It's Our World Summer 2011

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U Energy makes thecase for solar powerAS householders and businesses

face ever-soaring energy bills,more people are considering

their options.British Gas is the latest supplier to report pricehikes this month – with gas prices to rise by anaverage of 18% and electricity bills by anaverage of 16% from August 18 – adding £190 ayear to the average dual energy bill.Scottish Power announced a 19% rise in gasprices and a 10% hike in electricity last monthand energy analysts are predicting that the restof the “big six” companies will follow suit overcoming weeks.Not surprisingly, an increasing number ofpeople have seen the light by recognising thebenefits of solar power as a way to reduce theirenergy bills.And the case for solar is made even morepowerful given the financial incentives beingoffered under the Government’s Feed-In Tariffto reward homeowners and businesses installing“green” energy generation systems.Under the Feed-in Tariff, anyone who installsan eligible solar photovoltaic (PV) systemreceives a guaranteed fixed payment for all theelectricity they generate, including what theyuse, for a period of 25 years. They also get anadditional payment for any electricity they don’tuse that they feed back into the National Grid.The payments are intended to give the customera percentage return each year based on theinitial cost of their system. The tariffs are paidthrough the customer’s electricity supplier andare given either as a direct payment into thecustomer’s bank account or as a credit line tothe customer’s energy bills.Under the Feed-In Tariff, the current rate ofpayment for an eligible 4KW system installed inan existing residence, for example, is 43.3p perKW payable through a 25-year period.One company helping to bring the solarrevolution to the UK is Lindley-based UEnergy.Director Simon Wibberley said: “Solar isbecoming a big market. People are looking toreduce their energy bills and the Government isseeking to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint.“The Feed-In Tariff means that consumers cannot only save money, they can make money.”U Energy is committed to helping customersmake the right choice when it comes to investingin solar energy.The company offers some of the latest solartechnology available, including systems made byA-Sun, which have already been tried and testedin mainland Europe.“A-Sun is proving really popular at the momentas they offer all black panels as well as beingcompetitively priced,” said Mr Wibberley.The cost of an installation can range in pricefrom almost £7,000 to over £13,000 dependingon the desired size and roof space– but the firstinstallation carried out by the company was fora small bungalow in Skelmanthorpe,demonstrating that solar is not just an optionfor those with big houses.The company has its own in-house design teamwho advise householders on the issuessurrounding solar power and the suitability oftheir property. For customers worried about theaesthetics, they can even mock-up a computerimage to show how the panels will look oncethey have been installed on their property.U Energy’s installation teams include qualifiedand experienced engineers, electricians androofers who can often complete an installationin four hours, including wiring the system to theproperty’s power supply.The latest solar systems can allow thehomeowner to constantly monitor the amountof energy being generated – and provide anearly alert to any reduction in performance dueto panels becoming shaded by trees orbecoming dirty.Mr Wibberley said solar energy was particularly

attractive to commercial properties – rangingfrom nursing homes to offices, warehouses andfactories on business parks.Agricultural buildings such as barns and shedswhich offer large roof space or land forground-based solar systems are also well-suited.Mr Wibberley added: “Farmers who are beingsqueezed on price by the supermarkets couldfind solar offers a useful source of additionalincome.”And solar panels aren’t just for pitched roofs.Specially-mounted, they can be used on flatroofs as well.Most properties are suitable for solar. The roofneeds to be structurally sound and unshadedwith at least 12sq metres of available space. Themost appropriate roofs are those facing South

West or East and at a 30 degree angle to get thegreatest benefit – but East or West facing roofswill still produce 85% of what the output wouldbe under perfect conditions.U Energy is accredited to the MicrogenerationCertificate Scheme and the Renewable EnergyAssociation.Home systems have to be installed by an MCSinstaller to be eligible for the Feed-In Tariff.Mr Wibberley said: “People are becoming moreaware of the potential for solar as a way togenerate cheaper energy and as fuel prices arerising, people know they need to look at thealternatives.“Renewable energy is the way forward both totackle climate change and for sound financialreasons.”

