Sustainable water company ape2o has been named a 2022 Best for the World™ B 13Corp™ in recognition of its exceptional positive impact for its mission and engagement.

The London-based start-up is on a mission to eradicate single use plastic water bottles and encourage consumer change. It earned the honour of being in the world’s top five percent of B-Corp certified companies thanks to its impact business model. Ten percent of all sales from both its Big Ape water fountain machines and plastic-free water bottles go to ocean, beach and river clean-up and conservation initiatives.

Founder/CEO of ape2o, Anthony Newman says, “It’s amazing for ape2o as a British start-up to rank in the top five percent of all B Corps globally in this way. We have a simple mission – to help eradicate single use plastic water bottles – and if we can help encourage new habits around re-use and re-fill, then we’ve done our job”

ape2o’s mission has seen the company install Big Ape water machines in 11 separate locations across London including London Zoo, Mercato Metropolitano, One New Change, New Street Square and thanks to an on-going partnership with South Western Railway, in seven busy stations from Vauxhall to Wimbledon.

Best for the World is a distinction granted by B Lab to Certified B Corporations (B Corps) whose scores in the five impact areas rank in the top five percent of all companies in their corresponding size group. The key factors include community, customers, environment, governance, and workers.

Every year, Best for the World recognises the top-performing B Corps creating the greatest positive impact through their businesses. More than a badge of honour, Best for the World provides an opportunity for recognised companies to share knowledge, learnings, and best practices with the B Corp community and businesses outside of the community to encourage innovation and transformation across the business sector.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global non-profit network that certifies and mobilises B Corps, which are businesses that meet high standards of positive social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, and exhibit transparency.

#bcorp #plasticfree #plastic #plasticwaste #Waterbottlecompany #waterbottles #reducewaste

Deforestation, decomposition and photosynthesis are explored as we uncover the wonderful ecosystem of an oak tree .

The fifth book in the Wild Wanderers series looks at the humble oak tree and the life it helps to support.

Through Dom Conlon’s lyrical poetry and Anastasia Izlesou’s fantastic illustrations we journey through the life of one oak tree, discovering its contribution to the planet and the creatures who share it.

Touching upon many important topics, including photosynthesis, deforestation, decomposition and what plants need to grow, the book also includes a range of fascinating tree facts, making it perfect for use in science lessons.

Children are also introduced to a range of other natural life through the text and illustrations, including deer, caterpillars, ants, squirrels, pigs and more.

Grow, Tree, Grow! is perfect for use in cross curricular education, touching upon various teaching areas, including language, literature, science, art, history and PSCHE.

The Wild Wanderers series as a whole, consisting of Shine, Star, Shine!, Blow, Wind, Blow!, Swim, Shark, Swim! and Leap, Hare, Leap!. Leap!, takes a dynamic journey through biodiversity, the environment and its challenges to unlock a world of wonder. With rich language and enchanting art, Wild Wanderers idelivers STEAM education from the heart, including facts about the principal species and topics in order to embed a love of science and the natural world into children of all ages.

Graffeg have many more Wild Wanderers titles planned up until 2024, covering butterflies, cats, flowers and many more, educating as well as entertaining new generations of budding scientists.

Praise for Wild Wanderers series:

Leap, Hare, Leap! was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal 2021

‘A sumptuously illustrated, powerful poem’ Imogen Russell Williams, The Guardian (Swim, Shark, Swim!)

‘[Dom] has successfully created a living piece of literature that evokes all sorts of images and experiences the reader/listener may have and cleverly captures the life and forms of the wind in its journey across Earth.’ Christian Ritchie, Scottish Book Trust (Blow, Wind, Blow!)

‘Dom achieves so much with his compressed language […] I think Anastasia Izlesou’s illustrations for this book are even more stunning than in the other books.’ Nikki Gamble (Shine, Star, Shine!)

Grow, Tree, Grow!

