Take shorter showers, eat less meat: Singapore’s mantra to fight slump

Bloomberg
17 Jan 2009

Until a few months ago, Amit Singh dreamed of buying a car. Now, with S$75,000 ($50,100) in the bank, the lawyer is holding back, saying he’ll continue to make the one-hour commute to work on the Singapore subway.

“In these bad times, the buzzword is save, not spend,” says Singh, 34. “It’s not the right economic climate to be lavish or to have a luxurious lifestyle.”

Singapore is asking its citizens, the world’s third- wealthiest adjusted for purchasing power, to be prudent as analysts predict the worst economic slump in the nation’s 43- year history. In speeches, pamphlets and ads, the government is advising people to switch to cheaper frozen meats, take shorter showers and skip the top-of-the-line mobile phone.

The island’s strategy contrasts with that of other countries such as Japan and Taiwan, which are trying to boost consumer spending to spur economic growth as exports falter. Singapore, whose 4.8 million population is one of Asia’s smallest, doesn’t have a big enough home market to make up for falling sales overseas, so officials “are not even going to try” to tell people to spend more, says Vishnu Varathan, an economist at Forecast Singapore Pte.

“There’s no way the domestic economy can make up for the slack in the external sector,” he says. The message “is to bear with pay cuts and live frugally.”

The government is preparing people for dwindling incomes as the nation’s fourth recession in a decade forces companies including lender DBS Group Holdings Ltd., manufacturer Stats Chippac Ltd. and state-owned investment company Temasek Holdings Pte. to fire workers or trim salaries.

Singapore last year unveiled more than S$5.4 billion in cash payouts, utility rebates and special funds, or S$1,700 for each of the nation’s 3.2 million citizens, to help the poor cope with rising food and energy prices.

Officials say people also need to help themselves during the economic crisis. If everyone depends on the government, “we’ll weaken ourselves as a society,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Jan. 11, according to the island’s main English newspaper, the Straits Times. “We’ll cultivate a sense of reliance.”

The World Bank predicts Singapore’s $161 billion economy will be East Asia’s worst performer this year. The government forecasts it may shrink as much as 2%, after expanding 1.5% in 2008 and 7.7% in 2007.

Kit Wei Zheng, an economist at Citigroup Inc. in Singapore, says the contraction might be as much as 2.8%—the most severe since Singapore gained independence in 1965.

The unemployment rate may more than double to 5% from 2.2% in September 2008, says Leong Wai Ho, a regional economist at Barclays Capital in Singapore. More than 30,000 jobs may be lost, he says, after about 400,000 new positions were created in the past two years.

That could boost the default rate on mortgages for government-built apartments, which house 84% of Singaporeans. The rate has risen to 8% from 5% in 2003.

Governments elsewhere in Asia are encouraging their more- sizeable populations to spend to counter the deepening global recession. Taiwan extended the New Year’s holiday an extra day and is scheduled to distribute NT$3,600 ($108) shopping vouchers to citizens on Jan. 18. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has pledged to give households 2 trillion yen ($23 billion) in handouts.

That may not work for Singapore, where private consumption accounted for 38 percent of gross domestic product in 2006, compared with more than half in Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan, according to the World Bank.

Singapore’s leaders have traditionally preached restraint amid economic difficulties. In 2001, when the economy contracted 2.2%, the government refused to cap electricity prices and instead gave utility rebates to help the poor and encourage people to “save and not over-consume,” then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said in an August 2001 speech.

The government’s latest campaign began last year when prices of food essentials including rice and cooking oil surged. As inflation soared to a 26-year high of 7.5%, Prime Minister Lee urged people to switch to frozen meats and in-house brands of supermarket products, which are typically cheaper.

Launch of "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" at Ngee Ann City cancelled

By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia
24 July 2007

SINGAPORE: The Singapore distributors of "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" have cancelled the launch of the designer bag.

The eco-friendly bag was to have made its debut here at the "On Pedder" store in Ngee Ann City on 18 August.

But the store said it had decided not to go ahead with the launch, following the trouble the bag caused at its launches in Hong Kong and Taiwan earlier this month.

In Taiwan, shoppers pushed and shoved to get their hands on the Anya Hindmarch bag. It caused a stampede and landed some in hospital.

There were similar scenes in Hong Kong, where shoppers lined up for hours to buy the bag, which was produced to encourage shoppers not to use plastic bags.

