Green news & views

Oh my God. First it was Bush, now the Christians are going green.

Well, OK, George W Bush did admit that "America is addicted to oil" and then pay lip service to potential green measures but all that remains to be seen.

And that same opinion was voiced on a TV interview where one evangelical leader said "We need action not hot air!" or words to that effect.

The big "Eat Natural" logo got me first, then the "Blueberry, Pistachio & Yoghurt Bar. A luxurious bar full of premium quality ingredients... and nothing else." These are tasty, seasonal and totally natural... none of the artificial rubbish you find in products from the usual suspects and suitable for vegetarians and those on gluten-free diets. You can buy Eat Natural products in a number of well known places but for a list of stockists go check out their website :)

When I was in the USA last year I picked up a tube of natural gel spearmint toothpaste from Tom's of Maine. When it ran out the other day I went to the local Sainsbury's and was confronted with a huge display of colourful packs of toothpaste... but alas no Tom's.

Ever heard the term "Greenwash" before? Well, it's a bit like whitewash but used in an environmental context.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, whitewash basically means "Concealment of flaws or failures" as in to "gloss over" misdemeanours, faults or errors.

"Greenwash", according to Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English, means;

"the practice of promoting environmentally friendly programs to deflect attention from an organization's environmentally unfriendly or less savory activities; also called greenwashing"

In last night's State of the Union address, US President George W Bush admitted and urged for action on America's "Addiction to Oil" describing the country's dependance on oil as a "serious problem". OK it was low on his list of points, but it was there! He cited that reliance on "unstable" regions of the world, namely the Middle East, for the drug of choice for millions of SUVs, should be tackled through advances in technology. He also stated that breaking the cravings for oil would help improve the environment. Wow. So George goes Green, huh? Texas oilman sees the light?