Author: Dom Conlon

Illustrator: Anastasia Izlesou

Format: Paperback, 36 pages

Size: 250 x 250mm

ISBN: 9781802580761

Price: £7.99

Shop now at https://graffeg.com/ #childrensbooks #ecobooks #worldbooks

Updated: Aug 9

– Nearly 90% of local authorities experienced increase in demand for allotments (APSE)

– 38% of local authorities now have waiting lists of 1,000 people or more (APSE)

– National Allotments Week (8-14 August) to highlight benefits of growing your own produce

As National Allotments Week 2022 approaches, the value of the 18 allotment planters at Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens in London’s Wembley Park during their first full growing season is becoming truly apparent. The allotment garden has become a hub for residents of all ages to get together and connect with nature, to socialise over shared growing tips and to enjoy producing fresh, seasonal food for the whole family.

Taking place from 8 to 14 August, National Allotments Week 2022 is all about gardening with nature in mind, as well as raising awareness of the role of allotments in nurturing communities and supporting people to grow their own food, live healthier and more active lifestyles and connect with one another.

Demand for allotments has soared since the pandemic. According to the State of the Market Report (Allotments) 2021 from the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE), nearly 90% of local authorities experienced increased demand for allotments as a result of Covid-19.

Sadly, the availability of allotments lags far behind demand for them. According to APSE’s data, 51% of local authorities have between 100 and 400 people on their waiting list; 38% have waiting lists of over 1,000 people (up from 20% in 2020). Over 34% of local authorities report that people are waiting an average of over 18 months for an allotment plot to become available. In the London Borough of Brent, the Council reports that, “There are more than 20 sites run by us but due to high demand they currently all have a 1-2 year waiting list. Applications for new people to join a waiting list for an allotment site are currently closed.”

The figures throw into stark relief just what a privilege it is for Canada Gardens residents to have allotments beds available to use at their leisure.

“We are delighted that the allotments at Canada Gardens have proven to be such a valuable community feature. The entire development, with its acre of gardens, large roof terrace and on-site clubhouse is all about family and nature. The allotments are a core part of that.”

Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living

In addition to the 18 planters, Canada Gardens, which is managed by Quintain Living – the award-winning management company overseeing the rental of more than 3,250 apartments in Wembley Park – has a storage shed for residents’ tools, pots and seeds as well as a greenhouse for use. The shed also contains useful planting and growing information, while residents have recently set up a WhatsApp group to do the same. The green-fingered community members also come together in person, with the most recent event organised by Quintain Living generating an excellent turnout. Residents enjoyed sharing their growing tips and hearing from the professionals about how to care for their crops.

As the weather warms up, the Canada Gardens allotment beds are flourishing. Residents are growing a wide range of fruit and vegetables, including beans, tomatoes, carrots, cabbages, strawberries and blackberries, while a small herb garden is also coming along nicely.

For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927.

#quintainliving #apartment #allotments #allotmentweek #growyourown #homemade #homegrown

Written by Lauren Holloway – https://www.laurenholloway.uk/blogs/news/12-easy-and-sustainable-plastic-free-swaps-for-festival-season

I am off to a festival next week, this is a must share for your Festival Season eco recommendations!

It’s festival season and blimey, have we all been desperate for some music and dancing in the sun again after the last few years! But festivals can also produce a huge amount of waste, with thousands of tons of single-use plastics being dumped into landfill once the partying stops and everyone goes home to recover.

However, there are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to reduce your environmental impact and ditch the single-use plastics forever (plus make you feel exceptionally virtuous!).

So for Plastic-Free July I’ve put together 12 simple plastic-free sustainable swaps for a guilt-free festival this year.

