightmare.
Having scoured retailers on the high street (I caught wind of an ethical Australian shoe maker from a friend, only to find out they’d moved their production to the far east), I found- whilst browsing for an ethical winter coat, having given up hope on the shoe front- a green shoe company that outdoes the rest. Let me set the scene.

England: the present day. In rural Devon, by the banks of the River Dart, there is a workshop. Inside, a small group of artisans work, making shoes by hand. Not only are these shoes handmade, by craftspeople, in the country of their sale, but they are made using materials that would please a range of green-minded people. The reason why these green shoes seem to be a cut above the rest is that you can go for a naturally-tanned leather option, if that pleases your reason, or else, a vegan one. So, depending on the shape of your principles, there will be a shoe that fits.
Further, the soles can be made in crepe rubber, wedge rubber, or Vibram tractor (the toughest-wearing). Further customisation is possible- the crepe can be made into a classic looking sole with heel (E.g. for a smart shoe) or a wedge. You can specify the width of the shoe, and they do half-sizes. Part of the ordering process consists of drawing your foot: and measuring your calf, for tall boots. Now that’s a custom job.

What else makes these green shoes so flexible? You can choose the colour, the shoes can be completely repaired (even the elastic and the eyelets) and re-soled, and the children’s shoes can be stretched to incorporate a growing child’s feet- that might come in handy.

This kind of choice is the kind of thing one would expect from a Jermyn street tailor; to have bespoke shoes made to order like this, and to have this choice for *green shoes*- that's what makes this company extra special, and why I've chosen to write about them here.

(Plus, these are handmade. Not, ‘made with hands coming into the process somewhere’,  but handmade- made with hands, by maker-designers; shoesmiths; William Morris types (stop me here).

Some notes on the materials: the eco-leather option (eco-tan) consists of a soft leather tanned using only plants- as opposed to harsh chemicals and energy-draining methods. The leather comes from a small-scale, artisan tannery in Europe with excellent eco-credentials. The vegan shoes are made from Lorica, which is a Roman word referring to flexible yet protective body armour. Lorica is made from microfibres which are dyed and softened in Italy. The glues, soles and threads in the vegan shoes are also non-animal derived. The rubber for the crepe soles is from renewable plantations in Sri Lanka.

The shoes are made to order, so there is no excess energy used and minimal waste. Leftovers and scraps are used to make accessories and jewellery rather than being thrown away.

This, to me, is what green manufacturing is all about- buying for life, or, at least, for a long time. Unrepairable items end up in a bin, with a massive waste of material, and of money; cheap and unrepairable goods have to be bought again and again when they inevitably break.

Ethics, choice and sustainability. With a thoughtfully designed style that make one feel swish and comfortable while the shoes are doing their job of supporting their owner and repelling the aqueous and earthen elements. Head through to the Green Shoes website to have a look at the footwear designs on offer.. www.greenshoes.co.uk

Also, if you live near the area, then check out the shoemaking workshops! The one day programmes are held throughout the year. Visitors can also visit the workshop Monday-Friday 9.30-5.30 to get professionally measured or try on some of their stylish and supple shoes.

Posted under Companies, Eco Reviews, Lifestyle & Fashion, Product Innovations

Situated in the heart of Brighton's very trendy North Laines, Infinity Foods has established itself as one of the South East's most successful and thriving vegetarian and organic retailers. Priding itself on its bustling and beautiful customer rapport, it all began for Infinity in a small shop way back in the early seventies. Times have changed but luckily for us the atmosphere and buoyancy of the Infinity work team hasn't: they've moved several times since their first premises and have expanded along the way, making room for even more organic essentials. So is it all in the name: does this organic retailer really know no bounds; when it comes to customer satisfaction is this food shop and bakery truly set on Infinity & Beyond!

Okay, so maybe it is a little easy to get carried away. But being a local seasider and visitor to Infinity's open doors its easy to see that the shop has put a smile on many-a-face over the years. On the corner of North Road and Gardner Street it is a delightful store for visitors, regulars and residence of Brighton. An Infinity spokesperson has this to say about the shop:

"Come inside and discover what is probably the largest selection of organic and natural vegetarian and vegan foods in the South East. Our on-site bakery produces delicious hand-made breads daily, we sell a seasonally changing range of organic fruit and vegetables and we stock an impressive array of natural bodycare products."

It's true, Infinity have an incredibly wide stock list with everything organic and all that is essential for wholesome and natural food. Their selection of fruit & veg are all organic, sourced as locally as possible, and seasonally changing too - which adds a nice amount of variety to your cupboards!

