We have one of these beautiful cushion is made from a Brazilan upcycled coffee bean sacks to give away, embellished with a print of a bird with a crown. The coffee sack that has been upcycled to make this cushion was originally used to transport fair trade coffee beans from Brazil to the UK. You can snuggle up to this cushion cover with pride knowing that you are helping to protect earth’s resources by giving a second life to this coffee bean sack.

Giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk are a beautiful gift boutique marketplace full of inspirational, personalised and unique gift ideas just like this cushion! The Coffee Bag Company is part of a new generation that love to upcycle and restore the good things in life.

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Thinking about the products you are buying and trying to steer clear of materials and processes that harm the planet.
2. Buying your homewear from eco-friendly stockists like giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk

For a chance to win just answer this question before 11am on March 8.

Good luck!

Pics: giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk

Snog
Carol Voderman just seems to be getting better with age, and her dress pick for the National Television Awards definitlely didn’t let us down. The 51-year-old ex-Countdown star wore a gorgeous cream pink gown with quite a bit of that ample cleavage on show. But our favourite thing about her outfit was that the dress was actually recycled from another event last year. Well done Carol for realising that if you look this awesome in a dress, it should definitely be worn again and again.

Marry
We’ve been pretty vocal about our eco-crush on Jessica Alba for a while now, and the Fantastic Four star just seems to keep on giving.  Annoyed with all the chemicals and junk that ends up in children’s products, Alba has launched Honest.com, a new site dewvoted to only selling safe and chemical-free baby products. The actress said:

“When I became a mom, I finally became the person I am, that I always should have been. It’s the most satisfying job in the world. But, it can also be overwhelming and confusing. I created The Honest Company to help moms and to give all children a better, safer start.”

What an eco-superstar!

Avoid
We’ve been so distracted by all Boris Johnson’s good ideas that we’ve been overlooking the terrible ones. Since becoming the Mayor Of London, he’s revamped the tube and bus systems so we can all Do It In Public just that bit easier. And who could forget those fab Boris Bikes that completely revamped London’s cycling network. But it would seem that Boris is about to completely cancel out all of that hard work with a promise that a new airport sited in the Thames Estuary could take as little as six years to complete. Come on Boris, everyone knows that planes are so lame when you can hop on a train instead.

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Not just wearing an outfit once or better still by wearing upcycled or pre-loved garments.
2. Thinking about the products you buy and steering clear of harmful chemicals and toxins.
3. Always take a train rather than a plane where possible for a really authentic adventure.

 Pics: PA Images

The Iron Lady
Starring Meryl Streep, Richard Broadbent and Olivia Coleman

This film seems to be causing much mayhem in the world of cinema. Granted, it’s beautifully shot, skillfully set out and if Meryl Streep does not receive an Oscar for that performance I will eat my blue bonnet.

However, the film’s portrayal of Maggie Thatcher leaves a lot to be desired. Meryl Streep’s astounding performance idolises Thatcher, conveying her as a powerful and influential woman, a role model if you will. In many ways this is true. Even the leftist of the left would have to admit that she’s in no doubt an impressive woman. But there’s little space given for the irreversible damage many would accuse Thatcher of doing to the country.

With a captivating and impressive cast, The Iron Lady is a story about a little old woman, stubborn and proud, teetering from room to room, battling with dementia and attempting to pluck up the courage to throw her late husband’s old clothes away.

At its heart, this is an insight to the fragility of life, in which even the most hated/loved politician of all time has to deal with getting old and wondering who they have become.

Regardless of where your political allegiances lie, films are made to stir emotion and whether its anger and disgust, or pity and pride, you definitely need to see this film…

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This film (yes, even a film about Maggie Thatcher) can help you to be green by:

1. At one point in the film Maggie struggles to come to terms with throwing away her late husband’s clothes. Make sure you recycle your own clothes as she says herself ‘these clothes could mean something to someone’ and you know how popular granddad jumpers are!
2. Let’s just hope the many aerosol cans used to keep the hair covering that cunning brain rock solid were recycled, if nothing else!
3. If you’re going to watch this at the cinema then make sure you Do It In Public and take the train/bus.

 Pic: PA Images

Snog
We haven’t always been fans of ITV’s Downton Abbey, but then we found out how much they love recycling and we changed our minds. Many of the stunning dresses worn in the period drama are actually pre-loved, and have been worn before by some of the biggest names in show business. Dresses worn in other shows and movies by Catherine Zeta Jones, Emma Thompson and Uma Thurman have been recycled and given the Downton treatment to save some pennies. Now that’s some thrifty thinking!