1. Reusable Water Bottle – Kept for Life – £29.95

Reusable water bottles are a must these days and there’s certainly plenty of options available. But I just love Kept for Life’s stainless steel water bottle and can actually vouch for it personally as I have one myself! It’s double-walled so it can keep drinks hot or cold and it come’s in 3 colours. I love the wooden lid and the super handy handle for carrying.

https://keptforlife.com/product/bottle-slate/

2. Natural Deodorant – Seal – from £3

Kept those pits smelling fresh as you dance the day and night away with a natural deodorant from Seal. Their Peppermint and Patchouli smells divine and is made with natural, vegan friendly ingredients in the beautiful Cotswold town of Stroud.

https://www.priorshop.uk/products/natural-deodorant-peppermint-patchouli?_pos=5&_sid=a45ae2df9&_ss=r

3. Reusable Cup – Hunu – from £15

You might be in need of a strong coffee after a night of partying so you shouldn’t be without a reusable cup at your festival weekender. Hunu’s bestselling cup folds down to just 3cm, perfect for throwing in a bag or in your pocket as you carefully and steadily make your way to the nearest coffee stand.

https://www.wearehunu.co.uk/products/hunu

4. Leakproof Tiffin – Elephant Box – £26.50

Ditch the throw away food containers this year and take your own stainless steel tiffin lunchbox instead. Responsibly made in India and featuring a removable silicone seal to prevent leaks and spillages, this lunchbox will be your go-to for every meal.

BONUS – Elephant box are offering 15% off everything in their plastic-free July collection!

https://elephantbox.co.uk/collections/plastic-free-july/products/leakproof-tiffin

5. Plastic-free Sunscreen SPF30 – Sol De Ibiza – £21

Hopefully there’ll be plenty of sunshine during the weekend so it’s important to keep your skin protected from those UV rays. Sol De Ibiza offer a range of plastic-free Face & Body sunscreens from SPF15 – SPF50, both in their aluminium tins and 100% biodegradable cardboard tubes. Even the name makes you wanna dance!

Face & Body Plastic Free Tin SPF30

6. Biodegradable Glitter – EcoStardust – from £6

A festival wouldn’t be complete without glitter! Unfortunately glitter is very bad for the environment, contributing to microplastics and harming organisms, marine and aquatic animals. But don’t worry you can still get your shine on with EcoStardust’s biodegradable glitter, which is a plant-based, vegan and cruelty-free alternative to the plastic stuff.

https://www.phatandco.co.uk/products/sunshine-biodegradable-glitter

7. Bamboo Cutlery Set – Life Unplastic – £7.99

You should never be without your reusable cutlery at a festival especially given the astonishing fact that over 50,000,000, 000 pieces of single-use cutlery gets thrown into landfill every year!! This bamboo cutlery set from Life Unplastic is the perfect sustainable alternative and comes in a handy travel pouch. They also donate 2% of sales to Whale & Dolphin Conservation.

Bamboo Travel Cutlery Set – Zero Waste Path

8. Dry Shampoo – Primal Suds – from £6

Keep your hair feeling fresh and voluminous with some dry shampoo by Primal Suds. Dab some on your roots with your fingers, make up brush or use one of their shakers and you’ll be ready to dance the night away.

https://www.primalsuds.com/dry-shampoo-yoga-flame-100gms

9. Reusable Snack Bag – Lauren Holloway – £15

Having snacks on hand throughout the day is essential for keeping energy levels up whilst you’re running on minimal sleep! My Reusable Snack Bags are perfect for snacking on the go and can easily be popped into a backpack or bumbag. These handprinted natural linen bags come in 4 lovely colours and feature a food safe lining.

Reusable Snack Bag

10. Eco Toothbrush, Toothpaste & Floss Set – Earth Bits – £18.90

Don’t let the dental hygiene go out the window during the weekend. This Eco Dental Care Set from UK based family business Earth Bits includes a bamboo toothbrush, Georganics mineral-rich toothpaste and a charcoal fibre floss, all beautifully presented in plastic-free packaging. Your mouth will feel fresh as a daisy, even if the rest of you doesn’t!

