Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, with countries across the globe finding their own unique twists on that malty, refreshing taste. Because it’s so popular, however, beer has also become big business, which has resulted in some companies providing unfair pay and dangerous working conditions for those involved in the production of beer overseas.

Fortunately, you can make a difference to the industry while enjoying your favourite beverage by choosing one of the many fair trade beers on the market. So, let’s make Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and want us to be happy”, true once again. (Although drink too much, and you may not believe Mr Franklin the next morning!)

The Weaver's Shed- Yorkshire

Looking for the perfect ethical eatery for your hot Valentine’s Day date? George Walker reveals our favourite local, organic and ethical restaurants within the UK. Get those taste buds tickled and make a reservation with our pop-out gallery.

Eating local, ethical and organic produce  has become a popular lifestyle choice for those wanting guilt free gastronomy. And yet there’s a lot that restaurateurs must keep in mind if they want to be a truly ethical eatery. From food miles, to dwindling fishing reserves; from GM crops, to the unfair treatment of livestock- sourcing produce for a restaurant can become a bit of a minefield. 

Luckily you don’t have to worry about searching for that perfect ethical eatery because we’ve done the work for you!

VIEW THE POP OUT GALLERY BELOW!

Celebrating flavour, versatility and innovation in the world of meat-free foods the magazine’s team undertook the rather appetising task of tasting a great number of products coming from the smallest producers to the biggest supermarkets. The result was a winner in each one of the ten unique categories selected with five other top-performing products or services each being awarded a Highly Commended accolade.
The winners include Fairtrade favourites Traidcraft and its Milk Chocolate Beanies which the veggie team awarded as the Best Veggie Sweet praising the original taste and Fairtrade status.

Nairn’s Oatcakes were also the winners for the Best Veggie Snack, a product which is stocked in all major supermarkets and health stores making it easily accessible to veggies all over the country.

Other winners include vegetarian and vegan approved Swedish Glace Ice Creams in the Best Dairy-Free category, the Granose Falafel Mix as the Best Vegan Product and the Weightwatchers Mushroom Stroganoff as the Best Veggie Ready Meal.
Editor Rachel Callen commented on the awards: “We were thrilled to see how many quality vegetarian products there are on the market – making a mockery of the perception that a diet without meat or fish needs to be boring or restrictive. It’s fantastic that this way of eating is no longer niche, and that companies of all sizes are creating genuinely enjoyable foods that enhance the diets of veggies and non-veggies alike. There’s no more ‘making do’ for people who want to eat meat-free!”
Cook Vegetarian! is the UK’s only monthly vegetarian cookery magazine, available nationwide in supermarkets, WHSmith stores and independents.

Cupcake Emporium

The Cupcake Emporium headquarters are hidden away in the heart of London and are home to cupcakes in 15 different flavours. Ranging from exotic coconut and lemon dream to the ever popular red velvet and marvellous mocha, Memo Christodoulou, Cupcake Emporium’s owner, professes that since the shop’s opening 8 months ago he has been using his grandmother’s recipes to keep the cakes light, fluffy and very very tasty. Every ingredient in the sponge organic, but what makes these cupcakes truly stand out is the fact that they contain no more than 130 calories.

The double chocolate sin cupcake is to die for, and as the only cupcake from the batch that has 175 calories, it is no surprise. A brownie like sponge is a welcome texture given the standard airyness of most cupcakes. A praline flavour invades the sponge and icing making this a delicious and fragrant cake.

Cupcake Emporium cater for all sorts of events and have most recently baked cakes for Children in Need with Terry Wogan.

Cupcake Emporium

Sarah writes:

I dated a man yonks back who would put these crazy UFO-shaped objects in his washing machine, along with his man shirts, grundypants and socks. Oh, and the odd DIY scruffs too, impacted with man sweat (he was undoubtedly great at DIY). No washing liquid, just UFOs. I thought he was nuts. The thing was, he was always superbly clean and never smelled of anything other than his sheer love for me (I can dream).

It turns out he was using Ecozone Ecoballs, and he wasn’t so mad after all. Credit to him, this was when it was a novelty to have organic veggies delivered, plastic bags weren’t evil and folk were still complaining about nuisance recycling bins.

Too long later, I’ve decided to give said Ecoballs a whirl, courtesy of the lovely folk at ExpertVerdict.com. Could it be true that they really work?

Here’s the science bit:
They work by increasing the alkaline content of the water in the same way that washing powders and detergents do.  Because they don’t need temperature to activate any enzymes and because there is no powder build-up to wash away you can both wash at lower temperatures and reduce your rinse cycle, which saves both water, energy and cash.

They’re hypo-allergenic, residue-free and anti-bacterial. And based on a 30-minute wash Ecoballs have been tested to last up to 750 washes, and you can gain an extra 250 washes by topping up with the refills provided. It works out at about 35 pence per wash.

