Today Nottingham held its 2006 One World Christmas Fayre and its events like this that give me that warm ready brek glow. Seeing the lovely people of Nottingham selling organic and fair trade goods home made yummy veggie food and campaigning for peace and human rights all under one roof.

Held at the YMCA on Shakespeare Street there were stalls from Traidcraft CND Veggies Tearcraft and many more. As well as these well known organisations there was a stall from Make Hays good friend MondOrganico selling a range of beautiful ecological and handmade skincare and health products. Of course I had to treat myself to some lovely soaps and face cream and having used them before I can happily say they make you feel really good.
To find out where you can buy MondOrganico goods at future events watch this space!
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Well after a bit of a break while my husband and I shuttled around the South of England visiting the various members of our family for the festive season Im back and ready for a Christmas debrief!
Im intrigued to know how other green givers got on with the annual shopping frenzy and am happy to offer up my own findings to start us off
Christmas crept up on me. I didnt manage any goats or chickens this time as I did the year before using the Good Gifts catalogue and I thought I was going to resort to a last minute dash around the shopsuntil my December issues of Organic Life The Ecologist New Consumer and Amnesty International (AI) came to my rescue!
Their Christmas gift guides provided the required inspiration and even though I had left it as late as 15th December New Consumer Ethical Superstore and AI were all still offering guaranteed delivery in time for Christmas.
So I sat down and did nearly all my shopping in one afternoon! People Tree hat and Ethical Careers Guide for my sister Ethical Travel Guide for my brothers girlfriend beautiful mango-wood salad bowl and servers exquisite wooden cube perpetual calendar for my dad and yummy veggie recipe calendar for my mum
And one of the surprise successes that I took a bit of a gamble on: a coconut thumb piano for my brother gorgeously carved and excellent value at

To celebrate this years Fairtrade Fortnight (26 Feb 11 March) Alex Prince my colleague at Ethical Weddings has set herself the challenge of finding a different fair trade wedding item for every day of the Fairtrade Fortnight.
While The Times reported yesterday that overall marriages had dropped dramatically from 2004-2005 the interest in ethical celebrations is definitely on the way up the only problem is how to do it.
Alex whose own wedding recently featured in The Guardians Green Guide says:

I was attending a meeting in the Gedling Borough Council building today and something caught my eye which made me vary happy indeed. In the reception was a stall promoting Fairtrade and announcing that the Borough of Gedling is aiming for Fairtrade town status. This means that after the City of Nottingham it will be the first borough in the county to gain Fairtrade status.
To demonstrate their committment to this the council have set out 5 main goals:
The council has already passed a Fairtrade resolution.
Fairtrade goods must be sold in local shops and Fairtrade products served in local cafes and restaurants.
Fairtrade products must be used by a number if local workplaces and community organisations
Attract media coverage and popular support for the campaign
Set up a Fairtrade steering group of councillors campaigners and representatives from locals schools churches and businesses.
If you are a resident of Gedling Borough and would like to be involved or express your support then dont delay! Either visit the Arnold Civic Centre and fill in an expression of interest form or telephone Allan Leadbeater on 0115 961 1316 or Phil Barlow on 0115 952 6488.
This is such great news and a massive step forward for Gedling! I love the idea of being able to walk to a local cafe and sit down with a lovely hot fair trade coffee rather than this being an unusual treat you can only find in the city centre. All credit to our local borough council for taking the lead you have GGGs support and good wishes!
Visit the Gedling Borough council website to find out more about their aims for Fairtrade town status.
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Hurrah! Fashion Made Fair is coming to Brighton!
When we lived in London we loved getting the chance at the Old Truman Brewery off Brick Lane to see our favourite fair trade fashion come out of the catalogue and onto the clothes hanger. So I was thrilled to see a poster announcing that Green Threads was bringing the fair to Fabrica in Brighton for Fairtrade Fortnight.
All the usual favourites will be there
People Tree with some gorgeous garments in their new Spring collection
Howies the go to people for a talking point t-shirt! And lots of lovely comfort clothes
And top Tonic t-shirts and Ethletic trainers (must get me some of those) too.
Oh and whens all this happening? Well it all kicks off tomorrow (sorry about the late notice I only saw the poster on Monday!) with late opening till 9pm
Thursday 8 March 5-9pm
Friday 9 March 10am-6pm
Saturday 10 March 10am-6pm
Sunday 11 March 11am-4pm
Will I see you there? Hope so!
Katie
ethicalweddings.com
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I havent been able to find the link but in the programme of Roskilde Festival they claim that theres a whole area of green and fairtrade (due to the weather for the next couple of days I will join the mud girls global instead of green girls global) at the festival.
the area is the one surrounding the odeon stage how cool is that ? has anyone else any good fairtrade/green references from festivals ?
its so cool that they are acting on this =)
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This is a bit of a mixed-bag post about a few fair trade items I wanted to share
MY FAIRTRADE

