Category: Uncategorized

Greenpeace volunteers occupy Parliament to save the climate

via Greenpeace UK RSS by jamie on 10/11/09

Update from the scene: 31 volunteers are still ocuppying the roof this morning, 24 came down last night and were arrested and all have been bailed to return.
Fifty-five Greenpeace volunteers scaled the walls of the Houses of Parliament and […]

The BBC is reporting that four degrees of warming ‘likely’ ! !
In a dramatic acceleration of forecasts for global warming, UK scientists say the global average temperature could rise by 4C (7.2F) as early as 2060.
The Met Office study used projections of fossil fuel use that reflect the trend seen over the last […]

Why have supermarkets shelved their promise to introduce cheap and easy fridge doors?
What’s the biggest and easiest thing that supermarkets could do to cut their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint? They all know the answer. Put doors on their fridges.
A corporate sustainability supremo at one of the big four told me […]

The answers to climate change are here … These are the most frequently asked questions about climate change determined Greenpeace supporters. Our busy climate campaigners have sat down for a video one-to-one to give you the answers.
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With around 80 per cent of fish stocks in trouble, species driven to extinction and ecosystems on the brink of collapse, it’s time to rethink how we harvest our oceans. This new video shows how Greenpeace has been encouraging retailers to clean up their seafood shelves – by switching to a sustainable seafood sourcing policy […]

The Guardian reports that Domestic wind turbines could ‘power 800,000 UK homes’
“Small domestic wind turbines could provide enough clean electricity to power more than 800,000 UK homes, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST). Previous studies have suggested that small turbines in residential areas fail to generate enough power to justify their installation.”
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Hmmm this is a good idea….
Major railway stations will be offered the chance to become “cycling hubs”, with extra bike racks and repair shops, under government plans to boost the appeal of two-wheeled travel among train passengers.
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Average mean temperature likely to rise by more than 2C across the UK by 2050, says major new Met Office report detailing the impacts of climate change over the next century
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Great set of images here……

Fairtrade is something that most people are now familiar with and this is reflected in the 55% increase in sales of fair trade products over the last year. Many of us make a conscious effort in our food shopping to buy fair trade products – particularly coffee, tea and chocolate – in the […]

Saw an interesting short film on Channel 4 this evening about handbags being sold on the high street which were made of fizzy drinks can ringpulls ! Ecsama bags are made from recycled materials by women in two Brazilian cooperatives near ‘economically depressed’ areas. And just so you know who has made the bag, each […]

Our latest electricity bill is a phenomenal £519.36 for just 3 months. I was so shocked and horrified I called Cardiff based Atlantic Electric and Gas this morning to check the figure. Apparently the reading was correct, I’ve checked it. This is a catch up bill though as our previous bill was an estimate of […]

I was watching It’s Not Easy Being Green last week and they featured soapnut shells. As a busy Mum who gets more and more horrified at the soaring costs of washing powder each time I go shopping, my little Mummy ears pricked up in eager interest when they said soapnuts were very cheap. We’re also […]

This year, the credit crunch means that many of us will be searching for cheaper alternatives and value for money. However, this doesn’t mean that you are restricted to only buy cheap plastic toys. Environmentally-friendly wooden toys that will last well beyond your little one’s birthday and they always make wonderful […]

The Guardian reports that Chinese firm behind ambitious plan to breed microalgae in greenhouse with the potential to absorb carbon emissions.

The garish gunk coursing through a greenhouse filled with transparent pipes appears to belong on the set of a particularly slimy episode of Star Trek.
Multiplying rapidly as it flows through tubes, stacked 14 high in […]

The United States took its first step towards reducing carbon emissions on Friday night when the House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill that would set the country’s first ever limits on its greenhouse gas production.
President Barack Obama hailed the vote, which scraped through by a 219-212 tally, as a “bold and necessary step” that […]

Tiptheplanet is a project to create a green wiki website that encourages discussion and the generation of tips that benefit you and the planet. From tips for individuals about staying happy and healthy to tips for multi-national companies on how to limit their carbon footprints, all with accompanying explanations.

There are very few moments in history when nations are summoned to common decisions that will reshape the lives of every man, woman and child on the planet for generations to come. When leaders have to consider not just what will deliver fairness in their generation, but fairness between the generations too.
• the creation of […]

Commenting on today’s climate change speech by Gordon Brown, Greenpeace Chief Scientist Dr Doug Parr said:
“Brown is right when he says the scale of the money on the table for the developing world will make or break Copenhagen. By becoming the first major leader to put a figure on how much money is needed he […]

Package that would slash US emissions likely to win approval despite opposition from Republicans and Democrat rebels
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Can a Number Save the World?
It can if that number is 350. That’s the safe upper limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: 350 parts per million (ppm).
Already, churches are ringing their bells 350 times and Buddhist monks have formed a huge 350 with their bodies against the backdrop of the Himalayas. People are […]

