The Guardian (click to listen) are running a series of comedy podcasts from Amnesty International who are based at Edingburgh Fringe Festival 2010 at the moment with their show ‘Stand Up for Freedom 2010‘. The podcasts feature comic clips from the present and past, interviews, festival tips, and much more.

The latest comedy podcast from Amnesty International from the Edinburgh fringe 2010 features Jason Manford, Mark Watson, Pete Johansson, Carl Donnelly, Keith Farnan and a trip to The Stand Comedy Club. It is introduced by Ronna and Beverly.

To find out more about Stand Up for Freedom 2010 visit the Amnesty International site.

DIVA Gifts is an online store offering Fair Trade & Ethical Gorgeous Gifts. They have lots of different gift ideas including clothing, bags, beauty and lots more. Diva Gifts are a great way to show you care for the people you know and at the same time transform life for someone you don’t. Every purchase from Diva means people in need have valuable employment, a fair price and a better future. Fair Trade is about enjoying beautiful and useful gifts handcrafted by skilled artisans living in some of the world’s poorest communities. DIVA Gifts is run by mumpreneur Cathy Mumford, who is 37 years old and from Nottinghamshire. She works part time as a Customer Services Team Leader and runs DIVA Gifts, selling Fair Trade and Ethical Gifts.

I asked Cathy some questions about DIVA Gifts and her life as a mumpreneur.

Why did you decide to launch DIVA Gifts?
Well initially I set up an online shop selling many of the items that I was a party planner for. Then I went to a conference and one of the focuses’ was on men and women who were working as overseas missionaries. I sat there thinking, how amazing and inspirational they were and what they were doing and wondering what I could possibly do to have an impact on other people but knew going overseas was not an option for me. When I returned from the conference, I knew I wanted to make an impact and looked at what DIVA Gifts should really be about and then launched it selling only Fair Trade and Ethical Gifts.

Was it easy to launch and market www.divagifts.co.uk?
I have set up websites before, so that part of it wasn’t too difficult for me and its exciting seeing it all develop in front of your eyes! The marketing is little bit more difficult, but it’s an ongoing project!! And always will be, with any site!

Why should people buy gifts from DIVA Gifts?
When people buy from Diva, they are not only buying a gift for themselves or a friend, they are impacting the lives of others.

How do you see your business developing over the next 5 years?
Selling more! Introducing more stock and seeing what happens!

How easy has it been to establish a new business with children?
I have a very supportive family! Also a lot of the work can be done in the evenings and weekends that helps. I have always worked, so you just manage!

Do you and your family lead a green lifestyle?
We always try to be as green as we can.

Do you have any tips or advice for mums who want to adopt a greener lifestyle?
Always ask if there’s a green option.  Oh and support a website such as mine!!!!!

Thank you for your time Cathy. To browse the full range at DIVA Gifts, visit their site at www.divagifts.co.uk.

The BBC has reported that the heatwave experienced by Moscow which as caused wildfires has been partly caused because of climate change. Meteorologists say severe conditions may linger for several more days. And the UK Met Office said there are likely to be more extreme high temperatures in the future.

Experts from the WWF Russia also believe there is a link between climate change and hot weather in Russia. The head of the climate and energy programme at WWF Russia, Alexei Kokorin, said the abnormal temperatures soaring to up to 40C increased the likelihood of wildfires around the capital.

The wildfires have caused airborne pollutants to be the worst ever recorded in the Moscow area. Besides people suffering and entire villages burnt down, Russian wildlife has been hit hard as well.

It is not only the people of Russia who have suffered, animals too are being killed and the smog cause by the fires is also killing birds.

Dr Kokorin said global warming creates another problem.” If it gets warmer in the winter and in the spring and hotter in the summer, fauna changes. For example, we have never had as many regions in Russia affected by malaria, and the same goes for ticks carrying encephalitis. This is because winters are becoming much warmer, and less and less of these organisms die during the freezing periods.”

Read the whole story at the BBC

There are also concerns that as the fires threaten the area around Chernobyl, they may disseminate harmful radiation.

Car manufacturers have trying to find alternative ways to power cars in a bid to be more environmentally friendly. We have seen the electric car; we have seen the hemp car, now, just launched is the poo car!

This new iniative comes from GENeco, a Wessex Water-owned company.

The Bio-Bug is a converted Volkswagen Beetle powered by human poop. It is actually the methane gas generated from the human poo that powers the car. According to the Bio-Bug’s creator, sustainable business GENeco, it’ll also be ultra-efficient, with the “waste flushed down the toilets of just 70 UK homes being enough to power the Bio-Bug for a whole year, based on an annual mileage of 10,000 miles”.

The Bio-Bug runs on processed methane gas generated as part of the raw sewage treatment process. However, despite the origins of the gas, the car does not smell.

“It performs like a normal car – you wouldn’t know it was powered by biogas,” a company spokesman said.

GENeco said if the trial involving the Bio-Bug proved successful it would look to convert some of the company’s fleet of vehicles to run on biogas.

To see a video of the car in action see the Telegraph

Source: GENeco and BBC

Have you ever visited the Energy Saving Trust website? What an excellent resource! The site is packed with information on how to save energy and money, news, and features.

For example, did you know you can get grants and offers for home improvements? These grants are either offered by the government or the suppliers themselves. Use the simple database on the Energy Saving Trust website to see which grants you qualify for.

You can also find out how to carry out simple home improvements yourself to help you save energy and money. For example, insulating your loft – or topping up any insulation you have already – will help to heat your home more efficiently. Using less energy reduces carbon dioxide emissions (CO2): one of the biggest causes of climate change. You will also save money on your bills too.

By replacing traditional light bulbs in your house with energy saving light bulbs, you can save money because it will last around 10 times longer than a standard bulb. You could save up to £40 per light bulb.

What about generating your own energy? The Energy Saving Trust website shows you how. Using renewable energy technologies like wind turbines, solar panels and biomass heaters offer an alternative to fossil fuels and can help reduce your homes CO2 emissions.

From the daily updated news category, find out what is happening in the UK such as a recent public visit to a low carbon demonstration house in in Hawkhurst in Kent where Rob Pannell, head of house building at the Zero Carbon Hub, commented: “I regard the Hawkhurst scheme as a very credible development with tremendous potential for mass scale re-production – one of the best projects I have seen across the UK to date.”

Or find out why the cost of refurbishing a home to a sustainable design could cost more than previously thought in another of todays stories ‘Cost of green homes is ‘more than previously estimated.’

Finally, take part in the pledge to save water in your home and garden. ‘If we all battle to save water, a huge difference can be made. And if saving water, energy and money isn’t enough you can send virtual soaks to your friends. So don’t let your money run down the drain, dive into our virtual water fight.’

Visit the Energy Saving Trust website for informative advice, news, and tips in easy to understand and follow formats to see how you could be saving energy and money.