AUDIOBLOG: Is Your Pet Psychic [Lynne McTaggart]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Lynne McTaggart.

Many pet owners claim their pets are psychic but is there any evidence for this? Lynne McTaggart is from Living The Field and she has had her own psychic pet experiences.

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You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: Bouncing Bridge Over The Volga

BOUNCING BRIDGE BAFFLES BOFFINS
Anne Rutherford, Moscow

Motorists have been left terrified and experts baffled after a bridge over the Volga River seemed to take on a life of its own. In an incident reminiscent of Hollywood’s special effects wizards at their best, asphalt waves sent cars bouncing across the 7 km long bridge on Friday. However, not only was no one hurt during the half hour long incident, but the bridge itself remained intact, with officials afterwards announcing that not even the paint has cracked.

While engineers have linked the problem to high winds, they remain puzzled as this is the first time this has happened to a bridge of this kind.

The bridge, opened eight months ago, cost almost 4 million US dollars to build, most of which came out of federal funds.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Swap Old FM Radios for Future Radios

RADIO INDUSTRY LAUNCHES FM RADIO AMNESTY
Use your old FM radio to get money off a new DAB radio

The UK radio industry has launched a major cross-industry consumer initiative and marketing campaign – the Radio Amnesty – offering consumers a discount on a new DAB digital radio in exchange for their analogue radio, which will be reconditioned and given to needy children in Africa.

The Radio Amnesty, which has industry wide support will see discounts offered on selected models from Alba, Bush, MagicBox, Panasonic, Philips, Proline, PURE, Roberts and Sony. Participating retailers include Argos, Comet, John Lewis, Tesco and leading independent stores. Analogue sets handed in will be donated to charities working in Southern Africa, or will be recycled.

The scheme runs from 22nd May to 26th June 2010, and is being supported by a major marketing campaign developed by Digital Radio UK on behalf of the UK Radio Industry, which will feature on-air promotions voiced by Stephen Fry, Gaby Roslin and Noddy Holder.

The portable analogue radios collected during the Amnesty will be reconditioned by RadioFix and sent to Southern Africa to support projects set up by the Children’s Radio Foundation and UNICEF, where they will support the personal and intellectual development of children through giving them access to radio programmes for children. Radios which are beyond repair will be recycled under the WEEE Directive.

“DAB radio is the future for UK radio and the Radio Amnesty gives consumers even more reasons to get digital radio. This is an amazing summer of exclusive sports and music on digital radio and also a great opportunity to support children’s charities in Southern Africa. It is a wonderful example of the UK Radio Industry coming together to support digital radio and a very worthwhile cause.” says Ford Ennals, Chief Executive of Digital Radio UK

Elizabeth Sachs, President and Founder, Children's Radio Foundation is excited about the scheme; “Giving children radios is in fact giving them access to a world of information, ideas, and inspiration. Radios connect young people to each other and broaden their horizons. Our radio production workshops with young people give them the chance to tell their stories...to voice their concerns, and to share their triumphs and strategies for success. We're proud to be working with the UK radio industry to provide young Southern Africans with radios, as it allows even more young people to hear these powerful stories and to be inspired themselves."

For more information see: http://www.getdigitalradio.com/digital-radios/radio-amnesty/


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AUDIOBLOG: Oil In Uganda [Phil Vernon]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Phil Vernon.

Oil has been discovered in Uganda. So what impact will that have on country? Phil Vernon is from peace building NGO International Alert.

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You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: Return Of The Zil

REVIVING THE SOVIET ERA LIMO
James Ellingworth, Moscow

They were one of the most famous symbols of the Soviet politburo - vast, luxurious limousines for the dictators of the proletariat. At almost 21 feet long, Zil limousines dwarfed anything else on the Moscow roads as they sped down special lanes reserved for top officials.



They have, however, faded from view in recent years, and the number produced by the Zil factory, which usually specialises in buses and trucks, in the last five years has been precisely zilch.

Now they could be set for a comeback. Vladimir Kozhin, who is in charge of Kremlin property, has told Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy that President Dimitri Medvedev had issued "an instruction to investigate in detail the question of buying new Zil model cars for the presidential car pool". He did not say when the new Zils might be available.

