Living the Good Life -
A Unique Business Opportunity
17th April 2008
Read about a unique business opportunity to invest in a green farm in Wales.
The return of gazundering
12th April 2008
With all the talk of the credit crunch and tumbling house prices, there is a return to the phenomenon of gazundering, the process in which a house buyer lowers their offer for a house at the last minute, forcing the seller either to sell for a lower price than that agreed, or pull out of the deal, losing all the costs they have incurred. Gazundering is illegal in Scotland, where people the buyer is contracted to buy once an offer is made, but still legal in England. It is a process that recognises that the value of a house may be falling under the current market conditions, but many people view gazundering as immoral, as effectively welching on a deal that has been done, if not legally at least by a "handshake". Leading the herd in the new spirit of gazundering is a site called "Property Snake", that describes itself as the opposite of the property ladder.
On "Property Snake" buyers can look up the area of the country in which prices are falling fastest. It should be stressed that the site does not actively condone gazundering, but it is being used by many less scrupulous buyers to target areas where they can drive a hard bagain.
Communicating with a conscience
is good for business
26th March 2008
A Manchester-based agency proves that marketing and PR can be both ethical and profitable.
Manchester-based communications agency, Creative Concern has taken on four new members and opened up a second office across the Pennines to meet increasing demand for their services.
Since its formation five years ago, the growth for delivering sustainable marketing and PR solutions to the environmental and regeneration sectors has meant the agency has outgrown its original two-person operation.
Joining Creative Concern’s team of over 20 employees as Senior Advocates, working across a range of regional and national accounts, are former Manchester City Council press officer, Margaret Blackburn, and Beki Rymsza from Emap. A multi-media designer with more than ten years’ experience, Andrew Young is the third recruit to the expanding full-service agency, working across web and new media.
Tim Birch, previously a journalist with The Guardian Media Group and art critic for The Independent on Sunday and Big Issue joins the team as Senior PR officer, specifically working on CC’s arts and culture accounts.
“The level and rate of growth has been phenomenal, particularly for an agency that specialises in regeneration and sustainability”, highlighted Creative Concern director, Chris Dessent.
“Since our formation in a broom cupboard of an office, demand for communications with ethics from people that understand the complexity of issues such as brownfield land, waste-water management, land-based regeneration and carbon trading, has led us to expand our resource of talents and physical presence.”
This will be the second time the agency has had move into larger premises due to expansion, although this will be the first venture for Creative Concern outside their Northern Quarter base, and into Leeds.
Dessent added: “The city of Leeds has been transformed beyond all measure and the place feels vibrant and exhilarating – it’s clear this county has a lot more to offer and we want to be part of the renaissance.
“With a large percentage of our work centred on the North of England’s renaissance, it is crucial to be in those areas where demand for our work is most needed, and with people on board who fully appreciate the complexity of sustainable development.”
T-Shirts for Eco-Chics
Bamboo? It's not just for pandas!
But it’s not just the tongue-in-cheek graphics that have an eco-friendly edge, it’s the actual fabric of the garments themselves. The whole range is made from a mix of naturally sustainable bamboo and organic cotton. And as an added bonus, when the garment finishes its useful life, it can return to nourish the earth, as it is 100% biodegradable!
Why is this type of fabric a more environmentally-friendly option?
Bamboo is the most sustainable of all natural fibres. It is extremely fast-growing – the type of bamboo used for making these T-shirts, commonly known as Moso, can reach a mature height of 75 feet in just 45 to 60 days. And because of its natural antibacterial properties, it needs no pesticides. Bamboo regenerates through an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year. It can be harvested and re-harvested, and will grow again and again.
Combined with 30% organic cotton – a cotton grown with natural fertilizers and free from toxic chemicals – the T-shirts are cool in summer and warm in winter. The fabric is also high in the comfort stakes, as bamboo fabric is lighter and much softer than conventional cotton. It feels like silk, but has the advantage of being machine-washable. The fabric is hypoallergenic, absorbent, fast drying and like other natural fibres, it allows the body to breathe as the fabric absorbs the perspiration away from the body.