■ SAVINGS: U Energy director SimonWibberley

■ LET IT SHINE: An increasing number ofpeople are recognising the benefits of solarpower as a way to reduce their energy bills

■ POWER: Small properties can share in the benefits of solar energy ■ OPTIONS: Solar panels can be fitted to outbuildings and garages

Why organic farming can provide formillions of people around the world

■ BASKETS FOR SEEDS: Jade Wright interviewing women at a basket w

It’s Our World writerJADE WRIGHTtravelled to meetfarmers in India whoare proving thatorganic foodproduction can feedthe world.

ORGANIC farming makessense. Food producershave been using crop

rotation, green manure,compost and biological pestcontrol for generations – longbefore intensive farming wasdreamed up.But can these traditional methods feedthe developing world? Increasingly,farmers in India are saying yes, theycan.India is currently going throughmassive change. In rural areas, moreand more people are turning to organicfarming.It’s not a lifestyle choice – it’s the onlyway they have to feed their families.In a country with 1.2billion mouths tofeed, farming is vital. The so-called‘Green Revolution’ that started in the1960s introduced high-input farmingall over the country.In many regions it initially increasedyields – but at a high cost. In the longterm it caused erosion, severe waterpollution, and ground water depletion.Now, the intensively farmed land liesbarren, and people are having to find anew way. Or, as it happens, a mucholder one.Farmers are returning to traditionalmethods. But this requires education,and funding.Aid agency Christian Aid is helping tofund the Deccan Development Society(DDS), a small charity in the AndhraPradesh region of southern India,which provides micro-loans andeducation for groups that wouldn’totherwise have access to them.In Indian society, there wastraditionally a caste system, whichdivided everyone into a hierarchy. Atthe bottom there is an underclass, theDalits. While officially the caste systemis now outlawed, Dalits are stillexcluded from many public places andno-one will loan them money – exceptDDS.“They cannot go into many shops and

temples,” says PV Satheesh,the director of DDS. “Theywould never be allowed intopeople’s houses. In manyareas they are not evenpermitted to make eyecontact with someone from ahigher caste. They would beexpected to look at the floorwhile the other person walkspast.”Satheesh started DDS to helpthe most marginalised peoplein society have a voice.“We looked at society, andthe Dalits were the mostmarginalised group,” saysSatheesh. “Then we lookedand saw that those in ruralareas were suffering morethan those in the cities. And

furthermore, Dalit women in ruralareas were the most marginalised of all.So that is where we tried to help themost.”DDS work with groups of Dalit womenin rural villages, and using money fromChristian Aid donations, they provideeducation and micro-loans to help setup small organic farms and relatedsmall businesses.Laxmamma Begari, 45, was loanedmoney to buy two-and-a-half acres ofland. After receiving training, she nowworks as the seed keeper for her village,Humnapur.“We had lost our traditional skills,”Laxmamma explains. “Generation aftergeneration had passed down theknowledge of how to farm in the oldways. We passed down seeds frommother to daughter. My mother knewevery seed and how to gather and keepit so it would germinate the next year.“But then the new methods came. Wewere encouraged to buy packet seeds(the plants from which do not produceseeds for the next year’s sowing) andchemical fertilisers. I worked as a

labourer in those days, and the firstyear the harvest was good. Then yearswent on and it was worse. They werehaving to put more fertiliser on theland each year. It got to the pointwhere they were having to use fourtimes the original amount of fertiliser,and the prices were going up.”Laxmamma used to work as a casuallabourer for farmers. As a single parentDalit woman with two children and noland of her own, it was the only way tofeed her family after her husbandwalked out. She would earn just tworupees a day (about three pence).“In those days I had nothing,” she says,looking down at the floor. “I was just

an agricultural labourer. I had no landand was a single woman living with mmother. When the costs went up, thefarmers couldn’t afford to pay me.“The green revolution told farmers toonly grow one or two crops. But if theweather wasn’t kind to that one crop –if the rains were early or late – thenthey had nothing. There was a lot ofshame. Some farmers committedsuicide.”In the last 10 years in India 250,000farmers have committed suicide.“Many were ruined,” she continues“People lost everything. As labourerswe had nothing to lose, but we werehungry because there was no work and

