Ben Law who lectured at the course in 2009This looks like a great course if you want to explore the world of green architecture and "for people who design, build, live in or work in buildings". The day includes free access to a line up of interesting stalls and exhibitions, as well as a series of illustrated talks, including a chat on a rooftop edible forest garden in Reading (bookings essential with a fee).

Also on the day there will be children's workshops (require booking) that warn 'you may get muddy!'.

Saturday 20 March 2010  10am - 5pm
Sallis Benney Theatre
University of Brighton, Grand Parade Building, Brighton, BN2 0JY

What a coup! We found the only company to use bamboo, a sustainable wood source, in 100% of their skis and they sell them right here in the UK. These award winning, super duper performance freeride and park skis are not just sustainable, they do the ski trick nicely, brilliantly in fact, and offer an impressive 3 year industry leading 3 year warranty. Nice one.

For the avid skiers among you, the Liberty bamboo skis are no marketing gimmick. They perform. Its bamboo core delivers more 'pop and energy return' than your normal ski. This coupled with a lower camber provides faster turn initiation. Yep, that's right... yet another case where sustainable design is better all round!

Liberty boast 5 skis in their range: Double Helix - their Powder and backcountry weapon; Helix - the Award winning big mountain utility ski; Hazmat - The all mountain ski; the Liberty Team Edition, LTE - that "absolutely slays everything from park and pipe to all-mountain progressive riding"; and Jinx - the Women's Specific ski. Let's focus on the Jinx for a moment.

Jinx, pictured left, ticks all the technical boxes you require from a high performance ski. To sum up Liberty's approach to Jinx's design, like their other skis, is rider driven, innovative, and they totally dig grassroots support.

Like many skiers, you love the environment that makes your favourite snow sport possible and it's only natural you want to protect it. So now you can with the right gear. Isn't it time you recycled your old tatty skis (many ski areas now offer approved ski equipment recycling) and buy yourself some new sustainable skis? Yep, we thought so. We highly recommend a visit to sustainable ski brand Liberty to get you skiing in the right direction. Happy skiing!

If snowboarding is your thing, then we're pretty impressed with Venture Snowboards. If you're a keen snowboarder then they deliver the important stuff you demand from a board - they're elegant, super functional and built to last. But when writing for The GIN Lady, they've got to be sustainable as well, and this is where Venture Snowboards get a big tick.

Sustainability has always been important to Venture - from Day 1. Right from the start the obvious hasn't escaped them - future generations need trees to board with too (not to mention buy a whole lot of other things!). That's why Venture only use hardwoods sustainably sourced and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Another aspect we love about Venture is their vanguard against mass manufacture. Rather than outsource and crank out a load of skis, every board is crafted from scratch at their base in Colorado. The result? A 'stellar' performance board made with love and exceptional skill.

Venture's 'greenness' doesn't seem to be marketing spin either - they even sign up to 1% for the Planet. A move The GIN Lady is about to make and it can make a huge difference to recipient charities.

So if you're a keen snowboarder and you love the environment you board it, it makes perfect sense to partner with Venture for your snow adventures.

Visit Venture now to explore further and treat yourself to the best boards around.

We've been wanting to write about Yew Clothing for a while now. Since our research for the Eco Friendly Sportswear section on our sister site, Sustain Your Style, we noticed a glaring lack of sustainable activewear labels made in the UK. Enter Yew Clothing - you are very welcome!

Yew Clothing launched at the end of last year and make well designed activewear clothing from sustainable materials. Without a doubt, they care what you wear, and design for both ladies and gents.

Yew has launched with a capsule collection designed for active and casual wear. While their current collection doesn't extend to ski jackets and trousers, they do offer some fabulous eco friendly base and mid layers ideally suited to the ski slopes, that would equally do well for walking the dog, hiking and cycling.

First in the spotlight is their Women's Everywear Base Long Sleeve, an all purpose base to keep the sweat you generate away from your skin to keep you comfy and warm. And we're digging the fact it's made from 100% recycled polyester too. And not forgetting your need to look stylish, they come in a range of funky colours too!