"We have close connections with our local farmers built up over many years. Sourcing locally and building strong relationships with nearby farmers and growers has always been central to our ethos at Infinity." They continue

"One of the rewards of this is that at a time when demand often outstrips supply of locally grown organic produce and supermarkets sell tired looking produce, often heavily packaged, we are able to provide our customers with vibrant, freshly picked produce straight from the farm."

And this is simply how it works at Infinity. Their products range from Wholefoods, Groceries and Frozen Foods, to Special Diets, Wine & Beers, all the way over to Houeshold, Gardening and Body Care. Infinity's commitment is to its customers, and this commitment is delivered the only way it knows how: through ethical beliefs. One of the best things about Infinity is that it is a worker's co-operative - a business that is run by, and for, its workers. It is these same workers that uphold Infinities high ethical standards and make sure that they are kept in line with Infinities core principle "We won't change". And let's face it, when a shop's like this, why would they...

So next time you're down by the seaside, or doing an entirely different sort of surfing, check out Infinity's store and see what's on offer. Or click here for further details.

Posted under Articles, Eco Reviews, House & Home, Lifestyle & Fashion, Uncategorized

After working for Jo Malone on London's Bond Street, studying to become an aromatherapist, and setting up her very own organic treatment room in Sussex, Lucy Russell specialises in handmade, organic skin care and beauty products - and has so for over a decade!

Reportedly spending hours in her kitchen cooking up treatments that use only the finest natural facials, whilst mixing her notebooks with years of experience in the beauty industry, Lucy Russell has won awards for Miss Eco Glam's Best Cleanser in 2008, and this year has received Winner of Best Organic Facial Skincare Product from the Natural & Organic Awards 2009. Which is no easy feat.

The Lucy Russell Organic product range are handmade by Lucy herself. And her products come with two great seals of approval: first of all, the products are all 98% organic and one of the only skin care sellers to be certified by the Soil Association; and Lucy Russell products also make sure they use FSC Mixed Sources to produce their paper for receipts, labels and brochures - which is a fantastic touch of eco-awareness.

And their ingrediant's policy is really something to take a look at too:

"The highest quality organic ingredients in real amounts!
The highest quality natural-source Vitamin E
No animal derived ingredients (except organic beeswax)
No genetically engineered or modified ingredients
No animal testing
No parabens
No petrol-chemicals
No alcohol"

As you can see, you can be sure when you're putting this stuff on your face that there are no chemical nasties in it. For instance, parabens are often used synthetically in beauty products to reduce the effects of bacteria and spoilage but can cause skin reactions, and, quite worryingly, have been found in traces in several studies concerned with breast cancer. So with her hands-on, only natural approach, you can be sure to trust Lucy.

So much so, in fact, that her Rose Toner has been raised to eco-acclaim and awarded the Winner of Best Organic Facial Skincare 2009. The toner, which is 100% organically produced, is designed to cool and soothe mature and delicate skin. A mix of pure Organic Rosewater and Organic Persian Rose essential oil, it is an effective alternative to synthetic and commercial products, and comes with an eco-approval rather than a boutique price-tag. Lucy's website says:

"The Rose Toner is such a versatile product. It tones, cools and calms your skin. It is wonderful to use during pregnancy because of its gentle soothing properties and beautiful feminine fragrance which also make it great to use during the menopause if you suffer with hot flushes - I have clients who swear by it!" She continues:

"It is extremely gentle and fine to use on children and babies over 6 months especially during the hot weather when you're trying to keep them cool. You can keep it in the fridge to enhance it's cooling properties."

Lucy Russell Organics offers beauty in every sense of the word - subtle, orignal and environmentally aware - they're a must have for your bathroom cabinet this year.

Click here to see a full listing of Lucy Russel Organics prices and products.

Posted under Articles, Health, Lifestyle & Fashion

To most of us the thought of putting handfuls of mud or working our salt-slicked fingers into our skin should seem like punishment rather than a therapeutic treat. But at Dead Sea Spa Magik, they have developed a range of beauty products that will help the balance our skin needs to battle the beating it takes from our stressful lifestyles. Whether its lotions, potions, mud or salt, Dead Sea Spa Magik have the solution to rid imbalances and help the body find the minerals and vitamins it needs to give it back that youthful, healthy glow.