Be waterwisein the gardenthis summerAFTER one of the driest springs onrecord, it’s time to get water wise.We’ve had glorious sunshine andheavy showers this month, butbeds, borders and pots are dryingup .

The Royal Horticultural Society hascome up with 10 tips to help savewater this summer.

1. Use waste water from washing-upor rinsing vegetables for watering, asnormal amounts of household soaps anddetergents will not harm soil or plants.

2. Let your lawns go brown. Theywill recover when the rains return.Newly sown and turfed lawns willrequire a lot of watering to besuccessful, so leave sowing or turfinguntil the autumn. Lawn seedcompanies are breeding deeperrooted grasses that hopefully will staygreen for longer. These will be worthconsidering, particularly in drierregions.

3. Vegetables need moist soils to givetheir best. Water them at key growthstages. The response to water isespecially marked when sweetcorn,peas and beans begin to flower, whenthe edible part of lettuces begins to formand when potatoes show flower buds,which initiate plenty of tubers.

4. Mature trees, shrubs andclimbers, hedges, fruit trees andbushes will not need watering duringa drought. However, newly plantedtrees, shrubs and climbers areextremely vulnerable and it is difficultto ensure the water applied at thesurface works its way down to theroots.

5. Fruit may remain small if notwatered, but it should be sweet and wellcoloured. Cane fruit and strawberries willbenefit by keeping the soil moist everytwo weeks. In future adding mulches inwinter will help improve the soil andretain more moisture.

6. In sunny summers installgreenhouse and conservatoryshading and ventilation to limitoverheating and invest in a min-maxthermometer.

7. By grouping pots, ideally in clustersof similar size, watering is made easierand moisture loss reduced. Mass potsfor mutual shading and use the largestpots possible. As days lengthen and thesun rises, more plants, especiallylarge-leaved ones, can be gathered inshadier areas. A saucer beneath the potto retain run-off helps.

8. Don’t dig new ground in summerif you can avoid it, as digging soilallows any remaining moisture toescape. Hoe off weeds as shallowlyas you can, loosen soil with a forkand ’puddle’ plants into the soil,adding a little liquid fertiliser.

9. Establishing new plants in bordersduring dry times can be difficult. Instead,pot them into slightly bigger pots andkeep well wateredand fed in lightshade until theautumn plantingseason arrives.

10. Earlysummerperennials, irisesfor example, willsurvive onmoisture left inthe soil fromwinter. Give latesummerperennials suchas phlox onegood watering inthe summer asplants begin toflower, whichshould beenough.

■ HELPING RURAL AREAS: P VSatheesh, director of the DeccanDevelopment Society at his home inPastapur


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ming can provide formillions of people around the world

et weaving co-operative in the Andhra Pradesh region of India. The villagers were helped by micro-loans and training from a small local charity backed by Christian Aid

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little food. The green revolution didn’twork. We had to go back to the oldways.”Gradually, with help from DDS,Laxmamma and the women in hervillage council (known as a Sangham)created a pool of seeds to use in thetraditional method. Within two yearsthey had gathered 82 varieties. Theybought small patches of land to farmso they didn’t have to work for biggerlandlords.Each of their seeds has a specificbenefit – some will withstand heavyrainfall, some harvest early, some late,some withstand little water.As well as helping Laxmamma, the

