Just about every one knows that bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world ? making it potentially one of the most sustainable sources of wood.  It?s abundance and therefore its cheapness makes it the ideal candidate to replace cheap plastics currently used to manufacture every-day electronic consumables.  It?s stronger than most wood and stronger than steel.  Pandas prefer the softer variety, so harvesting isn?t causing a panda famine!

Perhaps the best examples of the use of bamboo as an alternative to plastic comes in the form of the new bamboo mouse and computer monitors that have recently hit the market place.  Although it?s only the outer casing that is made from bamboo, it means that these components are now at least partially biodegradable which is a real step in the right direction.  If you want to make an eco-statement in the workplace, a bamboo mouse is the ideal desk accessory.

You can get your bamboo mouse from:

Nigel's Eco Store

Ecotopia

Which? Magazine pride themselves on four key principals: no advertising, no bias, no hidden agenda. Just expert advice from an independent source.  They campaign to get a fairer deal for all consumers and publish expert, unbiased information to help you make the right choice, whatever you?re buying.  They do this in their books and magazines and also on their website Which? Online.  The Which? Online website simply has to be visited if you are interested in god, honest, green and environmentally friendly best buys and advise.

Their ad-free, no bias, no hidden agenda product reports let you make the right decisions in kitting-out your greener home by separating green fads from the green facts.

Current reports available online include:

Water-saving devices

• Learn how to save water in your home, and reduce your water meter costs.

Green tariff electricity

• Details of green energy tariffs offered by major suppliers.
• ros and cons of investing in green energy.
• Which? reviews the debate on wind farms.

Solar panels

• Seven solar energy devices rated and tested.
• Jargon explained - including passive and active solar and photovoltaics.

Energy saving gadgets

• A round-up of all the latest energy-saving gadgets on the market - solar headphones, a water-powered clock and a solar car battery charger, plus gadgets to show how much electricity you use.
• How you could be eligible for a renewable energy Government grant.

Insulation

• Insulation explained - plus 10 systems tested and rated.
• Advice on cutting your heating bills and how you can save money and energy.
• Find out which five insulators we rate as Best Buys.

The reviews and reports are so good most of the details of the reports are available to subscribers to the website only!  But don?t worry, there is a honest hack so you can  access the full content of the best buy guides completely free! ? what you need to do is to apply for their free 30 day trial ? if you don?t want to continue your subscription to the website after this period you don?t have to.  During this free period, you can read and download all the green product reviews that you need to!  To access the best buys and green reports select Home -> Environment.....

Increasingly, people are becoming concerned that conventional paints can cause health problems and harm the environment.

EarthBorn is a range of natural paints, varnishes and flooring products designed to provide a healthier and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional paints and varnishes. Whether you are looking for VOC free paint, organic paint and varnish, water based paint, water based varnish or high performance paints and varnishes then earthBorn Paints has a product in its portfolio of natural and eco friendly paints and varnishes.

All of their paints are manufactured in accordance with strict ecological principles.  EarthBorn?s range of paints, varnishes and woodwork products? exceptional eco credentials has lead to them recently been awarded the Ecolabel Flower symbol. This accreditation is awarded to paints that meet the strict environmental and performance criteria of the European Union ecolabelling scheme. With earthBorn, you do not have to sacrifice quality for health or the environment; all products offer outstanding performance.

Paints include Claypaint, Emulsion paint, Gloss and Eggshell, pigments, flooring wax and oil, proAqua Varnish and proAqua Eggshell, casein paint and wallglaze.

Going green doesn?t mean that you have to grow a beard, change you name to Sunburst or Flowerdew and wear a kaftan (although it may help) .  Just follow our 10 top tips to going green.  Simple things that everyone can fit into their everyday lives?.

1. Recycle waste cans, bottles, jars, plastics and newspapers.  Most local authorities run schemes to recycle this sort of waste.  If your local authority runs a scheme use it!  Cancel junk mail ? in the UK you can stop junk mail by registering with the Mailing Preference Service.  In the USA, register with the Direct Marketing Association to stop 75% of junk mail.
    
2. Where you can, avoid supermarkets.  Most of the food has travelled many hundreds and often thousands of miles before it gets to the supermarket shelf.   Try to buy seasonal locally produced food. Check out farmers' markets and farm shops and even local, independent stores.  Think of the food miles that are saved.  Find your local farmers' market in the UK or USA.
    
3. Save energy.  Not only will this reduce the CO2 output from power stations it will also save you money.  Switch things off when they're not being used. Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when it is full.  Fit thermostats on radiators and turn the heating.  Turning down your heating by just 1 degree can save 10% off your heating bill!  Draught-proof windows and doors and insulate loft and cavity walls.  If you use air conditioning to keep cool, turn the thermostat up a little.  Switch to low energy light bulbs.   You could also switch energy supplier to one that supplies electricity that is generated by wind power or hydro - look for the green energy taffifs.
    
4. If you want to get rid of something that you no-longer use,  Freecycle it.  The Freecycle Network  is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns.
    
5. Save water. Have showers instead of baths. Don't use sprinklers or water hoses. Always turn the tap off when brushing your teeth!
    
6. Use your car less. For short trips, walk or cycle instead.  For longer journeys, use the bus or train.
    
7. Say no to carrier bags in shops. Cotton or string bags are very cheap ? use them instead.
    
8. If you have space for a compost bin, compost all organic waste. In the UK many councils run a scheme where you can buy a compost bin at a reduced price.
    
9. Start using rechargeable batteries. The average household uses 21 batteries a year. The UK generates 20,000 - 30,000 tonnes of waste general purpose batteries every year, but less than 1,000 tonnes are recycled.
   
   
10. Use eco-friendly cleaning products and toiletries.