Winner of Best New Natural Beauty Product at the Natural and Organic Awards, in partnership with the Soil Association, Dead Sea Spa Magik (DSSM) has been making waves in and outside the health & beauty markets. Sold in over 8000 health shops, department stores and pharmacies worldwide, DSSM is without a doubt a market leader.

So what's all the fuss about? For a start DSSM are using some of the world's natural processes for what might be considered one of the first beauty products in, arguably, the birthplace of health & beauty. The Dead Sea is truly unique. It has seen wave after wave of visitors come and go to lap up the geological beauty benefits it has offered for thousands of years. With a mineral salt content 10 times more concentrated than any ocean in the world, one might wonder why it's called the Dead Sea and not the Sea of Life!

These inherent vitamins and minerals are scientifically proven to be essential in the maintenance of healthy skin. As skin cells are constantly being replaced and regenerated, dead cells can accumulate and slow down the epidermal function - which provides the skin's natural defence - so it is important to cleanse the skin by removing dead cells and stimulate its new outer layer with minerals that, sometimes, we can miss out on due to a hectic lifestyle.

Dead Sea Spa Magik have combined the time old traditions of beauty care with a modern application to help fight the signs of unhealthy skin. And they're doing this by harnessing the benefits of four new organic ingredients:

Roobis is a naturally caffeine free tea leaf full of anti-oxidants.
Linden Blossom is an anti-inflammatory known for its natural protective properties and is great in the fight against oily and greasy skins.
Matricaria Flower works with a soothing action on the skin and calms skin with its anti-irritant components.
Lemon Balm Leaf helps to combat skin irritations and soothes skin with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory.

These natural earth-given ingredients are just some of the benefits that DSSM products utilize. They are a great way to combat anti-ageing, skin dryness and blemishes, as well as being a soothing way to relax and detox sensitive skin. Their website has a full list of stockists and products, so now that you know What and Why, you can quickly find out Where to pick some up without having to fly to the West Banks of Israel.

Click here for Dead Sea Spa Magik's website and a full listing of products and services.

Posted under Articles, Health, Lifestyle & Fashion

The Riverfood legacy is rooted back to 1951 on the dawn of a new marriage and a family enterprise in the making. Guy Watson, founder of the box scheme at Riverford, warmingly reminisces over the memory of his parent's brothers and sisters enjoying a shared enthusiasm for their farming family's ideals and a passion for good, earthy, rooted food. This year, nearly sixty years on from when it all started, Riverford Organic Veg won 'Best Organic Retailer' at the Natural and Organic Awards 2009, and here at EcoSwitch, we're sure they'll keep on working at this great growing success.

Organic farming at Riverfood has been in full force for a little over 22 years, but it is their commitment to the soil that sets them aside from other like-minded land lovers. Now, most organic farms can be defined as such by simply avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. However, Riverside combine biodynamic techniques with a good knowledge of British soil to get the very best from their crops, and instead of simply avoiding the unnatural, they are doing their bit to minimise their impact on the environment and encourage a healthy surrounding ecology too:

'We do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint. Some of the actions we take are unglamorous but important.' They continue, 'We use crop rotation and timed ploughing to control pest problems. We re-use packing as many times as possible. Instead of using slug pellets in our polytunnels and strawberry fields, we have a team of ducks, beetles and nematodes to do the job for us.'

It is this very same charming attitude to farming that drives the honesty behind this brand of organic retailer. They deliver up and down the country and have sister farms throughout the UK - so don't worry about an unnecessary carbon footprint; you can source your fruit and veg locally. The contents of their box scheme will vary depending on where you live and what's wholesome, in full flavour, and best for the season. Interested? Just have a look on their website (link below) and see what they are packing this week.

And if it's not only vegetables you're after, they also offer a selection of meat deliveries, fruit, and salad boxes. From then, log onto their website and decide what it is that best suits you; whether you'd like weekly, fortnightly or monthly deliveries (one-off's are available too) it is entirley your choice. Once this has been decided, simply pop your postcode in their address finder and you'll be given the name of your local minder who (lives locally) will oversee that all's well.

Not only is the Riverford box scheme convenient, simple to use, and wholesome, it is also personal, which is a feeling that cannot be faked. Once you are set up, and welcomed into the extended family, all you have to do now is wait for your delivery, and enjoy cooking with Riverford Organic Vegetables and a long lived tradition of good, sustainable farming.

Source: Riverford Organic Veg

Posted under Articles, Gardening & Outdoors, House & Home, Lifestyle & Fashion

Stella Artois, the beer company responsible for the 'Reassuringly Expensive' adverts that managed to use the higher than average price of their lager to actually encourage consumer take-up, have unrolled a new campaign aimed at boosting sales of its beer.