DDS investment has helped the fragilelocal economy.The seeds are kept in special baskets tokeep them safe and dry. These aremade by Narsamma Erakololla, agrandmother and farmer in a nearbyvillage.“Before this, nobody cared for us andnobody would give us a loan,” saysNarsamma, 65, referring to the castesystem. “Nobody trusted us, even inthe village. There were 10 families likeus and altogether we got a cash loanfrom DDS of 20,000 rupees (£275)between us to weave baskets and payback the loan.“We have made so many grain baskets

to help women in the villages near hereto store seeds. This means that we cansend our children and grandchildren toschool.”It’s physically demanding work, butNarsamma is pleased to be able toprovide for her family. She can makefour baskets a day. The materials cost10 rupees (14p) and she sells them for20 rupees (28p). Altogether, she makesabout 50p a day, and from that, she isable to make repayments.In a country where 50p a day is a goodwage, it’s easy to see how the money weput in those little red envelopes can goa long way. A loan of less than £30 toNarsamma’s family has made all the

difference. I feel ashamed, as I realise Iprobably waste that much every weekon lunches and cups of coffee.“Because we were very regular with ourloan repayments we got the loanswithout paying interest,” saysNarsamma, proudly. “It would be toodifficult to even imagine life withoutaccess to those loans. I cannot saythank you enough.”To donate to Christian Aid, seewww.christianaid.org.uk, call 020 75232141 or send cheques, Postal Ordersand charity vouchers to Christian Aid,Freepost, London, SE1 7YY (no stamprequired) although please do not sendcash by post.


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Villageheatingschemea winnerA PIONEERING greenenergy scheme inHuddersfield has wonnational recognition.

The project in theFernside area ofAlmondbury won thepublic sector project ofthe year award and wasrunner up in thedomestic installationcategory at the NationalHeat Pump Awards.

The project involvedKirklees NeighbourhoodHousing (KNH) replacinginefficient electricstorage heaters in 180flats and bungalows withground source heatpumps. The scheme isone of the biggest of itskind in the UK and amajor way that KNH issupporting KirkleesCouncil’s carbonreduction and fuelpoverty targets.

Ground source heatpumps work by using theearth as a heat source toprovide both heating andhot water. Bore holeswere drilled down 80metres below theAlmondbury houses tocapture this heat, wherethe temperature staysconstant year round. Theconcentrated heat isdistributed through thehome via traditionalradiators and hot watercylinders.

Contractors Eon andKirklees BuildingServices worked closelywith KNH,representatives from theAlmondbury SouthTenants and ResidentsAssociation, tenants andward councillors to helpbring the project tofruition.

The heat pumps arealready paying off. as lastwinter, one of the coldeston record, residents sawtheir energy use fall bybetween a third and ahalf.

Clr Peter McBride,Cabinet member forInvestment and Housing,said: “This project is animportant addition to theway we use renewableenergy in Kirklees andprovides a model forothers to follow. I’m verypleased that the projecthas received thisrecognition.

“The work of partnerslike KNH is vital tohelping the councilreduce its carbonfootprint and tackle fuelpoverty. Workingtogether, we can make areal difference”.

FOR PEAT’S SAKE

■ WORD:

More gardenersgo organic withnatural greenwaste compost

Help Oxfam aid the starving AfricaIF you’re in the mood to clear out theclutter, you could also help a good causeat the same time.

Oxfam is calling on the people ofHuddersfield to donate their unwantedgoods for their biggest ever appeal inAfrica.

The call comes in response to a massivefood crisis facing more than 12 millionpeople across Ethiopia, Somalia andKenya. The agency needs £50 million toreach three million people in dire need ofclean water, food and basic sanitation.

“This is the worst food crisis of the 21st

Century and we are seriously concernedthat large numbers of lives could soon belost,” said Jane Cocking, Oxfam’sHumanitarian Director.

“Two successive poor rains, entrenchedpoverty and lack of investment in affectedareas have pushed 12 million people into afight for survival. People have already lostvirtually everything and the crisis is onlygoing to get worse over the comingmonths – we need funds to help us reachpeople with life-saving food and water.”

