What do Jude Law, Colin Firth, Jo Wood & Emma Thompson have in common?

...They are all supporting World Fair Trade Day which is tomorrow - 9th May. Not only that but they have signed a limited edition butterfly top for People Tree in support of Fairtrade, as modelled by Jo Wood (left) - how many people can say they have Jude Law's signature across their chest?!

World Fair Trade Day is an international event when the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO, formerly IFAT) and its members promote global awareness of fair trade. It is a great opportunity to celebrate the 100% fair trade organisations and companies, and the gorgeous fashions and delicious and great quality foods that are available.

There are 100% Fairtrade breakfasts being held all over the UK aswell as in France, Norway, Poland and the United States.

Why not hold your own Fairtrade breakfast tomorrow - invite some friends round for fresh Fairtrade fruit shakes & hot-cross buns with dried fruit, and a cafetiere of delicious fairtrade coffee. Or if it is too late to organise, then just add a handful of Fairtrade dried fruit to your porridge or muesli.
Click here for some amazing recipe ideas from Tropical Wholefoods.

You could also use this as an opportunity to encourage your local European Parliamentary candidates to sign the Faritrade Foundation's pledge for fair trade, in advance of the European Elections on 4 June.

There is a great range of fair trade products at EcoCentric, from photo frames & albums to bedlinen - currently with 20% off.

National Compost Week: 3rd May - 9th May 09

Yes it’s National Compost Week!

For those of you who don’t know much (or anything) about it, National Compost Week is organised by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme).

WRAP estimate that every year each home throws away 200kg of waste which could have been composted. National Compost Week aims to inform people of the benefits of making their own compost.

This year’s theme is ‘Food for thought’, and focuses on using compost to grow your own food. This theme is perfect because not only is it the right time of year to start planting, but growing your own fruit and veg has been made even easier by ‘Rocket Gardens’.

Now I love Rocket Gardens because they take the hassle out of gardening. You simply find and purchase a voucher for the garden you want, Children’s garden if you have kids, herb garden if you like to cook, patio garden if you don’t have a lot of garden space etc. Once your voucher arrives you return the freepost card telling Rocket Garden where you’d like the garden delivered and then a box of baby plants arrives straight to your door ready for you to plant.

Not only are these gardens easy but the plants are 100% organic, reared in soil approved by the Soil Association and are kept free of chemical pesticides, which will be delivered straight to your door.

They also make wonderful eco gifts because you have a variety of gardens to choose from, and you can give the voucher itself as a gift or arrange for the garden to be delivered straight to the birthday boy or girl.

Some of the benefits of growing your own fruit and veg using your own compost include:

• You help the environment by reducing the amount of waste going into the landfills.
• You can use your home made compost to grow your own fruit and veg; which will save you money on fertiliser.
• Growing your own food will reduce in your shopping bill and ensures your food will be 100% organic and environmentally friendly.

So if you want to make the most of spring, start making your own compost and growing your own food, you now know where to start.

Home & gifts and the fairtrade mark

We are currently in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight. You will no doubt recognise the logo as you go around the supermarkets and when clothes shopping, but it is hardly ever seen on crafts, gifts and homeware items.

Why?

The Fairtrade Certification and its system of minimum pricing were designed initially for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardized minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) is currently conducting a global research project on the potential for a Fair Trade label for crafts. We await the results with interest. (source: Pinkdoodle)

Across the EcoCentric range you will see that we have many products that are 'fairly traded'. This means they have been produced in a closely regulated environment which is fair to workers in pay and working conditions.

The range of home products that are certified fairtrade currently include fairtrade organic cotton bedlinen - dont forget you can get 20% off until the end of fairtrade fortnight which ends next Sunday 8th March - just enter voucher code 3209 at the checkout

Bring valentines back into focus

I dont know about you, but I feel there is a bit of pressure put on us around valentines, to show the best expression of love we have ever given. But that doesnt mean buying the biggest bouquet of roses or box of chocolates. Here are a few ideas from Oliver that bring it back to basics...

Romance is about:

Surprise
It's great to have be given an exciting surprise that shows that your partner cares enough to plan and keep a secret. It shows a sense of life and passion that we all hope will be with us for life.

The details

Sometimes it's the little things that count; a romantic note stuck to the fridge door, a chocolate on your pillow (providing it hasn't melted!). There is a delicacy and intimacy that tells your partner that you know this will make a difference to their day. Think of the possibilities of chocolates, candles, notebooks or even post it notes!

Nostalgia

Remembering a special moment that you shared- it could be a photo, a simple train ticket from a treasured journey, or an object thy you bought together such as an antique. Why not present some of these memories in a scrap book or photo frame.

The senses

Bring the sense bubbling back to life - it's all about the juxtaposition of relaxation and of course stimulation! Anything that feels, smells, tastes, sounds or looks lovely will do the trick. Often it's the senses that get overlooked on a daily basis that make a difference. Share an evening with some indulgent bath products, chocolate & candles. Snuggle together under luxurious fabrics such as organic cotton bed linen or luxurious pure silk blanket. Or if you really want to make a more permanent statement, why not paper one wall with this evocotive burlesque wallpaper...

Eco Toys for Christmas Lists

Christmas means many things to many people, but for most kids it means loads of chocolate, food and, of course, presents! But what to buy the children at Christmas without ending up with excessive amounts of plastic, batteries and gimmicky, soon-to-be-bored of 'stuff'? Luckily, there are an increasing number of cool, interesting and sustainable eco-toys on the market that will thrill kids and minimise use of resources. Here are a few key features to look out for.



Recycled: The fantastic new range of Sprig toys at EcoCentric are made of an innovative new material called Sprigwood, made of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. The Discover Rig harnesses the kinetic energy of the child playing with it to play music, sounds and tell a great little tale.




Organic: Using natural processes and organic fertilisers, organically grown cotton avoids the environmental destruction caused by conventional production, resulting in cleaner, kinder and greener products. And when the finished result looks as cute as this soft organic cotton bear, going organic has never been easier!

Fairtrade: Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. The Fairtrade Foundation has licensed over 3,000 Fairtrade certified products for sale through retail and catering outlets in the UK, and a few of those, are toys! I think this Fairtrade wooden train with six animals is a really beautiful toy, and since it is hand made by a fairtrade accredited workshop in India from sustainable sheesham wood using low energy practices, it is also good for the environment.