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Why we do it

The papers are full of it, doom and gloom about climate change, congested motorways, air pollution, heaving airports, wild life dieing out. The enormity of the challenges facing our planet can be paralyzing. However we believe that the cumulative effect of individual small actions can make a big difference, both to the well- being and health of the individuals and by sending messages through the marketplace to the farmers, retailers, and service providers who provide the products we need in our lives.

If we live in a society where the consumer is king, its time to start using some royal prerogatives to get what we want.

Ethical consumerism will not by itself change the world, however it is part of the process of taking control of how we live and how we decide to spend our money. It is not a replacement for political change but runs as a complement and maybe even a seedbed for it.

Natural Choices promises to be full of positive steps and small gestures that combined will both help you to enjoy a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle while supporting people, animal and environment friendly practices both in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

Big promises for a little company, well we will see what we can do. What we do promise is that will bring you the latest stories direct to your mailbox and try and make them as informative, accessible and practical as possible.

Our Market

Ethical consumerism, from renewable energy, responsible tourism, organic food and products to Fairtrade, is nothing new, they have been in one form or another since Quakerism and Methodism first started taking an active roll in the marketplace. However in the past 10 years all aspects of ethical consumer choice has started to take a more central role in the lives of a growing section of the population. Most supermarkets now have a section for organic produce, Fairtrade coffee can be bought in most high street coffee emporiums, farmers markets are packed. According to the Co-Operative Bank's Ethical Consumerism Report in 2005 we now spend more on ethical products than we do on over the counter cigarettes and alcohol. With an 11% year on year growth the ethical economy accounted for £29.3 billion in 2005. Indeed ethical consumerism is the fastest growing part of the United Kingdom's economy. Natural Choices hope to be part of the information bridge providing intelligent consumers with the latest information and companies with cost effective, environmentally friendly ways to promote their products and services.

Our Plans

Natural Choices Media has been set up to provide a range of free access news and information to inform both the consumer and the companies involved in the sector. Our first news service www.naturalchoices.co.uk provides twice weekly news on all aspect of ethical goods and services for the informed consumer. www.ethicalinvestmentnews.co.uk is planned for a late spring launch 2007, we are looking at titles for responsible tourism, home energy conservation and generation, and possibly a ethical business management service. Based in France we are also looking at launching a French, German and possibly Spanish/Catalan version of naturalchoices.co.uk, but time will tell the first task is to get naturalchoices.co.uk up and running.

Do we practice what we write?

Well partially, we try our best to be a paper free office, and the paper we do use is either recycled or from sustainable forests, use Fairtrade and locally sourced organic food in our kitchen, use a solar powered website host. Our offices are heated with a wood burning stove and the wood comes from sustainable local green oak forests, it is very well insulated. We have no commute as the office is in the same village as our house. We recycle everything possible and compost the organic material. The office when it is lit uses low energy light bulbs. We use train travel (TGV and Eurostar) and public transport where ever possible. But we have still along way to go, at the moment we are looking at a solar water heating system for the office and when money permits photo voltaic panels for electricity to power the computers (Dells not Macs)- a south facing roof in the south of France is a perfect location but price is a barrier. Every year we will publish here our plans to improve the practises of our company, and 12 months later a progress report on what we achieved and where we ran into problems. This is as much a learning process for us as our readers.