http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/green-awareness-can-depend-on-life-factors/2007/08/29/1188067188444.html

By Leon Gettler

HOW green is your consumer? According to research from BP, people’s response to environmental issues and business depends on their age and family circumstances.

BP analysis reveals that people aged 18-29 want to be seen to be doing the right thing but are less likely to do much more than recycling.

Those aged 30-44 are generally less aware of the issue, but feel guilty. Often, their children prompt them into action.

People aged 45-54 are scared and worried about the future. They are concerned about what could happen to the next generation, but feel that environmental issues are out of their hands.

The findings, which could be relevant for businesses targeting sectors of the new green market, from automotive companies to home builders, also revealed that, while there had been a big increase in environmental awareness over the past 12-18 months, most people were only willing to do something about it if it did not cost too much time or money.

The research also found a big take-up of green purchasing activity and environmentally aware behaviour in such areas as using reusable shopping bags and buying environmentally friendly detergents and household cleaners.

The biggest change was in people buying “green” electricity for their homes. This had increased 45 per cent since 2005.

More people were installing solar energy (up 41.7 per cent) and buying low-energy white goods (up 34.9 per cent) over the same period. The number of people switching to environmentally friendly detergents had risen to 33.9 per cent.

More people were also using reusable shopping bags, taking shorter showers and refusing plastic bags. Slightly more people were reusing the blank sides of paper and throwing paper, plastic and glass into recycle bins.

BP Australia brand manager Peri Hunter said BP Australia was targeting the 30-44 age group, as this took in families.

“If you can create opportunities for families that are cost neutral, they will act,” Ms Hunter said.

“Our research shows that the children are the key influencers with their parents. They are also future consumers and they are the future earth keepers.”

Over the next year, BP plans to become Australia’s biggest marketer of biofuels.

A BP Citibank Mastercard will allow drivers to pay $2.25 a month to offset emissions from their vehicles.

BP Solar, Australia’s only producer of solar cells, has moved into profitability. BP Australia is also involved in the Federal-Government-backed Solar City project in Blacktown, NSW.

From:
http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/articles/2007/08/28/news/doc46d45b959ce3e872745720.txt

By Seth Nidever

The Sentinel - Hanford, CA (Kings County)

Aug. 28, 2007

A year ago, Stratford farmer Charles Meyer was staring at his cotton
and wheat fields, imagining stalks of industrial help swaying in the
breeze.

He’s still imagining.

A year after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have
allowed farmers to grow the plant — a non-pyschedelic relative of
marijuana — Meyer has his sights set on a new version of the
legislation that on Thursday cleared the state Senate Appropriations
Committee in a 9-1 vote.

Meyer’s support for industrial hemp marks him as a local maverick.

When he attempted to recruit other growers to support the hemp bill,
he said he got sniggers and jokes about cultivating pot.

“I’m the only advocate in the (local) farming community who has
stepped forward,” he said.

That’s not the only way the 66-year-old deviates from the norm.

With demand for corn ethanol driving feed prices through the roof,
many growers turning to corn and dairy feed products.

Meyer, eschewing alfalfa and corn, is experimenting with small plots
of pistachios and pomegranates on his 3,000-acre spread.

Now he wants to try industrial hemp, a product he touts as a kind of
miracle plant that can be used for everything from hand lotions to
car door panels.

“Anything can be made from hemp,” he said, tapping a computer monitor
to emphasize the point during a recent interview.

Meyer has the sympathy of Joe Neves, the Kings County supervisor who
represents the Stratford area.

“You always have to be looking for a way to survive in that dynamic
industry,” said Neves.

Law enforcement officials, however, have no desire to see Meyer’s
hemp dreams come to fruition. The see the stalks, which resemble
their euphoria-inducing cousin, as a camouflage for illicit marijuana
cultivation and an enforcement headache.

“It would be a whole unique set of problems, I’m sure,” said Reuben
Shortnacy, Corcoran police chief.

Shortnacy’s views were echoed by officials at the state level
involved in drug eradication officials.

Shortnacy is already unhappy with California’s medical marijuana law,
a 1996 ballot measure that many in law enforcement see as an
invitation to more illegal marijuana use.

