My Best Organic

Sometimes water is just not enough to quench your thirst, or you would like a little flavor without all that sugar or high fructose corn syrup common to beverages.
Hint Premium Essence Water offers a healthy alternative.

The idea behind Hint is simple: pure water, nature’s original refreshment, accented with a hint of natural flavor. No sugar, no artificial sweeteners no preservatives! Hint is a refreshing alternative to sodas, juice and other sweetened drinks and it tastes great.

I like the subtle flavor of Hint, but if you are used to sugary liquids, it may take some adjustment of your tastebuds. Since I am a mostly water drinker, Hint tasted full of flavor.  Their motto is “drink water, not sugar”.

Hint does come in plastic containers (#1), and the label reads “Coming soon 15% less plastic”.

Hint Water is also good in cocktails!  

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

Ethical Sustainable Shoes from Simple ShoesSuede is from an eco-certified tannery.Soft and fuzzy certified organic cotton fleece lining.Natural rubber, non marking soles. Recycled PET and natural latex elastic laces with user friendly pull toggle. (PET is made of recycled plastic bottles) The foot form inserts are made of post consumer recycled paper. Washable!! Whoohoo Boxes made of post-consumer recycled paper, soy based printing ink, natural latex and starch based glue                                                                         Simple Weetire available in sizes 0-6m, 6-12m and 12-18m Click here to view                                                                           Simple Doodle available in UK Toddler sizes 4-9 Click here to view   Just a little reminder that our Summer Sale is still on! Click here to view

Globalkids is an active of Ethical Junction, learn more

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whomadeyourpants has been featured in the Guardian Society pages – lovely!

The article titled ‘Scheme offers refugees work and produces ethical underwear‘ written by Frederika Whitehead is an in-depth piece depicting Frederika’s visit to the Southampton based cooperative, and covers some of the background to why founder, Becky John started the enterprise. 

Here’s a few snippets of the article:  

It’s a little after 11am and I am standing in the office of a Southampton factory unit with my trousers lowered while two women I have never met before discuss the design of my underwear.

“Two panels, two side seams, no top seam,” concludes Samir, an Afghan in her late 40s, looking her companion directly in the eye.

Becky Johns is English and a little younger: “Marks & Sparks spring season last year,” she says, nodding sagely. I am impressed. These women are connoisseurs of pants. They sit back and look thoughtfully at each other.

John – who previously sold corporate software for a living – says: “I’ve always loved underwear but I couldn’t bear to buy knickers from a sweatshop. I came up with the name Whomadeyourpants? and that was it – I had to do it.”

Visit the Guardian to get the full article.

whomadeyourpants? is an active of Ethical Junction, learn more

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Have you ever dreamed of having your own personal satellite orbiting the earth? Now’s your chance. For $8000, Interorbital will sell you:

A TubeSat is designed to function as a Basic Satellite Bus or as a simple stand-alone satellite. Each TubeSat kit includes the satellite’s structural components, printed circuit board (PCB) Gerber Files, electronic components, solar cells, batteries, transceiver, antennas, microcomputer, and the required programming tools. With these components alone, the builder can construct a satellite that puts out enough power to be picked up on the ground by a hand-held amateur radio receiver. Simple applications include broadcasting a repeating message from orbit or programming the satellite to function as a private orbital amateur radio relay station. These are just two examples. The TubeSat also allows the builder to add his or her own experiment or function to the basic TubeSat Kit. Examples of add-on experiments or applications include the following:

▼ Earth-from-space video imaging
▼ Earth magnetic field measurement
▼ Satellite orientation detection (horizon sensor, gyros, accelerometers, etc.)
▼ Orbital environment measurements (temperature, pressure, radiation, etc.)
▼ On-orbit hardware and software component testing (microprocessors, etc.)
▼ Tracking migratory animals from orbit
▼ Testing satellite stabilization methods
▼ Biological experiments
▼ On-orbit advertising
▼ Private e-mail
▼ Space art
▼ Space burials

Do we really need more space junk? Already, old satellites have turned into debris that is “dangerous” and could potentially impact other satellites. Do we really need a bunch of small personal satellites in outer space too?

So far, most interest in the personal satellites has come from universities and hobbyists.

Via: Discovery News

Image: Interorbital

At Insideout we design and build highly insulated, outdoor living and working spaces; from garden offices to granny annexes. Over the years we have discussed in detail what people want when they decide to build a garden office or annex in their garden, rather than extend their house in the traditional way. They want four things: -

1. They want to separate part of their life from the main house. Typically they want peace and quiet at the bottom of the garden, if they work at home, or they want to dispatch the children to the bottom of the garden so that they can have peace and quiet in the house.
2. They want a building that is warm, dry and environmentally considerate.
3. They want something that is skilfully built.
4. They want good us to use top quality building materials.  
5. They want minimal maintenance.
6. They want to be looked after during the design and build process.

