Have an adventure in your city on your bicycle for a day! Come and join the traffic-free streets of London where cyclists will have a rare opportunity to enjoy a day of exploration on two wheels. Rediscover the freedom of your bike with your friends and family, seeing and experiencing your city from a different view. There will be a wide variety of entertainment to enjoy, from music and fancy dress to sporting challenges and cycling tips and advice. If you simply just need a break,sit back, relax and enjoy the food markets and picnic areas. Last year over 65,000 cyclists lined the route which took participants along the Embankment, up the Mall, into St James's Park and out to St Pauls. This year's route is yet be announced so keep coming back, or you can register now and you will be one of the first to discover the 2010 Mayor of London Sky Ride route. Whatever your age, whatever your interests, there is guaranteed to be something for everyone!

Catch up with the amazing goings on in the BBC Springwatch nests and riverbanks, by watching nature up close and very personal on the video camera links here.

If this has inspired you to do more bird watching, why not get one of our nestboxes with an inbuilt colour camera?

If you're anything like the team here at Green Rewards we've all been making the most of the glorious weather and having lots of BBQ's recently. Do it the green way, and get some of these organic and non chemical BBQ lighters.

As the weather's getting nicer and we're all spending more time in our gardens, our thoughts turn to plants and planting. Now is the perfect time to plant seeds in your garden or plant out seedlings you've been growing inside. Time to start that sunflower competition again.

Now is the perfect time to get your compost onto your garden, so uncover your wormery or dig over your compost corner and see what dark earthy delights nature has been brewing for you over winter. Your plants will love you for it...

Consider the Environment

Nature gave us legs for moving…so make 2010 the year of positive usage! Be it walking, running, riding, pushing or pulling, try leaving the car in the drive once or twice a week and seek alternative methods of transport. For those who ate one too many mince pies there are always eco-alternatives to the normal methods such as Electric bicycles and Scooters to Eco taxi firms such as Go Green Cars.

Use Eco-friendly Shopping Bags

By far the easiest resolution to action, all it requires is a bit of concerted thinking next time the checkout lady offers you bag! From biodegradable to reusable, cloth to knit to crochet, there are countless alternatives available to the dreaded plastic bag (which, along with the rest of the world's plastic waste, are ganging together in the Pacific Ocean to form a flotilla of filth the size of Texas).

The team here at Green Rewards have come up with some of their own ideas and advice for having a green Christmas!

Twelve Green Days of Christmas

1. Christmas Tree: Ditch the plastic, rent a real one in a rootball so it can be planted again. Make sure it is peat free and try and buy local to save on transporting miles.
2. Say it with a card: Either send e-cards (which although are worthy aren’t quite as much fun...) or try the new eco christmas postcards, which dispense with the need for an envelope, and are folded in half into a card shape by the receiver. At the very least, buy charity cards made from recycled paper and remember to recycle them afterwards. Try and avoid shiny wrapping paper, and look out for recycled wrapping paper instead.
3. The Holly Bears The Crown: Buy a fairtrade or handmade wreath. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not try making it yourself? Get berries and greenery in your garden or buy from local florists. Make your own tree decorations by painting fir cones or baking edible shortbread to hang up. If you have children, eveyone loves a handmade present. You can’t go wrong with a coloured in mug, calender, picture etc.
4. Ethical Gifts: We all know a lot of the joy of Christmas comes from giving and receiving gifts, particaurly when there are kids involved. Shop ethically and sustainably for your presenst this year and feel that extra glow of pride from having spent your money wisely. Try Our Green Shop for all your green and ethical gifts this year. If you’re buying for someone who has everything already, why not get a ‘virtual present’ charitable donation?
5. Lights on: Use solar powered lights to light up your tree and house. If you place your tree near a window, you can have the solar panel outside, and run the cable inside (through a closed window, I’ve tried!) providing power to your gorgeous looking solar powered fairy lights twinkling on your tree. Any wannabe Blackpool illuminations on the outside of your house can also be solar powered. Saving your money and the planet, although unfortunatly not your street cred.
6. Lights off: When you’re not in the office over the festive season, make sure you turn all computers, printers, scanners, lights etc. off and turn the thermostat down.
7. Go foraging: See what free food nature has to offer. Chesnuts, hawthorn berries, apples and figs are all available in December. You can make your own jam or chutney or even your own Christmas pudding!
8. Recycling: Packing, bottles, Grandmothers, you name it, it can probably be recycled. Remember to compost your food waste too.
9. Love Your Food: Buy free range turkeys or chickens and locally sourced products, maybe even whip up a homemade foraged christmas pudding (detailed above).
10. Good Energy: 15 million batteries are sold worldwide every year and 98% of them end up in landfill. Don’t add to those statistics and instead stock up with rechargable batteries. New technology means batteries can be recharged in as little as 15 minutes so it’s not the pain it used to be. Your kids will thank you when you have an inexhustable supply of enegy. Or you could even ditch the electric and go for wind up toys!
11. Say it with candles and bubble bath: Once you’ve put the kids to bed, how about turning the lights off and lighting a few soy candles instead? Even better, why not try out that new bubble bath with your partner and indludge in some proper relaxation time. Saving energy, money and your relationship.
12. Put it on, turn it down: Wear your new jumper, socks and hat that you’ve just been given, thereby making gran/mum/girlfriend very happy, and enabling you to turn your heating down one degree and yet still have that glowing feeling inside. Everyone wins!

