As part of an on-going sustainability drive, The Somerset Toiletry Co. (STC) is the first UK company to partner with ‘Bower’, an innovative app rewarding customers for their recycling efforts. Anyone can use the Bower app, but STC customers will receive extra points for recycling their toiletries correctly, which can be converted into cash vouchers or charity donations. 

As a company who produce consumer goods, STC have been focusing on their development process over recent years to ensure their packaging is environmentally friendly, recyclable and contains recycled content. However, the Bower partnership will encourage customers to responsibly dispose of their packaging after using products.

An established British brand, STC are keen to  support a circular economy, as less energy is required (reducing carbon emissions) to produce goods with recycled materials with less of an impact on the earth’s natural resources.   

How it works

It’s simple, quick process to set up the app and scan products as you recycle them:

1. Download the Bower app on your mobile device 
2. Register the location of your recycling bins
3. Scan the barcodes of your used, empty products when you recycle
5. Collect rewards on the app

About Bower 

Bower is a certified B Corp, embracing a new kind of business, balancing profit with people and the planet with the intention of building an inclusive and sustainable economy that works for everyone. They are also a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation helping to build a circular economy and a better system to help fight climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Bower has been operating in Sweden since 2019. The scheme’s success in the Nordics has resulted in +450k users and +46m packages recycled so far.

Discover truly sustainable fashion alternatives in real-time for free.

VIEW HERE (Chrome)

Winner in ‘Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards – Fast Company

Vogue YOOX Challenge: the future of responsible fashion Finalist – YOOX

Mayor of London Entrepreneur Programme Finalist – RCA

Undaunted’s The Greenhouse for Climate Positive Startups at Royal Institution & Imperial College London

SHADE is the world’s first shopping tool to offer truly sustainable fashion alternatives across every shopping website in real-time. Advancing the latest in AI technology, the award-winning Chrome add-on matches any fashion product to a sustainable, similar-style version in just a single click without having to leave the browser page.

Download SHADE: Find Sustainable Fashion for FREE. (BETA)

SHADE is the response to a shift in consumer behaviour to be more mindful of their fashion choices. Utilising AI to streamline the user experience, the innovative Chrome extension takes the guesswork out of brand credentials, enabling consumers to instantly find a sustainable match. SHADE highlights the most exciting and planet-friendly items from vetted sustainable brands that customers will love. 

“SHADE seamlessly embeds itself into the user’s shopping journey to find sustainable alternatives in real-time. We believe customers shouldn’t have to make decisions when they’re limited by choice because sustainable fashion is attainable, the right match exists, and we can find it!”  – Fatimah El-Rashid, Co-Founder & CEO

Consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable alternatives before buying a product. Between 2020 – 2022 Google searches for sustainable fashion nearly tripled (source: Google Trends), making sustainability one of the most searched-for terms in fashion today. SHADE offers customers eco-friendly and ethical choices from hundreds of sustainable retailers so they can find the perfect match without compromise.

SHADE is developed by SHADY.CLUB founders Fatimah El-Rashid, Jenny Hu & Sille Eva Bertelsen. What started out as a whimsical idea between friends has turned into an award-winning and captivating product, set to revolutionise the way people shop.

JOIN THE CLUB

Download (BETA) | Website | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter

New figures from unlimited digital magazine and newspaper app Readly show that two thirds of people (69 percent) believe it is important that their reading habits are climate friendly and 1 in 4  have broadened their consumption of content over the last few years to obtain a more considered, balanced opinion and counteract fake news.

Tips to becoming a climate friendly, ethically empowered reader include:

1. Choose to read content from responsible publishers, sources or on an app that has a strong ethical reading policy, with diversity of verified news reporting.

2. Read a breath of titles to form your opinion, be inspired and gain knowledge on how to live a sustainable lifestyle: read national, international and regional news, lifestyle and specialist. Podcasts are a great complement to reading too.

3. Think about what you share on social media and fact check before sharing, to ensure it is from a verified trusted source.

4. Read around global issues that affect people and the environment such as climate change, war, inflation and global health. 15 % of people said they have learnt about global issues on the Readly app. Form an opinion based on facts and make positive behaviour choices. 

5. Consider paying for trusted, verified journalism via a subscription to a reading app or titles that you trust.

Readly is providing subscribers with responsible content and countering the spread of fake news. To encourage you to do the same, Readly is giving away an iPad and an annual Readly subscription to it’s unlimited digital magazine and reading app.

