Cut empty plastic bottles in half and place them over seedlings as individual greenhouses.

Very young plants will benefit from the warm micro-climate created beneath the plastic, which also protects them from hungry slugs and snails.

More green tips here

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

Feel the need – for less speed

If you have to use a car for essential journeys, save cash and reduce pollution by going easy on the gas pedal.

Driving at 60mph uses 9% less fuel than zooming along at the motorway speed limit (70 mph).

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

More green tips here

Laptops use significantly less energy than desktop computers and fewer resources are used in their construction.

The latest generation of laptops are compact and highly specified, so if you need a new computer consider buying one instead of a desktop machine.

More green tips here

Take the pain out of drains…

Blocked drains are no fun but many commercial drain-cleaning products are highly toxic, with corrosive ingredients like hydrochloric acid that harm aquatic life further down the line.

For a greener alternative, mix baking soda and vinegar in boiling water and pour down affected drains.

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

More tips here

“87% of Britons would be better off” under Green Party’s recession-busting manifesto, says the candidate tipped by ICM, YouGov and Betfair to become UK’s first Green MP

The Green Party has launched its general election manifesto Fair is worth fighting for at the Brighton Metropole Hotel.

The manifesto was launched by Caroline Lucas, the Green Party leader who is tipped by pollsters and bookies to take the Brighton Pavilion seat on 6th May

Aerosols don’t harm the ozone layer anymore, thanks to the banning of CFC propellants, but they’re still not great for the environment.

Many use propellants based on hydrocarbons and contain parts that are hard to recycle.

Why not choose pump-action, refillable sprays instead?

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth

More tips here

Make your whites brilliant by soaking them in a solution of water and lemon juice and then hanging them in the sunshine.

Natural light and citrus juice will combine to give a gentle bleaching effect.

That way you won’t have to run energy-hungry hot washes to get your whites really dazzling.

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

For more tips click here

Get green fingers by holidaying in Britain with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF).

In exchange for helping out on an organic farm, you’ll get food, accommodation and a unique insight into green agriculture.

For more details, visit www.wwoof.org.uk

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

More tips here

Don’t throw away old pairs of tights, as they can be put to good use in the garden.

Cut the legs off an old pair and fill them with compost to make a grow bag.

Simply tie off the open end and cut small holes along the length of the leg for planting vegetables or flowers.

This tip is brought to you by Friends of the Earth.

More tips here

and here