Eco Friendly House And Garden

Make some time to go to a show to get some top tips for your eco friendly house and garden!

The whole show doesn’t have to be uber green – just on the right theme, and then you can go and pick out the bits you like and put pressure on the companies that are not offering what you want!

Many tips and tricks for home redecorating or garden landscaping don’t have to be new-fangled and complicated – there are many things that we can do that are eco friendly without even trying!

Also at shows, you get to see products that aren’t found in supermarkets due to their ‘rules’ on listings, like biodegradable toiletries, organic foods and fair trade supplies.  You just won’t find these on the high street – so they bring them to the shows so you can get hands-on experience with them rather than blindly ordering things off the Internet!

1) The National Home Improvement Show - Earls Court, London
With over 18 exhibitors being from energy efficiency companies and talks and seminars from environmentally active lecturers and TV presenters – you know you could be on to a good thing here!

Take your pick from all the departments including renovations, kitchens, bathrooms and gardens as see if you can get some great advice on using the right resources, getting eco friendly appliances and other homewares as well as sustainable produced garden furniture and buildings.

2) The National Wedding Show – NEC, Birmingham
If you are even remotely thinking of getting married – then you must consider a trip to a wedding fair.  Weddings can cost at least £20,000 for a simple affair – so if you are after an eco friendly wedding, then you had better plan in advance to make sure that you get the best products and services booked up in advance – rather than have to settle for second best when you run out of time!

And, there are bound to be things involved with a wedding that you hadn’t really even considered looking in to like car hire and tablecloths!  At a show like this – they have already done all the thinking; just turn up with a notepad and pen and comfy shoes!

3) Mind, Body & Soul 2010 - Olympia, London
Take a day out to unwind from the stresses of life – and try out some of the great relaxation remedies, complementary therapies and practical sessions.

Find yourself surrounded by experts on stress, therapy, yoga and many other well known and well used techniques that could help you realise your potential and make some serious changes in your life, your work or your free time.

Raised Garden

4) Grand Designs Live – NEC, Birmingham
Covering everything from food to flowers, lofts to landscaping and from sash windows to sustainable sheds!

Seriously, it’s not just about buying a plot of land or derilict church and building a massive monstrosity on it like the earlier Grand Design TV Shows – its all about making things better, more eco friendly and long lasting – and not just for 1 home – but for whole communities.  

5) The Baby Show - Earls Court, London
Come here and find out about everything you will need for your little one before they arrive – and for your growing ones who need some new inspiration and equipment – or for yourself to help cope with the new lifestyle that is shaping your every day life.

Not only will your get the chance to try out all the existing products that are new to you – there will also be innovative products and companies out there with something new to the whole world!  Whether it’s a new eco friendly material, new biodegradable toiletries or organic baby foods – you can bet that it is all here!

So, what are you waiting for - make some space in your diary….

They are well known for their tireless work to help wetland birds – but there’s plenty more!

The RSPB Wildlife Charity based in the UK are here to protect more than just waders – they cover all sorts of wings, legs and trunks!

No, not elephants: trees, plants and whole habitats!  Saving 1 species of bird is virtually meaningless; as the birds need a place to live and feed too – so just focusing on 1 thing was never going to be a successful plan!  So they have expanded their range and set more targets for themselves.

So what are the 5 main aims of the RSPB today – other than just keeping british bird populations healthy – and how can you help then to increase their efforts!

1) Safeguarding The Sea!
We know that they are already working to protect, clean and manage inland waterways and estuarine environments – I mean, we have all been to one of their reserves – but what about the huge expanse of water along the coast and out to sea!

With the recent implementation of the Marine Act in England and Wales, they are working hard to give this environment the best protection they can as over 50% of the UK’s birds and wildlife rely on the sea for food and breeding.

However, the Act doesn’t extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland – so you could be working with them to protect these areas too.

2) Avoiding Extinctions:
By knowing which species are where in the UK, the RSPB can tell when they are in trouble and need a helping hand.  Sometimes this is just through careful monitoring, but more commonly it means taking drastic and emergency action.

Whether it’s the captive breeding of individuals, the re-introduction of others or the working in secret locations to protect small populations, they make sure that the few remaining birds have got the best chance possible to breed and rear healthy offspring.

And it’s not just in the UK that they are trying to save species, for example they have reduced the accidental deaths of 18 species of albatross by a whopping 85%.  Longline fishing around the Antarctic was killing 1000′s of these birds every year – and they hope to extend this success around the worlds other oceans.

3) Inspiring Indonesia!
Working overseas again, the RSPB is saving precious rainforest in Sumatra – aimed at the bird life but now protecting mammals, insects and amphibians too.

Providing and protecting a tropical habitat that is home to rare tigers, sun bear, monkeys and all sorts of colourful birds and other wildlife is their top priority in this region – and they hope to protect more land here and across the globe.

4) Coping With Climate Change:
They actively lobby the government on all issues they feel relevant to preventing any more climate changing activities like opening further coal-powered power stations and encouraging sustainable energy production, such as wind farms.

They arranged a hugely successful march through London last year – called The Wave – and are now asking the public to sign their ‘Letter to the Future’ so that a million voices can all tell the Government what we think our country should be doing for the Planet.

