Guilt Trip: From Fear to Guilt on the Green Bandwagon, is a new book that looks at how we have changed our behaviour because of our guilt about the environment.
Guilt, says the book, has replaced fear as the dominant emotion that motivates us to behave the way we do – we buy shoes, make-up, cars and even vote primarily because of this emotion.
The internet revolution and 24-hour news coverage means we are more aware than ever of how our buying choices have an impact on the environment. So how are we, the consumers, and our purchases (brands) coping with this change?
Monday, 14 December 2009
New microsite highlights work of Alstom Foundation
Global leader in power generation and rail infrastructure,Alstom Alstom has launched a new microsite promoting The Alstom Foundation
It has been created to communicate the diversity of Alstom’s global sustainability and community projects around the world. These projects all have an environmental focus and are undertaken as part of the Alstom Foundation – a CSR initiative launched by the company in 2007.
The microsite was created by FreestyleInteractive, one of the UK’s leading website design and build agencies, based in the Midlands, near Warwick.
The microsite brings together all the content, video, onsite reports and imagery from an initial 11 community projects which have been rolled out by Alstom across the world. Projects in 2008 ranged from building a bridge in Indonesia, developing the concept of a national park in China and the establishment of eco-schools in South Africa. Project activity is set to rise with programmes in areas like alternative sewage treatment in Brazil, electrification of a remote village in Mexico or well digging in Mali.
Elaine West, Alstom’s internet manager, said: “Alstom has stated its ambition to become a key contributor to sustainable development around the world; our work in this area is extremely important to Alstom overall. The launch of this microsite is therefore an important tool in how we let business people and the public know about the Alstom Foundation.
Alstom CEO PatrickKroncommented: “We are committed to reinforce our active role in supporting local programmes related to environmental protection. This is the aim of our Alstom Foundation. We expect our teams to show strong involvement and channel key initiatives through our Foundation. Thanks to this approach, we aim to reconcile preservation of the environment and support local communities."
It has been created to communicate the diversity of Alstom’s global sustainability and community projects around the world. These projects all have an environmental focus and are undertaken as part of the Alstom Foundation – a CSR initiative launched by the company in 2007.
The microsite was created by FreestyleInteractive, one of the UK’s leading website design and build agencies, based in the Midlands, near Warwick.
The microsite brings together all the content, video, onsite reports and imagery from an initial 11 community projects which have been rolled out by Alstom across the world. Projects in 2008 ranged from building a bridge in Indonesia, developing the concept of a national park in China and the establishment of eco-schools in South Africa. Project activity is set to rise with programmes in areas like alternative sewage treatment in Brazil, electrification of a remote village in Mexico or well digging in Mali.
Elaine West, Alstom’s internet manager, said: “Alstom has stated its ambition to become a key contributor to sustainable development around the world; our work in this area is extremely important to Alstom overall. The launch of this microsite is therefore an important tool in how we let business people and the public know about the Alstom Foundation.
Alstom CEO PatrickKroncommented: “We are committed to reinforce our active role in supporting local programmes related to environmental protection. This is the aim of our Alstom Foundation. We expect our teams to show strong involvement and channel key initiatives through our Foundation. Thanks to this approach, we aim to reconcile preservation of the environment and support local communities."
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Become A Real Nelly This Christmas!
Christmas shoppers need to be real Nellys this year, by never forgetting to take their bag-for-life with them when they hit the mall or high street.
The elephant-focused memory-jogging suggestion comes from leading reusable bag-in-a-pouch manufacturer, Fizbag, which is urging shoppers to not let their green credentials slip during the festive season.
The campaign to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags has been successful during the past three years, thanks to companies like Fizbag. Between May 2006 and May 2009, Britain slashed the amount of plastic needed for carrier bags by 56 per cent.
However, in 2005, a WRAP survey showed 40 per cent of shoppers had bought a bag for life, but only 13 per cent re-use it all or most of the time.
Fizbag’s ‘Be a Nelly’ appeal echoes calls made by Welsh Assembly Government’s Environment Minister, Jane Davidson.
The Minister said many people forget their reusable bags when shopping and that Christmas was a crucial time to address this, to help reduce the total of 324 million plastic bags estimated to be handed out in Wales each year.
Remembering to take a bag out may not be the whole problem. Many re-usable bags-for-life are cumbersome and also often carry supermarket branding that is not cool for a fashionista to be seen out with.
This is not the case with a Fizbag, which measures just 11cm x 6cm in its pouch, weighs just 30g and comes in a choice of 10 fashionable designs.
One or more Fizbags can easily be slipped into a handbag or pocket of any size, allowing the shopper to carry their purchases, without having to resort to plastic, in an unfolded, durable bag sized 35cm x 40cm.
For those who carry a bigger handbag, the Fizbag Big Shopper is an ideal Christmas shopping companion. These jumbo-sized bags carry twice as much volume as a standard Fizbag, but still fold down to just 14cm x 14cm.