Meyer insists that industrial hemp has nothing to do with pot smoking
and would give somebody a “splitting headache” if they tried to get
high off of it.

“I don’t want to have anything to do with medical marijuana people,” he said.

But when it comes to industrial hemp, Meyer and medical marijuana
supporters are in the same camp.

They also share a hostility to federal law that currently bans the product.

If the hemp bill becomes law, supporters have plans to bring a
lawsuit against the federal government.

For now, they’re waiting to see what happens to the bill as it works
its way through the state legislature.

Meyer will be cheering them on.

“If we could get California to say it’s OK, then a lot of people
would take notice,” he said.

The reporter, Seth Nidever, can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3061. or
by emailo at: snidever@HanfordSentinel.com

Copyright (c) 2007 Lee Newspapers

From:  http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Lifestyle/Headlines/lifeHOME01082507.htm

By MARGIE SCHLAGETER
Staff writer When it comes to global warming the clarion, “Think Globally — Act Locally” could not be better suited.

And, even if you’ve had your doubts about how serious the problem may be, you may have begun to acknowledge a link between increased greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and climate change.

Accepting the fact that you can be an army of one is a step in the right direction, and the solution is far easier than you might imagine. With a few simple changes around your home and in the garden, you can at the very least save money — and make a difference in helping to save the planet.

Bob Coleman, regional director of external affairs for Florida Power & Light Co., recently rattled off some interesting facts regarding energy-saving, pocketbook-friendly steps to make around the house that will also be environmentally beneficial. To lessen your carbon emissions and your power bill:

· Replace a single 100-watt incandescent light bulb with a 25-watt compact fluorescent bulb. It will provide approximately the same amount of light and with five hours of daily use, save 193 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

· You can save 3,650 gallons of water a year by replacing your three-gallon-per-minute shower head with a 1.5 gallon-per-minute model.

· On average, for every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer, you will decrease the cooling portion of your power bill by 8 percent (the cooling portion of your bill makes up 50 to 60 percent of your total electric bill). Increasing your thermostat by three degrees reduces carbon dioxide production by 339 pounds a year.

Robin Griggs Lawrence, editor of Natural Home & Garden, said “People get it,” after years of ignorance, and they are eager to know what they can do. Some of her suggestions include:

· Be aware of “phantom loads” of electricity — those little LED lights that stay on to let you know things like your fax machine is hovering on “go” or your satellite link is prepared to provide service. She suggests plugging all those items into a power strip and flipping the switch off at night. Eliminating phantom loads can keep 840 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

· Put a lid on the pot when boiling water; it will boil faster and use less energy.

When the water cools, use it to water plants rather than pouring it down the drain.

· In the Lawrence household of one adult and two children, a water saving technique that “horrifies” Robin’s mother but thrills the children follows the adage: “If it’s yellow let it mellow; if it’s brown flush it down.” She assessed that curtailed toilet flushing saved approximately 1,000 gallons of water a month. As a youngster Scott Meyer found gardening chores to be, well, a chore. But today the editor of Organic Gardening embraces that work as both his vocation and his passion. A few of his tips on environmentally sound gardening include:

· Grow a little of your own food, and buy locally grown produce. The average American meal travels 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate. Raising or buying 25 percent of your produce from local, organic sources saves 150 pounds of carbon dioxide.

· Reduce the size of your lawn; grass demands large amounts of water and fertilizer, and lawn mowers release carbon dioxide. Replace grass with native plants that are drought tolerant and disease and pest resistant.

· If every American family planted just one tree, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be reduced by one billion pounds annually. This is almost 5 percent of the amount that humans pump into the atmosphere each year. Pick just one of these things to do and you’re on the road to becoming an eco-warrior.

margie.schlageter

From: http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201802311 

Battery test cells have generated up to 50 milliwatts, or enough electricity to power music playback on a memory-type Walkman.

By Antone Gonsalves
InformationWeek
August 24, 2007 06:10 PM

Sony has developed a biologically friendly battery that generates electricity from sugar in a way that’s similar to what’s found in living organisms.Battery test cells have generated up to 50 milliwatts, or enough electricity to power music playback on a memory-type Walkman. Sony said in a statement released in Japan on Thursday that the output is the highest for a bio battery of this type.