Model Katherine Poulton examines ethical fashion and gives us Lily Cole's favourite skin care tips.

‘Ethical Fashion’ faces one problem...

The fact that it has a special label rather than 'unethical fashion' needing to be branded. As shoppers we are having to wake up to the realities of mass production creating low high street prices, finding where we really 'pay', is with our That's why the ethical movement is so exiting, and as diverse as the issues we face and we can now find products that support better ways of living. My company, The North Circular, is working to support rare breed Wensleydale sheep, who live out their natural lives on the sheep sanctuary and to promote the UK wool industry and handcrafts. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi; "Be the change you want to see in the world." That's why I started The North Circular and why I promote ethical shopping.

When it comes to skin on the face, my advice is treat it gently. Wash your face in warm water with a soft muslin cloth, when you apply moisturiser, pat it on, dont rub as that drags and stretches out the skin. When deciding what creams to use, remember skin can absorb the ingredients in many skin products due to its porous nature. If your skin care products contain harsh or toxic ingredients then consider where those toxins are going.

Lily Cole tells me she uses skincare ranges like REN, 'Because they work really well, they contain no skin unfriendly- synthetics (like petrochemicals, sulfate detergents, synthetic colours,etc.) and very importantly they are NOT tested on animals.'' She also recommends the make up company LA BELLA DONNA ''I love them as they are all mineral based, and have non-chemical SPF factor and the make up colours/consistency are wonderful!'' La Bella Donna's formulas are actually healthy for the skin because they are made from natural elements-mineral-based pigments they containin no FD&C dyes, oil, talc, alcohol or fragrance.

While beauty tips may only be skin deep but with a little ethical thinking we can all have that inner glow...

Lauren (age 9) and Daniel (age 6) speak out on sustainability and climate change.

What are you doing at home and at school to be more sustainable?

At home we are recycling and composting and we are turning off the lights and the TV off standby when we aren’t using them. I also make sure I turn the tap off when I am brushing my teeth. We should also be using public transport and re-use our plastic bags. At school we have an eco-council and they look at ways we can be more eco-friendly – such as recycling in the classroom and picking up litter.

What will happen if we don’t do anything about climate change?

The Arctic and Antarctic ice will melt and there will be no place for the animals to live and the land will flood because of the extra water.

Why do we recycle things?

So we can make it into other things and we can look after our environment by not having all the waste around us.

Would you like the toys and games you play with to be created in a way that doesn't harm the planet?

Yes, if they could be made to work in the same ways!

A poke at climate doubt pushers, by Dave Hampton, the carbon coach, and member of the Green Rewards Sustainability Advisory Panel created a bit of a stir when it appeared on his blog:

So we invited Dave to re-view and re-mix it - for publication here - on Green Rewards.

