• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Who Says It's Not Easy Being Green

Posted on: Friday, 5 August 2005, 06:00 CDT

1 Washing up liquid

What is it?: The Caurnie Soaperie Washing-up Liquid

How much is it?: GBP 1.50 for 500ml available from Caurnie 0141- 776 1218 and Edinburgh's Farmers' Market

Is it worth it?: According to the Ethical Consumer magazine, washing up liquids can contain hormone disrupting phthalates and phosphates, poisonous synthetic colourings and musks as well as Surfactant, the grease lifting ingredient, which can harm aquatic life. Instead they recommend this wallet friendly washing-up liquid made by the Scottish company Caurnie. Their organic cleaning products are all handmade and come in environmentally friendly packaging.

Other brands to consider: Ecover (01653 574553), Bio-D (01482 229950).

2 Shampoo

What is it?: Weleda Lemon Balm Shampoo

How much is it: GBP 3.75 available from Hanover Health Foods, Hanover Street, Edinburgh (0131 225 4291)

Is it worth it?: Shampoos, shaving foams and shower gels can make the bathroom a toxic zone as they contain hundreds of chemicals and artificial preservatives which, once in the water supply, may cause damage to the environment and local wildlife.

"By simply purchasing a more ethically friendly shampoo you can help prevent the spread of potentially hazardous toxic chemicals," says Friends of the Earth on its website. The environmental group's Mini Good Shopping Guide recommends a shampoo made by Weleda - a British company that produces a wide range of natural toiletries.

Weleda's Lemon Balm shampoo not only has a reasonable price tag but is made from bio-degradable detergents and is fragranced with essential oils. The packaging is also recyclable.

Other brands to consider: Neal's Yard Remedies (0131-476 4506), Essential Care (01284 728416)

3 T-shirt

What is it?: The People Tree cami top

How much is it?: GBP 12, available from www.ptree.co.uk

Is it worth it?: The leading brand of fair trade ecology fashion People Tree is not only ethical but stylish as well. Counting Sienna Miller and Minnie Driver among its clientele, the collection is made from organic cotton which means the clothes have not been made with the help of pesticides and chemical dyes. As Megan Coles from the Soil Association explains, this is of key importance for the environment.

"The textiles industry is one of the largest polluters in the world," she says. "Shockingly, some of the most widely used chemicals have been associated with cancers and birth defects and some have hormonal and reproductive effects."

Other brands to consider: Gossypium (0800 085 65 49), Katharine Hamnett (020 7354 2111)

4 Wine

What is it?: Co-op French Organic Chardonnay Sauvignon (2004)

How much is it?: GBP 5.29 available from Co-op (0161-834 1212)

Is it worth it?: "Vine growers usually rely heavily on insecticides and chemical herbicides," says Coles. "Pesticides are increasingly being shown to have negative effects on the environment and human health. The continued use of artificial fertilisers exhausts the soil and results in the plants being starved of some of the essential nutrients that they need to be truly healthy. But there is a better way. By working with nature these organic farmers can encourage wildlife and healthy plants."

At just over GBP 5 this wine is an affordable drink. It is organic and therefore grown without artificial fertilisers and pesticides, but it is European and therefore has not clocked up lots of polluting air miles en route to the UK.

Other brands to consider: Nero D'Avola available at Raeburn Fine Wines (0131 332 5166), Vintage Roots (0800 980 4992)

5 Toilet paper

What is it?: Suma luxury white toilet tissue

How much is it?: Four rolls GBP 1.99 available from Real Foods, Edinburgh (0131 557 1911)

Is it worth it?: "There are many reasons for buying recycled toilet paper," says Ruth Rosselson from Ethical Consumer. "Trees from forests around the world are still being cut down to fuel our demand for paper, and that includes toilet paper. This not only devastates the landscape, but also threatens local wildlife and destroys the quality of the soil, leading to further environmental problems. Toilet paper made from virgin wood is also likely to have been bleached, releasing toxins into the environment."

She recommends the brand Suma which produces paper from recycled post consumer waste and does not use chlorine bleaches, dyes or optical brighteners.

