RIO+20 and the greenwashing of the global economy

In less than six months, the UN summit in Rio de Janeiro will take place ( 20-22 June 2012), twenty years after the historic Earth Summit. That summit despite its shortcomings resulted in governments making commitments that later led to UN treaties on climate, biodiversity, etc. While expectations are low this time in terms of concrete outcomes emerging from Rio+20, there is no doubt it will be a crucial event for determining the level of ambition and the likely direction of inter-governmental policies to tackle the environment and development crisis. Rio+20 is set to be a very important ideological battleground writes Olivier Hoedeman, the research and campaign co-ordinator at Corporate Europe Observator

Government loses appeal over ’unlawful’ solar cuts

The Court of Appeal today (Wednesday 25 January 2012) unanimously rejected Government attempts to overturn last month’s High Court ruling that its plans to rush through sudden cuts to solar tariff payments are illegal.

‘Take a Step’ for Fairtrade in 2012

‘Take a Step’ for Fairtrade is this year’s campaign call to people in the UK to engage with the Fairtrade Foundation’s vision of an even bigger movement for positive change on unfair trade, including making the switch to buying Fairtrade.

The UK Government and Organic- the Lazy man of Europe?

Politicians in Westminster have had a historically uneasy relationship with organic food and farming. While other european countries have acted confidently to normalise and champion organic as a pioneering, sustainable and environmentally friendly way to produce food, uK government policy has been diffident, if not lazy on the subject argues a new report from the Soil Association.

Are British banks getting billions in hidden subsidies?

A new briefing from think-tank nef (the new economics foundation), released the day before Barclays announce their full year results.’ Feather-bedding Financial Services’ briefing asks whether banks would be making any profit at all without billions in hidden subsidies from the British taxpayer and bank customers.

Focus on products and services

Bodycare and cosmetics
Green house building and building services
Campaigns, charities and involvement
Clothes, shoes and accessories
Energy saving and suppliers
Ethical business
Fairtrade / buy local
Financial services, banking and ethical investments
Food, drink and nutrition

In the home, in the office
Good reading — on and offline
Telecoms, IT and electrical goods
Holidays and responsible travel
Plants, gardens and countryside
Recycling, repairing and re-using
Training, education, professional courses
Transport — personal and public

All product news

Previous headlines

Triodos launches competitive online easy access savings account paying 2%

Triodos Bank, the bank that brings together people who believe in a better world with the organisations making it a reality, today launched the Online Saver Plus easy access account paying a competitive 2%.*

World’s first Fairtrade and Fairmined certified gold to tackle poverty faced by miners and their families

The world’s first Fairtrade and Fairmined gold will go on sale on 14 February in a groundbreaking effort to secure a fair deal for gold miners and their communities.

European Organic market set to rise by 8% in 2011

A spike in investment activity is expected in the European organic food industry as market growth rates rise and capital becomes more accessible. Organic Monitor predicts European sales of organic food & drink to rise by 8 percent in 2011.

Food fit for a hospital or a dogs home?

A new survey for the Soil Association has revealed that over half of people (53%) would not be happy serving the meals they were given in hospital to a child, 29% say the food was so bad that at times they couldn’t recognise what was on their plate, and nearly a quarter (24%) opted out of the catering entirely – choosing instead to have every meal brought into them by visiting relatives.

Ethical trade champions call for government to take ‘moral lead’ on ethical procurement

Champions of ethical trade from companies, health bodies, trade unions and public sector organisations have called on the government to play a much stronger role in driving ethical purchasing across the public sector. Source ETI

Differences revealed in consumer views between PLCs and co-operatives

Figures published in a new report from Co-operatives UK have revealed stark differences between public perceptions of PLCs and co-operative businesses. Co-operatives are four times more likely to be described as ‘fair’ and ‘honest’ compared to PLCs. Conversely, PLCs are seven times more likely to be described as ‘greedy’ by consumers.

How to harness ethical shopping’s ’floating voters’

Ever since they first entered public consciousness in the late 1980s, a great deal of time and money has been spent pondering the mysteries of the ethical shopper. How many of them are there? How influential are they? Where do they shop and what makes them tick? writes the Ethical Trading Initiative’s Stephen Rylance

Green MP warns of growing anger as "reckless" woodland sell-off plans published

Coalition plans to sell off swathes of England’s publicly-owned forests have been published in the face of widespread public opposition and questions over the economic case for the proposals.

Organic milk is better for you - whatever the weather

Wetter, cooler summers can have a detrimental effect on the milk we drink, according to new research published by Newcastle University. Researchers found milk collected during a particularly poor UK summer and the following winter had significantly higher saturated fat content and far less beneficial fatty acids than in a more ‘normal’ year.

State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet

Worldwatch Institute today released its report State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet, which spotlights successful agricultural innovations and unearths major successes in preventing food waste, building resilience to climate change, and strengthening farming in cities. The report provides a roadmap for increased agricultural investment and more-efficient ways to alleviate global hunger and poverty. Drawing from the world’s leading agricultural experts and from hundreds of innovations that are already working on the ground, the report outlines 15 proven, environmentally sustainable prescriptions.