Ken dumps Barbie: Greenpeace’s Indonesia Deforestation Campaign

A new Greenpeace campaign highlights the dirty practices of toy companies such as Mattel, who are making boxes to house plastic toys out of pulp that is destroying the Indonesian Rainforest.

Barbie and Ken by Claire Byrne
Ken dumped Barbie. Over trees and endangered tigers. Seriously. You probably already know this, since the Greenpeace campaign that first revealed this earth-shattering piece of …

Food from the Sky: Growing food on top of a Supermarket in Crouch End

Meet the supermarket with a difference: Thornton's Budgens in Crouch End hosts a greenhouse and garden on its roof, and the food which is grown is sold in the shop downstairs. Could this be the future of all supermarkets? Inspiring stuff.

Food from the Sky by Sam Parr.
It’s a stiflingly hot day in Crouch End as my friends and I venture into Thornton’s Budgens and, feeling slightly stupid, ask one of …

Prosperity Without Growth

Could our economy have been preventing us from flourishing all these decades? Shock horror!!! Reflections on a recent talk by Tim Jackson…

Are you an artist?  Or is your creativity in fact destructive?  Illustration: Ana Botezatu
I am in danger of becoming one of Tim Jackson’s biggest fans. I saw him at a …

Sustainable Fashion – an oxymoron?

The earth section reflects on London Fashion Week...

Illustrations by Zoe Barker
Sustainable Fashion, what does that mean? This was the question posed by Vanessa Friedman at the beginning of London Fashion Week’s Estethica guide. I approached LFW with …

Pedal Powered Generators courtesy of Magnificent Revolution – Review

With their pedal-powered cinemas, sound systems, gigs and even food blenders, Magnificent Revolution's next bike generator workshop could well be a date to keep free in your 2010 diary...

Bike-powered blender.  All images: Magnificent Revolution, edited by Zofia Walczak
Magnificent Revolution is an not-for-profit London-based education collective who put together regular workshops on energy use and generation.   One of their …

An interview with filmmaker Mikey Watts

In his beautiful documentary film, Laguna Negra, Mikey explores how mining has affected a community in the Piura region in northern Peru. Here he tells me how the film came about, the inspiration behind it, and talks about his forthcoming projects...

Mikey filming in the beautiful Huancabamba Valley.  (All photos:  Mikey Watts)
Have you seen Laguna Negra yet?  This short film by Mikey Watts has already won two awards, and will be screened this …

BP – Beyond Petroleum and head-first into Tar Sands

Shareholders and NGOs revolt over BP's investment into "the biggest environmental crime in history..."

Illustration by Anieszka Banks
This Saturday sees the launch of a national campaign against BP’s funding of the highly controversial Tar Sands project in Canada, which has been called “the biggest environmental …

Flowers – Where’s The Love?

Covered in pesticides and flown for miles...How much love will actually go into your flowers this Valentine's?

Illustration:  Serenity, by Katy Gromball
Valentine’s Day approaches once again, and where is the love?  Is the love in Clinton Cards?  Is the love in all those ‘must have’ Valentine’s gifts …

Food Inc – film review

The 12th of February sees the release of Food Inc. in the UK, a new documentary that shatters our assumptions on global food production. Contributors Joanna Van Den Driessche and Dominika Jarosz were at the preview....

Image courtesy of Food Inc.
It is natural to assume that the people in charge of food standards and the people making the food would have your best interests at heart. …

Tambogrande: Mangos, Murder, Mining – film review

A review of this multi award-winning Peruvian documentary ahead of a new screening in London...

The San Lorenzo valley before it was transformed into orchards of mango and lime trees.  All images courtesy of Guarango films.
In her recent review of the film Crude, Amelia acknowledged that the …

Community Orchards

Thought gardening was only for retired people with their own houses and a lot of time on their hands? Think again. Zofia discovers Community Orchards...

Illustration by Vanessa Morris
Planting trees is EXHILERATING! So so underrated. Last Saturday I was gardening for the first time in my life at the Community Orchards project, organised by BTCV’s …

Haiti: Time to Cancel all Debt and Pay Back What We Owe

Haiti is slowly disappearing from the headlines, but now is the time to start remembering Haitians' history, what we owe them, and cancel all debt, argues Zofia Walczak.

Is it just me, or did anyone else find the mainstream media coverage of Haiti’s earthquake confusing, misleading, inconclusive and, quite frankly, infuriating?  OK, so that’s what I should expect …

Shared Interest: Lending with a difference

Banks, bonuses, unethical investment…it’s all so sickening and frustrating!  But yesterday evening I went to a talk by a lending society with a difference.  While a lot of the focus of my research recently …

I’m a Photographer, NOT a Terrorist!

Following ever-increasing stop-and-searches and arrests of photographers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, the group 'I'm a Photographer Not a Terrorist' held a mass gathering in Trafalgar Square. Zofia Walczak reports...

On Saturday 23rd January at 12pm over 2000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square to challenge Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which allows police and security guards increasing powers to stop …

Trapese Collective – Tools for Social Change Course

Who:  Trapese Popular Education Collective
When:  27th March 2010  to 3rd April 2010
Where:  Ragman’s Lane Farm, Forest of Dean, near Gloucester
Cost:  Deposit of £50 to secure a place will be requested …

Climate Camp, London Gathering – Review

Last Saturday and Sunday the first Climate Camp regional gathering took place in London. It was the first chance for the group to discuss future direction and specific plans and …

BTCV Green Gyms

My muscles are aching as I type, my cheeks are glowing more than ever and I have a satisfied grin on my face…why?  I’ve spent half the day clearing woodland and sawing …

Carbon Conversations Courses, London

Want to reduce your carbon footprint in 2010, with a group of lovely people, AND reduce your overdraft by saving some money on energy bills?  The Carbon Literacy Forum are co-ordinating free Carbon Conversations courses across several London …

Climate Camp Regional Gatherings

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Climate Camp London Gathering
When: Saturday 16th Jan 10.30am to 6.30pm, Sunday 17th Jan 10.30am-5.30pm
Where: Tottenham Chances, 399 High Rd, Tottenham, London N17 6QN
Nearest tube: Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters (Victoria …