The battery generates electricity through the use of enzymes that break down carbohydrates, which is essentially sugar. Sony has increased battery output by efficiently immobilizing enzymes and the electronic conduction materials, while retaining enzyme activity at the anode, an electrode through which positive electric current flows into a polarized device.

Sony also developed a new structure for the cathode, which is an electrode through which positive current flows out of a polarized electrical device. The new structure efficiently supplies oxygen to the cathode while ensuring that appropriate water content is maintained to optimize enzyme activity and the flow of electricity.

The bio battery could evolve into an ecologically friendly device, because sugar is a naturally occurring energy source produced by plants through photosynthesis and can be found in most areas of the earth, Sony said. In addition, Sony made the battery casing of vegetable-based plastic.

Such ecologically friendly batteries could help reduce the disposal problem with batteries used today. Many of the chemicals used in current batteries are toxic and environmentally destructive. Sony plans to continue its research into so-called “immobilization systems,” electrode composition, and other technologies to increase power output and durability. Sony hopes to one day use the new technologies for practical applications.

Sony presented its research this week as an academic paper at the American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition in Boston.

In other recent ecologically friendly battery research, scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reported last week creating a paper-sized device that functions as a high-energy battery and a supercapacitor that can use human blood and sweat to recharge. The device is lightweight, thin, flexible, and geared toward future use for medical implants, transportation, and gadgets.

From:
http://www.plentymag.com/features/2007/08/high_hopes_for_hemp.php
High Hopes for Hemp

North Dakota farmers take on the nation’s top drug authority to legalize hemp production.

By Cassandra Willyard
Plenty Magazine

August 2007

Dave Monson is not a druggie. He’s a mild-mannered farmer with three grown boys and a seat in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly. But in June, Monson and another farmer took the nation’s top drug authority to court with the hope of winning the right to grow cannabis.

Monson intends to produce industrial hemp, not marijuana. The hardy crop requires few chemicals, and the stalks and seeds can be made into everything from paper to health food to biofuels. Other countries like Canada allow farmers to grow hemp. But because marijuana and hemp share the same name, Cannabis sativa, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) lumps them both into the same category–illegal.

“The DEA has been stonewalling for 10 years,” says Monson. “We finally got to the point that we had to do something. This [lawsuit] is about the last resort.”

The fight to legalize hemp has been steadily gaining momentum. Fifteen states have passed pro-hemp regulations in the past decade and in 2004, a federal court lifted the DEA ban on importing and selling hemp.

Hemp has been selectively bred over thousands of years for fiber and oil production. Current varieties contain less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound that gives marijuana its mystical properties.

“Industrial hemp and marijuana are not the same thing,” says Roger Johnson, North Dakota’s agriculture commissioner. “Every other industrialized country in the world differentiates between the two. What the DEA is doing is silly, illogical, and wasteful of taxpayer’s money.”

Monson, who has been farming the same land for 22 years, developed an interest in hemp in the late-1990s. Heavy rains had caused an outbreak of scab, a fungus that destroys small grains like wheat and barley, two of Monson’s staple crops. So, he began looking for hardier and more sustainable alternatives.
“I had friends in Canada raising hemp and they were making $200 profit per acre. That’s what we usually gross off of a crop,” Monson says. “You could make a nice living off that on a small farm.”

Economics is the driving force behind North Dakota’s interest in hemp as well. Advocates say growing industrial hemp has the potential to make farming more profitable. As environmental awareness grows, so does the demand for the fast-growing renewable fiber. Although the market is still young, Johnson sees huge potential.

“There are literally thousands of products that are made from industrial hemp all over the world,” Johnson says.

This year, North Dakota became the first state in 50 years to allow commercial production of industrial hemp. Hundreds of farmers showed interest in growing the crop. But Johnson, who suspected that gaining federal approval would be an uphill battle, dissuaded all but two from even applying for a state license.

Monson and another farmer, Wayne Hauge, decided to push forward. They received state licenses in January and applied for federal approval the following month. But by late May, the short window for planting had passed with no answer from the DEA.

“That’s pretty much in keeping with how they have reacted for the past 10 years,” says Johnson. “Their general posture has been to ignore everything and everyone.”

