Fast fashion is everywhere. High street shops seem to refresh their collections almost weekly, offering the latest trends at impossibly low prices. On the flip side, ethical fashion is making waves, too, promising sustainable materials, fair wages, and kinder choices for people and the planet.

But what’s the real cost behind the clothes we wear? Is it worth chasing the cheapest deal if it comes at the expense of ethical considerations?

The true price of cheap clothes

Fast fashion is all about speed. Brands roll out new styles at a lightning pace, enticing us to shop more and more. And while it’s hard to resist a £5 T-shirt, the consequences of snapping up that bargain are often hidden.

For starters, many fast fashion factories outsource labour to countries with less strict regulations, meaning low wages, underage workers, long hours, and unsafe working conditions for millions.

And let’s not forget about the environmental impact. Churning out clothes at such a rapid pace often means cutting corners, which leads to massive water usage, pesticide-filled cotton, and mountains of textile waste.

It’s pretty shocking to think that UK households throw away around 300,000 tonnes of clothing into landfill each year.

Interestingly, this pressure to consume more isn’t confined to clothing alone. Just as fast fashion leads to volume over value, the desire for quick wins in other areas can drive questionable practices. Whether you’re eyeing up the next trendy investment or wondering how to trade the FTSE 100 index, chasing speed over strategy can come at a price. Thoughtful decision-making applies across the board – from your wardrobe to your financial goals.

The rise of ethical fashion

Now, on the other side of the spectrum, ethical fashion is steadily gaining ground. These brands focus on sustainability, transparency, and fairness, putting people and the planet first. But here’s the catch: ethical clothing isn’t always cheap. A thoughtfully created T-shirt might cost £30 rather than £5. Why? Because every step of the process – from choosing organic fabrics to paying workers fairly – is done responsibly.

And while it may feel like an investment upfront, this approach tends to reward you in the long run. Ethical clothes are often of better quality, meaning they last longer and reduce the need for constant replacements. It’s like having that one solid pair of boots that lasts five years, instead of rebuying flimsy pairs every season.

Plus, there’s a growing sense of pride and purpose in supporting brands that do good. Whether it’s knowing your dress didn’t cost someone their rights or that your shoes were crafted from recycled materials, there’s a fulfilling sense of connection when you make an ethical choice.

Why cheap isn’t always cheerful

Price is often the first thing we notice when shopping, right? Fast fashion preys on this instinct, offering ultra-low-cost garments that feel impossible to pass up. But if something costs pennies, it’s worth considering who’s paying the price behind the scenes. Cheap clothing has to come from somewhere, and sadly, it’s often paid for with the exploitation of workers in countries where labour laws are lax or ignored altogether.

Take the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh as an example. Over 1,000 workers died in a building that was deemed structurally unsafe, but was packed with employees producing cheap clothes for Western brands. Accidents like this don’t just highlight safety issues; they reveal the true human cost of those slashed price tags.

On top of that, the environmental damage is hard to ignore. The fast fashion industry is a major contributor to pollution, with toxic dyeing processes and discarded garments wreaking havoc on ecosystems. A £10 dress is tempting – but what’s the cost to our planet?

Why balance matters

At the end of the day, it’s entirely possible (and practical) to find a middle ground. You don’t have to totally ditch the high street or only shop at speciality stores. Instead, try to buy less, choose well, and make your pieces last. Also spend more time in second hand clothing shops – reuse and recycle, and you’re making an instant difference.

It’s about finding a balance that works for you and your lifestyle, while still being mindful of the impact your purchases have on others and the planet.

Ethical fashion isn’t about trends; it’s about making smarter, kinder choices with what we wear. And buying pieces that will last and stand the test of time.

If you’re only going to take one thing from this article, make it this: every piece of clothing tells a tale. The choice is yours whether that story is one of exploitation and waste, or about fairness and sustainability. After all, fashion is how we express ourselves. Why not make that expression meaningful?

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Trying to eat more sustainably can be pretty overwhelming when you first get going. Suddenly, you’re walking around your local supermarket, and every food choice starts to feel like an ethical dilemma. Is it organic? Local? Plant-based? Packaging-free?

It can be overwhelming thinking about where to start, but luckily, sustainability isn’t something you have to ‘achieve’ all at once. If you want to start to eat more sustainably, the key is to focus on a few simple changes you can stick with over time.

Start small

First thing to remember: you don’t have to flip your entire diet upside down. You’re better off making a few small swaps that actually fit into your life. For example, you might start by eating a few more plant-based meals each week, or choosing to buy fish from sustainable producers like John West.

Not cutting out meat completely – just reducing a little, where it feels manageable. Or maybe you could swap out heavily packaged produce for loose fruit and veg when you can. Small changes like these stack up more than you think.

Read more: how to generate more collagen if you’re a vegan or vegetarian

Think local and seasonal when you can

Eating food that’s grown closer to home cuts down on transport emissions and usually means you’re eating what’s naturally in season. This often tastes better too.

