Green Holidays

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It’s your chance to meet some inspirational people - and get your hands on some great equipment!

It’s not all about birds - but if you love birdwatching and great wetland landscapes - then I suggest you clear your diary for any day over the weekend of 20th to 22nd August 2010!

For only £10 entry - you could have the opportunity to ask Chris Packham for some wildlife-watching tips, listen to Mark Carwardine discussing endangered species and maybe watch a slide show of great wildlife moments from Simon King - not bad, eh?

The Show:
Basically, BirdFair is one of the biggest bird-watching and outdoor shows in the UK and is set in the most beautiful scenery to add even more to your day.

As with many great shows, there will also be the opportunity to visit the stands of all the local and international wildlife stands and ask questions about the work they do and how to become a supporter or volunteer.

Add to this stalls that are filled to the brim with the best photographic equipment to improve your photos and to increase your viewing range as digiscopes and binoculars of all shapes and sizes are on offer.  As well as a host of specialist manufacturers and users to help you decide on the best items for your needs.

Whether you are hoping to get some advice for starting out or whether you are looking to take the next step in your craft and hoping to increase your equipment collection to cover more wildlife and birds - it will all be there.

Using A Zoom Lens Can Get Great Images

And it’s not just about technical things - there will be a whole host of stalls selling outdoor clothing, camping goods, walking shoes, wildlife holidays, travel books, field guides, wildbird seed, nest boxes, wildlife art, and so much more!

And, to be ‘green’ the organisers are offering free transfer buses to the show from the local train station to save on all those cars on the roads!

Show Extras:
It’s not all about just being a show - there is so much more there than stall after stall.

For example, there is a grand auction selling a whole range of random goodies from paintings to one-off experiences - all donated to the show specifically to raise funds for this years fundraising targets.

There are also 3 different agendas for events and talks throughout each day and kids events as well for the little learners!  Bushcraft skills, art and education are the themes you can find here in the several big tents on site.

And, your entry ticket gives you free access to the nature reserves here too - so after you have brought that new camera you have been promising yourself - or upgraded to a better digiscope - you can get straight out there are try it for size!

If you plan to go for the day - make sure you get there early and plan to do a lot of walking, and you won’t regret it.  If you know you love this type of show then make sure you stay for the weekend as you might not get to see everything on just the 1 day!

And this only happens once a year!

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The streets of London are now filled with 500 new community bicycles!

As with many cities in Europe, UK’s capital is now promoting the use of city bikes - a simple hire system for local people, commuters and tourists.

Whether you need to get from A to B without the fuss and congestion of the roads or the sardine-like underground system - or you want a leisurely cycle ride through the Royal Parks - this system could be for you.

The Scheme:
Put simply, there are bikes parked up around London that you can borrow for any length of time (albeit the longer you have them the more it costs).

You can sign up online and ‘pay as you go’ so to speak, or soon you will be able to pay with your credit card at a paypoint on the street and take a bike there and then - with your card being charged at the end of your hire period (24hrs after taking the bike).

It is all very simple once you know the limits of the system and the basic charging periods: basically you pay 1 fee for the bike in the first place (for 24hrs) and a seperate fee for the length of time you use the bike for in that 24 hours.

And the fees vary considerably. If you sign up online for annual membership, you can pay less than 12p a day for a bike - paying on the street for it will cost you £1 a day. For the usage fee it varies from Free if you dock the bike within 30 minutes of use - all the way up to £50 for the full 24 hours (and a lot more if you forget to return it before that time!).

Needless to say - as with most things - the more you plan to use it, the cheaper it becomes. What a great incentive!

The Bikes:
The bicycles will be spread all over the City at docking stations - secure lockable bike racks around the streets. All the bikes are identical, suitable for basic riding for over 14 year olds, and all fit into the docking stations perfectly!

The number of bikes at each site will vary, as will the popularity of others - so it is a work in progress to find out how the bikes are used and when.

There are currently over 12,000 registered users and only 500 cycles - so it will be interesting to see how it goes from here!  In theory people will use them at different times for different lengths of time - but the data collected in these first few weeks will be all important in shaping this great scheme for the future.

There is of course always the chance that you turn up at a docking station and there are no bikes for hire - or you arrive at a docking station to find that there is nowhere to park your bike!  Ideally, their maps will help you find the closest alternative - but you could lose time in the early days!