Eco-Dental Care Gift Set, Bamboo ToothBrush, Eco-friendly Toothpaste and Floss

11. Steel Half Pint Cup – Green Pear Eco – £6

Keep the drinks flowing with a stainless steel cup from Green Pear Eco. Made from 85% recycled stainless steel and made in the UK, this cup also comes in a full pint size for the extra thirsty!

– https://greenpeareco.com/products/steel-cups-half-pint

12. Reusable Straw –The Last Company– £12

I just love these portable telescopic straws by London based business The Last Company. Each one comes in it’s own keychain holder so you can easily attach it to a belt, bag or your keys. Made from food grade stainless steel and includes a brush for easy cleaning. They are also a 1% for the Planet company which means part of your money will go directly to Ocean Preservation Charities.

https://thelast.company/shop/mint

I hope I’ve inspired you to make some easy plastic-free swaps to your festival essentials. If you have any other useful tips please drop me a comment!

Happy festivalling!!

#ecofestival #ecoproducts #ecoevent #ecocup #ecostraws #ecotoothpaste #bamboo #bambooproducts

Interior design has never been more in vogue – with the rise of social media it’s easier than ever to be agog in the digital front row as a never-ending parade of gorgeous interiors flits across Pinterest.

Not to be left out, the ‘green’ crowd is now thoroughly spoilt for choice when decking out a chic Earth-friendly abode. This is made possible through the latest how-to hacks on the University of YouTube or by product manufacturers getting on board with sustainability – creating more eco-friendly options for everything from paint to plaster.

Some clever furniture makers have decided that green warriors deserve more choice than granny’s inherited wicker chair, an upcycled eBay sofa and smattering of potted succulents. They have decided to bless green housanistas by, say, using discarded plastic to create the sort of furniture and textiles which are perfectly at home on the pages of glossy magazines dedicated to drool-worthy homes. In short, keeping the landfills from overflowing with human detritus has never been more chic, now that upcycled plastic furniture has been elevated to gallery-level pieces. Here’s a roundup of the most current and stylish options to love on the planet whilst ensuring that your property is unarguably Pin-worthy.

One: Stencil exterior concrete slabs

Images – Sourced from Pinterest.

Using paint to revive exterior concrete slabs is not exactly revolutionary, but with the right choice of stencils (avoiding the Victorian motifs that have been done to death), you could give your exterior flooring a wow factor upgrade with very little financial output. It’s simply the perfect way to inject new life into a concrete surface rather than consigning this bulky material to the skip.

Check out The Stencil Studio for some fresh motif inspiration.

Two: High-end upcycled plastic furniture

Image 1 :

Dezeen – brand, Plasticet

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/03/20/plasticiet-mother-of-pearl-furniture/

Image 2: The Melting Pot Tables collection by Dirk van der Kooij

https://dirkvanderkooij.com/meltingpot

Once upon a time, the single coolest thing to be done with plastic furniture was to spray paint a classic B&Q-esque plastic chair hyper gold and pretend that you had achieved something nearly as edgy as seating from CB2, if you squinted a little and tilted your head just so. No more. Recycled plastic furniture is now taking pride of place in Dezeen editorials and it really does look the business. For example, Dezeen described Plasticiet’s upcycled plastic chair as ‘Monolithic slabs of pearlescent polycarbonate’ – a description so unbeholden to ordinary household considerations, like comfort, that it is well worth any sophisticate’s extra zero (or two).

The Melting Pot Tables collection by Dirk van der Kooij is ludicrously gorgeous. Composed of old plastic toys and VHS video tapes, the tables defy their humble origin and take on an air of aptly playful yet solid nobility.

