Big Green Switch Blog

2009-08-05T11:08:00.001+01:00

Big Green Switch on Facebook

Big Green Chickens!

2008-11-10T14:24:00.002Z

Here at the Big Green Switch (courtesy of Cumfy Pets) we are setting up our own chicken coop!

Over the coming months will be giving you blog updates, along with pictures, on the Big Green Chicken blog.

Help us to name the chickens by voting on our poll and keep checking back to see all our updates.

To see the blog click here.

WIN! a Bye-Bye Standby Energy Saving Kit!

2008-10-31T09:49:00.001Z

The Bye-Bye Standby Energy Saving Kit will make sure you never leave anything on standby again!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Bye Bye Standby is a brand new energy saving solution designed to reduce the daily energy consumption of electrical devices.

Bye Bye Standby works by completely cutting power to the devices plugged into it when they're not in use, thus saving the power that these devices would otherwise have consumed in Standby Mode.

Bye Bye Standby is the easiest way to save energy, carbon emissions and money.This starter kit includes:1 x Remote Control 3 x Smart SocketsHow to use Bye Bye Standby:Simply plug a Smart Socket into a mains wall socket and plug an electrical appliance into it.

Make sure the remote control and the Smart Socket are set to the same ‘House Code’. You can now switch your appliances on and off wirelessly from up to 30m away and by doing so you will avoid leaving them on standby. This could help save up to £38 a year!

Think of all the gadgets you leave around your house on standby!

The Bye-Bye Standby Energy Saving Kit can be used with TVs, DVD players, Sky boxes, stereo, PC etc.

The competition is open until 8th December and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win!

WIN! £300 of eco friendly Christmas shopping!

2008-10-27T15:24:00.001Z

The new Shopping Spree competition from the Big Green Switch is here to take the sting out of this year's Christmas shopping, both for the environment AND your wallet!

As the weeks between now and Christmas very quickly start to fall away, our thoughts are turning to the annual trials and tribulations of Christmas shopping!

But, the Big Green Switch is here to help by giving you the chance to win £300 worth of eco friendly gifts and gadgets for your friends and family!

Simply take a look through the Big Green Shop and build yourself a Christmas Gift List of all the great things you'd love to give as Christmas presents, up to the total value of £300. We'll then pick one Gift List at random - and pay for everything on the winning list!*

The Big Green Shop is packed with fantastic eco friendly gift ideas to suit everyone - from gadget lovers and keen gardeners to fashion followers and pamper product fans.

So don't miss your chance to bag your Christmas shopping for FREE and enjoy a bright green Christmas by scooping a huge shopping basket full of brilliant eco friendly goodies!

How to take part:

	Firstly, you need to register and log-in to the Big Green Shop. New users can register here while existing users of either the Big Green Switch or Big Green Shop sites can log in here. (Your usual Big Green Switch log in details will work fine on the Shop - there's no need to re-register).

	After you've logged in, click on the "My Shopping Lists" option on your account page and create yourself a new shopping list called "Christmas competition list".**

	Now you're ready to start browsing around the Big Green Shop site to discover a whole range of great eco friendly gifts perfect for friends and family this Christmas.As you find products that you would like to be included in your possible prize pack, simply click the "Add to Shopping List" option for that product.When prompted, tick to add the product to your existing "Christmas competition list" and click done.

	Continue browsing and adding products to your list until you've reached between £280 and £300 worth of items (Take care not to exceed £300 or your entry will not count). You can view the running total value at the top of your list by choosing the "View List" option after adding an item to it or by clicking on "My Account" and then "My Shopping Lists". Then all you have to do is sit back and relax!At the end of the promotion, we'll be picking one list at random and paying for all the items on it for the lucky winner.*
So click here to register/log in and start building your dream Christmas Gift List of great green products! * Terms & Conditions apply

** Note: entrants to our previous "shopping spree" competitions will need to create a new list for thisd competition and add products to that new list. Your previous list(s) cannot be accepted as an entry to this new competition.

Get set for Energy Saving Week 2008

2008-10-17T10:44:00.005+01:00

This year's Energy Saving Week, the Energy Saving Trust's annual flagship week, runs from October 20th to 26th.

Now in its 12th year, Energy Saving Week challenges people todiscover their carbon footprint and adopt energy saving measures to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Saving energy around the home just makes sense. Not only does it help the environment as you cut your carbon emissions and reduce the threat from climate change but saving energy will also save you a decent chunk of money on your energy bills too.

There are various ways you can take action and get involved with Energy Saving Week 2008 here on the Big Green Switch website:

WIN! one of five chic, energy-saving Eco Toasters!

2008-10-10T15:12:00.002+01:00

Green your breakfast with the cool and chic Ecolectric Eco Toaster from EthicalSuperstore.com!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The new Morphy Richards Ecolectric 2-Slice Toaster covers all bases! The eco toaster not only makes evenly browned, delicious toast, but does so quicker, more energy efficiently and in a more eco-friendly manner than toast has been made before!

It features a sleek, innovative auto-close lid which helps to keep the heat close to the bread, meaning that you spend less time waiting for your toast in the morning, and do your bit to cut energy use. Statistics show that the lid on this green-chic toaster actually uses 34% less energy than standard toasters!

As well as its green credentials, this toaster looks the part too! It is chic, sleek and features Cooltouch illuminated neon function buttons, and a cord storage facility meaning that you can keep your work surfaces clean and clear once your toast has popped up and ready to eat! Check out the video below to see it in action!

The Big Green Switch has teamed up with the fabulous folks at Ethical Supertore to give you the chance to win one of these fantastic Eco Toasters. We've got five of them to give away.

The competition is open until 3rd November and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to one of these cool eco toasters!

WIN! one of three health & beauty product sets!

2008-09-25T13:53:00.002+01:00

Win one of three sets of eco friendly pamper products, worth £50 each, courtesy of BigGreenSmile.com!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

BigGreenSmile.com are celebrating the launch of their new-look website by offering this great chance to win a selection of luxurious, eco friendly health and beauty products.

The products are amongst over 500 new lines added to their website including a substantial new well being range of eco-friendly health and beauty products. The range includes bath oils and soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, mouth wash, feminine hygiene products, lip care, sun care and baby care products.

All of the products do their very best to avoid nasty chemicals and are as natural as possible.

We've got three sets of goodies to give away, each containing a £50 selection of BigGreenSmile.com's new health and beauty products:

Exfoliating Facial Cleanser and Soothing Mud Mask from the Yes to CarrotsTM range.
CoQ10 Wrinkle Defence Crème, Vitamin C Balancing Facial Toner and Glycerin Hand Soap from the Avalon Organics range.
Shampoo, Conditioner and Aromatherapy Body Lotions from the Australian Organics range.

The competition is open until 27th October and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win this beautiful Sun Jar!

WIN! a beautiful solar-charged Sun Jar!

2008-09-23T11:10:00.002+01:00

Bring the sunshine into your home with the fascinating solar-charged Sun Jar!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Sun Jar charges during the day and lights up at night. Made with a traditional Mason jar and high tech energy efficient lighting!

Captured inside the jar are a highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps. When the jar is placed in sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

Mason Jars are not only beautiful but by their very nature they are completely water tight - so the Sun Jar can happily be left outside in any weather conditions. A perfect garden light or night light for a kids bedroom.