That being said, you don’t need to obsess over it. Just being a bit more mindful. Picking up local strawberries in summer instead of imported ones in winter, say, can make a difference.  Farmers’ markets, veggie box schemes, and even some supermarkets now label the origin of their produce, making it easier to choose.

Reduce waste first

Before you stress about where your food comes from, look at what’s already going in the bin. Wasting food is one of the biggest food-related sustainability issues out there, and luckily, it’s also something you have direct control over.

Planning meals ahead, freezing leftovers from dinner, getting better at using up scraps in later meals… It all requires diligence and some creativity, but it’s one of the most effective things you can do. Less waste means less food production needed overall, and that’s a bigger win than you might expect.

Be realistic about what’s sustainable for you

There’s no point building an “ideal” sustainable diet if it’s impossible for you to stick to. For example, it might not be realistic for you to buy everything organic due to the cost. Or, you might find some plant-based meat alternatives don’t work for your digestion.

Sustainability isn’t just about the planet. It’s about building habits that are sustainable for you as well. If you’re forcing yourself into something you secretly hate, it won’t last, so make sure you find that balance point.

Progress, not perfection

The food system is complicated, and as a result, no choice is 100% perfect. Sometimes you’ll still grab strawberries that have flown halfway across the world, and sometimes you’ll buy pre-packed salad because it’s the only thing available. That’s life.

The point is to be a little more thoughtful, a little more often, not to torture yourself trying to get it right every single time. If you focus on a few realistic changes and let them build naturally, sustainable eating stops feeling like a burden and starts becoming second nature.

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The post Eat more sustainably; where do you start? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Two experts on how to find and where to buy sustainable fish and seafood, whether eating out or cooking at home. Having a little fishy on a little dishy isn’t necessarily as simple as seeing what’s on offer when the boat comes in.

Knowing how to find and eat sustainable fish isn’t always straightforward. You want to eat fish that isn’t appallingly farmed, or fished to extinction, but maybe you’re not sure how to verify that.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organisation supporting sustainable fishing and fish stocks. Seeing an MSC label on your food is a very good place to start.

But the latest MSC consumer insights survey asked 4,000 people about their fish consumption, and found that people over 45 are eating more fish, but that awareness about the organisation’s eco-label is low.

Loren Hiller, commercial manager at the MSC, and specialist chef ‘Tom the Fish’, who has been running The Salutation Inn, a seafood hotel and restaurant in Devon for more than 10 years, have some useful tips for filling your dishy with fishies – with a clean conscience.

Love cooking fishy recipes? Try this zingy shrimp and turmeric soup

What are you putting in your trolley?

“The easiest way for a consumer to be assured that their seafood has been sustainably sourced is to look for the blue MSC eco-label,” says Loren. “This can be found on over 1,500 products across 53 species in UK supermarkets in the frozen and fresh sections. And even on pet food and supplements.

Look for the MSC label on all fishy products

“Essentially, that means you’re buying fish and seafood that has been sustainably sourced from a well-managed fishery. So that’s good for you and the ocean too, because these fisheries make sure the stocks are healthy.”

MSC-certified fisheries have a “minimal impact on the ecosystem and other endangered, threatened and protected species,” says Loren. Chef Tom is also a keen advocate of the MSC eco-label and urges responsibility on the part of supermarkets and shoppers.

“Most fish from supermarkets is farmed and imported. In 2022, the UK exported £1.7bn of fish and imported £3.7bn of fish. And we still import Russian cod to the UK via China, for instance,” he says. “But we live on an island so there’s a responsibility for supermarkets to sell local products. And there’s a responsibility to customers just to look at the labels and ask if it’s wild, how is it caught and where is it caught? Is it local or imported?”

Tom adds that it is important to consider how far a fish has travelled before it ends up in your trolley. “If fish has travelled across the continent, how have they been processed within the factory environment to make it still good to eat?

“There aren’t many fish counters left – Tesco has closed all of their fish counters now, so you can’t ask these questions directly from the fish-mongers – which is unhelpful,” Tom says. “And most people in this busy world don’t read the packaging – fish is convenient to buy in plastic, but, of course, it’s not great for the environment – so there are a lot of questions and choices for consumers to consider how ethical the fish is that they’re purchasing.”

So, which is better? Wild or farmed?

There’s no simple answer to this question, apart from “it depends”. While it’s common to assume that fish caught in the wild are automatically more sustainable than farmed fish, this might not always be the case. If the fish are wild-caught in an area that has been overfished, is unregulated, or uses unsustainable practices, such as drift net fishing, which can scoop up endangered marine life along with the more plentiful species, it won’t be a responsible consumer choice.

While it’s common to assume that fish caught in the wild are automatically more sustainable than farmed fish, this might not always be the case

The US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) makes it clear that wild and farmed fish can both be part of the solution. NOAA defines sustainable seafood as “wild-caught or farmed seafood that is harvested or produced in ways that protect the long-term health of species populations and ecosystems.”

The UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s guidelines for assessing what they call “marine capture fisheries” include transparency, consultation processes involving all stakeholders, robust objection procedures and standards based on “sustainability of target species, ecosystems and management practices.” MSC adheres to these guidelines when certifying wild fishing operations.

Fishmongers and fish markets

To reassure consumers buying from fishmongers and markets, Loren says to look out for the blue MSC label, which shows they meet chain of custody standards.

Not just for human fishy products either

“Every time you see the blue label, you can be confident that it’s come from a certified fishery [and] been handled by a supply chain where everyone has that chain of custody certification – they have been independently assessed – there’s no mixing of MSC and non-MSC fish.”

“And it’s just great to have that conversation at the fishmonger or fish market,” she continues. “Just find out a bit more because they really like having those conversations as well.”

Tom agrees that asking questions and learning from the expertise of fishmongers is important. He advises asking where the fish is from and how it was caught, as well as asking for cooking tips to “mix up the selection of fish you consume.”

“Waiter! Is this fish sustainable?”

Loren says the MSC eco-label can be found in many restaurants and fish and chip shops across the UK: “We work with a wide variety of food service outlets and it’s still growing.”

Perhaps surprisingly, McDonalds, JD Wetherspoons and Oaxaca are among the companies that work with MSC. So you can have that Filet-O-Fish with confidence. Or you can simply have a conversation with restaurant staff if the provenance of the fish is not made clear on the menu or you can’t see the eco-label anywhere.

Don’t be afraid to ask your server if the fish is MSC approved

“The origin of where the fish comes from should be displayed on the menu and if it isn’t, then just ask your server,” says Tom.

Loren says asking if they know where the fish has been sourced and what type of gear is used by the fisheries can be instructive. Generally, pole-and-line fishing has a lower impact on ecosystems, but if hundreds of boats are using this method, it can make fish stock vulnerable. Big trawlers, such as those used in the North Sea, are sustainable if the fish stock is healthy and plentiful.

Having that conversation in a restaurant may mean the manager gets involved. Or, if you’re eating in a restaurant that’s part of a group or chain, emailing head office to ask about their fish sourcing or checking the website can be useful.

Loren says that starting these important conversations with consumers is “the way to drive improvements [and] create a culture where people think, why wouldn’t you buy sustainable fish”.

Getting certified

MSC is an independent non-profit organisation that sets globally recognised standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability, with its certification programme for sustainable fishing practices. To obtain this certification, fisheries are independently assessed based on three main principles. These are the health of the stock, whether there are enough fish for the fishery to operate indefinitely, and the impact on the ecosystem.

“We look at what type of gear they are using. What impact does that gear have on the surrounding ecosystem? How do they interact with endangered, threatened and protected species – these are the ones they’re not directly trying to catch.”

Additionally, fishery management is scrutinised by MSC, such as complying with relevant laws and adapting to new information, according to scientific research. For example, well-managed fisheries will change the gear they use if new information shows that they need to use something better suited to the ecosystem where they operate.

MSC allows all gear types in its programme, apart from explosives.

The certification process can take 12 to 18 months, with certification lasting five years, albeit with regular checks each year.

Local fish for local people

Keeping your fish consumption as local as possible is one of the best ways to be an ethical, sustainable diner or cook.

“I believe that localism is the way forward with fish – it has been spoiled with factory fish farming, which can be far from ethically produced,” says Tom. “We have a fantastic wild bass season at this moment [Summer 2024] – it’s a few quid more, but it’s so worth it. And hasn’t travelled 2,500 miles.”

As a bonus, localism can help the UK’s fishing industry, which has taken a – pardon the pun – battering in recent years, with winners and losers emerging since Brexit.

“The UK has amazingly rich fishing grounds with conservation areas within the waters and I think it’s much better for the environment if we buy locally, buy seasonally, and don’t travel fish around,” Tom concludes. “If we kept the fish we exported and ate them too, it would be such a positive for the fishing industry, I believe.”

Check out the MSC website.

Georgia Lewis

In a career that has spanned Australia, the Middle East and the UK, Georgia has written about all sorts of things, including sex, cars, food, oil and gas, insurance, fashion, travel, workplace safety, health, religious affairs, glass and glazing… When she’s not writing words for fun and profit, she can usually be found with a glass of something French and red in her hand.

The post How to find and where to buy sustainable fish appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Eating more fish and seafood and less red meat is good for you. Not only that, it’s also delicious. But where you get your fruits of the sea from has an impact on our seas and fish stocks.

The best way to be sure your fish is sustainably-caught is to look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue tick logo. Sustainable fishing can be determined using the MSC Fisheries Standard regardless of the scale, geography, or fishing method used by a fishery.

When you choose wild-caught certified sustainable seafood with the MSC blue fish tick label, you are helping to end overfishing – each product purchased supports well-managed, sustainable fisheries working hard to protect the marine environment.