Three: Revolutionary child’s play

Image: Eco-Birdy

Set_Sunrise

The ultimate ‘green’ retailer that is a must-know for anyone wishing to live beautifully and sustainably is online store Ecobirdy – all the most desirable eco-friendly products under one domain. With their Set Sunrise playset – made of recycled toys – they do an amazing job of inviting little ones to join in the sustainability conversation by seeing practical solutions in action. Best of all, they are composed of a propriety material called ‘ecothelene’ which boasts the ability of being recycled over and over – though it is hard to see how anyone could bring themselves to part with such a covetable kiddie design. Perhaps the best answer to ensuring children’s products never enter landfills is to make them so robust and timeless that little ones are queuing up to be the next to pay and pass on. If that’s the case, then this collection certainly hits the mark with its primitive yet progressive chunky curves and contours.

Four: Sensational solar lighting

If you think of lighting as architecture’s jewellery – a directional accent that lifts the entire look – then you want your eco lighting bling to be from Gloster. It’s a rare thing to find mid-priced lighting so well formed and aspirational in its design direction, so to have lighting with these looks which are kind to the planet and to the pocket make this brand one for the little black design book. And that’s before rattling off the specifications. Gloster lights are supplied with two solar and mains power rechargeable LED units – hello carefree sun worship. What’s more, the lights come with radio frequency remote controls with 8 light output settings for up to 35 metres. Gloser lights might be designed for outdoors, but would work wonders as cable-free indoor lights too – solving age-old problems like wishing to add a decorative lighting to your, say, kitchen island. Let there be high-tech, eco-friendly light!

Five: Transformative textiles

Fern Living – Way Outdoor Cushion

Way Cushion – Off-White

Haven Furniture throws

The Haven Home Interiors | Furniture | Wirral & Chester

Tinsmiths – Recycled Plastic Braided Rug.

https://www.tinsmiths.co.uk/

Why not add a bit of softness and panache to your life with – discarded plastic? Sure to be great conversation starters and perfect for gifting, the disarming charm of today’s upcycled textiles will leave your aunty bemused yet tickled pink. Indeed, it’s pretty difficult to grasp the kind of alchemy that can convert plastic drinking bottles to soft and caress-able comfort accents, but seeing is believing. These home accents, including cushions, throws and rugs, offer a glimmer of hope for landfills everywhere, what with the estimated 7.7 billion plastic bottles we get through annually in the UK alone. Top picks include FernLiving’s Way Outdoor Cushion, which boosts a timeless monochrome Scandi design. Also check out havenfurniture.co.uk for pretty plastic throws and Tinsmiths.co.uk for joyful recycled rugs with punchy jewel tones.

Six: Exterior wall art

Seven: Warm up to a touch of class

Chesneys Clean Burn XL

With its eye-catching design that is hot and heavy on the specs-appeal, you’ll be looking for excuses to hang out in your garden in the dead of winter if it means firing this baby up. Chesneys is the absolute master of the wood burner game and this Clean Burn range is particularly pleasing as it produces next to no smoke and runs on negligible amounts of fuel, whilst still giving the great glowing warmth that one would expect from an engineered heating product of this calibre. Many options are available in the range and there are matching BBQ grills available to make sure that your green ethics are equally matched by your green style.

Eight: Build a sun trap

Image: Pinterest

These days, enjoying free energy from the sun is not just good eco sense, it’s good common sense. If you have an existing pergola, all the better – solar panels can be added to it retrospectively with very little fuss (in fact, they can be added quite easily to any carports or canopies you have in situ which are appropriate for their application). Good news for UK homeowners is that solar panels will charge even on rainy and cloudy days, so the investment cost is sure to pay dividends, particularly over much more expensive (not to mention, dirty) ways of providing electricity to your home. With solar energy becoming such a popular choice (almost a million UK households now have them), look for a local installer, then sit back and watch your electricity bills decrease by up to 65%.

Today’s guest blogger is Joy Archer. Joy is an eco-lectic interior designer and a sustainability journalist. She makes the case for a more eco-friendly lifestyle that respects wildlife and the planet’s natural resources on her own blog available at www.wilderjoystudio.com

Joy Archer, Sustainability Journalist, @wilderjoystudio

#ecohome #homes #homedesign #outdoor #outdoordesign #outdoorrenovations #outdoorliving #outdoorgarden #garden #burner #exteriordesign #interiordesign

This summer we have a limited number of This is How the Change Begins tote bags to give out to some of our readers.

