Speak the words 'mortgages’,’ insurance', 'pensions' or 'investments', and most won't readily jump for the anchor of 'ethical'; for many years now, we've generally come to accept that anyone looking to taking a part in your financial dealings is looking at their own gain more than our protection.

Nothing says that has to be the case, of course, and, just as the ethical outlook is becoming fashionable across a number of industries, the financial sector is subject to its own infiltration from those with good at heart.

Investing Can be Ethical Too

Investing Ethically Ltd, a Norwich-based group of independent consultants who have united under one banner in order to provide ethical financial advice, are a perfect case in point.

Believing that investment practices, whilst looking to achieve profits for those who undertake to invest, should also reflect the beliefs of those who invest, Investing Ethically have made it clear that their investment plans will void companies, however profitable, that would leave their clients in a position where they could be indirectly funding the following:

• The production, sale and trade of arms and weapons.
• Animal experimentation and intensive farming.
• Tobacco.
• Alcohol.
• Pornography.
• Companies that trade with countries which abuse human rights.
• Environmental pollution.
• Nuclear power.
• The development and use of genetically modified organisms.

Whilst profit making enterprises are of course an important part of their agenda – an investment company that wasn’t could struggle indeed - Investing Ethically try to ensure that their dealings are not only ethical but open; one of their core principles is that companies with whom they will invest for clients must ‘be open about their activities’.

Sustainable Investment

Underpinning these ethical commitments is a belief in the development of long-term relationships with their client base; whilst sensible investment should always be about getting the maximum from one’s assets, Investing Ethically look to harbour success in investment with projects that can have genuine social and ethical benefits.

In other words, the company turn archetypal investing on its head by making sure that a customer is not only seeing benefits from their investments but are also taking an active and impassioned role in the investment process, supporting projects that would interest or move them.

Sounds Great – What Services Do They Offer?

Amongst others, Investing Ethically offer consultancy on ISAs, buy to let investments, mortgage protection, inheritance tax advice, and equity release.
For a full list of their services, visit them at investing-ethically.co.uk

Posted under Articles, Money & Finance

Rated above bonds, cash and property investments, farmland in its current standing is being outlined as "the best low-risk investment over the next decade." MoneyWeek magazine have singled-out 'Britain's greener pastures' in the busy and bustling world of investment management as actually being Britain's Green Pastures. And according to a recent report from Savills, there is almost £7.5bn in cash waiting to buy farms and regional estates throughout the UK in response to low cash and gilt yields. This has the potential effects of increasing prices by half in just three years according to MoneyWeek - which is no mean feat.

Now, if you are like most of us then the fast and furious world of investment may just wiz by in a blink of an eye at a jargon-fuelled blur incomprehensible to the strongest grips of concentration. But after sieving through the chunks of nomenclature, kneading some of the more convoluted statements and by bringing the key ingredients forward to stand for themselves, then it soon becomes plain to see that there is definitely something wholesome to be had here.

Put it this way, due to their recent bad-press over the past ten years or so, a general lack of interest from 'new-buyers' and a scare easy standing from potential investors, farms are cheap. Not only have they become financially viable but they are also 'sustainable' investments too: there is income to be had from the crops grown and produced on the land; EU subsidies are set in place for the next five-to-ten years or so; and then finally there are sizeable tax breaks - including breaks on inheritance tax, reclaimable VAT and even initiatives for budding entrepreneurs!

Okay, before we rear off this quite idyllic country road and find ourselves toe-to-toe with gaz-guzzling red sports cars then there is a word of caution that should be added. Although farms are cheap, investment isn't easy. It requires a thick-skin, hard head and lots and lots of craft(y) work. The reality for this scale of investment is not all wellington boots and robins perching spades. Instead what lies ahead is a strict route and keen sense for the 'right of way' privileges that farmers are entitled to. For instance, one of the driving factors for investing in arable land (whether it be deemed 'right') is not the soil-rich country lifestyle that accompanies it, instead it is, quite simply, a much-employed way to protect existing capital from biting taxes.

Inheritance tax, for example, no longer becomes applicable for a person who owns agricultural property and farms it on a day-to-day basis for a minimum of two years. The proprietor of the property is free to pass their plump little cash-cow on to heirs without having the tax man come knocking at the door with his sharp set of carving knifes. The bare bones of it stands like this: the Government wants to encourage national investment, especially in British agriculture. Exactly why may be beyond a simple sensibility like my own. However, it has to be a good thing. Right?

