”We’re hosting a short poll about getting rid of paper receipts. The poll is on our blog at:http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/retail/please-kill-the-paper-receipt-102310/.

We think paper receipts are a wasteful vestige of the last millennium. There is no reason – legal or otherwise – why consumers or retailers need paper receipts. Electronic receipts are completely valid and far more efficient. Not to mention, the production of paper receipts do some real damage to our environment.”

Ethical and Green would support the end of paper receipts for two reasons.  One they are a waste of paper and two they contain information that could, in some instances, lead to fraud if not disposed of properly.  That and they clog up your purse!!

Why not pop over to Software Advice and have your say http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/retail/please-kill-the-paper-receipt-102310/.

Check out the article here:

Other parts of Europe have also experienced flight cancellations causing travel chaos for many passengers.  However what an amazing day for the environment!  I hope there are people out there measuring CO2 emissions today!  It’s a great opportunity to find out exactly how much CO2 the aviation industry pumps in to the atmosphere in the UK.  With flights potentially being grounded for a further day there are many people celebrating at the positives this creates.

Many people who live on flight paths will have had a quiet day.  The dust is also set to give us some spectacular sunsets.  People have had unexpected days off and because the issue has been caused by nature people have taken the news very well.  Is this natures way of helping the environment?

1.How important are green issues to Sony?

We see ‘green issues’ and sustainability as a critical part of our company ethos and activities. The main aim of our sustainability activities is to both minimise our impact on the environment (which includes tough targets to reduce waste and energy) as well as to demonstrate that technology can be an important part of the solution to climate change issues and how we as a technology company can help with finding solutions – thus having an overall net positive impact as a company.

Eco conscious thinking also influences our product cycles – from the materials we source, recycle and reuse in manufacture, to the development of smaller packaging that takes less space for more energy efficient transportation. .

We’re committed to finding new ways of reducing the company’s impact on the planet; one of Sony’s long-term goals is to achieve zero carbon by 2050 with clear commitments and published targets for the short term and mid term (2015.)

Sony offices, warehouses and manufacturing across Europe have already cut CO2 emissions dramatically, but we are aiming to cut emissions by another 10 per cent in 2010 for all of our UK specific sites for example, as we’re signed up to the UK’s 10:10 initiative.

We see the 10:10 Campaign as an excellent initiative to engage employees and involve them in the overall environmental objectives of the company. We have established green teams across the UK businesses who are tasked with leading the way in co-ordinating the activities across the different sites. This includes actions such as cutting general power consumption in facilities and offices, as well as reducing employee travel, especially flights.

The 10:10 Campaign is part of a real commitment in our organisation to reduce C02 across our business and is part of an overall global corporate target to cut a further 30% in C02 emissions worldwide by 2016.

2. What have Sony done in the last 12 months to improve their carbon footprint?

March 2009 saw the announcement that CO2 emissions from Sony’s European sites have reduced by 90% (equivalent to 113.000 tonnes) over the period FY2000 to FY2008. The achievement of this reduction is part of the overall Sony commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, as mentioned above.

In addition to the reduction of CO2 emissions, Sony Europe was proud to announce last summer that all of its main 32 sites in the region were powered by electricity from renewable sources.

Energy saving measures have the biggest priority, with those that have been implemented by European manufacturing sites accumulating to an energy consumption reduction of 20.000.000 kWh in FY08.

3. How big an impact do you think our increasing reliance on technology has on the environment?

As a whole, our use and reliance of technology has grown over time. Some innovations in technology have a very positive role to play – such as better communication technology in video conferencing and telepresence solutions, to name one example, so people don’t have to travel huge distances.

At Sony we recognise that our products can have a negative impact on the environment, especially in terms of energy consumption, so we’re looking at many different ways to try to minimise power consumption in our products.

We’re also championing new ways in which innovations in technology can be part of the solution to some environmental challenges.

Technology can be effectively reapplied to actually help the environment; an example of this is the Forest Guard project – a powerful initiative devised by a group of school children. Their clever idea was to help prevent forest fires – a constant threat in their region – by having a network of solar powered CCTV cameras survey the forest. Not only do these fires create terrible human devastation but they also have a huge environmental impact – the carbon dioxide emitted during these fires can equal that produced by several million cars on the road in a year. The Forest Guard system would allow people all over the world to log on to view the forests and alert the authorities in the event of a fire.

This was an initiative that Sony wanted to be a part of as we could add our technology and engineering skills to the project and help this young team’s idea become a reality. To apply technology to help solve the problems of climate change is at the heart of Sony’s philosophy and we will continue with these types of initiatives into 2010 and beyond.