With every order made on our website of This is How the Change Begins by Nicola Davies, we will be adding a tote bag free of charge. You can find out more about This is How the Change Begins below:

This is How the Change Begins is a collection of six illuminating poems inspired by the growing threat of climate change. From a consideration of our carbon footprints by way of Islamic mathematician Alhazen, the impact shifting weather conditions are having and will continue to have on our events and celebrations and the choices we have to make to turn the tide, these remarkable poems brilliantly confront the recognisable realities of the climate crisis with bold and lyrical language. Including background notes on the themes behind them, each poem has been typographically designed and arranged to best communicate these essential messages.

Here’s what some of our reviewers had to say about this brilliant book:

‘With a bold design and a powerful refrain that underscores the entire book, this collection of six poems is inspired by the growing threat of climate change. Considering our carbon footprints, the impact shifting weather conditions are having (and will continue to have) on our events and celebrations and the choices we have to make to reverse the damage, these poems skillfully confront the recognisable realities of the climate crisis.’ Natasha Onwuemezi, The Bookseller

‘These poems are perfect for sharing, reading aloud, and using as part of learning. They are evocative – they encourage the reader to engage with the issues without lecturing by using beautiful language and rhythm to make their point.’ Michelle Armstrong-Harris, The School Librarian

With temperatures soaring and July being #PlasticFreeMonth, we thought there was no better time than the present to do our bit by creating some organic tote bags made out of recycled cotton to help others on their journey to a plastic-free life.

Order now and claim your Free TOTE Bag.

This is How the Change Begins

#book #bookpublisher #planetbook #earthbook #ecobook #climatechange #nicoladavies #bookworm #read

THE UNCOMMON PARTNERS WITH KENT WILDLIFE TRUST TO SUPPORT GROUND-BREAKING CONSERVATION PROJECTS AS UK TEMPERATURES SOAR

Award-winning B Corp English winemaker, The Uncommon, has announced a new partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust, as the charity welcomed the UK’s first wild bison as part of Wilder Blean, a ground-breaking conservation project that hopes to slow the climate crisis.

Kent Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity and manages over 80 nature reserves across Kent, ensuring the landscape is protected and enhanced for wildlife. This week, Kent Wildlife Trust, in association with The Wildwood Trust, reached a pioneering conservation project milestone by releasing European bison into an ancient woodland in Kent.

The bison are ‘eco-system engineers’ which means they will restore life to the woodland through their natural behaviours and create a more climate resilient landscape within West Blean and Thorden Woods– located 10 miles from The Uncommon’s vineyard. This is the first-time wild bison have roamed in the UK for thousands of years.

The Uncommon is the UK’s first Certified B Corp wine brand and received one of the top three scores in the drinks industry largely thanks to its fully domestic supply chain[1]. It is committed to supporting ‘wilder’ approaches to conservation to help protect the natural environment for future generations.

Henry Connell, co-founder of The Uncommon said: “We are very aware that the future successes of the English winemaking industry are interlinked with the climate warming we’ve experienced this past week. This makes supporting our local communities and environment of paramount important to us, to help mitigate future damage.”

“We’re unbelievably proud to support this pioneering project as well as other nationally important but locally delivered ‘wilding’ projects going forwards. This is just the beginning, but we hope it inspires others to break tradition for the better.”

The Uncommon pledges to donate at least 2% of its revenue to charitable conservation projects over the year ahead. The team will also be giving their time to volunteering opportunities, as well as getting customers involved with fundraising and promotional activities.

An important part of Wilder Blean is community engagement: we want all of Kent to love the bison as much as we do, and value them and their amazing work as ‘eco-engineers’.

