Jonathan’s posterous

When I hear the words “green” and “fashion” in the same sentence, I immediately think of organic cotton and hemp. From you vantage point, what are some of the coolest innovations in sustainable fibers happening right now?

You could win a £10,000 cash prize courtesy of Finish and see your very own kitchen innovation produced by Lakeland – in total a package worth an estimated £50,000. You’ll work with Lakeland to develop the design and help bring your innovation to market, receive royalties from future sales, and you’ll benefit from extensive business support and publicity.
Ten finalists will be invited to attend a judging event in London in August 2009, where you’ll pitch your design to the judging panel. Four runners up will receive £1,000 worth of Lakeland vouchers and a year’s supply of Finish Quantum dishwasher tablets.

Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP for Dunbartonshire East, has been campaigning against excess packaging for several years.

"Easter eggs are obviously one of the worst examples of excessive packaging you can find. It is going to taste the same whatever box it comes in. It doesn't make any sense to pay for excess packaging."

Last year she named and shamed various overpackaged eggs including one from Nestle. This year the confectionery giants have seen which way the wind is blowing.

Nestle has eliminated many of the plastic inserts - used to hold the egg in place and protect it - from its boxes and reduced the amount of cardboard used.

BIG REDUCTIONS Cadbury's: Treasure eggs which have no box, other eggs' carton sizes cut by 25% Nestle: Many plastic inserts removed, packaging reduced 30% Mars: Carton weight reduced 42%, plastic insert weight reduced 35% M&S: Packaging reduced 30%

Mars is using print ads to trumpet its reduced packaging, and Cadbury's is shrinking boxes, having also introduced its Treasure Eggs range that don't come in a box.

But Ms Swinson says the confectionery giants still have some way to go and that further reductions in box size are required.

Andy Dawe, from waste and recycling action group WRAP, says it is important to remember that there is a functional element to egg packaging.

If packaging prolongs the shelf life of an egg, then waste is avoided. If packaging stops eggs being damaged in transit, then again waste is avoided.

"But one of the biggest concerns for consumers is when they can't recycle the packaging that is presented to them."