Green Rewards

Greater demand from China is helping to increase prices for recyclable materials from the UK, WRAP’s Director of Market Development, Marcus Gover will tell an Associate Parliamentary group of MPs, Peers and industry sector representatives in London today.

Should the modern concept of fair trade, an ancient term that was given its current identity in the Netherlands more than 20 years ago, be subject to a growing exclusivity?

Ham, bread, cheese, cold meats and other typical sandwich and lunchbox foods such as fruit, crisps and yogurts are forgotten and eventually binned, to the tune of £5.06bn every year**, while we buy sandwiches and take-aways at lunchtime.

Indesit has become the first company to successfully incorporate recycled content derived from the UK waste stream within white goods on a large scale. The project delivers substantial savings in raw materials and costs.

So unless you have a old favourite fake tree in the loft and plan on reusing for as long as possible make sure that this Christmas you buy a real living tree. * The best choice is a tree with roots, if you keep it in a pot and water then you can pop it outside after Christmas and use the next year * You can find out where you can buy a Forestry Commision Christmas tree by checking out their website, they also have handy tips on which variety of tree to choose...

Some vegetables can be tough customers, admits Caspar van Vark. But with a little imagination, you can turn a hard tuber into a fabulous seasonal dish Not all seasons are equal. The autumn months, for example, are a happy time for the cook. There are still some late raspberries and soft purple figs to eat with goat’s cheese or cured ham. Pumpkins appear in every size and shape, and there are crisp apples bursting with juice

Christmas is traditionally the time for celebration and gift giving. Unfortunately it also means waste, waste, waste. So how can you make sure that your bin is not overflowing with packaging and wrapping when the festivities are over?

If everyone in the UK recycles just one Christmas card with the Woodland Trust this year, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity will be able to plant 15,000 trees.

Look fashion magazine has created a unique pop-up Fashion Swap boutique near Carnaby St - London's legendary heart of fashion. In a first for any UK fashion magazine, Look's inaugural Fashion Swap event will take over a boutique at 65-67 Broadwick St –– across the weekend of Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February 2009.

Sainsbury’s has announced that from 5th February it will no longer sell eggs from battery hens. Sainsbury’s is the first major retailer to make such a pledge ensuring over half a million hens will no longer be kept in battery cages.