Ethical Living

After two successful previous events, the third Our Ethical Network event is taking place upstairs tomorrow at 8pm at The Eagle pub, 125, Gloucester Rd, Brighton, BN1 4AF. There will be a small charge of £3 to cover costs. Rather than a stand up and mingle event, we're aiming to make it more of a sit down and talk session this time so come prepared to say a little bit about your business and what help you need to move forward. For more details of the network please see www.ourethicalnetwork.com or email me at jennifer@ethicalwoodfurnishings.co.uk.

Our Ethical Network was set up by myself (Jennifer Everest) and Katie Fewings. As founders of ethical businesses we found that networking opportunities specifically to meet other ethical businesses were few and far between. Believing that small businesses should stick together and that getting advice which doesn't conflict with their ethical beliefs is paramount to their businesses and others in the surrounding area, Our Ethical Network was born.

Networking events are a great way to meet like-minded people, share advice and support and make business connections and contacts. Unlike other Brighton networking events we've deliberately restricted invitations to ethically inspired companies in order to make the evenings as useful and informative as possible for all with the central aim to help aid and support the growth of local ethical businesses.

If you'd like to join the network please email jennifer@ethicalwoodfurnishings.co.uk. (There is no charge to join, and events are free wherever possible)

Labels: Brighton, Ethical living, Ethical Networking

If you're looking for an alternative to taking that old sofa to the tip and adding to the world's growing problems of land fill, or if you're wanting to de-clutter and give some of your possessions to a good home then consider taking them to Emmaus situated next to the listed 12th century Manor House ruins in Portslade, near Brighton.

With the moto 'giving people a bed and a reason to get out of it' Emmaus is a residential community offering a home and work to 40 men and women, many of whom have been homeless.

The work of the Community centres on the re-cycling of donated goods including furniture, household appliances, electrical goods, bric-a-brac, clothes, books, music, toys etc. They are able to collect, refurbish sell items in their shops dubbed the largest ‘Second-hand Superstore’ in the South of England.

Even if you don't have something to donate it makes a lovely morning out. The gardens are lovely and the shop is endless. The many rooms are filled with all manner of items - some of which produced many cries of 'oh my goodness i had one of those' from us both. The cafe where i had a fantastic bacon and egg sandwich with salad was yummy and the staff working there were polite and friendly. The shop also stocks a large selection of plants & shrubs grown in the nursery garden. All in all a lovely morning, i'm glad my old pink sofa can be of some use and my shopping habits can be put to good use supporting a fantastic project.

Labels: Brighton, eco-friendly furniture, Ethical furniture, recycling

It's just one of those annoying things isn't it when you cut down on your packaging, separate out your recycling and are still left with a little pile that looks like it can be recycled but you not sure if it can and who you should give it to. Well as I can see Michael finishing off another cartoon of Innocent smoothies I thought I’d have a Google and find out.

Being made from paperboard (typically 70-90%, low-density polyethylene (typically 10-25%)and aluminium foil (about 5%, only in long life or aseptic packages) tetra paks can be recycled. The problem seems to be that councils have not deemed them to be a big enough priority to add them to their kerbside recycling collections. A reason cited by some include the fact that there isn't anywhere near enough in the UK that can take the cartons for reprocessing that makes it economically and environmentally viable. Although this does seem to be a rather strange excuse when others materials are transported halfway around the world to be reused?

The carton recycling process is essentially quite simple. Baled cartons are dropped into a pulper, similar to a giant domestic food mixer, filled with water, and pulped for around 20 minutes. This delaminates the packaging, breaking down the package to produce a grey-brown slurry. The aluminium foil and polyethylene are separated from the fibre, which is recovered to make new paper products.

Many European countries achieve very high carton recycling rates. For example, in Germany and Belgium it is between 65 and 70% - only slightly ahead of Austria, Sweden and others. The European Union as a whole achieves a 30% carton recycling rate. But in many many many parts of the UK it is extremely difficult to find somewhere to take them.

Tesco has teamed up with Tetra Pak and the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment in the UK (ACE UK) to introduce two carton collection banks in Tesco stores every week until September across the country. But of course if you can't bear to go into Tesco (think it's better for the environment to steer clear of the place!) then Tetra Pak does operate a postal recycling scheme for those who wish to recycle their cartons.

Labels: Brighton, Ethical living, recycling

In view of the new WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive Magpie has launched Re-use IT! an initiative that aims at curbing the amount of IT equipment currently land-filled from the Brighton and Hove area. Magpie customers will now be able to dispose of their old computer equipment in an environmentally sound way. They are able to collect IT equipment that is old or no longer works for recycling. The collections are made on a special round, your usual collectors will not be able to take IT equipment with your other recycling. See here for further details...

Labels: Brighton, Ethical living, recycling, WEEE

An award-winning new eco-house round the corner from me in Hanover, Brighton has been completed by local firm DRP Architects. The two bedroom timber framed house exceeds the Building Research Establishment (BRE) ‘excellent’ rating in energy saving and carbon reduction. In view of its exemplary ‘green’ features, the house has already won a ‘Green Apple Silver Award’ in the ‘National New Build Residential’ category, June 2007.

The architects have used a whole range of eco technologies and materials - including passive solar gain, a green roof, locally sourced sweet chestnut cladding, lime based render, solar hot water heating, grey water recycling and sheep’s wool insulation. The result is a scheme that reduces carbon emission by approximately 17% when compared to Building Regulations has around 33% less water consumption compared with a typical home.

Simon Atkins, the DRP director responsible for the project, comments: “If more new houses like this one were built, Brighton and Hove would seriously reduce its carbon footprint while the population would enjoy lower energy bills.”

Labels: Brighton, Eco Houses

Our second ethical business networking event is taking place this Wednesday 27 June at 8pm upstairs at The Eagle pub, Brighton.

This is just a quick reminder to those of you who have already let us know you're coming and a last chance to sign up if you haven't (or didn't receive our first email - apologies if so - we'd still love to see you there if you can make it at this short notice).

For full details of this event please see: www.ourethicalnetwork.com

Labels: Brighton, Ethical Networking

By Lawrence Marzouk. "Kerbside recycling collections are being extended in Brighton and Hove
Weekly recycling collections are being extended to 13,000 extra homes across Brighton and Hove. From March 26, households in 220 more streets will have their kerbside recycling collected weekly instead of fortnightly."Read full article here...

Labels: Brighton, recycling