Obviously, for some people this is a much better and cheaper way to travel - as using the bikes for less than 30 minutes is free - so could save a few £’s each way over the bus or tube, and in the summer it will be all that more of a pleasure!

The Future:
Well, I am hoping that the rise in the use of bikes around the busy London streets will make headway for a more pedestrian and cycle friendly destination.

Why do pedestrians always have to have their path blocked by metal railings and have to walk well out of their way to cross a road while congestion-making drivers crawl past in straight lines? 

Why do people and cyclists have to stand in the rain waiting for traffic lights to change to cross the road while polluting drivers are in the dry?

Shouldn’t pavements and cycle lanes have priority over traffic?  If we want a people-friendly and green city - then surely this is the way to go. 

And the more people supporting cycling in the city - the sooner this could happen!

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Hello again - and welcome to another summer of green holidays and adventures!

I have been out and about myself on the allotment, volunteering for charities, holding stalls at carboot sales and basically enjoying the sunshine - but what have you all been up to?

Lets begin with a real green adventure leading off from my previous article (great minds think alike and all that!): Eco Living Advice offers up the idea of analysing your job and to try to make is into a more green alternative - now that really could be an adventure; so read on with his Green Careers article and get thinking!

Then in a similar vein, here is TravelCat’s quandry of Should I Travel Abroad To Raise Money For Charity?  These 2 really make an interesting read to look at the wider side of eco friendly activities!

Taking a step closer to home is The Nature Blog with a really touching tale of the opposite of nature watching - nature waiting.  Read this short article on the virtues of letting nature come to you rather than chasing it all over the woods or seas: In Praise Of Slow.

A shorter article here from Viviana Widjaja suggests some great Holiday Activities for Kids - Eco Friendly Holidays to inspire in advance for the weeks they have off school!

And another quickie from Wise Bread with their 5 Essential Travel Tools to not leave home without on your green adventures! And Linda@NHE offers advice on what to do if you encounter bugs there! So read on with Mosquito Bites Natural Remedies and save yourself some scratching!

This is followed by a lovely article - with pictures - to offer you the chance to take a pilgrimage as part of your green holidays, walking centuries old pathways in the footsteps of millions: 10 Amazing Religious Pilgrimages by Phillip Lopez.

Hopefully this interesting selection will keep you busy for a while - not just reading them, but thinking about the ways that these articles could change the way people think about their job, their family and they vacation.

Times are changing - and now is not the time to be left behind!

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Ethical jobs can be very varied - and don’t have to involve the rainforest or building schools!

When we think of ‘ethical’ jobs - we always assume it is helping people or places around the world - but ethics can just as easily mean working for your local community, your county, state or anything. And you don’t have to speak a second language or live abroad to make a difference!

And getting paid a tidy sum for doing so as well - it’s not all about volunteering!

There are plenty of jobs right on your doorstep that can make a huge difference to your world and the world of others - and you may already be more than qualified to help!

Ethical Jobs:
If you have ever used an Internet search to find your next job, then you will know how difficult it can be to limit your search without missing any potentially great jobs - as for example - administrative jobs can be found in all sectors, so you can’t just look in the ‘Office Work’ section.

This has it’s advantages therefore when you are thinking about changing jobs and maybe your industry. By this I mean that all companies need someone who can do a whole range of jobs not necessarily highly experienced in the ‘ethical ‘field’ so to speak.

For example, an ethical company may need a graphic designer or someone who has sales experience - regardless of their previous employer. For example I knew a retail manager from a supermarket who became a retail manager for a high street branch of Oxfam, and I know of many people who had a degree or other qualifications in economics, planning, sociology or statistics - all valuable skills when planning ahead for sustainability and community projects.

Planning Your Move:
Obviously, to get a job for an ethical firm - you need to find out which firms are ethically run in the first place, and what skills are required.

There are many resources you can use to scale your companies for in terms of whether you want to help communities, reduce pollution, improve cityscapes, teach children, raise money for projects or working in the areas of law and finance.

And you need to find out where they advertise their jobs and what they advertise for. So go job hunting well in advance and take a look at their criteria way before you need it - and add it into your 2, 3 or 5 year plan!

For example training and interpretation roles now include a huge graphic and marketing element which wasn’t the way a few years back - so if you find that many such jobs ask for this skill - then start getting that experience in advance or sign up for a course to improve your chances.