The competition is open until 20th October and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win this beautiful Sun Jar!

Create your own green Switch List and you could WIn £100 worth of great eco goodies!

2008-09-08T07:38:00.001+01:00

Celebrate the great green things you've already done and plan your next steps with our new 10 Done, 10 To Do campaign.

10 Done, 10 To Do is all about feeling good about the changes you've made so far to green up your lifestyle and looking forward to what else you hope to do to cut your carbon footprint even further.

As a registered user of the Big Green Switch website, you can build your very own personal Switch List of all the green actions you've done or plan to do in the future. To take part in the 10 Done, 10 To Do campaign, simply add to your Switch List a minimum of 10 green actions which you have already completed together with at least 10 new green actions that you hope to do in the future.

As a thank you for committing to make the switch to a greener lifestyle, we'll enter you into our free prize draw to win £100 worth of eco friendly products to aid some of your future green changes.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND ENTER NOW!

WIN! a Verio wind-up MP3 player!

2008-09-01T13:24:00.004+01:00

Take your music on the move without worrying about battery power with this brilliant Verio wind-up MP3 player!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Verio wind-up MP3 player makes dead batteries a thing of the past and ensures you always have access to your music.

Winding up the Verio for just one minute provides 15-20 minutes of listening time. Also included is a USB and mains charger for when electricity is available. When fully charged, the player will provide music for up to four hours.

It features 1 Gigabyte of internal memory so you always have a huge music library. The player is compact and rugged and also includes an integrated flashlight and mobile phone charger.

The competition is open until 11pm on September 29th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this brilliant wind-up MP3 player

Soil Association Organic Fortnight - 6th to 21st September 2008

2008-08-29T11:16:00.001+01:00

The Soil Association Organic Fortnight takes place from September 6th to 21st and sees people across Britain celebrating all things organic.

During the fortnight, individuals, businesses and communities will be hosting events to raise awareness of the environmental, health and social benefits of organic production. The campaign also gives everyone a chance to enjoy organic products from delicious food and drink to beauty and textiles.

Events will be taking place all over the country from organic breakfasts at work and farm open days to organic cookery lessons in schools and organic fashion shows. Click here to find an event near you.

The message this year is ‘Love Your Planet, Choose Organic’. Amidst growing concerns about climate change and food security, Soil Association Organic Fortnight provides a chance to look at why organic production - fashion, beauty, food and farming - is better for the planet.

The fortnight kicks off with the Soil Association Organic Food Festival, Europe’s largest celebration of organic, 6-7 September 2008, at Bristol Harbourside and closes on a high with the Soil Association Scotland's Organic Food Festival on 20-21 September.

The Soil Association website is packed with more information about the fortnight, including how you can get involved, a list of scheduled events plus the facility to tell others about any events you are planning yourself. The website also includes details of how to order campaign material for any events you choose to run plus information on how schools can also get involved in the fortnight.

Visit www.soilassociation.org/organicfortnight for full details.

WIN! £1000 to spend on organic produce!

InstantWin4Now.co.uk are giving you the chance to win a massive £1000 to spend on organic food to feed all the family and help to keep them fit and healthy! For your chance to win, click here!

WIN! a Kitchen Composter Kit!

2008-08-25T09:30:00.000+01:00

Turn all your food waste into perfect compost and plant feed with this amazing Kitchen Composter Kit!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Kitchen Composter takes all your kitchen waste and turns it into rich garden compost and liquid plant feed. Never again will a scrap of food waste have to go into your bin!

The Kitchen Composter can take it all - raw or cooked food, meat, salad and veg, fish and more. Simply put it all into the composter, add a handful of Bokashi bran (included) which stimulates the micro-organisms into action and then just wait a few weeks for the whole lot to turn into perfect material to go onto your compost heap or straight onto your flower beds.

The container is air-tight so can be kept indoors or outdoors without fear of any nasty odours or hygiene problems so it's perfect for keeping in the kitchen, right where you need it.

The competition is open until 11pm on September 22nd and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this brilliant kitchen composter kit!

Back to school - eco-style!!

2008-08-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

Get kitted out for the new school year with this fantastic set of recycled stationery and notebooks!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Whether you're sending the kids back to school or simply wanting to stock up on supplies for your home or office, this set of recycled staionery has everything you need!

The prize pack includes:

A Remarkable^TM "I used to be a car tyre" recycled notebook

Two plain recycled notepads

A water-powered calculator

Remarkable^TM recycled car tyre pencil case

Recycled Remarkable^TM ball point and handwriting pens

Pack of 10 Remarkable^TM recycled pencils

Pack of Remarkable^TM recycled colouring pens

Remarkable^TM ringbinder and A4 document wallet made from recycled retail packaging

Remarkable^TM recycled polystyrene ruler

The competition is open until 11pm on September 15th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this fantastic set of recycled stationery!

WIN! £300 worth of your favourite eco-products!

2008-08-11T09:59:00.003+01:00

The Big Green Shop Eco Shopping Spree competition is back by popular demand!

Once again, we're giving you the chance to win eco-friendly gifts, gadgets and goodies of your choice from the Big Green Shop - and this time, there are £300 worth of products up for grabs!!

Simply take a look through the Shop and build yourself a dream Shopping List of all the great things you'd love to buy from it up to the total value of £300. We'll then pick one of our visitors' Shopping Lists at random - and pay for everything on the winning list!*

It's a great chance to bag yourself a range of clever energy-saving gadgets to help you to save energy and money on your bills or perhaps you'll choose to pamper yourself with a host of organic and natural body and skincare products?

Whatever eco friendly products you're interested in, this is your chance to scoop a huge shopping basket full of brilliant eco-friendly goodies you really want.

How to take part:

	Firstly, you need to register and log-in to the Big Green Shop. New users can register here while existing users of either the Big Green Switch or Big Green Shop sites can log in here. (Your usual Big Green Switch log in details will work fine on the Shop - there's no need to re-register).

	After you've logged in, click on the "My Shopping Lists" option on your account page and create yourself a new shopping list called "£300 shopping spree list".**

	Now you're ready to start browsing around the Big Green Shop site to discover a whole range of great products to help support a greener lifestyle. As you find products that you would like to be included in your possible prize pack, simply click the "Add to Shopping List" option for that product. When prompted, tick to add the product to your existing "£300 shopping spree list" and click done.

	Continue browsing and adding products to your list until you've reached between £280 and £300 worth of items (Take care not to exceed £300 or your entry will not count). You can view the running total value at the top of your list by choosing the "View List" option after adding an item to it or by clicking on "My Account" and then "My Shopping Lists". Then all you have to do is sit back and relax! At the end of the promotion, we'll be picking one list at random and paying for all the items on it for the lucky winner.*
So click here to register/log in and start building your dream Shopping List of great green products! * Terms & Conditions apply

Free your bike this summer

2008-08-07T09:34:00.006+01:00

It might be stating the obvious but cycling is good for you, good for the planet, it's fast, it's convenient, it gives you freedom and independence, it takes you from door to door – and it's fun.

A recent survey conducted by Sustran shows that 44 per cent of women have access to a bike but three quarters of them never use a bike at all.