This is a new networking website set up by the Fairtrade Foundation. It gives all of us the opportunity to share news and ideas about supporting fair trade. Ill definitely add something on there about Fair Trade Gedling soon.
I did feel that this site wasnt very easy to navigate and doesnt have the most logical format but I do think its a fantastic idea and its great to see all the fair trade support and activities out there. Take a look at http://my.fairtrade.org.uk
FAIR TRADE TOWNS

Back in February I wrote a post about fair trade in the borough of Gedling (where I live) and how a steering group was being set up in order to work towards gedling achieving Fair Trade Town status.
Well since then the steering group has been formed and plans are well underway with the first task being to identify local shops cafes/restaurants and workplaces who sell use or serve Fairtrade goods. Im sitting on the steering group as a local business rep with our web design business Make Hay.
If you run a business in the Gedling borough of Nottinghamshire you may have received a letter about this or one of the steering group members may have visited you. If you do run a business in the Gedling area and sell / use Fairtrade goods on a regular basis then please let us know so that we can add you to our Fair Trade Town directory. You can contact me by filling in the contact form on this website.
Were also looking for more steering group members so that together we can raise the profile of and support fair trade. If you live in the area and would like to sit on the steering group please contact me.
FAIR TRADE ON E-BAY
Did you know that e-bay (UK) now has a shop dedicated to fair trade?
You can search for lovely fair trade items by category (bags jewellery etc) but unfortunately the pages about fair trade itself and FT sellers seem to have disappeared.
In the shop youll see some of the old favourites like Traidcraft and Bishopston Trading and e-bay says

Today sees the start of Fair Trade fortnight.
Theres more to Fair Trade than just food. Its not just bananas cocoa and coffee; Fair Trade can apply to clothes and even toys.
Its about partnership with the suppliers in developing countries making sure they get a fair price for their products whilst ensuring decent working conditions and fair terms of trade even for the smaller producers.
There are those who claim that retailers are jumping on the proverbial bandwagon to sell us Fair Trade products but does it matter if they are? Fair Trade sales reached nearly

Raising my boys on healthy doses of competitive sports over the years I have had many opportunities to talk about what it means to have a game feel fair regardless of win or loss. Teaching young players a healthy respect for their teammates their opponents and the opportunity to do their best is what most of us parents really want our kids to get out of their sports experience. Now there is a company FairTradeSports.com that has taken the idea of respect and not only made it their balls trademark design but brought the idea of building respect into the games of life to a new level of social entrepreneurship.
This company is a model of what good business can do and bring to our global community. By aligning themselves as a Fairtrade Labeling Organization they are committing to paying their partners in production a living wage for themselves and their families. If adults can pay for shelter food clothing medical needs emergencies and expenses for education then children no longer have to contribute to family income.
In addition the company also pays a 20% premium which is used for improving the lives of the workers their families and their communities. Programs which have been instituted include community clinics and healthcare insurance a first in this industry as well as micro-credit loans and more. These are major improvements for the some 44000 people in Pakistan who are involved in making 70% of the worlds soccer balls at wages far below any standard of living.
Somehow when I consider the number of balls my boys have gone through in their soccer years it seems like I should have known some of this but like most of what we buy their source and the labor that went into it is disturbingly not part of the marketing package. In addition with all the good that you can do buying one of these fair trade balls the pricing is remarkably competitive to what you would pay in any store.
So its a win-win all they way around. We get to throw our purchasing power into some truly respectable projects supporting the people in the world who make our games possible and with every toss or kick we teach our children through words and actions that the real goal is in playing fair. For more information or to get one of these great balls for your kids upcoming season go to www.FairTradeSports.com