Getting in through the bottom is always a great strategy if you are worried you don’t have the right skills, but want to learn. Volunteering is one of the entrances, as it a part time admin or PA job - but there are many other ways you can get involved in that company and meet the right people along the way.

Types of Ethical Roles:
There are 3 types of ethical roles if you narrow it right down, and they are 1) Campaigning: Getting things done in person - and with all the facts (and a touch of politics and funding)! This would suit a very pro-active person and can involve travel, confrontation and media work.

2) Personal Work: Actually working on the front line talking to individuals and working slowly towards a result. This include social work, working with disadvantaged people and communities, one to one rehabilitation and the like. Very personal - and very rewarding for the right person.

3) Ethical Business: Working behind the scenes - making the right thing still turn a profit and get the relevant funding. There is no point starting a project if you can’t make it work long term - and that’s where the business team come in. Without admin, accounts, marketing and research - the whole project could fall apart!

The Fourth Role?
There is always the hope that this special 4th type could be one of the most important: and it could be you.

Why not take it upon yourself to make your current role - and your current employer - think and act more ethically? Could you find some small areas of your business to make a difference? Could you help your boss put practices into place that can benefit wider communities or individuals?

I think you can - and I think you should!

If you think about how amazing trees can be - you will want to help plant them!

I recently read a leaflet from a charity called Tree Aid - who fund, train and support communities in Africa to give them the skills to use their trees to the best advantage - and saw an amazing list of the ‘Gift of Trees’ which made me stop and think for a while.

I had always been amazed by the growth, resilience, uses and beauty of trees - but had never really thought of them as holding the key to a community’s survival.

So take a look at the list below of all the things that a tree, or group of trees could achieve. 

Some are more obvious - but others seem totally unrelated.  So maybe you too could see trees in a whole new light too!

As Wood To Build Homes.
Also schools, hopitals, warehouses and much more - including furniture and farming tools.

As Fuel For Cooking.
This also includes wood used for making cooking utensils and storage pots for food and water.

As Food Suppliers.
By farming tree-grown crops - a community is self-sufficient through the year.

As Food Attractors.
Trees are the perfect home for bees - and bees means honey!

As Animal Attractors.
Woodlands and even single trees attract benificial wildlife to an area, for the ecosystem and for food.

As Habitat Protectors.
Trees help to create the perfect environment for other plants to thrive and grow.

As Shade Makers.
Trees create the perfect place for people and animals to escape from the heat of the sun!

As Rain Makers.
Trees and their roots can help create micro-climates and generate rainfall - and prevent run-off.

As Soil Makers.
Trees products can help improve the fertility of soil and well placed trees can prevent it blowing away!

As Outdoor Chemists.
Many plants and trees contain ‘medicines’ that communites depend on for their health.

As Pet Stores.
Many trees can be grown specifically to feed livestock, or to build fencing and housing.

As Bank Loans.
Sales of produce and/or wood can be used to reduce poverty and buy new seeds or equipment.

As Education Givers.
Profits earned can put children through schooling - and will allow them the time to attend!

As Freedom Givers.
A productive livelihood can empower women and change the lives of the whole community.

So, next time you get the opportunity to fund or partake in charity events that help communities learn more about trees and farming - think of what you will be helping to support - and continue.

And we all know that young trees are a great way to ‘trap’ CO2 from the atmosphere - so think about the effect you could have by helping to plant just a dozen or so each year.

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If you are thinking of replacing or upgrading your windows - make sure you do it before you go away!

With new technologies and strict guidelines governing manufacture - you couldn’t be more green and more secure at the same time!  Great if you are away for a month or 2.

Triple glazing units can reduce the amount of heat lost from your home (or reduce the amount of cold air escaping if you have the air con on!) and the secure ‘bolt’ system of new glazing units can deter burgulars. 

New UV coatings can also protect the goods in your home and reduce noise pollution if you live in the city or close to a railway, etc.

However - look closely at the ‘eco friendly’ labelling on some company websites - it can mean one of 2 things:

Eco Friendly 1 - 100%:
It is energy efficient and can save energy in the home as well as being made of eco friendly products from sustainable sources.

Eco Friendly 2 - 50%:
It is energy efficient and can save energy in the home ONLY.  It can be made out of any materials at all - for example limited resource aluminum or certain high-petroleum plastics.