The reasons women don't cycle vary from their concerns about safety to the problems of what to wear and the weather. Sustrans, who have been developing the National Cycle Network for the past three decades, believe that a combination of dedicated cycle lanes and good information on how and where to cycle are two key elements that would increase the number of women cyclists to European levels. In the Netherlands 32 per cent of women's trips are made by bike.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans is encouraging more people, men and women, to get out and about on two wheels and is offering free tailored information packs to help people do just that. The pack is full of great ideas for rides in your region and comes with plenty of information to help you get more from cycling.

Sustrans is the charity behind many practical and innovative projects that help people travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment, including the National Cycle Network, 12,000 miles of people-friendly walking and cycling routes around the UK. Many are on traffic-free paths or quiet roads, perfect for families and anyone new to cycling. Over 75% of people in the UK live within two miles of the National Cycle Network so there’s sure to be a route near you.

To claim your free information pack from Sustrans visit www.freeyourbike.org.uk or call 0845 113 00 65

Great cycling prizes up for grabs!
We've teamed up with competition website InstantWin4Now to give you the chance to win a selection of great cycles. Click on the links below to visit the InstantWin4Now website for your chance to win!

	Instantly WIN an Apollo Men's Town & Trail Bike Available in 21" or 18" frames, this Men's Town and Trail Bike has an Aluminium frame, 21 speed gears, powerful aluminium V-brakes and Gel saddle for added comfort.
	Instantly WIN a Raleigh Pioneer Ladies Bicycle Perfect for city riding and leisurely cruises along country lanes, this ladies Raleigh cycle is designed to be functional, solid and reliable.
	Instantly WIN an Apollo folding bicycle With a lightweight aluminium frame, this Folding Bicycle has an easy folding mechanism allowing you to go from cyclist to pedestrian in seconds - perfect for green commuting!
	Instantly WIN a super cool Trikke bike! The Trikke is an excellent eco friendly alternative for nipping around town and it even folds up so you can easily carry it through shops, university or on the tube!

WIN! a fab energy saving Eco Kettle!

2008-08-05T13:32:00.003+01:00

Make your kitchen more eco-friendly and save on your energy bills with the Eco Kettle!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The innovative Eco Kettle has a unique double chamber that allows you to measure out exactly how much water you want to boil, saving electricity, water, money and time, making it better for the planet.

The Eco Kettle will boil a cup of water in around 30 seconds so it uses far less electricity and makes a fast cuppa and uses 30% less energy than standard kettles.

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.

The competition is open until 11pm on September 1st and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this brilliant energy saving Eco Kettle!

WIN! a portable Freeplay Summit Wind-up Radio!

2008-07-21T07:30:00.001+01:00

Win a Freeplay Summit Radio and listen to music around the house, in the garden or wherever you are!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Freeplay Summit Radio is a compact multi-band radio, which combines unparalled sound quality with the reliability of multiple power sources.

The Freeplay Summit Radio is compact and portable but still provides great sound quality when not used with headphones.

Features include: Wind-up, Solar, and Rechargable power options, 4 wave bands (FM, AM, SW, LW) Digital tuning, 30 station presets, LCD digital display panel, Clock and Alarm.

Wind-up power is created by an AC alternator driven by the crank handle. Alternatively, you can charge it using solar power via the thin, sleek panel on the top of the radio.

The competition is open until 11pm on August 18th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this brilliant Freeplay wind-up radio!

WIN! £100 worth of eco goodies of your choice!

2008-07-14T08:32:00.002+01:00

Discover the savings that you could make by living a greener lifestyle - and you could win £100 worth of eco friendly goodies of your choice!*

With the cost of living continues to rise, seemingly by the week, there's never been a better time to take steps to reduce some of your household bills.

By living a smarter, greener lifestyle, you'll not only be doing your bit for the environment and reducing your carbon footprint, you'll also stand to save a small fortune on your household bills at the same time!

We've pulled together 16 simple carbon-cutting ideas that will help you reduce your bills while also slicing a chunk off your carbon footprint. Collectively the tips could save you over £600 per year!

Size Up The Savings for your chance to WIN!

1) On each of the tip pages listed below, you'll see the "Size Up The Savings" piggy bank panel containing details of just how much a typical UK household could save in a year by carrying out that tip.

2) Take a look at each tip and make a note of the money-saving amount listed for each one. Once you've looked at them all, you then need to work out which three of the actions have the biggest money saving potential. (Of course, you could just guess - but we think you may be surprised by the actual answer!)

3) When you've got your top 3 money-savers worked out, click here to complete the Size Up The Savings entry form with the details.

All correct entries will then be entered into our draw to win £100 worth of eco friendly gifts and gadgets of your choice from Ethical Superstore.*

Our 16 "Size Up The Savings" money-saving tips...

	Switch equipment off fully instead of leaving it in standby mode			Choose top-rated energy efficient models when replacing old kitchen appliances

	Install cavity wall insulation to stop heat escaping through walls			Turn down your heating thermostat by a single degree

	Insulate your loft to stop heat escaping through your roof			Foil-back your radiators to reflect heat back into the room

	Wash your laundry at 30^oC rather than at higher temperatures			Fit draught-excluders to any breezy doors or windows

	Cut your tumble dryer time by 25% by using dryer balls			Only boil as much water as you need when making a cuppa

	Fit an insulation jacket to your hot water tank to keep your water hotter for longer			Cut out one washing machine load per week by doing fewer, fuller washes

	Ditch chemical cleaning products in favour of natural alternatives			Replace your standard light bulbs with low energy equivalents

	Fit a Savaplug to your fridge to reduce its energy consumption			Improve your car's fuel efficiency by leaving the air conditioning off and keeping windows closed

Click here to complete the Size Up The Savings entry form for your chance to win!

* Terms & conditions apply

WIN! a pair of cool recycled Grolsch bottle goblets!

2008-07-10T10:39:00.000+01:00

Enjoy your summer drinks in style with this pair of goblets made from recycled Grolsch bottles!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

These great environmentally friendly goblets are made from the iconic 450ml swing top Grolsch beer bottle, transformed into stylish and unique drinking glasses.

Grolsch goblets take recycling to the next level. They are made by first cutting away the base of the bottle, polishing the edges and then bonding the base to the neck to form the foot. Hey presto, an upside down beer bottle glass!

As the glasses aren't melted down, they save 90% of the energy normally used to make recycled glass.

Drinking from them is a delight and they'll make for a great talking point at your next party or summer barbeque!

The competition is open until 11pm on August 4th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win these brilliant recycled Grolsch goblets!

Big Green Switch wins 'Campaign for Change' award

2008-07-03T13:43:00.005+01:00

Big Green Switch was last night named the winner of the Campaign for Change category in the New Statesman New Media Awards.

The website, which aims to empower people to make choices that help them live a greener life, was launched in May 2007 by Associated Northcliffe Digital’s Derby-based new product development division.

White-labelled versions of the website have been created for several of AND’s sister regional newspaper websites in the Northcliffe group including the Leicester Mercury, Derby Telegraph, Nottingham Post, Bristol Post, The Sentinel and the Western Daily Press.

Big Green Switch’s carbon footprint calculator and a tip of the day feature are also carried on the DMGT-owned Metro website.

Big Green Switch offers independent information and advice for those who want to be more environmentally-friendly and encourages visitors to share their own ideas and experiences via community message boards, comment panels and blogs.