Neatly held together with a Velcro strip, when folded, a Fizbag Big Shopper can carry many different items.
Fizbag’s Amanda Overland says: “Using a Fizbag or Big Shopper when Christmas shopping really can help reduce your plastic bag consumption.
“It also makes things simpler. Rather than carrying many different bags, and remembering to keep picking each one up after a spell of browsing, you just need to grasp one set of handles.
“Britain has made such great strides towards cutting plastic consumption that it would be a great shame to let it slip now. We hope to make many British shoppers, including Fizbag owners, proud to be Nellys this December.”
More information about Fizbag’s range can be found at www.fizbag.com An adorable dinky Fizbag in a pouch costs just £4.10 and the trendy Fizbag Big Shopper just £4.95 – a small price to pay to help save the environment.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Global Youth Panel debates decisions of ‘COP15’ UN Climate Change Conference
Outcomes from the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which runs from December 7-18, will be closely scrutinised and debated by more than 1,000 members of the Debatewise Global Youth Panel. The group of 15–25 year-olds from 140 different countries will raise their arguments about the pros and cons of the Conference using Google Wave, the new real-time communication and collaboration tool launched earlier this year.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel delivers the views of those who will be most affected by the outcomes of COP15. The panel is motivated, not by global economic and politics, but by real fears and concerns about how climate change is affecting their lives and futures. Their debate will represent a unique perspective on what the Danish government describes as ‘The Crucial Conference – the last chance to reach an agreement that can be approved and ratified in time to come into force when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012’.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel is being locally coordinated in each of the 140 countries involved. The Panel covers just about every ethnic and social group, and consists of a mix including those who have registered out of self-motivated concern, and invited participants who are already active on climate change issues. The debate will also give voice to a vital age group in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Overview
Debatewise will organise a series of online debates to coincide with the Copenhagen climate change conference which starts on 7th December. As moderators of the debates, Debatewise will table the motions while various pro and con arguments for each debate will be created by volunteers from our 1,000 strong Global Youth Panel. Some members of the panel will create the debates, others will vote on the debates. In this way we will provide a measure of how young people around the world think about events from the conference.
After the conference we will contact group panel members by country and ask them to debate how they will be impacted by the decisions the conference comes to. Brazil, for example, may wish to make a case against deforestation restrictions whilst the rest of the world may argue that they should suffer for the greater good. In this way, the decisions taken at Copenhagen will be given a personal and truly local context which we believe no-one else is providing.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel debate begins on 7th December and will carry on in real time throughout the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which ends on 18th December.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel delivers the views of those who will be most affected by the outcomes of COP15. The panel is motivated, not by global economic and politics, but by real fears and concerns about how climate change is affecting their lives and futures. Their debate will represent a unique perspective on what the Danish government describes as ‘The Crucial Conference – the last chance to reach an agreement that can be approved and ratified in time to come into force when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012’.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel is being locally coordinated in each of the 140 countries involved. The Panel covers just about every ethnic and social group, and consists of a mix including those who have registered out of self-motivated concern, and invited participants who are already active on climate change issues. The debate will also give voice to a vital age group in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Overview
Debatewise will organise a series of online debates to coincide with the Copenhagen climate change conference which starts on 7th December. As moderators of the debates, Debatewise will table the motions while various pro and con arguments for each debate will be created by volunteers from our 1,000 strong Global Youth Panel. Some members of the panel will create the debates, others will vote on the debates. In this way we will provide a measure of how young people around the world think about events from the conference.
After the conference we will contact group panel members by country and ask them to debate how they will be impacted by the decisions the conference comes to. Brazil, for example, may wish to make a case against deforestation restrictions whilst the rest of the world may argue that they should suffer for the greater good. In this way, the decisions taken at Copenhagen will be given a personal and truly local context which we believe no-one else is providing.
The Debatewise Global Youth Panel debate begins on 7th December and will carry on in real time throughout the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which ends on 18th December.
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Apple Mac Mini pips some very PC PCs in sust-it’s eco energy charts
Apple’s Mac mini has shot to the top of sust-it energy efficiency charts for computers. Having been slated by Greenpeace in 2006, when they launched their ‘Green my Apple Campaign’ Apple has responded by making their products more recyclable, removing toxic materials and now proving that they can make fast and energy efficiency computers too.
Ross from sust-it said: “There’s a staggering difference between the energy consumption of computers in the marketplace; you could save nearly £150 per year on electricity in choosing the most efficient models. We’ve been highlighting these savings through our unique ranking system and it’s great news that Apple has responded to the environmental issues, I hope other manufacturers will follow their lead’’.
By using sust-it’s energy consumption website that ranks over 5000 electrical products by their energy efficiency, you can spot those appliances that contribute to your inflated electricity bills and CO2 emissions. You could save over £600 a year by buying energy saving products.