From the ecological perspective, investment into (what has been) a much ignored sector of UK industry, moreover, one that is committed to developing and refining the ways of 'working with the land', has got to have a positive outcome in store. Especially in today's environmentally-aware consumer society, and with E.U. requisites focuses their firm eye, we can live in hope that there will be little room for woodland, agricultural and arable farming to be led astray into the wilder-than-wildlife cages of business investment. Can't we?

Posted under Articles, Money & Finance

I’ve been a member of the Co-operative bank for many years now. I first joined the Co-op when I was a teenager, needing a student account for university. I regret that I did not pay much attention to the bank’s ethical policies at the time; I was motivated by a more general humanist manner and I had recently turned vegetarian. I suppose that most people patronise ethical companies in this way: not having invested the mind-time to consider one’s place in the wider world, outside of the personal struggle of the individual, or to contemplate one’s position in a historical web stretching before and after one’s existence, one often sees one’s own survival and struggle for success as paramount. In this way, one takes the easiest option to try and minimise the negative effects of one’s place in modern society.

When I was young, I saw the act of achieving financial stability as extremely difficult and separate from the act of caring for others and the world- a full-time job, for instance, might give me enough money to live on, but I’d probably end up working for an organisation that in some way had a negative impact on the environment. I realised in time that this, of course, isn’t true- aside from the green sector, there are many jobs that have a positive impact on the world. However, for many people who work in fields that are not so directly positive, I expect this state of mind- of doing positive things for the environment without giving much thought to it- to be present; giving charitable monthly donations via direct debit from the bank account, for instance. It is, I feel, a good first step towards balancing a respectable living with ‘giving something back’ to society, and often, from what I’ve seen, leads one up a ladder of thought and action, taking one nearer and nearer to a more thoughtful and caring existence.

Although joining the Co-op was a result of hazy thinking, it was a positive step. I felt aligned to a cause. Receiving the official literature in the post felt like an official recognition of my kind bearing and noble standing. My fresh Visa card, gold and slick (bronze, actually) gave me gravitas. This was all of course very stupid.

Another thing that attracted me was the very large overdraft facility for the student account. The maximum overdraft it would grant was £2000, much larger than any other of the bank accounts that offered the overdraft service to undergraduate students. This helped me greatly throughout the years, and whether or not lending larger sums to students than other banks is ‘ethical’, it was at least ‘friendly’. The bank also operates ethically towards its customers (as opposed to its ‘externally’ ethical stance, in regards to business lending practices- see below) in other ways; it is one of a very few high street banks (I think, actually, one of only two) who will offer a basic bank account to those that have been made bankrupt, for instance.

Fortunately, my home-town had a Co-operative branch in a convenient location.  One sticking point for potential customers is the lack of Co-op branches in towns and cities. Living in London can be a hit and miss affair- branches in Ealing, Croydon, City, Holborn, Islington, Lewisham, Woolwich, Walthamstow and Wood Green service some key areas, but still don’t cover the city. Fortunately, however, withdrawals can be made at post offices as well as cash machines. Cash deposits can also be instantly processed at post office counters. Cheques can be deposited there too, but require the foresight to order paying-in envelopes and the accompanying slips to one’s home address.

Provincial cities, I have found, are more likely to have a Co-op in the centre; from my experience, all of the provincial cities I have visited have one: handy for those living in metropolitan areas throughout the country. Smaller towns and villages, though, are less well serviced. The city where I attended university has a Co-op in the centre, situated next door to three or four other banks, and so I had no problems for those three years- I could easily transfer money to my landlord’s bank in under a minute’s walk.  In fact the bicycle ride into the city centre proved a happy journey time and time again. The bank proved so convenient and convivial that I opted to regularly bank at the bank-counter itself, eschewing the cash machine during business hours. The staff at the counter were friendly and attentive, and whenever possible, I would do all of my banking, including the most minor of withdrawals, at the main desk. The Co-operative bank that I speak of has had a make-over recently- they managed to stay open throughout the renovation, and one had to walk over dust and cables to cash in a cheque. I expect most people thought it was closed. But I was persevering and loved to bank at that counter.