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I drink a tea from the Traditional Medicinal tea company everyday! Im slightly allergic to coffee which is horrible here in America as that is our national beverage next to beer; so my warm beverage for the morning commute is tea. I like the Traditional Medicinal tea brand for what I feel to be REAL tea no added flavoring or coloring like some of those other companies in fact some of their

A National Public Radio story on the Art of Aging confirms my thesis about the importance of making love sustainable. According to Dr. Sherwin Nuland a professor at Yale Universitys Medical School the three most important factors to graceful aging are a consistent exercise program tapping into creative impulses and sustaining the intimate relationships that make life meaningful.Nuland admitted he used to focus too much on physical health as the key to productive old age.

For a while Ive been trying to stick to buying natural wax candles with a fairly good degree of success. According to the New Scientist they are better for us and for the planet. The other week I bought a petroleum wax candle in a sale and I really did notice the difference more smoky and a distinct chemical smell. Definitely sticking to natural wax from now on but where to get those candles from?
In Edinburgh there are a fair few outlets that stock them at reasonable prices. One of the best for both quality and price is The Soap Box stall at the farmers market. They are not there every Saturday so you might like to give them a call to find out when they are next up: 01665 720 263. The lady that makes them is experimenting with concentrations of fragrances at the moment and welcomes all feedback.
LOccitane en Provence have some candles that are all natural wax and whilst they cost a little bit more than the ones from The Soap Box they have a wonderful lasting fragrance and are great for a treat.
Before Christmas I picked up some scented tealights in Oxfam Im not sure if they still have them in stock as I dont often get to one of their shops (I live near their music and book shops but not their original one). They were good value and had a good scent either vanilla or a Christmas spice style one.
Other stockists include the Mulberry Bush in Morningside Studio One in the New Town Napiers in the Old Town and Stockbridge and the Blackadder Gallery in Stockbridge. Youll only find small selections here but theyre worth a look. Last time I was in the Soap Company on the Royal Mile they had started a small range at reasonable prices.
Theres always mail order as well. Ive bought Amphora Aromatics candles at the Isle of Skye Soap Company when Ive been up there on holiday and theyre great I keep meaning to order some online rather than wait until my next trip north! They also do tealights which is brilliant as I used to get mine at Napiers but they seem to have stopped stocking natural wax ones.
Anyone else got any good natural wax candle tips?
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All this week I have been surrounded by a virtuous and I must confess rather smug glow thanks to a new discovery: Brighton & Hove Councils journey planner website Journey On.
Following on neatly from Arcadias post below this excellent innovative website allows you to count the carbon the calories and the cost of your daily journeys to and from work to the shops down to the beach wherever you want within Brighton & Hove.
I have touched before on my walk to work in the context of the deodorant debates (I walk a fairly long way very quickly with the inevitable issues on arrival!) so was delighted to discover thanks to the councils calculator that each day I walk:
over 4 miles
burning nearly 400 calories (or more as it says the journey takes 40mins and I do it in 30!)
saving 1.4kg in carbon emissions and