So Monson and Hauge took the DEA to court. North Dakota dropped its rule that farmers must obtain federal approval before planting industrial hemp, but those who do so may still face federal charges. Monson and Hauge’s lawsuit seeks the DEA’s assurance that the government will not prosecute farmers for growing the crop.

Federal legislation is in the works as well. Texas Republican Ron Paul, the self-proclaimed “leading advocate for freedom,” introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act in the House of Representatives in 2005 and again this February. The bill aims to exempt hemp from the controlled substance rules that apply to marijuana. In April, it was referred to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. But with just one hemp lobbyist and no strong industry backing, the legislation may not make it out of subcommittee.

In the meantime, the DEA intends to uphold existing laws. When asked what would happen to a farmer who decides to plant hemp, DEA spokesperson Rogene Waite responded, “DEA never speculates about enforcement. We don’t tip our hand to those that break the law.”

From:
http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=19&storycode=12256

Arable News

£3.6 million industrial hemp processing facility given the go-ahead

Farmers Guardian - Preston, Lancashire, UK

August 23, 2007

FARMERS in the eastern counties have welcomed the
news that a new £3.6 million industrial hemp
processing facility near Halesworth in Suffolk by
Hemcore has been given the go-ahead.

The project is an expansion of Hemcore’s
activities and once running at full capacity will
employ 35 people and process 50,000 tonnes of
hemp straw a year.

The new facility is being installed in an
existing building at the Halesworth Business
Centre. The site was selected to ensure it was
close to the majority of existing hemp growers,
many of whom are in the east of England. This is
also an area where the growing base is expected
to expand as the demand for hemp products
continues to increase.

Installation will begin in January 2008 with
commissioning due to start in May. It is expected
to be fully operational in the summer of 2008,
with production increasing over a four-year
period until full capacity is reached.

Essex farmers Dan and Humphrey Squier said: “As
farmers we’re all delighted at the change in
fortunes for cereals but, for many of us, the
lack of good break crops is a problem.

“This major development presents a real
opportunity to grow an excellent break crop for
dynamic and developing markets.”

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_6727871

By Sue Doyle and Connie Llanos, Staff writers

Thinking green these days?How about a solar dog house for Fido? And while you’re browsing, what about some recycled pet tags and whole wheat animal treats?

As more eco-conscious consumers snap up earth-friendly products for themselves, they’re also reaching for green items for their pets.

From biodegradable doggie poop bags to eco-friendly cat toilet seats, an environmentally aware animal market - projected to soon top the $1 billion mark - is stocking up with natural and dye-free goods to sell them.

“It’s the overall awareness of consumers,” said Eduardo Martinez, economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. “If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for Fido.”

Already, some 70 million pet owners in America spend more than $40 billion a year on their animals - enough money to build about 23 space shuttles, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers’ Association.

While natural and organic food and supplies for pets racked up barely one percent of that in 2004 - with $527 million in sales - Maryland-based market research firm Packaged Facts projects that to soar to $1 billion by 2009 as specialty stores and traditional chains tap Americans’ increasing social awareness.And there’s plenty of room for growth, with 63 percent of U.S. households owning at least one pet - 44 percent of them owning dogs and the rest cat lovers.

Jillian Roller, manager of pet boutique Maxwell Dog, said green versions of doggie beds, collars, leashes and pet clothing often sell out at her high-end Studio City shop.

Items for felines aren’t far behind, because Roller also carries organic kitty-litter box cleaners scented with essential lavender oil.

“As people become more environmentally conscious, this is going to reflect on how they shop for their pets,” said Roller, who now only stocks bio-degradable poop bags and organic and natural dog food.

Growing out of the environmental movement of the 1970s, the market for eco-conscious products is slowly moving out of it’s niche status, said Barbara Gross, a former retail marketing professor who is now an administrator at Cal State Northridge.

“Along those same lines, the pet industry has also grown since people have found themselves in situations where they are not having children so their primary companions are their pets,” Gross said. “This seems like it should be a good match.”

Still, some say more education is needed for pet owners.

“We have sold the bio-degradable poop bags for at least four years,” said Brad Edmonson, manager of Healthy Pet in Thousand Oaks.

“But outside of that and all-natural dog food, I don’t get too many customers asking for these type of environmentally friendly products,” Edmonson said.

