Greenliving April

Your lifestyle guide to all things eco...

April 2012

Walking to Work Let the spring weather inspire you to walk to work

Drive Easy Making your car journey a little greener www.greenlivingmagazine.co.uk

Sunrise Celebration UK’s leading sustainable festival

White Cloud

Helping you to a longer, more regenerative sleep

“I enjoy speaking to my energy provider” Good Energy customer Phil Jones

It’s comments like this that helped us top the Which? customer satisfaction survey for the second time in January 2012.

Why? Perhaps it’s because we haven’t raised their electricity prices since April 2009. Or because they know it comes from the sun and the sea, the wind and the water.

Maybe you’ll find your own reason. 0845 456 1640 Image: Eleanor Wratten, Customer Care Advisor

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Editor: Nick Gregory Email: nick@greenlivingmagazine.co.uk Art Director: Bruce Mytton Email: design@flavourmagazine.com Advertising: Helen Kembery Email: helen@greenlivingmagazine.co.uk greenliving magazine 151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4HH Tel: 0117 977 9188 Visit: www.greenlivingmagazine.co.uk For general enquiries: Peter Francomb Email: peter@greenlivingmag.co.uk © Copyright 2012 greenliving.

All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of greenliving.

While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, greenliving accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from the content of this publication.

The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of greenliving.

Welcome...

Welcome to Greenliving, your essential guide to navigating towards a healthy and eco-friendly future.

Now that the clocks have gone forward and we are seeing these longer days coming to fruition, it really is time to get out more!

Whether that be taking the dog on a longer walk, moving the lawn (a sit-down mower doesn’t count) or just going that extra mile and walking to work, all these adjustments have a positive effect on not just our own health, but also on that of the environment.

And we have solutions for you in this issue. May 14 – May 18 has been designated a ‘Walk to Work’ week as part of a nationwide initiative and can kick-start your way to a healthier lifestyle. But we aren’t just wanting to make you do more stuff, White Cloud have a unique, luxury range of lambswool pillows, light and warm wool duvets, organic thermcell blankets, Merino wool underblankets, stylish wool blankets and sheepskins offering you all the necessities to make your stressful day end on a high and soft note!

Change starts with us...

Nick Gregory

greenliving magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print.

We have a reputation for clear, creative solutions to communication problems for a number of corporate, sports, financial, charity and leisure industry clients. We maintain the highest of standards, throughout each individual project and our client relationship.

We pride ourselves on delivering distinctive designs and ideas that will get you noticed.

For more information, please contact: Peter Francomb Email: peter@greenlivingmag.co.uk

www.greenlivingmagazine.co.uk

Please recycle this product.

april 2012

News greenliving

Cherries on the way to ‘Superfruit’ status

Cherries are on their way to becoming the latest fruit to achieve “superfruit” status amid growing evidence of their many health benefits.

Although apple and orange still dominate globally, cherries featured in seven per cent of juice drink launches in 2011 – up from four per cent five years earlier – according to research specialist Innova Market Insights.

Fuelling the interest in cherry juice is the growing evidence of the health benefits associated with the fruit. It has extremely high antioxidant content but newer research has also shown that tart cherries, such as Montmorency cherries, help to improve sleep quality, reduce inflammation and speed muscle recovery. There is also evidence that tart cherries can help combat arthritis and reduce the risk of gout.

John Heseltine, founder of Cherrygood, the UK’s leading cherry juice, which has recently launched two new products to meet consumer demand, said: “There is no question that consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the many health and lifestyle benefits associated with tart cherries. We are responding to this by introducing new products into our range to meet the needs of all the family and also looking to take our brand into Europe, the United States and elsewhere.”

www.choosecherries.com

Eco-Fair

Thornbury EcoFair, on Saturday May 19 and from 10.30am to 4pm, is a fun way for everyone to find out about eco-living and the positive choices we can all make towards enjoying a low carbon future.

Family activities, craft demonstrations, energy and gardening advice, stalls, great local food, a bar, entertainment and much more will fill your day!

01454 416778 www.sustainablethornbury.org april 2012

Massage & Bodywork Career?

On Saturday 16th June the Exeter Natural Health Centre is holding a fun day aiming to gain valuable CPD points by attending demonstrations and lectures, while It’s also a chance for new students to visit the centre, meet the tutors and see them in action giving demonstrations of a variety of massage and bodywork techniques.

There will also be a fast-paced, fact-filled session aimed at complementary therapists; designed to maximise the impact of your marketing with practical ideas on how to build your business by attracting more clients.

07711 656011 www.schoolofbodywork.com

Walking to Work If you live near your place of work, have you been inspired by the lovely spring weather to leave the car at home and enjoy a leisurely stroll to work?

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alking to and from work can be a wonderful experience, and a very invigorating way to start and end the day. You are in control of your route and pace; and if you do it regularly you will start to notice things in your neighbourhood from a totally different perspective than when concentrating on the road ahead.

