Eco Friendly House And Garden

It’s not always easy to pick a company to renovate your home that you can trust.

When you are thinking of changes to your home, you need to make sure that the company you choose will work closely with you on your designs, will respond to any changes you have along the way and of course they must offer the standard of work that you are hoping for.

If you are making eco friendly or even innovative changes to your home, then you really need to select a company that have many experience but also a company that other people have used and approved.

If you have certain requirements for your extension or re-fit, then you need to be able to trust your building company to carry out these wishes - for example sourcing materials that you specifically request - or offering better alternatives for the job that you hadn’t thought of!

One Such Firm:
There is a building firm in Australia that offer just this service for their customers.  These Sydney home builders show you exactly what they offer on their website - and have some great images of their past work for you to get ideas from.

They work very closely to match the requirements of their customers and make sure the finished product is better than their expectations!

The most important page is the aptly named ‘Word of Mouth’ section, easily reached from the home page.  Here there are testimonials from previous customers which really speak for themselves.

They aren’t a selection of 1-liners taken out of context and wrapped up in all fancy boxes - they are long and descriptive testimonials about how much they want to thank this company: Heddons, for the level of service and the finished product.  You can’t get better than that……

…….apart from the fact that these customers have also agreed to speak to anyone considering using this company for their first floor addition, in the Lower North Shore or their bathroom renovation, Mosman!

They also have a page dedicated to their project architects - it’s not just left ot the builders, it’s all overseen by certified professionals - so you don’t have to worry about finding one yourself.  There is a list on the website for you to choose from that they have preciously worked with. 

This ensures that work gets started fast and efficiently, as these 2 parts of the renovation team know how each other work through their past experience - so it cuts out all the paperwork and shortens the whole process for you - leaving you to think about what you want in your home, rather than who you want to do it!

The End Result:
When you decide to take on a large project for your home, you want to get the results you expected - and the only way to achieve this is to be able to communicate with your builder and for them to respect your choices.

From suppliers, to staffing, to materials and machinery - even through to the disposal of building waste - you can make sure these are all to your standards and that your new home doesn’t have a negative impact on others.

You can always get a cheaper price if you cold call local builders, or search online for: Home Builder Sydney (or wherever you live) - but you take the risk.

Trust your friends.  You can’t get a better service than from a recommended source!

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The RGS are hosting a fantastic EcoFair on the 5th and 6th of December in London.

They are bringing together some fantastic international eco friendly companies and charities to fill your day with excitement and fill your bags with great goodies!

Stalls include some of the old favourites like the RSPB selling wildlife gifts, memberships and information for your gardens and great days out and the CO-OP will be promoting their eco friendly and fair trade clothing ranges.

There are also products available from around the world, with alpaca clothing from Peru, ethical accessories from Nepal, hand-made silks from Cambodia and Luxury fabrics from India.

There are also creations from the UK, including recycled household goods, hand-made bespoke jewelry, fair trade organic babywear and luxurious oils and soaps.

There is also a free puppet show being performed at the show just after lunch time - called the Forest of Fables, and is performed using Japanese style puppets (made from recycled materials) to African music depicting well known Greek fables!

In addition, there is even a puppet making session beforehand - so your children can make their own recycled puppet like those from the show and learn how the show is put together - including a sneak preview at some of the songs - and they get to keep their puppet!

The whole show is free entry to all - with free fairtrade wine for all RGS members and guests - see the RGS website for more details……..

A friend recently fell in love with my bathroom after a nights sleep-over!

I have underfloor heating in there, and she just loved stepping out of the shower and onto a lovely warm floor!  The heating was installed in the bathroom and the kitchen after we moved in, and I love it!

We originally had it installed when we moved into an old Victorian terraced house - with little space for a modern kitchen - and no discernible bathroom!  The bath was sitting in a lean-to at the back of the property, with pipes running down the wall for taps and a creaky and gappy wooden door out to the garden!