Just after watching BBC TV Question Time, the one with ‘Grick Niffin’ on the panel, I had nightmares about Truth Deniers, and how it was that honest, decent people can so easily get seduced towards them. My field of speciality is a big muddy field! Humankinds collective denial (by their actions) that there is any real climate problem. In this muddy field it’s important to remember there are two very distinct types of denier ‘animal’ that you will encounter. With totally different response strategies needed. Actually "doubt pusher" may be a better name than 'denier'. Get this:

Doubt is a popular feel-good drug

Whether we seek escape from the pain of being part of the species that 'allowed' the holocaust, or escape from the dull ache that we are now complicit in mass suicide and the future deaths of billions including our own children, we seek escape, distraction, cold comfort. A tiny bit of doubt eases the pain enormoulsy. These are big emotional 'charges' Dave! But watch out when the climate taboo next crops up in polite conversation. We are talking about (or not talking out) latent near-universal abuse of our own children's Home planet. Hardly small talk.

So what are these two types:

My hero Miles Kington used to say "There are two types of people in this world. People who divide people into two types. And people who don't." Think about it! I honestly don't know why, but this is one of my favourite sayings of all time!

Here goes:

Type 1 (or Class A!) Doubt Pushers: They work upstream – and are misanthropic - clever - bad - and privately fully aware that they are wrong, in the views they pretend to hold.

and

Type 2 (or Class B) Doubt Addicts: These are the carefully selected victims and prey of the pushers: they get infected and used – after feeling the high - of a smidgeon of doubt, and enjoy being a lone voice – a maverick.

Now it turns out that doubt takers, soon become doubt addicts, and some fast become doubt pedlars. (And of course some pedlars are invited to become proper paid up pushers.) Pedlars of doubt experience new found fresh popularity - for the welcome relief they bring (e.g. at dinner parties) to the throbbing headache of dealing with the huge climate reality backlog. Think David Bellamy - one of my childhood hero’s - and someone I still believe to be a good man.

I don't think there are that many Class A's left - but they are very toxic - very clever – highly motivated – superb at doing what they do – (appearing to profess some doubt) - and superb at hiding what they do too. All we can do is help expose them, and hold them to what they have said.

We also need to hope that less Class B's will get duped over the years, although currently it’s a boom industry. But they are less likely to succumb if we love them. (Class A's are usually immune to this tactic.) This is a big learning point. You won't love a Class A into the light. Just as you won’t convince a Class B by the power of your argument. You have to let go. There are two very different approaches needed. It’s made more complicated because it is usually almost impossible to tell if the person is a pusher of doubt or an innocent victim. They look and sound the same. That’s the skill of the Class A doubt pusher. But trust your instincts, love the person, and see what happens.

What also gives me hope is my belief that someone like Ann Widdecombe is not rotten to the core, she's just been duped. (Not atall easy to do with a lady as shrewd as her, and certainly not atall easy for her to ever admit.) She will get there eventually. She might want to listen to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He doesn't suffer fossil fools easily.

Dominic Lawson though – by way of example - I struggle to give him the benefit of doubt. Maybe I'm wrong. But I sense a man who justifies his immoral stance as being in some way 'right' down the line. Extreme right maybe! History will judge Class A's harshly, very harshly indeed.

All we can do is calmly and courageously expose them, and hold them to what they have said.

Professor Frances Corner OBE, head of London College of Fashion, discusses the ethical future of fashion.

There are a number of dilemmas that lie at the heart of the fashion industry that if we are to have a sustainable future we need to address. Fashion designers and retailers have always had to tread the line between producing clothes with a signature style that their clients recognize with the pressure to develop the new, to increase sales. Over recent years the increase in consumption has emphasized the new, and the result is a greater spread of collections with a faster turnaround.

Pre-collections, cruise collections and capsule collections have been added to the established couture and ready-to-wear autumn/winter and spring/summer collections. Every major city has or is aspiring to a fashion week, whilst internet sales reinforce the plethora of innovative ways of selling to the consumer. Any talk of sustainable fashion is seen as an oxy-moron as we are encouraged to change and discard for the new rather than valuing the clothes we have purchased over the years. The phrase, "Retail therapy" might have begun as a joke but has become so bound up with our contemporary consumer existence that it is a justification for spending yet more money on new clothes, many of which never leave the carrier bags that brought them home. Somehow we need to redress the balance.

