Eco Friendly House And Garden

I have been sitting in traffic lately – and have found out why there are always big queues!

People seem to have trouble accelerating away from their standstill when the lights go green; I’m not sure why but there is always a massive delay with people pulling away at the lights when they change.

Seemingly, people forget that they have just been sat in traffic for ages and so pootle about themselves when they get to the front of the queue – creating even more of a queue behind them.

It is the same as the people who queue up for ages in a fast food restaurant, swapping from leg to leg while they wait for the orders up ahead to clear – yet when they get to the front, they have no idea what they want to order – and stand there ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’.

People don’t seem to connect their actions with cause of the problem – and have just come to accept queuing as a part of life rather than think about how they could make everything that little bit nicer if they just thought about others rather than themselves all the time.

The Traffic Lights:
I always wondered why the traffic all didn’t move forward together when the green light finally appeared.  The whole of a train can move forward at the same time – so why can’t a train of cars all go forward on green.

I thought that having sat in traffic for a while, they would all have their foot on the pedal waiting to take off again as soon as they could – but it seems as though people don’t do this.

photo credit: oksidor

I have recently watched people at the front of the lights sorting through their bag and not spotting the green light appear until someone honks at them.  I have also watched people not know whether to pass on the nearside or far side of a car at a junction when they have clearly had ages to think about it at the front of the queue (especially when passing on the passenger side means more cars can pass through at a time).

People pull away slowly, take extra wide corners, don’t accelerate at a normal speed and basically ‘dolly daydream’ a bit about the whole thing.

Yet we all need to get to work – and noone likes sitting in traffic!

Why Does It Matter?
Well being a slow driver doesn’t really matter in itself – but queues of traffic are no good for anyone.

Yes, we have all heard the stories about avoiding the busiest times on the road unless it is absolutely essential travel – and I am a true believer in this – but sometimes you just have to sit in it.

Now surely, if everyone sped up their actions a little bit around traffic lights and round-a-bouts etc, there would be less queues on the road – and less queues mean less sitting traffic; less pollution; less angry divers; less of a rush hour and faster moving traffic. 

All adding up to a healthier traffic network, less stressed people and means that the morning or evening commute will take less time and so more time can be spent at home with the family and less time is spent in your car polluting.

So next time you are sat in traffic wondering why the traffic isn’t moving up ahead even though you can see a green traffic light – think of the mantra: You aren’t stuck in traffic – you ARE the traffic!

Eco thinking isn’t just about turning lights off and shopping locally.

Sometimes it’s the thoughts and actions of the ordinary person that can change things down the line – creating a better result for many people.

For example, there is a new project underway in the US with carpenter Carter Oosterhouse from HGTV, who is working alongside several organisations looking to create ‘healthier’ homes for allergy sufferers; called the Build Smart – Breathe Easier project.

We aren’t just talking about avoiding air fresheners and not keeping shedding pets here – they are designing the whole home and all its materials to reduce the chances of triggering reactions in asthma sufferers.

Why Now?

Well, asthma is a very serious disease - with over 24 million Americans currently suffering.

Statistics show that 11 people a DAY die from asthma and around a quarter of all emergency room admissions a year are from asthma-related incidents.

So why wouldn’t you want to reduce your chances of suffering from an attack?

And with technology, materials and medicine all advancing at a rapid pace – it seems about right to start considering our health when we create new homes – rather than just the environment or our bank balance!

Ultimately though - the 3 are closely linked.

The Larger Picture:

As with all things eco, it isn’t just 1 thing that can make a difference – it leads to a change in a lot of things, and that can only be good.

For example, by keeping yourself healthy at home, you are reducing the medical resources need to keep you healthy; less medication, less days off work or school, less days at the doctors, less time in ER and more time with your family!

So by thinking a bit harder about the requirements of a low allergy home – even if there are costs involved – could actually save an awful lot of othr people resources, other peoples and your own time as well as the drain on the planet with medications, equipment and resulting waste.

To find out more - why not click on their video below……

There are no excuses at all for not creating a haven for wildlife where you live – even if you are high rise!

Every spare flower can help species to feed and survive – as you are helping to create ‘wildlife corridors’ between parks and gardens along the way. Helping our wildlife to get around and multiply!

And by creating this safe haven – you could actually get a certificate to prove you are playing your part in helping garden wildlife.

How To Get Involved:
Ideally you will find a way to feed, water and protect any birds, reptiles or mammals that you can as well as offering then a place to raise their young – depending on your circumstances.

Not everyone needs to find a home for brown bears or wetland birds – even a tiny home for a sparrow or overwintering butterflies can be a perfect wildlife ‘garden’.

Obviously – the more land you have – the more you can offer to help; but every live creature needs a home – and you can offer that wherever you live.

I have feeders hanging outside my apartment window where I regularly see blue tits, great tits, sparrows and squirrels, as well as collared doves and wood pidgeons on the ground eating the fallen crumbs – I’ve even had sparrowhawks here because of this – but they weren’t here for the peanuts!

Visit Garden for Wildlife with Scotts to get some great information to help you get started – as well as information on native plants that will encourage and benefit local species to your garden, yard or window box!

Get Certified!
Scotts are hoping to get 150,000 wildlife habitats created in a massive drive to improve the choices that animals have to move around our urban areas and open spaces.

There are so many roads and buildings in some places that wildlife just can’t get established, Also migrating animals find it hard to pass through some areas due to the lack of essential foods or safe places to rest or sleep.

So why not find out how you could create a feeding station for migrating insects and birds; or how you could create a breeding pond for amphibians; a winter sleepover for cold mammals; or a one night stop-over spot for a wandering anything!