The following information was provided by Emily Dawson at Natracare.
Most proprietary brands of sanitary pads liners and tampons contain many synthetic materials that many women are unaware of. For instance in sanitary pads you might expect to find cotton but what you get is polypropylene polyacrylates surfactants plastic and chlorine-bleached wood pulp as well as the occasional fragrance. Tampons are made from chlorine bleached rayon or a combination of conventionally grown cotton and rayon. In addition the chlorine bleaching process used produces an unwanted by-product called dioxin a substance linked to cancer endometriosis low sperm counts and immune system suppression. With so many synthetic materials there is a lot of scope for allergic reactions.
Eight out of ten women have never heard of Allergic Feminine Irritation (AFI) – 79% yet millions may suffer with it at some time.
Gynaecologists say that up to a third of patients with symptoms of vaginal itching soreness and/or discharge may be experiencing the symptoms of AFI. One in six gynaecologists say that women notice these symptoms to be at their worst around the time of their monthly period suggesting that their choice of sanitary protection may be a cause or aggravating factor.
Mr David Nunns Consultant Gynaecologist at Nottingham City Hospital says

On a recent trip to Croatia my daughters saw a vendor of Henna tatoos- In the lazy summer sun it seemed like an innocent enough souvenir to take home. I missed the sign about the

By weight a baby will eat more drink more and even breathe more air than an adult. This means what you feed your baby (or child) has a much greater impact than it would have on you.
Most people would love to go

Well not exactly! What I mean is our governor has signed legislation prohibiting the use of phthalates in child care products for those 3 years and under. This ban has already been in place in the EU so its about time the USA (well at least one state) finally followed their lead. Other states are expected to take up similar legislation. Why cant it just be a nationwide ban?!
(What are phthalates? They are plasticizers used to soften PVC. If you want to know more ready my article here.)

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Whenever I get time I like to check out other green blogs and recently I came across one called Green Unlimited which is run by three sisters. They talk about the latest green products environmental news and also about the steps they are taking in living greener lifestyles.
One of their latest posts was about an investigation conducted by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) which found hormone-altering chemicals in air fresheners. I really do think that this should be highlighted to more people as not only do most of these smell awful and I think can give you a headache.

I think that the best bet is to open your window or use natural products. For example in the kitchen I mix water with lemon juice and spray it in the air to get a nice refreshing and clean smelling kitchen. In the bedroom I dry lavender which makes my bedroom smell lovely. Having plants around your house is also a great way of creating a healthy clean and nice smelling home.
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Im a yo-yo organic skincare products user fluctuating between just not being able to afford it and then feeling after all that its well worth the extra cost. Every time I go back to organic moisturisers and face creams I remember the difference they make to your skin and how it feels lighter fresher and cleaner.
This week Ive been trying out a few of Beyond Organic Skincares products and not been disappointed at all.

