Posted by Graham Simmonds, MD and Founder of Green Rewards

As 2012 gets underway, I’m delighted to introduce our new Green Rewards website.

The breadth of our activities has always given us a challenge in how we communicate our message, and I hope you’ll feel that our new site sets out our stall much more clearly - and that it’s now easier for you to engage with us.

Our new site aims to provide an overview of all our activities at a quick glance, enabling users to move quickly to their area of interest.Whether you are a consumer wanting to buy something in our Green Shop, donate your points to charity,

When starting a window sill herb garden, it's important to grow herbs that are going to be used regularly, such as oregano, rosemary and chives. Find out how to start herb gardens by seed with help from a sustainable gardener in this video.

To achieve maximum results, we recommend using peat-free compost as peat is non-renewable. To find out more about why we prefer to go peat-free, click here.

Our team has selected 3 important eco-events happening in the weeks ahead. From relaxing bird-watching, to taking a step for Fairtrade, see how you can help create a more sustainable Planet Earth.

Big Garden Birdwatch | 28-29 January

The Big Garden Birdwatch aims to help the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds create a 'snapshot' of bird numbers in each region. This is important because some of our birds are disappearing in scary numbers! To participate, all you need is an hour, maybe a cuppa, a pen and some paper. For more information on how you can take part, visit Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ website at http://www.rspb.org.uk/

Responsible Tourism Week

Why not kick-start 2012 with some new eco friendly products – check out our Green Shop for more new arrivals!

Eco Pulse Shower Head

It feels just like a normal shower but uses between 40% - 60% less water than a normal shower head. The Pulse Eco Shower Head forces the water into the Shower Head to pulse under pressure rather than flow constantly, the process happens so quickly, you may not be able to tell the difference at all!

The Shower Head XL fits directly on to all standard shower hoses and does not require specialist equipment to install.

1/ Pamper and detox
With the party season finally over, many of us are glad to find our calmer selves again. Whilst a typical detox may involve plenty of fruit and veg, keeping hydrated and avoiding alcohol; all efforts go to waste if you’re still rubbing harmful chemicals into your body in the form of skincare products. When was the last time you read the bottles and understood exactly how the product had been put together?

Choosing eco-friendly skincare products can help the environment as ingredients are grown organically – you can also be guaranteed there will be a lack of harmful chemicals, something your skin will thank you for!

2/ Join a gym (and not the r

A recent study conducted by E.ON - one of the 'big six' energy suppliers - has revealed that householders across the United Kingdom are wasting around £134 million in electricity each year, simply by overcharging electronic gadgets.

Around one in five people in the United Kingdom admitted to leaving their devices charging - despite being at full power - while one in ten stated that they were 'too lazy' to remove the charger.

Despite potentially causing their gadgets irreparable damage, nine in ten said that they left their laptops and mobile phones permanently on charge.

E.ON's Emma Thompson commented on the findings: "We're using more and more gadgets in our daily lives. It's crucial that we keep an eye on how much money and energy we're wasting keeping them charging when we don't need to."

"It o

By Matt Prescott, member of SAP and co-founder at Robertsbridge Group

A growing group of communities are attempting to break away from the constraints of their official currency. The results include the charming Lewes, Totnes, Brixton and Tooting pounds, to name but a few British ones, and the noteworthy ‘BerkShares’ from the Berkshire area of Massachusetts, which boasts over 2.7 million BerkShares in circulation. This is no new experiment – it has its origins reach

Save money and have fun making your very own attractive, chic and unique Christmas decorations. There are lots of attractive recycled papers and materials available from arts, crafts and stationery shops or you can use any nice patterned papers, catalogues or magazines you come across too. The good news is when they start to look a little tired, or you decide you want new colours / patterns, the old ones can simply be recycled and you can quickly and easily make replacements. Enjoy!

The London Borough of Bexley is pleased to award its first round of ‘Green Points’ on the lead up to Christmas. Households in Thamesmead and local charities have earned 800,000 Green Points through the London Green Points – Bexley scheme.

Every household in Thamesmead that has activated its Green Points account is getting 1,000 Green Points (which equates to £2.50) with 100,000 Green Points (equating to £250) also going to each of the three beneficiary charity projects. The Council is offsetting the cost of the points with savings in waste disposal charges combined with increased income from recycled materials.

The London Green Points - Bexley scheme, which started in Septe

By Matt Prescott, member of SAP and co-founder at Robertsbridge Group

The mindset of the nineties and noughties is no longer valid for the urban commuter cyclist. Planners and policymakers are increasingly on your side, so there are certain behaviours to watch out for to avoid the low carbon communities agenda pedalling backwards.

1. The pedestrian is your friend, the cyclist is your friend. Pedestrians and cyclists, those natural bedfellows of sustainable cities, used to behave more convivially with one another. This is in