You've Come A Long Way, Green Baby!!

It's all kickin' off on The Street.

This Wednesday the story begins of how Clarissa wins Harry back (oh so briefly) from landlady of The Rovers Liz on Coronation Street.

I have been having the time of my life playing Clarissa, a feisty outspoken lady who loves her man but loves spending his money more. She's not letting him go without a cat fight.

Did I say fight? Oooh I hope I've not given too much away, chuck!!

On Monday 21st July I'll be a guest on LOOSE WOMEN talking about Harry and Clarissa's shenanigans on The Street and of course stylish eco lifestyles!!
So tune in to ITV1 between 12.30 and 1.30pm

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

You know, this week I realised it has been almost 18 months since I started writing this blog and bringing you all the green stylish news thats fit to print.

It's been a while since I wrote, I'm so sorry, I have been neglecting you... but I'M BACK!! And boy is there a lot to catch up on!! While I have been clattering across the cobbles as Clarissa Mason the green world just keeps on turning and there's so much to talk to you about as I try to keep up with the pace with which eco products and caring for environment have become part of our consciousness.

Looking back through the posts, it's fantastic to see much I have experienced and to remember some of the amazing pioneers of sustainability I have been able to write about, many of whom have become good friends and colleagues.

IT'S BEEN 'GREEN FOR GO' I TELL YA!!

I went to The Delabole Wind Fair in Cornwall, spoke at The Sustainability Fair at the O2 and met with Joan Ruddock MP who is putting together The Climate Change Bill to talk to her about sustainable design. I have met and become friends with Sarah Baulsh who's company ReVampt is going great guns. And Katie Keegan at One Green Earth pioneer of the online green directory and organiser of many eco events.


Eco stylist Lupe Castro has also become a great friend. She is bringing green and ethical fashion designers to the fore and has dressed me for Monday's live appearence on Loose Women.

I'll be wearing clothes from Makepiece and Julia Smith.



















I have worked with Lisa Harland who makes beautiful organically and ethically upholstered furniture and Indrajit Shah who is a pioneer of biodegradable paper cups, plates and packaging at Packaging Environmental Ltd. I'm part of the Greening All Saints Committee at my church in Fulham and they are using his biodegradable coffee cups at all there functions now.




I had a wonderful lunch with the fabulous Polly Higgins, fellow blogger of The Lazy Environmentalist and founder of The Wise Women Network for women working together to protect the environment. I'm a proud member, of course!!

I met the lovely Faye Kass who found me through this blog. She is making a difference and spearheading the build of an eco lodge on the Caribbean island of Dominica. At Christmas I rented a low emissions car from Green Motion in Palmers Green. I went to several seminars run by London Remade. I met a lot of fellow minded green business people there as I did during my trip to Los Angeles in May. I attended a discussion on green furniture production at Design Within Reach in Santa Monica. Back in London I have been VLOGGING about the green insulation and eco renovation of Jamie's house in Notting Hill and I now only clean my house with E-Cloths and Earth Friendly Products and haven't bought laundry detergent in over a year because I use a magnetic green washing ball.

When my Dad died suddenly and so sadly in a fire in December we put him to rest in a green burial ground in Suffolk. I could not have done it without the invaluable support of Adeline at The Natural Death Centre and I spoke to The Times about my experience. This is the photo they used for the article.



I love that little Amoosi jacket. I'm wearing it with an organic cotton T-shirt by Stewart & Brown and jeans from Del Forte
(Photo by Warren Smith)









When I started this blog, my intention was to write about sustainable interior design because that was my background and training. But I quickly realised that if you make the choice to live in a healthy and green house, you will clean it with eco cleaning products that use natural surfactants, drive a low emissions car - or better still walk, cycle or use the bus; you will look for ethical and natural fashion and cosmetics and so on and so on...to be eco embraces all your lifestyle choices and there was a lot to write about.

Just looking at my lists to the left here is a revelation. Five years ago, when I sat in that Ecology of Design class at UCLA, I could never have dreamed of being able to compile such an amazing array of choices that help us be more green and ethical and lower our carbon footprint...nobody would have even known what that meant 2 years ago. There's a lot to keep up with and a lot of information to sift through.

One of my bug bears has been the 'greenwashing' that has been going on. Businesses who want to jump on the green bandwagon because they see a money making opportunity but may not have all the green credentials that you or I would count as necessarily quite enough to qualify. You have to keep your wits about you. I intend to do just that and keep greening the planet one post at a time!!


