Archive for January, 2010

Chocolate has always been something of a guilty pleasure but the devil has always been in the calorie count. Now however we understand the origins of our chocolate and there’s a new guilt based on the ethics behind its manufacturer and transportation. Can there be a ‘green’ way to buy chocolate? Well, fairtrade organic chocolates are your best bet (and a great gift) so here’s a quick guide on how to choose your treats.

How ‘green’ is chocolate?

For most of the world’s population chocolate can never be truly local because cacao beans can only be grown in tropical and equatorial climates. Ultimately this means that chocolate manufacture is going to involve shipping at some point and that increases carbon emissions. That’s the downside, the upside is that cacao beans, like coffee beans, are produced within infrastructures that allow fair trade bodies to oversee the agricultural process and so ensure that communities receive a fair price.

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Consider for a moment how much energy is used in your home and you’ll soon realise that the kitchen is probably the main culprit for consumption. The average kitchen will have a fridge/freezer, microwave, kettle, toaster, oven, gas hob, extractor fan and washing machine. Then there are the luxury items such as a dishwasher, coffee maker and electrical labour saving devices for cooking.

All of these appliances drain electric, gas and water which ultimately costs money and has a major impact on the environment. Here are some tips to make your kitchen more ‘green’ plus some Ethical and fair trade kitchen products for cooking and serving your food.

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Relaxing on a sun drenched beach is a top holiday pastime, but it’s often confined to the tourist heavy peak seasons. For those seeking some winter sunshine, or perhaps looking to get away from the crowds and save a bit of cash at the same time, out of season holidaying is the answer. It doesn’t have to involve travelling half way across the globe either. There’s a good variety of year-round destinations waiting to be discovered closer to home, where warm weather and some great cheap hotels can be found.

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We’ve all heard the hullabaloo about global warming and climate change. And whether you believe it or not, the fact still remains that you can save on your utility bills and help do your bit against pollution by undertaking some simple changes in and around your home. This can include installing Double glazed windows – where two sheets of glass are separated by a thin vacuum (or gas-filled space) to reduce the amount of cool or warm air entering or leaving your house. Double glazing can mean in winter your heater is not wasting its time by warming the air only to have it escape through the glass in your windows. Or, cool air filtering into your house won’t need to be heated, thus decreasing your bills. The reverse applies in summer. The cool air is kept in, and the warm outside air is kept out. When you think about it, it makes sense. Even if you don’t care much for saving the planet, you will more than likely care for the money leaking from your pocket – and double glazing can help stem that flow.

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What’s the difference between experienced dog owners and new ones? They can bond with their dogs on a deeper level. They have learned the dog language. It is mostly body language of course, but is vital to know if you wish for a healthy long relationship with your dog.

So, how can your dog speak to you without saying a word? Unless you are Dr. Doolittle, the barks are just noise, but how he moves when he barks is the clue.

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