The BecoThings Blog

Just a quick post to show you a couple of snaps of the prototypes and samples of our pet products that will be available to buy soon.

First up we’ve got our new range of dog toys that include bones, hoops, rope toys and balls. Our new BecoBalls have been specially profiled to roll erratically and make it extra challenging for you dog to grab them. All have a lovely soft tactile rubbery finish while still being made with our usual bamboo and rice husk materials and tested to survive the rough and tumble your dogs are likely to put them through! They will be available in a wide range of colours very soon. Please contact our sales team to find out more.

Our new BecoPockets proved extremely popular at Pats 2012 at Sandown last week. The eco-friendly and non-toxic bag holder clips to your lead and belt. With an attractive design and bio-degradable material, the BecoPocket is an exciting addition to our range. Please contact our sales team to find out more.

As a BecoFriend, I’m sure you’re all fairly big animal lovers, and like everyone in the office here absolutely loved the Frozen Planet series that has kept us all in front of the TV when we should probably be out and about! Well don’t worry that it’s nearly all over as there’s more of the same type of stuff to be seen at the National History Museum.  From 21st October 2011 until 11th March 2012, the museum is holding the 2011 Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. We’ve all been to see it and it truly is amazing! It provides a spotlight on the rarely seen wonders of the natural world, and is definitely a must see…

This year’s exhibition wanted to highlight the important impact of humans on wildlife.  This year’s competition winner is Daniel Beltrá who wanted to challenge people to reconsider their relationship with nature.  His photo Still Life in Oil (above) is a shot taken during the infamous BP and Gulf oil spillages which caused mind boggling amounts of damage to bird and animal life.

We think this photo really helps to build awareness on the environmental impacts that companies cause in order to acquire raw materials. We are proud to say that we don’t have to dig to the bottoms of the earth to make BecoThings which are all made from sustainable sourced plant fibres, such as rice husks (the waste product of rice farming) and bamboo. We don’t want to blow our own trumpets but we, like many people are trying to do our bit for the environment and hopefully more companies will start to do the same… So enough of our preaching; make sure you get down to the exhibition as soon as possible, above all it’s a great thing to take the family to!

Wondering where to party this weekend? Hesitate no further and head to UK’s first eco nightclub. The world’s first eco club Surya, based in Islington was set up in 2008. An environmentally sustainable club that sees green as the new black; don’t stop dancing though or you’ll make the lights go out!

That’s right the dancers literally power the dance floor and it doesn’t stop there it’s a club so eco friendly that it will donate surplus electricity to its neighbours.  Property developer Andrew Charalambous aka Dr Earth (self named) claims :

“The club aims to stop preaching to people and use an inclusive philosophy to create the revolution needed to combat climate change.’

Surya is a Club4Climate project, which is London’s first taste of eco-friendly clubbing, making clubbers happy in the knowledge that their organic eco dance moves can generate 60% of the energy needed to run the club.

The venue’s most exciting innovation is the piezoelectric dancefloor, which uses quartz crystals and ceramics to turn clubbers’ movement into electricity! The venue has the latest air flush, waterless urinals and low flush toilets and sells drinks in polycarbon cups.

Entrance is £10 and there’s a rumour that customers will only be allowed in if they sign a pledge promising to work towards curbing climate change…Top Marks!

Forget the bright lights of Blackpool and Vegas and head down to Lyon and take a pre-Christmas trip to get you in the spirit and feast your eyes on the luminous and glittering Festival of Lights in Lyon.

The history of Fête des Lumières pays tribute to the Virgin Mary, who is said to have spared the city from the plague in 1643. So every year up to four million people swarm the city and join to commemorate and give thanks to the Virgin Mary.

The spectacular Lyon Festival of Lights is an annual event that promises to leave you nothing less than awestruck with up to 80 quirky animations and projections on the facades of historic buildings. Don’t be hasty and rush round to see everything, it’s a four day event. So you’ll have plenty of time to peruse the dazzling City of Lyon and you’ll surely want to come back again.

The Festival of Lights is not only a stunning sight, it highlights important environmental issues (and you know this is close to our hearts). You would assume that this four day lighting extravaganza would cost millions, but it surprisingly cost just a measly £3000. This year’s motto, “Light More but Consume Less” aims to get everybody thinking about their carbon footprint. By getting more people outside for the four day extravaganza it’s not only educational but also means fewer people are consuming electricity within their home!

One of the BecoTeam, Lizzy the Lizzard, was lucky enough to enjoy the festival. Have a look below, and watch my star pick spectacle of 2009’s Fête de Lumières.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JUnzhVAu2A …

I have begged George the Giraffe to take the BecoOffice for a business trip for next year!! I currently have everything crossed that he says ‘yes’. Early Christmas Present perhaps?

So don’t hesitate to book a last minute train down to Lyon!

The phenomenon of Mum and Dad blogging has taken online by storm. In the past decade, Mums and Dads across the UK have been jotting down the nitty-gritty stuff of parenting, giving those in need handy tips for keeping their kids entertained and providing an insight into the best products and brands out there. Many parents see blogging as an escape from the difficult yet rewarding adventure of having to raise their kids and the popularity of these online blogs shows the huge public interest in the highs and lows of parenting.

At BecoThings we’ve found so many parenting blogs inspiring and entertaining that we can’t mention them all, but here is a shortlist of some of our favourites:

1.) A Boy with Asperger’s: So inspirational! Claire does such a great job at raising awareness for Autism in such an uplifting way…

2.) The Mummy Whisperer: We were particularly fond of this blog because it talks about how to bring up your children in an eco friendly way, and you all know this very important for BecoThings!