And in the meantime keep up the green work and be sure to write a comment here if you find any new fun, stylish and useful green tips that I can share!!!

Ciao for now!!

More Eco Heroes, some Zeros and A Load of Rubbish!!

THE DAILY GREEN recently listed the 10 hottest GREEN CELEBRITIES. Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio were on it of course, as is my friend Ed Begley Jr who is famous for shunning the stretched limo and cycling to award shows.

HOWEVER, THIS WEEK MY SUPER ECO HERO IS BARACK OBAMA

It remains to be seen what he will do if/when he gets to the Whitehouse, but in response to a comment that was posted to my last blog I want to declare that this week that finally, finally, after 7 1/2 years of lies and denial from the Bush Administration about Global Warming (because it doesn't suit their domestic and economic policies - whatEVER!!) FINALLY, I saw for the first time that Barack Obama could be the man that effects the change the world is waiting for. Because where America leads, whether we like it or not, the rest of the world follows!
All the presidental candidate hopefuls want to include in their stump speeches what they are going to do about the environment, but With SUPER TUESDAY being so ...well, super, Barack Obama will be getting my vote for not just his views and plans for a greener healthier planet, but cos, well, the guy can give a speech!!

And check out the YES WE CAN video by will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas.
It gave me chills.
And I'm so proud because my lovely friend in Los Angeles, Rob Nagle, works for Jesse Dylan (dir and son of Bob) and did a lot of the pre and post production. He says there are more interviews and videos to come.
Can't wait!!

"We are the ones we've been waiting for"
"We are the change we seek"

Closer to home:

THE RUBBISH GAME

On Tuesday 12th February at The Dana Centre at 7pm - 9pm is The Rubbish Game

I went to the last Rubbish Game in January and our team won the Recycle Your Rubbish section. We built a pirate ship. The Jolly Recycler was made from a vanilla essence bottle, a champagne cork cage, a bicycle repair kit and a shoe horn. Arrrrgh!!
The evening was led by a team of recycling and rubbish 'experts' and in teams of four the participants were challenged to find ways to reuse a whole bunch of things we usually throw away. There were some very inventive and fun ideas that all served to illustrate that if you put your mind to it, there are a lot of things we can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Go, go next Tuesday, you will have fun!!

Oh, there is going to be so much to blog about over the coming months...as well as my coffee with Joan Ruddock MP in a few weeks, there will be ECO BUILD at Earls Court. (February 26th - 28th). I have been trying out some new eco (spring) cleaning products that are coming to my attention and I'm starting proposals for a show flat ZED Homes in North London and an Eco Lodge in Dominica in The West Indies.

I also want to talk about some of the GORGEOUS eco fashion that is finally coming to the market.

A year ago I was lamenting the fact that I may have to present my green lifestyle TV show in baggy organic cotton yoga pants - but NO MORE!! The fashionistas are catching up with the demand for not just fair trade and ethical clothing but for stuff that LOOKS JUST LIKE high street fashion, at high street prices but is made from sustainable fabrics.
And it's FAB-U-LOUS!!

For example Darlings, couldn't resist: Had to post this photo of this cute boy, I mean, guy in his gorgeous hemp suit from Rawganique - HELL-OHH!!

Just a taster ladies, and there will be more gorgeous things for you to wear too, don't worry...
Look to the left here for a list of GREEN FASHION links.

Another piece of beefcake, but not my type, I'm afraid...

Listen, loves, I'm no prude, how-EVER is it me, or is there something slightly obscene about this photo? Please don't try to tell me that it is NOT Photoshopped!!

I've never been a fan of the Beckhams, don't give them much attention usually, but the British environmental group Carbon Trust has awarded David Beckham the title of Largest Carbon Footprint in human history.

Surprise!!!?!?!??

Due to his extensive air travel (more that 250,000 miles last year) and fleet of 15 cars (Lincoln Navigator, Hummer, Porsche - Uch!!), the group claims Becks is responsible for 18 times more tons of carbon dioxide than the average person.

Now, I don't expect David to stop traveling, but I would like to see him try to put Posh in a Prius—he'd probably have more luck stopping global warming.

Eco Warrioress can't help wondering too what kind of carbon Brangelina and Leo rack up on their saving the world travels!!!
Any thoughts?

FINALLY
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY


REVAMPT new Valentines Day range has some very cute recycled vintage fabric ideas for your Sweetheart.
Lovely things for a lovely day, which are lovely for the planet too. Lavender Hearts, Love cushions, Heart Totes and other goodies for those who love to love.