4. Has Sony released any products that will help customers reduce their carbon emissions? If so, how will these products help the environment?

Our 2010 BRAVIA range of TVs continues to have a strong focus on eco-aware credentials, which have been one of the cornerstones of our LCD TV development for a long time now, including the continuing push to reduce power consumption. The 2010 BRAVIA range of TVs incorporates LED backlighting technology, which provides superior performance with lower energy consumption. This reduced energy consumption means the majority of Sony’s 2010 range of TVs have been awarded the ‘EU Flower’ eco symbol, the official EU mark for greener products. As well as reduced energy consumption during use, compliance also includes a take-back policy for recycling and limiting the spread of harmful substances into the environment.

Additionally, all of the TVs include the Energy Saving Switch, whilst the BRAVIA LX900 will feature an updated version of the Presence Sensor and an Ambient Sensor, which will automatically detect the brightness and colour temperature of ambient light in the room, to adjust the TV for optimum viewing quality with minimum energy consumption.

This year we are expanding our line-up of LCD TVs using mercury-free LED backlighting, which is more energy efficient than traditional CCFL backlights.

Also, many of the laptops in our VAIO range have been awarded the Energy Star® 5.0 qualification. They are packed with energy saving features, not only do they have the latest energy-efficient LED backlight technologies, the power management settings put you in control of the power consumption so you can work or play all day on a single battery charge.

In our VAIO W series “eco edition” model, nearly 80 per cent of all plastic parts, including the top and bottom cover, are made up of recycled plastics, including CD and DVD waste.

This model is also supplied in an environmentally friendly, 100% recycled material carry bag.  The bags replace individual cardboard cartons, reducing packaging material from factory to store and from store to home. This means reduced CO2 emissions when the models are transported, as well as less waste, as there is no outer packaging.

5. Does Sony offer an exchange or recycling programme for old Sony merchandise?

Sony Europe is a member of several schemes financing the European Waste Electronic and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations, which include batteries and packaging take-back and recycling schemes.

In 2002 Sony founded (together with Braun, HP & Electrolux), the first pan European WEEE compliance scheme called European Recycling Platform (ERP). ERP’s mission is to deliver compliance & quality, including the prevention of illegal WEEE shipments by regular onsite audits of contracted recyclers and high treatment and recycling standards. In 2008, around 60,000 tons of electronic waste were collected and recycled on behalf of Sony Europe.

6. What are your top tips for becoming greener at home?

You can find a host of energy saving tips on Sony’s website (http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/eco/energy-saving-tips)

Here are three of the best:

Turn off your screen: switch the picture off if you’re listening to music through your laptop, and in a year you will save enough energy to charge your MP3 player more than 10,000 times

Switch off connected equipment: we know we should switch the TV off when not watching. But did you know that by switching off connected equipment like games consoles and home cinema systems for just one night could save enough energy to run the tumble dryer for 2 hours?

Turn down the brightness: most TVs and laptops allow you to change the brightness of the picture. Turn the brightness down, and in a year you could save enough energy to run sixty loads of laundry.

There we have it.  Some great examples of how Sony are stepping up to the challenge of reducing carbon emissions.  If you are in the market for new electrical items check out Sony’s range of eco-friendly products.  Not only will you be helping the environment but you’ll also save money on your electricity bill which can’t be bad.

Hopefully other big companies will follow Sony’s lead and improve their eco-credentials.  It’s also great to see that they have signed up to the 10:10 campaign.

Many thanks to Emily for taking the time to answer the questions.

Livia Firth, wife of Colin and founder of Eco interior design shop x was recently spotted out on the town looking very glamorous in ethical brand clothing.  She wore a dress by the brand Outsider and sported one of this seasons most sought after accessories the Elvis and Kresse handbag (made from recycled fire hydrants!)

During the red carpet season Livia Firth had made an effort to wear only ethically made dresses.  She achieved this but not at the price of looking anything other than glamourous.  This means there is hope that ethical fashion will become more mainstream.  Fashion houses and high street brands alike are launching ethical and eco fashion ranges.  We as the consumer have to buy them to show that they are viable products even in a recession.

Ethical and Green will be bringing you more on ethical fashion in the near future.

When you sign up you’ll be asked to invite your friends too.  Here is a copy of the email they send out:

‘Everyone’s looking for something to do about climate change. What’s needed is something straightforward, immediate and meaningful. I think I’ve found it. Today I joined thousands of individuals and organisations from across the country to unite behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in carbon emissions during 2010. It’s called 10:10, and everyone can be a part of it.

Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for most of us it’s an achievable one, and is in line with what scientists say we need right now. By signing up to 10:10 we’re not just promising to reduce our own emissions – we’re becoming part of a national drive to hit this ambitious goal country-wide. In our homes, in our workplaces, our schools and our hospitals, our galleries and football clubs and universities, we’ll be backing each other up as we take the first steps on the road to becoming a low-carbon society.

To find out more and sign up go to www.1010uk.org To read coverage of the campaign from the Guardian go to www.guardian.co.uk/10-10.’

Ethical and Green would encourage all readers and the companies they work for to sign up.  If we all pull together we can make a real difference to the world we live in.

It would be great if as many schools as possible could sign up for Low Carbon Day so check out the links.

Schools Low Carbon Day Launches to Educate 1 Million Children about Climate Change
National Schools Campaign to Raise Awareness about Climate Change on June 24th 2010

An annual event for both primary and secondary schools is announced today which aims to educate 1 million pupils across Britain about climate change and make them more aware of the impact they and their family have on the environment.
Organised by Cool The World, a registered charity set up by a group of mothers, ‘Schools Low Carbon Day’ has been designed to raise awareness of climate change among those who will be most affected by it – the younger generation – and give support and resources to schools looking to teach their pupils about this issue in a fun and engaging way.

On June 24th 2010, schools up and down the country will dedicate the morning to teaching their pupils about climate change and inspire them to do something to reduce carbon emissions in their home or school.
1000 schools representing some 350,000 pupils have already registered to take part, but the aim is to generate mass participation and teach 1 million pupils on the same day – to maximise the impact of the initiative and make pupils feel they can affect greater change together.
The structure of the morning is flexible and ultimately down to individual schools and teachers, however it is suggested that teachers planning to take part in the event split the morning as follows:
· An ‘academic’ period, learning about climate change and energy use
· A ‘practical’ period; possible activities include designing a poster, making a solar powered boat, holding a debate on nuclear power or climate change
· An ‘action’ period during which children will calculate their carbon footprint and pledge to do something about it
Teachers can access online resources from www.lowcarbonday.com and find lesson plans which meet curriculum objectives in Science, Geography and Design & Technology and include lessons for Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4.
“Schools Low Carbon Day is about mobilising the people who will be most affected
by climate change: our children. Schools have a vital role to play in educating children about the issue and by focusing attention and resource on one particular morning in the school calendar, teachers can educate their pupils about the environment in a fun and engaging way” says Erica Charles, mother and Cool The World charity founder.

To find out more information about Schools Low Carbon Day, sign up and download example teaching packs and educational activities go to www.lowcarbonday.com

In total, all seven continents, 125 countries, and more than 4,000 cities and towns took part in the event, which asked people to sign up and switch off their lights for one hour, to show that they care about tackling climate change.
In the UK there was far more celebrity backing for this event compared with last year. The Queen and PM got involved alongside celebs such as Ben Fogel, Stephen Merchant, Colin Firth and Tom Jones. It appears that going green is on everyone’s agenda this year. Let’s hope that this encourages more people to go green in 2010.
WWF have loads of information about Earth Hour on their website. Check out this link.  Every year it seems that the event is growing in popularity, not just in one country but around the world.  This is great for the environment.

Of course helping the environment shouldn’t have ended at 9.30pm yesterday.  There are so many things we can do on a daily basis to help cut our CO2 emissions and reduce our carbon footprint.

Not only will it get the kids’ creative juices flowing it is also a fun way to get them thinking about environmental issues.  The prizes sound pretty good too.

Full of Rubbish Ideas?
Ben Fogle inspires kids to create weird and wonderful designs from waste!

Ben Fogle and Britain’s leading ethically sourced coffee brand Kenco today launch the Kenco Eco Refill Young Eco Designer competition, encouraging children and their families to reduce and reuse waste in an imaginative way and become a new generation of ‘upcyclers’. Whether it’s turning old plastic bottles into robots or coffee packaging into origami flowers, Kenco is calling kids aged 6 to 12 to make or design something that can be transformed from waste into a new object and contend for the exciting Young Eco Designer 2010 title.



The search is on!

With an eye for originality and passion for a challenge, Ben Fogle will lead the Young Eco Designercompetition, inspiring kids around the UK to embrace their inventive potential and discover a fun way to avoid sending rubbish to landfill. Parents will be invited to send in their kids’ unique upcycled designs to Kenco[1] before 30th April to be in with a chance of winning the Young Eco Designer 2010 title and seeing their own design transformed into a reality!