Join in……

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The following is an excerpt from a New Yorker article about James Hansen, NASA’s head climate scientist, by Elizabeth Kolbert:

During the past few years, researchers around the world have noticed a disturbing trend: the planet is changing faster than had been anticipated. Antarctica, for example, had not been expected to show a net loss of […]

Hmmm this is a good idea….
Major railway stations will be offered the chance to become “cycling hubs”, with extra bike racks and repair shops, under government plans to boost the appeal of two-wheeled travel among train passengers.
Read More

Report from Institute of Mechanical Engineers calls for £10m to develop geo-engineering ideas that would be ‘an integral part’ of the solution to global warming
Artificial trees and tubes of algae on the sides of buildings could absorb most of the UK’s annual carbon dioxide emissions, according to a report from engineers that will be circulated […]

A new study conducted by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University confirms what we already assumed: downloading music cuts energy consumption and CO2 emissions compared to shopping at your local record store. Digitizing wins again.
The study found that buying digital music results in a 40 to 80 […]

The Green Party today called for the government to drop plans that attack internet users in the name of supporting the creative industries.
Under plans announced midway through the Digital Britain consultation, if your internet connection has been used to repeatedly download illegal content, you will be cut off.
Caroline Lucas, Green Party Leader, said: “Mandelson might […]

In a record reminiscent of a 100-meter dash, scientists at the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia, have created the world’s most efficient solar power cell ever…by a hair.
Professor Martin Green and his colleague Anita Ho-Baillie led a team of U.S. researchers to victory with a multi-cell combination that is able to convert 43 […]

Electric car industry boost as leading developer plans production of tens of thousands of vehicles a year | Environment | guardian.co.uk: “”

Greenpeace’s Amazon cattle campaign has moved rapidly, with shoe companies and cattle producers feeling the pressure from you, and changing the way they do business as a result. In this video Sarah explains the progress we’ve made so far.

How ethical are supermarket clothes? | Life and style | guardian.co.uk: “”
(Via .)
Interesting article in the Guardian
Worth a read before you make that shopping trip…

Get active with your local Greenpeace network | Greenpeace UK: “”
(Via .)
Greeenpeace have launched a new online home for their network of active supporter groups across the country.

The network is composed of dedicated volunteers who take Greenpeace campaigns to their local high streets, doing everything from running stalls at festivals to lobbying their MPs […]

Hand out £10,000 loans to make UK homes greener, say experts | Money | The Guardian: “”
(Via .)
Homeowners will be able to borrow up to £10,000 to “green” their homes and pay the money back through their council tax bill, under radical proposals drawn up by a government advisory body.
The plans, published today in a […]

Friends of the Earth launched an innovative flash website for its Get Serious About CO2 campaign today, demanding councils play their part in tackling climate change by reducing local emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020.
Designed by CHI & Partners, the environmental campaign group’s new Get Serious About CO2 website – gives […]

John Healey: Removing red tape in move towards a low-carbon future – Corporate – Communities and Local Government: “Removing red tape in move towards a low-carbon future
Published 17 November 2009
Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has today launched measures to cut carbon emissions by overhauling the planning system.
In proposals published today for consultation, homeowners, developers […]

12 policies to save the climate and our planet | Greenpeace UK: “12 policies to save the climate and our planet
Posted by John Sauven on 11 October 2009.
With parliament coming back, a general election looming and the Copenhagen climate summit just weeks away, this is the time for rhetoric to stop and action to start. […]

Sainsbury’s to slash their emissions as 15-year campaign bears fruit | Greenpeace UK: “ainsbury’s to slash their emissions as 15-year campaign bears fruit
Posted by christian on 16 November 2009.
Sainsburys
A major UK supermarket is going to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by almost a third by changing just one thing about the way they do business. […]

Greens want safe renewable power, not new nuclear plants

via Green Party News by Green Party on 11/9/09

In reponse to Ed Miliband’s announcement of ten proposed new nuclear power stations, Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, said:
"Bypassing the planning system in this way — through the National Infrastructure Commission — is bad news for democracy […]

I never knew hemp was so useful…

Restrictive laws wall off hemp bricks

via Super Eco News Feed by Lisa Poisso on 11/5/09

Assess for us, if you would, the qualities of this sustainable construction material:

Bio-negative manufacturing (more carbon dioxide is locked up in the process of growing and harvesting the component materials than is released during […]

It’s always good to get positive feedback on the Great Green Toys website and answer any questions from would be customers about our children’s toys. We had a lovely email today from Christine saying:

“Hi, I am interested in the Petite Cuisine. Can you let me know where it was manufactured and whether it was sweatshop-free? […]

Great Green Toys is now for sale and open to offers!!

The website was established in August 2007
We’re selling as no longer have the time to devote to work on the site
Great Green Toys has a good google ranking of 3
We have the domains .com and .co.uk
Website is written in PhP and product […]