Moving on to your middle layer, Yew's Women's Local Warming Jacket is just the ticket to add another layer when you're skiing or need to simply throw on another layer when you're feeling a little chilly. Highly breathable, it's the perfect layer to warm you or give you an extra layer when moving fast on the slopes. Again, it's made with 100% recycled polyester, Yew's signature fabric.

You may also like to check out Yew's casual clothing, and as we mentioned, they clothe men as well. Yew is definitely one to watch... and wear.

Visit Yew Clothing now to check them out!

Not able to find a super duper eco friendly ski jacket in the UK, we turned to Patagonia and came up trumps with their W's Insulated Powder Bowl Jacket. This stylish and effective jacket is oh so eco because it's made from 100% recycled polyester and is in itself entirely recyclable through the Common Threads program. Experts in activewear, their 2.5 layer bomber Insulated Bowl Jacket is breatheable, waterproof and provides oodles of insulation to keep you snug on the slopes. And you'll move with ease as you ski due to its easy-gliding lining.

There's so much more to learn about this jacket, so visit Patagonia now to explore further. We'd love to see you down the slopes in this eco ski gear (they have some great ski trousers too), so if you purchase, take a photo and please send it to us!

Nordic skiing, also known as cross country skiing, in the Scottish Highlands is the perfect solution for those of you wanting to immerse yourself in stunning wild countryside and enjoy some winter sports without clocking up carbon rich air miles. Nordic skiing is Slochd's main activity, but you can also enjoy snow boarding, mountain biking, guided hiking and walking treks as well.

Don't worry if haven't tried this before... Whether your child is 7 or Granny is 70, why not take advantage of their Nordic Skiing lessons to learn the ropes or brush up on rusty skills. It really does sound like a lot of fun, and The GIN Lady is rather tempted to try this herself and take along her little one. On this note, you can take part by yourself, bring along the whole family or a rally up a large group.

As for accommodation, The Slochd offer either their Holiday Cottage, providing comfortable accommodation with all the mod cons for up to five people. Alternatively, the Slochd Mhor Lodge offers self-catering accommodation for up to 28 people in en-suite rooms, dormitories and even have a room suitable for a wheelchair user. What we particularly like is that the Lodge is eco friendly in lots of ways: The insulation, their use of lots of second hand building materials when it was built, their refurnished stoves, and also has cosy underfloor heating. By hostel standards they tell us it is really quite luxurious!

Now here comes the best bit... The countryside and skiing tracks that offer a tranquillity only a snow covered forest can do - sounds bliss! To find out more, visit The Slochd now!

Now that Summer is passing, it's time to think of all those fantastic Autumn breaks you're going to take to rejuvenate the soul. We are very taken by the idea of heading over to Ireland - the Isle of Aran to be exact (only a ferry away from the mainland) to sample some of the owners acclaimed culinary masterpieces fresh from the garden. So whether you fancy some windswept romance, some lively Irish hosting, fresh food or finding yourself a traditional Irish sweater, this cottage is just the ticket. And not being far from a lively village, you certainly won't be far from some friendly company staying at this pretty b&b with restaurant next door.

ENJOY A BREAK ON THE ISLE OF ARAN!

Here's a fabulous eco friendly messenger bag for when you're out and about. Made from reclaimed inner tyre tubes, this smart bag is mighty handy to carry your stuff in, measuring in at 40cm (w), 20cm (h) and 15cm (d). It's tough but soft, trendy but timeless. We like. A lot!

CARRY AN UPCYCLED MESSENGER BAG TODAY!

If you're looking for an eco friendly cottage to holiday in, whether for a week or two or just a short escape, look no further than Buckshead Eco Cottage located in the beautiful remote Clun Valley on the Shropshire/Welsh border. We had a fantastic break, and is the perfect spot for remoteness yet isn't far from the Slow Food town of Ludlow and many other rural attractions. On our visit, we enjoyed a fantastic tour of the owner's organic farm and here we share the tale of how farmer Trev and his wife Sue carefully restored a dilapidated cottage into a super eco friendly holiday cottage.