USEFUL GREEN LINKS & RESOURCES

This page is dedicated to links to other websites that may be useful to Green Party Members and supporters or anyone that cares about the world we live in. Let us know if you are aware of other links or initatives that we should include. 

We have created a separate page to capture films, videos, podcasts, books and articles etc. that may be of interest to Green Party Members and supporters. Check out our Resources page.

Local Green Links

Oxfordshire Green Party The Official Website of the Oxfordshire Branch of the Green Party of England and Wales. With news about events, policies and campaigns around Oxfordshire.

Other Green Links

AECB – the sustainable building association (Association for Environment Conscious Building) UK association that seeks to encourage greater environmental awareness within the UK construction industry.

African Wildlife Foundation works together with the people of Africa to ensure wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure forever.

Ape Alliance  Find out about the Great Apes – our relatives – and how you can help to save them from extinction.

BioRegional – champions a better way to live. We work with partners to create better, more sustainable places to live, work and do business.  It is the organization behind the One Planet Living project. One Planet Living is a vision of a world where people enjoy happy, healthy lives within the natural limits of the planet, leaving space for wildlife and wilderness.

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation is an Indonesian non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Bornean orangutan and its habitat, in cooperation with local communities, the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and international partner organizations.

 BuildingGreen.com US site for practitioners of sustainable design and a knowledge source for sustainable architecture and design. With more than 100 concise guides to choosing green products. Although US based the advice and guidance could of value to anyone anywhere that is interested in sustainable architecture and design. Such as Sustainable Materials, Design Strategies, Building Science, Design Process, Codes & Certifications.

Calculate your carbon footprint – useful and easy to use calculator to show you where your biggest carbon foot prints are and some rather dated, but useful advice about how to reduce your carbon impact.

Campaign For Real Events "A voluntary group providing demonstrations of DIY renewable energy and recycling, and 'alt tech' for art projects and education." Campaign for Real Events is a voluntary organisation promoting understanding of energy use and recycling. One of the main things we do is make and operate child sized pedal generators at Green events, community festivals and in schools.

Centre for Alternative Technology Visitor centre, information service & courses. CAT is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is a world-renowned eco centre nestled in the foothills of the South Snowdonia National Park and within the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere. We speak to government and campaigners about policies that would help create a zero carbon Britain; we train students in all aspects of sustainability; we help schoolchildren to understand the importance of action on climate change; and we give advice to householders on what they can do in their own homes.

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) – advisory service on energy efficiency & renewable energy based at the CREATE Centre in Bristol. The CSE's trained and independent energy advisors offer free advice on domestic energy use to householders in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Somerset (including the unitary authorities of North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset). The Centre for Sustainable Energy is a Bristol-based national charity, founded in 1979, that helps people change the way they think and act on energy.

CIRIA, The Construction Industry Environmental Forum. CIRIA is the Construction Industry Research and Information Association, a neutral, independent and not-for-profit body.  Our vision is to be a leading enabler and preferred partner for performance improvement, driving collaboration across built environment and construction sectors for the identification, development and transfer of knowledge.

Climate Coalition – coalition of environment & development organisations campaigning against climate change. “We are the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Along with our sister organisations Stop Climate Chaos Cymru and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, we are a group of over 140 organisations — including the National Trust, Women's Institute, Oxfam, and RSPB —  and 22 million voices strong. We are reaching across the UK to show our love for all the things we want to protect from climate change, and to ask politicians to put aside their differences and commit to doing whatever is necessary to protect them.”

Climate Counts Company Sustainable green living product reviews.

Community Repaint "Community RePaint schemes collect reusable, leftover paint and re-distribute it to individuals, families, communities and charities in need, improving the wellbeing of people and the appearance of places across the UK." Our nearest scheme is in Richmond.

Friends of the Earth can be accessed at http://www.foe.co.uk/

DirectGov Environment and Greener Living "Find out how to recycle a wide range of goods - from batteries to clothes - and discover how recycling can help protect the environment."

