About

What is Ecojam.org?

Ecojam is a jamboree of all the green, local and ethical stuff going on in and around Bristol. Although the city has an abundance of green people, companies, organisations and initiatives, figuring out who, what and where they are can be challenging to the say the least. Ecojam shows that going green has never been easier in Bristol by guiding you through this maze. Whatever you need or want to change, you’ll find something or someone here to help you. Ecojam is all about celebrating the great work going on in Bristol, informing and connecting people.

Ecojam also aims to connect the people and organisations working to make Bristol sustainable by allowing them to update each other on their activities, events and news. We hope this will open up opportunities to work together and learn from each others experiences. A groundswell of community groups have emerged to campaign and take action in response to a wide range of issues. Ecojam hopes to support their fantastic work and connect them with the work of local government, research institutions and NGOs.

Why use Ecojam?

Ecojam isn’t just for ubba greens - search the Green Directory for that perfect restaurant serving delicious locally grown organic produce, use Free Stuff to find a new home for all of your unwanted clutter, or find a job with an ethical company. For those wanting to grab the world by the scruff of the neck and turn it upside down, meet like minded Ecojam members through the Bristol Sustainability Network discussion group, advertise and hear about upcoming events, stay informed and inform about local, national and global green news, or find an ethical job in the environment and sustainability sector.

 There really are so many ways you can use Ecojam, explore the site and find out ….

Ecojam is yours

Ecojam was set up for you by people like you. It will perpetually evolve, offering further resources and adapting to new demands and needs. You are an Ecojam writer, reviewer and user. That is why we want you to tell us what you think of Ecojam, how we can improve what we do, and what you need to make your journey to a sustainable Bristol a little bit easier and enjoyable. Get in touch!

Ecojam's roots

The idea for EcoJam was born out of the Sustainability Cafes’s organised by the Bristol Sustainability Network. Several Sustainability Café events have been held in Bristol, following the World Café format. These conversations have directly engaged over 300 individuals, and resulted in a network of local sustainability initiatives (Bristol Sustainability Network), a discussion group about Bristol’s sustainability transition, and a new impetus for social change that involves entrepreneurs, educators, academics, and voluntary and community organisations in discussion with local government decision-takers. To take this a step further, the BSN believe a green website for Bristol will map out the environment sector in Bristol and offer greater opportunities to get more people involved.

Ecojam's supporters

The support and expertise of Ecojam’s original sponsors, the University of Bristol and Bristol City Council has been invaluable. Their commitment to reducing their own impact on the environment and supporting the efforts of others in Bristol is commendable. The University of Bristol and Bristol City Council are merely supporters of Ecojam and are not responsible for the content on the site. They will therefore not deal with any inquiries, complaints or feedback.

Why Ecojam?

We all know about the looming crisis of climate change and our impact on nature, and want to do something about it. Living and buying locally can bring benefits such as reduced travel and food miles, as well as helping Bristol’s economy. Changing good intentions about green living and shopping locally, however, often fails in the face of us taking for granted convenience and development based around the car. Ecojam shows that green products and services are available at your fingertips and that green living is not about giving things up, its about leading happier and healthier lives.

Ecojam philosophy

If you are like us, you are fed up with hearing that the end of the world is nigh. We know there’s a big problem – climate change and peak oil are going to change life as we know it today – but its about time we just got on with sorting it out!

We are too often overwhelmed by these global problems, so resign to putting them in a safe place where we will forget them or believe politicians are the only ones who can tackle them. There is so much, however, we can do and the only way politicians will make the necessary radical decisions is if we stand up and show we are willing to change our behaviour.

Ecojam is not about pointing fingers at ‘climate criminals’ and hugging trees isn’t compulsory. It recognises people have many motivations and might make sustainable decisions for different reasons than we do.

As Anita Rodderick, founder of the Body Shop, put it: “Do something. Do something. Just do something”

And doing something is easy. All the fruit at the bottom of the tree is hanging there ripe for the picking. We are often unaware that the people, companies and organisations that are able to help us ‘do something’ are right under our noses. Vote with your feet and wallets by supporting Bristol’s flourishing green companies, selling anything from organic, locally grown carrots to solar thermal and electric installation; or do something about whatever gets your goat by getting involved in any of the green projects in the city.

Ecojam stands firmly behind all of the monumental efforts of Bristol’s pioneering green businesses, initiatives and organisations, and is dedicated to opening their doors to more Bristolians. Change often rises up from communities and individuals, Ecojam hopes to support such endeavours in any way it can.