Branded corporate gifts that help reduce waste

 

 Catching up with The Green Desk's Yasmin Halai-Carter at 
UKAware 2011

 
This weekend saw me scoot down to London again to visit UKAware, the UK's largest and longest running contemporary sustainable lifestyle exhibition

This was my third annual visit and I have to admit, it was a great excuse to catch up with some of my old friends and have a good mooch around to see what's new.  As ever, I came away buzzing with excitement over the amazing projects I saw, but having had a press pack for the first time ever - and having been accompanied by my six year old, who is a magnet for freebies -  I also noticed I was laden down with stuff!

And it really got me thinking about all the conferences and corporate events out there, where freebies are giving out willy-nilly, to get brands right under the noses of the people with the purse-strings.  Yes, I've been used to a career packed with squashy balls, mouse mats, and laptop bags, not to mention the ubiquitous and equally useless gym-kit style bags to fetch them home in, with carrying strings that bury deep into your hands, but in recent years I've trained myself well to refuse most branded clutter.  You know...applying that age-old mantra of REDUCE!

However, at UKAware I was intrigued by the alternative options that are now available for the more eco-conscious corporate merchandiser and naturally my antennae turned towards the cool stuff that actually helps people reduce waste.  I thought I'd include some of my findings here.


BAGS

If you're giving away reusable bags at your conference or exhibition stand, that's a great thing to do right?  Well, yes, it's a step in the right direction towards waste-busting giving, but wouldn't it be better if that bag was made from recycled materials in the first place!

That's where Onya comes in, with its range of branded bags that are made from recycled PET bottles.  I've been a fan of Onya bags ever since I saw them during my first visit to UKAware and I don't think you could get a bag that is more lightweight or which is so easy at being packed up.  It even comes with its own pouch and clip to make it easier to carry around.  For more details visit www.onyabags.co.uk.





GADGETS

It may be my inner geek shouting here, but I just LOVE these USB batteries that I discovered in my goody bag.  With a house full of remote controls, handheld game consoles, cameras and other gadgets, these energy-packed miracle workers are just the thing!  Again, I'm a long term fan and have even been known to add some to my kids' Christmas stockings and they love them too, as you just bung them into your USB slot to recharge, saving a fortune in batteries in the process.  As well as selling branded batteries, I've noticed there's also a commemorative pack for the Royal Wedding.  More info about these funky little batteries can be found at www.usbcell.com.


STATIONERY

And here's another personal favourite, the staple-less stapler, helping to reduce the office worker's dependency on steel.  This one is branded with the Green Desk's web address, which also happens to be the company that sells them.  It comes with a great quote that reads "If every office worker in the UK used 1 less staple a day we would save 120 tonnes of steel a year".  Wowzer!  For more branded products like this, as well as everyday sustainable office items can be found at www.greendesk.org.uk.


So, I'm pretty happy with the freebies that I picked up at UKAware this year.  It just goes to show that businesses don't need to give their customers ready-made landfill as part of their marketing strategy and can instead offer items that can actually save them money and help reduce their waste in the first place. You just need to find the right places to look and UKAware is just one of those places that is well worth watching for solutions that match your brand's ethics.


_______________________________________________

UKAware is now selling exhibition stands for its Bristol event, which takes place on 18th-19th June 2011.  For further details, please visit www.ukaware.com.  And if you've ever wondered where the organisation sources its promotional T-shirts, just check out ethical clothing company Pier32.
_______________________________________________

Wakey wakey, it's UKAware.

(photo taken during UKAware 2009)

If you've got any free time on Friday of Saturday and can get into London, I've got a real treat for your diary, as the end of this week sees the launch of the 4th year of  UKAware, the UK's leading sustainable living show.  

Running from Friday 25th to Saturday 26th March, at London Olympia, it promises a fun packed programme of activities, seminars and workshops as well as aisles full of eco and ethical companies highlighting their products and services.

This will be the third year that I have trekked down to London to visit the show and I love it!  Not only does it give you a chance to keep up with the latest news and solutions in sustainability but it is also a brilliant opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new people too.

If you want to find out more about what's going on at UKAware this year, then your first port of call is their website, where there's a fantastic blog showing what's coming up.  Also, check out Lucy Siegle's Guardian article on Danny Carnegie, the founder of UKAware, who reveals a few unexpected things about his background.  I suppose you could say he's not your average event organiser by any means.

So what am I looking forward to the most this year?  Bearing in mind I'll have one of my kiddiwinks with me for the first time ever, I think it might be the children's activities are most likely to be the highlight this year.  However I'm also looking forward to catching up with my favourite stallholders, some lovely pals whom I've met through this blog and a few of my literary friends too, including author of The Frugal Life, Piper Terrett, Book of Rubbish Ideas author, Tracey Smith, and sustainability writer Brigit Strawbridge, who will all be busy leading inspirational workshops and panels.

Whether you're coming from a serious angle, or just want to have some fun, UKAware is definitelly one of the unmissable events of the year. 

So if you fancy coming along and want to meet up on the Saturday, then do let me know.  I've also got TEN FREE TICKETS to give away to followers of this blog, which are valid for either date. These will go to the first ten people to email me at karen@therubbishdiet.co.uk.

So go on...I know you're tempted, even if it's just a little bit........ and it really really really would be lovely to see you.