Russia’s leaders currently favour top-of-the-range BMW and Mercedes cars, although Prime Minister Vladimir Putin owns a Russian-made Lada jeep for off-road driving. The current ageing stock of Zils is usually restricted to appearances at the annual Victory Day parade, where Defence Minister Dimitri Kosygin this year saluted the troops from the back of a convertible model.

FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Raising Eco Minded Kids

RAISING ECO MINDED KIDS

Inspiring your children to care for the environment is a gift that will last a lifetime.

Recent research confirms that getting children outdoors is the most powerful way to develop their desire to preserve the natural world.

Environmental educator David Sobel states, "One transcendent experience in nature is worth a thousand nature facts." Children who have an immersive experience in nature, between the ages of 5 and 10, are more likely to develop a deep love of the environment. A love that they will carry with them their entire lives, which in turn significantly increases the likelihood that they will actively work to preserve the environment as adults.

In addition engagement with nature has other positive cognitive effects, including improved performance in school, moral development, and a greater involvement and concern for community well-being.

A recent survey of 300 of the world's most innovative thinkers and leaders showed clear links between childhood immersion in nature and out-of-the-box creativity and commitment to society.

Fortunately, there are lots of easy ways to give your children this precious, green gift.


Take walks outdoors. Nature walks, even in the local inner city park are a great way to get children in touch with the natural world. For ideas see http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/learning-kids/Pages/children.aspx .


There was a time (not that long ago!) when people knew the names of all the plants native to their local area. This was considered essential knowledge and was passed down, generation to generation. Children learnt which plants to avoid, because they were poisonous, and which were edible or had medicinal properties.


So use your walk as an opportunity to learn. See how many trees and birds you can identify and if you’re not sure, look them up when you get home. It’s always more fun to learn together and the more children know about nature the more likely it is that they will appreciate it. As biologist Elaine Brooks says, “Humans seldom value what they cannot name.”


Grow a garden. It’s a sad fact that many children grow up never knowing how food is produced or grown, or where water comes from (other than from the tap). Don’t assume your children understand these issues – take time to explain them.

Better still grow some of your own food. This simple activity will help your children discover where food comes from, how plants grow, and the role that creatures, great and small, play in the natural world.

It doesn't have to be a huge garden - a small window box will give them plenty to observe. Get them involved in all stages of the process, from choosing what to grow, sowing the seeds and then caring for the plants. This will help them develop a greater appreciation for where food comes from and, let’s face it, watching a seed turn into food, is a pretty awe-inspiring process to witness. http://www.gardeningwithchildren.co.uk/

If a garden is not possible then instead of buying a container of pre-packed berries at the supermarket, take your children to a pick your own. http://www.pickyourownfarms.org.uk/


Tackle the Truth About Meat. Many children become concerned about the ethics of eating meat when they find out what meat really is. As raising animals for mass production of meat is an environmentally damaging and wasteful process, it is an important topic to cover, however it may need to be approached gently, depending on the particulars of your family’s diet.

Even if you don’t wish to get into the details of intensive meat farming, children will quickly understand what it means if you tell them how much grain goes into the production of a single pound of meat, and how that grain could be used to feed people.

If your family is not vegetarian, then consider reducing the amount of meat you eat. Have a look at http://www.munchlessmeat.co.uk/ for some fun challenges and perhaps involve your children in a brainstorming session for meat free meals that the whole family would enjoy.



Get them involved in recycling. Give your children responsibility for collecting the household waste paper and rinsing out plastic bottles to put in the recycling. http://www.recyclezone.org.uk/. Put them in charge of making sure you have re-usable carrier bags with you when you go shopping. Perhaps make these actions a game or competition and link it to their pocket money. Once they have the recycling habit – they will keep it for life.


Get composting. There is something about the magic of banana peels, apple cores and grass cuttings turning into compost that appeals to children. Expect them to get even more excited about the addition of a wormery – most children are fascinated by mud and creepy crawlies! By letting them see how potato peelings and autumn leaves can be turned into something useful it will make them think about “waste” in a completely different way. See: http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/LearningAboutMakingAndUsingCompost.html





Read books and watch movies about animals, plants, and the environment. Whether its fiction or nonfiction, stories (books and films) about plants and animals, the weather, different climates, or other cultures are all wonderful resources for helping children make the connection that they are a part of a larger community, and that each of us has a part, negative or positive, to play.


