Plan A underpins rise in brand value for Marks & Spencer

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Plan A has helped secure Marks & Spencer's position as the second most valuable retail brand in the UK according to an index survey released yesterday (February 21).

Naturally gorgeous: it’s time to swap conventional skincare for the natural alternative

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

It’s ‘Paraben Amnesty Week’ at Neal’s Yard Remedies, so if you haven’t already made the switch to natural skincare, now is a good time to start

Entry now open for Sustainability Leaders Awards 2012

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

With a brand new name, a brand new venue and brand new categories, the Sustainability Leaders Awards, formerly the Awards for Environmental Excellence, are now open for entry.

Antioxidants: the natural way to tackle ageing

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

If the roll call of scary ingredients has put you off conventional creams then antioxidants could be the alternative you’re looking for

Santander, BBVA and APG join Carbon Disclosure Project call

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

European financial giants Banco Santander, BBVA and APG have become the latest signatories to join the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) call for cost-effective greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.

The future's vert: why green is the new black in Paris

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Paris is famous for its chic spin on glamour but also for its fur, its waste and its excess. But with green designers slowly making inroads, things could be about to change, says Lida Hujić

Northern Ireland aims to be world leader in carbon reduction

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Alex Attwood has called on the country to step up to the challenge of becoming a world leader in carbon reduction.

PHOTO GALLERY: Reclaim to Wear and Central St Martins

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

As London Fashion week draws to a close, don’t miss the chance to see the work of a talented band of up-and-coming young designers who are helping to make upcycling this season’s hottest new trend

UPDATED: Government appeals Supreme Court FITs decision

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Decc has submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court opposing a ruling which found its proposed plans to cut Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) subsides were unlawful.

O2's 'Think Big' ploy exposes limits to the green business ideal

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

O2’s new green business strategy lays out some laudable ideas. But under the surface it seems that the mobile and internet company is doing little other than looking after its own profits

Wave Hub set to host offshore floating wind turbines

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The world's largest wave energy test site Wave Hub could act as a platform for offshore floating wind turbines under plans announced today (February 21) by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI).

Fashion special: And this season’s colour is… green

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

From local manufacturing to natural textiles, times are changing in the fashion industry. What’s more, the new look eco fashion isn’t just green – it’s seriously cool as well. Ruth Styles reports from London and Copenhagen

Enviro Technology lands prestigious contract to help protect Scottish public from major air pollution incidents

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Enviro Technology, the UK's leading supplier and exporter of air quality monitoring systems for ambient air quality and industrial emissions applications, recently landed a major contract with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to help protect the public in the event of a significant air pollution incident in Scotland.

Revealed: the new species threatened by deep-sea mining

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

The lure of deep sea mining in the Pacific and Indian oceans could mean the destruction of species only just discovered on the ocean floor

Ceram Publishes White Paper: Calculating a Water Footprint - The Benefits for Your Business

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Stoke-on-Trent (UK), 20 February 2012 - Ceram, an independent, international materials technology consultancy has published a new white paper 'Calculating a Water Footprint - The Benefits for Your Business'.

Roadkill: sickening or sustainable?

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

The idea of eating meat sourced from the roadside - whether deer, pheasant, fox or even otter - might sound revolting to you but for some, it's a gastronomic opportunity and a way of avoiding factory farmed meat

Perfect solution for a coastal environment

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

A new development of unique duplex & triplex luxury apartments with sea front location, "The View", split into 4 homes, is an ideal showcase for the quality of the Daikin Altherma air/water heat pump system.

The Ecologist meets… Orsola de Castro

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

The designer and Estethica founder chats to Ruth Styles about upcycling, showcasing new green talent and why eco-design has earned its place at the top table of British fashion

Energy Agency wins powerPerfector award

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The powerPerfector Energy Award highlights organisations and projects that have had a significant impact on energy use whether through energy efficiency or renewable generation.

February 2012 Subscribers Newsletter

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Welcome to the February 2012 subscribers newsletter. To access this month's PDF, log in and scroll down to the bottom of the page...

Biofuels tax drivers €18 billion but don't reduce emissions

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Motorists across Europe are to pay €18 billion a year for petrol and diesel as a result of EU biofuel targets that do not to reduce emissions, according to new research today (February 2).

Tried and tested: facial oils

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

No longer is moisturiser the only way to hydrate your skin. Thanks to Shu Uemura’s pioneering oil-based range, facial oils are becoming a serious alternative to traditional creams. But which are the most planet friendly?

IBM heads up global corporate sustainability council

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Global brands including IBM, Coca-Cola, Boeing and Walt Disney have joined forces to form a sustainability council that will explore innovative solutions for materials recovery, water and energy usage.