We had to re-design the back of the house to fit a real bathroom and didn’t want to waste an inch of what space we had with radiators - so did a bit of research on our options for heating the 2 rooms.

I was very pleased with the result, and have not regretted it at all.

So, How Did We Do It?
Firstly, we consulted a plumber as we were needing to fit a new condensing boiler at the same time.  He said that he had been fitting more an more underfloor heating systems in the past few years - and he even had it in his house too!

It’s really simple to do as well if you are laying a new floor - as we were - and you just need to lay enough flexible cable under the surface to create an even spread and then lay the floor as usual.  We had tiles in the bathroom and bamboo in the kitchen - not a problem he said.

It also turns out that there are many other benefits to underfloor heating other than not needing to cover your walls in radiators when you really need another cupboard there!

The Main Benefits:
Where shall I start - there are so many? 

Well, for starters it is more energy efficient to run this type of heating over conventional central heating, and the average home could increase efficiency of the whole system by between 10-25% - this can rise to around 60% more efficient in offices with high ceilings. 

Think of the money and energy you could be saving - plus being warmer in your own home or office!

The main reason for the savings is because radiators heat the room by convection; that is all their hot air is forced out of the radiator and then it rises up the wall towards the ceiling.  It only descends into the room after it has cooled slightly - and then heats your head while keeping your feet cold! 

Added to this, it is standard practice to place radiators underneath windows to counter the draughts - but inevitably helps you lose heat out of the windows before it even hits your ceiling in the first place!

Also, the pipes leading to the radiators are usually running along your walls are boiling hot - losing heat as they go (well, if the pipes feel hot, then they are releasing that heat before they get to the radiators)!  Finally, your radiators need the temperature of the water inside to be around 60-70 degrees to be effective - a temperature that can only be reached by burning gas and fossil fuels.

The exact opposite is true of underfloor heating.  Firstly, the heat rises slowly out of the floor creating an ambient temperature and no draughts.  It doesn’t move warm and cold air around the room, taking dust and allergens with it - it just creates a warm room and warm toes!

Secondly, all the pipes are under your floor so are only ‘losing heat’ up into your home - which is just where you want it.  And, there is no risk of children or the elderly scalding themselves on the pipes or radiators - all the heat is safely underground.

And thirdly, underfloor heating can run at a much lower temperature, therefore can be powered by energy sources such as solar and both air and ground source heat pumps instead of burning coal, oil or gas.

Further Benefits:
There are other benefits to this form of heating other than just more efficient heating and money saving running costs, and they include:

Reduced Allergies - With no convection currents circulating around your home, you will have less trouble with floating allergens and dust.
Better Design - With no bulky, hot radiators around your walls and hallways, you can change the layout of your home to suit you - not to simply ‘fit’ in.
Reduced Maintenance - With no fiddly radiators and pipes to clean, dust or paint, you can keep your home clean and tidy - or even repaint it - without having to spend extra time, energy and resources working around these space-wasters!
Less Stress On Your Boiler - Running at lower temperatures will be better for the life-span of your boiler.

So, don’t put ‘new slippers’ on your shopping list for gifts - put ‘underfloor heating’ instead!

If you can help others to make small changes, you could spread the word…..

Working from home can take on a whole new meaning if you are interested in interior design - and have an eco friendly twist.  By helping others to make little changes in their homes, you can have a larger influence on your local environment and small businesses.

We all know that you can get more eco friendly furniture and fittings, but many people just don’t have the time to find these alternatives - and many assume that they will be more expensive in the first place.  So if you were in the driving seat of their home changes - and had a link to all the big interior design suppliers like Colefax & Fowler - you could find all the best options on their behalf - leaving them free to enjoy their new home.

Getting Your Supplies:
If you are new to the business, or you are having trouble finding suppliers for small scale operations, then why not contact someone who has already got the large contracts - and buy through them.  This way, you don’t need to worry about meeting minimum orders and weights - this larger firm will be buying enough to reach everyone’s requirements.