How to enter: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrMMdXZIU2Q/

This Earth Day, a new sustainability study reveals the ways homeowners are adapting their homes to make them more environmentally friendly and to reduce the cost of their energy bills   

• Rated People analysed more than 1 million home improvement jobs posted by UK homeowners through its platform to conduct the research
• 45% of homeowners in the UK are making their homes more environmentally friendly and energy efficient this year – a huge jump from 25% in 2022
• One in 10 homeowners will install extra insulation this year
• Demand for at-home electric car charging points has increased by 2406% and solar panels have seen demand go up by 222% over the past two years
•  Saving money is homeowners’ top reason for installing eco improvements in 2023

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens and with energy prices still sky high, a new study from the find-a-tradesperson platform, Rated People reveals almost twice as many homeowners are installing ‘eco home improvements’ this year than in 2022, and ‘saving money on bills’ was the top reason given by homeowners for making the changes.

The research is part of the newly launched 2023 edition of the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report, which shows one in four (25%) homeowners made their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly last year, while in 2023, this increases considerably to almost one in two (45%).

To conduct the research, Rated People analysed around 1.1 million home improvement jobs posted through its platform by UK homeowners, and spoke to thousands of tradespeople and homeowners across the UK.  

The Rise In Demand For Eco Home Improvements

From extra insulation to solar panels – demand for many eco-home improvements has been rising considerably over the past two years as more homeowners realise how they can also help to save money on bills.

When looking at the volume of home improvement jobs posted through Rated People by UK homeowners, the trades platform can reveal the top 10 eco adaptations that are seeing the biggest increase in homeowner demand. At-home electric car charging points have seen the biggest increase, with demand going up by a staggering 2406% in the last two years.

In second place are biomass boilers, with demand increasing by 225%. This type of heating system burns a renewable energy source and can reportedly save you up to £1,100 a year compared to an old electric heating system*. Energy-producing solar panels are in third position, with demand increasing by 222%. Demand for thermal insulation has gone up by 143% and triple glazing has increased by 125%.

The top 10 eco-home improvements with the biggest increase in demand

1. At-home electric car charging point	+2406%
2. Biomass boiler	+225%
3. Solar panels	+222%
4. Thermal insulation	+143%
5. Triple glazing	+125%
6. External wall insulation	+70%
7. Living roof	+67%
8. Double glazing	+12%
9. uPVC windows and doors	+11%
10. Water underfloor heating	+10%

How Homeowners Are Saving Money With Eco Improvements

Half (50%) of UK homeowners who will be installing eco home improvements this year said saving money on their bills was their main motivator, and better insulation, reducing energy wastage and generating additional energy are the top ways homeowners are planning to reduce their energy bills in 2023.

One in five (21%) homeowners who will be installing eco improvements to save money this year will be installing draught-proofing. 19% are opting for solar panels and 19% will be installing insulation in the loft or roof.

 The top nine eco home improvements homeowners are installing in 2023 to reduce their bills

1. Draught proofing	+21%
2. Solar panels	+19%
3. Loft/roof insulation	+19%
4. Triple glazing	+15%
5. Double glazing	+14%
6. Floor insulation	+13%
7. Boiler upgrade	+13%
8. Wall insulation	+11%
9. Wind turbine	+11%

How Homeowners Are Renovating More Sustainably

Homeowners are also increasingly looking for ways to reduce the impact of their renovation work on the planet, from recycling waste to buying second-hand appliances.

In 2022, 36% of homeowners who did home improvements found ways to renovate more sustainably, and in 2023 this increases to 48%. Recycling waste instead of taking renovation rubbish straight to the tip was the biggest sustainable change. Homeowners also used eco-friendly materials, rented tools rather than buying new ones, and sold or donated old materials and appliances to reduce waste.

Top 10 ways homeowners made their home improvements more sustainable in 2022

1. Recycling waste instead of taking everything to the tip	39%
2. Selling/ donating old fittings/ materials/ appliances to reduce waste	29%
3. Used second-hand materials/ appliances / fittings	25%
4. Reused existing materials, for example bricks	24%
5. Buying more quality/ timeless fixtures/ fittings so they will last longer and not need to be replaced as often	23%
6. Did a part update instead of a full rip out and refurbish	23%
7. Used eco-friendly materials, for example eco paint	20%
8. Used renewable materials	16%
9. Used natural materials, for example bamboo	13%
10. Renting tools rather than buying them	12%

Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People commented: 

“Despite the news that April’s energy price cap isn’t increasing, the price of energy is still higher than ever. Now that the Energy Bills Support Scheme has come to an end too, it’s no surprise so many homeowners are looking to eco home improvements, like solar panels, to help reduce the cost of their  bills.

