Hi, welcome to Nigel’s Eco Store eco blog. Running Nigel’s Eco Store is an amazing opportunity to explore all things environmentally friendly. Find out more about our business, new products we come across, and the environmental issues I think about. I will be writing fairly regularly on all sorts of environmentally friendly (and other) topics. Please add a comment if you feel the urge - all feedback welcome!

Newsman, colourful tie-wearer and all round good egg Jon Snow has narrated a thought provoking animation by UNICEF and Do The Green Thing, Climate Kid.

Businesses in the UK are more worried about energy costs and supply than health and safety, legislation, and security, according to the npower Business Energy Index, published 18 July 2011.

The same report also found that one in six businesses do not have a plan for coping with increased energy prices, or for meeting reduced carbon emission targets.

Planning for future risks take time and man hours away from “business as usual”, and as a small business owner myself, I know how stretched resources can be.

About four weeks ago we decided to to a summer eco market in Brighton, to bring together lots of like minded sellers and makers into one place for a fantastic day of eco inspired shopping, food and fun.

Caught in a sudden downpour and about to embark on a long cycle ride, I remembered I had a sample of the Spud Raincoat sitting on my desk…

Operating out of a shed in the South Downs near Chichester, Alan and his wife Jo make charcoal from locally coppiced wood. I went to see the burn…

Father’s Day is 19th June this year. Last year I gave my dad a paper potter because I thought he might want to get into growing seedlings, and guess what, a year later it’s still sitting on a shelf in the kitchen. I think I got him something I wanted him to have, instead of what he actually might want…

A few weeks ago I fell off my mountain bike.

I was cycling to a meeting in the centre of Brighton, and whilst attempting to take a probably illegal shortcut, I didn’t see a large pothole in front of a ramp, hit it, and flew over the top of my bike onto the road.

Luckily there were no cars around…

Needless to say, I’m very much in favour of eco shopping! But what about shopping offline, leaving your house to buy stuff. We all need to do it, but how do we do it in the right way? Rachael from moneysupermarket.com has a few handy tips to help you be an eco shopper.

Jane Vere-Hodge is the designer of the original Paper Potter and managing director of Nether Wallop Trading; a company specialising in eco-conscious, hand crafted products. With their range of garden implements, they strive to promote sustainable living by encouraging new and established gardeners to get stuck in!

Native wildflowers help to support our insects and birds, and are great for the ecosystem. But what about growing them in your back garden or patio? Is it easy to grow wildflowers? Is there anything you should know before you get started? I realised I didn’t know, so I asked Tracey from the Wild Flower Patch for a few words of wild wisdom.