30/09/2008

Futerra's 10 signs of Greenwash

Very interesting report on greenwash from Futerra reported by the Guardian:

Futerra's 10 signs of Greenwash
These are the things to look out for on advertising and packaging that can indicate when a company is trying to use greenwash to sell its product or service, according to Futerra's Greenwash guide..

1. Fluffy language
Words or terms with no clear meaning, e.g. "ecofriendly".

2. Green products v dirty company
Such as efficient light bulbs made in a factory which pollutes rivers.

3. Suggestive pictures
Green images that indicate an (unjustified) green impact eg flowers blooming from exhaust pipes.

4. Irrelevant claims
Emphasising one tiny green attribute when everything else is "ungreen".


5. Best in a bad class?
Declaring you are slightly greener than the rest, even if the rest are pretty terrible.

6. When it's just not credible
"Ecofriendly" cigarettes anyone? "Greening" a dangerous product doesn't make it safe.

7. Gobbledygook
Jargon and information that only a scientist could check or understand.

8. Imaginary friends
A "label" that looks like third party endorsement ... except it is made up by the company itself.


9. No proof
It could be right, but where's the evidence?

10. Outright lying
Totally fabricated claims or data.

29/09/2008

Little goes a long way!

Leap is proud to have helped a Cornish author (and friend) reach the top of the book charts– outselling Harry Potter at a bookshop in Truro.
The Little Book of Cornwall hit the shelves 12 months ago, its pages filled with snippets of history and facts about the county and was designed & interpreted by one of our youngest team members, Claire England.

The miniature book has proved a hit with holidaymakers and local residents and sales have soared. Written by Emma Mansfield from Lostwithiel, the book is well on its way to being the best-seller in Waterstones,Truro with more than 14,000 copies sold to date.

The Little Book of Cornwall is on sale in all major book retailers across Cornwall, at The Eden Project, both in the shop and online, and it costs £4.99, perfect stocking filler prezzie!
www.littlebookofcornwall.co.uk

Claire has also had the opportunity to design its follow-up, ‘The Little Book of the Mind’, which is due to go to print this week.

Well done Claire, they look beautiful :)

26/09/2008

How the Credit Crunch will Affect Britain




Will one be wanting fries with that?

Friday 26th September is FSC day!

The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the FSC logo.

For details log on to www.fsc-uk.org/fscday

FSC UK’s Marketing Officer, Rosie Teasdale, explains "We want to use FSC Friday to make people more aware of the importance of responsible forestry and the role of FSC. Ancient forests are still being destroyed at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, the products of illegal logging still find their way into the British marketplace. The FSC logo gives consumers confidence that they are not supporting this destructive industry."

www.fsc-uk.org
Forest Stewardship Council – the mark of responsible forestry.

04/09/2008

Cornish towns go plastic free!


‘Leap’ – Design for change and ‘Go Jute’, the South West’s leading importer and manufacturer of environmentally friendly jute & cotton bags, are succeeding in changing the way the public shop with their latest promotion in the Cornish towns of St Austell and Newquay.

Sponsored by Restormel Borough Council and Cornwall & Devon Media, ‘Go Jute’ provided 2000 jute bags, designed by us at Leap, to this initiative with the aim of persuading local people to stop using disposable bags।
A voucher system advertised through the local press helped raise the public interest, and every single bag went within the week!

With St Austell hoping to go plastic bag free soon and, having been recently awarded status as a ‘Fairtrade town’, this couldn’t have come at a better time.

Well done Leap & Go Jute, let’s keep St. Austell moving forward ☺