To avoid such a situation, retailers, not only in Singapore but also in Beijing, Shanghai and Jakarta, have cancelled the bag launch.

In Singapore, the "On Pedder" store said it has been receiving up to 50 calls a day for at least one month.

Most shoppers want to be placed on the waiting list.

The bag, which has been sold out in the US, was to retail here at S$25. - CNA/yy

"Green" Helpline to Cut Consumers' Carbon Footprint

UK: June 20, 2007
Story by Jennifer Hill
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
Source

LONDON - A new service designed to help consumers reduce their carbon footprint aims to boost the number of "green" homes in Britain by half a million within a year.

Greenhelpline.com, which went live on Tuesday, allows people to search environmentally friendly energy tariffs and source local food producers.
The site -- developed by environmentalist Alex Lambie and energy price comparison service energyhelpline.com -- hopes to convert 500,000 homes to electricity from renewable resources within the next 12 months.

Currently, just 150,000 households are on green energy tariffs, of which there are around 17 at present.

Switching to green electricity can cut the average household's annual carbon footprint from energy consumption to four tonnes from six, and save them up to 145 pounds per year, the Web site says.

However, green energy is often more expensive than electricity from non-renewable resources and Lambie concedes that such cost savings will generally only be available to those who have never switched provider.

There are some 25 million householders in the UK -- half of whom have never switched energy supplier.

People already on competitive tariffs will pay an average 10 percent more for "green" energy, while those on the cheapest deals -- such as British Gas' online "Click" tariff -- could pay up to 14 percent more.

"For a slight (cost) increase -- as a worst case scenario -- you can go green and have an immediate positive effect on the environment," Lambie told Reuters.

Users are able to rank green electricity deals by the potential CO2 reduction, price, service rating or fuel mix.

They can also search for local food producers -- such as farm shops, markets, delis, box schemes, "pick your own" sites and bakeries -- within a 50 mile radius of their home.

Once the site is fully developed, consumers will be able to buy local produce through the site, with a proportion of revenues being invested in schemes to help local farmers.

"There's so much confused messaging about what 'going green' is: there's an overload of information, and it's often contradictory," said Lambie.

"These days, there's also so much noise about the 'nanny state' and the way the country is run.

"But here are two really simple things you can do -- ones that will have real measurable effect."

A number of big companies are also being offered the tool to help their customers and staff become more environmentally friendly.

Greenhelpline.com -- which will make a flat rate of commission of 40 pounds per energy switch, from which around two pounds will be profit -- will split revenues 50/50 with the companies who sign up.

This money will then go into a scheme run by greenhelpline.com to give cash-back, vouchers and discounts to those who switch to a greener way of life.

Seacology's Top 10 Tips to Save the World's Islands

June 08, 2007 — By Seacology

BERKELEY, Calif. — With vacation time rapidly approaching, many people's thoughts turn to islands. Seacology (www.seacology.org), the world's premier non-profit organization with the sole purpose of preserving island environments and cultures, is pleased to provide our top 10 tips to enable travelers to enjoy islands while helping to preserve them.

Although islands conjure up images of pristine tropical paradises, they are actually among the world's most threatened ecosystems. In the last 400 years, over 50 per cent of all plant and animal species extinctions including an astonishing 90 per cent of all bird species extinctions have occurred on islands. Seventy- two percent of all the plant and animal extinctions ever recorded in the U.S. have occurred in Hawaii, a state that makes up less than two-tenths of one per cent of the nation's land area. In the last 400 years Lord Howe Island, a small island located in the Coral Sea between Australia and New Zealand, has had more bird species and subspecies extinctions than Africa, Asia and Europe combined.

Much has been written about global warming and climate change. Nowhere in the world will its consequences be felt more strongly than on islands, some of which will cease to exist if the seas continue to rise due to melting polar ice caps. The very isolation that until relatively recently protected island environments from encroachment now makes their ecosystems extremely vulnerable to damage from such outside threats as introduced species. The coral reefs and mangrove forests that surround most tropical islands are rapidly disappearing due to human interventions such as cyanide and dynamite fishing, sewage discharge, pesticide runoff, and dumping of waste from ocean liners.

Since 1999, Seacology has launched over 130 island-based projects, saving 1,741,062 acres of marine ecosystems and 98,507 acres of precious terrestrial habitat. Seacology projects provide a tangible benefit, such as an elementary school or a fresh water delivery system for island villagers, in exchange for the establishment of a marine or forest reserve.