More Green Christmas Gift Ideas and Things...

"BUT...AREN'T CHRISTMAS TREES GREEN, ECO WARRIORESS?"

Yes, yes, so your Christmas tree will be GREEN, obviously... (living, in a pot and organically grown, of course) and it will twinkle with low energy LED tree lights, but how else can you make it a cool, eco/ethical and stylish Yuletide? You will find out here! Read on....

PS: If anyone finds a fake Christmas tree (can't believe I just wrote that!) made from recycled plastic - or some other sustainable source - please let me know!!! Likelihood is, most artificial trees will have been flown in from China and give off all sorts of nasty VOC's and that actually, nowadays a British grown tree is what you will find at your local Christmas tree vendors. Bottom line for me: Christmas means nothing without that pine needle smell. As long as your council will pick up the tree and chip it for mulch, you should be doing OK.

Here's a good article in the Guardian giving info on both sides of the decision...you decide...and try and make sure you dispose of the tree properly. Oh, the sad sight that it is of so many dead trees lying brown and crispy on the pavement well into January. When is that going to end?

Anyway, as promised I have compiled some of the green festive gift ideas I have come across in the last few weeks.

TREE DECORATIONS

On the subject of Christmas trees... my green friend, Sarah Baulch, design maven at REVAMPT has a range of very lovely tree decorations that she has made from her recycled vintage fabrics.
I'm particularly proud of them because these very wooden curtain rings were salvaged from a window treatment project by, yes,
Yours Green and Truly!!

BAGS AND BACKPACKS THAT PACK THEMSELVES

We all know by now that we should be taking our own bags to the supermarket and these are some of the most practical I found for your forgetful friends...

One Green Earth sell these handy bags that are made of parachute material and pack into their own a little bag that clips to your handbag. Works as a keyring too!

The bags are made by ONYA who also have cool shoulder bags and backpacks. Those are my fave!!

GREEN KNICKERS

Everyone needs knickers - unless you're Lindsey Lohan, of course - so for your pleasure and green self respect, Sarah Lucy Smith and Rose Cleary-Southwood have a really cool and totally ethical underwear company called GREEN KNICKERS They make organic cotton and bamboo fabric undies for girls and boys.










I bought some of their Magic Global Warming Knickers which are made from 100% Fair Trade Organic Cotton and change colour too!
As the knickers warm up with your body heat, the sea overcomes the land to show the effects of Global Warming just so you never forget...now that's 'Sexy Time'!!

FELTY THINGS

Helen and Kate at ONE ECO HOME have put together some wonderfully seasonal gift ideas. Love that wine rack and the cute little felt angels can be sent flat packed as a Christmas greeting and then double as a decoration therefore eliminating the need for a paper card.
Can you imagine how many tonnes of Christmas cards get recycled every year?
Oh, my head hurts just thinking about it...

FACE THINGS

Alice Sheffield is the director of Bare Faced Cheek. My chat with her revealed her passion for beauty and skin care products that are the most ethical and natural that she can find. That means more and more often she is choosing to carry British made products on her website. When she finds an organic or natural product that's home grown she replaces one of her foreign made lines.

Spiezia is a British-made organic line of products that are also certified by the Soil Association. Alice carries a miniature organic facial gift kit that contains a Facial Cleanser, Lip Balm, Daytime Moisturiser, Floral Skin Toner and a 100% Organic Cotton Flannel for £25.00.
Mmmmmm, yes please...

BAGS AND OTHER COOL CARRYING THINGS

Made from, can you believe it, Portuguese street lamp banners TELA BAGS are the design brainchild of Lupe Castro. I have seen this idea at LACMA in Los Angeles. Like Lupe, they sell these fantasically unique, one of a kind bags made from the large PVC advert banners that hang from street lamps in the city. The banners only live the short life of the ad campaign or exhibition they are advertising and then...what? Here in Europe, Lupe has recycled the weatherproof, hard-wearing printed PVC into stylish, practical and unique carrying items. She has commissions from the Centro Cultural De Belem in Lisbon an Harrods who realise the impact of so much of their PVC going to the landfill and want to recycle their advertising banners into useful, fashionable items.

My favourite bag is the large 'METRO'. Compartmentalised with 3 separate bags that detach from the inside, it can be used for dividing up your recycling, kids toys or for putting in the back of the car to carry files around. It is very versatile...

FLASHING THINGS

Chaps are always so hard to buy for, aren't they? But if they are cycling chaps, here is the perfect eco bike light. It's such a simple concept: The PEDALITE is powered by kinetic energy that comes from pedaling so has no need for a battery. They keep flashing even when stationary at traffic lights. The pedals fit almost all bikes designed for people over 9 years old. They are £34.99 a pair.