Our clients are often people who have looked at building a house extensions or garden rooms using traditional “wet” building methods i.e. bricks and mortar but have found that building traditionally is either too expensive or not appropriate for their needs. They want something that creates less mess whilst being built and that has less environmental impact. They want something that is quick to build. We respond to this by building using timber frame construction combined with high levels of eco-friendly insulation to provide a dry, stable atmosphere that requires minimal heating.

People love light and light is always an important factor in a garden office. Our buildings are often used for painting or just to take advantage of the garden sunlight, so we install Velux roof lights and design wooden windows and doors of all different shapes and sizes, with low-e double glazing, to capture the light.  

70% of our clients are concerned about the environment. The 30% that aren’t get an environmentally considerate building whether they want one or not! We  source building materials locally wherever possible, and look  for suppliers who show environmental integrity and small carbon footprints. We avoid plastic where possible. We clad the buildings with scottish larch and roof the buildings with cedar roof shingles. Both are maintenance free. The windows and doors are finished with low toxicity water based stains to create a building exterior with a very small environmental impact.

InsideOut Buildings Ltd (Garden Offices.) is an active of Ethical Junction, learn more

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Digital Printing

Eco Print specialises in short and medium run digital printing.

What makes us ‘Eco’?

All Eco Print printing is on recycled paper and card. Our preference is always paper made from 100% recycled post consumer waste. Eco Print completes the environmentally friendly print process by using inks developed using organic based polymers instead of chemical based polymers. These fuse at a lower temperature making the whole process more energy efficient. These inks give a 1st class quality finish with vibrant colours which do not fade or peel off..

The cost saving and environmental benefits of the digital process lie in the very nature of short run printing – there is no minimum order and as such, you order what you actually need using less consumables and causing less wastage.

if you only want 150 letter heads why pay for a 500 minimum order at a litho printers?
 
Our digital printer is energy efficient using less heat. The majority of parts are replaceable and recyclable. When the toner and image drums are used up they are returned to the provider and once refilled they are sent back out to be reused.

Digital print turn around is traditionally much quicker as there is no plate making process, less set up time and no print drying before trimming.

 Contact us now for an ‘Eco-Quote’ – 01722 340 350

 printing@ecoprintuk.com

 http://www.ecoprintuk.com

Eco Print is an active of Ethical Junction, learn more

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Bear Naked Pure and Natural Cereal is delicious and of the same standards of naturalness you would expect from Bear Naked.

Ever since our very first batches of granola, we’ve been searching for ways to un-invent food and celebrate the variety Mother Nature provides…So as we thought about cereals, we felt they should be more than just hearty flakes. We wanted a mouthful of bearly processed goodies we could actually pronounce. And that’s what you hold in your hands…A thoughtfully crafted blend of nature’s boldest flavors, richest textures, mouthwatering aromas and REAL nutrition that makes your body smile.
In our camp, we believe every sunrise reveals a new adventure, and this cereal is for those of you who want to wake up and experience a pure and natural breakfas

At first glance, I was concerned this product did not contain organic ingredients, as there is no USDA label. Upon closer inspection, there are many organic ingredients, and I appreciate Bear Naked does not overstate this fact since the product is not 100% organic.

Another concern I have is with packaging. You only get 12.5 ounces per bag, which doesn’t last long around my household, and the packaging is not recyclable. Bear Naked has teamed with Terracycle to address this issue.

Every year millions of non-recyclable bags and wrappers end up in landfills. TerraCycle and Bear Naked are committed to finding new uses for old bags and wrappers. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle will develop unique new products made from used bags and wrappers and upcycle them into shower curtains, tote bags and so much more

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Although upcycling is probably better than recycling, the chances of these bags making it to Terracycle by the average consumer are slim compared to the recycling bin.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.

I remember how excited people were. The oat company, Nairn’s, were showcasing their new gluten-free Porridge Oats at the Allergy and Gluten-Free Show. Visitors couldn’t get enough of them! And there was a gluten-free Muesli and Luxury Muesli too… (all guaranteed gluten and wheat-free with the Crossed Grain logo.) Now we’ve got them in stock [...]

Goodness Direct

You will be given a better insight to our phenomenal Teak projects in Brazil, that are yielding our existing clients 10-20% per annum.

Date: 28th July 2010
Time: 6.30pm – 8pm
Location: St Clements House, 27-28 Clements Lane, London, EC4N 7AE

RSVP: As places get booked up very quickly, please ensure you RSVP before 5pm on the 28th of July 2010. Email: darren@globalforestryinvestments.com or call to book your place on 020 7754 0493. View our website for more information.

Global Forestry Investments is an active of Ethical Junction, learn more

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