Energy Saving. Get your children involved in making your home a "green house". Almost any age can understand why leaving a light or the TV on when you are not in the room is wasteful. Encourage them to look for other areas where you are being wasteful in the home – children are full of ideas and its very likely they will find a whole host of areas where you could save energy and save money. See http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ and http://www.energyhog.org/childrens.htm


Teach by example. Children suck up what’s going on around them. If they see you being wasteful and ignoring your impact on the planet – they will do the same. So adopt as many planet-friendly habits as you can; recycle, re-use, save energy, use other forms of transport than the car, create a compost heap, be kind to animals, get involved in your local community, make friends with your neighbours, exercise your right to vote, munch a bit less meat, go shopping less, choose to spend time outside in nature not inside in front of the TV or computer... there are so many ways to easily teach by example, many of them will save you money and all of them will put your children in good stead for the future.


These ideas can be easily incorporated into even the busiest of schedules. They take only minutes to give – but the gifts lasts a lifetime.


You can hear interviews with many of the UKs leading conservation organisations on PASSION for the PLANET

AUDIOBLOG: Balancing Hormones [Patrick Holford]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Patrick Holford.

Balancing your hormones can have a positive effect on your health? So which ones do you balance and how? Patrick Holford from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and co author of the book “Balancing Your Hormones Naturally”.

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NEWSBLOG: How Is BP Helping Fishermen?

BP, THE SPILL, AND THE LOCAL FISHERMEN
Nathan King, Venice, Louisiana
As efforts continue to stop the leaks, British Petroleum, responsible for stopping the 5,000 or more barrels of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, has said that it will pay all the clean-up costs and pay all legitimate claims against the company. Many law suits have been launched and the company says it has already spent hundreds of million of US dollars since the spill began in April. But the greatest cost to BP could be its image. With that in mind BP has dispatched a team of people to Louisiana to try and help local people as best they can.

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FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Change Your Business With Tea & Cake

HOW A TEA POT AND A CAKE COULD CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS

There are two criteria with which I judge every hotel room;
(1) the fancy toiletry bottles in the bathroom
(2) the tea and coffee making facilities, with biscuits earning extra points.

I guess I now take these for granted whenever I stay in a high end hotel and I certainly feel short changed if they are missing.

On a recent trip to Austria to stay at the Wiesenhof Wellness Hotel in Pertisau I was met at the airport by owner Alexandra Entner, and as we made the drive through the beautiful countryside she asked me what I look for in a hotel room, so I happily told her. There was a moment of quiet as she considered this and then replied that she’d never considered tea facilities. The bulk of her guests are continental Europeans and it’s just not something they’d expect or want.

When I arrived at my room (having stopped off at a lakeside heuriger for a snack) everything was perfect – the large wooden four poster bed, the balcony with a view across the valley, the fluffy white bathrobe, the stack of towels in a wicker basket so I can carry what I need down to the sauna, the bottles of Tiroler Stone Oil toiletries in the bathroom ...but, no tea making facilities.



I dumped my bag and headed downstairs so Alexandra could show me around and I could book some treatments in the spa. They have a range of different saunas and steam rooms and treatments that are designed around local traditions and products including the unique Tirol Stone Oil. I can recommend the sound bed and the large Jacuzzi bath with views of the mountains.

On returning to my room – guess what I found? A tray with a kettle, cups, a jug of milk, a basket of tea bags and a plate of home-made biscuits. Perfect.


Rather than sticking with the usual format, Alexandra had listened to her guest and responded. I felt welcomed and valued. This small act, which probably took very little effort and cost next to nothing, bought them a fan and a very happy customer; something that simply having a “nice hotel” and providing the service you feel you’ve paid for anyway, will seldom do on its own.

And this attention to detail and customer care did not stop there. When I checked out there was a Mohn Strudl waiting for me. I had happened to mention how much I liked Mohn Strudl (a soft strudl stuffed with sweet poppy seed) and that whenever I visited Austria it was a must buy on my shopping list. They serve Mohn Strudl in their restaurant and so Alexandra made sure I had one to take home with me. Again, a small act, probably around 5Euros of cost – but an act that I will remember and talk about. To use that advertising cliché – priceless.