Marry
After his split from Demi Moore, we knew Ashton Kutcher wouldn’t be back on the market long before someone else tried to snap him up. So we’re putting our two cents in and taking first shotgun. The Two And A Half Men star was spotted driving around California, having ditched the hobo look and found a razor. More importantly, he was also driving a new eco-friendly sports car – the Californian Fisker Karma. After such a public affair, let’s hope making the green choices will bring him some good Karma too.

Avoid
We were pleased to hear Beyonce and Jay-Z gave birth to a healthy baby girl, and we even managed to let it slide that they gave it the somewhat ridiculous name of Blue Ivy. But we just can’t get our heads around the insane amount of money that has already been spent on this tot. The couple have already repotedly spent over $1million on kitting out the three nurseries in all their properties. The shopping list includes a solid gold rocking horse, a $20,00 crib and a diamante-encrusted high chair. It all seems slightly excessive for someone who’s probably doing little else than dribbling and crying right now.

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Wearing vintage and pre-loved clothes instead of always buying something new.
2. (If you really have to drive) making sure you pick an eco-friendly Hybrid.
3. Being sensible with spending - overconsumption is a major no-no.

 Pics: PA Images

Ever wondered what to do with the leftover wax that gets stuck at the bottom of old candles? Or candles which have become unusable because of a broken wick? Don’t throw them away! Old wax can so easily be recycled, and transformed into something fun and quirky – this teacup candle…

 You will need:
- leftover wax from old or disused candles
- a non-stick pan
- a pretty teacup (charity shops are a good source for these, if you don’t already have one!)
- a wick (these can be bought very cheaply online or at craft shops)
- Blu tack

1. Start by Blu-tacking the wick in position in the centre of the teacup like so…

2. Put all your wax into the pan and heat gently. It should have all melted within a few minutes, and when it has, turn off the heat. You can pour the wax straight from the pan into the cup, but I prefer to pour it into a jug first. This makes pouring easier, and also gives the wax a chance to cool a little – if the wax is too hot, it may melt the wax on the wick too.

3. Once you’ve poured in the melted wax, find a way to secure the wick so it stands straight up and doesn’t move while the wax is setting. I used a circular piece of paper with a small hole in the middle for the wick.

When the wax has set, trim off the excess wick. The wax will set a much lighter shade than when it’s in liquid form – this one looked bright red at first but turned out a lovely pale pink colour! The melted wax can be coloured with candle dyes and oils can be used to give the candle a scent. Voila!

Check out all of Joanne’s designs here or Get Involved yourself.

Here comes the science bit…
Global Cool wants you to lead a green and happy life. This article can help you to be green by:

1. Thinking about everything you throw away and making sure it can’t be recycled into something better
2. Creating cool new things out of old junk you have lying around

Pics: Joanna Prescott

With our increasingly busy lifestyles, the dating world is tough enough these days. We want to make your life a little bit easier so here are a few topics to avoid on a first date in order to cement a second one…

Dating faux pas #1: “My car is parked just around the corner”
If you think driving to your date will make you look flashy, think again. By driving you’re running the risk of striggling to find somewhere to park and turning up late for your date (noboday wants to be kept waiting). Also, if you’re driving, you’re not drinking. We’re not saying get plastered on the first date, but a few glasses of red can ease those jitters. Here at Global Cool, we think the best dates are the ones with a little spontanuity, but having a car leaves little room to hop on a train to a random party. Leave the car at home and Do It In Public instead – you won’t regret it.

Dating faux pas #2: “Oh no, I never recycle”
You may be thinking you’re coming across as easygoing with this confession, but you’re actually sending off a very different message. If you’re not recycling, you’re cutting corners. And if you’re cutting corners at home you might just be the sort of person who cuts corners in relationships. Remember, nobody likes a lazy lover.

Dating faux pas #3: “I’d never wear the same thing twice/I have 6,000 pairs of shoes”
We love shopping – we really do. But showing off too much about a lavish lifestyle or shopping addiction could deter a potential love interest. Not many people want to date a gold digger and if you spend every second day buying a million things you don’t really need then I’m afraid you’re moving into high-maintenance territory.

Dating faux pas #4: “I’m always on a plane jetting around the globe”
You’re thinking they’ll see you as a high-power jet-setter. They’re wondering how a relationship is ever going to work when you’re constantly in the sky. Ditch the plane journeys, stressful airport queues and never-ending jet lag. And if you really have to travel, why not try a Traincation instead – much less stressful, and you can spend the journey time catching up on the phone with your new beau.