You too can help save the world's islands! Seacology has compiled a list of the top 10 things you can do to protect islands and enjoy your island experience.

Spend your vacation at a true eco-resort. Many establishments claim to be environmentally friendly, yet confine their efforts to encouraging you to re-use your towel. If a resort is calling itself eco-friendly, ask why before making a reservation. Resorts such as the Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort (www.fijiresort.com) and the accommodations at the Chumbe Island Coral Park (www.chumbeisland.com) provide a true, one-of-a-kind ecologically responsible vacation experience.

Take nothing but pictures. Do not collect shells or other wildlife as souvenirs of your trip. That shell you want to take might be the future home of a hermit crab.

Offset your carbon. Flying to an island releases large amounts of CO2 into the air. Compensate for the negative environmental impacts of your travel by contributing to Seacology's Carbon Neutral Fund. Your dollars will assist Seacology's efforts to support tree planting and clean energy projects on islands throughout the world.

Cool off responsibly. Many tropical islands are cooled by trade winds. Shutting off the air conditioning will not only save energy, it will also allow you to hear the breeze passing through the palm trees and the chirping of the birds. If conditions are sweltering and you must use the air conditioning, turn it off when you leave your room!

Respect and appreciate the diversity of island cultures and languages. The devastation of island cultures is happening at an alarming rate. One island alone - Papua New Guinea - is home to over 800 languages, many of which are spoken by only a small number of tribal elders. Before you go, learn a little about the culture and language of the island you plan to visit. The smiles that greet you when you use the local language will be a nice added bonus.

Don't destroy underwater life. When scuba diving or snorkeling, do not touch anything. Coral reefs are very fragile and take a long time to grow. You will also save yourself from nasty stings and bites by adopting a no-touch policy.

Avoid disposable products. Waste disposal is a critical problem on many of the world's islands. Do not bring disposable products on your vacation.

See an island's hidden treasures and get closer to nature. Reduce your impact on an island's environment and atmosphere by engaging in eco-friendly activities instead of motorized ones such as jeep or helicopter tours. Kayaking, biking, hiking and sailing are great ways to see the beauty of island ecosystems. You will also meet a lot more people when you are out of your car.
Support local economies, save fossil fuel and discover new flavors by eating locally caught and produced foods. Not only that, but the local coconut dessert is a lot fresher than the packaged cupcake made months ago in a country thousands of miles away.

Help launch new projects to protect island environments and cultures by supporting Seacology. Seacology works directly with island villagers to create initiatives that both protect precious habitats, and improve quality of life. In the words of Dr. John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences, "Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, Seacology gets more output than any conservation group that I've seen." Learn more about Seacology by visiting our website www.seacology.org.

Contact Info:
Duane Silverstein
Executive Director
Tel: 510-559-3505
E-mail: duane@seacology.org
Website : Seacology

Over 70% of shoppers support Bring Your Own Bag Day

By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia
06 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Over 70 percent of shoppers have supported the Bring Your Own Bag Day exercises so far.

Two of such exercises were held over the last two months and a total of 215 retail outlets are participating in the campaign.

The campaign designates the first Wednesday of every month as Bring Your Own Bag Day.

On this day, shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags for their purchases. Those who do not wish to do so can choose to make a 10 cents donation for each plastic bag they need.

Some 100,000 reusable bags, sponsored by Keppel Corporation, are distributed for free at all NTUC FairPrice supermarkets, making Keppel the first private organisation to support the Bring Your Own Bag Day campaign.

Over 100 Keppel volunteers, known as Green Ambassadors, are also stationed at selected NTUC outlets to help customers bag their groceries.

On the whole, more people are seen bringing their own reusable bags when they shop for groceries.

Seah Kian Peng, Managing Director, NTUC FairPrice, said: "Some stores are reporting that 20 percent of the customers are starting to bring their own bags and some stores are reporting figures as high as 80 percent. I think these are all very encouraging signs and we need to build on this because we want to make this a part of our lifestyle."

The long green mile

By Sheralyn Tay, TODAY
05 June 2007

SINGAPORE: It takes as little as turning off the lights and air-conditioner during lunch hour — but this tiny effort to go green seems monumental for most Singapore companies.

The first nation-wide initiative to get companies to practise energy-saving measures for one day only — it’s World Environment Day today — has received poor response.

Only 30 firms agreed to take part in the Eco Action programme, far short of the target of 100.