However, it is important to recognise that fashion is a cornerstone for many world economies. Worth over $1 trillion worldwide on an annual basis, the clothing industry is ranked the second biggest global economic activity for intensity of trade, employing some 26 million people worldwide, many of whom are totally dependent on it for their livelihoods. But resource depletion, GHG emissions, waste, chemical toxicity, pollution, child labour and sweatshop conditions are leading growing numbers of consumers and the industry itself to question how goods are produced. When we snap up a bargain, we avoid its true cost. It is not just damage to the environment, but to the lives of those who produce them. Factory workers can be paid as little as 7p an hour for an 80 hour week in horrendous working conditions. Our demand for cheap fast fashion traps both factory workers and owners and uses up precious natural resources.

Increased coverage of ethical and environmental issues in both mainstream and fashion media, has improved consumer awareness. Market research shows that shoppers take ethical considerations on board when deciding what to buy; however prima facie evidence from the high street suggests that price remains the key driver. The groundbreaking Stern report on the economics of climate change highlights that prices failing to reflect the true costs of production is the biggest ever market failure. The much-needed success and progress in Copenhagen might take a long time to trickle down, we cannot wait for government regulation, so all within the industry must, instead, take collective responsibility for creating a sustainable and ethical industry.

As the head of one of the largest education centres for fashion in the world, the London College of Fashion, I am particularly aware that our graduates must be well equipped to bring about an economically sustainable, yet fashionable future, which places the environment centre stage. We are debating how we can help shape the industry to minimise its effect on the environment; ensure it is built on great design; point to new ways of designing, manufacturing and disposing of fashion, yet keeping at its essence fashion’s ability to bring real fun and joy to people’s lives. We have established the Centre for Sustainable Fashion. It connects research, education and business to support and create innovative approaches to fashion. We need radical results from Copenhagen that will not just tie governments in to carbon reductions but will begin a cultural transformation, so that clothes are seen as precious items to be treasured and we value the true cost of their production.

This article was orginally written for publication in the Brunswick Group Review.

Environmental author, broadcaster and founder of sustainability consultancy Beyond Green Joanna Yarrow writes about the picturesque Wilderness Wood.

I grew up in Wilderness Wood – 60 acres of mixed woodland in the Sussex Weald. While other kids were getting to grips with the first generation of computer games and watching TV soaps, my friends and I were devising outdoor action adventures and getting deliciously muddy.

I didn’t always appreciate living the ‘Good Life’ 24/7 – I secretly coveted my friends’ TVs and junk food, and would have enjoyed a lot more shopping! But I could build a fine shelter in minutes, knocked up perfectly edible campfire feasts, and thrashed my peers in cross-country races on legs strong from endless rambles.

When school groups visited the wood from London I was impressed by their fashionable clothes, but shocked to see older children squeal with excitement the first time they jumped on springy pine needles or splashed through muddy puddles. I suddenly realised that perhaps there was something a bit special here. My outdoor childhood had a profound effect on me. It developed into a strong passion for the natural world that has driven my career as an environmental consultant, broadcaster and writer. And while I love city life, I seek out time outdoors every day – even if just planting out some seedlings on a windowsill.

An excursion into the great outdoors – whether a quick stroll in the park, a farm visit, a nature ramble or a mountain mission – puts you in your place. It reminds you you’re part of a very big and wonderful system. Away from gadgets and gizmos, it shows you all the amazing tricks and treats it’s been up to while you were inside. It lets you stretch your legs, breathe fresh air, see the bigger picture and enjoy being human.

Sadly our increasingly urban and hurly burly lifestyles often don’t include much time outdoors. We’ve become isolated from the natural world. ‘The environment’ is something we learn about, but it can often seem distant, remote and alien.