Some dog owners say they are open to buying more green products - if they knew where.

“I have made all the regular environment-friendly changes at home, the windows, and energy efficient appliances,” said Susan Odjakjian, a film editor from Woodland Hills and owner to Kirby, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel mix.

“And I would do the same for my dog products,” she said. “If I knew what I needed to get.”

Eric Kelven and his mother, Lynn, said they can often be found at the Calabasas Open Air market on Saturday mornings buying eco-friendly and organic goodies for Dutch, their 13-month-old mastiff Labrador.

The Kelvens are not new to the environmental movement - Lynn has been an activist for years even producing films and cartoons promoting awareness.

They say they would buy more environmentally friendly pet gear - if they could find it.

“There just isn’t enough marketing out there for these products unless I go out of my way,” Lynn Kelven said.

Three years ago, Pam Wheelock started Purrfectplay.com - an online business based in Indiana that makes and sells pet toys from organic, dye-free and chemical-free natural fibers.

Wheelock, a vegetarian, had always shopped around for toys for her cats that were free of plastics and coloring. Coming home empty-handed, she decided to make her own pet toys.

Eventually, she quit her job as a rehab therapist and opened up her business. Sales this year have jumped nearly 500 percent, Wheelock said.

“I started making my own,” Wheelock said. “It sounds so cookbook, but it’s true.”

Earlier pet-related organic businesses didn’t open to the same warm reception.

David Colella got a lot of snickers 10 years ago when he opened Earth Dog - a Tennessee-based business that makes hemp collars, leashes, beds and toys for pets.

Not anymore. Business has boomed.

“The more mainstream it gets, the products will get a little cheaper,” Colella said. “And hopefully, everybody’s quality of life will get a little better, too.”

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQF01324082007-1.htm

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal auto insurance company, announced the recent launch of its latest environmental initiative in partnership with the SOS campaign, the movement behind the Live Earth concerts. Esurance is working with SOS to roll out the Esurance Live Impact Calculator, a co-branded tool powered by EarthLab. The Esurance Live Impact Calculator provides carbon footprint estimates along with easy ways to reduce CO2 output.

Kristin Brewe, Esurance’s Director of Brand & Public Relations stated, “Esurance is very proud to be a part of the SOS campaign, and we are very pleased to offer our customers such an informative and helpful Web feature. The solutions offered by the Esurance Live Impact Calculator to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint are simple to do, yet have enormous benefits for our environment.”

The Esurance Live Impact Calculator is featured on Esurance’s award-winning Web site. To further promote the new tool, Esurance also launched a new thirty-second television advertisement, “Invasion of the Car Snatchers,” featuring the company’s animated special agent, Erin Esurance. The Esurance Live Impact Calculator is also featured in new radio advertisements highlighting the company’s partnership with the SOS campaign.

Brewe continued, “Esurance wants to help all drivers become aware of how they can reduce their impact on the environment. By using the Esurance Live Impact Calculator, and pledging to make a few small, easy changes in our daily lives, we can all help protect the earth.”

“EarthLab is excited to continue the momentum of Live Earth and its official partner Esurance, which is actively finding ways to be more environmentally friendly and encouraging others to do the same,” said Duane Dahl, creator of EarthLab. “Greener living is about making realistic changes that start with understanding how we each impact the earth today.”

By asking a short series of scientifically designed questions, the Esurance Live Impact Calculator calculates an individual’s impact on the earth. Consumers can then compare their results to average scores by city or state. To translate their scores into actions, individuals can make pledges on Earthlab.com to show their commitment to the environment and set personal, achievable goals.

The Esurance Live Impact calculator is featured on Esurance’s award-winning Web site at http://www.esurance.com/sos.

About Esurance(R)

Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. , provides personal auto insurance direct to consumers online and through select online agents. Because of Esurance’s virtually paperless online customer experience, Esurance policyholders have saved thousands of trees since the company’s inception. In 2006, Esurance has also planted over 20,000 trees through its support of urban reforestation programs.