The epicentre of the drought has hit thepoorest people in the region in an area

straddling the borders of Kenya, Ethiopiaand Somalia where families rely heavily onlivestock for survival. In some parts of theregion, up to 60 percent of their herdshave already died while the remainder areeither sick or dangerously underweight.The price of animals has plummeted whilethe cost of cereals has soared. In Somaliathe price of a main staple sorghum hasrisen 240% since last year.

To help, please drop your clean andsaleable unwanted items to your localOxfam shop. For details call 0300 2001999.

UNLESS you've been living in ahole in the ground for the lastfew years, you'll know that using

peat-based products in your garden isdecimating peatlands throughout theUK and beyond.Peatlands provide vital habitats for wildlife,store greenhouse gases and release thousandsof tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.However, peat is used in compost and soilimprovers because it’s light, retains moistureand stores nutrients. It’s also very cheap.In an effort to raise awareness and encouragegardeners to choose peat-free alternatives,leading organic growing charity GardenOrganic has launched its I Don't Dig Peatcampaign, to put an end the 24 millionwheelbarrows of peat which its experts estimateis being used unnecessarily by British gardenerseach year.Gardeners’ World presenter Alys Fowler, whois fronting the campaign, says: “Whetherpeople think peat is the best option depends onif they've experimented with going peat-free.“Increasingly, those who go peat-free and gethold of good quality compostfind there's no argument. I don'tuse any peat-based compost andI see no difference. I growfantastic vegetables.“If you were trying to grow peatbog plants, there’s an argumentthat growing them in peat issensible, but the amount ofpeople growing peat bog plantsis tiny. What’s happening is thata lot of people are using peat –up to 70% peat in somemulti-purpose composts – forgrowing, say, tomatoes. Buttomatoes don’t need peat togrow.”Fowler uses her council’s greenwaste compost, called Carecompost, sold at her localgarden centre, along with peat-freemulti-purposes from Carbon Gold, NewHorizon and Vital Earth.“If your council is making green waste, phonetheir refuse department which should be ableto tell you where to buy it. It’s incrediblycheap,” she suggests.Historically, peat-free composts have beencriticised for being inferior for seed-sowing. AWhich? Gardening report from the Consumers’Association magazine noted earlier this year:“Our trial results show that peat-free compostsstill have a way to go to match the performanceof peat for sowing seeds and growing on youngplants – although the picture is rosier forcontainer composts.”However, some peat-based composts are just asinferior as their peat-free counterparts, saysCeri Thomas, editor of Which? Gardening.“Gardeners shouldn’t assume that all compostis the same. Whether peat-free or peat-based,the quality of compost varies massively.“Our trials found that it is possible to buy agood quality peat-free compost that performsas well as the best peat-based compost. Butthere are also a number of peat-based andpeat-free composts that simply don't matchthese high standards.”In its latest trial, Which? Gardeningrecommends New Horizon Organic & PeatFree Growbag for sowing seeds. Germinationrates for basil were on a par with its Best Buypeat-based compost and the quality of theresulting seedlings was good.New Horizon Organic & Peat Freemulti-purpose compost (£5.99 for 60 litres) wasa Best Buy container compost for the secondconsecutive year, outperforming sevenpeat-based composts, including three specificcontainer ones, to come joint top.Fowler says: “This campaign is saying, thinkabout it. There's no need to dig up one part ofthe world to grow something in your backgarden.“Many people are coming into gardeningthrough the ‘grow your own’ trend, because ofhealth and environmental reasons. It would besad to take a step backwards by usingcomposting material which is not sustainable,