And of course, you want to make sure that the company you choose has a decent reputation, and is preferably affiliated with, or a member of, a certification or National scheme - This would include the Master Builders Association or the Guild Quality Surveys and include Penguin Windows in the US, or FENSA and the ‘BSI Kitemark’ in the UK with firms like Everest Windows.

Other Factors To Consider:
There are other things to look out for when choosing a supplier and your preferred products as well, as there are so many combinations you can choose from - some will age quickly, be less secure and possibly not that eco friendly after all! And the length of the warranty can be as little as 3 years up to a lifetime guarantee!

It’s certainly worth paying a few $100 more from the off, than have to pay the several $1000 in 3 years time when it breaks of ‘yellows’ in the sun!

• Make sure it is Pilkington K glass or equivalent
• Make sure it is ‘low e’ glass (high thermal insulation)
• Make sure the frame is made from sustainable resources where possible
• Make sure the windows and doors come with at least a 10 year guarantee (materials & workmanship). 
• Make sure it has a fully welded framework to make it more secure
• Make sure it has metal reinforcement in the frame chambers to make forced entry more difficult
• Make sure all ‘glazing beads’ are on the inside to prevent people removing the panes from the outside
• Make sure it has a locking Saracen shoot bolt (mortise) through the whole frame
• Make sure it has a Secure By Design logo for extra security on top if you want!

Go on your 6-month grand tour without having to worry about the security of your home - and come home knowing that you will be more energy-efficient from that point on!

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Imagine a gift for your friend that actually helped a cute donkey 1000’s of miles away!

If you care about donkeys - and you want to buy your family and friends a gift with a difference, then consider looking at The Brooke - the animal charity that helps humans too!

This charity understand that people need to work their donkeys, mules and asses very hard to make a living - so they try to make sure that they do so without injuring or killing them.

Ill fitting harnesses, too much weight or too much work can all take their toll on these petite equines - but it doesn’t have to be like that.  And educating these owners can make sure that their animals live longer and healthier lives - and therefore making their owner more money overall.

They have put together such a wonderful package of gifts rather than just asking for donations for everything.  Just a glance through their catalogue makes you feel as though you can really help that foal to grow healthily, or to give that elderly donkey a well earned rest!

Here are a few examples from their online store of what great things they tempt you with - almost like choosing from a spa treatment brochure:

Health: £25.50
After a full health check including eyes, ears and teeth, these donkeys will receive any treatment they need and a fly fringe to protect them from diseases.  And we’ll show owners how to recognise and prevent common health problems.

Comfort: £15.32
A well-fitted harness makes all the difference to the hard-working donkey - they can pull loads without ropes cutting into them or rubbing their skin.  A little comfort to brighten up their day.  And we’ll make sure that their owner knows how to fit it perfectly.

Delight: £17.60
Care for Foals: the first month of a foal’s life is so precious - this pack will give them all the vaccinations, nutrition and special care they need to grow big and strong.  We’ll also ensure that they don’t work too soon and that they get lots of mother-foal bonding time.  It’s a joy to see and be part of.

Tenderness: £20.70
Special care for old or sick donkeys.  After being treated to a week of fresh, nutritious food, health checks and joint care, they’ll come away feeling like a new animal.  The gift also helps owners understand that older animals need a little extra attention!

It all feels so personal when you read these descriptions - and there are 13 in total - each with it’s own descriptive video too, so you can see the typical animals you would be helping! 

So rather than thinking of your donation as ‘just’ helping a donkey charity, you can see exactly what your money could be paying for - and so can the recipient of the gift!

There are people we all know who are difficult to buy presents for - or that seemingly have everything - so why not buy them something that they definately haven’t got, but will definately make them smile!

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Could you convince your business and associates to meet up in a cyber-boardroom?

Why do we still include long-distant travel as part of our business mind-set, when there is so much technology and software available that could mean fewer hours spent ‘on the road’ and not clocking up carbon emissions and company debts?

Having experience of business decisions and travel arrangements myself, I know that sometimes a ‘really good idea’ isn’t always cost effective, and it can be like banging your head against a brick wall if you are trying to promote more sustainable work plans if your boss isn’t open to change.

I also know that some of the green business ideas I had previously pitched to my bosses which were not financially viable at the time - have now become so, and the company is implementing them as we speak!

