Tag: shopping

Shop palm oil-free with Rainforest Foundation UK

From biscuits to bread, cleaning products to cosmetics – palm oil is everywhere. Now a handy new guide can help you shop palm oil-free…

Currently, around 50 per cent of products in UK supermarkets contain palm oil, including soaps, shampoos and many kinds of food, making it hard to be sure your shop is palm-oil free. But the Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK), an environmental charity that supports people living in and around the world’s rainforests, has launched its new annual Palm Oil guide – designed to help shoppers make informed, ethical choices about everyday items on their shopping lists.

Forest elephants at risk from new palm oil developments in Africa
Forest elephants at risk from new palm oil developments in Africa

Large-scale palm oil developments in the rainforest cause deforestation and habitat loss for the wildlife and people who call the forest home. The global demand for palm oil has already devastated millions of acres of rainforest in South East Asia and now companies are turning to Africa.

Despite the devasting impact, demand for palm oil continues to grow. With this product guide, compiled with Ethical Consumer magazine, RFUK provides consumers with the information needed to make informed choices about the products they buy – helping them opt for more sustainable products and avoid those that are destroying rainforests.

Manatees at risk from African palm oil production
Manatees at risk from African palm oil production

Consumers can receive their copy of the guide by downloading via the link or texting the word PRODUCT to 70300 and have it to hand for their next trip to the shops.

For more information about RFUK’s Palm Oil Guide and their work to help indigenous and local forest communities, visit: www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/palmoilguide

Palm oil guide
Palm oil guide, free to download

5 of the coolest camping accessories

From staycations to festivals, romantic weekends away to family holidays, we all love camping nowadays! No longer just for earnest outdoor types, camping’s renaissance means a wealth of brilliant kit on the market. Here’s our pick of the coolest camping accessories for your next night under canvas… (click on the images to buy direct from the page)

Solar powered tent – £179.99

Can’t bear to be without your camera, phone or tablet when sleeping in a field? We’ll forgive you tech-heads when you arrive on site  with one of these super cool shelters! These 4-man tents, by Bang Bang Tents, come with a 5W solar panel, lithium solar storage bank, and mobile phone/USB charging adaptors. They are also available in some very swanky designs, including Woodstock, Machu Picchu, Butterfly Collector and Fool on the Hill – never again lose sight of where you’ve pitched up!

‘Moomin’ enamel mug – £16.95

Whether it’s for your morning coffee or a hot toddy around the camp fire, you’ll need a cool set of enamel tin mugs. We love these Moomin designs! Matching plates and cooking kit also available.

Glamping lantern bags – £5.69 (for set of 5)

These pretty lanterns will add a magical atmosphere when the sun goes down. Made of fire resistent paper to hold tea lights there’s enough in one pack to dot them around your temporary ‘garden’.

 ‘VW Campervan’ deckchair – £34.95

You could go for one of those ubiquitous canvas fold-up camping chairs, or a squishy inflatable number (but do you really want something else to pump up along with the airbed?!). Why not go old school with a deckchair? Classic, retro and perfect for relaxing back at the tent, this version boasts a VW campervan print design (polka dots, butterflies and ‘beach rules’ also available).

 ‘Cool Camping Cookbook’ by Jonathan Knight – £9.06

Printed on organically-textured, wood-free paper (yes, really!), this cookbook is bursting with rustic, campfire recipes that taste great al fresco from smokey barbequed mackerel to cakes in a tin. It even includes advice on creating your own fire pit and has a whole chapter dedicated to vegan-friendly recipes.

 

All of the Amazon links in this article link to the Goodtrippers Amazon Affiliates site – this is at no additional cost to you (prices are the same as going direct to Amazon) but Goodtrippers receives a small percentage from sales when you purchase using these links. Many thanks for your support.

5 Eco travel accessories for your backpack

Travel accessories are getting smarter – and ‘greener’ – by the day. If you want to enjoy an eco-friendly trip, make sure the essentials packed in your suitcase or backpack are eco-friendly too. Here are a few green suggestions to add to your packing list…(click on the images to shop direct from the page)

‘Maasai Treads’ Eco-friendly Flip-Flops by Fresh Cargo – £22

Yes, you read that right – you can now make sure your feet are clad in eco-friendly footwear! These eco-friendly flip-flops (‘Maasai Treads’ for women) are made from natural hemp with soles made from recycled tyres. Cheerful colours and comfortable.

Weleda Organic Body Wash Travel Pack – £9.95

A little too fussy and indulgent for a backpacking trip? No! A basic, no-frills overseas trip (with all the sweat, sand, saltwater and rarely washed clothing) is exactly the time to bring out a much needed ‘luxury’ pampering moment! Organic beauty leaders Weleda have created this handy travel set containing five 20ml bottles of their gorgeous smelling body washes – citrus, lavender, sea buckthorn, wild rose, and pomegranate. Suitable for vegans.

Eton Solarlink AM/FM/Shortwave Solar Crank Radio – £49.95

This rugged, splash-proof Eton portable radio is powered via the sun or a few turns on the wind-up handle. Ideal for tuning in to radio stations (to catch a glimpse of local life on-air) to while away the evenings. Its handy USB socket allows you to charge your mobile phone or mp3 player while on the go. Also has an alarm function to get you up in time for that early flight…

EarthLust Water Bottle – £19.95

A sturdy reusable water bottle, to help reduce the huge numbers of plastic bottles littering streets and filling landfill, is a travel essential. The eco-chic stainless steel versions by EarthLust are some of the most stylish we’ve seen. Available in 400ml, 600ml and 1l sizes, EarthLust bottles come in an imaginative range of nature-inspired designs (‘fish’ pictured). Each bottle is made from food grade stainless steel, designed using non-toxic paint, and comes with a BPA-free cap to ensure nothing harmful gets into your drinking water (you should still boil water or use purifying tablets in areas where it is advised). A sturdy clip allows your bottle to be attached to your belt or rucksack when on the move.

CIAK DUO Medium Notebook – £16.99

Never underestimate the value of a decent notebook on your travels. You may think it’s best to jot all your notes down on to your smartphone or laptop, but a good old fashioned paper journal will never run out of power and allows you to write, sketch and doddle all the thoughts, information and memories you collect as your trip unfurls. This very stylish duo-cover notebook is one half lined paper, one half plain with a central pocket for storing scraps of paper and receipts etc. CIAK is committed to being socially responsible and all notebooks contain eco-friendly, acid-free, recycled paper. No wonder it won an award for best notebook at the London Stationery Awards 2011 (yes, they really do have them!).

All of the Amazon links in this article link to the Goodtrippers Amazon Affiliates site – this is at no additional cost to you (prices are the same as going direct to Amazon) but Goodtrippers receives a small percentage from sales when you purchase using these links. Many thanks for your support.