How Ethical

How Ethical! Blog


31
Jul
2008

David Cameron’s antics have been hitting the headlines again this week, but unfortunately for him perhaps, it hasn’t been due to political successes, more due to the holiday he is taking. Rather than jetting off to an exotic foreign location Mr Cameron has opted to spend some quality time in Cornwall, whilst the Prime Minister himself is taking a break in Suffolk.

With major public figures in the country choosing to holiday at home, it throws traditional UK holiday destinations back into the limelight.

This is great news not only for Cornwall, but also Blackpool, Brighton, Southwold and hundreds of other choice destinations. Punch & Judy Shows and donkeys all along the coast must be loving it! Well…perhaps not the donkeys…

Donkeys on the Beach
Image from Flickr: via Deathwaves.

It’s also great news in terms of reducing carbon emissions, as aeroplanes have got to be one of the worst culprits for pumping out CO2. The GoSpain website tells us that a round-trip flight from Heathrow to Madrid generates carbon emissions of 330kg per person, quite a scary figure. The suggested figure by 1aflight.com is that it takes 9 trees 10 years to offset one tonne of carbon, so that equates to (…quick mathematical calculations…) almost 30 years for one tree to offset a round trip to Madrid – eek!

There are hundreds of websites on the net with advice of where you can go and what you can do in the UK, but in my opinion, if you’re going to stay put in the (let’s face it!) unpredictable British climes, you’ve got to do it properly, and that means under canvas!

According to the BBC many people around the country agree, as happy campers are flocking to Wales and other British beauty spots with their tents and not-so-reliable primus stoves. I myself (as a glutton for punishment) tend to head further North and indulge in a spot of good quality hardcore Scottish camping, come rain, shine or midges!

If you do choose to camp this summer, and wherever you choose to go, it’s best to be prepared. It’s even better to be prepared with eco-friendly equipment that keeps up the environmentally sound principals which your dedication to UK camping has established. Don’t forget essentials such as buying midge repellant, but there are also lots of other innovative items which you can invest in before a camping trip. Why not try a recycled materials sleeping bag, or give the idea which is my personal favourite a whirl - the solar heated camping showers mean you’ll never need to queue at the shower block again!

Whether you do heed these British holiday recommendations or decide to go abroad (lets be honest - the politicians will be taking more trips this year, and I’m sure those will be to the sun!), it’s always interesting to know what is generally favoured by the masses.

Our friends at Yahoo wanted to know just that, and conducted a small poll of favourite holiday destinations. The result to my mind was rather disappointing, as 78% of the votes opted for a nice long rest in bed rather than fun in the sun. However when I said small poll I wasn’t lying. Only 7 people actually voted. Hmmm…

But ultimately we can all be thankful that we are neither David Cameron nor Gordon Brown as we head off on our holidays. Imagine being required to put down your ice-cream for imprompu press-calls. I certainly wouldn’t want my holiday snaps being broadcast to the world!

28
Jul
2008

Well now, the second of these Armchair Activist posts is brought to you to inspire you to green up your day job or your workplace. According to an article on longer working hours in Britain on the BBC website, the average working week for Brits is approx 37 hours a week. Therefore, even if you are the most socially responsible and eco-friendly individual outside of work, those 148 hours a month spent in the office or on company business could be severely denting your green credentials.

So here are a few tips on how to claw back those ethical points and encourage your colleagues and bosses to do the same!

1. Office supplies: There is a plethora of green alternatives to your average staplers, pens, paper, pads etc on the  market these days. You can now purchase stapleless staplers, FSC certified pens, recycled paper and a great range of recycled and reused pads. So, don’t add to the deforestation plight or landfill-overflow; go for sustainable stationary today!

2. Go paperless: Another alternative to office stationary is to make your office a paper free zone. Replace that mountain of Post-It notes you’re buried under with an organised reminder system on your computer. Email instead of passing notes on, back up data on DVD’s, USB sticks and other digital media rather than printing out and filing endless reams of paper! If all else fails, at least recycle the paper you have to use.

Find out more tips here . . .

» read more

25
Jul
2008

Well, it’s supposedly summer time which means that the majority of people are off on their holidays sometime soon! And we all know that style and convenience can’t afford to play second fiddle to cumbersome and unsightly ‘travel gadgets’ these days. Luckily, MSN have compiled a Top 8 of 2008’s Coolest Travel Gadgets to take the stress out of choosing the right piece of kit to make your holiday run smoothly.

From camera tripods to motorized luggage cases; there really is something for everyone. Two products in particular caught my eye, though. Yes, Ethical Superstore stocks 2 of the 8 products featured; the Indigo LED Wind Up Lantern, and the Powermonkey eXplorer Portable Solar Charger (pictured) grace both the Cool List and the pages of your favourite one stop ethical shop!

Not only does that mean that Ethical Superstore makes it easier for you to shop by ethics, but also maintains a sense of style, of cool, and of sophistication. Check out the range of travel gadgets available that didn’t quite make the Top 8 this time around . . . . There’s always next year!
 

25
Jul
2008

Given the huge amount of interest generated by our post of the 22nd July concerning the Ethical Spanking Paddle, we figured that interest in ‘paddling’ was high…

Wikipedia, that source of all knowledge, helps out with a definition of the ‘paddle’ as a good starting point:

“usually a wooden instrument with a long, flat face and narrow neck, so called because it is roughly shaped like the homonymous piece of sports equipment, but existing in more varied sizes and dimensions, (length, width and thickness)”

This much we had however already established.

You can find out more information and tips about ethical paddling after the jump…

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23
Jul
2008

Faces in Places

by Ben | Categories: Random | No Comments »

This might make you smile.

facesinplaces.blogspot.com

This is my favourite site of the week (so far). :)

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