To celebrate the launch of the MSC’s World Ocean Day 2024 campaign, Sustainable Fishing Means…, we are bringing you a delicious recipe, exclusively in the UK, created by Canadian chef Charlotte Langley.

Shrimp and Turmeric Soup

Ingredients

340g Frozen MSC blue tick shrimp or prawns
10g Fresh garlic, minced
10g Ground turmeric (alternatively use 2 tbsp turmeric paste)
30g Shallots, minced
10g Fresh ginger, grated
20g Coconut oil
900ml Ramen broth
200g Bok choy, washed, leaves separated
225g Vermicelli noodles
Salt & pepper to taste
1 lime, cut into quarters
Fresh coriander chopped
Chilli oil (optional, to taste)

Chef Top Tip
If you love this dish and want to make it again, you can save time and washing up by making double the paste and freezing half for next time.

SERVES: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

Love flavour? Five of the best salad dressing recipes ever

METHOD:

Step 1
Thaw the shrimp in the fridge overnight. Drain well, place in a bowl lined with paper towel and keep refrigerated while preparing soup base.

Step 2

In a blender or small food processor, add the garlic, turmeric, shallots, ginger and coconut oil and blitz until it has the consistency of a paste.

Step 3

Preheat a medium to large pot over medium heat. Add the paste and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and shallots are translucent but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.

Step 4

Meanwhile, cook the vermicelli noodles following the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Divide evenly into 4 bowls.

Step 5
To the simmering broth, add the bok choy leaves and shrimp and cook until bok choy is tender and shrimp are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 6

Ladle soup into bowls over the vermicelli noodles and garnish with a lime wedge, chopped coriander (cilantro) and chili oil, if using.

You can find many more sustainable seafood recipes from the MSC here.

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A while ago, here at Silver we undertook some research, delving into our readers’ travel habits, amongst many other things. And whilst the only option to achieve a 100 per cent score was ‘I holiday in the UK’, (no wonder our retreats are a hit!), a very close second for those over 50 was adventure travel.

The box they ticked said ‘Jump on a plane and work it out when we get there.’ You crazy kids! Our respondents were keener on adventure travel than cruising, all-inclusive holidays, or the increasingly-popular 3G (multigenerational) travel. All of which came up closely behind.

This survey was undertaken in 2021-22, hot on the heels of numerous lockdowns. So perhaps it was to be expected that people would want to get out there and do something wild. But is that still the case? I was keen to explore this further, so I went to the ABTA Adventure Travel conference in London last week, to see whether people still felt the same way. Spoiler, they do. But here are some of the takeaways.

Firstly, solo travel is HUGE

More than one speaker reported that solo travel is up. And it’s important to highlight that this is a lifestyle trend generally. Living alone is also up, and marriage is down. Going solo is something we’re doing more of across the board.

With regard to our own age group, solo travel is a particularly big focus for women. But travelling as a ‘solo’ in a group is also a thing on the increase. So you travel ‘alone’, in small groups, making new friends, and effectively beating the supplement issues that can make travelling alone so stupidly expensive. Interestingly but perhaps unsurprisingly, over 50s and over 60s dominate solo travel search terms online.

Climate issues and sustainability inclusions

I don’t just mean that travellers are looking for holidays that tick the sustainability box. There is a concern that traditional destinations may become less popular because of the heat/weather conditions. Already it’s six degrees hotter than usual for this time of year in places around the Mediterranean. And people are concerned about fires, droughts, floods, and other weather-related issues.

Expect to see increased holiday and travel options opening up in areas like Scandinavia, and also to see different dynamics in terms of activities. As part of the adventure travel options, you’ll now find a lot of walking, engaging with unspoilt destinations, committing to activities that support destination environments and so on.

…travel is an extractive industry. Operators are essentially selling someone else’s home as an experience, and things are vanishing, like Venice.

But we need to be careful about how this is undertaken. During a panel discussion, Thomas Power, CEO at Pura Aventura, urged the industry delegates to remember that travel is an extractive industry. Operators are essentially selling someone else’s home as an experience, and things are vanishing, like Venice.

Adventure travel needs to be accountable, and not add to historically destructive travel. Engage travellers with the destination ahead of arrival so they understand the impact of their visit, he said. Holidays are hedonistic and travellers don’t want to think! We need to make being sustainable on holiday feel luxurious and effortless.

Shockingly, travellers recycle less when they’re not ‘at home’, because they perceive it as not being their problem. So tour operators and travel companies need to plan on their behalf, make the decisions for them. Try flying them there and training them back. Spend longer in the destination to reduce the carbon intensity, and give back to the destination. Flying for short breaks are the worst for carbon footprint.

