Sep

2008

Go Green - It’s World Carfree Day

by Joanna | Categories: Climate Change, Sustainability, Transport, Get Involved! | 1 Comment »

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World Carfree Day That’s right, today’s the day to leave your car in the garage and hop onto your bike, suss out public transport in your area, or stretch those legs in order to get to school, college or work.

It sounds like quite an undertaking if you’re in the habit of using your car daily, but just think about all of the wasted hours that you’ve spent in traffic jams. Then think of those hours in terms of the amount of petrol that your car has needlessly eaten up, and how damaging that is for the environment as well as for your pocket. Setting off without your own set of wheels soon begins to make more sense.

The organisation behind World Carfree Day wants us to think of this not as just a one day event - the idea is to show us how our cities could sound and feel like without so many cars lining our streets. As both climate change and petrol prices are so much in the public eye at the moment, it’s the perfect time for that extra bit of focus.

Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle is getting behind the movement to encourage us all here in the North East, but Carfree Day isn’t just local; it’s a nationwide and indeed international event. And with Channel 4 claiming that seven out of ten people would support a ban on traffic in city centres on certain days, there is evidence that opposition to the car may start to become the norm rather than the exception.

Image via: The World Carfree Network

Filed under Climate Change, Sustainability, Transport, Get Involved! having 1 Comment »

19

Sep

2008

National Carbon Footprint Day!

by Marty | Categories: Climate Change, Get Involved! | No Comments »

national carbon footprint day, carbon footprint, Donnachadh McCarthy

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Carbon Footprint’, and I’m pretty sure most of us will know that it would be a good thing for our planet if we could each reduce our individual footprint.

But what does that involve? How does one go about reducing something that is difficult to ascertain?

Well, having read a great article on the Times Online by eco columnist Donnachadh McCarthy, I’m pleased to see that we now have a National Carbon Footprint Day. So, on October 2^nd every year we will now be prompted to take readings of our ‘Eco High 5’s’ to calculate your carbon footprint with a view to reducing it year on year.

Head on over to the official National Carbon Footprint Day website to pledge your support and find out more. . .

(Image: ZeroCarbonFootprint)

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3

Sep

2008

Summer days, drifting away…

by Joanna | Categories: Climate Change | 1 Comment »

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With the schools starting up again this week and September well and truly under way, it’s time for us all to start thinking about Autumn. For those amongst us who love Autumnal colours and the crunch of fallen leaves this is all very well, but what about the rest of us who need to stock up our memories of summer for the dark days to come…?

Sun

Image via Flickr: Anataman

The BBC tells us that this August has been the gloomiest on record since UK records began, which makes it the least summery summer for at least 242 years – there hasn’t been an August with less sunbathing on the cards since the reign of George III – if not earlier!

If this kind of news doesn’t lead to thoughts about thoughts about climate change then I don’t know what will. DEFRA describes climate change as the ‘greatest environmental challenge facing the world today”, and although we don’t appear to be seeing the direct effects of global warming in the mercury of our thermometers, with Arctic ice melt becoming an increasingly serious issue, there are other problems in the offing.

So it’s time to for everyone to start taking notice of their carbon footprint: buy eco-friendly, use energy efficient gadgets and pay carbon offsets if and when you can.

Filed under Climate Change having 1 Comment »

29

Aug

2008

Newcastle Green Gathering – free music, arts and environment festival

by Marty | Categories: Food & drink, Fashion, Climate Change, Sustainability, Fair trade, Festivals, Get Involved! | No Comments »

green gathering, free festival, music, arts, environment

Newcastle Green Gathering is back, bigger, better and, erm, greener than ever! It aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and living ethically by providing a creative and educational environmental at an arts and music based event.

There’s a Kids Area and Healing Zone as well as a plethora of local and national bands performing - ensuring there’s something for everone to be entertained by. As well as this there will be a whole host of stalls and pitches around the site in Exhibition Park inspiring the ethical consumer and green living enthusiast in all of us.

As the official site says;

‘The festival will be taking place in Exhibition Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne on the 30th & 31st August. Featuring 5 stages of local and national music, arts, community groups, alternative therapies, stalls, food, drink (please note – no alcohol to be brought onto the site - drinks available through event bars) and much more. All dedicated to making sure that everyone in the city and beyond can make small but practical steps to change the environment we live in for the better; and have a great time while learning a bit as well.’

For more information check out the Green Gathering website

Photo: BBC

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18

Aug

2008

Armchair Activist: #5 - Energy Monitors on a Budget . . .

by Marty | Categories: Product news, Climate Change, Technology, Get Involved! | No Comments »

armchair activist, energy monitors, owl, efergy, wattson, ecosavers, eco-eye, credit crunch

In this current climate of the credit crunch, with fears of a looming recession, and with bills on the increase, it’s easy to see why people have taken to monitoring the amount of energy they use with a view to reducing what they can.

There are various makes and models on the market at the minute, claiming that they can show you all those silent but deadly energy guzzlers, and suggesting that they will help you cut your energy use and electricity bills.

So here are my Armchair Activist Top 5 Energy Monitors – one for every budget!

» read more

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How Ethical! Blog

Go Green - It’s World Carfree Day

National Carbon Footprint Day!

Summer days, drifting away…

Newcastle Green Gathering – free music, arts and environment festival

Armchair Activist: #5 - Energy Monitors on a Budget . . .

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