Here are some worthy campaigns and worthwhile companies. Take a closer look and give them your support.

 

 

Now even your laughs can help make the world a better place. Pop over to Shepherds Bush Empire on Thursday for War on Want's Comedy Gig 2010, which showcases some of Britain's top talent: Stewart Lee, Ed Byrne, Janey Godley, Ian Stone, Ivor Dembina, Dan Antopolski, Andy Zaltzman and Terry Saunders. It's also a good cause: War on Want supports poverty-fighting and justice campaigns around the world. Have a closer look at their Supermarkets & Sweatshops campaign (you'll think twice before buying cheap supermarket flowers, let me tell you).

Catch the show this Thursday (4 March 2010). Doors open at 7pm. Tickets cost £20 at TicketWeb or by phone on 0844 477 2000.

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...or "A People's Takeover of the World's Food Supply".

 

Toto, I have a feeling we're not in FarmVille any more.

 

Colin Tudge's blog the Campaign for Real Farming espouses an era of "Enlightened Agriculture: designed expressly to provide food for everyone of the highest standard without wrecking the rest of the world; to be achieved by an 'Agrarian Renaissance'". Noble aims or (sustainably farmed) pie in the sky? Have a read and decide for yourself. Clearly, some changes have to be made: currently the average UK farmer is well over 50. If their farms get turned into soft play centres or ritzy neighbourhoods we may start to feel a bit peckish in 20 years time...

 

Save money in the kitchen with Approved Food, the UK's biggest online source of clearance, short-dated and out-of-date approved groceries, snacks and drinks. Approved Food sells products past their 'Best Before' dates but not past their 'Use By' dates (a crucial distinction). They also sell clearance stock that's been discontinued or is in 'outdated' packaging.

 

All this means that perfectly decent food gets used, instead of being tossed in the supermarket skip and sent to landfill. If you're uneasy, have a look at the UK Food Standards Agency's guidelines about 'Best Before' dates.

 

They seem to stock quite a lot of junk food, but I hope I can trust you to go easy on the fizzy drinks and Jammie Dodgers (I spied some lovely Persian pistachios). They also stock non-food items such as toiletries and cleaning products. Have a squiz and help cut back on food waste (while you cut back on your shopping bills).

 

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind way to freshen up your home for 2010, try wool rugs, stair carpets, wall hangings or chair covers from Rachel's Wool. Rachel Scott is a true artist and was trained as a painter at The Royal College of Art, London. Rachel began spinning and weaving in 1976 and still delights in her personalised creations.

 

For her rugs, Rachel spins her own yarn directly from the fleece of different breeds of British sheep, giving the rugs 100% natural colour and texture. She even weaves one-of-a-kind outfits, but I'm particularly fond of the beautiful chair covers, like the one I just bought from her (right). It has 52 colours in each rectangular block. Rachel often uses found furniture (her daughter found this chair abandoned on the pavement), which she brings back to life with her colourful covers. They're surprisingly durable and easy to clean (Rachel says just pop the cover your washing machine's gentle cycle, and it will air-dry in a flash).

 

Rachel takes commissions, so if you have a tired-looking chair or sofa, get in touch with her for a quote. Revamping an existing piece of furniture is not just eco-friendly: when Rachel does it for you, you end up with a veritable work of art. 

 

 

 

Green up your home with help from the products at BigGreenSmile.com.  You'll find natural beauty lotions and potions from companies such as Bentley Organics, This Works, Jason Organic and Avalon Organics.  There's a fab selection of green cleaning products from Method, Ecover and the cute 'Washing Line' range from Cath Kidston (right). Pamper your little one with organic baby gear from Cowshed, Weleda Baby and Burt's Bees, plus of course those all-important disposable eco nappies from Moltex!

 

You'll also find green lifestyle tips on topics such as how to save water and energy (and cut those household bills). The prices are great, and you can get an additional 10% off when you enter the code FOCUS10 at checkout (offer good until end of January, 2010).

 

 

 

If you're interested in getting an allotment but don't know where to start, try the website of the Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners for information on how to find your nearest allotment scheme.

 

For more advanced allotment gardeners, there's plenty of information, advice and guidance on how to prepare leases and rental agreements, how to apply for grant funding, prepare or edit constitutional rules and how to fight your council for more allotment space or at least prevent them from abolishing current allotment space (they're always trying to sneak more green space to build on).

 

Do you sell items on eBay? Are you planning a house move? Try online transport marketplace Shiply. By sharing lorry space you save carbon (and cash).

Go online and list the goods you want to transport and get low-cost quotes from over 6000 green transport providers already making similar journeys.

 

By using the spare capacity in delivery lorries, Shiply helps you save up to 75% in parcel delivery costs. You'll also be helping to cut wasteful journeys (over 4,300,000+ miles saved so far) and CO2 emissions (2,000,000+ kg saved so far).

 

It's a great solution if you're a regular parcel shipper or if you're planning a house move. They can even help you move fragile items safely (and in an eco-friendly way).

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Nigel's Green Web Awards kicks off the 2009 awards season. They may not be the Oscars, but  at least you get a say in who wins these awards. You can nominate (for free) as many of your favourite green websites or social media campaigns as you like, in a range of categories.

 

After nominations close, a panel of distinguished judges from top green sites (plus yours truly) will choose the winners (don't worry, judges can't judge a category if their personal sites are included. Fair's fair!). Check out last year's winners here and get nominating! While you're at it, check out Nigel's Eco Blog and his Twitter page.

 

Seymour Green's my newest Facebook friend. He's the cheeky spokes-hedgehog of this fleet of 100% carbon-neutral recycling vehicles. Each one is tarted up with advertising billboards for good clean fun (and good green marketing). To spread your eco message around central London while giving Londoners a chance to recycle (the existing fleet of Hedgehogs can recycle 7.2 million cans and 4.3 million bottles a year) get in touch with Seymour and co at his website Be Seen Be Green.