Read more: sustainable travel, walking the tea trails in Sri Lanka

A few stats about travellers…

From the UN Tourism, Market Intelligence, Policy and Competitiveness Department:

76% want more sustainable options
43% will pay more for accommodation with a sustainability certification
75% seek authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture

Other takeouts

• People do want comfort even though they won’t say so. So although they say they want to go wild and adventurous, they wouldn’t admit it but they mean as long as it’s got a comfy bed, probably a swimming pool or beach, and some home comforts.
• Long haul is the growth market. People are looking to really get away, not just pop to Europe for a week or ten days.
• There is a much higher demand for holidays generally, post 2020. No shock there, but projected figures for 2025 see the growth outstrip previous performance in 2019 and earlier. An adventure travel boom is coming.
• Short lead times. People are booking impulsively; there is far less booking for a year, two years ahead.
• ‘Teenager Experience Demand’. Families with older kids are heading for adventurous holidays, with the destinations often chosen by their teenagers or adult children. This is particularly true where the Bank of Mum and Dad, or Granny and Grandad, is footing the bill.
• ‘Expedition cruises’ is a growing market, where you can visit really far-flung places like the Arctic. Frankly I truly doubt seals and orcas need this sort of human intrusion, but apparently no corner of the planet is safe from human travellers.

Overall message

Acknowledged by almost every speaker at the conference is that there’s a crucial need to protect the destination environment or there won’t be a destination to go to. So whilst a travel boom is expected across all travel sectors, not just the adventure products, it’s incumbent upon the operators to ensure that destinations and habitats are protected.

Because although the consumer wants sustainable options, they don’t want to have to think about it for themselves.

To see full details about all the speakers at this event, click here

Sam Harrington-Lowe

Sam is Silver’s founder and editor-in-chief. She’s largely responsible for organising all the things, but still finds time to do the odd bit of writing. Not enough though. Send help.

The post Adventure travel – how those over 50 are leading the way appeared first on Silver Magazine.

English wine isn’t just delicious, it’s an ethical choice too. It has a low carbon footprint due to its on-site vine-to-bottle method. And many vineyards focus on small-batch, sustainable harvests. They also compost, avoid herbicides, encourage healthy biodiversity, and focus on renewable energy.

While some may think of us English folk more as wine drinkers than makers, in the last 20 years English wine production has become an exciting new force. While climate change remains a very real anxiety, the rising temperatures have meant that we’ve had many more locally produced bottles to drown our sorrows with.

Grape ripening issues have become a thing of the past and the warmer, sunnier climate has opened a door to English red wine production. The limestone-chalk soil and warm climate of the South East mirror the ideal environment for bubbly famously found in Champagne. Because the prices for land in England are much lower, English producers can excel with their consumer-friendly prices. With the number of vines planted growing each year, let me take you through our top picks.

Red

Made from the skin, seeds, and stems of black grapes to achieve its rich red-purple colour, red wine arguably accrues the highest praise. Higher in bitter tannins than any other, it is recommended served at room temperature and as we say at Silver, the older the better.

Black Ewe Pinot Noir Precoce Vintage 2018

Black Ewe Pinot Noir Precoce Vintage 2018, £45

The unpredictable climate of the South West means that each wine has a character of its own. The beautiful fields of Trevibban Mill in Cornwall have cultivated a pinot noir with aromas of cherries, figs, prunes, and vanilla. The company has been highly celebrated not just for achieving such a full palate but for their sustainable approach. With earthy hints of dark chocolate, pepper, and tobacco, this English wine pairs nicely with beef, lamb, or gruyere.

• Vegan
• On-site production
• Small batch

Giffords Hall St Edmundsbury 2021, £15.50

Giffords Hall St Edmundsbury 2021

Suffolk’s Giffords Hall has produced a Pinot Noir with a lick of Rondo resulting in a colourful fusion of peppery cherry and ripe plummy notes. With hints of blackcurrant, vanilla and cedarwood spice, the softness on the palate is extremely appealing.

• Mixed blend
• Best-selling

White

For me, there is nothing better than a crisp, cold glass of white wine. Ranging from dry to sweet with fruity and floral aromas, white wine is made from both white and black grapes fermented without the skins to achieve its signature pure, naked colour.

Oastbrook Estate Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2022, £21

Oastbrook Estate Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2022

Awarded a gold medal at the IEWA 2023 for their Pinot Blanc, Oastbrook Estate presents a mouth-watering palate of apple, pear, and honeysuckle with a hint of white peach and nectarine; the perfect partner for fish or chicken on the BBQ this summer.

• Sustainable
• Organic

JoJo’s Bacchus Seyval Blanc Blend, £20

JoJo’s Bacchus Seyval Blanc Blend

JoJo’s vineyard is situated on the chalky slopes of the Chiltern Hills, Oxfordshire. Their first wine, a Bacchus-Seyval blend, is a  vibrant and expressive white wine that was released at the end of September 2022. With elegant notes of quince, apple blossom and white peach, the light white wine is fantastic with seafood, chicken or garden veg.

• Handcrafted
• Sustainable
• Small batch

Rosé

Made with black grapes fermented for less time and perfect with light bites and nibbles, rosé is a crowd magnet. Its pink, blush colour leaves a dry taste in the mouth with notes of berries, citrus or tropical fruits.