Belonging to the super-brewery Anheuser-Busch InBev, Stella have spent years and lots of money creating an image for itself of tasteful luxury and ironic wit through its advertising campaigns and branding activities. Despite this focus on the drink's higher than average cost, it has still managed to remain a regular staple of British pubs.

This new advertising campaign has two main themes to it- the first is recycling, and the second is planting hedges (an enterprise backed by the broadcaster, environmental campaigner and 'adventurer' Ben Fogle). The first side of this new advertising programme ('Recyclage Deluxe') consists of bill-board adverts shot in black and cream duo-tone photography, done in a French new-wave style and featuring stylish yet dryly absurd consumer objects that suggest the use of recycled Stella packaging in the manufacture of luxury goods- a vintage Citroen car with a massive Stella can rising out smoothly in one piece from its bonnet, for instance, reminiscent of the nuclear fusion reactor that powered the Delorian in the Back to the Future films. The written messages: Stella Artois bottles are made from 75% recycled glass. Stella Artois cans use ('on average') 50% recycled aluminium. And Stella Artois cardboard is made from 100% recycled paper (that's the corrugated packs in supermarkets and the paper used in packaging- all of this only the paper or card used at 'point of sale'). None of these claims appear to be particularly astounding or instantly, primitively impressive, and are all couched in conditions and terms on the accompanying website.

Stella measures its Carbon Dioxide emissions in hectolitres- there's 100 litres in a hectolitre unit, or 26.418 US gallons. They aim to reduce their energy use by 10% per hectolitre by 2010- again, not a particularly mind-blowing figure. But fair play to 'em. Stella also want to reduce their water usage to 3.75 hectolitres per hectolitre of beer produced (the United Nations suggest that best practice in beer production is 5 hectolitres of water per hectolitre of beer produced- Stella are proud to be aiming below this figure). InBev are also part of the 'Carbon Disclosure Project'. To Stella, 'reducing, recycling and proper waste disposal are a key part of our global business strategy. At Stella Artois, we're trying to lead by example through our Recyclage-Deluxe campaign but also by doing our best within our own operations to ensure we’re producing as little waste as possible and recycling what waste we do produce.' Very precise action plan there.. Not. And then: 'Aluminium’s a tricky substance. We love it because it’s lightweight (keeping down the environmental effect of transport), because it can be recycled an infinite number of times, and is tough enough to protect your Stella Artois from brewery to fridge until you can pour it in a Chalice glass to enjoy.' Great marketing nudges in there, but very little meat. And one doubts whether aluminium was really chosen as the material for their cans because of its lighter footprint when transported- or whether this was a twist that was worked out only now.

The other side to the campaign is the 'Hedge Fund', where InBev (Stella's Belgian owner) have pledged to plant a piece of hedge in the British countryside for every case of Stella bought in the UK- this piece of hedge will grow to be three times the size of the case of beer (again, the explanation of this on the promotional website is far from clear, but that, I accept, is their concern). The adverts pun on the phrase and make reference to the financial world, featuring photographs of men and women in suits sizing up a hedge, which is placed on a desk, with a tape-measure- the tagline running 'Once upon a time a hedge fund was just that'.

Stella take a lot of credit for this hedge-building enterprise, but their language doesn’t give due credit to their partners in this enterprise: ‘we plan to fund over 365,000 hedge saplings and 8,650 trees saplings, to be planted in the British countryside. And they’ll be carefully looked after by volunteers, to keep them spruce and bursting with wildlife.’ This work is, of course, not undertaken by Stella/InBev volunteers, but by their partner in the enterprise- the Tree Council. The Tree Council could legitimately be said to be the real heroes here. The UK's 'lead charity for trees', the organisation promotes trees through community action programmes, a national tree warden scheme, the distribution of annual planting grants, and publications, including the magazine 'Tree News' (available at branches of Borders and WHSmiths, amongst other stockists). Stella also claim that they will ‘grow hedges, wherever they are most needed’. This is possibly false, as one doubts whether Stella will be out there, looking for places where hedges are desperately needed. Stella is, after all, a beer company. Most probably they will hope that the Tree Council plant hedges where they are needed- Stella are silent partners. Besides, the hedges being planted indirectly through Stella are proportional to the amount of cases of beer that are sold. This is a limited and sales-related planting exercise. Some money is donated to the Tree Council- Stella don’t do anything but donate.
This could of course be taken as a pedantic attack on Stella’s scheme which is nevertheless positive in its nature- the move to fund the plantation of hedges is of course a good one, but what has just passed has been an brief exegesis on the perhaps misleading, self-promotional marketing language used by Stella Artois in their campaign.