Beyond Organic Skincare is a family-run business based Cornwall and seeing the beautiful view they have from their workshop you can see why theyre so committed to caring for whats natural. Impressively 90% of the ingredients of their skincare products are sourced from the West Country in the UK which must be no mean feat plus all of their ingredients are certified organic by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDAA). They take care to ensure they provide a healthy working environment for staff and inform us that theyre committed to various environmental and fair trade issues.
A good start isnt it? And thats before weve tried their creams.
The Beyond Organic Skincare products Ive been using are the:
Moisturising Day Cream
Rescue Salve
Rejuvenating Serum
Regenerating Night Cream
First of all I need to point out that when the pretty little bottle & pots of lotions arrived they were contained in simple packaging of tissue paper and a card box with an information leaflet all of which could be recycled or composted.
These products have a very similar smell which is subtle fresh and non-perfumey and the information sheet goes into detail about the qualities of the natural ingredients in each of them.
Ive used the Moisturising Day Cream more than any of the others which worked well either with our without make-up. It has a lovely consistency a little bit like a mousse and at this time of year where our faces are being battered by cold wind and dry central heating it moisturised my skin well without being heavy.
The Rescue Salve is the serious cream of the bunch designed to help with skin irritations and inflammation and although I dont have any of those problems I found it acted as a great lip balm and eye cream for that bit of extra protection.
Similarly the Rejuvenating Serum seems to provide that deeper hydration and again feels good to use around your eyes (especially if you have a few laughter ahem lines like me!) because its like an oil which according to Beyond Organic Skincares information is very similar to human sebum in the skin.
At night time the Regenerating Night Cream is soothing and I think thats the marshmallow ingredient. Again this one especially good for these winter months that are so harsh and drying but I imagine would work just as well after a day in the sun.
I wouldnt say that the price of Beyond Organic Skincares products are that different to their organic counterparts and you only seem to need to use a little at a time so it should go a long way.
You can buy online too so those of us who arent lucky enough to live in beautiful Cornwall can still enjoy them. There are several more products available aside from the 4 Ive tried including the intriguingly named Boob & Butt Pick Me Up.
Check out their website at www.beyondskincare.co.uk.
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The Institute for Responsible Technology has launched a new website for all those Americans (more than 50% of the population) who said they would avoid GMO enhanced food if it was labeled. Its called the Non-GMO Shopping guide. Polls show 9 out of 10 Americans want GMOs labled the US does NOT require labeling! What are GMOs? Genetically Modified Organisms or gene-spliced food. You take the genes of one species and put it into another. This is not the same as splicing a tree with another tree this is more like splicing a tree with a cow!
Europe which is always light years ahead of us have many countries that are GM free or reject GMOs. The World Trade Organization will not let any country outright ban GMO products.
The IRT website lists popular brands that dont use ingredients from the eight GM crops such as soy and corn. It also list dairy products that dont allow the controversial GM bovine growth hormone. Needless to say I have bookmarked this site and have sent the link to friends and family!
IRTs Executive Director Jeffery Smith says

Last summer the American public witnessed the price per barrel of oil soar over $150.00. Consequently this brought gasoline to swell over the unimaginable price of $5.00 per gallon. The Energy Information Administration states that the U.S. imports 58% of its oil. This striking fact piqued the interest of the solicitous public and begged the questions: “What are the energy alternatives?” and “How do we become energy independent?”

Many of us decided to carpool use public transportation and even began riding bikes and walking to work in hopes of decreasing our dependency on foreign resources. Although this is a great start to weaning the U.S. away from its addiction to oil it still would not be enough for an independent energy program. Our energy policies need to change quickly. Currently only a percentage of a barrel of oil is used for transportation in the U.S. As we learned at a young age oil is not only used for feeding our cars but for heating power generation and creating our coveted plastics. The U.S. needs to consider new independent and sustainable energy sources; ones that will create jobs lower the emissions of greenhouse gases and hopefully decrease the need for dependence on foreign energy sources.

Solar power has been one of those resources that has been burgeoning on a global scale and can create an independent environmental and economically viable source of energy. Solar technology harnesses the suns radiant light and heat into electricity to heat our homes charge our batteries and power our appliances. According to the Energy Information Administration electricity is currently produced by coal-based means and accounts for more than 50% of the total electricity generated each year. Coal production presents significant environmental and economical damage as well. A shift towards solar energy production will create thousands of jobs in both the design and development fields decrease greenhouse gases and establish a renewable and sustainable energy program.

In addition to solar power wind energy is rapidly becoming another plausible choice to increase Americas energy independence. Wind energy is harnessed by turbines placed on large wind farms connected to local power grids. Wind power is a completely renewable clean and efficient source of energy. Wind power has an economic advantage as well. During periods of struggle in rural communities it can provide supplemental income through land leases tax credits and employment. Utility companies have increasingly purchased the surplus energy generated by wind farms.

Solar and wind power are only two of the potential energy alternatives that will assist the U.S. in becoming energy independent. Exploring the many sustainable energy options creates another opportunity to produce jobs and give birth to a new economy. With the onset of establishing and using renewable energy comes the investment opportunities for the government and the private sector to build the necessary infrastructure to house the new sources of energy. In turn the U.S. will rely less on foreign energy sources and more on establishing and using domestic energy sources that are not only efficient but sustainable and independent.