Winbirri Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé 2021

Winbirri Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé 2021, £19

The team at Winbirri Vineyard in Norfolk have expertly crafted a Pinot Noir Rosé with aromas of cherries, strawberries, and cream. Perfect as an aperitif or with fresh seafood, passion is at the heart of this wine. Its quaffable nature tastes as good as it sounds.

• Vegan
• World-class

Gusbourne Estate English Rosé, £25

Gusbourne Estate English Rosé

Similarly, the Gusbourne Estate spread across Kent and West Sussex, boasts a leading collection of Burgundian grapes that thrive in the unique microclimate of the South East. They produce smaller volumes of intensely flavourful fruit that have cultivated an English rosè that is zesty and juicy. The raspberry and redcurrant notes are finished with hints of blossom and ginger for a decadent English summer.

• Hand-picked
• Sustainable

Sparkling

Dunesforde Blanc de Noir 2018, £35

Dunesforde Blanc de Noir 2018

The southeast may be the English wine hub, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look further afield for top-notch vino. The 2018 Dunesforde Blanc de Noir is a charismatic sparkler that won gold at the IEWA. With a vibrant fruit purity of red apple and cranberry, it leaves a youthful yet modern expression. Some may say the weather isn’t ideal, but as one of the most northerly vineyards, Dunesforde has bought the vineyards of Tuscany to Yorkshire proving there isn’t a shortage of homemade booze up north.

• Supports local communities
• Environmentally friendly
• Limited reserve

There is an abundance of excellent bubbly in Britain. Sussex-based Ridgeview’s Blanc de Blancs 2018 edition or Fox & Fox’s Blanc de Noirs are among the many of our award-winning wines. But it was important to me to travel a little closer to home for this next one.

Pebblebed Sparkling Rosé, £29

Pebblebed Sparkling Rosé

From what started as a local community project to 22 acres today, Pebblebed Vineyards in Devon is a thriving wine-growing region. Its unique terroir and warmer summers help the grapes to gently ripen and produce wonderfully fresh aromas. Their Pebblebed Sparkling Rosé is crafted using the Champagne method for delicate red berry and rose petal flavours. Balanced with a fresh acidity, it has the wonderful fresh aromas that make English wine so special.

• Supports local communities
• Mixed blend
• Sustainable

Dessert

Sweet in taste, dessert wines pair perfectly with cheesecakes, vanilla or chocolate puddings, crème brulee – you name it! Perfect for when you never want your meal to end…

Hattingley Valley Entice Dessert Wine 2022, £25

Hattingley Valley Entice Dessert Wine 2022

As well as boasting a range of award-winning sparkling wines, the Hampshire-based Hattingley Valley entice you with an elegant dessert wine that has intense aromas of peach and elderflower. Its crisp acidity balances perfectly with the natural sweetness to give a pure, lasting honeyed finish.

• Vegan
• Individually tested
• Sustainable

Fortified

Made with grapes using the fermentation process, fortified wines have spirits added to them to increase its alcohol content – sounds like a recipe for a party to us. They were originally developed before the days of refrigeration to preserve wine on long journeys.

Sacred English Amber Vermouth, £19.95

Sacred English Amber Vermouth

My favourite is vermouth because it is flavoured with herbs and spices. You can get either dry (white) or sweet (red) vermouth that ranges from dry and floral to sweet and spiced. While vermouth usually originates from Italy or France, the Sacred English Amber Vermouth produced in Highgate, London was crowned the world’s best vermouth in 2019. With delicate floral and sweet orange notes, it is best served on the rocks or in a classic spritz.

• Handmade
• Organic botanicals

Non-alcoholic

L.A Brewery Sparkling English Blush, £10

Ok bear with me – we all know that alcohol-free wine is generally disgusting, right? But finally, there are some great AF options

L.A Brewery Sparkling English Blush

available for those who like a tipple without the topple. L.A Brewery in Suffolk brings you a sparkling English blush that finally offers a chance for your mind and body to reset. Inspired by summer sunshine, it combines seasonal florals with a hint of rhubarb for a crisp kombucha that is delicately dry with a floral fizz for everyone to enjoy.

• Transparent list of ingredients
• No hangover – say no more

Jukes London Tasting Box, £41

Or if you are looking for something more on the still side, look no further than Jukes, London. Their organic apple cider vinegar-based drinks are made with all-natural ingredients. You can enjoy a taste of their full range with The Tasting Box. It is an ultimate

Jukes London Tasting Box

sensory experience that includes two white, two red and one rosé that take you from citrus and herbal to deep and spicy to dry and refreshing.

• Vegan
• Low calories
• Planet-friendly

Read more: 6 of the best alcohol free spirits around

Selecting great wine

At the end of the day, if you don’t really know wine but you want a great glass of something, here are three things to look out for:

Reflect on the flavours you enjoy

Turn to the back of the bottle and consider the flavours YOU enjoy – do they match?

The more details the better

Is there information on the region, valley and grapes listed on the back?

