The Green Choices team
Green Choices was set up in 2000 by a group of individuals committed to providing consumer information on the green choices available. In October 2009, the website was transferred to two new directors, Ross and Alison Lammas, who, together with a small team of researchers and technical experts, are working to develop the site further.
They are passionate environmentalists who believe everyone can contribute to reducing the pressure on our natural resources.
Alison Lammas, Director
Sustainability has been a concern of Alison since the late 1980’s when she joined the (then) Countryside Commission, now Natural England, and began understanding the impact our lifestyles have on the environment. Alison contributed to policy development in several key areas, including transport, community and voluntary action, and sustainable design. And was involved in a variety of grants programmes, including the Local Heritage Initiative, Rural Action and the Countryside Trust. Since 2007 she jointly set up the energy efficiency website Sust-it and re-discovered her talent as a painter/printmaker, particularly interested in landscape and natural forms.
Ross Lammas, Director
Ross is a multimedia producer with extensive knowledge and experience in producing many types of communications. Ross has a background in Design and has, amongst others things, developed award-winning educational software, learning resources for the NHS and credits for broadcast animation. In 2007 he used this creative approach when developing Sust-it The inspiration for an energy efficiency comparison site for electricals came about after Ross designed and built an eco-house and office; frustrated by the lack of available information on electrical goods, he began researching the subject. Taking over the reigns of Green Choices provides a means for consumers to gain a greater understanding of how more of our purchasing decisions affect the environment,
Green Choices links well with Sust-it’s vision to help people save money at the same time as helping the environment. We want green products to be cost-effective options; it shouldn’t cost more to save the planet.
Previous Green Choices Team
Peter Riding, Managing Director
Peter was the joint founder and first project director of the BBC Networking Club, which evolved into the current BBC website. Previously he was an Executive Producer at the BBC, where he developed numerous pioneering series, including The Net, the first regular British television series about the Internet, and a weekly Radio 5 series, The Big Byte. As Director of Webserve for the past twelve years, Peter created CancerHelpUK for the University of Birmingham, a significant site which has since been adopted by the Cancer Research Campaign. Among the many other sites he has been associated with are Trees for Life, Climate Care and Stop Stansted Expansion.
Paul Garland
On retiring after 35 years in comprehensive education, Paul gained an MA in Environmental Policy and Society and became active in environmental campaigns. He is currently chairman of ‘Sustainable Uttlesford’, the local branch of Local Agenda 21 and in that capacity also chairs the Environment Working Group of the Local Strategic Partnership.
David Herbert
David is a freelance internet consultant with 20+ years of experience in software development, the last ten of which have been concerned with the writing of tools to enhance interactive websites. He has recently worked as a Java programmer for a group concerned with improving the quality of public transport information and then worked developing PHP-based websites with Netweavers Consulting.
Dr Steve Willoughby
Steve spent 15 years teaching chemistry, physics, maths and computing in a sixth-form college. He was designing electronic community information systems before the internet and the worldwide web came of age. He now runs an internet consultancy and teaches for the Open University, National Extension College and other colleges in East Anglia. He also runs his local community website in Saffron Walden.
Researchers and contributors
Several researchers and experts have contributed their skills and expertise to the development of Green Choices. Most of the current content has been researched and written by Emma Chapman and Monica Frisch. The original website was created by David Herbert, with updates and improvements made by Emma Chapman. Everyone’s input has been valuable and is appreciated.
Emma Chapman
In 1991 Emma set out to help get more trees into the world; this led her down a chain of logic into a lifelong search for eco-friendly ways of living. Along the way, she gained an MSc in Information Science and has since continued to develop professional skills in the field of information provision, working as an editor, researcher, writer, and web manager. Her writing is based firmly on personal experience of the pleasures, frustrations, inspirations and compromises of greener lifestyles.
Monica Frisch
Monica has a longstanding interest in all aspects of the environment, including greener lifestyles, using energy and other resources efficiently, botany and nature conservation, and the peace movement. She has compiled two editions of Directory for the Environment and worked on many different environmental information projects. Other activities include freelance copy-editing and proofreading and small-scale publishing. Her own imprint, Earthright Publications, has published two books, Generating Pressure and Power at Bay, about the successful campaign to prevent a nuclear power station being built, and to halt commercial sand extraction on the Northumberland coast.
John Hilary
John provided most of the original content and the foundation for work done since and is the Company Secretary. John is currently the Director of Campaigns and Policy at War on Want and has worked for the past 16 years on issues of international development, the environment and human rights. During this time, he has worked for Amnesty International, BBC World Service, Save the Children, VSO and ActionAid.
Claire Appleby
Claire was one of the original trustees and provided much valuable input. Claire has worked in nature conservation for over 25 years, in both the statutory and voluntary sectors and for local, national and international organisations, including the Council for Nature, Nature Conservancy Council, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology and World Conservation Monitoring Centre. She is now a freelance lecturer on ‘nature and culture, working for the Open University and other adult and higher educational institutions.
Jenny Stevens
Jenny supplied advice and assistance with marketing when Green Choices started. Jenny has 30 years of experience in both adult education and broadcasting in the commercial, voluntary and public sectors. She was an Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor at the BBC and started the BBC World Service’s Education Service. She has developed many high-profile media campaigns and is now a freelance consultant and project manager working in education and the media.
Sue Woodsford
Sue Woodsford was a Trustee in 2006. She recently retired from Cambridge City Council’s Environment Centre where a small team encourages greener lifestyles for Cambridge People. Previously she taught in Uganda and in Cambridge special needs schools. She was branch secretary of the Cambridge World Development Movement and a Trustee of Friends of Ethiopian Children in Need.
Green Choices
Barn Studios
Chapel Farm
Over Old Road
Hartpury
Gloucestershire
GL19 3BJ