The Co-operative were patient with me and kept on sending me updates of their ethical policies. Once I began to be interested in these points, I discovered that their ethical policy, which was launched in 1992, had now ‘turned away’ over £1 billion of unethical business. It defines unethical business as business which is associated with the following: animal experimentation for cosmetic or household products; exploitation of great apes, ‘be it for experimentation or general commercial use’; extraction and production of fossil fuels, or even with the distribution of fuels with a ‘particularly’ high global-warming impact- unconventional oil sources, like tar sands, for instance, and ‘certain biofuels’; those businesses connected with the manufacture or transfer of indiscriminate weapons such as cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions; and any organisation that advocates discrimination and incitement to hatred. It also takes a comprehensive stance on international development, including labour rights, organisations that avoid tax in poor nations, and organisations that impede access to basic human amenities such as vital medicines or drinking water. More details on their ethical policy can be found here.

One point of concern for me, however, is that the Co-operative’s Insurance and Investment wing of businesses operate under different rules. According to their ethical policy, this branch of the Co-operative use ‘their influence as a corporate shareholder to change big companies from the inside’. This might well be a decent moral stance, but it seems at odds with the more combative and aggressive nature of the banking wing- I cannot really understand how these two opposing ideologies could be united in a common purpose. I don’t currently use the insurance services of the Co-operative, but I would demand more of an answer from them on this issue if I ever did. To really gauge the extent of the progressiveness of the insurance wing, I would need to know how much power they wield in these companies, and how much change they can really instigate.

Banks often take days to clear a cheque to your account and greedily invest your money in the meantime, making lots of profit in shady corners of the economic complex. I did not want to be abused in this way and chose the Co-op in order that my money might not be used to help evil forces in the world. I feel that this held true with my student account, and has held with my ‘adult’ current account. They’ve not acted unethically towards me either. There have been times when I should have received fines but didn’t, for going over my overdraft, and I was refunded the fine I paid for a failed direct debit, early on in my Co-op banking days. Recently I was charged for a failed direct debit, but, whatever. I think of money as being non-friendly anyway, in it’s nature, and I expect these kind of punitive reactions to be a necessary side effect of the financial element (cash), particularly in the current climate. I take it for granted that money is (or can easily be made) dirty. I just want it to have a clean passage for some of the journey.

I have recently learned that the Co-op, through adhering to stringent ethical policies, managed to remain one of the only banks to make a consistent profit during the Credit Crunch. This was apparently because of their decision not to greedily exploit the sub-prime market or consume other debt-laden banks, which has since been the downfall of some competitors eager to cash in. Some other banks exposed themselves too much to the sub-prime market, lured by the opportunity to lend money and charge higher fees to individuals with patchier track records. Fortunately, the Co-op stood clear of the sub-prime sector and avoided taking significant risks.

Looking back to when they were founded, the Co-op first started in 1872 and managed to get through the Great Depression of the 1930’s. There is no doubt in my mind that they have stood the test of time. And they are one of the few banks now actively marketing how they are ‘Good with Money’ - in the middle of a 21^st Century Credit Crunch! Apparently the bank is growing faster than ever because of unsettled consumers, seeking out a safer haven for their money. People are still unsettled and alarmed about the prospect of which bank will be the next to go under. If such large institutions including Northern Rock and RBS would have gone bankrupt - save for rapid government intervention - then people realise it can happen to any bank. We only have to look at what has happened to Lehman Brothers and the Icelandic Bank. Only this week, Lloyds announced that they are now faced with having to underwrite Billions of pounds of ‘toxic loans’, as they struggle to cope with a hasty purchase of HBOS last year.

So if you are in any doubt about your bank, or you just want a more positive ‘feel good’ banking experience, then I recommend the Co-op as there are many positives and few negatives, if any. People might think I work for the Co-op saying this, but I don’t. I just have a passion for ethical companies that are not just preoccupied with earning money, but also want to do it in a way that is sensitive to people and the planet.

If you do decide to switch, I am assured that all Direct Debits are transferred automatically, minimising any hassle. And you may wake up one day feeling that you aren’t just focusing on the immediate cause of survival, but are leading a more balanced approach with your decision to support companies that are making a proactive difference in the world.