Esurance is committed to safeguarding the environment, through its own operational practices, including a hybrid claims fleet and carbon offset programs for its office locations. Esurance also supports a variety of environmental organizations across the U.S. Esurance was an official U.S. sponsor of Live Earth, and is an ongoing partner of the SOS Campaign. For more information about Esurance’s environmental initiatives, visit: http://www.esurance.com/home/environment.asp

About Live Earth/SOS

SOS is the ongoing messaging campaign and larger movement behind Live Earth. The mission of the SOS campaign is to empower individuals to change consumer behaviors and motivate corporations and political leaders to enact decisive measures to combat the climate crisis. The message of SOS is that everyone, everywhere can and must “Answer the Call” to solve the climate crisis.

The SOS campaign’s identity and language is based on the international Morse code distress call: three dots, followed by three dashes, followed by three dots. The SOS signal will be used as a continuous call to action to prompt individuals, corporations, and governments around the world to Answer the Call with immediate and sustained action.

The SOS campaign is using a powerful multimedia platform — short films, television and radio PSAs, an interactive web experience, books, the Live Earth concerts themselves — to provide a global audience with the tools to tackle the climate crisis. For more information on the July 7, 2007, Live Earth concerts or the SOS campaign, visit http://www.liveearth.org/

About EarthLab.com

EarthLab is the first climate crisis community designed to be a voice and forum for people interested in leading a more earth-friendly, healthier, cleaner and environmentally balanced lifestyle. EarthLab is a multi-platform media brand and gives a practical guide to green living. Via community interaction, content, surveys, and easy lifestyle tips to help the environment, EarthLab helps make a difference in your home, your neighborhood, your city, and the world.

Launched in conjunction with the historic Live Earth concert event on 7.07.07, EarthLab features the only carbon index and lifestyle profile that leads members through a personalized Earth Conservation Plan (ECP). The profile includes an easy-to-use survey that generates personal carbon output and lifestyle scores, and saves and tracks results. The creation of a personal and private strategy focused on environmentally friendly options provides an opportunity for individuals to educate and activate themselves while embedding a green approach to their lives. For more information visit http://www.earthlab.com

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

The press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included or referenced in this release which address activities, events or developments which we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words “will,” “believe,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “predict” and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to White Mountains’:

    *growth in book value per share or return on equity;
    *business strategy;
    *financial and operating targets or plans;
    *incurred losses and the adequacy of its loss and loss adjustment expense
     reserves and related reinsurance;
    *projections of revenues, income (or loss), earnings (or loss) per share,
     dividends, market share or other financial forecasts;
    *expansion and growth of our business and operations; and
    *future capital expenditures.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by White Mountains in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including:

    *the risks associated with Item 1A of White Mountains' 2006 Annual Report
     on Form 10-K;
    *claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes,
     floods or terrorist attacks;
    *the continued availability of capital and financing;
    *general economic, market or business conditions;
    *business opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to it and
     pursued;
    *competitive forces, including the conduct of other property and casualty
     insurers and reinsurers;
    *changes in domestic or foreign laws or regulations, or their
     interpretation, applicable to White Mountains, its competitors or its
     clients;
    *an economic downturn or other economic conditions adversely affecting its
     financial position;
    *recorded loss reserves subsequently proving to have been inadequate;
    *other factors, most of which are beyond White Mountains' control.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by White Mountains will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, White Mountains or its business or operations. White Mountains assumes no obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1187968526293040.xml&coll=4

With all the recent hubbub over contaminated toys from China, a new line of Green Toys should do well.

The bioplastic toys will be available in October and made with a corn-based polymer from NatureWorks, owned by Cargill, formerly part of Dow Chemical.

The toys will be available online via greentoys.com.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/do+you+suffer+from+green+guilt/719357 

By: Nick Martin

A new survey suggests that 90 per cent of people tell “little green lies” to pretend they’re living more ethically.

Have you replaced your light bulbs with low-energy ones? Do you drive a low emission car?Do you recycle all your waste? Or do you just tell everyone how green you are and feel secretly guilty?

The survey, by Norwich Union, reveals that 56 per cent of us believe that unethical living is as taboo as drink driving.

Around the same number, 53 per cent, say they have decided not to change their lifestyle because they do not want to be told what to do or because they’re confused about green issues.

The survey also found that more than three-quarters of people say ethical living is the main topic of conversation at the school gate and at dinner parties.