KIDS THINGS

I'm one for buying books and clothes for children's gifts. The grandmas seem to be able to take care of buying the brightly coloured, tacky plastic things that make obnoxious noises which my 2 year old nephew way prefers to the tactile hand-painted wooden toys his Mum would love him to play with....Oh well!!
If you are so inclined, start your little Eco Fashionistas on the green and ethical track as young as possible by dressing them in NIXIE Children's clothing.
Aren't they cute?
Designer Nicole Frobusch, uses sustainable and recycled fabrics to combine romantic bohemian style with a 70's crafts aesthetic and all garments are made in the UK.

THINGS FOR ME, ME, ME!!!

I'm not diamond girl, meself. Yeah, yeah, I know they like last forever and everything, unlike a lot of other things... but they usually come from suspect sources and therefore represent lives of extreme toil and poverty....I think they are highly over-rated and actually I prefer chunky funky designer jewelry. However - jewelers INGLE AND RHODE have amazing designer stuff and also do fabulously contemporary engagement rings and things all made with ethically sourced precious metals and gemstones so they are able to tell their clients exactly where and how each piece of jewelry was created. Now that could take the edge off my conscience...so if you are thinking of popping the proverbial and ethical question this holiday, you know where to go for your guilt-free BLING!!

CALENDAR THINGS

A calendar as a Christmas gift can be a bit of a cop out, unless, of course it is a climate change calendar. For the forward thinkers - yes - it's almost 2008 and you have to start planning now, why not give this wonderful Calendar Of Climate Change put together by Diana Korchien. Diana was an archivist and spent a long time going through photographs from all over the world. It struck her that there was a place for these images to show the beauty of the planet we live in and the plight that faces The Earth and her inhabitants due to the changing weather.

A great educational tool and a daily reminder that the actions we take, however small, however good or bad, can effect us all.

Many of these items and other green gift ideas can be bought from my friend Katie's One Green Earth website and have discounts if you buy through her!

A GREEN CHRISTMAS FAIR THIS WEEKEND

This weekend sees the first of a couple of ECO CHRISTMAS fairs coming up.

It's never too early to start finding your ethical, sustainable and green gIfts for your friends and family....nobody wants those nasty pressies that get returned after the holiday or shoved the the back of the cupboard.

A Green Christmas Fair makes going green this Christmas an easy option by bringing together a fabulous range of ethical companies so that shopping,and treating one-self, can be done with a clear conscience.

Hosted by One Green Earth and Bare Faced Cheek and set among the elegant surroundings of the 20th Century Theatre in Notting Hill, the Fair will offer a diverse range of gifts including eco underwear by Green Knickers, organic home accessories by Organic Furnishings, funky recycled Christmas decorations by Revampit, organic cotton-hemp shopping bags by Bags Of Change and remade children's clothing by Restitch .

The entrance fee of £2 will go directly to The Cambodia Trust

The Cambodia Trust works with landmine survivors and other disadvantaged disabled people in Cambodia to enable them to participate in education, employment and community life.

ECO DESIGN CHRISTMAS FAIR
Next weekend is the Eco Design Christmas Fair in Camden.
Friday and Saturday 23rd/24th November at
Cecil Sharp House.
2 Regents Park Road. Camden NW1.
11am - 5pm both days.
Entry is a quid fifty

And this just in...
There is an Eco Christmas Fair in East Dulwich sponsored by SNUB (yes, they SNUB plastic bags!) on December 1st at Goose Green. All details on their website.

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET

I'm already looking ahead to the new year. I'm off to the WORLD TRAVEL MARKET today to meet with a lady who needs an eco interior designer for her eco lodge project in Domenica and also The Responsible Travel people to look for fabulous eco and ethical holidays for you to book for next summer!!
Hurrah!

IT'S ALL A BUNCH OF VLOGS!

I'm doing vlogs, Darling, VLOGS!!!!

This week marks the start of my video log about an eco renovation in Notting Hill. The mews house belongs to Jamie Eynon, director and project manager of London's Best Builders. He is using the expertise of his business partner Ben Nickell of Greensteps. They have formed a partnership to renovate houses in a totally green and eco way. I'm so excited to follow them because every project will have the best insulation, best heating and cooling systems and the lowest possible energy bills AND (and Eco Warrioress loves this part) will STILL be FABulously stylish.