It’s also great to see how so many homeowners are improving the sustainability of the projects they are carrying out – this will help to reduce waste and  minimise the effects of renovation work on the planet, while also delivering cost savings.

At Rated People, we care about how home improvements are done so it’s fantastic to see  sustainability  becoming even more of a consideration this year.”

For home improvement tips and advice and to see the 2023 edition of the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report, visit: https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/home-improvement-trends-report  

A member of Griffin and Sinclair Furniture is in training for the next few months to get ready for a triathlon event in June to raise money for Action Medical Research, and he’s made this beautiful watch box to help get to the team’s £1900 fundraising target.

The box is made from maple with a burr oak top and oak interior and fitted with 3 black watch holders to display your watches. Tickets to win this prize cost £15 and you can head to www.pintailstudio.com/shop/p/prize-draw to purchase them and to find out more.

Griffin and Sinclair Furniture create beautiful bespoke furniture and donate a tree for every commission they make. Find out more about them here.

Griffin and Sinclair furniture are a small family business making bespoke furniture in Nottinghamshire. We have won many awards for our work and pride ourselves in staying sustainable and creating things to last.

https://www.griffinandsinclair.co.uk/

Morena Logo Scarf the Perfect Versatile Piece

Morena is proud to announce their first pre-order, now live. The Morena Logo Scarf encapsulates the energy behind the brand. Morena, meaning “brunette” or “brown skin,” is built from a desire to honour garment workers in the fashion industry, 80% of which are Women of Colour.

Made only from what existed already – plastics that were previously used as packaging materials, the Morena Logo Scarf is sustainably made from 100% rPET (recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) and manufactured locally and fairly in the UK.

Read more: https://morena.uk/blogs/news/introducing-the-morena-logo-scarf

Founder Rosanna Connolly shares, “We’ve spent months designing and developing Morena’s first creation – it’s the perfect, versatile piece, wearable all year round. Our logo scarf emulates the soft power our brand is build on. It’s a statement about what we stand for and what we’re working towards; an industry that honours garment workers, and therefore Women of Colour.”

100% rPET (recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate)

Ethically Made in the UK

Weight: 90 gsm

Size: 74 x 74 cm

Hand Finished Rolled Hem

Machine Washable at 30 degrees

Worldwide Shipping

Free UK Shipping

Stay up to date:

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• Quintain Living’s 10^th building is its most sustainable to date
• Botanical indoor design will complement nature-inspired homes
• Families and sharers set to enjoy outstanding shared social spaces

Repton Gardens has opened its doors to new residents in London’s Wembley Park. The homes, which sit across three new buildings are leased and operated by Quintain Living, the award-winning management company now overseeing the rental of more than 3,650 apartments in London’s most exciting new neighbourhood.

The newly launched development, which is already so popular amongst new residents that it is outperforming leasing expectations, comprises three buildings, Cherry House, Birch House, and Aspen House. The apartments have been designed with families and sharers in mind, with the building featuring a range of spacious three- and four-bedroom apartments, as well as studios and one- and two-bedroom homes in range of layouts. Altogether, Repton Gardens offers 396 rental homes, spread across 40 different layouts, 1,000sqm of ground floor retail space and 1,200sqm earmarked for a GP surgery. The varying apartment designs encompass features such as half bedrooms for guests, work-from-home studies, recessed shelving, breakfast bars, a choice of U-shaped and L-shaped kitchens, studios with bedrooms separated by doors and more.

“Our goal with Repton Gardens is to support a wide range of renters to access the outstanding lifestyle on offer in Wembley Park. We’re here for individuals, couples, families with children, sharers, multi-generational families… our wide range of homes means that everyone can find something that suits their individual circumstances.”

Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living

Quintain Living’s most sustainable homes to date, the design concept for Repton Gardens has focused on natural, earthy colours and the use of natural products. Botanical living brings the outside in, with plants delivering enhanced air quality and a connection with nature throughout the building. In the podium garden, mounded groundworks have allowed for the planting of large, mature trees and shrubs, to support biodiversity. The tree species in the gardens (cherry, birch and aspen) mirror the buildings’ names.