Don’t let price dictate your choice

Discounts can often be a great opportunity to find a good deal in wine. They don’t mean the wine is of a lower quality or won’t taste great. Sometimes a bottle may be on sale because it is not in season or has been sitting in the store’s inventory for a while. In that case, consider the flavours and occasion, then allow price to be a secondary consideration.

Beth Pratt

Beth is one of Silver’s interns. She loves reading and studying literature. Entering her final year of university, Beth still finds time to dance, swim, and have a pint with friends. Her favourite hobby is going to coffee shops, if you can call it a hobby!

The post English wines that should be on your radar appeared first on Silver Magazine.

How to eat more healthily? It’s a highly ranked search term, indicating that a lot of people are thinking about what they put in their bodies. But you don’t have to completely overhaul your diet. A few healthy eating tweaks and tricks can make a big difference.

Up your fibre

Are you getting your 30g of fibre every day? Did you even know that is what you were meant to be eating? According to the British Heart Foundation, this is the amount of fibre that keeps our digestive systems healthy.

Wholegrain options are a great way to switch out foods we may regularly eat, for example pasta, rice, or bread. Most supermarkets now are price-matching their products, so buying wholegrain options can be a cheap way to up your fibre.

Fibre bars and snacks are made to look very appealing and ‘healthy’. Don’t be fooled

For breakfast, opt for wholemeal toast or high-fibre cereal such as plain Weetabix, or oats for a porridge. Adding fruit to this will make it yummier and add fibre.

For lunch it’s hard to beat a jacket potato with beans. Eat the potato skin. It’s a very high source of fibre. If you’re a potato lover, you can regularly create high fibre meals with golden roasties or spicy wedges.

You may hear about these fibre bars and snacks which are made to look very appealing and ‘healthy’. Don’t be fooled, they can be packed with sugar. Instead, have fruit.

For dinner, a warm tomato and kidney bean curry, packed with spices and veggies. Pair this with wholegrain rice and you’ve well exceeded your 30g daily fibre target.

Five a day keeps the doctors away

Going to the doctor isn’t always the most enjoyable task. Diets high in fruit and vegetables are linked with lower risk of diseases, strokes, and cancers. We all know about eating your five a day, but it’s also important to ‘eat the rainbow’.

This means having a combination of fruits and veg – all colours of the rainbow – as they offer different nutrients. It’s a simple way to eat more healthily.

(Image: Pexels)

When you’re next in the supermarket, have a look in the frozen section. It’s great value for your money buying frozen fruit and veg. It is still packed with the same nutrients and will last you way longer.

The planet will also benefit from you eating more fruit and veg. Growing and harvesting this type of food has a much lower environmental impact than others. A lot of the time we buy foods that get chucked away, especially with fruit and veg. According to The Eco Experts, households are responsible for 70 per cent of all UK food waste. This unfortunate figure should make us all want to use everything we buy.

When you’re next looking in your fridge wondering what to do with your left-over leaves, or all those berries, whip up a quick fruit salad, or smoothie for food on the go. Aim for zero waste in your fridge.

Higher protein, higher preservation

A varied protein diet is the best way to stay strong and maintain muscle as you get older. HealthHub offer lots of valuable information about the importance of protein. Swapping half of the meat on your plate for beans, lentils or sustainable fish can result in a much healthier diet.

Protein is also good for menopause symptoms. Read here for more menopause diet tips. 

Try making chickpea fajitas or a lentil dahl. Does eating a varied protein diet help the environment? Well yes, growing pulses helps in improving the soil health and reduce the number of fertilisers used. The farmers will thank you.

And if you were in any doubt about the carbon footprint of mass meat production, you should know that meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases from food production. So yeah, maybe aim for less meat.

(Image: Pexels)

Doesn’t always have to be fresh to be healthy

Don’t frown upon canned options. Foods such as beans, chickpeas or fish are examples of high protein sources. They are alternative way to incorporate protein into your diet, rather than buying fresh meat and fish. This may also save you some pennies. These tasty alternatives are an important way to keep a balanced diet.

If you’re a snacker, like me, nuts are such a good way to increase your protein. Specifically, almonds and walnuts. You can eat these by themselves or pair them with some apples and peanut butter.

A guide to hydration

We all know that keeping hydrated is so important, especially during the warmer months. There are so many funky and innovative ways to stay hydrated this summer. Eating water-rich foods is a good sneaky way to stay hydrated. The British Nutrition Foundation teaches us that we get around one fifth of our daily water intake from food. Whether that’s by eating the foods, creating smoothies, or making ice lollies. Foods such as cucumbers, celery, apples, or berries are great examples.

Try to limit or avoid drinking fizzy drinks and squashes.

You could even infuse your water with fruits and fresh mint to make a mocktail! There’s loads of great ideas in this feature on how to stay hydrated. Try to limit or avoid drinking fizzy drinks and squashes. There are far tastier ways to have your daily recommended sugar allowance. Which for those of you who didn’t know, is a max of 30g.