Jamie's house is their inaugural venture into the eco building world and I'm going to be there to document it! Here is the first installment:

SUSTAINABILITY SHOW

I had a great time speaking about green design and the eco lifestyle that we can all have at the Sustainability Show at O2 last weekend. It's always fun to talk about something I feel so passionate about. I want to say thank you to David and Doug for giving me such an excellent opportunity. Thanks, guys.

In the coming weeks I will be blogging about Chantal Cooke of PASSION RADIO, Indrajit Shah of PACKAGING ENVIRONMENTAL who is making environmentally friendly, biodegradable packaging made from renewable sources - what is says on the box, really - no pun intended!!

My friends at Ethical Junction had a stand as did Peter Rocu with the ECOPOD
and Natural Death Centre. (Do you remember I blogged about biodegradable coffins after Anita Roddick passed away?)



In the art and design area, my friends Helen from One Eco Interiors and Sarah from REVAMPT shared a stand and a sculptor called Ptolemy who makes fantastic animal sculptures out of recycled hubcaps was another stand out.

RECOUP D'ETAT played live and sold their CD's packaged in recycled crisp packets that had been washed and turned inside out...More to come on all of those green ventures...

I'm so glad to be able to announce that Green Motion are up and running - remember I wanted to rent a car from them to go to the Delabole Wind Fair? Well, I had a long chat with the company's owner, Richard and they are ready to go now.

Richard's idea to start a green car rental company came to him about two years ago (I think many of our green ideas have taken about 2 years to get to this point!) and he now is offering franchises to business owners who will not only rent cars with the lowest carbon emissions, but the whole package they take on will have a green flavour: the offices will follow a 'greenprint' from the installation of low energy light bulbs in the offices right down to the recycle rubber flooring in the forecourts. The entire philosophy of a low carbon business will be followed to the letter to make sure they make the least possible impact on the environment.
If you are an environmentally conscious business and want to rent a fleet of cars or an individual wanting to rent a car for the weekend - like me - you can now do so with a green heart.
When you pick up your rental (or have it delivered to you - which ever takes the least energy!!) you get a short film on DVD on how to drive your car to get the best possible mileage!! I like that game. It can be a little distracting though as I spend far too much time looking at the little screen that tells you how many miles you can drive before you need to stop for petrol! Is that a 'girl thing' or just me?

I will certainly be renting a car from GREEN MOTION the next time I go out of town.

GORGEOUS GREEN THINGS

I recently found an ad in a glossy mag for ADILI clothing. OH JOY! I exclaimed! Finally there is an online catalogue of fashionable clothing that is produced as organically and ethically as possible. As we all know the fashion industry does not do well on the 'green gauge' (are you listening, PRIMARK?) However, all the products ADILI stock tackle at least one of the environmental and social issues involved in making, transporting and selling clothes. Hurrah!

I couldn't download any pictures (probably a security measure on their part ) so check out the site for yourself. They do stock yoga pants, of course, but they also have fantastic coats, separates, men's and kid's clothing and accessories that are RATHER gorgeous!!

All the Green Things Fit To BLOG!

GREETINGS AGAIN, GREENIES!

I feel like I have so much to catch with and share with you after BLOG ACTION DAY took up a whole blog..... SO!
This week it is on with the blogging about all the great green things I have found for you!!

SOAP NUTS
Soap nuts clean your laundry without detergent!

In 2006, Soapods founder Penny Morgan found soap nuts in an ashram in India. They have a natural soap inside the shell that cleans washing without the need for detergent.

And you know how much I love the things that tick all the green boxes....Soapods products are high-quality and completely environmentally friendly. They are 100% organic, cruelty free, not tested on animals, sustainable, renewable, 100% natural and.... they really work!



I met Penny, who is a very persuasive lady, and I believe it when she says that after telling all her friends about her nuts she decided that there was a potential opportunity for an eco-friendly and ethical business. Soapods was born! Check out her website for all the places to find them.

"GREEN PR, SWEETIE! I PR GREEN THINGS!"

My friend Sarah Louise Baulsh’s REVAMPT business of recycling vintage fabrics into lovely new things is going great guns. You can find her at Acton Art & Craft Market & Farmers market most Saturdays and at The Sustainability Show at O2 this weekend.

Sarah tells me she has learnt so much on her green business journey she is now able to share her wealth of knowledge and promote others with similar green business ethics and she has started GREEN PR - an offshoot of ReVampt where she offers PR services. These include help with styling shoots, creating a Marketing Calender, unique press contacts, networking, Press Releases etc and says studies have shown that people need to see your brand name 27 times for it to register and will forget it if not reminded again within 90 days! Sarah's enthusiasm for promoting the green word is infectious. So if you have a green company to promote, give her a call!!

