Green news & views

Whilst listening to a Radio 4 podcast on the lack of lending by banks to SMEs, I came across the story of a firm called 2K Manufacturing. The broadcast was about the firm's difficulty in securing a loan from a major UK bank in order to expand the production of their Ecosheet product; It was this Ecosheet that really caught my attention.

I've just had an interesting note from Volvo Cars UK regarding the Emission Equality Congestion Charge campaign.

Today a contractor turned up on behalf of South East Water and installed a water meter at my request.

There are many things you can do to reduce the amount of heat and money lost in your home, and a lot of them are easy and cheap. From watching the temperature of your thermostat to covering up draughts from fireplaces and windows, there’s something for everyone.

I just flicked the TV on before going to work and caught a story on BBC1's "Breakfast" news show highlighting the fact that we will all be getting more junk mail in the UK.

Apparently Royal Mail's management have agreed to pay conditions with the postal workers' union just so long as Britain's postmen start shoving more junk through our letter boxes.

Diarmuid Gavin gives his top tips on preparing your sustainable garden for summer

After one of the longest and coldest winters most of us can remember, the first shoots of spring are slowly starting to emerge. And while it is still too early for the nation’s gardeners to start preparing the beds and borders in their gardens, there is plenty to be done indoors, particularly when it comes to seeding.

Last night I went to a climate change consultation with my local Rushmoor Borough Council.

40 local residents were invited down to Aldershot on a cold February night to discuss the borough's policy and, arranged into small groups, we brainstormed Rushmoor BC's plans for the environment and the future.

It was pleasing to see the news this morning that Triodos, the environmental & social investment bank, are doing well.

According to Third Sector, the charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprise website, Triodos Bank has increased lending & investment by 73% over the last year.

Tesla motors, the makers of the Lotus-based Tesla Roadster electric sports car, are currently showing at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

A friend has just come back from CES 2010, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Now whilst the green in all of us asks why should we be interested in MORE gadgets to make last year's model obsolete and thus generate more waste, CES 2010 had quite a green theme this year.

But apart from the show being carbon neutral I wanted to say how impressed I am with YoGen.