So I’m very excited to be taking over Wilderness Wood from my parents, and continuing their legacy in making this special piece of Sussex somewhere people can enjoy the outdoors. Visitors can walk around woodland trails, building up an appetite for locally grown refreshments served in the barn. Kids can let off steam in the play area built entirely of wood grown on site, and learn to build camps and fend for themselves on a Castaway or Survive in the Wild activity session. Their younger siblings can explore the wood on bug hunts or teddy bears’ picnics, make fairy gardens or chase woodland monsters. Adventurous types can camp out under the stars in woodland huts and glades. And throughout the year seasonal events including Easter bunny hunts, bluebell walks, fungus courses, chestnut celebrations and dig your own Christmas trees mean there’s always a new way of enjoying the wood.

Do come down to the woods someday soon. And meanwhile, get outside!

The Independent's, 'Green Goddess' Julia Stephenson recounts the dramatic eco transformation of her home in Chelsea.

In 2005 I embarked on an ambitious project to extend my top floor flat in Chelsea by knocking into the eaves of the roof and the loft, creating 200 square feet of light and airy space.Despite living on a busy road my plan was to eventually manufacture my own energy, grow fruit and vegetables and keep chickens – an inner city version of the Good Life. Indeed a friend once remarked that as a mixture of Margo Leadbetter and Barbara Good from the eponymous BBC series, if anyone could embrace the challenge of sustainability in Sloane square, it would be me.

I determined to do this in the thriftiest, most sustainable way. So, instead of ripping everything out then bringing in brand new materials, as is the way with modern building, I decided to take the slow route, re-using what we had. This would cost more in labour (exceeding the saving made from using existing materials) but meant less would end up in landfill. Extending my roof area meant I’d have enough space to install photovoltaic panels, wind turbines and a hen house.

But before I went ahead I made great efforts to reduce my energy needs as well as reduce my wasteful habits. Frugal measures such as turning off lights, installing a water meter (encouraging one to use less water), and cycling may not have the James Bond thrill of seeing turbines whizzing on your roof, but are just as important. 3 experimental compost bins and wormeries took care of all my kitchen waste (having run out of space on my roof terrace I had begun to colonise my neighbours, indeed I am the Bernard Matthews of factory worm farming), while my fanatical anti-plastic campaign meant I hadn’t accepted a plastic bag since 2003.Changing my lifestyle was one thing, but I didn’t have a clue about how to go about installing renewable energy – I needed advice and quick.

First up, I called in ecotect to the stars, Alex Michaelis and green guru, Donnachadh McCarthy, who successfully negotiated planning permission from the terrifying wardens of the Kensington and Chelsea planning department. The 3 of us practically fainted when we were granted full planning permission for 3 wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, a rainwater harvester and a rainwater flushing loo. Surprisingly there were no objections from our neighbours, but my hunch was that they were all away skiing when the planning signs went up in the street, so our outré plans slipped in under the schussing radar.

Now I had to find a green builder. This was tricky. Reliable Reg, my usual builder, expressed qualms about my purported green methods. `Wot!’ he spluttered, `you want me to save every slate when we’re dismantling the roof!?>

Most fortuitously I had just begun dating a builder, Al, who apart from his penchant for cheap Teletext holidays appeared to share many of my green ideals, happily peeing on each of my 3 compost heaps to aid decomposition, (I would but women’s pee is too acidic). He insisted he would save me a fortune as all his family are in the building game. Despite general insistence that the volatility of our relationship might not survive the stresses of building work I couldn’t resist the prospect of a cheap deal and we began.

Julia, David Cameron’s architect Alex Michaelis, Al Ross the builder, plus Donnachadh McCarthy and his (currently ineffective but he lives in hope) wind turbine in Peckham.

Things started off very well.

The weather was fine, Al and all the brothers were working in fraternal harmony. They quickly knocked through into the loft and built a new roof over the existing one which saved me the expense of building a tin roof. With eco building advisors, Russell and Barry Smith from Parity Projects, on hand to answer all our eco queries, it was all going swimmingly. Suspiciously well in fact.

Then the shit hit the fan. Brother Ken had a blistering row with Al over my MDF ban and stomped off site. Morale hit an all time low. It was raining constantly, the men were covered in mud, and the site resembled a First World War dug out Then Tel, (the most fractious of the brothers) fed up with having to pull nails out of bits of wood for reuse soon followed in sympathy.

