Archive for August, 2009

Bank Holiday Fun

Friday, August 28th, 2009

The weather forecasts are looking promising for the weekend, so why not make the most of the sun (whilst it lasts!) and head outdoors this weekend. There are so many fun things you and the family can enjoy – why not head to the coast for a scenic walk, to the local park for some fun with a Frisbee, a BBQ in your garden, or if you are feeling full of creative energy – an innovative treasure hunt!

outdoorFor more ideas on outdoor fun, see the below links:

Game ideas 
Outdoor activities 
Country walks
Top seaside towns

However, if the weather turns (keep fingers crossed it won’t) then Heart and Home  offers an abundance of excellent game and craft ideas for all the family to enjoy.

Happy weekend!

Posted in Eco Living, Eco-tourism | No Comments »

This week’s eco design!

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

swinging chairI just love this swinging chair! When I was younger I loved swings and could day dream for hours slowly swinging along… However, I am a bit too big for a kids swing these days so this looks like a great ‘grown up’ alternative!

The swing is made by Raw Studio from a single sheet of FSC wood. There is no waste in the production and the only materials used are wood and rope. The chairs are made to order in Kent.

Posted in Design, Eco Home, Eco Living | No Comments »

This weeks eco design!

Friday, August 14th, 2009

cardboard-furniturejpegI am a big fan of Giles Miller’s products – they are ultra stylish, modern and eco. What more could you want?! Giles is an award-winning designer who uses a unique technique to flute cardboard; creating some really beautiful designs. One of my particular favourites is this corrugated cardboard book shelf. It’s amazing how cardboard can look so good?!

Posted in Design, Eco Home, Eco Living | 2 Comments »

Are £1 t-shirts acceptable?

Friday, August 14th, 2009

I am very surprised to read that Marks & Spencer’s are now selling T-shirts for £1. Not too long ago Sir Stuart Rose insisted that he wouldn’t sell a t-shirt for £2 (like many other supermarket and high street chains) as he felt it was unfeasible to be able to pay the designer, pay the manufacturer, pay for the raw materials, pay the carriage, insurance as well as pay the worker a fair wage too. ..

I have to agree with Stuart Rose’s previous comments – knowing the prices Biome has to pay for their stock, I can not begin to fathom how supermarkets and high street brands can generate products at such low prices, unless someone along the chain is being paid ‘unfairly’ in the process…. However, as I do not know what volumes they purchase at (certainly much larger than ours!) or where from then I can not pass judgement. However, it does appear that Sir Rose has back tracked a little by selling kids t-shirts at £1!

What do you think – do you agree that prices should be low so the general public can access cheap clothing? Or do you think that it’s completely unethical selling clothing at these prices? Should supermarkets provide more visibility in terms of where & who they are purchasing from and at what costs? I look forward to hearing your thoughts…

Posted in Fair-trade news, Green News | 2 Comments »

Love Food, Hate Waste

Friday, August 7th, 2009

A new campaign I definitely agree with is the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign. The campaign estimates that the average family throws away £420 worth of food a year! I am sure families would never dream of putting £420 in cash down a drain, but by just discarding food that is exactly what they are doing… What a waste! On top of that there is also the environmental aspect to worry about too.

vegetable-curry252by230
However the site lovefoodhatewaste.com thankfully has some great tips on how to cut down on wasted food, handy recipes to turn last nights leftovers into lunch and also how to make the most from the food we buy.

During these ‘financially challenging’ times, some of the suggestions are really useful. Did you know that by taking your own lunch to work everyday, could save you approximately £16 a week!

Take a look at the campaign and see if you can learn anything new. I personally like the look of the leftovers Vegetable Curry recipe as we always seem to have straggling veggies left at the bottom of the fridge, so this will be a great way to use them all up, try something new and provide a tasty & healthy lunch time meal! I love curry too – yum!

Posted in Eco Living, Food | No Comments »

This weeks eco design!

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

This August, Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge will be transformed by a new eco installation called Spirit of the Forest.

blog

UK designer and wood-bender extraordinaire Charlie Whinney has brought his individual vision to Harvey Nichols in a giant 50 metre long steam-bent Oak and Ash sculpture, incorporating real branches, roots and tree-stumps. The sculpture runs the entire length of the store and forms the window display as it flows through 11 windows and over the main entrance. This is a unique creation of Oak and Ash, and it takes the pioneering art of steam-bending further than ever before.  So if you are passing the store soon, take a look at their new eco sculpture and let me know what you think!

Posted in Design, Green News | No Comments »