Take a company like Idolum Design Resources.  They have all the large design and material suppliers working with them - all you need to do is add your order to the orders of all their other small designers and hey presto - the order is a whopper and everyone gets their stock on time - and the best prices!

They can even offer sample books for consultations and offer all the services you will need as you are expanding your business and are easy to access online - so saving on travel time!

Never Compromise Again:
Whether it’s upholstery for a sun lounger or curtain poles for bay windows, they can get it for you.  You never have to worry about compromising on what you really want for your designs because of supplier restrictions.  If you want it - just order it!

All your eco design dreams could come true for your clients and your own home if you started taking a keener interest in the eco friendly alternatives (or just avoiding the ‘baddies’).  And with a network of great designers, suppliers and manufacturers at your finger tips, you are well on your way to improving your eco lifestyle!

Enjoy Your Designs!!!

Funding conservation of an animal can help protect the very place you love to visit!

If you sponsor an animal for someones birthday or wedding present or even a corperate gift, you could actually be saving the area of the world that that person (or you yourself) loves the most!

If wildlife societies and international conservation societies need to save the vampire bats that live in South and Central America, then they will also be protecting the places that they live in. 

This will also, in turn, help preserve all the other species that help form and maintain that particular ecosystem - leaving the rainforest for you to visit on your next vacation - or at least to watch on TV knowing that you have helped to keep it intact!

Why Just 1 Species?
It’s not really just the one species that you will be saving, but it gives you a particular focal point from which to begin your adventure. 

Nobody wants to receive a toy tree for their gift - but if you can put a face on something that lives there, it can make a difference.  I know I’d rather receive a cuddly animal than just an information sheet!

Also, there is no single environment that is made up of just one species - they belong to a whole network of animals and interations.  I remember one study on how to save one species that opened a whole can of worms!

There was the main species (animal A) that was becoming ‘at risk’ of extinction, so they needed to find out about it; what it ate and where it lived.  The tree it lived in was very numerous which was good news - until they found out that it was only fertilised by a certain bird (animal B) that had to eat the seeds first before they would germinate - and that bird was becoming rarer and rarer…….

So, to save Animal A, they needed to save animal B first!  So they had to find out what animal B ate and where animal B lived and so on.

So by investing in an animal adoption of just 1 species, you are automatically contributing to saving a whole network of other animals and plants that make up the environment it lives in!

If you like a particular animal - then by all means invest in conservation for that in every way - but if you want to help save a certain area of the world - like the Arctic circle (polar bear or walrus), the African Savannah (meerkat or cheetah), the oceans (sea turtles and dolphins) or the rainforest (jaguar, toucan, vampire bat, three-toed sloth or spectacled bear,etc) then get sponsoring!

PS: It’s also and eco-friendly gift in the sense that you don’t need to wrap it up with shiny paper and sticky tape - AND - it creates no waste! Perfect all round!

Start your search with WWF and enjoy yourself…..

Choosing The Right Font For Your Printing & Help Save The Planet!

Well, I’m not saying that this new invention will drastically reduce levels of methane in the atmosphere, nor will it clean up the oceans and help coral to re-grow - but it will make a difference to your contribution to other environmental issues haunting us today.

It will save ink - lots of it.

What Is This Great Idea?
Basically it’s a typeface - like Verdana or Tahoma - that has got holes in it!

It’s called EcoFont, and at normal printing sizes (size 10 for example) it looks just like every other mainstream font. Perfect for printing your emails or on-line receipts.

You can’t see the holes in the letters until you make the font larger - for example up to size 32, but for normal use you won’t really notice them. So you can carry on as normal.

Apparently the Dutch company that invented this EcoFont are called Spranq, and they say that this will save a fifth of the ink used in similar fonts - that is a lot of ink for personal uses.

