My top green camping tips

If your going camping this summer or have already been here are some tips for your next trip about environmentally friendly things to do. Number one is buy a solar charger to charge your devices such as your phone and iPod. I would recommend the Solar Gorilla. I charges small devices like phones in a very short space of time. Although it won't work all that well when the sun isn't out.

Remember to use wood when your having a fire and try to use wood only. This is because wood is carbon zero. Another thing to take is biodegradable products such as some bags and bottles. This way you can dispose of the products without doing any harm to the environment. They normally dissolve or decompose but if they don't do this straight away don't put them on the camp fire. when using food and drinks containers check for the recycling sign. There probably won't be a recycling facility near by but you can take them home and recycle them then.

If the camp site is near where you live you can put everything in a rucksack and cycle to it. If the location isn't near where you live try to share transport with someone which will reduce fuel usage. If there's a bus route near to the place your going you can use that. This saves not only fuel but money and time as well. There are many things you might be able to think of to make your trip more environmentally friendly but here just a few to start you off. Please feel free to suggest any I've missed.

My entire summer cycling: UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany........40 others too... you too?

DARLINGTON!

In England.

Finally, our starting place is clear. And not a moment too soon, as we are cycling in less than a week!!

We're going to be travelling by peddle power and highlight environmental problems for more than two months, from Darlington in northern England to the Towards Carfree conference in York, down through to Wales, to the south coast to Portsmouth with a ferry to Le Havre for the French Climate Camp.... up to Calais, all through Belgium, the Netherlands and to the Klimacamp in Germany. At the end of August we'll finish in Cologne, Germany: The Ecotopia Biketour happens every year, and this is the 20th edition ! So join us for our reunion party at the end of this year's tour, where you can meet past year's participants. See the map here, and more detailed dates & places on our wiki.

Who are we? We are an eco-mobile community: We are students, volunteers, farmers, artists, cyclists, musicians, activists.....

And if you also think we need big change in the way things are going in the world, then that's fantastic: we want you to be a part of the Biketour too.

When? 25th June - 31st August 2010. And every summer in Europe!

Join us, if:

• you can cycle around 50 km per day (probably with a few rainy days!)
• you are interested in environmental and social justice issues and want to take part in actions
• you want to take part in consensus decision-making (communicating!) and
• you want to help with the daily tasks such as preparing meals, pulling trailers, washing up or tidying the sleeping places.

It's a cheap way to travel, you get to have 20 countries: at least, that's about how many nationalities are participating this year. You are very welcome to make it more diverse. The communal language is english, although some of the local organisers and local hosts in places we pass may not speak very much english.

Can't join this year but still like the idea? Maybe you're interested in giving ideas or helping for next year's.

We're an open group, so come and meet us ....or even better, join us!

www.ecotopiabiketour.net

London 2012 teams up with EDF Energy as part of Team Green Britain

 

In two years the Olympics come to the UK in London but what are they doing to make London 2012? There will be a lot of fossil fuels used during the games as transport is needed. Although EDF Energy has teamed up with the Olympics and some of the athletes to help London 2012 do its bit for the environment. EDF Energy is the sustainability partner for the games. Team Green Britain is made up Victoria Pendleton and James Cracknell. They will be putting out the message that if we work as a team we can achieve goals. In this case the goal of tackling Climate Change.

They will show that just like Team GB work together to win medals we can work together to tackle even bigger problems facing our planet. As always there will be some sports such as swimming, running and cycling which do no harm to the environment. None of the sports do any harm to the environment but in some events they will require a lot more electricity to provide lighting and heating. There are also the effects the Olympics could have on the environment before it has started such as the power and fuels used to build the venues.

The Olympics itself won’t be very environmentally friendly but Team Green Britain can at least help encourage people to be more green. For people living in London transport to the venues will be very green. They can use shared transport such as busses and the tube and also many people can cycle to the events. To sum it up the games can be made more environmentally friendly with the athletes and your help. Especially people in London.