3.) Bringing up Charlie: Let’s not give all the credit to mums, this blog shows that men aren’t completely useless when it comes to domesticated chores and bringing up children. Keep up the good work Tim…

4.) A Modern Mother: Set up by Susanna Scott the founder of Brit Mums and a well-known mumpreneur, this blog tackles some controversial issues and therefore always makes interesting reading!

BecoThings wants to give a round of applause to all those Mums and Dads blogging their socks off night and day whilst still trying to juggle the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Keep up the good work!

It’s Children In Need time again! The annual event when lots of people go around making a fool of themselves for a good cause.

Here are a couple of Children in Need facts to get you in the spirit:

1.)    The BBC’s first broadcast appeal for children was a five-minute radio programme on Christmas Day in 1927. It raised £1,143 18s 3d and the proceeds were shared with four prominent children’s charities.

2.)    Pudsey made his television debut in 1985. He was designed by Joanna Ball, who named him after the West Yorkshire town where she was born.

Check out our top 5 Eco Friendly Children in Need fundraising ideas:

1. Pay to go to work in fancy dress as an endangered animal– who will dress up as the most obscure and endangered animal!?

2. Colour your hair spotty with vegetable inks.

3. Fine anyone at work a £1 if they don’t recycle their recyclable rubbish

4. A Sponsored hop to work. See photo of Jimbo hopping into Industrial estate all the way from SW3. Great effort Jimbo!

5. Get people to for you to go Veggie for a day (we didn’t enjoy this one in the BecoOffice).

As well as getting involved with some of these fundraising ideas, we have shown our spots by donating ten percent of the retail price of every BecoPotty for the rest of November period. So you can buy your BecoPotty now at www.becothings.com  and be safe in the knowledge that you are not only buying eco, but also helping a great cause!

*Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/ for more information on Children in Need and please donate!

BecoThings are over the moon to hear the news that they’ve been voted to be included in a book which celebrates the best brands and products for children in Germany under the age of 10! The BecoPotty made the shortlist, which showcases brands such as Bugaboo, Hipp Organic, Avent and many more prestigious brands.

The book will be sold throughout Germany in book stores, department stores and nursery stores. Two euros of every book sold will be donated to the charity “Children for a Better World E.V.” http://www.children.de/_englisch/02ueberuns/frameset00.htm. Children for a Better World supports projects both within and outside Germany that address and improve the living conditions and situations of children in desperate need and enable them to take responsibility for their lives.

The BecoTeam are thrilled to bits to be included in a group of brands and products that are so highly thought of worldwide. Thank you to BecoThings Germany and Silvia for all hard work in getting us there!

We’re now hoping that millions of German children will be burying their BecoPotties in the garden after they’ve finished potty training!

BecoBowls have been bringing life to some stony faces around London! Despite having no appetite as such, London’s most famous animals have been lapping up the must have BecoBowl, made sustainably from plant fibres, these bowls unlike plastic ones, won’t outlive their owners!

Nancy the natural BecoBowl is Ernest the elephant's bowl of choice

Daphne the Dragon is very protective over her beloved new pink BecoBowl!

Michael Faraday shows off BecoThings engineering triumph outside the Institute of Engineering and Technology in Savoy Place.

Lawrence the Lion is expecting a large dinner judging by his collection of BecoBowls!

Kevin the Kudu is regretting trying to pinch Lotti the Lioness' dinner from her BecoBowl!

Can you name this smart critter?

BecoBowl up for grabs if you can name this smart critter and where he hangs out.

Enter on BecoThings’ Facebook page

What with such ferocious looking owners we hope these BecoBowls are safe from looting tonight!

ALL this rain in July could be dampening spirits in the BecoOffice- but Bell the Bumble Bee and her friends are keeping the summer alive with thoughts of the garden growing!

Having fun growing in your garden with the wee ones is a great way to get them thinking about the environment and where things come from. As well as having lots of fun planting; your little ones will be thrilled when things start to grow.

A few ideas of what to plant with your tots in July…

Broad Beans, Dwarf Beans, Mung Beans, Beetroot, Spring Cabbage, Carrots (for continuation), Next years Cauliflowers, Chicory, Coriander (Cilantro), Endive, Kohl Rabi, Lettuce for continuation and winter lettuce, Pak Choi, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Turnips.

Beans and peas are particularly good for growing with the little ones as they tend to be familiar with them and might even like them!

A few flowers for sowing in July if you have flower fairies in your family…

Camomile, Clematis, Daisy, Forget-me-not, Perennial Pansy, Polyanthus, Primrose.

So we’ll be putting our watering devices to the side and making the most of the rain. Molly the dog doesn’t seem too happy about it though- she loves running under the sprinkler!

If you love getting out in the garden with your kids you’ll love our potty planting idea…

After your BecoBaby has graduated from potty training and no longer needs their BecoPotty, plant it in the garden! Let your little one sow some seeds over it and watch the flowers grow while your potty enters its next life phase. (When in the soil the clever waste plant material that our BecoPotties (and all of our other products) are made from will gradually decompose into compost!)

The life of a BecoBowl is a happy one, every BecoBowl knows its roots… made sustainably from plant waste and biodegradable after their long and happy lives they are smug little things, reveling in their eco credentials. Bertie the cheeky Blue BecoBowl, is even luckier than most BecoBowls- he’s a bowl about town. This week Bertie was lucky enough to get Centre Court tickets at Wimbledon Tennis where he sat among the suited and booted to watch Andy Roddick and Andy Murray!

Bertie was sad to see Andy Roddick beaten in straight sets by Feliciano Lopez but he managed to cheer himself up a little bit in the members bar before going back onto Centre Court to watch Andy Murray!