Some people enjoy the space and solitude of a walk to listen to their favourite tunes or catch up on the latest audio book.

Or you can find plenty of opportunities for social interaction during your walk. If your route takes you past a great café you can enjoy a coffee and grab a ‘guilt-free’ muffin along the way, as your walk to work will have burned off some calories, and enabled you to have a treat with the pounds saved on petrol!

May 14-18 has been designated as ‘Walk to Work’ week, so why not sign up to take part in this nationwide initiative at www.livingstreets.org.uk, and start walking your way to a healthier lifestyle.

To help kickstart a healthier you and to reduce your carbon footprint across the West, we’ve teamed up with www.travelwest.info, (the local travel information website) to give away pedometers (limited to the 100 first readers), so that you can start counting your steps and monitor your progress day by day.

Visit www.travelwest.info/walk for more information, and get your activity levels up and your stress level down with a regular walk to work.

Photos supplied by Bristol Design, Bristol City Council

april 2012

SERIOUS ABOUT WELLBEING

CLIFTON VILL AGE

OPENING SPRING 2012 Beautiful spaces, f lexible terms, affordable rates and a central location.

To receive an invitation to a preview evening for practitioners please email info@thepracticerooms.co.uk Following our success in Bath, we aim to support the growth of a multi-disciplinary, fully integrative network of well-trained practitioners in Bristol. We seek to promote best practice amongst our practitioners and develop a reputation for trust in the wider community we serve.

To find out more about joining our community visit:

www.thepracticerooms.co.uk

Sunrise Celebration 2012 Sunrise Celebration Festival, 21st–24th June 2012, is the UK’s leading sustainable festival. Powered by 100 per cent renewable energy with a site-wide organic food and drink policy, it has been leading the way in innovative green technology since its inception.

This seventh year looks set to wow with a magical, immersive experience. The festival features eight arenas, 15 entertainment venues, eight talks and workshop spaces and a lot more besides. It will have a 12,000 person capacity for 2012!

Tickets are available from Bristol Ticket Shop on 0845 108 0259.

Adults: £115, Kids: £25 with student discounts available. (Take advantage of the Sunrise ticket-buying offer and split the cost between two payments!)

www.sunrisecelebration.com

simple effortless

yoga for the

mind

Learn the simple, effortless Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique in a fascinating 4-step course beginning Saturday 14th July in Bristol.

More than 600 scientific research studies on TM show remarkable benefits, which include:

For a free info pack call The Meditation Trust on

01843 841010

www.meditationtrust.com

registered charity no: 1081218

fight against food waste

BY MEGAN OWEN

C

hristmas is the season full of irresistible food and even better leftover feasts.

Sandwiches, curries, soups and risottos are just some of the dishes families rustle up with their leftover turkey and trimmings, in addition to more creative ones. So, why can’t every day be like Christmas?

Food waste is a global issue, and in the UK alone we throw away one third of all of the food that we buy. With this amounting to more than seven million tonnes of waste each year, the impact is not only harmful to the environment, it’s also having a detrimental and possibly

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undetected effect on the pockets of thousands of families too.

Having recognised the need to tackle and reduce the amount of food waste produced, retailers have taken action to make us as consumers more informed about the issue and what we should do with our food. To make an impact however, a more united approach is needed, so why not get involved? >

www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

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Food Waste

greenliving

Save room in your freezer to prolong the quality of fresh food, and to store portions of meals that could provide a delicious meal at the end of a busy day. So much food can be frozen, but check guidelines for suitability.

OBSERVE Conduct regular checks so that you are aware of what food you use and expiry dates. This will enable you to make informed decisions when planning meals, and help you to use up food before it deteriorates.

OPT-IN Check if your local council provides facilities for food waste. With regular collections and trusty containers, your efforts towards food waste will be made easy! If you have the space and interest, you could also consider home composting – a fantastic way to engage and educate children about food waste too.

DATE–KNOW THE LINGO! If food has a ‘use-by’ date it is unlikely to be suitable for consumption after this date. ‘Best before’ dates on the other hand are there for guidance – the quality may start to decline, but use your initiative. If your loaf of bread still looks and feels fine, do not bin it.

WEIGH Preparing or cooking too much food is an issue for many of us, but solutions are available. Electronic scales are an ideal kitchen companion, but you could also invest in a spaghetti measurer, use cups or handfuls to measure rice, pasta and vegetable portions, and use recipes for guidance.

ADVICE Use the wealth of information that lies at your fingertips and explore the Internet. Search council websites to see what is happening in your local area, and gain inspiration from specialised websites.

SHOPPING Plan meals in advance, and when you go food shopping take a detailed list of what you need to buy, including quantities. This way, you will only buy what you need! Good for your purse-strings too.

TRIAL Before throwing food or waste away, consider if there are any other uses for it. For example, if your bread is getting stale do not dispose! Instead, use it in a bread and butter pudding, or blitz it in a food processor to make breadcrumbs that can be mixed with cheese for a crunchier pasta bake topping.