Stella Artois must, of course, for their survival, market themselves savvily and keep their infiltration amongst drinking establishments, retailers and the consumer psyche intact. They certainly have the right backing- InBev, following an aggressive take-over of Anheuser-Busch (who make Budweiser), are now the world's largest brewer. They are indeed a giant of the brewing world, and one of their first moves upon merging was to announce the closure of the historic Stagg Brewery in Mortlake, on the bank of the Thames in West London (ceasing operation in 2010). But this is beside the point. As long as you buy this beer, hedges will be planted, restoring the somewhat dilapidated hedgerow system of the British Isles, responsible for housing wildlife (including rare species, like Horseshoe bats and dormice) and keeping the soil together, preventing erosion and halting water-borne run-off.

Stella have moved their sleek advertising machine down a new detour- taking some of the edge off of their effective pseudo-luxurious campaign, in my opinion- and they want you to buy their beer. Perhaps consumers are environmental now, they think. And so their new advertising is split: split between carefree, throwaway, excessive, wasteful spending, and the recurrence of objects and material, the sustenance of long-lived singular forms. Stella Artois are hedging their bets.

Posted under Companies, Corporate, Gardening & Outdoors, Lifestyle & Fashion

Now that we've shown you the whereabouts to one of London's most-loved Fair Trade stop offs, it is once again time to drop in and have a look around to see what Autumn essentials Jo Lawbuary and her team have seen to their shelves.

Keep those chills away...

Handloom Wool Blankets: Organic and hand made in the foothills of the Himalaya, by the Timalagabar village co-op society. They come in two assorted sizes pankhi - 100 x 200cm., RRP £44.99 - a thinner weave to the wool, perfect as a throw by the bed or over the side of the sofa. The thoolma is a slightly larger and thicker blanket - 150 x 250cm., RRP £125 - its heavily worked handloom wool is an ideal duty blanket to really snuggle into.

Handloom Cotton Bedlinen: Fully machine washable handloom cotton. This range of linen has been made under the care of Reaching the Unreached (www.rtu.org.uk), a development organisation in Southern India, and Artisan Hut, Bangladesh in partnership with Fairly Covered (www.fairlycovered.com). They come in five different styles: fine ribbed white, heavy white, pink chambray, amber and heavy blue. The duvets are available in the three traditional sizes (single, double and king size). So they offer a great ethical alternative to the thousands of us out there looking to change the covers before the winter weather sets in this year.

Kantha textiles: These are a personal and store favourite. Kantha textiles feature specialised regional techniques such as sujini and kanther embroidery and patchwork. The designs are delightfully whimsical, as well as bold and abstract. They cover a large range of items, including; the silk kantha throw, the kantha sari quilt, baby blankets, kantha janwar cushion covers, and much more.

Gift Solutions...

Aromatherapy Pot Candles: Handmade candles infused with essential oils in a hand-thrown clay pot. Made by Silence - a registered society of 25 years working for the social and economic rehabilitation of the deaf and the physically challenged (www.silence-india.com) - they come in a selection of scents and tasteful colours: lavender, vanilla, orange, jasmine, neem. RRP., £5.99.

Natuarl Incense: These incense cones, made by Greater Goods (www.greatergoodsonline.com) have been traditionally handrolled, using essential oils, floral perfumes and a delicate blend of flowers. They come in packs of 12 and retail at £1.75, and are great to have around the home or to be given as a gift.

Recycled Plastic: made in the UK, this range of items has found ways to recycle and apply plastics into interesting and innovative gifts. Notebooks, keyrings, clipboards and coasters are some of the charming examples for possible stocking-fillers this Christmas.

Ari Stitch Wallhangings: Produced using traditional cobblers stitch by the Self Employed Women's Association - the SEWA works to ensure the active participation of poor women and self-employed women in the co-operative movement to support their lives with regular work and income - these wallhangings are stitched to intricate motifs and warm colourings; available in three sizes and range between £20 - £35.

Ganesha's mix of interesting, traditional and innovative Fair Trade products are a great way to introduce friends and family to ethical alternatives. There is always a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in both London stores, so make sure you get down to see Ganesha's full stock listings, and find out more about how and why these products were sourced.

website: www.ganesha.co.uk

Posted under Articles, House & Home, Lifestyle & Fashion