Going Once Going Twice Going Green Conservative?
In my last column I mentioned the latest Liberal Conservative perspective was that of the band wagon jumping “Green Conservatives.” First of all I support responsible resource management and the use of common sense in reducing the toxicity of the environment. What I dont support is the use of government to mandate where when why and how we should practice this. I dont think that turning off the water while I brush my teeth or leaving the bathroom light off while I poop in the dark makes a bit of difference in protecting the environment for our children. I also refuse to join the Kool-Aid drinking crowd that embraces this movement in a weird cultish way and worships Al Gore as their reverent leader.

In my view there are two types of green. There are the “practical” users and then there are the “ideal” dreamers. The latter by the way have the Liberal Democratic perspective that love to sensationalize the use of green and are quick to state green theories as “facts.” These individuals are skilled at using the green buzzword to try and get leverage for their own self-serving agendas. These are not to be confused with the ones in the back yard with their huge plastic vats elaborate tubing and solar sundials trying to get their cars to run on garbage. Hmm…Id love to put my Joseph Abboud suit on and throw a bag of garbage in the tank before I head off to work. Better yet maybe I should unzip my pants piss in the gas tank and use my own energy as fuel. What INSANITY!!! Oh I know there are many fuel alternatives available now but until we can work them into society without sacrificing our economy itll never be main stream. Thats the reality.

Speaking of insane when I first heard about the environmental movement in the Eighties it came in the form of people picking up after their dog. I couldnt believe my eyes. This was the most idiotic thing I had ever seen. I mean if God had intended feces to be a hazard to the environment He would have created another avenue for “two by two” to relieve themselves. Yet here we humans are using a plastic “environmentally unfriendly” baggie to pick up a naturally bio-degradable product like total morons. Then we toss it in the garbage convinced that now the watershed is less polluted. Oh I know they have the supposed bio-friendly “glove” version now but last I observed on the hiking trail no one is using them. I think most people prefer a thick well-insulated product that can safely keep animal feces away from their hands while they drink their pure and natural Glacier water from a “plastic” bottle. “Damn its hot out here.”

Heres a quote from Al Gore that really makes me laugh. “I drive a hybrid. Tipper and I got a Lexus hybrid. And we have a couple of Priuses in the family with our children. And I encourage people to make environmentally conscious choices because we all have to solve this climate crisis.” Is he kidding??? Thats a $50000 plus vehicle. Tell that to Juan Lopez and his family of four as Juan shows up to mow Gores lawn in a beat up pick up truck. Other than a quick “Hola amigo” Gore could give a rats ass. Screw Juan and his beater truck. Hes off to make the world green. (No political agenda there.) I think its easy to save the environment if you have money. Thats what they forget to tell you. That being ideally environmentally conscious will cost you big time. It all sounds good until you have to write the check. Then its “maybe next time!”

I am tired of hearing the trendy “green” buzzword misused. Until a real practical definition is shared with the masses I think Ill just stand here and wave as they parade through my beach town. Then being a true “Green Conservative” Ill let my German Shepard crap on your lawn take a swig from my ice cold bottle of Fiji jump in my Hybrid Escalade ESV and head on down the road to Oz.

Until my name is on the ballot somebody get me a brimmed hat a trusty steed and a gun.

Now a general audience in the US could be anyone we are a broad range of people here. It is difficult to write something without input or dialog with the primary contractor. So I kept it fairly generic sometimes we need to be more specific talking to school children is different than talking to families than talking to politicians than talking to farmers etc. So that being said see below.

“Energy independence is more than just reducing our dependence on foreign owned oil fields. We could come up with a simplistic solution simply raise taxes on oil imports to the point where consumers voluntarily reduce their use of oil simply because the cost is too high; this has worked up to a point in Europe for several years. While this would indeed reduce our usage of foreign oil it does not reduce our dependence. It also does not solve the issue of the critical need for alternative fuel sources that would reduce the cost and increase the availability of fuel to fill a world wide need. It also increases the risk of our economic status becoming dependent on the political stability or instability of a foreign power that holds control of the oil.