 “The design of Repton Gardens focuses on forward-thinking ideas about urban living. Life in the heart of a bustling urban area can still deliver that all-important connection with the natural world. You can see and feel this in action as you move through Repton Gardens.”

Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living

Repton Gardens is named after Humphry Repton, who was hired by the wealthy Page family back in 1792 to landscape their estate. It was on Repton’s advice that the family named the estate ‘Wembley Park’. Now, over two centuries later, Repton’s own name is being honoured in Repton Gardens – along with Humphry Repton Lane, which runs south of the development. Repton’s landscaping work remains influential to this day, inspiring the landscaping at both Repton Gardens and nearby Union Park.

At Repton Gardens, Cherry House is home to the main entrance lobby. It also houses 10 work-from-home offices and a meeting room. These rentable ‘third places’ make up the largest work-from-home area on the Wembley Park estate so far, with Repton Gardens’ design factoring in new ways of living and working. 

Other on-site amenities include a club room with pool table, soft seating, TV area and bar with beer tap and wine. There’s an 1,150 square foot gym overlooking the podium garden, while the garden itself includes four covered, hireable BBQ areas, two play areas and a lawn area. Cherry House and Birch House also feature roof terraces, including paved areas, artificial grass, sun loungers and seating.

Individual apartments are furnished in one of two palettes: garden and natural. They feature a mix of natural materials and shades of green, deep blue, grey, brown and stone. John Lewis & Partners has curated a special sustainable collection of furniture, including ‘sustainability hero’ products. These items, which include sofas, coffee tables, beds, bar stools, dining chairs and mattresses, were selected following a stringent review of characteristics such as origin of manufacture, material construction and recycling potential. The resulting selections are predominantly sourced from the UK or Europe using sustainable fabrics and/or processes.

In particular, handmade rattan armchairs, side tables and coffee tables contribute to a unique design within the homes. Rattan is an excellent choice in sustainability terms, as well as being a stylish and durable material. Due to its fast growth and harvest time, plus the fact that every part of the rattan vine is used, rattan outperforms more traditional woods used in furniture production and is an excellent companion crop.

Floors in all apartments are cedar plank effect Amtico in kitchens and living areas, with grey ceramic tiles in bathrooms. Walls are neutral throughout each home, with a feature wall to add colour and depth. Kitchens feature natural oak laminate worktops with cabinets all in green in the natural palette homes and in green and grey in the garden palette apartments.

The design of the apartments creates a strong sense of bringing the outside inside. It also serves, along with the layout of the three buildings, to build a sense of the podium garden being the epicentre of the community.

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

Brand new venue & London attraction to open in Earl’s Court on 30^th March

Ahead of opening its doors on the 30^th March, here’s an exclusive sneak peek into what to expect at the spectacular new BBC Earth Experience, coming to the new The Daikin Centre in Earl’s Court.

The brand new London attraction, which is produced in partnership with BBC Studios, Moon Eye Productions and Live Nation, will feature three breakout zones, allowing audiences of all ages to interact with the natural world, in a unique new way. As well as epic footage from the iconic BBC Studios Natural History Unit television series Seven Worlds, One Planet, the 360°audio-visual journey also features bespoke narration from David Attenborough.

The experience will be housed in a new 1608m² demountable venue and feature hundreds of multi-angle screens, along with interactive rooms – welcoming visitors to journey through the natural world and explore the extraordinary biodiversity of the Earth’s seven unique continents.

The BBC Earth Experience offers a truly epic journey for all the family to enjoy. Visitors will explore the wonders of planet Earth on a microscopic scale in the Micro Life room and then be immersed in the spectacular drone footage on the Vista Stage.  A journey down to the ocean floor in the Water Life room will then allow visitors to interact with life below the waves.  As they make their way around the experience and lose themselves in the natural world, visitors may encounter a few extra surprises, so those afraid of creepy crawlies should look out for the warning signs! 

After visitors have explored the mesmerising landscapes and endless oceans, and have met their extraordinary inhabitants, they will hear a special message in the Earth Room from David Attenborough, inspiring everyone to think about what they can do in their daily lives to protect the amazing planet.

The BBC Earth Experience has been designed with sustainability at its heart. The building and its contents use materials that can be recycled, reused, or given a second life – embracing a circular economy.

The production projectors use the latest LED energy efficient technology, powered only by renewable energy and the screens are made of cotton, which will be repurposed after use.

There is also a focus on biodiversity through the outside spaces, with plants and insect houses to attract more than 40 different species to populate the gardens. Rainwater will be harvested in the external spaces and used within the gardens to help maintain the health of the plants throughout the year and to reduce potable water consumption.