Site manager Steve Allen said: “Our aim is to encourage people to learn about being green without feeling pressured or lectured. The emphasis is on achievable ideas which are easy to put into practice. ‘Start small and do more when you are ready’, is the key message.

“We are delighted to have won the award for Campaign for Change and proud to be recognised for having created what we feel is a clear, fair and positive information portal where anyone can find all the advice and knowledge they need.

“We would like to thank users for their continued support and daily website interaction which has helped us to build this online green community.”

The site also includes tools and features such as a green products shop, environmental jobs search engine and a directory of other green websites, businesses and organisations.

Judges decided that out of all the entrants in the Campaign for Change category, Big Green Switch had most effectively influenced opinions and behaviour through the use of new media technology. It championed a cause and provided information and tools to instigate change, they believed.

Big Green Switch currently receives about 45,000 unique visitors a month who between them look at about 300,000 pages.

The prestigious annual New Statesman awards, now in their 10th year, aim to highlight the positive impact of new media technology on public life. Big Green Switch received its award at a ceremony in central London.

WIN an OWL energy monitor!

2008-06-30T13:53:00.003+01:00

Monitor and reduce your home electricity usage by up to 25% with an OWL wireless energy monitor!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The OWL Wireless Energy Monitor is an electricity usage monitor which shows you how much electricity you use at home and how much it costs you.

It also shows the level of CO2 emissions you are contributing to the environment through your electricity usage.

It's a simple but valuable tool providing you and your family with the information you need to reduce electricity consumption saving you up to 25% on your electricity bill while doing your bit for the environment.

Using the monitor and acting accordingly to reduce your energy use could save you as much as £100 a year off your electricity bills!

The competition is open until 11pm on August 4th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this fanatastic OWL monitor!

Change Your World - 30th June to 5th July

2008-06-24T15:39:00.000+01:00

Imagine a world with cleaner air, quieter streets and more space for kids (and big kids) to play.

It's easier to achieve than you think. Amazingly, if we all drove just one less journey a week we'd reduce car traffic by 10%. Fancy giving it a go?

Change Your World is a campaign from Sustrans which runs from 30th June to 5th July. During the week, everyone is encouraged to swap any car trip and walk, cycle, use public transport or car-share instead. Or even better, don't make the trip at all.

If you pledge to make the swap during the Change your World week, you'll be in with a chance of winning a Center Parcs family break and other great prizes.

Make your pledge to swap now at www.changeyourworld.org.uk.

For more tips and ideas on how you can reduce your transport emissions, visit the Big Green Switch.

WIN! a fabulous case of organic and fairtrade wine!

2008-06-23T11:21:00.004+01:00

Don't miss your chance to win a fabulous case of organic and fairtrade wine!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Ethical Superstore's hand-picked range of fairtrade, organic and socially responsible wines are sure to hit the spot on a warm summer's evening.

The range features something for everyone, from occasional drinkers to connoisseurs, and as they put people and the planet first, the wines can be enjoyed with a clear conscience.

The Big Green Switch has teamed up with Ethical Superstore to give you the chance to win a fantastic mixed case of 12 wines. The case provides a great variety of both fairtrade and organic wines and includes white, red and sparkling wines.

The competition is open until 11pm on July 21st and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this fabulous case of organic and fairtrade wines!

WIN! Eco friendly summer accessories!

2008-06-16T11:17:00.003+01:00

Win your choice of his or hers eco friendly summer accessories!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Look good AND feel good this summer by winning a set of eco friendly fashion accessories for either him or her.

By opting for products made from natural materials such as bamboo or 100% organic cotton or recycled materials such as plastic packaging, you can be sure that your accessories have reached you without harm to the planet.

A lucky winner will get to pick there choice of either set below:

Eco accessories for him...

A 100% organic cotton, men's Volta t-shirt

A pair of fairtrade, biodegradable flip flops, ideal for the beach and keeping your feet cool in the summer heat.

Eco accessories for her...

A Monochrome Waves Eco Bag made from durable, waterproof polyester.

A Sunkist Tutti Frutti purse made from recycled juice packs - non-biodegradable foil and plastic packaging that would otherwise go into landfill sites and incinerators.

A divine heart shaped pendant resting at the foot of a solid silver chain.

The competition is open until 11pm on July 14th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win this set of great eco friendly summer accessories!

Get on your bike for the UK's Bike Week!

2008-06-13T09:58:00.009+01:00

It's the UK's national Bike Week from 14th to 22nd June and everyone is urged to get out and about on their bikes.

Bike Week is the UK's biggest annual promotion of cycling and all things bike-related and provides a national umbrella for locally organised events and activities up and down the UK and this year.

Its simple main aim is to get people out and about on bikes and to get ‘more people cycling, more often'. Bike Week provides an opportunity to promote cycling as a great way to ‘have fun, get fit, and feel free'.

Whether you're new to cycling or an old hand, there's something for everyone during Bike Week. The official Bike Week website includes details of special events happening across the country plus hints, tips and links to more great cycling resources onlines.

Why not use the week as inspiration to give cycling to work a try? Sustrans estimate that 20 minutes of gentle cycling burns up to 100 calories and that regular cycling can make you as fit as an average person ten years younger than you!

The Sustrans website also offers lots more information about cycling around the UK including searchable and downloadable cycle network maps to help you plan out routes, either for commutting or for pure pleasure.

So dig out your cycle and give pedal power a go this coming week!

Great cycling prizes up for grabs!
We've teamed up with competition website InstantWin4Now to give you the chance to win a selection of great cycles. Click on the links below to visit the InstantWin4Now website for your chance to win!

	Instantly WIN an Apollo Men's Town & Trail Bike Available in 21" or 18" frames, this Men's Town and Trail Bike has an Aluminium frame, 21 speed gears, powerful aluminium V-brakes and Gel saddle for added comfort.
	Instantly WIN a Raleigh Pioneer Ladies Bicycle Perfect for city riding and leisurely cruises along country lanes, this ladies Raleigh cycle is designed to be functional, solid and reliable.
	Instantly WIN an Apollo folding bicycle With a lightweight aluminium frame, this Folding Bicycle has an easy folding mechanism allowing you to go from cyclist to pedestrian in seconds - perfect for green commuting!
	Instantly WIN a super cool Trikke bike! The Trikke is an excellent eco friendly alternative for nipping around town and it even folds up so you can easily carry it through shops, university or on the tube!

WIN! A ByeBye Standby Energy Saving Kit

2008-06-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

Win a ByeBye Standby Energy Saving Kit and say bye bye to standby for good!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

This is an amazing energy saving kit for home and office use, designed to reduce the daily energy consumption of electrical devices left on standby. Use it to stop devices being left on standby and reduce your carbon footprint. Now that's eco friendly!

The kit contains three Appliance Switches and one Remote Control, and is an ideal way to get yourself started - you can use it to control up to 12 devices, using 4 way extension leads.

By using the kit and not leaving your appliances on standby, you could save £38 a year!

The competition is open until 11pm on July 7th and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win a Bye Bye Standby Energy Saving Kit!

National Liftshare Day - June 9th 2008

2008-06-09T13:02:00.004+01:00

Today is National Liftshare Day.
National liftshare Day aims to raise the profile of carsharing and enable more people give it a try.

The National event encourages schools, workplaces and individuals to start up their own carsharing scheme. Even if it is just once a week, carsharing can cut down on pollution and help the environment.