And let’s be honest, there isn’t a lot of personal printing that needs to be in perfect font, apart from the odd letter to the bank or a job application. The rest of the stuff you print won’t do any harm if it’s a bit ‘holey’ will it?

What Can You use It For?
Well, you can download the font free from ecofont.eu and get a good look at it and see what size you are happiest with - or whether the holes at the larger sizes even bother you that much anyway.

And it can only be used for printing drafts of homework and things at the last minute anyway. I mean, you can write you essays or reports in your preferred fonts and sizes, and only when you want to print the draft can you highlight the whole thing and change the font to EcoFont before printing.

After you have printed you can hightlight it all again and return it to your nice fancy font for the final report. That way it doesn’t have to be your ‘new font’ for ever - it can be your new printing font!

And why would the kids mind if their things were printed in a font with microscopic holes in it anyway?

Think of the money saved in ink-cartridges and the reduced pressure on natural resources by using a fifth less ink than you currently do!

Add this to other eco-office inventions such as the Eco Printing Software and recycled paper and you could be eco friendly and money-saving at the same time!

Do You Read Your Local Newsletter For Local Events & Services?

I recently visited a small village down the road from the town I live in, and found that they publish their own little newsletter every month - for 35p!

Now, I know I don’t live in the villages that it covered, but I do regularly walk in the woods and hills surrounding them and so found many of the articles and adverts of great interest.

There was a nature walk organised for the plantation that I often wander through - run by the very people who manage it - great first step to getting involved in that. There was also a cream tea party and book sale at the local vicarage and a guided tour of the local castle!

All run by local people for local people.

Now, I know that larger towns tend to have a local daily newspaper, but they focus on either current national stories or paid articles. Whereas this cute little 30-page offering was writing about local areas of natural beauty, historic homes, wildlife and the local National Trust property.

The adverts included to help fund it were all for local tradesman who have been working in the area for decades and offered personal services that were sometimes very specific to that area like thatched roofing or chimney cleaners which made it all the more personal.

So, What’s My Point?
Well, if you live near or regularly use a village or countryside area, then why not find out from the local store or public house if they have a local newsletter that you can buy or subscribe to. This way you can find out about local events that are outside of the normal ‘town’s’ reach. I mean nearly all the events in the booklet I found hadn’t been advertised in my local newspaper.

And if there isn’t one already on the go, then why not start one yourself. I don’t mean get a printing firm to start reeling of hundreds of copies - because this one I have is just sheets of paper printed at home, folded in the middle and stapled together. All in black and white.

It’s not the appearance that is important with something for the smaller community - its the team work and the ‘clubbing together’ that gets everyone involved.

Fancy a go yourself?

Whether you are buying crisps, pet food or office equipment - look for the logo!

The Ethical Accreditation Scheme has been running for many years, helping to identify the most ethical companies in all areas of the market.  All those who pass the basic criteria can then display the Good Shopping Guide Logo on their products and websites so that you know you are choosing from the best out there.

For example did you know something as simple as choosing Sainsbury’s over Spar or Teacher’s whisky over Bell’s could be affecting the environment and even peoples lives?

What Is The Scheme About?
The Ethical Company Organisation runs the UK’s leading ethical accreditation scheme to help identify companies and brands that are one step ahead of the competition in terms of their impact on the environment, animal welfare issues if applicable, human rights, responsible marketing and suppliers and their ethical investment policies - amongst other criteria.

The ’scoring’ takes into account many aspects of trade and staffing, and then allows for full accreditation if all categories are met.  It also allows for other companies to be listed as ‘almost there’ and those that are no good at all really!

The History Of Ethical Shopping.
In the past 2 decades - ethical shopping has come along in leaps and bounds.  People as consumers are actually asking where their ’stuff’ comes from.  And are finding out that Brother make more ethical products than Samsung or Xerox for example.  Where products are not that different in appearance of function - it’s good to know that your choice can help make a difference.

