thegreenguy

My quest for an ethical wedding suit: Mission Impossible?

I'm in the market for an ethical suit for my wedding. So far, I've tried charity shops (wrong sizes, dubious styles), a good ten minutes of Googling and looking on blogs for Fairtrade and/or organic suits (nothing for men in the UK), and - today - a trip to M&S's flagship Marble Arch store. To say the M&S experience was disappointing is an understatement. Things started badly with a senior-seeming tailor who didn't have any interest or knowledge of Fairtrade or organic suits and ended - after I'd decided a practical suit that I could wear for lots of occasions might be the most ethical thing I could get - in a farce over misinformation on sizes for my Mr Puniverse 36 inch chest. I came away empty-handed. Now, I'm at a loose end and I need your suggestions. I've just seen Green Union recommend Junky Styling, so I'll try their Brick Lane store, but that's about my only hope right now. Ethical Weddings' forum is ominously silent on the notion of 'green grooms'. Help!

FillThatHole actually works - shocker!

Warning: parochial cyclist post. If you cycle anywhere in the UK but have been holding back from reporting whacking great pot-holes on the FillThatHole website because you didn't think anything would happen, stop holding back. It does work, it just takes time. Two months ago I reported a chasm down Lambeth way; yesterday I cycled over that same chasm, which is now a smooth, well-repaired bit of road. I know, I know, it's sad and anoraky, but at least the net result is more (ahem) concrete than writing to your MP to save the world.

Man City FC: after turbine, we're going green with heating and water

So said their CSR man, Pete Bradshaw, at a conference I poked my head into today. Not content with building a 2 megawatt turbine with Ecotricity - which'll be erected before 2007's out - the club is also looking to green up its heating and water. Geothermal's ruled out, as it'd require a new building and, well, the stadium's only just five years old, but the audience was told all options are being considered. Man City's man singled out Arsenal as one of the few other Premiership clubs making serious attempts to go green.

10 per cent of cotton will be organic by 2015-20, says Organic Exchange

Ever wondered how much global cotton is organic? No? It's not really pub banter, is it? Well, it's less than one per cent right now, but - if the Organic Exchange's optimistic hopes are right - it could jump to 10 per cent within a decade. I've just been chatting with the Exchange's director, Rebecca Calahan Klein, and she told me that between 2015 and 2020 is a realistic time-frame. If you're thinking 'that's great, but why can't I find organic cotton on the high street right now? Why did H&M not re-order its organic range after flogging it in 3 weeks?', then keep the faith.

How web designers can go green

There's an interesting post about greening your web business on Simon Collison's blog. His handy tips include offsetting your servers with Coco, recycling stationery, and buying locally-sourced and Fairtrade grub and drinks. Like Jon, one of his commenters, I'd have to recommend Good Energy or Ecotricity's New Energy Plus tariff for electricity supplier. Both use 100 per cent renewables and unlike Simon's current supplier - Npower's Juice - don't have a parent company that invests in nuclear power. Vested interest declaration: Simon's design agency maintains and develops Newconsumer.com, the site I edit by day.

Introducing The Nag: your friendly climate change reminder

The Nag, the latest project to tumble out of Anti Apathy's workshop, is live. It's a slickly-designed pledge-type site that nags you to make little changes in your life to slow down man-made climate change. There's a social networking element too, so you can nag your mates/colleagues/pets to - for example - switch to green electricity. It looks good, albeit very embyronic right now. Incidentally, there's a launch party next week.

Newconsumer.com is looking for an online staff writer

Fancy working in the handsome office on the right while writing about green and Fairtrade news? I've just posted a job ad over on Newconsumer.com's Ethical Jobs Finder for an online staff writer. As well as getting to eat copious amounts of Fairtrade chocolate, you're also likely to interview some mighty interesting people and learn more about ethical living than anyone in your town street. Please spread the word to any  great green writers.

Video: why you really don't want to overfill your kettle

A homeCO2meter materialised on my doormat last week. It's a 'smart meter' - one of those gadgets that tells you how much eleccie you're using in real time - and its USP is a bargain £40 price tag. That's about £20 cheaper than its main rival on the market, the Electrisave. I'm testing the homeCO2meter for a round-up of smart meters I'm writing for the Guardian and thought I'd share a little video reminder of why you really don't want to overfill your kettle - click through to watch.

Bare all to FOE, win £100 to spend in its shop

Email just in from Anna at Friends of the Earth, who I work with for their fab Living section. They're offering you a £100 voucher to spend in their shop on a whole lotta eco-themed books, such as Felicity Lawrence's rather good food book, pictured. Your part of this Faustian bargain is to sell your soul tell them your 'green story'. Basically, whatever little thing you've done to slow down climate change. Follow this link to enter.

Greenpeace's Greener Apple campaign shoots, scores!

Greenpeace's hammering of Apple's eco record has paid off, resulting in Steve Jobs unveiling several green pledges yesterday. Take a look. The plans include expanding its iPod recycling scheme to worldwide Apple stores, removing brominate flame retardants by the end of 2008, plus recycling 28 per cent of the weight of its Macs, Pods and other kit by 2010. Jobs' manifesto is an OK modest move, but there's room here for Greenpeace to do more lobbying soon (as the charity says here).