Take part by sharing your journey to work with a colleague or carsharing a weekly shopping trip.

Get involved:
Visit www.liftshare.com

For more information about carsharing click here.

World Environment Day - June 5th

2008-06-05T08:30:00.003+01:00

Today is World Environment Day.
The annual event, promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has been running since 1972 and aims to raise worldwide awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and action.

This year's motto for the day is "Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy", encouraging governments, businesses and individuals alike to think again about how they can have a more positive impact on the environment.

Get involved:
In the UK, there are World Environment Day events taking place across the country. Click here for a full list of offical UK events.

Why not get involved by organising your own local event, either in your community, at work or at school. Failing that, why not just take time on the day to think about what more you could be doing in your everyday life to cut your carbon footprint and help the environment. Click here for UNEP's full A-Z of ideas for things you might like to do to mark the day.

Recycle Week June 2nd - June 8th

2008-06-03T12:46:00.004+01:00

This week (June 2nd – June 8th) is Recycle Week.
The aim of Recycle Week is to show people how they can cut down on the amount of rubbish they send to landfill and improve the amount they recycle.

The event highlights the many ways in which waste can now be recycled.

The Recycle Week survey shows that nearly two thirds (62%) of consumers said that they always remembered to recycle items from their kitchen, yet only a third of waste found in other areas of the home, such as the bathroom (36%) and bedroom (34%).

The research also showed that 59% of people focused on recycling cans, plastic drinks bottles, glass bottles, paper and card. Over a quarter (26%) were unaware that items such as aerosols, plastic detergent bottles, magazines and biscuit and sweet tins could often be recycled*

If every household in England recycled 'one more thing', the total amount collected for recycling could increase by more than three quarters of a million tonnes and could potentially raise the national recycling rate by up to 3%.

*(Statistics taken from WRAP as part of Recycle week 2008 campaign June 2008)

More details at www.wrap.org.uk

WIN! An Eton FR200 wind-up radio!

2008-06-02T15:16:00.004+01:00

Win an Eton wind-up radio and take your music everywhere!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

With its durable design and wind-up crank handle, the Eton FR200 radio is the perfect thing for taking your music on the move this summer without having to worry about running low on battery power!

The wind-up radio has many versatile features, functioning as an AM/FM/Shortwave radio as well as having a built-in flashlight.

Power comes from the wind-up handle, providing you with around 60 minutes of listening time from just one minute of winding. You also have the options of batteries or an AC adaptor too.

The heavy-duty, splash-proof casing makes the radio perfect for outdoor use so whether you're simply lounging in the garden or at the beach, taking a camping or hiking trip or chilling out on a picnic or at a festival, you can take your music everywhere with you - without having to find a plug socket!

The competition is open until 30th June and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here for your chance to win an Eton wind-up radio!

Have your say on green issues and you could win £100

2008-05-27T10:21:00.004+01:00

Nowadays, everyone has their own views about climate change but how concerned are you about it and the effect it may have on you and your family in the near-to-mid future?

Are you making any efforts to cut down on the pollution and waste you generate in everyday life? What about your workplace or your local council - are they doing enough to encourage others to help the environment?

Or do you feel that the whole issue is being blown out of proportion and there is no need for all the talk and action currently taking place?

The survey should take a maximum of 8-10 minutes and, as a thank you for taking the time to give us your views, we will enter you into a prize draw to win one of five £100 prizes.

Closing date for the draw is 11pm on Tuesday 8th July 2008. Terms and conditions apply.

WIN! £200 worth of your favourite eco-friendly gadgets and goodies!

2008-05-19T10:35:00.007+01:00

We're giving you the chance to win £200 worth of your favourite eco-friendly gifts, gadgets and goodies of your choice from the Big Green Shop.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Simply take a look through the Big Green Shop and build yourself a dream Shopping List of all the great things you'd love to buy from it up to the total value of £200. We'll then pick one of our visitors' Shopping Lists at random - and pay for everything on the winning list!

Whether you're out to save energy and money on your bills using a range of clever energy-saving gadgets or looking to pamper yourself with a host of organic and natural body and skincare products, this is your chance to scoop a huge shopping basket full of brilliant eco-friendly goodies you really want.

The competition is open until 30th June and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch or Big Green Shop websites. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win your pick of £200 worth of top green goodies!

National Vegetarian Week - 19th to 25th May 2008

2008-05-16T13:50:00.003+01:00

National Vegetarian Week (NVW), the annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle, kicks off on Monday.
Celebrated by The Vegetarian Society since 1992, the Week is now an established event and everyone from small businesses to big corporations, schools, community groups and individuals are welcome to come on board and make the week a success.

During the week, you can find out more about the benefits of vegetarianism, including how it can cut your carbon footprint, and get involved with a number of local and national events.

More details at http://www.vegsoc.org/nvw/

National Work from Home Day - Thursday 15th May

2008-05-14T07:33:00.002+01:00

This Thursday (May 15) is National Work from Home Day when up to five million workers are expected to work from home across the UK.

The environmental benefits of working from home more regularly can be considerable as you reduce your commuting emissions with each day you do from home. Read more about the green benefits of working from home by clicking here.

Nearly 3.5 million people already work from home in the UK - 12.2 per cent or one-in-eight of the population - an increase of 600,000 since 1997.

The highest proportion of home workers is in the South West with 15.7 per cent, followed by Eastern England with 14.4 per cent. The lowest is in the North East with 9.3 per cent, followed by Scotland with 9.4 per cent.

National Work from Home Day kicks off the start of Work Wise Week, a series of events from Work Wise UK, a not-for-profit organisation which encourages UK businesses to adopt smarter working practices with the aim of turning the country into one of the most progressive economies in the world.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, is keen to extoll the many positives of working from home. Phil said: "Not only does it reduce the amount of commuting people have to do, enhancing their work-life balance, but many are actually more productive.

"Although many organisations practise the age-old philosophy of 'presenteeism', they should open their eyes to the new work ethic spreading across the UK and try out home working: they may well be surprised."

Home working is one of the smarter working practises being promoted through the Work Wise UK campaign, which is entering its third year. Others include flexible working, including condensed hours and nine-day fortnights, mobile and remote working. Work Wise partners include the TUC, CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, BT and Transport for London. It aims to encourage half the working population, some 14 million people, to be offered smarter working by 2011.

Find out more about National Work from Home Day and Work Wise Week at http://www.workwiseuk.org/.

For more tips and ideas for ways to go green in the workplace, visit http://www.biggreenswitch.co.uk/workplace?ito=1714&itc=0.

WIN! Green bathroom goodies!

2008-05-13T15:45:00.004+01:00

Win one of three sets of top-quality eco-friendly bathroom goodies worth over £65 each.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Each set comprises:

Large water saving showerhead
Water-saving showerhead designed to cut water and energy bills by up to 70% with no loss of performance.

Duck shower timer gift pack
Bright and colourful shower timer together with biodegradable glycerin soap, a microfibre/hemp sponge glove and a zip up, re-useable toiletries bag.

Set of three Method skin care products
Eco-friendly skin care set including moisturising and foaming hand soaps plus hand wash.

Set of four Method cleaning sprays
Natural cleaning products including an all-purpose spray, tub and tile spray, shower spray and window/glass cleaner.

The competition is open until 9th June and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win one of these great sets of eco-friendly bathroom goodies!

