Energy & Climate

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Wild about Wilding (Jan23)

We organised the very first Wilding Weekend in June 2022, at our home in[...]

Second Wilding Weekend in June 2023 (Jan23)

Come to our next Wilding Weekend on 17th and 18th June 2023. We’ll be[...]

Our new Environment Minister is a disaster (Nov22)

I couldn’t believe it when I saw this video of Thérèse Coffey, the new[...]

Dale Vince trounces Nigel Farage in debate about renewables (Mar22)

If you want to understand why investing in renewables makes sense listen to this.[...]

Let’s stop needing printers (Dec21)

The biggest problem with printers is that they’re not made to last. Good Business[...]

Cop26 The Time to Act is Now (Nov21)

Al Gore was forthright. He said that at the Paris COP in 2015, the[...]

Insects are on the menu and they’re better for the planet (Nov21)

Let’s start with pet food. If you want to feed your dog insects –[...]

Laughing gas in hospitals & dental practices should be banned (Oct21)

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas has a global warming impact that is[...]

My Manifesto for COP26 and beyond(Oct21)

I’m delighted that Cop26 is getting a lot of attention. I think it’s great[...]

Eco-anxiety is disempowering (Oct21)

Schools should do more a lot more to prevent eco-anxiety from becoming the biggest[...]

My Green Life (May21)

When I was a baby my brother painted me green.. Perhaps a sign of[...]

Net zero is not good enough or soon enough! (May21)

I consider myself to be a pragmatic environmentalist – with realistic aspirations. But I[...]

Peat in compost is environmental vandalism (Mar21)

That’s what Monty Don says and I agree. But it’s incredibly common. UK gardeners[...]

Clover Hogan is a Force of Nature (Mar21)

If you haven’t come across Clover, have a look at her most recent Ted[...]

Is the EU’s Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive better for the environment (Feb21)

No. I don’t think it is – at least not all of it. Mid 2021[...]

Too many boardrooms are climate incompetent (Feb21)

Very interested to see this FT article lamenting the lack of directors with expertise[...]

READY, STEADY, STOP AT BIG YELLOW (Jan21)

I was excited to join the board of the Big Yellow in March 2020[...]

2007 Video of Julia talking about how we can all make a difference

The New Green Consumer Guide, written by me, was published in 2007, nearly 20[...]

Green Consumer Compilation – TV Clips with Julia Hailes from 1988-90

Many people will be surprised to know how much interest there was about green[...]

TV Clips of Julia Hailes talking about The Young Green Consumer Guide published in 1990

One of the things that surprised us was that the style of The Young[...]

TV clips CFCs and the ozone layer – 1988/89 Julia Hailes campaigning for ozone-friendly aerosols etc (Posted Nov20)

The campaign to remove CFCs from aerosols was one of the most successful that[...]

TV Clips compilation of Julia Hailes talking about waste and packaging – 1988-1990.

Recycling was probably the most popular green consumer issue because people could really understand[...]

ANIMALS TURN HUMAN…(May20)

A role reversal. Imagine humans behaved like animals and vice versa. What would we[...]

COVID 19 MAY BE THE BOILING FROG WE NEED (MAR20)

I remember referring to the boiling frogs analogy in speeches about 20 years ago. [...]

Simply switching from plastics to other materials could actually increase carbon emissions. (Mar20)

This is the conclusion of a new report from the Green Alliance: Fixing the[...]

Turning the Big Yellow green

I’ve just been appointed a board member of FTSE 250 company The Big Yellow[...]

SMART METERS ARE SMART (Sep19)

My son, Monty, has worked out how we can save over £2,000 per annum[...]

I love electric bikes (Jun19)

Sailing through the countryside. Exploring hidden routes. Getting some much needed exercise… It’s wonderful.[...]

I’m feeding my dog insects! (Apr19)

The brilliant thing about this is that it’s better for the planet – and[...]

Watching ‘Blue’ made people angry (Dec18)

It was difficult to decide which part of the film made me more angry. [...]

Battle of the Quooker – hot water tap (May18)

Most people complain that their husband / male partner, doesn’t help enough with the[...]

Behind the Scenes in Paradise (Feb17)

I’m hoping that my eco-footprint, on our luxury holiday staying at the Six Senses[...]

Was our luxury holiday good or bad for the environment? (Feb17)

A friend of mine argues that the impact of long-distance flying to exotic[...]

Shipping needs to be greener…(Aug16)

When I was in Hong Kong, I was horrified by the smog shrouding the[...]

Venice is sinking (Mar16)

It felt apocalyptic. Exceptional flood levels. Sandbags. Elevated planks to walk along. St Mark’s[...]

I’ve made friends with my heating controls (Mar13)

I’ve often been asked for top tips in greening your home. One of my[...]

How efficient are energy efficiency schemes? (Jun12)

I wrote this article in June 2012 but am only posting it on[...]

Washing up tips with Fairy (May12)

Procter & Gamble (P&G), manufacturers of Fairy liquid, asked me to write some consumer[...]

My eco-renovated flat is available for rent (Apr12)

Eco-renovated flat – Main room – Jan12 I bought my flat, near Portobello[...]

Chilling Facts about supermarket refrigeration and cooling systems (Mar11)

The Environmental Investigation Agency’s (EIA) Chilling Facts campaign began in 2008. Since then –[...]

Geo Mission – Environmental Sponsorship (Mar11)

I first met Pen Hadow when we were fellow judges for Morgan Stanley’s Great Britons 2004. [...]

Western Gazette (Feb11)

I’ve written regular articles for the Western Gazette including ones covering: Closing Shop[...]

Shops aren’t closing doors (Feb11)

I went into Jessops in Yeovil on a cold winter evening. The[...]

Ecotricity Advisory Board (Dec10)

Dale Vince, CEO of Ecotricity set up an Advisory Board in 2010. [...]

Bristol Council are wheelchair crazy (Sept10)

I told the taxi driver at Bristol station that I didn’t want to[...]

Ecotricity Advisory Board (Jul10)

The inaugural meeting of Ecotricity’s Advisory Board was held at Bordeaux Quay restaurant in[...]

My goldfish died along with Labour – Here’s my coalition manifesto (May10)

Zac Goldsmith, formerly editor of the Ecologist, gets elected in Richmond Chris[...]

M&S listening to underwear concerns! (Mar10)

Mike Barry – Head of Sustainable Business at M&S I buy most of[...]

Eco driving simulator (Mar10)

I crashed. The Energy Savings Trust brought their eco driving simulator to the M&S[...]

The Environmental Investigation Agency – Fighting Eco-Crime (Mar10)

I’ve been made a lifetime member of the Environmental Investigation Agency or EIA for[...]