when actually peat-free is getting better andbetter.”If you want to go peat-free, avoid buying andusing soil improvers as most of these containpeat, Garden Organic advises. Use productssuch as manure and leafmould to improve yoursoil instead.Start making home compost and buy fewerbedding plants, switching to perennials whichgrow year after year, meaning you reduce thepeat-grown plants you bring into the gardenand the need to replant each year.Search online for nurseries or mail order storesselling peat-free plants and support theirpeat-free initiatives.Sometimes the good peat-free composts will beslightly pricier, Fowler concedes, but it’s a smallprice to pay for saving the earth.“It’s worth paying a couple of pennies more toensure a much more secure future for our widerenvironment, biodiversity and habitat,” shesays.For more information on the campaign and topledge not to use peat, go towww.idontdigpeat.org.uk

By JADE WRIGHTIt’s Our World [email protected]


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■ BEST FOR GROWING: Gardeners’ World presenter Alys Fowler says there’s no need to digup areas rich in peat – such as Connemara in Ireland, inset – when a good quality peat-freecompost can outperform a peat-based compost


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Designing newways to cut costsand go greenPENNINE Home Improvements is

continuing to lead the way ingreen window design.

The Aspley-based business is working hard tohelp homeowners cut their energy bills, theircarbon emissions and so boost the environment.The company, headed by Craig Hanson, was oneof the first in the local area to adhere to newenvironmental standards for double glazedwindows.New Government regulations from October 1 lastyear dictate that double glazing installers mustnow fit, as standard, windows which achieve acategory C rating. The new amendments apply toall replacement windows in domestic properties.Craig, who runs Pennine Home Improvementsfrom its base at Lincoln Street, Aspley, says: “Ourwindow profiles can also be upgraded to acategory A by including the most energy efficientglass. I understand we were one of the first inHuddersfield to sign up to the new regulationsand now fit category C as standard.“For the homeowner this means that they save onenergy bills, therefore cutting down carbonemissions. It means their home is warmer with nodraughts and they are doing their best to lead agreener lifestyle.”

The new regulations are all part of Britain’scommitment to the international KyotoProtocol and is a major step in reducing carbonemissions and ensuring the UK becomes moreenergy efficient. New double glazed windowsare now much more energy efficient and costeffective.Pennine uses the Advance 70 window profilewhich is at the forefront of windowmanufacture.Prior to October 1, window energy ratingsranged from A to G. New innovative windowdesign incorporating five chambers in thewindow frame mean that C, B and A ratingsare now easily achievable.Craig said: “People in Huddersfield can nowreduce their heating costs, help the environmentand make their home look more attractive.”Window energy ratings are calculated bylooking at the solar gain and thermal loss. Theresulting value is placed on an energy scalefrom A to G which gives consumers a simpleway to compare one product with another.The Kyoto Protocol is the global agreementwhich sets targets for nearly 40 industrialisedcountries and the European community forreducing greenhouse gas emissions.

■ CUTTING EDGE: Craig Hanson, at Pennine Home Improvements, one of the first localwindow installers to adhere to new environmental standards

TrWel

DITCHING the car on shortjourneys can save you afortune – and increase

your fitness. Families inHuddersfield are walking andcycling their way to healthier,greener lives this summer–and saving money with everystep and pedal.As well as helping the environment bycutting congestion and the amount offumes emitted from cars, a 20-minutecycle to work can burn around 100calories and help you start the dayenergised and alert.But if you’re bored of your bike,maybe it’s time to enhance your ride.We're not talking paint jobs orgo-faster stripes, but half-a-dozenon-bike gadgets that will improveyour cycling experience.Sat upon the saddle you’re not onlygetting trim but saving cash and, ofcourse, being eco-friendly, so there'slittle not to like about ditching othermodes of transport for the bike.And our collection of great gadgetscould offer that additional incentiveto take to two-wheels more often.Key Indicator – LED BikeSignals – £24.95 fromwww.amazon.co.ukWith this LED-based indicatorsystem strapped on to your bike, youuse the handlebar-attached controlunit to tell those behind you whichway you’re about to turn. It meansyou can safely cycle with both handswhere they should be. The indicatorsalso feature a hazard light function inaddition to a beeping sound.Bright Lights – Knog FrogStrobe Lights – £11.99 each from