Fortunately another brother was drafted in and things got back on track. The new roof was finished, the old one was dismantled and the waste wood re-used or stacked for use in our wood-burning stove*. A sunpipe, a marvellous way of harnessing and magnifying natural light, was built into the roof, bringing brightness into a dark downstairs corridor.

At long last we now had a huge unfinished loft space which we insulated with bags of insulation from B and Q, made from recycled plastic bottles (soft as fleece and much more pleasant to use than the more conventional rock wool).

Parity Projects sourced 8 photovoltaic panels from a supplier who builds them in China and then fills container ships to transport them to the UK. At £800 per panel, this was by far the cheapest quote we had. Once our electrician had connected them we were pumping out up to 1,500 watts worth of electricity on a sunny day and providing roughly half our electricity needs. We’d by now decided to forgo the wind turbines as the wind speeds on my roof made them ineffectual. However technology is improving all the time so we may install some at a later stage.

Eco nirvana was reached when we installed a rainwater flushing lavatory. FSC oak flooring from France, low energy light bulbs and several licks of eco friendly paint were the final touches.

The conversion took around 40% longer than a normal job, and came in at around £40,000 - including all the materials and solar panels. This was less than I had anticipated – but this was one of the many benefits of dating a builder (something I thoroughly recommend, no wonder dating sites report that plumbers and builders are far more popular than bankers).

I now have a light bright bedroom. 3 rescue battery chickens live happily on the roof competing with the worms for our leftovers, along with various tubs and boxes where we grow herbs, fruit and vegetables. The brothers are now on speaking terms again. Al and I survived the traumas and are now engaged. When he’s recovered I am hoping he will build me a house.Letting Go Of The Glitz is published by Crown Publishing, £8.99

*The wood burning stove (cost £750) has already eaten up 40 bags of wood from the conversion since being fired up in October, and there is no shortage of extra wood to feed it in Central London. If we are out and about in the evening and see a skip in the street, we always take a few bits of wood home with us. This way we save on heating costs and keep waste wood out of landfill.

Emma Hill from Trees for Cities talk about the vital work being done in urban tree regeneration.

Trees for Cities has a goal - to transform every bleak urban landscape into a flourishing green space and make trees as much part of city life as buildings or buses. By working closely alongside residents in local communities, we design, create and grow beautiful healthy spaces that make life that much more enjoyable for all city dwellers. Our projects tackle climate change in cities, improving local air quality and providing habitats for urban wildlife.

With our dedicated army of volunteers we are planting a rich legacy of green spaces in estates, parks, new urban woodlands and school playgrounds. We’re even working to make sure all our city streets are lined with trees.

Teaching about the importance of trees is at the heart of what we do. We open kids’ eyes to the natural world on their doorstep. Our education programme covers a broad mix of topics devised to engage and entertain while our hands-on workshops prove that facts can be fun. We also run training programmes to provide much needed skills for the green workforce. Our tree courses include climbing, aerial rescue, chainsaw and felling. We also train people up in horticulture and how to best manage a green space.

Trees are our mission – whether they’re on the corner or the other side of the world. As well as out tree planting projects in UK cities, we have a growing number of international schemes. Communities in Kenya, Peru, Ethiopia and Bolivia are working with us on a range of projects from fruiting orchards to reforestation of deserts. Proving that our passion for trees knows no boundaries.

Matt Prescott (environmental scientist) looks at the technological possibilities when it comes to living green.

There’s perhaps no reason why I should feel embarrassed about the collective thrill my mate Toby and I felt on charging my mobile phone on solar power gathered during a day of wandering through the undulating hills of Wiltshire. That and the enjoyment of walking on a footpath slicing across Madonna’s property – a right of way many hundreds of years old that she was attempting to get closed. Nice feeling that – using the oldest source of energy in a state-of-the-art zero emissions endeavour to ensure my girlfriend got the routine late night call from the tent. (The update of our journey westward usually involved reports of inconvenient delays caused by pubs obstructing the path). Between my solar charger and wind-up torch, I found myself in modern camping comfort without the drawbacks of having no in-tent charging point or feeling guilty about my otherwise ceaseless demand for electricity and its impact on the natural world I was enjoying.