Alternative energy sources not only create new markets contributing to internal economic stability they also provide choices for Americans who wish to be in control of their own environment. While the US may never be completely independent from the demands of foreign owned energy sources (nor should we focus on that as our primary goal) we would be more able to control our own energy market by providing the tools to support a transition from a totally oil controlled market to a multi-sourced alternative energy market dominated by our own ingenuity and desire to provide alternatives to the world‘s populations. We need to develop alternative solutions which work together rather than cancel out each other; an example utilizing a food source for fuel causing issues with the increased cost and lack of availability of grain i.e. ethanol from corn. We need to look at the alternative energy questions as a global classroom where we become the teachers learn from our early mistakes and grow into our potential as leaders in a clean and safe world

It is vital to the “whole earth” concept that we begin to teach our children from pre-school on that there are alternatives encourage the development of educational processes that are as much as part of the day to day school programs as are Math and English. It is absolutely necessary to establish collaborations in the field of education corporate America government agencies and within the world-wide scientific community and encourage our young people to be part of the development of these alternative energy programs. We need to encourage and fund cutting edge scientific research encourage environmental renewal teach conservation of energy in daily activities provide alternative energy sources to be utilized in all aspects of day to day life as simple as routinely installing solar panels and as private citizens selling back the excess power to the power companies to developing wind energy or utilizing existing clean technologies such as fuel cell and solar hydrogen energy. The development of safe alternative energy resources is necessary to ensure our energy independence and provide a safe and clean environment. The programs we fund and develop now will be vital as we transition over the next several years from dependence on non-renewable resources to clean alternative and renewable energy choices.

It’s no secret that the United States’ key to energy independence lies in its need to break away from a fossil-fuel based economy.
Why should wars be fought over raw fuel sources when energy can be derived much closer to home with little conflict? And, why should carbon emissions from fossil fuels push the world much more quickly toward the brink of climate change?

The need to find alternative energy sources immediately is staring us in the face. Some leaders have seen this as in California where the state Air Resources Board, because of a law known as AB32, is developing a plan to force polluters to drastically cut carbon emissions or pay for credits to emit them. The Obama administration is in favor of such a plan on a national scale.
It’s not as easy as it may sound since industrial interests claim such measures will cripple a country already in the throes of a deep recession.

You’ve probably noticed that green is everywhere these days–in the news, politics, fashion, and even technology. You can hardly escape it on the Internet, and now with the Planet Green TV network, you can even enjoy eco-friendly entertainment 24 hours a day. That’s all great as far as we’re concerned, but with a million messages and ideas coming at us from all sides, it can be easy to get caught up in the quotidian stuff—switching to organic foods, turning down the thermostat, recycling, say — without thinking about the big picture of how your actions stack up. Worse, you could even be suffering from a little green “fatigue” — that is, tuning out the green messages due to their ubiquity.

Google Energy, which is owned by the search engine company Google, got approval Thursday to buy and sell energy on the wholesale market. The company was created and applied for market based rate-authorization in December, and it will be able to start trading energy on February 23.

According to reporting by PC World, Google’s move into the energy market is a strategy to help provide power to the electricity-hungry buildings that house its search engine, advertising network, email software, and all the other things Google does that require large groups of computers.

Google has also made a pledge to be carbon neutral, so being able to buy and sell energy will help it incorporate greener energy into its operations, the article said.

BP today announced that it has approved initial payments toward 90% of commercial large loss claims that have been filed as a result of financial losses of the Deepwater Horizon incident and spill. Using an accelerated process BP approved payments of 337 checks for a total amount of $16 million to businesses that have filed claims in excess of $5,000. Initial payments began over the weekend and will be completed this week. The remaining outstanding commercial large loss claims are awaiting documentation and are continuing through the process.

The acceleration of commercial large claims payments will help ease the burden on impacted businesses by providing access to money in a short period of time.