www.firebox.comIlluminators are a legal requirementat night-time and they’re vital forletting other road users know that youare there. Ideally you want lights thatwill not take up too much space onyour frame, yet offer sufficient power– step up the Knog Frog Lights.Waterproof, durable and featuring amultitude of light settings that can beseen up to 600 metres away, they areeasy to attach and remove too.Information Overload – iPhoneLive Rider – £62.99 fromwww.firebox.comThose gym-based exercise cycles offera range of information to let youknow what you’re burning and atwhat rate, so why not welcome someof this techno wizardry on to yourbike? Information from your journeyis sent to your handlebar-mountediPhone from sensors fitted on the rear

wheel, giving you a real-time updateof your progress. You can also storeyour journey data for next time tocompete against your personal best.Halo There – Angel BicycleHelmet – £44.95 fromwww.iwantoneofthose.comA fair amount of cyclists don’t botherwith any headgear, so this helmet,with its dual-purpose, may well enticemore to don this crucial safety piece.A halo of LEDs, which can be set inflashing and non-flashing modes,ensure you'll be seen from any angle.It is also 100% waterproof andfeatures an in-built retractable USBcharger. It's one of the most talentedhelmets we've seen.Hold All – Spiderpodium– £14.90 fromwww.thesatnavwarehouse.comThis head-slappingly simple conceptis executed perfectly to form one of

the most multi-purpose go-anywheregrippers we’ve seen. The bendablelimbs allow for almost any gadget tobe gripped securely while leavingenough spare to attach to thehandlebars of your bike. So, satnavs,MP3 players, digital cameras, mobilesand more can be transported withease and fully utilised on yourjourney.Park Anywhere – TopeakBikamper – £130.83 fromwww.activesport.co.ukThis kit is small enough to be carriedon the handlebars, but whenunravelled forms a sleeping space forcycle adventurers. Remove your frontwheel to form one end of the tentframe and your bike holds the otherend of this clever shelter in place. It’llcertainly have others on site stoppingto stare.

By JADE WRIGHTIt’s Our World [email protected]

GGaaddggeettss ttoo hheellpp yyoouu ddiittcchhtthhee ccaarr –– aanndd rriiddee ttoo wwoorrkk


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■ CLOCKING ON: The iPhone Live Rider, £62.99, above, recordsand stores your journey data and is available from www.firebox.com;the Angel Bicycle Helmet, £44.95, right, also lights up so you will beseen – from www.iwantoneofthose.com

Chanceto scoop£10,000THERE is a final chancefor people to enter acompetition to winthousands to fund anenvironmental holidayor sustainable work inthe community.

The deadline for the5th Future FriendlyAwards is at midnighton Sunday, July 24.

Future Friendly is aconsumer educationprogramme, supportedby leading sustainabilityexperts the EnergySaving Trust, WasteWatch and Waterwise.

It seeks to inspire andenable people aroundthe country tocontribute to a bettertomorrow.

The organisationwants to reward localcommunity projectswho are championinggreen initiatives toenter.

Shortlisted winnersfrom 12 regions of theUK and Ireland will eachreceive £1,000, fromwhich one nationalwinner will be awardeda £10,000 bursary tohelp support theirefforts.

Little and Big Heroes,aged under and over 18respectively, are alsobeing recognised fortheir sustainable effortstoo.

An overall winner ineach category willreceive a sustainableholiday for five worth£1,000.

Past communitywinners have rangedfrom an online ‘swapshop’ for babyequipment and aninvention to helpmeasure waterconsumption.

To enter the awards,simply submit yourshort entry of no morethan 500 words,together with your nameand email address, atwww.futurefriendly.co.uk

It's Our World Summer 2011

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