New York, New York!

As well as the coveted title, the lucky winner will gain a spectacular trip to New York City with their family, where they will have a unique opportunity to visit TerraCycle, Kenco’s ‘upcycling’ partner, and see firsthand where rubbish including Kenco Eco Refill packs is already getting turned into upcycled products such as pencil cases, bags and backpacks.



Bored on your holiday?

Over the Easter holidays, Ben will be touring the country with Kenco in an upcycled London Routemaster bus to get youngsters on board and provide them with upcycling inspiration.  The Kenco tour bus will be stopping off at Chester Zoo, London Zoo and Longleat Safari Park[2] , where families are encouraged to come along and get those creative juices flowing!



“Kids have the most amazing imagination so I can’t wait to see what designs they come up with. Young Eco Designer is a fantastic competition for children and their families to be involved in, and shows how we can re-think the idea of rubbish”, says Ben Fogle, head judge on Young Eco Designer. “I’ll even be giving it a go myself!”



“This is a great way of helping children learn about the environment in a fun and creative way. In partnership with TerraCycle, we’re continuously encouraging people to upcycle their empty Kenco Eco Refill packs which have 97% less packaging weight than Kenco glass jars[3]. We’d love to see kids from all parts of the country getting involved too and showing us their best upcycling designs!” says Toby Smart, Kenco Brand Manager.



To get involved, submit your ideas by the 30th April. For more information and an entry form, visitwww.kenco.co.uk <http://www.kenco.co.uk> .


[1] www.kenco.co.uk <http://www.kenco.co.uk>  or Kenco Young Eco Designer, Freepost RRSS-JEYZ-KCZB, Concorde Building, South Marston Park, Swindon SN3 4TQ
2 Chester Zoo 3/4/5th April ’10; London Zoo 8/9/10th April ’10; Longleat 17/18th April ’10 – Ben will be on-hand at Chester Zoo on the 3rd April and Longleat Safari Park on the 18th April
3 Per gram of coffee

In March 2010 Quiksilver and Roxy are set to join forces to promote the message No Water Sucks, a Europe-wide campaign aimed at protecting our water resources. On both websites www.quiksilver-europe.com & www.roxy-europe.com, internet-users can do their bit by taking part in the eco-friendly online competition. From March 1st to April 30th 2010, Quiksilver and Roxy are set to launch a picture compe tition on the topic.

No Water Sucks whereby users will be invited to post their pictures illus trating ‘a lack of water.’ Winning entries must show crea tivity and imagination and the winning picture will be the one that garners the most votes from other internet-users in a one-click voting system. The winner will receive two cheques of €1000 each, one of which will be fully donated to one of the three charities the winner will have selected among the Green Cam paign’s partners. For every photo posted on the websites, Quiksilver and Roxy pledge to replant a tree.

Alongside the eco products that make up an integral part of the Quiksilver and Roxy collection, a limited series of T-shirts and bracelets bearing the No Water Sucks slogan will take pride of place in Quiksil ver Stores. For every eco-product sold during the campaign, one euro will be donated to support three water protection projects run in partnership with Save Your Logo*.

The eco products in the Quiksilver and Roxy collections are distinctive by their recycled label tags that feature green versions of both the Quiksilver and Roxy logos. The products are mainly made out of organic cotton or recycled polyester. When a product is developed by the qualified eco-design team,  its impact on the environment is taken into account throughout its lifestyle. For a Roxy or Quiksilver product to be classed as an eco-design it must be simple, durable and made out of environmentally friendly materials. The product must also be shipped to stores by river or land based transport.

At the end of its life, it can be returned to a Quiksilver Store for recycling and the lifecycle starts again. A selection of eco products can be seen throughout the Quiksilver and Roxy Spring/Summer 2010 collections, these include Roxy Jam Green Watch, Quiksilver Ray Watch, Quiksilver Girls Like Barrels Boardshorts and the Roxy Spot On Boardshorts to name but a few.

*Save Your Logo is a program of endowment fund for biodiversity which involves various brands whose logos symbolise natural elements (Mountain/Wave). These brands are encouraged to preserve those elements which have contributed to their success.

As a fan of Quiksilver and Roxy clothing it’s great to see how they are getting involved in green issues.  The boardshorts look great and Ethical and Green are sure that the range is going to be a success.  With summer just around the corner why don’t you check out the Save Your Logo range?  You’ll not only look good but feel good to!!