Picking one brand of toaster could help support the sale of armaments and abuses of human rights where as another could be preserving habitats and helping to encourage fair trade.  The difference to you could be just 50 pence, but the difference to the whole chain of people associated with the raw materials and production could mean life or death!

1986 saw the boycott of General Electric for it’s involvement with nuclear weapons, 1989 saw Avon in the public eye for animal testing, then in the 1990’s Nestle were forced to rethink their Baby Milk marketing after the truth was exposed.  1994 saw the timber trade in the spotlight and France itself had to do some serious ‘fixing’ after it’s nuclear tests were thrown into the news during the following year.

Since then, there have been some serious changes in policy for most major areas like animal testing, the timber trade, marine and dolphin fishing, fair trade coffee and chocolate becoming mainstream and many many more - including the new palm oil certification.

Consumers want to know everything - and they know that they can make a change now.

Visit www.gooshing.co.uk for some information that can help you decide if Hula Hoops are a more ethically responsible choice than Pringles; whether your cooking oil manufacturer is supplying weapons to troubled countries or whether your sewing machine is harming animals!

Take a look……

Renewing your magazine subscription on time is helping the environment?

I recently received a subscription reminder for my National Geographic membership - way in advance of my current subscription ending.  And I almost put it to one side.

Knowing that I would renew it - why did I leave it to one side for later?  Was it because I thought why give them my money several months before they needed it?  Was it because I was hoping to book a vacation and thought I’d leave the money in my account just in case? 

It doesn’t matter why - because I didn’t do it in the end - I paid for another 2 years (the most you can pay for in advance) there and then.

Why Was I So Prompt?
Firstly, I know that - like every other organisation in the world - they would remind me again nearer the time - sometimes several times in fact so there was no chance that I would forget to do it.  And that was one of the reasons.

Why create all that extra administration and paperwork and postage and energy waste - when all I needed was 1 piece of paper.

If you follow the possible paper and energy trail of not renewing until the last minute - it starts to get a bit messy……

1) Computer system at NG HQ flags my account up as needing renewing - so 1 staff member or just the computer software itself triggers the 1 renewal letter to be sent to me - along with the renewal form and their standard complimentary envelope.  It gets printed, gets posted and gets delivered to my door.

2) I receive the reminder and leave it on the side.

3) After receiving no reply, the NG computer triggers a further reminder letter, payment form and complimentary envelope which is printed, posted and delivered again.

4) I receive the reminder and immediately throw it away into the recycling - as I know I already have the original form - and I remind myself to send it off this time - but leave it a week or so.

5) The NG computer still hasn’t received my renewal and has passed through various screening systems that NG staff are no doubt monitoring and keeping details of.  This processing isn’t free and certainly uses up a lot of NG’s time and resources.

The system then triggers a final reminder letter for me - with the obligatory renewal form and envelope - all printed, posted and delivered.

6)  I receive the final reminder and am encouraged to act on it - sending the payment in the post - and throwing out the other reminder letter, form and envelope for recycling.

I’m also sure that if you allowed your subscription to expire - that most companies would continue to write to you to try to in you back again - wasting more resources and putting up the price of it in the process! 

I mean they can’t staff all those offices, computers and memberships and send all those letters for free every 12 months to millions of people!

What a waste!

And It Doesn’t End There…..
I have the choice to renew for either 1 or 2 years on the form - and if I only do 1 year - this all gets repeated every 12 months!

If you can subscribe for longer - do so.  Not only does this save on renewal paperwork - but it’s better for you!  You get to pay today’s price for it rather than the cost in 2 or 4 years time - which will no doubt be higher!

If memberships give you the chance to sign up by direct debit then do this instead as it saves them having to send out the renewal form and envelope to you - they just need the ‘Thank You’ letter to be sent every year.  You sometimes get a better deal this way too as you are saving them money.

