Map of Eco-Businesses in the UK
I have been working on mapping some environmental businesses in the UK. They range from supplers of green gadgets and office supplies to energy conservation equipment and industrial cleaners. All of the mapped businesses provide products that are organic/fairtrade or non-harmful to the enviroment!
This is just the beginning of a growing map, feel free to add businesses you feel deserve to be recognised. If it gets too busy later I’m sure we can modify into specific categories.
On your Bike..
Events to promote greener lifestyles are getting ever more common in the year 2008 and the overhanging guilt of our carbon footprint may push us to participate. The latest comes in the form of Bike Week.
National Bike Week runs in the UK from 14-22 June 2008. The event is sponsored by Nokia and aims to promote cycling as a family pastime, source of fitness and a way to reduce your carbon footprint all rolled into one.
All over the UK local events are taking place. To get involved and to find your nearest event just type your postcode http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/event_search.php
In preparation, celebrities such as Fearne Cotton and Jon Snow have been mapping and describing their favourite cycle routes throughout the UK http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/12/ethicalliving.healthandwellbeing
Guardian blogger Peter Walker is also in on the movement and has published his favourite routes ranging from the Lake District to the coasts of Costa Rica. Read his ethical living blog at http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/2008/06/what_makes_a_great_bike_ride.html
So what will we do with this ready made event based campaign? It will certainly be interesting to monitor the interest in Bike Week and whether or not it generates many participants. Hopefully it will do and we will see more cyclists in the area, even if just for the week.
Rising Revenue of Fairtrade Goods – Will it stop?
A recent press release from the Fairtrade Labelling organisation (FLO) has indicated that there has been a massive 47% rise in sales of fairtrade products from 2006-2007, the largest annual rise yet.
They say that this is due to the expansion of existing markets for fairtrade in the US and UK and the new markets across Europe like Switzerland and Norway.
They also say that their average of 40% annual rise in sales over the last six years, there is still room for further expansion of the fairtrade label and will be further demand for products.
The 3 products with the most impressive increase in sales are
- Juices (400%)
- Sugar (200%)
- Bannannas (72%)
So with the statistics in place, is this proof for green and ethical consumerism?
Is it due to marketing and advertising that we now opt for more moral choice of goods?
Are businesses cashing in on this new trend and offering more choice of fairtrade/organic/environmentally friendly products? http://environmentalnewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=40
Or are we merely becoming more intelligent and recognising that a small choice can make a difference if we all play the same game?
The debate goes on but what do you think?
An interesting read from The Economist http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8380592
Birmingham’s Climate Change Festival
Living in a city can sometimes become dull and grey with the day to day hustle and bustle of busy workers, commuters and shoppers. So it was a pleasant surprise when coloured installations began to crop up all over the city centre a couple of weeks ago although it was a bit of mystery at first what they stood for.
The installations were an abstract component of Birmingham’s Climate Change Festival which ran from May 31 to June 8. The colourful festival was made up of many parts all of which covering different green issues to raise the profile of global warming. Some of these included mass recycling, fair trade events, short films, school programmes and street entertainment.
These were large brightly coloured blocks which acted as a window to emphasise a certain area of the city. The orange and pink structures were designed by Mark Garside and Violetta Boxill, and the phrases by Mike Reed. Mike Reed is a freelance copywriter and creative director who states, “I’m happiest coming up with powerful creative concepts backed up with engaging compelling words.” Mike Reed talks more about his contribution to the festival on his personal website http://www.reedwords.co.uk/reedwordsblog/reedlatest/latest.html
The festival also brought celebrity support to Birmingham including Dame Ellen MacArthur who showed her appreciation for the event. More can be viewed and read here from Birmingham based blogger Podnosh…. http://www.podnosh.com/blog/2008/06/10/localstrategicpartnerhsipyoutubeellenmacarthur/
Dame Ellen states on her blog, “It was fantastic to speak to so many different groups of people – schools, community leaders, the University, the Housing Association amongst others – who were so passionate about doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprint and it was really good to see how Birmingham City Council were proactively supporting this.” – http://blog.ellenmacarthur.com/
Centre Piece of the Festival in Victoria Square Birmingham
Did anyone attend any events of the festival and what were thoughts on the installations?
Thoughts on Community Meeting Organised by The Green Party
It’s been a while since I attended the local community meeting which discussed plans for a Tesco supermarket in the Stirchley of Birmingham but here are my thoughts and the latest developments.
The background on the plans of this particular Tesco development can be read here by anti major supermarket campaigners (http://www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=902&Itemid=113)
Or here from local Labour MP Lynne Jones (http://www.lynnejones.org.uk/stirchle.htm)
I was originally drawn to the meeting as it was hosted by the local Green Party, however was somewhat disappointed when the whole thing turned into a political struggle. The high profile issue in the community of Stirchley, in my opinion, was a chance to convey manifestos and stances from local political parties a week before election day, rather than provide a pro-active solution to a problem.
Having saying that, and aside from the tennis match of comments from local MP’s, the meeting did provide some sort of platform of debate for the community, although the actual plan of action came from a local woman and not from a suggestion from any of the hosts.
The main arguments and reasons for opposing the Tesco development that arose are outlined here by Mary Horesh of Birmingham Friends of the Earth (http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/local-shops/local-shops-news/tesco-development-stirchley.html)
· Traffic – Residents of Stirchley will not appreciate the influx of traffic that a major supermarket would bring to such a small town
· Noise – This would damage the quaint atmosphere of Stirchley and disadvantage the area around Cannon Hill Park where families enjoy the break from the busy city.
· Unnecessary – A Co-operative supermarket and a small high street already exists in the area and has done for years. A major supermarket is not needed.
However, there was some argument for the Tesco development from a few locals and the local Conservative MP, who saw the development as better than any other offered as the land has already been sold for re-development. Conservative councillors held the opinion that everyone is striving for “a better Stirchley” and that this regeneration would tick these boxes.
To conclude the meeting, residents decided to put in place their own plan of action without the help of any political party. Lead by a strong voice, a number of the participants in the meeting left contact details to express their interest in taking the opposition higher.
My thoughts on the meeting – Good on the members of the community to be pro-active without the leadership of a political figure!
Signing of the anti-Tesco petition at Stirchley Community Centre