And the reasons given? Companies do not want to disrupt their workflow and fear a loss of productivity, noted the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), which is supporting the event.

The initial interest in the programme had been encouraging, said Ms Masayo Hada, assistant manager at Ricoh Asia Pacific’s Regional Environment Management Group. Almost 50 companies attended the briefing sessions on Eco Action, but this did not translate into action.

The sign-up rate appears to echo Singapore’s poor showing in a survey released last month by Grant Thornton International, which indicated that Singapore firms had little interest in managing their energy costs.

Just 25 per cent of Singaporean businesses, compared to a global average of 37 per cent, felt energy costs had a major impact on their cost pressures. And in terms of what companies have done to be more energy efficient, Singapore scored last in a list of 32 countries.

But Ms Hada put the cool response down to first-time jitters: “My feeling is that they are keen ... But maybe they are uncomfortable because they don’t know exactly what to do. Next year, we will inform them in advance and, hopefully, numbers will be better.” Nevertheless, she noted, this year’s range of participants is encouraging. They include the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, the Infocomm Development Authority, Alexandra Hospital, seven multinationals and four small and medium-sized enterprises.

Also, Eco Action’s low take-up rate among companies, said SEC executive director Howard Shaw, does not mean there are no “internal initiatives” being taken.

Around the world today, rallies, seminars, exhibitions, tree planting and citywide clean-ups are being held to mark World Environment Day.

In Singapore, Eco Action — registered as an official event with the United Nations Environmental Programme — asks companies to pledge to reduce energy consumption by describing ways to tackle carbon emissions, and acting on them for just one day.

Each company is required to submit a post-activity report. For photocopier vendor Ricoh Asia Pacific, a co-organiser of the programme, all 60 or so staffmembers will leave work three hours earlier today, when all office lights and electrical appliances will be turned off. This will save about 100 kilowatt-hours, the average amount of energy in a month consumed by a one-room HDB flat.

According to Ms Hada, each Ricoh office worldwide practises an energy-saving programme once a month. Initiatives such as turningoff the lights daily at lunchtime and using both sides of the paper have achieved huge savings — with energy consumption falling by 20 per cent and paper consumption by 39 per cent since 2003. - TODAY/fa

New Packaging Agreement aims to reduce waste

By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia
05 June 2007

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) feels it is time to take a harder look at reducing waste.

So it has teamed up with over 500 industry partners (companies from five industries) to cut down on the amount of packaging waste produced.

Singaporeans dispose of nearly 7,000 tonnes of solid waste everyday, according to 2006 figures.

Most of it comes from packaging.

According to the NEA, the volume of solid waste has increased by nearly six times in the last 30 years.

The NEA believes building more landfill sites and incinerator plants is not a long-term solution.

One way forward is to reduce the amount of packaging produced.

And the Packaging Agreement, which takes effect in July, is a positive step towards this.

It is based on the idea that those who make, sell or use products should be responsible for their environmental impact.

This is called product stewardship.

And industry players say they support the move which they feel comes at the right time.

"I think industry is ready, because a lot of us are exporting, and some of them are also facing problems with regulations on packaging in some other parts of the world," says Albert Lim, Chairman of the Packaging Council of Singapore.

So the information-sharing processes provided for in the agreement will allow them to better understand and comply with these regulations.

"Right now, with the cost of packaging going up so high, the freight costs going up so high, the logistics costs going up so high, they may want to cut back. But can the consumer accept? That is one big question mark," says Sunny Koh, Chairman, Food & Beverage Industry Group, Singapore Manufacturers' Federation.

"Now the only fear ... is whether the consumer can accept, or whether they will be seen as cutting corners."

But others believe Singaporeans will come round to the idea.

"The agreement also tries to drive more eco-friendly types of packaging, packaging that can be more easily recycled for example, or packaging that is derived from material that is sustainable in nature.

"So in a way you can have your elaborate packaging, you have to be a bit more innovative about how that packaging is designed and what it's made from," says Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council.

The Packaging Agreement lasts for five years, and will first target the Food and Beverage industry.

The NEA says this is because the level of recycling of F&B packaging waste is the lowest compared to say, the construction industry.

This is partly due to stricter regulations on food-safe packaging that limit recycling.

F&B packaging waste also tends to be contaminated by other waste, making it costly and difficult to recycle.

It is also voluntary.

"Voluntary agreements allow some scope to be flexible, because once you insist on legislation then what will happen is that it will become hard and fast, and costs will go up.