SOYBEAM CANDLES

Liz in LA emailed to let me know that her SOYBEAM candles can now be shipped to the UK and if you and if you type in the word Friends at the checkout you will get 20% discount!

Christmas is coming!! 'Rah!

GORGEOUS GREEN THINGS

THE GREEN HAUS

I recently met Jane Mosely founder of THE GREEN HAUS which is a one stop shop for fabulous green designers and their products. With The Green Haus, Jane has created a unique showcase for the new up and coming designers of our green future.

Designers like Richard Liddle who created the RD (roughly drawn) chair

Made from 100% recycled plastic packaging waste like milk, detergent bottles & food packaging, the chairs are hand made using a revolutionary process, developed by Richard, which take on the appearance of woven metal. I love their funky look!

No two are alike.

Jane also supplies organic cotton bed linen by Amenity. Inspired by nature and committed to preserving it, Amenity makes purely organic, 320 thread count, cotton bedding collection which means it is ssssoooofft!



The fabric for this collection is certified organically grown and organically processed cotton. Each of the large-scale images is printed individually onto the fabric with non-toxic, eco-friendly, water-based dyes.


At The Green Haus, Jane has sourced an eclectic mix of products, some readily available, some made to order but all of them with sustainability at their core, the majority of which has been designed and made in the UK.

Talking to Jane, I couldn’t agree with her more when she says that sustainable design is not just about the end product but the entire product process. She also believes that sustainability should be affordable and she is on a mission to bring these gorgeous green things to us all. I LOVE her!!

IN THE STATES

Based in the Pacific North West, Zola Eco Furnishings make custom hand-made eco-friendly home furnishings. A little over two years ago, they established the goal of eliminating all toxic products from their furniture and adopting eco-friendly and sustainable practices for all of their manufacturing.



ZOLA recently supplied a piece of eco furniture for “Living with Ed”, the eco-friendly home show on HGTV with Ed Begley Jr.

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

Talking of Ed Begley I have to blog about him again because I got this email from a designer in Nashville Tennessee:-

Alexandra,
Is there a green way to clean granite countertops?
Gloria
Beth Haley Design
www.bethhaleydesign.com

Of course if you are stuck with granite counter tops it is best not to get rid of them just to send to the landfill so my reply was:-

Gloria,
Thanks so much for your email. Granite is a very resilient surface but is still porous and can show a dark stain like red wine, so you have to be careful what you use on it if you are going to throw away your chemical surface cleaners. I would recommend my environmentalist and green friend Ed Begley's fantastic cleaning product called BEGLEY’S BEST. It comes in a concentrate, so needs less packaging. (we first used in on the Prius!! Dontcha know! It was MAR-velous!! fwah fwah!!). I can also recommend Method which is also has a range of cleaners and is economical on packaging too because it comes highly concentrated.

Best Wishes, Alexandra

For my UK readers, Ecover is a range of cleaning products that is doing very well including laundry detergent and limescale remover - which I like very much. They are available at Waitrose and other supermarkets.

Kay The Cook does not like Ecover washing up liquid so much because she doesn't think it cleans so well. I’d be interested in comments on your experience using these eco cleaners. As everyone has different standards of hygiene at home, sometimes the chemical wins over the natural surfactants. (Oooh, steady on! Big word!!)

And I still want to find out where to find ECOVER Bleach. It does all the stuff a regular bleach does but doesn't harm all the fishes in the sea. Anyone seen it? I can't find it in my local Waitrose but have seen it mentioned on their website.

I use a washing ball for my laundry and that eliminates the need for detergent all together and it's great for everything except I do like something to give me whites a wee boost now and again.

God, I sound more like my bloody mother every day…

BLOG ACTION DAY RESULTS

By all accounts Blog Action Day was HUGE success. 20,603 Bloggers participated, there were 23,327 Blog Posts (according to a Google Blog Search) and there were (at least) 14,631,038 Blog Readers. If you were one of those millions who participated because you read my blog last Monday I thank for becoming part of a Global Awareness to change the World.

NEXT WEEK
THE SUSTAINABILITY SHOW at O2
ETHICAL & FAIRTRADE FASHION - not just yoga pants, Love!
ECO HOUSE BUILDS FROM NOTTING HILL TO DEEPEST HEREFORDSHIRE