To have the support of The Uncommon, a beloved local business who values the importance of wilding and how crucial it is to mitigate the nature and climate crises, is exactly what we want for Wilder Blean. We’re so excited to see where this partnership takes us as we work towards a wilder future for Kent.”

#wildbison #kent #kentwildlifetrust #wine #ecofriendlywine #bcorp

The Oceanarium, Bournemouth are taking high measures to raise money for the Humboldt penguin conservation programme, even if it means jumping out of the sky! Despite their fears, Oceanarium’s brave team members will be jumping out of a plane on 11th August in an effort to raise money towards field conservation in Peru. The Bournemouth aquarium is sticking close to its values of wildlife protection by supporting the Punta San Juan program, a conservation organisation aiming to save important populations of emblematic seabirds of the Humboldt current, such as Humboldt penguins, Guanay Cormorants, Inca Terns, Peruvian Boobies and Peruvian Pelicans. They are classed as ‘vulnerable’ with the wildlife population declining due to many threats such as habitat loss, climate change and hunting.

The Oceanarium has already raised a whopping £2,500 since the beginning of 2022 and is aiming to raise another £1,500 with a last chance to donate by 19 August 2022. Whether it’s a five-kilometre penguin run in onesie suits, a chilli sauce challenge, or insect eating, the Oceanarium team are doing whatever it takes to fund the Punta San Juan programme. The Oceanarium will continue to support PSJ and aims to achieve just over £4000 by 01 September 2022. Aquatics supervisor, Annabel Hopes says “The Punta San Juan programme operates thanks to the support of zoos and aquariums such as ourselves and the

Oceanarium hopes to play a significant role in driving the success forward. We still have a long way to go but we are so happy with the results so far and we are so grateful to everyone who has kindly donated. Conservation programmes such as PSJ are very important to us because of our passion for wildlife and doing these fun challenges helps us achieve our goals of protecting animals and their natural habitats. No matter how small or big the donations are, we hugely appreciate anyone who comes forward to help achieve our fundraising goals for this amazing cause.” The Oceanarium has previously partnered with several other conservation programmes including antilitter campaigns, the Mediterranean monk seal, EAZA southeast Asia campaign and more. Conservation of endangered species is becoming increasingly important as a result of the world’s growing human population putting pressure on the habitats where animals live.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE PUNTA SAN JUAN PROGRAMME? If you would like to donate to this wonderful cause and help us meet our target, please CLICK HERE to head to our GoFundMe Page. We thank you to everyone’s contributions!

To learn more about PSJ, click: https://www.oceanarium.co.uk/conservation—education/conservation-programs/punta-san-juan-program

Visit the site!

https://www.oceanarium.co.uk/

#penguinss #puntasanjuanprogramme #gofundme #fundraiser #fundraising #support #savepenquins #world #animals #wildlife #oceanarium

Wednesday 20th July, London

Scottish couple Chris and Julie Ramsey will make history next year, as they will become the first people in the world to ever drive from the magnetic North to South Poles.

No person or vehicle has ever completed this epic journey, and the Aberdeen pair will do so under electric power in an all-electric Nissan Ariya.

EV Adventurer Chris Ramsey announced the historic expedition earlier this year, and it has been confirmed today that his wife Julie Ramsey will join him on the eight month journey as co-driver and navigator.

Departing in March 2023, the couple will travel over 17,000 miles spanning 14 countries from the Arctic through to North, Central and South America, before finally crossing to Antarctica. The expedition will raise awareness of the Climate Crisis and the critical role electric vehicles can play in reducing our carbon footprint.

This is not their first electric expedition. In 2017, they became the first team to complete the famous Mongol Rally in an all-electric vehicle, traveling over 10,000 miles through 20 countries in 56 days, driving from the UK to Siberia behind the wheel of their Nissan LEAF.