Other brands to consider: Sainsbury's (02076956000), Nouvelle (available in Asda 0113 2435435)

6 Car

What is it?: Toyota Prius 1.5 VVT-i Hybrid Hatchback

How much is it?: GBP 17,545 available from Western Toyota, Edinburgh (0131-453 7700)

Is it worth it?: Environmentalists say that walking or cycling is the only truly green mode of transport, however hybrid cars offer a solution for those who don't want to give up their cars but want to do their bit to preserve the environment.

The Environmental Transport Association identifies the Toyota Prius as one of the top ten environmentally sound cars on the market. Part electric, part petrol, it sports a revolutionary type of engine which combines petrol and electrical power to maximise fuel economy as well as limiting harmful waste emissions. Not the most attractive car to some eyes perhaps, but at this price, and for the sake of the environment, it's not worth worrying about aesthetics.

"However, owning a so-called green car is no excuse for driving even more miles," warns Friends of the Earth's Chief Executive, Duncan McLaren. "These cars still produce pollution and increase demand for road building."

Other brands to consider: Honda Civic, Smart City Coupe

7 Soft drinks

What is it?: Irn Bru 750ml returnable glass bottles

How much is it?: 99p (with a 20p refund) at all good newsagents

Is it worth it?: The UK uses around six billion aluminium cans and 222 million plastic containers (mostly plastic bottles) a year. That's a lot of Diet Coke breaks.

However, by buying the glass bottles, you can drink guilt free because your empties can be recycled indefinitely. Listed in The Good Shopping Guide, Barr's has one of the best environmental records in the drinks market.

They are the largest UK soft drinks company to use the eco- friendly 750ml glass bottles - and to offer a cash incentive to return the bottles to the newsagent.

Other brands to consider: Vimto (01925 294080), Innocent (020 8600 3939)

8 Nappies

What is it?: Cotton Bottoms reusable nappies

How much is it?: GBP 12.00 for a pack of six available from Boots and Argos

Is it worth it?: The jury is still out on this one. "Every year, the UK population throws away almost three billion nappies, most of which end up in landfill," says Rosselson. "Reusable nappy campaigners argue that we are throwing away more nappies than there is space for and, on top of that, we don't even know how long it takes for the plastics in the them to fully decompose.

"The companies producing disposables are fighting back, however, arguing that their products are no worse for the environment because laundering reusable nappies consumes large amounts of water, electricity and detergents."

Other brands to consider: Modern Baby (0800 093 1500), Moltex Oko 01536 269744

9 Fridge

What is it?: Siemens Larder Fridge (KTI6R495)

How much is it?: GBP 299 available from John Lewis (0131-556 9121)

Is it worth it?: The UK's Energy Saving Trust estimates that if every household in the UK replaced their old fridge freezer with an Energy Efficiency Recommended one, electricity equivalent to the output of two typical power stations would be saved each year.

These might be more expensive than your average fridge but by buying one with an A+ rating, like this Siemens model, you can save energy which, as Rosselson points out, is better for the environment and cheaper to run.

Not only are you paying for a respected make but importantly it is also free of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These gasses do not destroy the ozone layer at the rate of their predecessors (Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs) but are still ozone depleting.

"It's not just energy usage that we have to think about when buying a fridge, but the gases used for the fridge to work. HFCs which are also commonly used which have a huge global warming potential. Look instead for fridges which use other gases, like propane as these don't damage the ozone layer and so don't contribute directly to global warming."

Other brands to consider: Bosch (01908 328200), Smeg (0870 9909907)

10 Make-up

What is it?: Miessence Porcelain Translucent Foundation

How much is it?: GBP 25.85 available from www.theremustbeabetterway.co.uk

Is it worth it?: This natural foundation offers a light coverage and UV protection but is no more expensive than the better known brands. However, it is also chemical free and instead contains nourishing seed, nut and fruit oils.

The impact of cosmetic chemicals on the environment is just starting to be investigated. Campaign groups such as Greenpeace and WWF are concerned about what washing GBP 5 billion worth of cosmetics annually off ourselves and into the water supply will have on wildlife. Rather than waiting until they find out, it may be prudent to switch.

Other brands to consider: Sante cosmetics (0870 1997838) and Dr Hauschka (available from Harvey Nichols 0131-524 8388)

* For information please go to www.ethicalconsumer.org or www.foe- scotland.org.uk

Source: Scotsman, The

More News in this Category