Did they work for me?
Well, yes, of course. I’ve done a few loads of washing now, all fairly standard stuff, and it’s all come out clean. I’ve had no complaints from nearest and dearest anyway. I love the fact that I’m not loading up with powders and liquids and the like. It all feels so much simpler, oddly.

The only thing you have to get used to is that your washing won’t smell like freshly washed linen, even when it is freshly washed linen! Funny what we’ve all become used to, isn’t it? Your Ecoballed washing will be totally fragrance-free. You can probably get over that when you realise how much money you’ll be saving on liquids and the like, and just how much better it is for your home, your skin and the environment.

Ecozone, the manufacturers, are so confident that you will be satisfied that they offer a 30-day money back guarantee from date of receipt. The Independent also voted Ecoballs one of the 10 best green household products. What’s to lose? I say give them a whirl.

Buy Ecozone Ecoballs from ExpertVerdict.com, £34.95 for a pack of three (required for a wash)

Greenmystyle.com reviews the ‘pioneering’ Eco Kettle, and marvels at a kitchen appliance that can save both energy, money and our sanity in a crisis.

Editor Sarah Woodhead writes:

I have a bad habit. No, it’s not chocolate, chardonnay or tall, dark, handsome strangers. It’s tea. Yes, I’m one of those people who chain-drinks tea and reacts to all crises, big or small, with those peace-brokering words: ‘Shall I put the kettle on?’

So, when it came to thinking about which home appliances to green up first – kettle, washing machine or toaster for starters – I figured that as I drink tea more often than I wash my smalls it would have to be an eco kettle.

No sooner had I thunk it, than the lovely people at eco store BigGreenSmile.com sent me one to review. Thank you BigGreenSmile, and thanks too for now stocking the beauty range Yes To Carrots. That’s got to be one of the best brand names since No To Sprouts hasn’t it? I look forward to reviewing that too.

So, I’ve been roadtesting the Eco Kettle (yes, its real name) for two weeks now. I say ‘roadtesting’, but the only driving I’ve done with it is drive it hard with frequent use! Is it wrong to literally breath a sigh of relief and feel tension ebb away at the mere sound of a kettle switch flicking on?

The official blurb about the Eco Kettle…

This is the product description: “The Eco Kettle helps you save electricity. Until now, accurately measuring the amount of water to be boiled in a kettle has been all but impossible. The result? It is estimated that, on average, we boil twice the volume of water needed every time. Which means twice as much energy, twice as much time. With a 3kW kettle that’s the same as wasting the energy of around 50 light bulbs!

“With its patented “Dual Chamber” design, the Eco Kettle is different. The internal reservoir holds 1.5 litres of water ready for use, while the measuring button allows any quantity to be released into a separate chamber for boiling. Simply fill up, then decide exactly how much water to boil – from one cup to full capacity – at the touch of a button.

“The result? With the Eco kettle you use exactly the right amount of water every time you boil – and no more waste. Brilliantly Simple – Simply Brilliant!

In independent consumer trials, directed by the Energy Saving Trust, the energy saving Eco Kettle used an average of 31% less energy than standard kettles.”

Impressive so far, yes? Plus, I’ve also discovered that the Eco Kettle has been approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute and is recommended by Powergen as a “pioneering product in the battle to save energy in the nation’s homes”.

Now for my review…

The Eco Kettle does, for sure, take less time to boil than my ordinary Bodum kettle. Now, my GCSE-level physics suggest to me that this has to simply be down to measuring a one-mug amount of water more accurately than I do with the Bodum.

I must admit this flummoxed me at first. As I’ve always been one of life’s careful measurers, I presumed that the dual chamber feature wouldn’t benefit me much. I was wrong, and as I write I am happily drinking a more environmentally-friendly cup of tea that has cost me less to make.

With regards to style – and yes, that’s a factor for greenmystyle.com – the Eco Kettle isn’t going to win any design awards. It’s a fairly bogstandard design; white, plasticy and a little bulky to accommodate the energy-saving dual chamber action. It isn’t as stylish as the sleek slate grey Bodum kettle, for example. Shame.

The Eco kettle retails at about the £30-£40 mark, depending on where you buy it. More expensive eco kettles might include water filtration too, which would help prevent the build up of limescale and possibly extend the life of your kettle.

Overall, I’d say don’t chuck out your perfectly good kettle for the sake of the Eco Kettle. But, when your kettle reaches the end of its natural life, this Eco kettle does what it says, is a good price and definitely worth considering.

Buy this kettle now at Big Green Smile for the discounted price of £29.99 (down from £39.99)

Do you own the Eco Kettle? We’d love to know what you think. Please leave a comment below.