Even if you can only offer 1 of the required actions – you can still apply and recieve great tips about progressing on to full certification – as well as a free magazine subscription!

Or – why not work with a friend who has more space to get certified together – maybe even your whole class – or school!

The more people and places that get involved – the better the results will be in your town and in your state – as well as the whole country.

Animals don’t always just live in one place the whole year – they travel. So if people in the place where these animals live in the summer, people in the places they pass through and people in the place where they spend winter all put in a little effort – we can start to make a real difference.

Join In:

Deciding to stay at home for the day – instead of a walk in the park – could end up costing more than you thought!

Obviously a day out on a plane won't be better than staying at home, but if you take yours kids out to a local park, woodland or beach – you could be saving electricity, water, food and all sorts of other resources.

Lets take a typical afternoon stroll and a day at home as comparisons for a family with 3 kids, and see what could happen in both instances – good and bad…..

Pack Up Your Troubles:

Right, so the kids are up and have had a tasty breakfast.  They have played about a bit with each other and are starting to get restless.  The sun is shining – so let's get going.

Firstly, you would make a nice packed lunch or healthy sandwiches, fruit, vegetable sticks and maybe yoghurts.  You then fill up bottles with some cordial, grab a blanket and some balls and off you all go.

photo credit: Chris. P

Even if you drive somewhere local first, the whole afternoon spent playing with the kids and eating 'raw' foods will have been very easy on the environment.

The kids will no doubt entertain themselves for most of the time, maybe learn something while they are exploring, find plenty of natural things to 'own' and have worn themselves out for when you get home!

It's Mine!

However, at home there might only be one of something – and so the arguments begin!  Maybe even forcing you to end up buying multiple items in the future to avoid the rows!

And will your kids choose to eat a cheese salad sandwich on brown bread if they had the whole kitchen to choose from? I doubt it.  There will be demands for larger meals of more processed foods (if you have them in the house) or maybe even a cooked meal instead – all adding up over the day and increasing the washing up and filling up the bin!

There is also the likelihood that they will want to play with electrical goods while at home too – as this is where the power is.  No doubt they won't be choosing the watch nature programs and play online puzzles either – they will be watching endless American movies and playing tiny consumer games on they energy-intensive hand-held gadgets!

Share The Love:

I am well aware that all kids like different things – and that taking out 3 kids every day can be very time-consuming and sometimes expensive – I'm just suggesting that a simple trip to the park isn't so bad to force on them.

Many parents I know think that the local park is so boring – but that is a parent-only point of view.  We as adults just see the same old swing, round-a-bout and climbing frame – but the kids will see castles, speed trials and ways to show off their bravery (or stupidity in our eyes!).

I know of kids who beg their God Mother to take them around the block on their bikes every time she visits – just because it is something different for them – rather than a life-changing experience.

So going out for a walk or picnic isn't just great fun for the family and energy-saving - it can also inspire and entertain! 

Hello, and welcome to my short post about what we think about the 'eco perfect house'.

The personal limitations that we think about when we think of the perfect eco friendly house don't seem so difficult to achieve – like less meat, less energy, more local products and make do and mend.  It all makes perfect sense in a non-selfish energy-efficient sustainable way – but does it all add up to anything worth achieving?

Of course, we know that the world is fast running out of certain community 'ingredients' like oil, land, food etc – but are individuals willing to make that trade-off?

My Home:

Let's start with a few things about myself and my eco friendly home.  Firstly – let's get the big things out the way; I live in a one bedroom flat as there is only the one of me, and I don't have a car as I can walk, cycle or use public transport to get where I need to be for work and family.

I eat very little meat, prepare many meals in a batch as well as only shopping locally and growing a small amount of my own food on my allotment.

I don't buy any unnecessary electrical goods, clothes, consumer goods or furniture, and I only have a shower.  I don't have central heating or air conditioning as my flat is south-facing so I can regulate it's temperature as necessary.

All sounds good so far – doesn't it.  However, all is not as it seems……

My Life:

I forgot to mention that I only moved into the flat because I couldn't afford anything else – and it is right by a noisy train station in the middle of town where I hear sirens and alarms every day. 

photo credit: anemoneprojectors

It is the same reason why I don't have a car, don't eat meat and why I grow my own vegetables, create meals in batches, don't buy anything I don't need and why I don't have central  heating or air conditioning.

And for the sake of more money – I would change it all.

I know that we are all too demanding these days, and that we need to stop consuming on such a large scale.  I know that we should all live in a property that is perfectly suited to our needs without extra rooms or swimming pools – but if we had the money – I bet we all would!

I know that I would definately move into a home with a garden – as my allotment is miles away from my home as there are so few spaces anywhere else.  I would also start eating more meat and replace all my worn out, home-repaired clothes that I have hung on to for so long.

I would fit central heating into that property if it didn't already have it, and would enjoy more hot and deep baths!

Your Life:

Now to you.  Did you like my eco lifestyle before you thought about what it actually means to live that way?  Would you trade down to what should be your perfect eco home?  Or if you had more money – would you trade up to all the mod cons that we come to expect these days?

Obviously I wouldn't go leaving everything on full power all the time, heating empty rooms, waste food or clothes and wash one item of clothing on it's own - but the very act of living in a larger home would create more demand on the world.

I bet if you could – you would go one more: why not buy a huge home with walk-in wardrobes, sunken baths, indoor heated pools, and a cinema room and a tennis court – and why not a few horses, a yacht and a few trendy cars.

I bet if you won the lottery – most of you would upgrade a few things, even though you know the eco consequences. 

All these things aren't eco friendly – but it is what we expect these days.

Surely if you were rich, you wouldn't choose to live in a tiny flat and give up your car? 

photo credit: Udo Schröter