And for the fashion-conscious, the hand printed T-shirts are slim-fitted style with a scooped neckline and raw edged sleeves that will curl up nicely as the garment ages, achieving that that essential vintage look. The Tees are available from £22 in Small, Medium and Large sizes in a vibrant colour palette of Leaf Green, Black, White and Red.
To check out the full range and buy on-line: visit www.magicbean.co.uk
Building a green future
Architects win contest to design iconic £30 million eco-building in London
15th February 2008
A contest to design a £30 million state-of-the-art eco-building, which has the backing of Al Gore and will house some of the world’s top environment and development organisations, has been won by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
The winning design along with other entries will be presented at the EcoBuild exhibition in Earls Court, London on 26-28 February and will be on display at The Building Centre in March and April.
The GreenHouse will be an iconic, low-carbon addition to London’s skyline and a global hub for research and communication about the key environmental challenges of the 21st Century — such as climate change, biodiversity loss and deforestation.
Al Gore, former vice-president of the United States, and Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, are the GreenHouse’s patrons.
“Winning the battle against global warming is going to be tough,” says Al Gore. “It will need vision, values and pragmatism. The GreenHouse Project will spur innovation and practice across business, citizen groups, and governments, as we seek a path forward. It will offer space, ideas, and evidence for ways to make the planet a fairer more sustainable place. The GreenHouse turns aspiration into action, providing a pivotal role for London in conserving the future for generations to come.”
Mary Robinson says: “The GreenHouse is a symbol of collective strength. It is inspired by the vision of seven world-class organisations working to promote a fairer, more sustainable planet. The joining together, the GreenHouse will bring new hope for change.”
The GreenHouse partners are the International Institute for Environment and Development; Panos London; Forum for the Future; the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development; the Television Trust for the Environment; LEAD International and the Institute for European Environmental Policy. Other organisations are queuing up to join the list of tenants.
As well as being a shared, affordable workspace for 300 staff, the 70,000 square feet Greenhouse will have a conference centre, media suite, and resource centre along with public spaces including a bookshop and organic/ethical restaurant.
“This is a great opportunity to produce an exemplar working environment, working with a client who is equally committed to seeing how far we can push sustainable office design,” says Ian Taylor of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. “The Greenhouse will be a flexible and responsive workplace which will also enable the NGOs to retain their own individual identities”
The runners up in the competition to design the Greenhouse are Wilkinson Eyre and Sheppard Robson, two architectural firms that demonstrate innovative ideas and designs for achieving low carbon buildings.
The Greater London Authority, London Climate Change Agency and London Development Agency have all back the plans and the project is an associated member of the UK Green Building Council.
A number of London Boroughs are vying to host what will be a flagship building, with strong links to the local community and a major role to play on the global stage. Once the site has been chosen, building work will start in March 2009 and be finished by November 2010.
The GreenHouse’s award winning project team includes Buro Four (project manager), Atelier One, Gardiner & Theobald, Eversheds, Bates Wells & Braithwate.
Eco Financing
Eco Financing is a new site offering a range of ideas and articles on
grants, funds and savings for all things eco in the home. There are sections on the site about finance, grants and funds, the home, outside of the home, travel and water. There are lots of ideas for saving money at the same time as being green, with useful references to some of the grants that are available for insulation, and they have a monthly newsletter to keep you up to date with the latest information. Well worth a visit.
http://www.ecofinancing.co.uk
Climate Counts
Climate Counts is a new organisation established by Gary Hirshberg, who is the man behind the American success story that is " Stonyfield Farm" organic yoghurts. Climate Counts monitors which companies are taking climate change seriously, by giving them a rating, and encourages consumers to make informed choices in order to influence how companies behave. They look at four variables: whether a company is measuring its carbon emissions, whether it is reducing them, if it is reporting them, and if it is pushing for progressive legislation.
Gary is a man on a mission, and he is in the processing of launching his new range of "Stony" yoghurts in the UK.
"No" to Plastic, "Yes" to Fairtrade Jute and Cotton
With the start to New Year now fading to a distant memory, you may feel that your New Year’s resolutions are heading the same way. According to a recent survey by Sky Real Lives, green issues feature highly in people’s resolutions but 70% of those, expected failure on their part.