Arctic: Treasure of the North

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Authors Bernd Römmelt and Thomas Henningsen have captured the Arctic’s stunning beauty and documented the struggle to survive in the face of climate change, says Priyanka Mogul

New research could end variability of renewables

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Research aims to look at the local options in power grids to reduce peaks and dips associated with renewable energy and cut fossil fuel use.

TAKE ACTION to save Indonesia's indigenous peoples in the Kalmantan Forest

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

The Dayak Benuag community of Muara Tae, Indonesia, are fighting to protect their ancestral forests from mining companies. The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency has now launched a campaign to assist

Ireland gets first zero-carbon store

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Supermarket giant Tesco has opened what it has hailed as Ireland's first zero-carbon store.

Shrimp: luxury food with a hidden environmental price tag

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Our love affair with shrimp has fuelled the destruction of the 'rainforests of the sea' - mangroves - whose biodiversity and carbon-storing capacities are much undervalued. The author of 'Let Them Eat Shrimp', Kennedy Warne, talks through his alarming findings

VIDEO: French nuclear watchdog orders billions in industry investment

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

A report ordered in the wake of the Fukushima disaster has given France's nuclear sector a clean bill of health but demanded improvements at more than 50% of power stations and said 'billions' of euros will be needed to improve the industry.

Violence and pollution stain Brazil's shrimp farming boom

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Despite being an economic success, prawn farms built in Brazil's mangroves have displaced natural ecosystems and the coastal communities which rely on them, says Kennedy Warne in an exclusive extract from 'Let Them Eat Shrimp'

Google puts $94m into solar PV

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Search engine giant Google has put $94m into four solar photovoltaic (PV) projects currently under construction in California.

The Ecologist meets… Ila founder Denise Leicester

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Tucked away in leafy Gloucestershire is a beauty brand with a ‘beyond organic’ philosophy that’s making the world sit up and take notice. Ruth Styles hopped on the train and went to meet the inspirational Denise Leicester

Ireland's renewables roadmaps could save billions

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has unveiled three energy roadmaps to 2050 focusing on the benefits of the country moving to a smart-grid.

TAKE ACTION to build a more ethical banking sector

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

As we slowly recover from one of the worst economic recessions of our time, Move Your Money will guide us towards building a safer and better banking system that we can rely on

Facebook and Greenpeace end feud over renewable energy

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Social network megalith Facebook has announced it will work with Greenpeace to promote clean energy ending a feud between the two.

Sable shenanigans: how Zambia’s sable population is falling prey to unscrupulous traders

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

In Zambia’s newest national park live more than 200 sable antelope. Coralled in conditions that are far from ideal, the animals have languished there for almost three years; the victims of bureaucracy, unscrupulous operators and a disregard for conservation. Ian Michler reports

University College Cork achieves world energy first

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

An Irish university has said it is the first campus in the world to achieve the ISO 50001 standard in energy management.

Film exposes the tragedy of pirate fishing in Sierra Leone

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

A new Al Jazeera documentary follows reporter Juliana Ruhfud and producer Orlando von Einsiedel as they investigate Sierra Leone's multi-million dollar illegal fishing trade

Huhne: EU cannot achieve legally binding deal alone

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A legally binding deal on global emissions cannot be achieved by the European Union alone, according to UK energy secretary Chris Huhne.

How to... buy ethical chocolate

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

If you haven't sorted the valentines present out yet, we've rounded up some sugary (and eco friendly) suggestions

South Africa could lead continent's energy revolution

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The South African Government has pledged to back an increase in wind power as its Department of Energy announced the winning bids from the first round of tenders for renewable energy projects.

Eco cement: the world's favourite building material gets a green-over

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Cement manufacturers are among the world’s biggest polluters and produce more emissions per capita than aviation. So how can you ensure that the cement you use isn’t wrecking the planet?

Ireland and UK energy ministers back ocean power

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Irish and United Kingdom ministers have pledged to work together to unlock the potential of ocean power around the coastlines and called on the European Union (EU) to back the technology.

The hot list: 10 hip and green UK destinations for 2012

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Forget France; the UK is home to some of the coolest holiday spots on the planet. Whether you want scenery, natural phenomena or a dose of eco-luxury, there’s a British break to suit you

How to...make recycled art

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Upcycling is one of 2012’s hottest design trends but you don’t have to stop at furniture. If you’re looking for some decorative inspiration, get to grips with our guide to making your own eco-fabulous art

Fukushima: the social impact of a nuclear disaster

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

The earthquake and nuclear meltdown in Japan last year compounded pre-existing issues like falling birth rates, fragmented families and shrinking communities. What does the future hold?

Campaigners say no to nuclear new build at Hinkley Point

22 Feb 2012 20:20:12 Z

Campaign group South-West Against Nuclear want to stop the government's plans for a 'nuclear renaissance' beginning in Hinkley Point in Somerset. Nuclear, activists say, is plagued by problems from beginning to end