To get further information, we have included the relevant page to the Co-operative Bank here.

Posted under Money & Finance

UNITED KINGDOM

Note: A previous Ecoswitch article on the Ecological debt concept can be read here.

Each year, Global Footprint Network calculates humanity's Ecological Footprint (its demand on cropland, pasture, forests and fisheries), and compares this with global bio capacity, the ability of these ecosystems to generate resources and absorb waste. Ecological Footprint accounting can be used to determine the exact date we, as a global community, begin living beyond the means of what the planet can regenerate in a calendar year. For the Global Footprint Network Website, click here.

While the planet as a whole was ecologically self-sufficient all year round until 1986, the British Isles were deep in the red early on. In 1961 the UK ecological debt day was 9 July, but this year it falls on Easter Sunday according to Andrew Simms and New Economics Foundation (NEF). On a planetary level, last year's debt day was the 23rd of September...NEF says: 'National food self-sufficiency is in long term decline, and we are increasingly dependent on imports at precisely the time when the guarantee of the rest of the world ability to provide for us is weakening.'

Making a few pertinent points in an interview with John Vidal the environmental editor of the Guardian, for example on trade; Simms says ours is a very wasteful system of world trade of which certain aspects, it should be painfully obvious, is completely un acceptable. The NEF goes on to claim that:

Virtually identical amounts of gingerbread, fresh boneless chicken, chocolate covered waffles, are imported and exported ... In 2007, the UK exported 1.8m tonnes of essential oils, perfumes and toilet preparations, while it imported 1.5m tonnes.*

The UK was also recently, but perhaps not so surprisingly, prophesised to be the worst hit of the large economies. Apparently, the fantasy mortgages in Britain were even more irresponsible (some exceeding the already inflated value of the property). Nature has a budget -- it can only produce so many resources and absorb so much waste every year. The problem is our demand for nature's services is exceeding what it can provide. Studies have shown that we would need 1.4 earths to sustain our current average rate of consumption. A quick, off the top of the head calculation offers the not very encouraging number of 1.75 British Isles to cover what is consumed in the UK. Granted, this is from someone who is neither a mathematician nor an ecologist but it is indication that we are doing something wrong. Or rather, many things are wrong and talk of a perfect storm does not seem far-fetched. Climate change, competition for energy resources, economic instability and changing consumption patterns are all now compromising not only some few countries here and there. We are looking at a very shaky and possibly crumbling global system. The centre does not hold. Or back to Finance for Dummies: A credit card where you each year go into 75% overdraft is very likely to be cancelled. Therefore, we must try to live less beyond our means. It all starts now...

.

* Article 'UK goes into ecological debt on Easter Sunday' by John VIdal in the Guardian on the 11th of April 2009, read it here.

Posted under Climate, Environmental News, Money & Finance

Since 1989, Dr Philip Beresford compiles an all to familiar thing. A list on rich people. Ok then. Following Rich Lists on how they, the rich, spend their money, how the rich give away their cash, how they do whatever it is they do; here is The Sunday Times Green Rich List. This is a listing of '100 tycoons or wealthy families worth £200m or more'  These qualify by either having made serious investments in green technology and businesses or large financial commitments to environmental causes. The Green 100 are worth nearly £267 billion. In his article 'Eco Barons Lead the Way', Beresford writes, 'This enormous sum demonstrates that many of the world's richest tycoons and entrepreneurs have embraced environmentalism.' That is of course one way of interpreting it but hardly the only one. It could also be that what they are enbracing is the fact that 'going green' could be understood both in Ecoish and Dollarspeak, in short, 'there is money to be made saving the planet' as some would put it. Which is as it should be just as it should cost money to hurt it.

But back to the list. First of all, the title is alarmingly inaccurate. Eco Barons are not leading anything, they are following the money which is following logic which is born out of insights. Beresford is British as is EcoSwitch, therefore dwelling on the isles is probably polite. But not very relevant, Britain is home to only 10 of the world's top 100 entrepreneurs in new industries such as wind energy, electric cars and clean coal. Clean coal? Clean coal is an even less satisfactory label than clean cars. How about still-really-dirty-but-at-least-a-little-bit-filtered-coal? But clean coal? Perhaps The Times, researching, ran into trouble looking for 100 tycoons to qualify for the list without certain concessions. Calls for a clear policy and regulatory framework to encourage investment in green industries if it is not to fall further behind.

