Last night around 500 executives from across the green economy gathered at The Brewery in central London for the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards. It was the most competitive year yet with all the finalists securing praise from the judges. But the winners and highly commended entries were:

With one of the driest Julys on record we have seen a problem in the town exposed to its full extent. Cigarette butts are everywhere. Clearly when it rains they normally get washed through the gutters, down the drains, and straight into the sea, but now they are just lying around waiting. I have been busy with my chalk (but have been asked not to do it any more during the summer months as it looks ‘unsightly’. I might be pedantic and say no more unsightly than the problem I’m highlighting, but if it’s got people talking then maybe I’ve done my job for now…

Here at Locavore we want everything we do to have as little impact on the environment as possible. We aim to think and act in a circular way. This means working strategically across the organisation to ensure the flow of materials is connected – that things are used and reused, that produce from the farm is connected to the cafe via the shop floor, and that we have a strict purchasing ethos which ensures quality, local and ethical items and produce are bought.

Plastic is a versatile material which covers a multitude of products – sometimes quite literally - from plastic bottles to pots and polythene packaging, it can be difficult to know what can be recycled, and where.

Here are my 20 easy eco-friendly lifestyle hacks for reducing waste in your home. These green tips and tricks will help you live a more green and minimalist lifestyle. A lot of people think that making eco-friendly life changes are expensive and require specialty products. The truth is there are easy and affordable swaps you can make. It is NOT difficult or expensive to be eco friendly.

Space saver

The Bulb Eater is a drum-top, bulb-crusher for spent light bulbs. The machine has been used in hospitals to crush linear fluorescents and CFLs quickly and efficiently. More than 1,350 bulbs can be crushed in one 55-gallon drum that is attached to the machine, condensing the storage footprint of 12 boxes down to a 2-foot by 2-foot space.

Goods and services evolve to meet the needs of the consumer, and laundry care is no exception. The mechanization of laundry care technologies quickly created a market for detergents, stain fighters and other consumer clothing care products that only expanded with the ubiquity of home washers and dryers. Today, laundry care is part of a market segment valued at $23,414 million, the largest piece of the home products sector and a recession resistant consumer staple bought frequently and year-round.

Today’s world is often a very different one than the one we grew up in. Children’s schedules are packed to the brim, and “go play outside” is easier said than done. While screens and school may seem like the safest, most efficient ways for kids to spend their time, unstructured playtime outside is essential for their imagination, creativity, bodies and relationships.

Depending on your local recycling center, you can’t toss your toothbrush into the recycling bin. Well you can, but you’ll just be adding trash for the workers to pick out. And you shouldn’t throw your toothpaste tube in the bin either. But you can mail them to a specialized recycling center for free, with a program from Colgate and TerraCycle.

RENTRÉE SCOLAIRE - Non seulement la rentrée scolaire coûte cher mais, en plus, elle n'est pas la meilleure amie de la planète. Cahiers, livres, crayons, feuilles à petits ou grands carreaux... Chaque année, il faut remettre la main au portefeuille pour acheter des produits périssables qui finissent souvent inutilisés au fond d'un tiroir.