Are you aware of London Aware 08?

2008-05-07T07:42:00.000+01:00

This weekend sees the first London Aware event being held at the Barbican in London.

At the event, you can expect to find all of the information, advice and inspiration you need to live more sustainably. Whether you are taking your first steps towards greener living or looking to go the extra mile this is the event for you.

You will find information from hundreds of companies and products that cover all areas of sustainable living from environmentally friendly transport to banking, health and even DIY.

London Aware 08 will also host two lecture theatres with a series of talks on climate change from speakers including Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio and known for his appearances on Tomorrow's World, as well as Martyn Williams from Friends of the Earth, Arctic explorer Nathan Allen and IKEA's Charlie Brown just to name a few.

The exhibition is open daily from 10am on Saturday and Sunday and tickets are just £5 each. So if you're in the area, why not pop along and see what ideas and inspiration you might pick up from the event. More info.

WIN! One of 10 cool wind-up MP3 players!

2008-05-06T12:35:00.004+01:00

Don't miss your chance to win one of 10 cool Verio wind-up MP3 players with integrated flashlight and mobile phone charger!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Make dead batteries a thing of the past, and ensure you always have access to your music with the new Verio wind-up MP3 player from Ethical Superstore.

Just wind up the Verio for 1 minute to provide 15-20 minutes of listening time. Also included is a USB and mains charger for when electricity is available. When fully charged, it will provide music for up to four hours.

Featuring 1 Gigabyte of internal memory, the player ensures that you always have a huge music library available on this compact and rugged MP3 player. And if that wasn't enough, it also includes an integrated flashlight and mobile phone charger too!

We've teamed up with Ethical Superstore to give you the chance to win one of 10 of these fantastic MP3 players. The competition is open until 27th May and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win one of these great wind-up MP3 players!

Stretch your legs for Walk in the Woods month

2008-05-01T08:23:00.002+01:00

Today sees the start of Walk in the Woods month, the Tree Council's annual festival to encourage everyone to enjoy trees and woods in spring.

Across the UK, walks, talks and other events take place in town and countryside throughout May - a great month to go down to the woods or to a local park or just enjoy tree-lined streets.

Walk in the Woods month is a great time to organise an event and get new people interested in trees - especially in their local patch. A particular aim of Walk in the Woods is to attract people who rarely, if ever, visit woods - even those on their doorstep.

To find out more and get involved in either organising or participating in events, visit the Walk in the Woods website.

And you can click here for more ideas for green recreational activities.

Compost Awareness Week - 4th to 10th May 2008

2008-04-29T11:51:00.006+01:00

WRAP and The Composting Association will be encouraging everyone to 'Green up their Environment' this Compost Awareness Week, Sunday 4th May to Saturday 10th May.

The week aims to encourage more individuals, businesses and organisations to get involved with composting.

From garden waste and shredded paper to food waste and cardboard, you may be surprised at just how much of your household waste could be going onto your compost heap rather than being sent to landfill.

A few composting facts to highlight the point:

Around 30% of a typical home's waste is suitable for composting

Over 27 million tonnes of green waste goes to landfill every year which could be composted instead.

It's estimated that only one in every three homes in the UK currently do any composting.

If you're new to composting and want to get started with a heap of your own, check out our beginner's guide to composting. You can also find more composting tips and hints via The Composting Association.

For a large range of composting bins and accessories to help you on your way, click here.

WIN! A fabulous solar-charged Sun Jar!

2008-04-28T10:03:00.000+01:00

Win one of the must-have eco-gifts of the moment -the beautiful Sun Jar!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Voted "Eco-Friendly Gift Of The Year 2007" by the Gift Association, the Sun Jar is a great combination of traditional rustic decor and high tech energy efficient lighting!

Captured inside the jar are a highly efficient solar cell, rechargeable battery and low energy LED lamps. When the jar is placed in sunlight the solar cell creates an electrical current that charges the battery over a few hours. This energy is then used at night to power the three LED lamps inside the jar.

The light is diffused by the frosted jar and give the appearance of sunlight being emitted. warm coloured LED lights are used to give a more natural and warm light.

Mason Jars are not only beautiful but by their very nature they are completely water tight - so the Sun Jar can happily be left outside in any weather conditions. Use it as a relaxing lamp, a perfect garden light, a night light for a kid's bedroom or even as a camping light.

The competition is open until 27th May and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win this beautiful Sun Jar!

Have a nice Earth Day!

2008-04-22T07:34:00.003+01:00

Today, Tuesday 22nd April, is Earth Day.

Earth Day is the internationally-celebrated day of the environment - a time to encourage everyone to stop and take stock of their lifestyles and what impact they have on the environment.The annual event has run since 1970 and this year as many as 500 million people in more than 180 countries are expected to be taking part, staging events or getting involved in local or national environmental projects.

You can do your bit too simply by taking time during the day to look at your lifestyle and think about how it could be more eco-friendly. Visit the Big Green Switch for tips and ideas on how you can save energy, reduce your waste and do many other simple, everyday things to make a difference and live a smarter, greener lifestyle.

To find out more about Earth Day and what events may be happening near you, visit the official website - ww2.earthday.net

WIN! An energy-saving Eco Kettle!

2008-04-21T20:23:00.002+01:00

Cut your energy bills and your carbon footprint one cuppa at a time with the fantastic Eco Kettle!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Eco Kettle is designed to give you a perfect energy-efficient cuppa every time!

Boiling more water than you need is a waste of energy and it's estimated that most of us regularly tend to boil at least twice the amount of water we need for our brews. The Eco Kettle puts a stop to this by helping you to only ever boil just the right amount of water you need.

Its internal reservoir holds a full capacity of water ready for use, while the measuring button allows any quantity - from a single cupful to full capacity - to be released into the separate chamber for boiling. The result? Exactly the right amount of water every time you boil!

The Eco Kettle is one of the best selling eco gadgets in the UK and trials directed by the Energy Saving Trust have shown that the Eco Kettle used over 30% less energy than standard kettles.

The competition is open until 19th May and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win this fantastic Eco Kettle!

Slow down for Downshifting Week!

2008-04-17T10:57:00.005+01:00

National Downshifting Week (or InterNational Downshifting Week as it's been promoted to this year!) kicks off this Friday, 19th, and everyone is encouraged to slow down and take part.

Downshifting is about slowing down your pace, finding a better work/life balance, consequently embracing living with less and leading a simpler, greener and happier life. Downshifting Week looks to promote this fantastic outlook on life and encourage more people to take steps to live a simpler, easier-going lifestyle.

Now in its fourth year, Downshifting Week was the brainchild of writer and broadcaster, Tracey Smith.

On her website, Tracey says "If you are looking for a little help to slow down your pace and enjoy life more, this is the place for you!

"Our campaign remains packed full of really simple ideas that will help you 'slow down and green up' and it's almost time for her 4th outing. I cannot wait to get my teeth into it."

For more information about InterNational Downshifting Week, check out the campaign's website or read Tracey's own green family blog for more ideas and inspiration.

Win £100 worth of eco stuff you'll love from Nigel's Eco Store!

2008-04-15T07:42:00.001+01:00

Win £100 worth of fab eco goodies that will help you save money, energy and reduce your carbon footprint!!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

The Big Green Switch is delighted to team up with Nigel's Eco Store to give you the chance to win some fantastic eco friendly products for your home.

