OFF Certified Organic OFC Certified Organic  OFC Certified Organic AIAB Certified Organic  CUC Certified Organic Soil Association Certified Organic   Because all of these organic certification standards have developed at different times and in different countries the exact detail of what is and is not allowed in products tends to vary. But in general they all seek to ensure that the agricultural ingredients in the products are produced organically and place controls over the non organic functional ingredients that are permitted. The textile standards cover the processing and manufacture of natural fibres and assess the production methods for effects on human health, wildlife and biodegradability. read more on our information pages...

Staring out the window to a small green garden abundant with life in the middle of Santa Cruz I wonder what it must be like to live in this cute flat for one. Six small birds to each seed house, two six foot tall, orange flowering aloe vera plants, hydrangeas, a meandering possum, a skunk on a jolly jaunt, a weeping willow look-alike tree and an array of other Californian greens I’m unfamiliar with, it’s a small garden of Eden amongst many, I suspect, in this part of the world. But there’s a few things in this Santa Cruzian flat that are a little out of the ordinary.

Look a little closer and you’ll notice low door knobs on all the cupboards and a bicycle-like contraption. Foster Andersen has been a quadriplegic for over 30 years. He had a motorcycle accident at age 17, suffering spinal cord injury that has left him temporarily bound to a wheelchair since. I write temporarily because Foster is no average person. You name it he's done it, from skydiving, bungee jumping out of a hot air balloon, canoeing, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, rock climbing... the list goes on.

What's so impressive is that he did it all after his accident, wheelchair bound... until he gets in that parachute of course. 15 years ago Foster started the not-for-profit organisation, Shared Adventures, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people living with disabilities. It's based on the belief that 'recreation, fun, challenge and access to the outdoors are an essential part of a healthy and fulfilling life'.  Foster trained as a computer graphic engineer however spends most of his time working on the events hosted by Shared Adventures. Day at the Beach and Day in the Sky are two of the annual highlights. In addition to the list of things Foster himself has done, the organisation offers a whole range of activities for people with disabilities including camping, horse riding, sailing, flying planes and plenty of social gatherings like the Halloween Dance Party, Frozen Yoghurt Sketch Circle and Bowling by the Boardwalk to get the local community involved. He's also the regular Santa Cruz'ian celebrity. Take one look at his office wall and you'll see articles that span the state, all featuring Foster's achievements from his early 20's until now. He is without a doubt one of the most inspirational people I've ever met and... if one can be so bold... one of those 'ideal' members of society that we would do well to follow his example by for living a full and giving life. For more information on Foster and Shared Adventures visit www.sharedadventures.org

Foaming agents help emulsify oils and hold them in suspension, so that dirt and grease can be washed away. Detergents are used in shampoos, shower gels and body washes, they are surfactants which means that they lower the surface tension of water, making it more able to interact with oil and grease, thus enabling impurities to be easily rinsed away.

However, strong detergents like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) can strip away too much of the skin's natural protective oils, leaving it dry or irritated.

Those with sensitive skins should really consider whether much of their sensitivity is caused by these harsh foams and avoid them altogether. Babies and children’s skin, which is much more vulnerable than adults can often become dry and inflamed if used frequently.

These foams are also non biodegradable in the water supply,  ending up in rivers and the sea.  We really do not know the long term effect of this but it seems such a shame to damage our wonderful sea life for a foamy bath!

At So Organic we only sell products that combine specially chosen plant based detergents from coconut or sugar so that they complement one another, giving an effective yet skin friendly cleansing action.  They do not foam as much as the synthetic detergents but still give a nice foam, so you can wallow in your bath with a clear eco conscience.

It’s a fairly accurate assumption these days to say that most corners of the world have been touched by the eco effect. Whether you agree, disagree or choose to ignore what´s happening to our planet you´ve at least heard about it in some shape or form. Mexico is no different. The latest in eco developments is underway in the hotel resort paradise of Cancun.

Phase one of this beautiful 5 star resort is already complete so bookings are being snapped up before you can say ‘may I have an organic margarita por favour?’  Why? Well to begin with it is the epitome of luxury and in the location to boot situated 30 minutes drive from Cancun on a clear tranquil beach amongst jungle and ancient Mayan ruins.

I was lucky enough to take a tour of the first complete part of the resort the Hacienda Tres Rios and it lived up to all expectations.

As you enter the resort you are greeted by a beautiful light reception, with stylish Mexican décor and white baby grand piano. Being a 5 star hotel you can dine or receive room service 24/7. With twelve restaurants in total in the Hacienda alone you will not be stuck for choice. There is also a business theatre, patisserie, theatre, spa, gym (including top rate yoga classes) and equestrian and polo centre. The resort covers 150 acres of land. It has 18 rivers (filled with fish) in total with three main ones that snake around the resort and lead into the ocean. You can take a kayak or canoe out for the day and paddle around these beautiful rivers and also get a unique view of the resort. The forest has a number of exotic wildlife like the toucan, cougar, peacock, parrots, flamingos, deer and monkeys. The long-term vision of Tres Ríos includes a marina and yacht club, a convention centre, an equestrian centre, and a fully developed nature park. But how is it eco friendly? The buildings are quite discreet and are only up to three stories high. The rest rooms use ocean water cleaned by one of the local native plants that is able to extract naturally the salt from the water to clean it for usage. Thought the soil is too sandy to grow their own produce on site (explains why the coconuts are only small) the resort does buy local and their meat, I´m told, is organic. The resort is one of the only in Cancun that does not use plastic straws or cups which are excessively used in the hotel filled region.

The ecology mission of Tres Ríos is “to be the leading model for sustainable luxury tourism in the Mexican Caribbean, to guarantee the enduring, intelligent and responsible use of the property’s jungle, mangrove, dune and marine ecosystems and to guarantee the long-term preservation of the ecosystems’ environmental functions, flora and fauna.” One of the wonderful things they´ve done for the region already is reforest 10,000m2 of mangrove, planting more than 50,000 mangrove trees of three varieties. The developers of this plush resort last year donated all of their profits for October to the second biggest killer in Mexico, Breast Cancer. I’m not sure if they advertised the slip slop slap sunscreen to their sunbathing guests but it’s a good start isn’t it? On arrival you can request at the concierge a tour of all the eco features of the resort so that you know exactly what your eco heart and green dollars are buying. For more information about the hotel visit www.haciendatresrios.com

“It is the peoples of this world who can create peace.” Ahmad Fawzi In 1999 film maker Jeremy Gilley started Peace One Day with the mission to ‘establish the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed calendar date’. And guess what? He succeeded with 192 member nations of the UN unanimously voting in September 21 as Peace Day. Peace Day is not just about creating peace between nations but also within homes, schools and communities. Every person on the planet is relevant and necessary if there is to be on true day of peace on earth a year. Through film (Jeremy’s latest documentary is called The Day After Peace,) education, football and other live events (last year there was a concert at the Royal Albert Hall that hosted by Jude Law featuring musicians like Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz and John Legend) the message is getting out there.

“If there is a cessation for a day, then it gives us an opportunity to move supplies safely through places that are otherwise difficult.” Marcus Thompson, South Asia Programme Advisor, Oxfam To help spread awareness (the aim is to have 3 billion people aware by 2012) about the day a local Greenwich musician, Kareem Khodeir, wrote the song Peace One Day (see the link below). Kareem’s now working with a team on a project to invite musicians from across the work to reproduce the song with the same lyrics and melody, though in their own language and music style to help reach mainstream consciousness about the day on a global level.

For more information on how you can get involved visit Peaceoneday.org and watch the film and song above.