Christmas shopping with a clear conscience has been made easier thanks to a new venture which puts a wide range of ethical goods within easy rach.

NOW you can do your Christmas shopping at the click of a mouse and with a clear conscience, thanks to a new Tyneside-based business.

Ethical Superstore does what it says on the tin. It carries a huge range - well over 1,000 - fair traded, ethical or energy saving goods, ranging from household gadgets to luxury chocolate, and a huge number of items in between.

The website was the brainchild of Andy Redfern and American Vic Morgan, who met when they were working for Traidcraft in Gateshead and who set up their company PointOV Ltd.

"We knew there was a need for a wide range of ethical goods," says Vic. "People really want to know how things are produced and they are also concerned about the environment. We thought the time was right to try and tie all these concerns together."

Concerns about climate change mean one of the superstore's best sellers is the Electrisave monitor which tells you how much electricity you are using - or wasting. "People are really interested in the green stuff, the energy efficient gadgets," says Vic.

There's an eco-kettle which lets you boil exactly the amount of water you need. Washing gadgets that save on detergent and electricity, energy saving plugs, wind-up torches and radios.

But it's not all intense and worthy. There is a huge selection of chocolate, including divine and Green and Blacks. Never has shopping with a clear conscience been so enjoyable, with masses of body oils and decadent soaps, treats and toys and fine foods, plenty for babies, children, foodies and cooks.

There's even handbags made from factory seconds crisp packets.

Familiar names include Traidcraft, Day Chocolate, Booja Booja, People Tree, Oxfam, Leeds Postcards, Cafedirect and Ecozone. And we especially liked the Sunrise alarm clock that gradually lights up before it wakes you up, coaxing your brain into thinking it's daytime. As well as selling fair trade and eco friendly goods, Andy and Vic try to conduct their business in an ethical way. Although they've got everything as eco-friendly as they can make it, even delivery causes carbon emissions.

"So we are the first online store to offer a carbon offset home delivery service," says Andy.

Basically, you pay £1 which goes to Climate Care who are working to reduce carbon emissions all over the world.

"About half our customers are choosing this option," says Vic.

Ethical Superstore went online only a few weeks ago and the response has been tremendous - even shoppers with a conscience appreciate having life made easier for them. So much so that the ethical superstore's premises just off Newcastle's Quayside are already running out of space. "We've just moved in and we already need to expand. I think that proves there's a real demand for this type of shopping," says Andy.

www.ethicalsuperstore.com

THE Ethical Superstore is one of many shops and organisations featured in The Green Guide to Christmas, which features gift ideas that won't cost the earth - literally.

It's packed with ideas to make your Christmas greener and more ethical and includes a wide range of gifts from various providers. We liked the more unusual suggestions - adopting a barn owl or a dolphin, endowing a library or a well, and - our absolute favourite - for £30 from Good Gifts you can plant a chilli hedge in Africa which will stop marauding elephants coming into the village - chillies make them sneeze.

www.greenguide,co.uk

www.goodgifts.org