____________________________________________________

Some waste-busting highlights from UKAware

Well having stretched my cycling legs to venture into Bury St Edmunds to see Her Majesty last week, this week's adventure was a visit to London. But before you get all excited thinking it was trip to Buckingham Palace, I'm pleased to tell you it was more exciting than a royal garden party. I was indeed off to meet the royalty of UK sustainable living, the movers and shakers who are making it easier for us to live a lighter and brighter life and who happened to be congregating at the green lifestyle exhibition UKAware.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends new and old, including Al from Natural Collection, Angus from Ecoboom and Chris from SnaffleUp, as well as my old mucker Tracey Smith, founder of International Downshifting Week and author of The Book of Rubbish Ideas. My only regret was that I'd given myself just 4 hours for the visit. I could have done with a whole day, but here are some rubbish diet treats, revealing my top 10 highlights of the day.


1. Looking for a desktop wormery?

Then look no further than Bubble House Worm Farm's easy solution for somewhere to pop your apple cores and bread crusts. Made from recycled plastic here in the UK they also have a larger version for all your kitchen waste and with its neat design sits well on the smallest of patios. You can even use the top layer as a herb planter. Visit www.bubblehouseworms.com for more details.



2. From recycling to recycled!

Whether you're looking for solutions for sorting your recycling or closing the loop with recycled gifts, take a peek at what The Recycle Warehouse has got on offer. Even the bins, as demonstrated by John are made from recycled materials. Visit www.therecyclewarehouse.com.




3. Fed up with all your bills arriving through the post?

Then say hello to Gavin from NoMorePost.com, a brand new one-stop secure service that enables users to easily access bills, statements and correspondence online. He can't do much to reduce your bills but he can certainly help to reduce the amount of paper that lands on the doormat. Visit www.nomorepost.com.





4. Onya back, onya side, onya everywhere!

Having been a fan of Onya reusable bags for some time, at last I had the chance to meet the man behind the UK operations, Dan, who was kind enough to offer a discount to offer a 15% discount for bin slimming fans, which you'll find over at www.thezerowastecheckout.com. For more information about Onya bags, visit www.onyabags.co.uk. Thanks for the discount Dan and I hope you had a good trip back to Suffolk.




5. Want a chance to go potty?

Thanks to a fabulous demonstration from Caro at the Nether Wallop Trading Company, I am now an expert in making paper plant pots. Here she is demonstrating the Paper Potter. Having wanted the opportunity to make my own seedling pots for ages, I couldn't resist buying one and it really is that easy. For lots more sustainable home and garden products visit www.netherwalloptrading.com.




6. From Junk to Chic in one beautiful step!

If you've ever wondered whether your junkyard find could have more potential but not sure how, designer Katie from Junkyard Chic is your woman. With a fabulous portfolio of designs, this lady has a talent for converting the most uninspiring piece of furniture into a beautiful and unique work of art for your home. Check out her gorgeous and stylish designs at www.junkyardchic.co.uk.





7. Solving plastic party nightmares!

Thanks to Lucy at Little Cherry, sustainably-minded parents now have a wide range of eco-friendly options to make kids' parties go with a green bang! From recycled plates to compostable crockery and sustainable toys, the company provides a complete solution for planning the best party ever. More information can be found at www.littlecherry.com.




8. First impressions matter!

And nobody could agree more than Bruce at First Impressions Last Longer, Europe's first carbon-neutral office supplies company. While doing your bit at home comes easy, the good news is that at last there are simple solutions for the office too. So if you want to upgrade your office supplies to products that create less waste, visit www.firstimpressionslastlonger.com.



9. Reuse and recycle your energy!

Not sure what to do with your old batteries? Well this irresistable guy here will show you the way. He's the walking talking battery that promotes the recycling of batteries across the UK. To find out what you can do with yours and how to discover your nearest recycling point, be sure to visit www.SaveBatteryWaste.com. Even better, send them a photo of you recycling your batteries and you can get 50% off USB rechargeable ones.




10. Let the wind be your guiding light!

It's true! You can now turn wind into light without installing your own windfarm in your back yard. If you're looking for a revolutionary decorative outdoor light that doesn't just look good but provides an eco-friendly talking point, then check out the Firewinder. It doesn't need batteries or electrical power, just wind and its effect is stunning. Whether you want to buy one for yourself or distribute them through your business, these are the chaps to contact, inventor Tom and Marketing Director Joe, who've just been told a great joke by our rubbish friend Tracey Smith. For details visit www.firewinder.com.




The Rubbish Diet will be featuring some of these fabulous folk in more detail over the next few months so you can have a closer look at their products and the inspiration behind their ideas. In the meantime, do pop along and have a gander at their websites. You'll never know what goodies you'll find. You'll also find more highlights in the latest edition of Sustained Magazine.

UKAware was a great day out indeed. So huge thanks to the organisers for their vision. And what good timing to hold such an event, as this weekend is also the start of International Downshifting Week 2009.

So if you want a chance to slow down as well as watch your waste, there's no better time to pop over and say hello to the founder Tracey Smith at www.downshiftingweek.com, where you'll find lots of inspiring ideas.

Ah downshifting eh! After a busy day out in London yesterday, I think today's the day for most definitely unwinding in the garden. It's a bit breezy too, so I now regret not buying that snazzy light.

Ahh...now where's that cup of tea......

________________________________________________________