So, get ready to be immersed in the natural world like never before and discover what makes each of the seven worlds so special at the BBC Earth Experience. 

www.bbcearthexperience.com

Leading smart-charging provider Ohme has been voted as the Best Electric Charging Point Provider by Business Motoring for the second year in a row.

The award was in recognition of Ohme’s overall dynamic smart charging package including the new ePod untethered charger, introduced onto the market earlier this year. Ohme also won the Best Electric Charging Point Provider award last year.

“Ohme has made smart chargers affordable and this will be invaluable as the grid adapts to cars charging at home in addition to the current market challenges,” said Chris Wright, Managing Editor at Business Motoring. “Several pieces of new legislation have been introduced in the last year in a fast-changing sector. However, despite that, Ohme’s smart charging package with its chargers and its customer experience, continues to be second to none.”

According to the SMMT, two-thirds of all EV new car registrations in the UK are to fleets and businesses, while BEV van sales rose by more than 30% in 2022. Ohme was also highly commended in the Business Van Awards for the Best Van Electric Charging Point Provider. The UK fleet sector is expected to account for 80 per cent of all UK EV sales by 2025 according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association.

“Winning this award for the second year in a row is a fantastic recognition of all the hard work that we have put in at Ohme over the past year and continue to do as our business grows,” said David Watson, Ohme CEO. “We want to give drivers the control to get more from their EV and help them to reduce their everyday motoring costs through dynamic, smart charging.”

With their unique smart charging software, Ohme’s chargers can connect with the National Grid in real time and automatically adjust their charging for drivers to take advantage of all the times of low price charging with smart off-peak tariffs.

A full charge on a Volkswagen ID. Buzz with an Ohme charger on a smart off-peak tariff, such as Octopus Intelligent, could cost just £7.70 compared to more than £26 on the Standard Variable Tariff*.

Ohme also offers drivers the option to charge their car when renewable energy generation on the National Grid is at its highest, further lowering their CO2 impact. Ohme is the official charger provider for the Volkswagen Group in the UK as well as Motability Operations, the largest fleet operator in the UK

* Octopus Intelligent at 10p/kWh

Visitors to Mannings Heath Estate in Horsham, West Sussex, can enjoy an Easter Sunday Lunch and Egg Hunt on April 9th, 2023. The three-course lunch is served between 12:00 and 15:00 at £32.50 per adult and £16 for children, with a complimentary Easter egg hunt. 

Guests can also book an Easter holiday stay on the 500-acre estate at Fuller’s Cottage, which dates from the 17th century, in this area of outstanding natural beauty. 

Just three miles away, sister estate Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is planning an afternoon tea with classic and savoury menu options and a range of chocolate Easter treats, from April 6th until 16th. This can be enjoyed with a glass of sparkling ‘Joie de Vivre’ MCC from the owner’s vineyard at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate in South Africa. 

Chef Jean Delport’s Michelin Starred team at Restaurant Interlude in Leonardslee House offers a multi-course tasting menu for dinner in the evening. Guests are welcomed in the ornate hallway of the 19th century Italianate mansion by a self-playing piano, before enjoying cocktails and a first course in the bar. They are then seated in the dining room for an evening that promises a culinary adventure of some 18 courses, with many ingredients foraged from the woodland estate. 

Guests can also book the Michelin Star Getaway special for Easter for two people. This includes two nights’ accommodation in one of the ten luxury bedrooms at Leonardslee House, each created by a top British designer, with dinner at Restaurant Interlude on the first night’s stay.  

Guests are greeted with a three-course breakfast the following morning, prepared by the Michelin-Starred team. and can then leisurely explore the 240 acres of the Leonardslee estate and its Grade I Listed gardens. The offer also includes a classic afternoon tea for two with a bottle of sparkling wine from Benguela Cove, for £1,250 for two people. 

A new ‘Hide & Sheep‘ trail this Easter at Leonardslee brings to life the much-loved character Shaun the Sheep, developed by Aardman, the creators of Wallace & Gromit.  

Visitors can enjoy the natural beauty of the Grade I Listed woodland gardens as they follow the trail and discover markers along the way, from 25th March until 23rd April. Using a bespoke app, visitors can then reveal Shaun in augmented reality hiding out in a farmyard scene and pose alongside him, capturing their family day out to share with family and friends.  

For further information: 

www.manningsheath.com

www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk

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