The prize pack includes:

Solio solar charger
This year's must have accessory allowing you to recharge your iPod, phone or mobile device using the sun's energy when on the go.

Ecobutton
The gadget that will tackle your habit of leaving your computer on

Wind up universal remote control
You'll never run out of batteries at the worst possible time again!

The competition is open until 12th May and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win these great energy-saving goodies!

Real Nappy Week 2008 - 21-27 April

2008-04-10T11:42:00.003+01:00

Real Nappy Week takes place 21-27 April 2008 and highlights how parents can make a real difference to the environment by choosing to use real nappies as an alternative to disposible ones.

In the UK we throw away around 3 billion disposable nappies a year, that’s 8 million a day that go to landfill site near you.

The annual campaign is co-ordinated by Women's Environmental Network (WEN) and the Real Nappy Campaign. Its aim is to to raise awareness of the benefits of modern washable nappies.

Click here for more details about the campaign or click here to find a campaign event near to you.

Click here for more tips and advice on reducing your household waste.

10 OWL wireless energy monitors to be won!

2008-04-10T07:04:00.000+01:00

Don't miss your chance to win an OWL wireless electricity monitor from theowl.com!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Fight rising energy bills and climate change with the OWL wireless electricity monitor. The stylish handheld device provides up to the second information of the exact amount of electricity you are using in pounds and pence. This means you can see the exact financial gain of turning off electrical devices at home.

Whether it’s turning off at the plug rather than just using standby or simply turning off a light, the OWL shows you the exact cash impact of changing your behaviour, which can be up to £100 per year for the average home.

The OWL is easy to read, easy to use and easy to install (no additional wiring required) and costs just £34.99.

For more information and useful tips on how to save money using OWL, go to http://www.theowl.com/.

The Prize:
The Big Green Switch is giving you the chance to win one of 10 of these excellent easy-to-use OWL monitors to help you save energy and money in YOUR home.

So if you're worried about the environment or your electricity bills, an OWL could be just the thing you're looking for to help you manage your energy use around the home more efficiently and cost-effectively.

The competition is open until 6th May and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win an OWL wireless electricity monitor!

Get daily green news and tips to your mobile

2008-04-09T13:23:00.003+01:00

Get daily green news and tips from the Big Green Switch to your mobile phone via Twitter!

We've signed up with popular social-networking and micro-blogging website Twitter.com to be able to send regular green updates throughout the day.

As a Twitter user, you're able to subscribe to the Big Green Switch updates and choose to either view them online OR get them sent directly to your mobile phone as an SMS message.

SIGN UP NOW IN FOUR EASY STEPS!

1) Log in to your existing Twitter account or create a new account for free in less than a minute!

2) Once you're logged into Twitter, go to the "People" search box at the bottom of the right-hand menu panel and search for "biggreenswitch" (all one word). On the search results, click on the "Follow" button next to our listing. The box will go blue after you've clicked to indicate that you've successfully subscribed to our updates.

3) Click on "Home" to go back to your main Twitter homepage where you'll now see all our recent updates. Bookmark and visit the page regularly for all our latest news and tips.

4) To receive our updates direct to your mobile, click on the "Notifications" link in the right-hand panel of your Twitter page and follow the set-up instructions.

Please support the Big Green Switch in the New Media Awards 2008

2008-04-02T19:00:00.001+01:00

The Big Green Switch is delighted to have been nominated in the "Inform and educate" category of this year's New Statesman New Media Awards.

We've been working hard to constantly improve and develop the site over the past 11 months and, with the help of you, our fantastic visitors, we're proud to have created what we feel is a clear, fair and positive online community and information portal where anyone keen to live a greener lifestyle can find all the advice and knowledge they need.

The NMA Awards nomination particularly acknowledges the Big Green Switch's efforts in trying to cut through the hype and confusion around green living and put all the relevant information before consumers and encourage them to form their own conclusions and join the debate through interactivity.

If you like the Big Green Switch site, we’d love you to leave a comment and give us a rating on our awards nomination page.

WIN! An energy-saving Intelliplug!

2008-03-31T09:56:00.003+01:00

Automatically reduce energy wasted by computer equipment with the Intelliplug!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

You may switch your computer off properly each time you've finish using it but do you always remember to also switch off your monitor? How about your printer or speakers? And don't forget your external hard drive, scanner, internet modem and more.

With so many peripherals plugged into desktop PCs these days, it's easy to miss something and leave equipment left on, wasting energy and costing you money.

The Intelliplug helps you to reduce the electricity you potentially waste by leaving computer peripherals on. Simply plug your PC tower into the main socket and then your peripherals (or extension leads) into the other sockets.

The Intelliplug then detects when you switch your PC tower off and automatically powers down related equipment within 5 seconds - so you can switch off your PC and all the peripherals with just one press of a button.

The competition is open until 28th April and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win an energy-saving Intelliplug!

Earth Hour deemed a success by organisers

2008-03-30T21:14:00.003+01:00

Tens of millions of people switched off their lights for Earth Hour over the weekend according to reports.

The initiative, first held in Sydney last year, has now become a global event with people in every continent, including Antartica, taking part. As a result, cities around the world were plunged into darkness between 8pm and 9pm local time on Saturday evening to highlight the issues of energy waste and climate change.

Results from "host nation" Australia suggest that over half of the country's adult population took part in the event, with Energy Australia, the company which supplies most of the electricity to Sydney, reporting around an 8.4% drop in energy usage in the city during Earth Hour.

Elsewhere, another 25 international Earth Hour "flagship cities" switched off in 10 countries across the globe alongside an additional 370 supporting cities, making Earth Hour the largest voluntary power down event in history.

Read more about the event at the official Earth Hour website.

Did you take part in Earth Hour? Do you think that events like these can have a positive impact on raising global awareness of climate change issues? Have your say by clicking here.

WIN! A Kitchen Composter for your home!

2008-03-25T15:25:00.004Z

Turn all kitchen waste into perfect compost and plant feed with this Kitchen Composter Set!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Cooked or raw meat, fish, vegetables, salad, dairy and all can be transformed with ease into rich garden compost and quality liquid plant feed.

Simply put it all into the airtight container, sprinkle in a handful of Bokashi bran and let the micro-organisms get to work. After just a few weeks, the contents are transformed into compost which can then be added to your main compost heap or put straight into the ground.

The Composter is odour-free and airtight so it's perfectly safe and hygienic to keep indoors. You can win a Composter kit complete with scoop, inner drain tray and 2 months supply of Bokashi by completing the entry form here.

The competition is open until 21st April and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

So click here now for your chance to win a kitchen composter!

Walk in The Woods Month

2008-03-20T13:48:00.006Z

The Tree Council’s month-long festival to encourage everyone to enjoy trees and woods in Spring will take place this May.

Across the UK, walks, talks and other events take place in town and countryside throughout May - a great month to go down to the woods or to a local park or just enjoy tree-lined streets. Spring flowers, bird song and fresh green leaves make this idea particularly inviting.

A walk in the woods is a great green way to spend the day. Trees and woods are critical in supporting life on this planet, including humanity. They reduce pollution, generate oxygen, store carbon, help stabilise the soil, and provide us with renewable raw materials and shelter. Woods also greatly improve urban areas. They help to clean the air, reduce storm water run off, reduce noise and pollution, reduce asthma levels and also contribute intangibly to our sense of wellbeing.