Dating faux pas #5: “I always walk around naked at home”
One of the most common dating errors is sharing too much too soon, and conversations about nudity are not always the best way to present yourself to a new person. Also it’s much cooler to wrap up warm at home anywhere in a stylish jumper and turn down your heating. No one wants to get caught by their weird neighbour in the buff anyway, so leave a little something to the imagination!

Pics: PA Images

The Rum Diaries
Staring Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli and Amber Heard

Based on the tantalizing, semi biographical novel by the late prophet Hunter S Thompson, The Rum Diaries is a booze filled beauty of a film.  Johnny Depp plays Thompson’s alter ego, Paul Kemp. Famous for his capacity to ingest alcohol, particularly in the form of miniatures from the mini bar, at an average of 93 bottles a week, lets just hope he remained sober enough to recycle them afterwards! Make sure you remember to recycle all your bottles after a big party too – it will make you feel better about your choices even if the ones you made last night weren’t so wise.

Kemp is a Journalist working for a failing newspaper in Puerto Rico. Overcome with rum, living in basic poverty and intoxicated by the beautiful Chennault, events unreel that make Paul doubt the world he lives in, and eventually lead him to possess the moral fiber he will then live his life defending. Well, at least we know he is eco-conscious because in the run down flat Kemp lives in, a solitary candle is the only form of lighting! Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to try to live by candlelight, but so make sure you turn off the lights when you leave the room. It will save you lots of money in the long run, which you can spend on anything you like (even miniatures from the mini bar).

Be warned the gorgeous backdrop of the film on the beaches of Puerto Rico may make you crave a holiday. But swap the stressful security checks and recycled air of a plane journey for a Traincation instead. Take a look at our recent trip to Venice for inspiration. Full of surreal comedy and stunning visuals, director Bruce Robinson has flourished out of retirement since his equally booze filled, cult classic, Withnail & I. Also (and perhaps most importantly) those seeking Johnny Depp shirtless will not be disappointed!

Check out the trailer for The Rum Diaries here…

Pic: PA Images

Introducing our new recycling feature from Global Cool mate, Joanne Prescott…

The cassette tape! What an extraordinary invention it was – around just long enough for people to accumulate vast collections, only to find it replaced by the next development in music technology… But instead of throwing them away or letting them gather dust, here’s a crafty tip on how you can reuse these retro beauties, and give them a new life in the form of an unusual purse…

Pics: Joanna Prescott

Brought to you by Going Going Bike

Anyone who has tried truing a bicycle wheel knows that a bicycle spoke gives an audible musical note when plucked. The musical pitch sound coming from the bicycle spoke varies on how tight the spoke is tightened of course. Unsurprisingly, there are people out there who have tried to use bicycle spokes as part of making music, with some being more successful than others. But no one has tried using bicycle spokes in combination with a traditional instrument until now.

Pete Oxley, a leading bow maker, was asked earlier this year to put together a cello and violin bows made out of scrapheap objects for a performance by the BBC Concert Orchestra at the 2011 Proms. For the Cello, he chose bicycle spokes, while for the violin he used archery arrows. Pete’s adulterated cellos and violins were part of 44 other “scrapyard instruments” used at the Proms to give a rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

“The whole point of the project was to try to emulate the properties of the instruments we were trying to make. With a bow there is very little margin for error. Musicians are very sensitive to things like balance. For a bow any weight above 62 grams is considered extreme.”

Pete’s bicycle spoked efforts, and the others who contributed to the scrapheap project, is the subject of a BBC Four documentary called Scrapheap Orchestra, which is on the channel today (Sunday December 11) at 9.30pm.

For more great cycling news and stories follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Pic: PA Images

By Emily Rycroft

Here at Global Cool we’d much rather Do It In Public than use a car. However, we were very impressed with the results when designers were challenged to create a unique dress and necklace using Ford car parts.

Accepting the challenge to design a dress for the occasion was Scottish Designer of the Year Nominee, Judy Clark, who worked under the late Alexander McQueen. She assisted in the design of Sarah Jessica Parker’s now famed green dress, which she donned for the premier of Sex and the City back in 2008. Tackling the necklace was 26 year old Katherine Hawkins of Creme Nouveau, a jewellery company specialising in handmade and vintage designs.

We think this is a much better use for car parts and we’re hoping the trend catches on!

Would you wear a dress made from car parts? Tell us why in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pic: Andy Fallon