Carrying round a reusable bottle will give you constant access to water throughout your day. As well as doing your bit for the planet. Plastic bottles can be known to cause toxic chemicals transferring to your water in rising temperatures. I know I will be sticking to my reusable bottle this summer.

Drinking water may seem like such a simple thing to do. Getting in between one to two litres of water daily will make you feel so energised and refreshed. Pair this with all the other easy but effective tips and tricks we have given you, and you are set to be feeling your best. Remember, it is all about balance.

Combining healthy eating with a new fitness regime? – Find the right fitness class for you

Ellie Mongey

Having a three month break from uni, where she’s studying marketing, Ellie can normally be found in a coffee shop, on the beach or spending all her money on food. 

The post Have you been thinking about how to eat more healthily? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The time is here for us to adorn our homes with fairy lights, garlands, and of course, the Christmas tree. Many of you might already have your tree up, but for those of you still trying to get it together, how about an eco-friendly Christmas tree this year?

Real or artificial? 

There’s been debate around whether a real or artificial tree is more eco-conscious. Your initial thought process might be to choose artificial. As it does mean you’re not ripping out a piece of mother nature every year. 

However, it’s not as simple as that. Pretty much all artificial trees, after all, are made from plastic of some kind. I’m sure we all know the struggle of having needles all over the carpet at Christmas. Real or artificial, they shed. These ‘needles’ from artificial trees will break down into micro plastics. Which can get everywhere, the sea, food, even into our bloodstream. 

(Image: Pexels)

So real trees are better? I hear you think.

It’s also not completely straightforward when it comes to real trees. After all, when you cut them down they do stop absorbing carbon from our atmosphere. Which in turn helps to offset the carbon emissions we’re putting out into the world. 

If you already have an artificial tree, it’s good to make sure you look after it and use it for year upon year, to get the most life out of it as you can. Using an artificial tree for at least 11 years is a good time frame. 

However, if you tend to opt for a real tree, then look at where you’re sourcing it from. 

Is your tree a sustainable choice?

Ensure the supplier is part of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. This tells you that you’re buying a quality tree, that’s been locally grown. 

The best option would be a locally grown potted tree. Which, after the festive season, can be taken and re-potted into the ground to carry on growing. So nothing is getting chopped down or wasted. 

We’ve collected a list of some eco-friendlier options of where you source your tree this year.

Eco-friendly trees:

Green Elf Trees

(Image: Green Elf Trees)

These guys offer pot grown trees and will collect it after Christmas to replant. They’re also donating £3 this year for every tree sold, to a Ukrainian refugee UK charity, and gifting trees to Ukrainian families living in the UK.

PLUS they have an exclusively electric fleet delivering trees and offset carbon emissions. So even the transport of your tree is carbon neutral.

If you buy a cut tree from them, they offer a responsible collection and disposal. They’ll be used as compost for nutrition for future trees.

To browse Green Elf Trees visit their site

Caring Christmas Trees

(Image: Caring Christmas Trees)

Based in Scotland, these Scottish grown trees are delivered in bio-degradable netting.

All profits from their trees go to the ‘Bethany Christian Trust’ which works to end homelessness in Scotland.

Explore Caring Christmas Trees

Edenmill 

(Image: Edenmill)

Another one which has potted trees available. Edenmill offer potted trees that you can keep in the garden through the year, and use again next festive season.

Visit Edenmill’s website

The Christmas forest 

(Image: The Christmas Forest)

Grown in the UK, The Christmas Forest replace every tree which is chopped down for Christmas. They also endeavour to grow close to residential areas, to encourage customers to retrieve their tree on foot, removing any car emissions.

Minimal chemical intervention is used when growing their trees. The Christmas Forest make sure absolutely nothing is sprayed within three months of harvest.

To explore The Christmas Forest’s trees visit their website

Forestry England

(Image: Forestry England)

Forestry England have Christmas Tree farms around the country. With some farms offering potted trees, and all come in biodegradable netting.

Money from their Tree sales is used to maintain the forests trees grown in. This helps benefit and support the local wildlife.

Visit Forestry England to find your local Christmas tree farm.

Recycling your tree

If you opt for a cut tree rather than potted, when it comes to taking it down don’t dump it somewhere. To keep your tree eco-friendly as possible, it’s important to recycle it properly after it’s use. 

Since not all suppliers offer to take the tree back and recycle it, you might be stuck as what to do. 

Recycle Now has tool which can help you find a local recycling point which will shred the tree for chippings. So keep a bookmark of this Recyle Now link for when January comes around. 

Don’t get caught out this Christmas! Winter strikes and walkout dates 

Lana Hall

Lana can usually be found spinning her collection of records, or writing odd poems in her phone notes. Her mixer of choice is a ginger beer, and you’ll never find her away from the sea for more than a few weeks.

The post Eco-friendly Christmas tree – How can you make a difference? appeared first on Silver Magazine.