"What we want to do is for people to learn as we go along, what is the best way to adopt environmentally-friendly packaging design," says Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister, Environment and Water Resources.

Fast food chain KFC has done away with paper mats on its trays, an example cited by Dr Yaacob on how companies are cutting down on waste. - CNA/yy

Clubs, breweries do their bit to conserve environment

By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
05 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Party-goers guzzle hundreds of bottles of beer at Zouk Club each night.

And every week, over 6,000 bottles are collected for recycling.

Zouk also employs water saving measures and energy efficient lighting to cut utility costs by about 15 per cent.

And now the club is in talks with environmental groups to organise what it calls "green" activities.

"It involves theme parties which... revolve around everything green... something that we do every couple of months.

"We are hoping the next one will be very green, and beyond that we are also talking to some people about a possible pageant that involves people who are highly conscious of something right for the environment," said Tracy Phillips, Marketing Manager, Zouk.

The Ministry of Sound (MOS) is also making the right moves to conserve the environment.

It is hoping to reduce its utility bill by some 20 per cent by moderating the air-conditioning system.

"Perhaps [we’ll] work with CapitaLand on an arrangement where throughout the entire Cannery, including MOS... have the air conditioning turned down to a minimum level.

"Or maybe not have each and every single one of the air vents switched on in the afternoons and early evenings where some of these bars are still open," said Calvin Sio, Marketing Director, LifeBrandz Ltd.

MOS says more people (15 per cent) are also ordering bottled beers, cutting down on the need to wash glasses afterwards.

All the empty bottles end up in a bin centre before they are sent to Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) to be recycled.

Bottles and crates collected from across the island are stored at a holding area in the brewery where they are all set for a thorough cleaning.

A fully automated system separates the bottles from the crates and sends both to massive washers.

The bottles about to go into the washer have their labels removed.

They will also go through a bath filled with caustic soda to remove the aluminium foil on them.

Separately, there are also spray jets to wash the inside of the bottles.

This machine can process 18,000 bottles in an hour.

Once cleaned and inspected, the bottles are re-filled and re-labelled.

The Returnable Glass Line runs round the clock and occupies 25 per cent of the packaging hall.

APB says it recycles about 43 million bottles a year, and generates a savings of 10 cents on each of them. - CNA/yy

Students turn used oil into soap

06 June 2007 (TODAY)

SINGAPORE : What others throw away as waste, students Toh Yida and Varinder Singh see as opportunity.

After two years of research, the Temasek Polytechnic chemical engineering students have finally decoded the secret of turning used cooking oil into a simple and indispensable product: Soap.

The idea came to their lecturer U Tin Lin when he saw a hawker throwing used cooking oil away. "I thought we would find a better use for it," said Mr U.

When he asked the students if they were interested to develop the idea as a research project, Mr Toh, who has always been interested in protecting the environment, did not hesitate to say yes.

"It's not a new thing, making soap from oil," the third-year student said. "But it's usually made from fresh oil. Making it from used oil helps to reduce waste, because it would otherwise be thrown away."

The idea was also environmentally-friendly — just 250 grams of cooking oil is needed to make one kilogram of soap.

"It's very cost effective," said Mr Toh. "One litre of soap costs the school $1.80, while it takes less than 50 cents for us to make one litre. We can save the school an estimated $20,000 a year, and I really hope we can commercialise this."

Armed with an ample supply of used cooking oil from the school canteen vendors, the students cracked their heads on how to purify the dirty oil based on existing methods.

They came out with their own method after much tinkering around, before processing the purified material into soap.

Six months ago, they tested out the finished product by distributing it to the school canteen vendors to use for cleaning, but the work didn't stop there.

"They thought it was comparable to what they were using," said Mr Toh. "But they didn't like the smell, because initially it didn't smell very good."

The pair went back to the lab, and eventually produced an improved version with fruit scents like peach. After leaving the polytechnic, they plan to go on refining the product.

"We definitely want to improve the texture because at the moment it's a little harsh on the skin," said Mr Toh. "And if we can develop something for washing hands, why not?"

While there are plans to patent the process, the students and the school are taking it one step at a time. "We hope to be able to supply our school with soap first, and eventually, start supplying to other schools," said Mr U, who is from Myanmar. "To be able to do that, we will have to scale up what we have here, and I think that is possible eventually." - TODAY/na

NEA launches campaign to encourage shoppers to use reusable bags

By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia
11 April 2007 2242 hrs

SINGAPORE : You can do your bit to help cut down global warming - all you have to do is buy a reusable shopping bag, and use it in place of plastic bags which are harmful to the environment.