So it made me think – how can we, in our business, add that bit extra to make our clients feel special? Perhaps cake and tea isn’t the answer, but there will be something – and we’ll know what it is if we LISTEN to our clients.

How much better do you think our interactions would be in business if we all behaved like Alexandra at the Wiesenhof? Would your customers recommend you more often? Would they order more frequently? Would they push you less on price? How would you feel if your suppliers gave you that little extra and listened to what you told them?

Sadly this seldom happens – more often it’s a struggle simply to get what you’ve paid for or to get a supplier to listen to the simplest request. But when I meet people like Alexandra and stay at places like the Wiesenhof it inspires me and gives me hope that maybe customer care is still alive and well.

You can hear more about the Wiesenhof and Stone Oil on PASSION for the PLANET


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AUDIOBLOG: Why 5 A Day? [Yvonne Bishop Weston]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET. This week, Yvonne Bishop Weston.

We're often told to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetable per day – but why is it so important? Yvonne Bishop Weston is a nutritionist from Foods for Life.

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You can hear more interviews on air and on demand at www.passionfortheplanet.com

NEWSBLOG: Hung Parliament

NOW THE FUN STARTS
Olly Barrett, London Bureau
Britain has its first hung parliament since 1974, with the Conservatives as the largest party, but that doesn’t mean David Cameron has the keys to number 10 in his pocket. The Liberal Democrats have not had the election results recent polls suggested, but their leader Nick Clegg could still find his party has done well enough to become involved in the next government.

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FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

NEWSBLOG: UK Election Day

TURNOUT EXPECTED TO BE UP
Catherine Drew, London Bureau
Voters in Britain go to the polls today in one of the closely run political races in decades. Incumbent Prime MInister Gordon Brown hopes to win a mandate for his Labour Party however opinion polls show the opposition Conservative party lead by David Cameron might well become the next Prime Minister. And this election has also seen the rise of the third party, the LIberal Democrats as a viable force in British politics. With all this going on, it's thought turnout could be up from recent elections.

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FSN is PASSION for the PLANET's award winning news partner, providing global news from bureaus worldwide.

You'll find more world news stories, plus analysis from FSN at FSN REPORTERS BLOG .

To listen to hundreds of interviews go to http://www.passionfortheplanet.com/.

Freezing Fun

TWO KNIVES & SOME ICE - I MUST BE MAD

You have to wonder at your own sanity as you don a pair of ice skates and step out on to that frozen expanse of water. Is this really a good idea to wear unstable boots, with such a small contact area, on such a slippery surface?

However, it’s amazing how quickly you get the hang of it and even more amazing is the friendly spirit of the other skaters. I spent an evening skating at Queensway Ice Rink where people actually smiled at each other (and yes this is in London!), complete strangers offered struggling beginners tips and encouragement, and there was always a helping hand as you tried to skate from one support barrier to the next.

I remember skating many years ago when it seemed that the sport was to knock over the beginners, but that certainly wasn’t the case this time.

It was inspiring to watch some of the skaters; a pair of girls delicately and repeatedly practising ice dance moves; one guy spending the entire session perfecting his backward skating skills (or perhaps he still hadn’t mastered going forward yet); a father with his young son hand in hand as the youngster bravely toddled his way across the ice; a very tall, lanky, long-limbed chap who struggled his way along the edges, arms and legs waving in all directions like a demented windmill in a storm; and a couple of young lads clowning around, at first glance looking as though they’d never skated before but on closer inspection it was clear they were very much in control and their “Laurel and Hardy” bumbling was just a rouse.

I spent the evening wobbling around in a pair of blue, rather ugly, plastic skates, and soaking up the friendly atmosphere. I had expected to have a fun evening but I had never expected to find such bonhomie and spirit tucked away among the bowling lanes and fruit machines.

If you’re tempted to try it out, Monday is just £6.50 for the session including skate hire, and there are adult lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays for around £12.

See: Queens Ice and Bowl

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AUDIOBLOG: Greening A Business [Mark Hands]

Every Monday, an interview heard on PASSION for the PLANET.

This week, Mark Hands. Greening your business may be the “right” thing to do but will it actually deliver any tangible benefits to the business and its bottom line? Mark Hands is manager of The Doubletree by Hilton Cadbury House Hotel in Yatton and they have embarked on an extensive programme of environmental improvements. So what have the business benefits been.

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