Things change and businesses need to change with them - so why not look back over some of your green business ideas that were rejected in the past and see if they could work for you now.

Improved Technology:
It isn’t only your green ethics that are changing - but so is the technology that drives whole industries.

For example, you can now communicate (virtually) face-to-face with people on the other side of the world in live time and with very clear images and very little time delay - as well as completing complex banking transactions at the touch of a button from one continent to the other.

Business has changed so much these days that equipment and other electrical items that were once rare and expensive are now commonplace and competitively priced.

When I was at school (which wasn’t that long ago), we had one just 1 single word processor for the whole school, but now - children have their own iPhones and home computers!

Although the above example spans some years, there are certainly much quicker and more important technological advances that could really improve your business - you just need to look at them afresh.

The First Step:
There are many companies that are available to help you decide which technologies and solutions may be best for your business, but of course you can investigate many of these yourself.

The benefit of an expert in the field would be that they will have worked with many other businesses like yours and also seen the results of their work, however you alone might not know all the alternatives and end up missing out on something great - so it might not be cheaper to go it alone!

However, there is currently an initiative to help businesses reduce their need to travel for meetings and promotions etc, with the Climate Care Day drive taking place next week, and again in October 2010.

This one area of you business could help not only reduce outgoings and increase productivity but could really make a difference to your ‘green’ policies and ethics, which are now just as important to a company as the products or services you offer.

So, if you are looking to reduce your environmental impact whilst promoting your business, then go to their website or search for video-conferencing online.

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Welcome to the first Blog Carnival of the new year - and welcome to 2010!

As expected, everyone has been very busy with the whole festive period - or have been trapped indoors for weeks with all this snow - so there are only a few articles for me to share with you today.

Lets start with some essential reading - especially after I started watching the BBC series ‘Survivors’ the other day where you really need some basic outdoor skills - and of course it helps to be able to take care of yourself outside of the city!  So lets join Dorrie for some reasons to think of Camping: A Valuable Reminder On Survival.

And surviving as a vegan while travelling can also be a bit tricky - so have a peek at 20stravel’s guide to Top 5 Tips for Eating Vegan On the Road for some inspiration.

Regular writer Guffly gives us not only: Best Eco-Friendly Getaways | Gufflyfor the new year, but also an insight into their eco friendly travel Green Products. Take a look yourself if you are planning a trip soon.

And how about this final article from Tyler Tervooren who spends a lot of time explaining the concept of the StayCation - and it really had me intrigued so take a look yourself at The Art of the Staycation and see if he convinces you……

Enjoy!

Why not book yourself onto an old-fashioned steam train - in a Pulham car of course!

I recently had the privilege of travelling from London Kings Cross to the beautiful city of Cambridge on-board a working steam train.

I love the idea of travelling by rail - and I am a real fan of historic English cities, so the combination of the two was perfect!  And more eco friendly than driving there.

The Train:
The train I travelled on was called the BR Pacific No. 70013: Oliver Cromwell - and was the same engine used on the last steam rail journey by British Rail in 1968.

This handsome green engine was a regular visitor to East Anglia - and in fact carried on past Cambridge to Ely and Norwich if you wanted a longer journey.

It was great alighting mid-way on the journey as not only did we get to see him pulling away from the station - and of course returning head on (for some great video footage) - but we spent a lovely 5 hours wandering around the many colleges and historic sites in the city.

The Journey:
The first thing everyone on the carriage realised as we pulled away from London was that the steam that gives us the characteristic white ’smoke’ from the front engine isn’t just steam - it has all the coal particles in it! 

Needless to say after we came out of the first tunnel and the ash had all blown into the carriage and onto absolutely everything - people closed all the windows and started wiping the thin layer of soot off their belongings!

However the smell was delightful and all part of the experience!

The company running the service had provided every passenger with a route map of the journey and all the stations we pass through or stop at and some information on the original services and the engine itself.

All along the route, we saw random people standing in fields to get a good look at the engine as it passed across the landscape.  Hundreds of people crowded into station car-parks and bridges along the way, craning to get a good photo of the train as we passed by!

It almost seemed like we were a celebrity - a 13 carriage long celebrity throwing soot and steam up into the air and hooting our steam whistle at everyone along the way!

If you fancy a day out in style, then find yourself a steam company that can take you to a place you want to go for a great eco friendly adventure!