This is part of a new campaign by Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) which starts next week.

It is aimed at reducing the amount of waste created.

This latest campaign by the NEA is about changing mindsets of shoppers.

That is why it's working with seven food retailers to sell reusable bags.

From next week, shoppers who still want a plastic bag will be asked to make a 10 cent donation.

And starting in May, the first Wednesday of each month will be dedicated for shoppers to bring their own bag.

The NEA hopes to increase the low 2% of shoppers using reusable bags.

But bringing your own bag clearly needs some getting used to.

"Well I guess you would have to remember to bring it all the time. That's one. And I wonder how big it is as it may be a bit inconvenient if you bring it along with you all the time, especially if you're on a bus or on a MRT," says one member of the public.

"It is good but habits are hard to change. Moreover, they are still giving us free plastic bags," says another.

Singapore consumes 2.5 billion plastic bags each year.

"We noticed that over the years, more and more plastic bags are being used. So we felt it is important that we start educating our people on how they should use the plastic bags," says Lee Yuen Hee, CEO of NEA.

Singapore incinerates its waste plastic bags and burning a tonne of them produces almost 2,900 kilograms of carbon dioxide - the gas that causes global warming.

Global warming is the reason why glaciers melt, causing sea levels to rise. And that is a serious issue for islands like Singapore.

And some plastic bags end up as rubbish, polluting beaches and clogging up waterways & drains.

"Each year, we do waste studies in incineration plants, and found a large amount of plastic bags unused and thrown away by people as trash items. This indicates that there is huge room for us to cut down the wastage," says Yang Hong, Senior Environment Health Executive, Resource Conservation Department, NEA.

And that's why, instead of promoting retailers to switch to biodegradable bags, NEA's strategy is to focus on public education, as everyone has a part to play. - CNA /ls

Church tips for simpler weddings

12 February 2007 (BBC)

Couples getting married should spend less and think green when planning their big day, according to the Church of England.

A new Church guide says the true meaning of marriage is becoming lost in a spiralling culture of spending.

It advises brides to travel to the church in a taxi, wear a fair-trade dress, and get guests to bring their own alcohol.

And it says weddings should also aim to be more environmentally friendly.

Recent figures suggest the average cost of a wedding in the UK has now reached £17,000, with the bride's dress alone costing an estimated £826.

Former Relate counsellor the Revered Andrew Body, who penned the new guide, believes the Church has a duty to "blow the whistle" on this out-of-control commercialism.

Principles

The pocket-sized book, called Making the Most of Weddings, advises couples to embrace a more simplistic approach to their nuptials.

And as well as saving money, he says they can prevent their happy day costing the earth by adopting green principles.

For example, the bride's dress could be made from fairly-traded material or could even come from a charity shop and the wedding list itself could allow guests to donate to good causes.

Friends and family could provide their own drinks and instead of a limousine or horse-drawn carriage to get to the church on time, the bride could travel by a taxi or hitch a ride.

Mr Body has conducted more than 500 weddings in his 35 years as an Anglican priest.

In the book, he writes: "Increasingly, people are asking about how their wedding can save the natural world and be a blessing not only to them but to God's world."

The more creative suggestions contained in the guide come from Karen Holford, the former chair of Churches Together for Families.

The guide, which reminds couples that a wedding should be about a public commitment before God, also advises on the right hymns and vows to choose, and the role of church ministers.

Encouragement

The Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Rev Anthony Priddis, commended its "can do" attitude.

He said: "Marriage is absolutely fundamental to our human life and therefore, to society's health. Couples need every possible help an encouragement to walk this path.

"The Church is brilliantly placed to provide that assistance. There is a great deal here to encourage and help all congregations to assist couples at the start of their married life."

"Blogging" vicar the Rev Jan Harney, who writes on www.newlyweds-uk.com, also praised the book.

She said: "Andrew has drawn together a wealth of expertise and good practice, wrapped in a heart-warming blend of pastoral concern and sound business sense."

Other ideas in the guide include:

* Buy second hand rings or use ones handed down through the family

* Make your own invitations on recycled paper

* Use silk flowers rather than real ones and give them to a nursing home after the service

Making the Most of Weddings - A Practical Guide for Churches is available from Christian bookshops at £6.99.