Continuing their partnership with the Japanese automaker, Chris and Julie will explore the world’s most extreme, yet beautiful, terrains in the all-new Nissan Ariya. With predicted temperatures ranging from -30⁰C to 30⁰C, the daring venture will demonstrate just how powerful, fun and exciting electric vehicles can be.

Julie Ramsey said: “I am so excited to finally share that I will accompany Chris on this history-making adventure as co-driver and navigator. I understand this is going to be an extremely tough challenge to complete mentally, emotionally and physically. What inspires and excites me are the legacy projects that will unfold from completing the expedition, for example the electrification of polar expedition vehicles, expansion of electric charging infrastructure across the Americas and supporting conservation projects. I am so looking forward to meeting people on the journey, learning from their culture and the inspiring ways they are tackling the challenges of the Climate Crisis in their own communities.”

In preparation for the brutal Arctic and Antarctic conditions, Chris and Julie’s expedition Nissan Ariya will undergo minor modifications and be equipped by Arctic Trucks, a renowned specialist in polar vehicles. In addition, where no charging infrastructure exists in polar regions, portable wind and solar technology developed by British engineers will be deployed to create a “micro grid” for the expedition crew.

Chris Ramsey said: “While the scale of this expedition is vast, and the journey long, at the heart of this journey are normal, everyday people, in production electric cars, and that’s what excites me most. I couldn’t do this journey without Julie by my side. From completing the Mongol Rally together, I know just how bold and resilient she is as a person and can overcome any hurdle put in her way. Julie has been a huge inspiration for me and will bring even more positivity to the expedition team. We’re both passionate about climate action, and this will be a great way for us to spread the message on how people can make simple changes to their everyday lives to tackle the Climate Crisis and help protect this fragile planet.”

“It’ll be a fun and extreme test of technology, human endurance, and our marriage. We can’t wait”

For more information, visit poletopoleev.com

Twitter: @PoletoPoleEV

Instagram: @PoletoPoleEV

#poletopole #electriccar #ecojourney #ecotravel #expedition #chrisramsey #climatecrisis

Colourful, confidence boosting womenswear brand Aesthetic Laundry, founded by Heidi May in 2018, is launching a second business focused on sustainability and giving back.

AL Impact will focus on tackling various areas of the industry such as waste, planet and people, all areas that the fashion industry is notorious for ignoring.

Aesthetic Laundry’s founder Heidi May, explains the reasoning behind AL Impact: ‘Born from personal experiences working in the industry for over 10 years, AL Impact represents the work that we are doing alongside our fashion business Aesthetic Laundry, to ensure we are a part of the positive change. Whether big retailer or small independent, every fashion brand has a responsibility to look after the planet for the next generation and Aesthetic Laundry is no exception’.

On Friday 15th July, AL Impact will be launching three collections from a variety of projects which started in the Aesthetic Laundry studio. The first, Zero Waste, is a focus on utilising Aesthetic Laundry’s offcuts from their main range. Products include kids jumpers and undergarment shorts for adults.

The second, End of Roll, is a collection of pieces made from surplus fabric sourced in the local area. Used as part of the sampling process for Aesthetic Laundry’s main range, these garments bring fabric, that would have otherwise gone to waste, to life.

The final collection consists of garments from Aesthetic Laundry’s newly introduced training programme, AL Academy. As Heidi May explains ‘Both myself and co-founder Joss, have a huge amount of love for the Arts but have seen first hand how exclusive fashion as an industry can be. We have a studio bustling with activity and a team of incredibly talented cutters, sewers and marketeers. We want to open up our doors to those who are interested but might not otherwise be able to gain access’.

AL Academy, modelled on apprenticeship schemes, sees an employee trained for 3-6 months in one area of the business with the option to come on full time once training is completed. The first AL Academy trainee has been in a cutting role and it is these garments which are available for sale on AL Impact.

Sales made through AL Impact will be reinvested into the employees and support in funding the growth of AL Academy.

https://www.instagram.com/al.impact/

https://al-impact.co.uk/

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