(17 March 2008 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has launched BBCGreen.com, a consumer lifestyle website for people interested in how they can change their impact on the environment.

The new site gives practical advice on living a greener life that will make a difference to both the environment and the consumer's wallet.

As well as offering regular editorial features such as How Green is Golf and Do Food Miles Really Matter, BBCGreen.com also gives users access to its Green Action Plan.

Rather than a simple carbon footprint calculator, which just tells users how much pollution one is creating, BBCGreen's Action Plan enables one to see how different actions compare and discover what really does make a difference.

The advice on BBCGreen.com is based on facts and expert opinion and covers areas such as food, travel, home and finance which are central to living a green lifestyle. BBC Worldwide is using its expertise in these areas to create a new, thematic outlet for a clearly defined target audience.

Heading the team is Will Watt who conceived the site while in his previous job as publisher at IFG & Dennis. Having brought the concept to BBC Worldwide, Watt has developed BBC Green in his role as publisher and brought together a strong and credible team from some of the UK’s leading green experts.

Experienced editor, author and "green" commentator Paul Allen takes on the role of editor.

His book Your Ethical Business was endorsed by the likes of Anita Roddick (The Body Shop) and John Bird (The Big Issue), and aims to bring social and environmental responsibility into mainstream thinking.

Acting as contributing editor is Duncan Clark, editor of the Rough Guides to Climate Change and Ethical Living. He and the rest of the team will draft fresh, compelling content on green issues – focusing less on the why and more on what each of us can do.

Joining Watt's team as an online strategist is Andrew Zincke, previously the driving force behind the online marketing for Dennis Publishing's ground-breaking online magazine Monkey.

Watt said, "A large proportion of the UK population want to be green but are confused and not sure where to start. Our aim is to give them the best possible start with day-to-day advice that makes a greener lifestyle manageable, practical and affordable."

"We don't campaign on green issues, we simply want to help and inspire with easy-to-follow advice."

The site will be funded by advertising and managed in house adhering to existing BBC Worldwide advertising guidelines.