With 35 entrants on the list, America is top of the table. Federal investments $15 billion (£10.5 billion) a year in clean-energy companies and programmes make the US a strong contender for more posts should the Green Rich list be compiled again. China, with 17 'members', is becoming the workshop for the green revolution -some would insist on calling it sweatshop and they would be partially right. With solar-panel factories and wind-turbine makers cropping up across the country, but it has begun developing technologies as well.

Used to being on top of lists with rich people on them, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are on this one as well. Buffett has invested $230m in the Chinese battery- and electric car manufacturer BYD. Gates has poured millions into development of alternative fuels from algae. Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin are turning to green investments with all the entrepreneurial zeal that made their first fortunes. T Boone Pickens the 'oil explorer, corporate raider and a Texan Republican to his core' is using some of his fortune on his Pickens Plan, less about the environment and more about unhooking America from its dependence on foreign energy. (Read our article on the Pickens Plan here).

Dr Beresford writes in conclusion, 'When the recession is over, there are precious few forecasters who think the City and the like will return to its glory days. With traditional factories and industries closing in record numbers, where will Britain's future prosperity come from? It is a sobering thought.' Indeed, the City will almost surely never look the same. Not under the varnish. It is a hopeful sign of the times (not the newspaper quoted) that big money is rolling into big green projects. It is interesting that some people are becoming very rich through their environmental work, that is something that could not have happened easily only a few years ago. It is heartening that some very rich people actually seem to be committed. It is natural that we are alarmed at what things cost, especially since many are losing their jobs. It is ridiculous that we should even be in this situation. It is a bit of a pity that we are so sadly predictable. But the EcoSwitch is on.

.

* Article 'Eco Barons Lead the Way' by Philip Beresford for the TimesOnline on the 1st March 2009, read it here.

Posted under Environmental News, Money & Finance

This article will try to draw parallels between economy and ecology, beyond the shared prefix. Wish me luck.

Unfulfilled Christmas wish lists have become commonplace (this is ancient of course, many children wish for peace on earth without a sliver of a chance of getting it). The allusion relevant here are that some countries in the Western world, for two consecutive years, did not break Christmas retail sales records, something we have been strongly encouraged to do to keep the wheels turning. This could be due to a combination of economic sluggishness and consumer awareness of environmental impact consumption. True enough, it has often been the American consumer in particular that cushioned economic slumps. Not so this time around.

The $825bn Obama stimulus package is intended to jump start a severely damaged economy and much of the countries around the globe, unable to cope by themselves, are now hoping to enjoy spin-off effects. The UK is suddenly, but perhaps not so surprisingly, prophesised to be the worst hit of the large economies. Apparently, the fantasy mortgages in Britain were even more irresponsible (some exceeding the already inflated value of the property).

Reality: our wallets are emptying faster than we can fill them. This is pretty much what is happening on a planetary level; on September 23rd 2008 we had spent more resources than the planet regenerates in one year. That meant we had a 267 to 365 days ratio, adding up to a 98 day deficit. Or a 40% overshoot which equals 1.4 planets. Ecological debt day is happening earlier every year: in 1990 it was early December, in the year 2000 it happened on the 1st of November. The first year we entered planetary debt was 1986 and since it has been accelerating. [Source: Global Footprint Network]

Each year, Global Footprint Network calculates humanity's Ecological Footprint (its demand on cropland, pasture, forests and fisheries), and compares this with global bio capacity, the ability of these ecosystems to generate resources and absorb waste. Ecological Footprint accounting can be used to determine the exact date we, as a global community, begin living beyond the means of what the planet can regenerate in a calendar year.*

2007 could perhaps be labelled Climate Change year, with the discussion reaching the top of the global agenda billboard, making Al Gore arguably more useful as a renegade than he would have been as president, regardless of his ulterior motives or the means used -remember the private jet hoping as well paid key note speaker at conferences, talk show appearances and high profile book signings.

Studies have shown that we would need 1.4 earths to sustain our current average rate of consumption. In the midst of a northern hemisphere cold spell we got a sneak preview of the future, with negative growth figures in much of Europe and everything from record costs of heating (or even present the eastern/central European shortage of natural gas).