If your membership company is a UK charity - then make sure you sign up for the Gift Aid scheme - where they can claim back the tax on your donation or membership fee - raising more money for something you believe in and support - and at no extra cost to you!

If you can, sign up for their details and/or magazines to be sent to you via email - saving on printing and postage.  Make sure that you also tick the boxes to say that you don’t want to receive whatever it is that you know you won’t read - that way you get less wasted mail - whether it’s their newsletter or junk mail.

If you are joining a company for the first time - make sure you tell them if you do not want their ‘joining’ gift.  Again, this will save them money and ultimately the environment as it won’t be affected by them getting it to you!

And Finally:
Unless it says FREEPOST only on the envelopes - always put your own stamp on the envelope so that the companies you are supporting can keep more money for themselves.

Companies or charities with more money in the bank (rather than being spent on postage and renewal letters) will ultimately stay in business longer, give you a better service and achieve their goals more successfully as a result!

There is now a water-saving, carbon-reducing, fuel-efficient, cost-effective and longer-lasting way to keep your windows clean!

Using advanced IT software and a specially designed solution, an established window-cleaning firm in London can now offer you just that. Whether you are a home-owner, tenant, tower block owner - or looking for commercial window cleaning in London - you can make use of their services.

It was quoted that a well known local car firm is now saving over £3000 each year on window cleaning by using this new technology to clean up their showroom!

Who Are They?
They are called NCPM247 and have been trading in the city since 1985. They are aiming to become the most eco friendly and technologically advanced window cleaning company in London.

They have become very aware of the restrictions on water use, the congestion in London, rising fuel costs, environmental issues and carbon emissions and also the ‘working at height’ government regulations and sought to find a way to work within these guidelines and still offer an excellent service. And, with an eye to the future.

They have also taken on board modern IT technology to improve their existing company. By taking advantage of the current rise in the use of and accessibility to satellite imaging software including Google Street View, they are able to offer instant (and exact) customer quotes.

Rather than arranging to drive to the customers property to give an accurate quote, they can offer a full quote while on the ‘phone during the first call, therefore booking the first appointment straight away. No extra journey needed - and no time out of your day to show them around!

What Makes Their Cleaning Different?
Firstly, they offer the ‘quote on the phone’ service as above to save time and money from the very start.

Secondly, they drive through London in their fleet of environmentally friendly cars!

Thirdly, they use their unique hydrophobic cleaning materials to keep your windows cleaner for longer. This ’secret ingredient’ coats your windows in a protective - and eco friendly - layer that actually repels water from it’s surface.

Therefore, when it rains, the rain itself is forced away from the glass and washes off any dust and dirt from the window! It creates virtually ’self-cleaning’ glass.

As a result of this, your windows will stay cleaner for longer - usually about 3 months longer - but can be as long as a year! Thinks of the savings in money with only 4 visits a year - and those reduced visits saving on fuel, time and carbon emissions! Things you won’t find with other greater or central London window cleaners
Check out their website for more information and to get a quote yourself!

Fourthly, the way the windows are cleaned actually uses only a tiny fraction of the water that would normally be used for window cleaning. Treatment of all windows (inside and out) with NCPM247 takes only about 1 litre of pure water for an average 4-Bed house. With standard cleaning techniques this rises to about 25 litres! Virtually unacceptable these days.

Add to this that the same house only needs about 4 visits a year to stay clean - that is only 4 litres of water a year. The same house would need cleaning at least every month with an ordinary window-cleaner - that’s a staggering 300 litres of water!  Not to mention all that driving!

There are many more things that are not eco friendly based that make this company stand out, including fully insured cleaners, security-checked staff, use of protective footwear when cleaning interior windows, abseiling staff for taller buildings, 9 meter cleaning poles to save use of noisy machinery and so much more.

Whether you care about the environment, the cost, or just a great first impression of your business from the street - it’s all in one here. You can’t go wrong!

Window Cleaners, London