Increasingly, many of the energy technologies on offer to consumers do actually displace otherwise energy demanding routine actions – like boiling a kettle or telling the time – so investment in them usually works out to reduce household energy use and hence save money. An important point that environment critics often point out is that these gadgets and technologies really need to save more energy in use than they took to manufacture, package and transport to the consumer. Whilst this figure will clearly vary a little, most technologies have a pretty impressive energy payback time, with traditional solar photovoltaic cells typically cited at under two years for example. Clearly the durability of the product is important, and as a member of the Green Rewards Sustainability Advisory Panel, I’d say that we’re always keen to hear back from as many of you as possible about how well made your products are. Having trialled the Solar Monkey for over a year now, I can vouch for its reliability. It’s currently on vacation with my dad in New Zealand, but please let’s not go into that.

Julia Stephenson takes us through some simple steps to green your house.

1. Get an eco-audit on your property. Donnachadh McCarthy set me on my way when he visited my flat 6 years ago saving me energy and money.
2. Bring in the professionals. Award-winning green father-and-son team, Russell and Barry Smith give impartial advice about greening up your home, and saved me thousands of pounds when buying solar panels.
3. Add a Sunpipe. Instead of turning on a light, add a Sunpipe to transform a dark room into a light one. From £230.
4. Employ an Ecotect. My architect Alex Michaelis specialises in clean, beautiful designs employing sustainable products and using energy saving devices such as solar panel slates.
5. Use chemical-free organic paints, they are top quality paints sold in a wide variety of colours.

The Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins gives us his Top Eco Gardening Tips. Badge not inlcuded.

1. Buy your plants from local sources and local growers: Make it an educational fun day out. Find out how far your plants have traveled to be in your garden and how they are produced.
2. Plants for wildlife: Do some research to find out what plants attract different wildlife into the garden. The Ice Plant (Sedum spectablis) is loved by butterflies and bees. Plant at least a few British natives such as the Birch tree to encourage a decent eco system.
3. Water Recycling: Use water butts to collect rainfall from the roof of your covered structures; house, shed, greenhouse, summer house, garage etc… Let your children understand that water is a precious commodity and should be used wisely!
4. Composting: Use compost bins for garden and household waste material and get a wormery to help recycle compost materials. How fascinating would this be to make at home or school!
5. Make provision for wildlife: Make or buy bird boxes, butterfly pies, bat boxes, hedgehog dens or create rock areas for newts and toads. A brilliant way of getting in nature and its balance with the natural environment. This way pest and disease can be kept to a minimum.
6. Green roofs: Look into ‘carpet bedding plants’ that create fascinating fun designs. Your imagination could be your only limitation.
7. Lay a section of meadow lawn and watch out for new creepy crawlies and other exciting wildlife it may attract! Remember that unless you're playing bowls on your lawn they are a garden within themselves.
8. Recycle and innovate: Pots, jam jars and plastic bottles can all be used for seeding or creating bird feeders, wind chimes and anything else you can think of. Get your kids to save what they use and then make a gardening project out of it.
9. Green mulch: Use it under plant borders as ground cover. It cuts down on weeding, soil erosion and aids water conservation. Mulch around plants or dress entire borders. Remember to pull weeds before they set seed and add them to the compost, producing compost and cutting down on your work load. Also remember to compost all your grass clippings.
10. Create a natural corridor for the entry and exit for wildlife on your homes boundary. Leave small gaps in fences, this may encourage in creatures such as hedgehogs, which will eat slugs and control other unwanted pests.
11. Use rainwater to fill your pond and not piped water, piped water contains artificial nutrients and will encourage invasive weeds into your pond.
12. Collect seeds in autumn from herbaceous plants and sow, reducing carbon footprint. Also grow plants from seed wherever possible as they are cheaper and don’t forget to sterilize and recycle all old seed trays and pots.
13. If buying in compost, buy in recycled garden waste that has been collected locally, broken down and bagged for sale in local garden centres.
14. Use plants such as nettles and Borage to create liquid feed, place the plants in a bucket of water and wait three to four weeks and use the juice created in a water sprayer to feed established plants.