Woods provide a beautiful, natural setting in which to enjoy the day with family or friends. A walk is not only great exercise, it’s much better for the environment than a day in front of the television or in the car. In a wood, you are close to nature and it’s easy to remember why it is so important to save our beautiful planet.

To see what’s happening in your area, have a look at the events list. Or you could organise your own event and get new people interested in trees and the environment, especially in their local patch. A particular aim of Walk in the Woods is to attract people who rarely, if ever, visit woods - even those on their doorstep.

To find out more about this event click here.

Switch off for Earth Hour - March 29th

2008-03-18T17:58:00.002Z

Created to take a stand against climate chnage, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

Originating in Sydney in 2007, the Earth Hour campaign has now gained global attention. This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. As a result, at 8pm on 29 March 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour.

Cities around the world, including many in the UK, will be taking part in this amazing international event so why not make sure that you, your friends and family and everyone else you know are aware of the event and take part.

Find out more at the official website - http://www.earthhour.org/ - and remember to switch off on March 29th at 8pm.

WIN! A mini rainsaver kit for your garden!

2008-03-17T08:33:00.004Z

Collect rainwater from your house, shed, garage or greenhouse with this fantastic space-saving Mini Rainsaver™ Kit. ENTER NOW!

This Mini Rainsaver™ kit has everything you need to start collecting rainwater from your home, greenhouse, shed or garage to use on your garden.

The kit includes a space-saving water butt which can hold up to 100 litres of water plus a stand and tap for it.

Also included is a Rainsaver™ diverter kit to help you easily connect your water butt to a drainpipe. The diverter then sends water from your gutter into the butt until it is full and then reverts to allowing water to go into the drain, avoiding any overflowing problems.

The competition is open until 14th April and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

Enter now at http://www.biggreenswitch.co.uk/competitions/win-mini-rainsaver-kit

Find many more great water-saving products like this in the Big Green Shop!

Have a green Easter!

2008-03-13T12:25:00.002Z

With Easter just around the corner, we've come up with a few simple ways to still enjoy all the tradition and fun of the holiday with less of the environmental impact.

The Big Green Switch guide to having a greener Easter is full of tips and ideas for a fun and eco-friendly holiday weekend.

Features include how to opt for a greener Easter egg with less environmental impact, other alternate green Easter gift ideas and our guide to decorating Easter eggs the natural way.

Plus don't forget our fab Big Green Easter Egg Hunt where you could win £100 of eco-friendly gifts and gadgets of your choice!

Click here for our tips for a green Easter.

Green video: How to foil-back your radiators

2008-03-06T11:02:00.001Z

As part of the Big Green Switch's "Make the LEAP" campaign, we asked everyone to get involved and capture their energy-saving actions on camera.

However, a colleague here in the office at Big Green Switch went one step further and videoed himself in action carrying out his leap day pledge! Watch Nic's video below on how to foil-back your radiators.

WIN! Eco-office goodies to green up your workspace!

2008-03-04T08:01:00.002Z

Turn your work desk or home office into a eco-haven with a fantastic set of eco-friendly office gadgets, stationery and accessories.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER NOW!

The prize pack includes:

Ecobutton
This latest energy-saving gadget helps you to quickly and safely power down your computer at the touch of a button every time you take a break, go for a meeting or take a phone call.

USB Cell Batteries
Never be without portable power again with this great rechargable batteries which can be charged while you work on your PC.

Intellipanel
Eliminate energy wastage from your desktop computer or laptop set-up with the Intellipanel socket. Automatically powers down all your peripherals once you switch your main computer off.

Recycled mousemat
Unique design made from recycled computer circuit boards.

H2O calculator
Yes, it's a water-powered calculator! Just filling the battery with water generates enough power to last for up to 3 months.

Recycled stationery set
Set of two notebooks made from recycled car tyres and juice cartons plus a pack of pens made from recycled car parts.

Stapleless Ecostapler
Never run out of staples again with this great gadget which clips pages together by cutting and folding the paper in one action.

Recycled coasters
Rest your mug on a rock n roll classic with this set of drinks coasters made from recycled vintage vinyl LPs.

The competition is open until 31st March and is free to enter to anyone who registers with the Big Green Switch website. Other terms & conditions apply.

Enter now at http://www.biggreenswitch.co.uk/competitions/win-eco-office-gadgets

Did you make the LEAP?

2008-03-03T08:39:00.003Z

Tonnes of CO2 emissions could be cut as a result of pledges made to the Big Green Switch's Make the LEAP towards a greener lifestyle campaign.

Our campaign asked everyone to think of this year's leap day as an extra day in their lives and to pledge to put some time aside to do something green on the day.

We've been inundated with pledges from all over the UK from people pledging to do everything from fitting low energy light bulbs and starting compost heaps to foil-backing radiators and installing water butts.

Leap day pledges in action: Your photos have come into us of you tackling your green activities. Click here to see a selection of leap day pledgers in action!

National Trust offer day off for Great Green Leap Day

2008-02-22T10:14:00.002Z

The National Trust is giving all its staff and volunteers a day off on February 29th to encourage them to take action to reduce their carbon footprints.

All Trust staff are being given the opportunity to spend the day at home or in their local community on Leap Day, making changes to improve their environmental footprint - from switching to energy saving lightbulbs to establishing a compost heap.

National Trust director general, Dame Fiona Reynolds, said: "Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we are facing today.

"At the National Trust, we are looking at the impact of all our activities and how we can reduce this impact. Now we want our staff to do the same."

The Trust also helps to encourage other businesses and organisations to follow suit in encouraging their employees to live greener lifestyles.

Fiona Reynolds added: "There are over 29 million employees in the UK; if just one million changed one light bulb and turned their thermostat down by one degree, it would save 351,000 tons of carbon."

For great energy saving tips and ideas that you can have a go out on February 29th, or any other time of the year, visit the Big Green Switch website.

E-Day (Energy Saving Day) 2008 - Feb 27th

2008-02-19T14:07:00.003Z

The UK's first ever Energy Saving Day (E-Day) will run on 27 February 2008.

E-Day will run from 6pm on 27 February to 6pm the following day and during those 24 hours, everyone in the UK will be asked to try and cut energy use in their home, school or office.

The National Grid will be monitoring the demand for power on a minute-by-minute basis throughout the day to provide feedback on how the UK has performed during the day and hopefully demonstrate the potential long-term impact that we could all have if we made every day an E-Day.

Find out more about E-Day and how you can get involved at the official website - http://www.e-day.org.uk/.

Make the LEAP towards a greener lifestyle on February 29th!

2008-02-16T16:39:00.004Z

As 2008 is a leap year, we all have an extra day to play with today. But, as it only comes around once every four years, rather than treating today as "just another day", why not make the most of it and do something special?

The Big Green Switch is inviting you to make a pledge to do something green during Feb 29th.

While many people are keen to do their bit to help the environment, they often say that they just don't seem to find the time to take the action they need to. So why not think of February 29th as an extra day in your life and use it to put some time aside to do something positive and green!

Make your pledge and let's all use our extra day to make the leap to a smarter, greener lifestyle!

Here are just a selection of suggestions for things you could do on February 29th to help reduce your carbon footprint: