Business Breakfast 8am to 10am, Exhibition 10am to 4pm 

On Earth Day 2010, Thursday 22nd April, Deepdale Backpackers & Camping and Deepdale Farm will be hosting a whole range of eco friendly organisations for an Earth Day exhibition about the environment, including environmental technology installers, advisors, pressure groups and other related organisations.

Deepdale Backpackers and Camping at Deepdale Farm on the beautiful north Norfolk coast is an eco friendly backpackers hostel and campsite.

Whether you are looking for solar panels, wood chip boiler, LED lights, ground source heat pump, wind turbine, need some advice about how to green up your home or business, want to know more about organics or just fancy a look around Deepdale’s eco-friendly facilities, you are more than welcome. 

It doesn’t matter if you are already interested in the environment, want to become more eco friendly or you’re a sceptic. 

Who should visit this exhibition: 

- Businesses looking to green up their organisation
- Companies wanting to save money on services
- Architects and builders wanting to learn about more eco friendly building materials and techniques
- Farmers looking to diversify and needing some inspiration
and of course
- Individuals who would like to make their homes and lives more energy efficient

Plans are still being confirmed, so check back soon for more information.

Programme for the day:

8am to 10am – Shaping Norfolk’s Future Sustainability Breakfast Meeting
10am to 4pm – Exhibition and talks
9am to 4pm – Scrap heap art challenge

This programme will be added to and edited.

www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/earthday

Jan. 22nd is the B to B day for business buyers, CEOs, press, & procurement professionals.

Jan. 23-24th is for all business professionals & all consumers & their families.

Hundreds of exhibits will encompass a wide variety of green products & services ranging from solar panels, hybrid cars, organic personal care products, eco-pet supplies, greener gadgets, eco-fashion, and home and building supplies that will help us live a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

Eco-Celebrity speakers, authors & thought leaders such as Ed Begley Jr., Mariel Hemingway, John Picard & Eric Corey Freed will lead informative discussions! Don’t miss Los Angeles’ ultimate eco-extravaganza! Limited booth space is still available. Contact Seth Berk at 212-655-4505 ext. 224 or sberk@gogreenexpo.com today.

Details: www.GoGreenExpo.com
Use promo code GREENPROFS for 50% off ticket price of only $10 for the entire weekend!

There is a growing awareness about the impact of anything people do on the environment and it is something that should have been raised a long time ago. Still, it is not too late to ensure that from this point forward, whatever can be done to help the environment should be done, even if it means something as simple as building a chicken coop. It’s a small step, but it’s a start.

Useful not Wasteful

As with any living thing that will consume food products, chickens will produce wastes from the food that they cannot digest. Fortunately, this waste is not really ‘waste’ per se. It can be plant fertilizer.

Chickens are herbivores, they do not need to consume meat and other types of animal protein or fat to survive, which makes their manure ideal as fertilizer. It has the necessary balance of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash to help your plants grow greener and lush.

Gathering and Storage

It will take a while to get used to the smell of chicken manure, but if you want to be able to use it, you really will have to. To gather all the waste that your chickens will make, lay down a layer of straw beneath the chicken coop to catch it. After the straws are soiled, sweep those up and put them in a compost bin with all the other vegetable scraps from your kitchen. Have them chopped into smaller pieces for faster decomposing.

Do not include animal products or by-products in the compost bin. If you include animal products and by-products by mistake, you will know right away because you will see maggots from the soldier flies in it. Don’t panic, soldier flies are quite harmless and they will get rid of the animal materials.

Be sure to aerate the compost by mixing it now and then. This will make sure that all the materials in there are broken down into reusable parts. After a while the compost will lose the offensive smell, and smell earthy and musky. You will then be able to use it by placing it on top of the soil to fertilize plants that have already taken root or mix with the ground soil for new plantations.

If you can’t use all of the compost that you have made, simply put them in sacks and store them away. If you have neighbors who like planting, offer some to them for their yard or garden.

Saving the Environment

Making your own compost from the chicken waste serves two eco-friendly purposes: you get to reduce the waste that needs to be thrown out, and you produce fertilizer that has no negative impact on the environment. Add that to the fact that you get fresh eggs in the morning- what more can you ask for?

A global campaign is in progress to get individuals and organizations to rein in their emissions by ten percent by 2010. What can you do to scale back your emission foot-print? Here are seven tips you can use to make our surroundings more ecologically friendly.
1. Did you know the laptop on your disk is consuming electricity although it is turned off? From the instant we wake up until we go to sleep, our modern life is pretty much dependent upon electronics and electrical gadgets.
Almost all of the time these devices are plugged in for 24 hours in the electric outlet. DVD players, music boxes, electrical shavers, PCs, televisions, game players, are just to name a few electronics that we keep plugged in during the day.

You need to unplug these energy consuming gadgets. A good idea is to plug your electronics into an energy-efficient power strip, so that at the end of the day, all you have got to do is flip one switch.
2. They use forty to 60 percent less power and last ten times longer than the average bulb.

3. Be aware of your water consumption. Water crisis is approaching in the horizon. Some experts believe in the upcoming water war. It is a scanty resource and we waste most of it.
If you’re upgrading your plumbing system or improving your bath room, install low flow taps, valves, and washers. Shut off faucets when not in use.
Neutralize your carbon footprint. This leads to the earth’s temperature to rise.

You can neutralize your contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by planting trees in your garden or putting leafy shrubs on your balcony. Plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and neutralizes carbon dioxide generated by your industrial activity. Cut back your paper waste. Going from plastic bag to paper bag is good for reducing non-biodegradable plastic from our landfills.
Though the majority of the grocery bags are made of recycled paper, their transport consumes more energy than transporting the same number of plastic bags. You goal for an eco-friendly life style should be to reduce paper usage as much as you can.

6. Talk about recycling with your family and friends. Recycling is an extra chore that many folk simply want to avoid.

Seven. Use car pooling or public transportation. For daily commute to your work place, you can vehicle pool with work mates or take a public transport, if available.
I recently read a Home Made Energy review which was about a product that details the way to build your own alternative energy system. This product covers both solar electricity generation as well as wind turbine technology. This PDF is practical in its discussion of when and where you can and should employ solar or wind energy. Let’s accept it, the bigger your house, the more energy you consume, and the more solar panels or turbines you’ll need to power your whole house.
Another option you’ll not have considered is magnetic energy generators. Magnetic energy is generated by the polarity of the polls attracting and repelling each other. Using this attraction and repulsion, infinite motion can be created and this motion can be modified into energy and electricity. Magnetic energy is proving to be one of the leading sources of alternative green energy! A recent Magniwork review indicated that the system sells very well. It is the easiest and most low budget electrical generator system I’ve used.

Your home may have a good working space and but be unattractive. Remodeling is your choice to create a better and attractive house and garden. Remodeling a home can be a complex and costly process. People who lead a busy professional lifestyle, requires a modern integrated feel and look. Remodeling the garden and kitchen is tailored to suit you and your needs, and it reflects your desire.
When you think of remodeling your home, kitchen plays a very important role as kitchen is the heart of a home and is in fact the family meeting ground. Your kitchen style can be traditional, modern or contemporary. There are many elements to consider while remodeling kitchen. Remodeling your kitchen adds extra style and light to your kitchen. Just changing the cabinets, countertops and flooring of your kitchen can do a lot while you think of remodeling your kitchen. A fresh coat of paint, new wallpaper or changing the window treatments can refresh the style of your kitchen. Splashy tile, fancy floors, sizable range hoods, bright kitchen cabinets, and busy countertop patterns give eye-catching look.
The cabinets in a kitchen are like the furniture of the room. Whether they’re of natural wood or have a painted finish, the cabinets must be decorative. Use soft shades on kitchen cabinets. Custom kitchen cabinets are a boon to small kitchens because they can be made deeper than standard cupboards. The type of countertops you choose may be tile, granite, wood, and molded resin, and your choice must depend on the look you want and the sort of work to be done there. Add stylish barstools or counter stools to your kitchen. Storage space is often at a premium in a kitchen. Large deep drawers make it easy to find and grab pans, and pull-out shelves offer easy access. Creating the look of a parquet wood floor with the help of a decorative painter can be much cheaper than real parquet. Upgraded faucet provides extra convenience besides providing a richer look. If you are keen in modernizing your cooking area, install Energy Star appliances, which use less energy than the standard models. New stainless-steel appliances provide fresh look and energy efficiency to the kitchen. Dress up your kitchen windows with curtains, shades, and valances to add extra style. Changing the old window with energy-efficient window offers breathtaking views of the garden outside.
Remodeling may be a chance to create an ultimate kitchen. If you’re really planning for remodeling your kitchen, you may contact a professional specialized in this area of interior design, or you could find someone to guide you. Select a design professional to assist you to manage your remodel, estimate your cost, and to choose kitchen items in order to update your kitchen with a new look. You have to decide what to change and what to keep. But, your budget has to determine how much you can do. Selections of counter tops, flooring, lighting and windows of your kitchen must suit your family’s taste. You can also make eco-friendly alternatives in your home, including your kitchen. .
Make your kitchen both friendly and functional with creative decorating ideas. Remodeling your kitchen with new appliances, flooring, lighting, fixtures, cabinets and counters will probably take time. But in the end, the results will be very satisfying and you are sure to enjoy the value added to your home.

samehta is a Copywriter of www.allphaserenovations.com – Houston home remodeling</a>.She written many articles in various topics such as <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.allphaserenovations.com”>Houston kitchen remodeling</a>, <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.allphaserenovations.com”>Houston flooring remodeling</a>Home Remodeling in Houston. For more information visit: www.allphaserenovations.com. Contact her at <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”mailto:allphase.articles@gmail.com”>allphase.articles@gmail.com</a>

There’s good news for Georgians who are looking into roofing Atlanta homes. Now the state insurance commissioner’s office has approved the first-ever “green” homeowners insurance that guarantees their modified homes will be rebuilt in the same environmentally-friendly way should damage or destruction occur. If homeowners do not have a green house, they can still add-on the Fireman’s Fund insurance to compliment their existing policy; so if their house does get damaged, it will be rebuilt with sustainable materials. This makes Georgia the 26th state to adopt the measure. “We hope this will encourage and promote people to be green in their homes,” said Commissioner John Oxendine.

So what better time to outfit your home with environmentally-friendly solar panels, recycled building materials or “green” roofing? There are many ways to keep the environment in mind when roofing Atlanta homes. One option is to have your roof painted white. In July 2009, California will mandate sloping residential roofs to be light-colored, cool-roof colors or white, said Arthur Rosenfeld of the California Energy Commission. Perhaps other states like Georgia will follow suit. According to Dr. Hashem Akbari, a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a 1,000-square-foot rooftop painted white is equivalent to cutting 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. When light pours down through the atmosphere, it will bounce off the white rooftops and reflect back toward space, therefore keeping the earth relatively the same temperature. If the 360,000 square miles covered by rooftops and pavement were a white or lighter color, enough sunlight would reflect back to space to prevent 44 billion tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere and delay climate change by 11 years, his study found. Additionally, white roofing Atlanta homes will cut cooling costs by 20%, which gives a financial incentive for homeowners.

Another “green” option for roofing Atlanta is to choose green roof insulation, which will save you 13% on your energy bills. Instead of fiberglass, consider recycled cellulose fiber (which also acts as a flame retardant), recycled denim (which is flame retardant and treated with Borax to repel pests), soy insulation (which will last the life of the house) or sheep’s wool (which is considered one of the best products for its flame retardant, noise-deadening and filtering properties).

Some of the newer roofing Atlanta styles include PhotoVoltaic (PV) roof systems and Garden roofs. California is the third-largest purchaser of 30-year PV solar panel roofs, which are lowering attic temperatures 50% and saving consumers 30% on cooling costs. Garden roofs are more popular in Europe, Asia and on corporate buildings, but some homeowners like the idea of transforming their space into a living, breathing environment.

When choosing materials for roofing Atlanta homes, the eco-friendly consumer will ideally pick asphalt with a white or light tint (at no extra charge) or a slightly more expensive pastel or white tile. A study conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that highly reflective metal materials will reflect 34% more sunlight away from the home, thereby saving home owners up to 40% in cooling costs.

Wicker is a woven fabric made out of hard natural fibers that do not get deformed easily. Most natural fiber baskets seen today are made out of wicker, which in its natural state has a sandy brown color. With the appropriate varnish and some regular maintenance, wicker can be a cost-effective way to have eco-friendly furniture for your home and garden. To top it off, wicker items are so light that even your seven-year old would have no trouble dragging a wicker chair around the house.

If you think that lightweight furniture will have to be replaced annually, you are very wrong indeed. The cheapest wicker furniture will usually last for at least four years, after which the legs begin to wear out thanks to repeated movement and dragging. To increase the lifespan of wicker furniture, you can add protective coatings and padding to the bottom of the leg.

Alternatively, wood and metal can be used as the frames for wicker chairs, tables, bar stools and sofa sets, so that the lightweight cane does not get exposed to repeated friction from being dragged around. I should add here, though, that no other material is as light as wicker, so if lightweight and portable is what you are looking for, invest in wicker-only items.

The strength of wicker items varies according to the material, the finishing touches, as well as the weave. Light and thin baskets typically have a checkered appearance, as they are woven out of broad strips of fiber. The tougher wicker fabrics – which chairs and household furniture are made out of – look like several lines of short, thin stripes positioned next to each other. Some varnishes available in the market can help maintain wicker furniture much more easily, making it several times as durable as it would be without it.

Typically, the materials used for wicker are rattan, reed, willow and bamboo. These can also be used together or fused with metal, wood, cloth and glass, creating unique hybrid combinations – each with its own specific merits and attractions.

As a quick guideline – wood gives an impression of solid, earth-bound practicality, while metal conveys sleekness and elegance. Glass is a great space-enhancer, excellent for an otherwise cramped house, while cloth is versatile, colorful and a soft material excellently suited for upholstery and cushion covers. So while choosing furniture that has wicker and one other material in it, keep these things in mind.

If you feel that brown will become monotonous, you can find wicker in any color you want; the most popular are white, black, dark brown and grey. All your household furniture – from a child’s crib to a writing desk to garden chairs to a dining table – can be made out of wicker. As far as natural furniture goes, wicker is a material that definitely cannot be dismissed.

Beautifying their home is one of the most common concerns of homeowners. They find satisfaction in increasing the curb appeal of their home. Landscaping adds lovely touches to a home. However, this service can be very expensive. Luckily, garden services are cheaper, making them great alternatives to landscaping design.   Promoting your gardening services can be difficult especially if you are not armed with the right tools.

Promotional materials can be valuable resources for your business, because these are very effective and affordable. Reproducing clear and vibrant printed materials comes easy with commercial green printing services. Green printing services are designed to produce high-quality and earth-friendly printed materials. Below are cost-effective promotional materials offered by online eco-friendly printing companies. 

•    Door Hangers: Since you provide your gardening services straight to your customer’s home, door hangers are the ideal tools for complementing your service. Print full-color door hangers to make them appealing to your prospective clients. Your message will definitely get read; since customers have to look at these materials before removing them from their door knobs. Print your marketing copy in big bold letters so customers can instantly read your message.

•    Flyers: Reach out to as many people as possible by distributing flyers in high-traffic areas. Flyer distribution is a crucial process since your goal is to advertise to the right people. You can do this by distributing your flyers in places where potential customers usually go. It would help to do a market research to find out where your clientele are most likely to be found. Remember that your promotional campaign can only be successful if your message reaches the right audience.

•    Posters: Use posters if you want your marketing copy to generate instant attention. Customers notice posters easily because they are large and often carry eye-catching images. Try color printing if you want your posters to appear vibrant and striking.  

Impressive promotion boosts your sales and increases your customer base. Investing on eco-friendly printed materials is the best way to strengthen your promotional campaign while showing concern for the environment.

Purchasing sustainable indoor lighting for your home with the environment in mind is now possible with Hinkley Lighting. Equipped with GU24 sockets and compact CFL bulbs, these indoor lighting fixtures are the perfect solution for going green. CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lighting) bulbs use approximately 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Hinkley Lighting also equips many of these fixtures with a photocell which detects daylight and prevents the fixture from illuminating during such daylight hours. All of these factors contribute to the energy-saving potential.

Many CFL bulbs have been designed to completely replace an incandescent bulb. This makes CFL bulbs the perfect replacement for indoor lighting. CFL bulbs give off the same amount of light and yet they use less energy and last much longer, making them cost effective as well as environmentally friendly. A CFL bulb used in your indoor lighting can allow you to save money on electricity bills. It is also considerably more eco-friendly than an incandescent bulb because it saves around 2,000 times its own weight in greenhouse gases.

Hinkley Lighting has an array of different series that are specifically designed with the environment in mind. Hinkley Lighting offer the Energy Saver (ES) and Energy Star (EST) series, the perfect choice for eco-friendly indoor lighting. Because equipping your fixtures with CFL bulbs is only part of going green and remaining eco-friendly, the fixtures themselves come with GU24 sockets.

The Energy Saver (ES) series offered by Hinkley Lighting comes with compact fluorescent bulbs installed in GU24 sockets, making it a great choice for your indoor lighting needs. The Energy Saver (ES) fixtures are supported by California’s “Title 24″, a program that is both eco-friendly and government assisted. By not constantly replacing bulbs, you will save money on energy bills and bulb costs by choosing these Energy Star qualified lighting fixtures

Hinkley Lighting also offers Energy Star (EST) lighting fixtures that follow the strict energy efficiency guidelines set in place by the the US Department of Energy (DOE) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Useful not only as indoor lighting, these fixtures feature a photocell which can sense daylight and adjust illumination accordingly, further saving on electricity bills and bulb replacements.

If indoor lighting isn’t what you have in mind, Hinkley Lighting also offers their Dark Sky (DS) and Energy Saving and Dark Sky (ESDS) series. These fixtures can efficiently light your yard or garden while still remaining energy efficient and eco-friendly.

The Dark Sky (DS) series fixtures offered by Hinkley Lighting are equipped with a captive reflector or other feature in their design that will minimize or completely eliminate lighting glare upward towards the sky. This is the perfect outdoor lighting option if you are not searching for indoor lighting.

Hinkley Lighting also offers the Energy Saving and Dark Sky (ESDS) series, combining the energy saving and eco-friendly advantages of CFL bulbs with the previously mentioned advantages to their Dark Sky (DS) series. The CFL bulbs used in indoor lighting can now be used outside with these Title 24 compliant, eco-friendly series. You can go green also save money thanks to the CFL bulbs.

With these days’ in dire need for “environmental cars”, Volvo Cars Driving Academy is having a growing demand for its eco-driving course.

Tommy Andersson, chief instructor at the Volvo Cars Driving Academy, commented it is possible to lessen fuel costs and have a better effect on the environment through changing one’s driving motive.

The Volvo Cars Driving Academy is a relatively unknown division of Volvo Cars’ operations. It has been around in various forms since 1989 giving instructions in winter driving, safety driving, and security driving.

Andersson explains the academy offers a wide variety of courses every year for professional drivers and private individuals. He explained further safety driving is still their biggest-seller, but the demand for eco-driving is increasing.

VEAB Mark & Trädgård, a Swedish construction service provider, is one of the companies that opted to enroll its employees in the eco-driving course at the Volvo Cars Driving Academy.

HÃ¥kan Persson, President of VEAB, says many of their clients demand the course if they are to be included in their purchasing contracts. He adds that they work on behalf of big companies, the municipality and the Swedish Road Administration. He affirmed their ISO 14001 environmental certification. He also said allowing employees to undergo an eco-driving course at the Volvo Cars Driving Academy is a wise investment.

Like many of the Academy’s students before, the VEAB employees are small groups (12) and the students are skeptical and most believe they already drive with a green foot or at least know how to.

They first get to drive a set urban route with the Volvo Cars Driving Academy’s cars, which are equipped with measuring devices for exact fuel consumption. A lesson in eco-driving then follows. And then, students drive the same route again, applying their newly learned eco-driving skills.

Students at the Volvo Cars Driving Academy are more than satisfied when they receive their certificates.

Stefan Fredriksson, landscape gardener, commented that from now on, he will be thinking more about which road he would choose. He continues that he will avoid roads with many traffic lights where the traffic has to stop so often.

Andersson predicts that enrolment in the Academy’s eco-driving course will increase. According to him, his aim is to focus more on environmentally friendly eco-driving. For example, he said, they are discussing cooperation with companies and municipalities with regard company cars and pool cars. He further said that it is only a matter of time before they realize what they stand to gain by giving everyone the knowledge about this issue.

Since Volvo is targeting an eco-friendly drive, expect that toxicity of emissions form its cars’ internal combustion engines are reduced because of its Volvo catalytic converter.