So why does this failure happen and why do people expect it? "People look at New Year’s resolutions as the chance to do something they keep meaning to do or something that they see as being beneficial to them. The problem arises when people try to take on too much at any one time and realise they can’t juggle all of their commitments. Those that they feel to be of less importance go out the window", says Kate, Founder of Only Fair.
With this in mind, Kate says "I recommend not calling or thinking of them as resolutions – it guarantees failure in my books and those of many people I know! Instead, make a small change here and there and it’ll soon become second nature."
For 2008, Only Fair is urging everyone to reduce their plastic bag usage.
Searching the Internet with the words "plastic bags", will inundate you with pages of facts and figures. In the UK alone, shoppers are issued with over 13 billion bags every year – that’s 220 per person. With only 1 in every 200 plastic bags being recycled, the majority end up in landfill sites, taking hundreds of years to break down.
With people being more eco conscious, now is the time to become fairtrade conscious too. Only Fair have a range of fairtrade cotton bags which fold down perfectly to fit into your handbag so you never need to get caught short for those unplanned purchases. Alternatively, they have jute bags, which are ideal for the weekly food shop. Either way, there’s no excuse to be caught short and accepting a plastic bag again! Consumers can rest assured that not only are they reducing their impact on the environment but the producers that make the bags receive a fair price and safe working conditions.
Eco Building at the Centre
of Sustainable Hi-Tech Development
An ambitious plan to create a new UK science park that addresses environmental concerns has kicked off on the outskirts of London. The Thames Innovation Centre is the first of a number of eco buildings to be built at Veridion Park in Erith. Veridion Park is being developed to house knowledge-led companies working in engineering, science and the creative arts.
The £8.2M Thames Innovation Centre is a stylish and well equipped building, housing a range of high quality offices and work spaces as well as IT training facilities, conference rooms and even a coffee shop. With fast access to Europe and the city of London, the Thames Innovation Centre is expecting to attract global companies not only looking for a European base but also looking to address their own environmental policies. In addition to this, the Thames Innovation Centre has a number of 'start up' units intended for local companies looking for a creative and stylish environment.
"Our environmental credentials should prove attractive to any company that is looking to adopt a greener operation," said Lesley Anne Rubenstein, Chief Executive. "Whether it's the fact that the Centre uses geothermic heat from the ground, has solar panel water heating on the roof or even the fact that the lighting throughout the building intelligently exploits day light, there are few technology buildings in the world that have been designed with such thought for the environment. Indeed, even our transport links to Europe means that our clients can get to Paris by train in little more than two hours, negating the need for air travel."
In addition to the environmental design features, the Thames Innovation Centre has been designed to provide a modern, stylish and creative environment, ideal for the housing of hi-tech, creative and science based companies. With an impressive main Atrium, high level offices with fully glazed outlooks, a strong IT infrastructure and a range of meeting and training rooms, the Thames Innovation Centre has been designed to create an environment that will foster creativity, innovation and communication.
"We feel that we are at the start of something very exciting," said Lesley Anne Rubenstein . "With the improving links to Europe, the Thames area is becoming ever more attractive to companies looking to relocate or set up UK offices. In addition to this, we feel sure that the environmental nature of the Centre will help many companies in their efforts to be “green”. For us, it's a feeling of being in the right place, at the right time."
When fully developed, Veridion Park will cover 68 acres, meeting the needs of a wide range of small to medium sized technology companies. In addition to the Innovation Centre, the project will incorporate a number of flexible units to attract a broad base of businesses to the local area, creating new jobs and further enhancing the development's strong commercial position within the strategic Thames Gateway region. http://www.thamesinnovationcentre.com
eCube launched for fridges
The eCube is an energy and cost-saving device that fits to refrigeration units. It aims to cut consumption by 35% and costs £35 plus VAT, less if bought in bulk. The device fits to the fridge's thermostat and works by ensuring that the motor only cuts in when it is really needed. The eCube is aimed mainly at the retail sector where the biggest savings are to be made, and needs an engineer to ensure correct fitting. One London business reckons it is saving £17,000 a year as a result of fitting the device to its fridges.
Link to BBC feature
Link to eCube website I