The sust-it site is constantly updated and contains a wide range of products from TVs to chest freezers. You can even switch between electricity tariffs so you can see what other energy providers have in-store and calculate your CO2 emissions at the same time – it even works on the iPhone instore.
Ross from sust-it said: “There’s a staggering difference between the energy consumption of computers in the marketplace; you could save nearly £150 per year on electricity in choosing the most efficient models. We’ve been highlighting these savings through our unique ranking system and it’s great news that Apple has responded to the environmental issues, I hope other manufacturers will follow their lead’’.
By using sust-it’s energy consumption website that ranks over 5000 electrical products by their energy efficiency, you can spot those appliances that contribute to your inflated electricity bills and CO2 emissions. You could save over £600 a year by buying energy saving products.
The sust-it site is constantly updated and contains a wide range of products from TVs to chest freezers. You can even switch between electricity tariffs so you can see what other energy providers have in-store and calculate your CO2 emissions at the same time – it even works on the iPhone instore.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Pupils lead youth parliament debate on plastics and the environment
Keen debaters from schools across Greater London today descended on City Hall at the Greater London Assembly for a debate about the role of plastics, climate change and the environment. The special day was organised by the Plastics 2020 Challenge.
The Mayor’s special adviser on waste and the environment, Peter Jones OBE, will oversee the panel of judges who will pick the winning school.
The school children have been given permission to occupy the London Assembly Members’ actual debating chamber for the day to give them a real feel for political debate. Jon Sopel from the BBC’s Politics Show will preside over the debate to add to the sense of realism.
The pupils will be supported by contributions from leading scientific author Dr Mark Everard and Peter Davis OBE, the Director General of the British Plastics Federation. Each team will be backed up by an enthusiastic audience of their classmates, filling the seats usually taken by the Assembly Members.
Jan-Erik Johansson from the Plastics 2020 Challenge will be one of the judges. Speaking ahead of the debate Johansson said: “Its great to see such an enthusiastic attendance from the schools and a keenness to join the cut and thrust of debate in such an interesting setting. We are grateful to the Greater London Assembly making the chamber available for the day to add so much realism to the debate.
The plastics industry has run these debates across Europe and we are delighted to bring the debate to London and to have one of the Mayor’s advisers judge the winning team."
The Mayor’s special adviser on waste and the environment, Peter Jones OBE, will oversee the panel of judges who will pick the winning school.
The school children have been given permission to occupy the London Assembly Members’ actual debating chamber for the day to give them a real feel for political debate. Jon Sopel from the BBC’s Politics Show will preside over the debate to add to the sense of realism.
The pupils will be supported by contributions from leading scientific author Dr Mark Everard and Peter Davis OBE, the Director General of the British Plastics Federation. Each team will be backed up by an enthusiastic audience of their classmates, filling the seats usually taken by the Assembly Members.
Jan-Erik Johansson from the Plastics 2020 Challenge will be one of the judges. Speaking ahead of the debate Johansson said: “Its great to see such an enthusiastic attendance from the schools and a keenness to join the cut and thrust of debate in such an interesting setting. We are grateful to the Greater London Assembly making the chamber available for the day to add so much realism to the debate.
The plastics industry has run these debates across Europe and we are delighted to bring the debate to London and to have one of the Mayor’s advisers judge the winning team."
Monday, 23 November 2009
Eurodata Systems plc receives the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code award
Eurodata Systems plc is celebrating after being awarded bronze-level status at this year’s Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code Awards – an event recognising the work of London businesses that have reduced carbon emissions and diverted waste from landfill through their green procurement activities.
Eurodata Systems plc was one of 24 companies achieving the bronze level this year. Eurodata Systems’ achievement is all the more impressive due to the fact that this year’s award criteria made it even more challenging to achieve the higher levels.
The Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code is a free support service for London organisations committed to reducing their environmental impact through responsible purchasing. It is one of the measures in place in London designed to help achieve the Mayor, Boris Johnson’s, target of cutting the capital’s carbon emissions by 60% by 2025.
Simon Aron, joint MD at Eurodata Systems, explained “We are delighted on receiving this award - Eurodata is committed to achieving progressive environmental targets and we are happy to be recognised for our commitment to responsible purchasing. We are realising the continuing benefits of keeping sustainability at the top of the agenda.”
Eurodata Systems plc was one of 24 companies achieving the bronze level this year. Eurodata Systems’ achievement is all the more impressive due to the fact that this year’s award criteria made it even more challenging to achieve the higher levels.
The Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code is a free support service for London organisations committed to reducing their environmental impact through responsible purchasing. It is one of the measures in place in London designed to help achieve the Mayor, Boris Johnson’s, target of cutting the capital’s carbon emissions by 60% by 2025.
Simon Aron, joint MD at Eurodata Systems, explained “We are delighted on receiving this award - Eurodata is committed to achieving progressive environmental targets and we are happy to be recognised for our commitment to responsible purchasing. We are realising the continuing benefits of keeping sustainability at the top of the agenda.”
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