Alas, National Shed Week has come to a triumphant end! If, like me, you yearn for a simpler time where man and shed were as one and hours could be spent pottering and tinkering in your wooden retreat, then check out the National Shed Week finalists and be inspired to get creative!

Of course, it’s not just about a pub-shed, or creating bike storage, a shed can be the hub from which you begin a regime of great British gardening. Plant some bulbs, grow your own veg, live on what you plant yourself! This is not only an extremely satisfying way of living, but can prove cost effective and reduce the impact that your weekly shop or trips to grocers has on the environment!

Ethical Superstore has some great stuff that would make any shed enthusiast, sustainable gardener, or wannabe compost king whoop with delight! There’s the shed light which works via solar power ensuring that you can always see what you’re doing, the brilliant potting shed kit which includes everything you need to get going, and a wide range of composting and water saving solutions!

So, you don’t need to have an award winning shed to do your bit to live sustainably, reduce your environmental impact, and have a great time in your garden! Just check out the links above, get creative, and do your bit!

One man (or woman!) and his/her shed can really make a difference!

If you do have a shed, organic garden, or vegetable patch that you want to share with us, please feel free to do so!

We received this email today from Matt Marlow of Birmingham University, doing a dissertation as part of his Masters degree, on chocolate of all things. I clearly chose the wrong degree…

“I’m researching how online forums and blogs can be used by you to raise awareness of the Green & Black’s brand.
“I’d appreciate if you could click on the link below and complete a short questionnaire. It will only take a couple of minutes, but it would really help me in my research.”

Green & Black’s survey

Being the helpful types that that we are we thought we’d lend a hand. To be honest it was the fact that his appeal was addressed to all chocolate lovers which first grabbed us, but Green & Black’s is an interesting brand name to consider. Slightly controversial after its takeover by Cadbury Schweppes, Green & Black’s still holds our attention with its organic credentials, and their Maya Gold does hold the first Fairtrade mark to be awarded in the UK back in 2004. And with all that pure and unadulterated cocoa bean content, it is just so darn tasty…!

As bloggers ourselves the notion of online forums and blogs to raise brand awareness is an interesting one. If you fancy, help Matt out by completing the survey yourselves.

If all this talk of chocolate has whetted your appetite, Green & Black’s is widely available on the high street, or you could buy Green & Black’s online.

Mmmmmm chocolate. New arrival at Ethical Superstore this week is Green & Black’s organic cherry chocolate.

Did you know? Chocolate was created by the Mesoamerican civilization, and cultivated by Mayans and Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ originates from a Nahuatl word meaning “bitter water”.

If you’re not a fan of cherries, check out the rest of the chocolate on the site. Our best sellers are Green & Black’s and Divine. Green & Black’s is organic and is suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans. Green & Black’s Maya Gold is both Fairtrade, and organic.

Divine chocolate is made with Fairtrade cocoa beans from Kuapa Kokoo - a cooperative of smallholder farmers in Ghana. Buying fair trade chocolate supports farming co-operatives in countries like Ghana, Nepal and Bolivia.

Oh, and I can vouch for Green & Blacks Cherry being one of the most mouth wateringly delicious chocolates I’ve had all week.

In our house we mainly eat Green & Black’s 70%, but this week we have mostly been eating Green & Black’s 85%, which must rank as the most hardcore dark chocolate there is. Last week, I also got myself some of the white chocolate (very nice - like a very posh Milky Bar), and the fruit and nut raisin and hazelnut, which I’ll try and report back on next week.

All of this in the name of research…

Here’s a heart warming tale from banana producer Dole Organics. Each banana has a three digit code printed on a sticker that is pasted onto the banana. Type the three digit code into Dole’s website and it will tell you where your banana has originated from.

Dole Organic banana fan Amanda Shepard did just that, and was so impressed that she was moved to write to the banana growers of the Don Pedro Farm in Colombia to thank them for their excellent fruit.

And guess what? The farmers wrote back!

http://doleorganic.blogspot.com/2007/06/system-works.html

Let’s start the day with a cute picture of a baby.

This is baby Hannah, the new offspring of two very good friends of mine who popped into the world (6lbs 11oz -fact fans!) on Tuesday morning. Being the champion of all things green my better half and I presented the proud parents with their very own New Baby Organic Hamper. Dad was pleased with the organic cotton dinosaur suit (because it wasn’t pink) and Mum liked the look of the Green People Baby Lotion.

Personally, I think that the best thing in the baby hamper is the People Tree Cuddly Bunny. He’s pretty cute, and I think if I was a baby, I’d be pretty happy chewing on his ears, or whatever it is that babies do. He’s made of organic cotton, and is baby safe, unlike Frank the rabbit from Donnie Darko. Don’t go munching on Frank’s ears baby Hannah!