Just like any company, nature has a budget -- it can only produce so many resources and absorb so much waste every year. The problem is, our demand for nature's services is exceeding what it can provide.*

A way to describe our basic attitude could be a fear of speeding ticket mentality that stipulates that if we see uniforms, we slow down. If, on the other hand, we know there will be no consequences, we press down on the accelerator. In view of a multi-lateral predicament, a profound change in habits is bound to occur due to the economics of necessity and scarcity. Metaphorically, we see more police on traffic duty. With the crisis deepening, we are offered an opportunity. For some of us this means easy cynical gains through day trading stock market investment for others adjusting to a less criminal lifestyle. Ecoswitch.

* Global Footprint Network Website, click here.

Posted under Climate, Money & Finance

Green banks are concerned about the social use of their investments and loans, but also about the way that their money is made; is it made in an eco-friendly way?

Green banks provide all of the same services that ordinary banks, such as Nat West and Lloyds TSB provide and also stick to the same rules as ordinary banks. So what’s the difference? They use eco-friendly policies.
The HSBC has a deal with their customers; cut out your paper statements and letters and you could win a laptop. They have different ways in becoming green with your banking:

a) Green Accounts
b) Online Statements
c) Internet Banking Registration

What does having a green bank account mean? Having no paper statements. Statements and charges summaries are delivered electronically via internet banking. This means that customers have fewer letters to open, as the HSBC can call or email their customers for service reasons rather than ring them. Their customers would not have a cheque or paying-in book for their account, this all contributes to saving the environment.

There are so many people in the world. 99% of adults have bank accounts, this means that each of these people receive account statements from their bank, which means a lot of trees are being cut down to produce enough paper for these people to receive their statements. But also when registering to a bank for a new account, a lot of paper is used for the customer to register. But with internet registration, it means that the paper is cut out of the equation.

The Co-operative bank has produced an eco-friendly credit card, this card was launched in 1998, and this was the first non-PVC card. They are currently working to make all of their plastic cards non-PVC, but to dispose of all of the PVC cards that are in circulation at this moment in time, this takes a lot of energy. I suggest that all banks should start making their cards non-PVC only; this would mean that in order for people to have bank cards, they would be contributing to saving the planet.

Want to find out more about what the Co-Operative and the HSBC are doing in the race to make the world a more eco-friendly place? Click on one of the links below:

1. www.hsbc.co.uk
2. www.co-operativebank.co.uk

Posted under Money & Finance

What is Green Energy?

Green energy is all about the production of 100% renewable electricity which typically originates from wind turbines, solar panels and hydro. Its paramount purpose is to combat the emissions of carbon dioxide with zero tolerance vis a vis the involvement of fossil fuels. Good Energy and Ecotricity are lucent examples of green energy suppliers. Doubtlessly, they are conquering the market by offering competitive prices and having the environment at heart. By switching from a conventional energy supplier to a green one, you are also proving that you care for the environment.

What about Green appliances then?

Green appliances have grown in importance and popularity as they stand out to help customers like you and me and above all, the environment. Rooted in their design, they operate similarly to ordinary appliances, with the exception of being energy efficient. They save you money and tackle the problem of climate change as less CO2 is released.

Below is a list of greeny stuffs one should begin to consider:

Green Energy is the Best! It is Anti-CO2 and it makes your bill smile too J

• Apply to a Green Energy company such as Good Energy which supplies 100% renewable electricity. Read our article on Good Energy to understand how it rescues our planet.
• Even conventional energy companies such as EDF offer green tariffs.
• You can install your own domestic wind turbine and/or solar panel depending on your location. Why depend on coal and oil when you can benefit from wind and sun?
• Switch your normal light bulbs to eco ones which utilise 80% less energy and once switched on, they shine as brightly as ordinary bulbs. Your bill will drop significantly.
• We encourage you to buy the Energy Saving Recommended Green Appliances as they are the most energy efficient appliances available on the market. For your information, this brand is a government body that certifies green appliances which ecoswitch.com is currently reviewing.
• Check for the Energy Saving Recommended Green Appliances logo on the products before you buy.  
• Make the switch to an energy efficient dishwasher which saves 40% of energy. It lowers both your electricity and water bills. Among the most popular ones is the Whirlpool ADG 7560 model.
• Choose an Integrated Digital TV (IDTV) instead of a standard one as the former saves you money on your energy bills.
• Order a green kettle as it can reduce your electricity bill by 20%.
• Eco fridges and freezers are designed to reduce emissions of CO2 and alleviate the use of electricity by 60%. The result will reflect on your bills too.
• Cut your energy consumption by 1/3 when doing your laundry by buying a green washing machine instead of an ordinary one.
• An Energy Saving Recommended printer uses about 25% less power when being switched on and 40% less in sleep or standby mode when compared to a normal printer.
• Instead of a desktop buy a laptop, or even better, an eco laptop such as Asus, MacBook or Sony. Desktops might be cheaper in price but they use ten times more energy than laptops.
• Cooking is a passion for most of us. Why not enjoy cooking whilst using less energy with an A/A energy rated oven such as the Leisure LEVC66W 50cm Double oven or the Leisure 100cm CM101FRKP Dual Fuel Range Cooker?
• Did you know that cooking in a microwave saves more energy than in a conventional oven? How more efficient will your cooking time be if you use an microwave oven such as the Whirlpool AMW510.
Now that you know the tricks, stop thinking that you were born to pay excessive bills. Make your money worth it and be gentle to our environment!

Posted under Gas & Electricity, House & Home, How To's & Guides, Money & Finance, Renewable Energy

There is no escape from paying bills. The continuous rise in gas and electricity prices does not ease the situation either. But fortunately, you can change your lifestyle habits which will not only cause a drastic reduction in your bills, but will also save energy and the planet too.

Save Energy and Start Paying your Bills With A Smile:

1. Switch off every light when you leave the room

2. For background sound, favour the radio over the TV

3. Unplug your devices after the battery is charged. For example, mobiles

4. Use a washing line or drying racks, rather than an electric drier

5. Avoid keeping your room thermostat more than 21C

6. Keep the water thermostat less than 60C

7. Boil your kettle with only the amount of water needed

8. Use the water once the kettle is boiled to avoid reheating

9.      Remove washed clothes from washing machine within 2 hours to avoid rewashing

10. Hang your clothes after ironing to avoid another ironing session due to creasing

11. Utilise the eco setting on your washing machine and/or dishwasher

12.    Keep your fridge running properly by defrosting it regularly

13. Turn off the dishwasher prematurely to allow the heat inside complete the job

14. If you have a heater, programme it to drop by half or off after an hour

15. During the day draw the curtains to allow free light to penetrate

16. At dusk close your curtains to retain the heat

17. Keep the back of your fridge clean to boost its efficiency

18.    Switch to a green energy provider such as Good Energy or EcoTricity

Save Water As It Saves Life:

1. Use baths sparingly

2.      Utilise a (non power) shower

3. Use a bucket of water for car washing rather than a hose

4.      Use a watering jug for plants

5.      Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth

6. When washing by hand, use a bowl to soap dishes and avoid running water

7.      When rinsing, use warm water to speed up washing.

8. Use hot water from the kettle to degrease the sink rather than bleach

9. Favour the plunger over the toxic unblocking solution

10. Make sure that you turn off all taps properly after use

11. Check that there are no leaks in the water pipe system

Be Green and Wise in the Kitchen:

1. Use a toaster to make toast instead of a grill as the toaster is more energy efficient

2. Boil water in a kettle to use for cooking

3. Remove contents from the fridge to cool to room temperature before cooking

4. Maximise the efficiency of your fridge by keeping it full

5. Use a pan matching the amount of food to be cooked

6. Use the smallest pan as far as you can

7. Use a pan that matches the size of the burner, not smaller, to avoid 30% of heat loss

8. Cover the pan with a lid to avoid the loss of heat

9. Keep the oven window clean to avoid opening the oven during cooking time

10. Use the right lid for the right pan to avoid loss of heat through the peeps

11.    Turn off the heater prematurely to allow the steam to complete the cooking

12. Use less fat and liquid to cook at a quicker pace

13. Plan your cooking and make extra to freeze and reuse

14. Leftovers take less time to be reheated. Use them as quick ‘fast food’

15. Pressure cooker and microwave are more energy efficient compared to the oven

Waste can be Recycled

1. Turn your wasted vegetable and fruit peelings into compost

2. Use the compost to plant your own vegetables, fruits, herbs or flowers

3. Do not buy excessively to avoid wastage

4. Reuse aluminium foil for packing food

5.      Where possible, buy loose fruit and vegetables without the wasteful packaging

6. Donate your clothes which you do not use anymore

7. Reuse plastic objects for other purposes

8. Use plastic food containers to plant herbs

9. Use shoe boxes to store items

10. Use food before they expire to avoid wastage. If expired, convert them into compost

11. Recycle cans, paper, plastic, etc...

12. Reuse newspaper for cleaning windows, for instance

13. Think twice before buying

14. Take your Recyclable bag or Bag for life to the shop

15. Reuse old T-shirts to sleep in or when doing messy work such as painting

Good Luck!

Posted under Gas & Electricity, House & Home, How To's & Guides, Lifestyle & Fashion, Money & Finance

While the green pound may have become a mighty force, consumers have been slow to get ethical in one particular area of financial planning – and that is your mortgages. Ethical home loans currently represent a tiny fraction of the UK housing market, sold only in their thousands. But what is it that makes the mortgage go unnoticed under the ethical-spenders nose? And is it this level of public-unaware that makes us question whether a mortgage can in fact be Green – it may be so.

They’re almost everywhere now, all you have to do is type in “Green Mortgages” into your search engine and hundreds of eco-option will pop up on your screen, proposing to make life easier for you and greener for your environment. The most difficult task – if it pops up in your own search engine – is to discern which ones are authentic and have grown from stringent Environment Policy and EMS schemes, and which are the ones that have been green-washed for the benefits of the market.

With green issues breaking the headlines, more and more homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their homes, and are switching their mortgages and improving their homes to make them much more eco-friendly. However, an ethical lender is not one who just plants a few trees.

Whilst only offered by a few mortgage lenders at present, lenders that offer green mortgages are certainly becoming much more popular, and its only a matter of time before they become commonplace.

Essentially, a green mortgage aims to reduce the negative impact our homes make on the environment, and they work in one of two ways: the lender will make a donation on your behalf to environmentally friendly schemes, which in affect offsets some of the impact your home may cause; or the lender will only lend on properties that will, or currently, benefit the environment.

The Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes (EEPH) defined what it is to be a lender of a green mortgage:

A green mortgage offers a financial incentive that encourages the homeowner to buy or work towards a high energy performing home.

A green mortgage may also offer incentives for other positive environmental features of a new or existing home.

A green lender encourages customers to buy or work towards an energy performing home.

A green mortgage offers one or more financial incentives linked to the home’s energy use.

The Ethical Investors Group (EIG) classified mortgage lenders in terms of their ethical positioning:

• Category 1 Very few mortgage lenders will be filed in this category. They are very selective about the attributes of the property they will lend on, so the average home would not qualify. The most common properties that this type of loan is made on are derelict buildings and environmentally friendly new-build properties.
• Category 2 These will be institutions that operate an ethical policy, or apply some form of environmental criteria or standards to their loans. Their business may be run according to an ethical code of conduct, and they may even exclude customers that operate in an unethical way. And it will not be uncommon for a category two lender to offer special mortgage terms of discounts to borrowers that meet environmental standards on their properties.
• Category 3 Mutual lenders, such as building societies, who are owned by their customers and not their shareholders, are found here. Because mutuals do not lend to companies, your interest payments won’t be used to lend to companies that may act in unethical ways.
• Category 4 Includes banks that were once building societies but are now run and owned by shareholders, and as such are no longer mutual. If a lender implements a comprehensive ethical policy when dealing with companies it could climb to category two, if it chooses not to it will drop to five.
• Category 5 This category is formed of most high street banks, or ex-building societies that are now owned by banks. These organisations are ranked according to how much they contribute to both society and the environment.

So there we have it, the green mortgage, we may choose to understand, works in the same way as if we were calculating our carbon footprint – it is not what the product claims to be on face value, instead, a green mortgage is the ‘hidden’ policies it implements to benefit the environment, on a local, nation, and international scale.

Posted under Articles, How To's & Guides, Money & Finance