Research commissioned by Greenpeace International has revealed that clothing and some fabric-based shoes sold by major clothing brands are manufactured using nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). NPEs subsequently break down to form toxic nonylphenol (NP). According to the report, Nonylphenol is a persistent chemical with hormone-disrupting properties that builds up in the food chain, and is hazardous even at very low levels.

Until I clocked this I didnt think anyone had quite cracked that bottle water/tap water debate. There are lots of BPA free bottles on the market but if you are out and about, you have to take tap water and accept that you may get a few nasties along the way. Or you just keep buying bottles of water which is a big expense and you end up chucking the bottles.

If you are considering buying the latest apple product you might want to pause for thought. It has been reported in the Observer this week that a recent investigation has found evidence of draconian rules and excessive overtime to meet western demand for iPhones and iPads. To meet the western demands for the latest 'must-have' apple products half a million Chinese workers are paid about £0.65 per hour and regularly exceed the 60-hour week limit.

If you like me, enjoy an occasional warm frothy coffee you might be interested to know that not all coffee shops are equal when it comes to protecting the environment and generally behaving in an ethical and sustainable manner. Walk along most highstreet's and you will likely be greeted with the big three coffee shop chains in the UK – Starbucks, Costa or Caffè Nero. These 3 dominate the market, Costa has a 37% share, Starbucks on 23% and Caffè Nero on 14%, with the rest a few per cent each (although McDonalds sells more coffee than any other company in the UK). If you can tear yourself away from the big 3 you can find alternatives that are often 100% fairtrade and with many other excellent credentials.