It was reported today that sales of organic food are in decline for the first time in years, and consumers are complaining that many foods sold as 'eco-friendly' - particularly those sold in premium food 'emporiums' like Whole Foods Market - are simply too expensive.
This got me to thinking on how else the current economic climate could affect our shopping habits, and whether we'll see a return to buying cheaper, less healthy and less ethically-produced food. But my hunch is that it need not: there are ways to eat organic all year round without visiting any posh delis: growing your own, for example, or ordering in a veggie box to make a week's worth of nutritious organic meals. And for non-food products, buying green is often a big money saver: greener gadgets invariably result in lower energy use, for example. But are we prepared to put in the effort when you can buy intensively-farmed chickent for a couple of quid? Yay or nay.
Related: Hippyshopper guide to saving money the green way | Supermarkets forced to electronically tag organic chicken
Nigel is offering a generous holiday gift for the rest of August, in the form of 10% off the price of anything on the site.
I hardly need to tell you how much great eco stuff there is to be found in the store, but you might want to check out in particular these hot pink fairtrade sneakers, solar powered shaver and the mini fridge. If you'd like to save some pennies with your purchases, simply enter the code ECOAUG in the checkout when purchasing. Thanks Nige!
Related: Ethical clothing sale at Fashion Conscience | Adili sale: now up to 50% off the best in eco chic
The fight against global warming is being fought (literally) at our doorsteps, with new solutions to plastic milk bottles being thought up all the time, addressing our perculiar attachment to cow juice. First it was milk in a bag, and now a cardboard bottle has been designed to replace the sturdy plastic sort, resulting in an apparent 48 per cent 'lower carbon footprint'. The bottles, which are also easier to recycle than plastic ones, will initially be trialled at Asda in Lowestoft.
Of course, it could be argued that dairy farming is already such a big contributor to this country's C02 emissions that this is small improvement, but I don't see small steps forward as a bad thing (and until they develop a decent-tasting vegan cheese, will not be giving up milk for anything!)
[Via EcoFriend]
Related: Sainsburys to sell milk in a bag | Turn milk bottles into stylish contemporary lamps
Eco designer extraordinaire Katharine Hamnett has turned the focus of her attention to the aquatic world with her latest collection (well, 'slogan'), which bears the legend 'Save the Sea'.
"We get 98% of our oxygen from the sea; the sea is dying because of pollution and environmental degradation", warns Hamnett, who has created the new range of oversized (it's an '80s thing) tops in association with the Environmental Justice Foundation's campaign against a practice called pirate fishing, which I'm sad to say involves neither dressing up or Johnny Depp.
Follow the jump to find out where to buy these red hot designs
Continue reading >>
Prince Charles has issued a stark warning on the use of GM produce in an interview with the Telegraph today, claiming the genetically tweaked crops could cause
global catastrphe.
The Eco Prince, who has a passionate personal interst in the subject, went against the official government line on GM crops, which is stepping up research in the area insisting that the dangers are exaggerated. But Charles sees the developments as a disaster waiting to happen, claiming the crops are damaging the earth's soil and are 'an experiment gone seriously wrong'.
Related: Government backing plan to grow GM crops in the UK | Prince Charles to release Hollywood eco-documentary?
Continue reading >>
In these penny-pinching times, green intentions can sometimes take a back seat, so here's some good news if you're a regular at green online stores like Nigel's Eco Store, Natural Collection and Big Green Smile and want to save some cash: there's now a loyalty card scheme that gives discounts on all these eco retail haunts and more.
MoreEco is very simple to use, as all you need do is sign up online and start shopping. As you clock up points, you can trade them in for further green purchases, carbon offset schemes or donations towards forest protection schemes. With such great partners and such an easy to use interface, I can't see any reason why not to take advantage of this scheme, so why not sign up?
Related: Get carbon cred with new green rewards card
Unused as we are to natural disasters in this country, it's hard to believe that the residents of 2,200 households in the UK are still scraping together an existence in caravans following last summer's epic floods.
But go and see The Caravan, a new production from documentary theatre company Look Left Look Right, and you'll feel significantly less distanced from the events of 2007; the wettest summer on record. To recreate the cramped environment endured by flood victims, the performance takes place in a real 20-foot mobile 'home', where audience members jostle for space as the actors recount real-life accounts of those affected while offering you custard creams and cups of tea in styrofoam cups...
Related: Climate change at home: UK floods caught on video | MPs tell us to learn from Europe on dealing with floods
Continue reading >>
digg this | del.icio.us this
| 
Stumble It!