DoRecycling.com "Information about recycling, green living, tools that can help you to recycle more efficiently, including reviews of various can crushers, also some tips on how you can build your own aluminium can crusher..." US-based website, so some recommended products not easily available here, though the principles of recycling and can-crushing are the same everywhere.

Earth Notes: Saving The Planet @Home Damon Hart-Davis's tips on how to "do your bit at home to improve your quality of life, save money, cut down on waste and carbon pollution and save the planet."

EcoFirms "EcoFirms.org is a green grassroots project that originated in 2005. It is entirely run and operated by like-minded volunteers. Our mission is to connect all eco friendly companies and organizations in the world and inform our visitors of their products and services. Our website is specifically designed to serve as a marketing and promotional tool for our member companies."

EcoFirms.org "EcoFirms.org is a green grassroots project that originated in 2005. It is entirely run and operated by like-minded volunteers. Our mission is to connect all eco friendly companies and organizations in the world and inform our visitors of their products and services. Our website is specifically designed to serve as a marketing and promotional tool for our member companies."

Ecosia A search engine as good as Google, which invests 40% of their profits on planting trees. The search engine is reportedly as good as google

Energy Saving Trust "Independent and impartial advice about how to save energy and money."

Energy Saving Trust – key source of free information, publications, training, advice and consultancy on the efficient use of energy in building.

Ethical Consumer A consumer magazine that gives a balanced assessment of a company's performance in terms of various ethical criteria: environment, animals, people, politics and product sustainability. Companies are ranked, for free, in each section, based on your ethical priorities; further details available to members.

Ethical Consumer A consumer magazine that gives a balanced assessment of a company's performance in terms of various ethical criteria: environment, animals, people, politics and product sustainability. Best companies are listed free in each section; further details available to members.

Ethical Consumer– leading alternative consumer organisation. Researches the social and environmental records of companies.

Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC^®) – promotes responsible management of the world’s forests

Expertise - Green Resources "At Expertise, we believe a healthy home goes hand-in-hand with a healthy planet. So check out our energy efficiency resources to help you tackle projects at home and support the environment." Based in the US, so some of the resources don't work for uk, but the principles are sound and much of the advice is useful.

Fairtrade Fairtrade products are sometimes more environmentally sustainable than more local ones, even though they come from far away! Many stores now stock Fairtrade products, just look for the symbol.

Fishonline The Marine Conservation Society buyer's guide to sustainable seafood.

Friends of the Earth – environmental NGO campaigning against climate change

Future Learn  offer sonline maths, science and engineering courses created by experts from leading universities and organisations. Six week free trial  'Climate Change: Solutions' On this course, learners will explore solutions to this global challenge, including mitigation, adaptation and geo-engineering, which can help avoid the most dangerous climate changes.

Greenpeace – environmental NGO campaigning  against climate change

Genesis Centre – UK sustainable construction resource centre

Green Building Council – UK organisation campaigning for a sustainable built environment

Green Building Press – UK publishers of Green E-Zine

Green Guide for Kids An online environmental resource for kids to find ideas, information, and inspiration to go green.

Green Providers Directory  - “The UK's leading directory of green, fair trade & ethical companies”

Green Register – Training and events for construction professionals

Green Talk is all about the conversation on how to live a greener lifestyle.

Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics "While some of the top electronics manufacturers are failing to keep their environmental commitments, others are innovating and making significant gains in phasing out toxic chemicals, increasing energy efficiency, and making it easier for consumers to recycle old products." Find out which in this guide.

Guardian Sustainable Business "...for corporate leaders at the cutting-edge of positive change. We curate the world's most authoritative voices on corporate sustainability to bring you thought-provoking comment, debate and expert insight."

Guide to Sustainable Tourism Published by Blue and Green Tomorrow, a 2012 guide to travelling with minimum damage to the environment.

Inno-THERM – social enterprise supplying recycled cotton/ denim insulation

Isonomia A blog on everything to do with waste, including: anaerobic digestion; behaviour change; climate change; collection frequency; Food waste; incineration; litter; recycling; prevention...

Love Food Hate Waste "The Love Food Hate Waste campaign aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce food waste. The campaign shows that by doing some easy practical everyday things in the home we can all waste less food, which will ultimately benefit our purses and the environment too. "Love Food, Hate Waste" is brought to you by WRAP, who are also responsible for encouraging recycling and home composting. WRAP is funded by the government and works to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment."

Low Carbon Trust – not-for-profit organisation highlighting the connection between buildings and carbon emissions

Low energy buildings database – a repository of UK low-energy building information created to help inform the planning and development of low energy new build and refurbishment projects

Low-Impact Living Initiative (LILI) "A non-profit organisation whose mission is to help people reduce their impact on the environment, improve their quality of life, gain new skills, live in a healthier and more satisfying way, have fun and save money."

Magic Drawer Workshop Green production blog.

Make your small business greener Though the publisher/printer is USA-based and all the examples are too, this infographic offers some good advice for small businesses wherever they are.

My Green Directory National rather than local, "My Green Directory started life as allthingseco.co.uk in 2006 as an eco directory supporting and promoting businesses, organisations and individuals with products, services & information that genuinely follow environmentally friendly, sustainable, fair-trade, organic, natural, ethical and socially responsible principles."

National Energy Foundation, development of energy policy, establishing infrastructure for the UK’s sustainable energy sector and by providing consultancy services.

OnRecycle OnRecycle compares all the major mobile phone recycling companies to make it easy for you to sell your mobile phone.

Open Spaces Society   Defending the open spaces people love in England and Wales since 1865. Britain’s oldest conservation charity.

PAN UK works to eliminate toxic pesticides, our exposure to them, and their presence in the environment where we live and work.

Passivhaus Trust– The UK Passive House Trust: an independent, non-profit organisation that provides leadership in the UK for the adoption of the Passivhaus standard and methodology. Passivhaus is the leading international low energy, design standard. The Trust aims to promote Passivhaus as a highly effective way of providing high standards of occupant comfort and health as well as reducing energy use and carbon emissions from buildings in the UK.

Rainforest Foundation   RFUK, tackles deforestation locally and globally. Locally, helps forest communities to gain land rights, challenge logging companies, manage their forests and protect their environment. Globally, it campaigns to influence national and international laws to protect rainforests and their inhabitants.   The RFUK believes that the best way to protect the rainforest is through empowering indigenous peoples to defend their ancestral lands.

Retrofit comparison tool Transition Cambridge has a useful online heating/insulation upgrade comparison tool on their website. You enter house type/shape and current walls/doors/windows/floor insulation level/construction type, along with possible upgrades to those elements, and it shows a useful overview of overall and relative effect.

Shopping Green provides links to many fair trade, organic and eco friendly websites.

Sust, The Lighthouse on Sustainability, Scottish based sustainable design portal including database of eco materials, products and services.

Sustain The alliance for better food and farming "advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture."

Sustainability First an environment think-tank, rooted in experience, with a clear commitment to promoting long-term sustainability through practical thought-leadership. 

Sustainable Homes promotes awareness of sustainable development issues and good practice, and encourages housing associations to adopt sustainable policies and practices.

WRAP  is a catalyst for positive economic and environmental action. It works in the space between governments, businesses, communities, thinkers and individuals – forging powerful partnerships and delivering ground-breaking initiatives to support more sustainable economies and society. We are world leaders in establishing the facts, getting the right people working together, then converting ideas into action and delivery on the ground.

It aims to drive change in areas where it can make the biggest difference. Priority sectors are:

• Food and drink
• Clothing and textiles
• Plastics

Zero Carbon Yorkshire Buildings working group – group working to reduce carbon emissions in the built environment within Yorkshire