Newcastle been named as Britain’s greenest city for the second year running in a study examining quality of life and environmental awareness.  Moves to install electric vehicle charging points and its support of clean technology firms were highlighted by the Sustainable Cities Index. Newcastle came top of a league of 20 cities including Leicester, Brighton, Bristol and London.

Hull remains bottom of the league for the third year in the row.  Leicester has undergone a transformation from 14th place four years ago to second place in the 2010 league.  According to the index, the five top-placed cities have set themselves ambitious targets and have long-term visions of how to improve life for residents by reducing their environmental impact and creating new opportunities in the green economy.

Nottingham suffered the biggest fall in the table, dropping four places to 12th.  Hull came last for employment and was near the bottom for business start-ups.  Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, which runs the league, said: “Cities are having to count every penny so it’s essential that they invest wisely for long-term success.  ”Leaders like Newcastle and Leicester are developing plans to run services in smarter ways, tackle challenges like climate change and secure the jobs of the future.”

Barry Rowland, chief executive of Newcastle City Council, said: “Sustainability is right at the top of our agenda, and we intend to keep it there.”

1. Newcastle
2. Leicester
3. Brighton
4. Bristol
5. London
6. Leeds
7. Coventry
8. Plymouth
9. Edinburgh
10. Sheffield

Dressing up and celebrating Halloween can be fun — especially for kids. It’s easy to make it a healthy holiday for you and your family. Try these ideas:

– Create a low-impact costume. Rather than buying a new costume, get creative with items you already own or can get used at a local resale shop or from friends. Consider a costume swap at school or among friends.

– Some face paints contain lead, so pick play makeup wisely. Look for safe products and apply them carefully.

– Use pillow cases or cloth bags instead of paper bags for collecting candy.

– Offer treats that you would like your kids to receive and that use the least amount of packaging.

– Check the labels on Halloween-related items and buy ones that use recycled content.

– If you plan a Halloween party, buy or use reusable utensils, plates, napkins, and tablecloths, or buy disposable items that have recycled content.

– As you clean up after the holiday, don’t throw away your Halloween decorations. Use them again next year to save money as well as landfill space.

– Urge children to dispose of their candy wrappers in their bags or in trash cans rather than on the street.

Source: Nicole A. Woodman, city of Flagstaff sustainability manager - http://www.azdailysun.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_96ac1663-cdc6-546f-bfa0-592887868c00.html

The Sustainable Singapore initiative is moving the city-state towards greater levels of environmental responsibility and heightened awareness of ecological issues. Driven by the collaborative efforts of the public and private sectors, Sustainable Singapore aims to ensure healthy, sustainable economic growth and a living environment for future generations.

Sustainability has rightly become the focus of many companies’ business models. More and more Singapore entrepreneurs are serving as exemplars for the integration of ecological goals with business interests.

The government, for its part, is steadfast in creating the right conditions that encourage businesses to embrace sustainability. There are incentives for green information technology, green buildings, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management, among others.

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