ENCOURAGE For support and success encourage friends and family to focus on reducing food waste too! Make it fun, particularly if you have children. Why not hold competitions to create unique and imaginative names for the dishes you make from your leftovers?

Small but steady steps will enable the UK to make progress, so ‘don’t throw in haste, save your waste’, and rejoice in the satisfaction that you are making a difference. april 2012

Drive Easy Green Driving Tips

BY NICOLA CROZIER

So, you need to get from A to B – how do you make that journey a little greener? You could invest in an environmentally friendly vehicle, how about electric or hybrid? But, if this isn’t an option there are some handy ways to make your driving more eco-friendly.

Need for Speed When driving at 50-60mph your emissions are at their lowest. However, most people don’t know that driving below 15mph creates the most pollution.

Top Gear To reduce fuel consumption, and subsequently, emissions, drive in a higher gear.

Traffic Jam When your car is stationary, in a traffic jam, waiting at the lights, turn off your engine. This simple tip will help save fuel and cut down your CO2 emissions.

Calm It Just one tiny second of aggressive driving will produce the same amount of emissions as half an hour of normal driving. If that’s not a reason chill out, we don’t know what is!

It’s Getting Hot in Here Open your windows rather than using your AC to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Find Some Shade Parking your car in a shady spot will minimise fuel evaporation and keep everything cool.

Sharing is Caring Get involved in a car share scheme to reduce the amount of cars on the road, and therefore emissions.

Get a Check Up If your car is functioning properly it will consume less fuel, and produce fewer emissions. Keep your tyres correctly inflated, invest in eco-friendly tyres and recycle your old oil.

Too Much Junk in your Trunk Clear your car boot of anything that doesn’t need to be there. The heavier your car is the more work it will have to do, the more fuel it will consume and the more emissions it will produce.

Go Alternative Look into using alternative fuels that use renewable sources, such as plant and animal oils, to fuel your car.

This article is written on behalf of uShip, the shipping and courier aggregator. www.uship.com

april 2012

CaSA complete eco-refurb...

More than just an extension...

Jasmine Cottage in Bath, like many other homes, was failing to be the warm, light filled, spacious home our clients wanted. Rather than demolishing and star ting again, CaSA Architects saw the potential and worked closely to develop a design and created spacious, open-plan living spaces.

The existing building was completely wrapped in insulation and overclad to create a new contemporar y look.

Combined with under floor heating, high-per formance glazing, solar shading and a solar thermal array, the house has entered a new and warmer phase of its life to be enjoyed for many years to come...

Before

CaSA Architects 01225 851871 w w w.casa-architects.com

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Fed up with banks ?

Fed up with the stockmarket?

Fed up with greed and speculation?

Looking for a real alternative?

The Cochabamba Project is a not-for-profit co-operative society supporting community enterprise in partnership with subsistence farmers across the Bolivian tropics.

We pay a modest rate of interest* to members

but 100% of our trading profit is used to achieve our social objectives

As a member you can make a real contribution NOW to the fight against social and environmental injustice…...

…...and share in a DECENT return* * 7..5% for the year ending 31/10/2010

So what are you waiting for?

JOIN US AND HELP MAKE 2012 A YEAR OF CHANGE Visit our website at www.cochabamba.coop Or call: 0114 2368 168 and ask for our share prospectus

greenliving

White Cloud White Cloud sells a unique, luxury range of lambswool pillows, light and warm wool duvets, organic thermacell blankets, Merino wool underblankets, stylish wool blankets and sheepskins offering: • A longer, more regenerative sleep – these Supawool wool duvets adapt to individual body temperature • A softer, warmer and cosier bed with a White Cloud Merino underblanket • A natural and effective solution for allergy sufferers • A five-year guarantee ensures consistent, long-term quality and performance – all White Cloud wool products are made in New Zealand, the best wool in the world for bedding, and are ‘Woolmark’ certified • With you and your family in mind, there are four weights of wool duvets and two of luxurious Cashmere duvets and these are available from Cot Size to Emperor including ‘Partner’ duvets.

We purchased one of these wool duvets in New Zealand over 11 years ago and it transformed our eldest son’s life.

This, coupled with a belief in the superior quality of New Zealand wool and the innovation of our suppliers, is the inspiration behind our company.

GUY AND CAROLINE BODGER

Call 01989 721010 Visit www.whitecloud.co.uk

White Cloud is offering Greenliving readers a 15 per cent discount until July 1, 2012 – use offer code GL15 at online checkout or telephone 01989 721010* *Offer ends 1st July 2012 and only applies to bedding products.

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And breathe...

It’s amazing what you miss when you rush by. That’s why all our walking and cycling holidays, across Europe’s unspoiled corners and beyond, give you the freedom to go at your own pace.

There are no groups to hold you back and no luggage to weigh you down, so you can enjoy every single moment.

That’s why they call us the Slow Holiday people.

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