5) Countryside Fun!
What is the point in saving these habitats if nobody is going to use them?  So the RSPB work hard to make the countryside accessible for all by improving and expanding their reserves and other protected areas.

By encouraging schools and adults alike to respect and explore the Great Outdoors, they are helping to make sure that there are people in the UK today who will take care of our countryside in the future!

You can help by becoming a member for as little as £3 a month (less than the entry fee to 1 of their paying reserves) or a family from just £50 for the whole year!

Or you can offer to volunteer at a reserve near you and make a physical difference to the UK countryside and the wild places around you.

I know we don’t like salespeople calling us at home - but you might like what you hear these days!

Double & triple-glazed replacement windows are really looking like one of the most effective ways for your home and business to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

It’s all very simple really – stop heat escaping from your home and reap the rewards – both environmentally and financially.

Why Triple Glazing?
Well, double glazing works by trapping a layer of gas in between 2 panes of glass and so stopping the air from your home escaping into the outside world. 

Now, the atmosphere likes to balance itself out if it can so the cold air will be wanting to creep into your home anyway it can, and as a result will make your home cooler.

This double-pane approach will make this movement of air very difficult, and so keep you home on average warmer than a single glazed room.

This transfer of heat across a surface (the glass panel – from outside to inside) is called the ‘U Value’ and the lower the better in terms of energy loss from your home.

Single panes of glass have a value of around 5.8, with curtains pulled it drops down the 3.6!  And if you add secondary glazing you could drop as low as 2.9.

However, if you switch to air-filled double glazing  - this figure can get as low as 1.7 – and all the way to Argon-filled triple glazing can drop your U value right down to 1.4 – that’s 75% more efficient at retaining heat. 

Fitting The Windows:
Obviously, the first thing to do is decide what type of replacement windows you want – maybe have taken photo’s of neighbours windows for reference.

Then make sure you contact an agent that is a member of a recommended guild of association – like the Glass & Glazing Federation in the UK, like Everest Windows; or the Master Builders Association in the US, like Penguin Windows.

This way you can make sure that not only have the installers passed certain certification and are up-to-date with all current regulations – but that you will be getting a 100% effective Guarantee for the works carried out, something that you can pass on to the next owner of your home.

You can of course fit new windows and doors yourself, but you must fulfill certain criteria that you will have to find out for yourself first.  For example, to change any external windows or doors in your home you will need to apply to your local building regulations office for approval, as there are minimum requirements for the performance of the material used and thermal qualities!

And of course, if you fit them yourself you will have no guarantee of any kind.  The work and it’s lifespan are totally resting on your choices and your handiwork!

Is the old-fashioned paper magazine got to go if you are trying to create an eco friendly house?

Well, This is one that even I struggle with, as I love to hold things in my hand when I read them – especially if it about something that I am passionate about.

But should I feel guilty about all that paper, all that ink and all that postage?  Should I be scrolling down on my computer instead?

So, to help you decide, I am giving you the green versions of all the problems along the way - and why paper doesn’t have to be physically recycled to be eco friendly!

The Paper:
No longer does a magazine have to be made with illegally or unsustainably ‘farmed’ virgin pulp from the rainforests of the Amazon or Borneo.  It can be made from either recycled paper, or from FSC certified wood.

The first option means that you are actively making all your other recycling worth while as you are creating a market for used goods – and the more people that buy recycled goods, the more recycling we will see as a whole.

The FSC certified paper will mean that the paper you are reading has not been sourced from anywhere that is damaging the environment or the habitat that it came from.  And as new trees are planted all the time to keep the woodlands balanced, more carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere than if the existing ‘older’ forest remained intact.

The Ink:
There are many different inks available today that are less polluting than existing versions, and those that are made with vegetable oils are becoming much more common.  This trend means that the components of the ink are now naturally degradable rather than releasing man-made chemicals into the environment.

There are also techniques that mean that less ink is used per letter typed, therefore reducing the volume or ink used per magazine.

The Postage:
Many magazines are now packaged in biodegradable clear packaging – which will clearly state how to dispose of it – but there are many that are not – so you may need to write to them and ask why?

Also, many magazines (even those in biodegradable wrapping) and those who write about global issues, still fill their magazines with advertising material, which ultimately weighs down the overall package. 

Not only are these ‘leaflets’ making the postal service use more fuel to transport them (imagine 10,000 people all getting sent the same 3 leaflets extra – it soon adds up for more fuel), but they will no doubt get put straight into the recycling bin, as most people just want to read the magazine, not read about greener grass or an over 50′s health plan!

The Opposition:
So, should we all read our magazines online instead?  With no paper, ink, postage or deforestation to worry about it should be an easy decision, right?

One clear benefit will be financial – but not for you and your friends. If you can’t pass on your old magazines to your friends and family anymore, then they will all have to buy their own copy – which will mean that ‘real’ eco magazines will get 1000′s more £’s or $’s to put towards their green causes!

But on the not-so-positive side – well, lets just think about this first:  How green is the computer, laptop, e-reader or smart phone you are reading your online magazine on?

Now I know that there are many computers involved in the making of the paper magazine these days, but that’s where it stops.  So unless you have an eco friendly branded electronic device – how many rare minerals and toxic compounds have been used to create your ‘online magazine’?

And, are you charging your laptop or ‘phone with renewable green energy – or are you still using the uber polluting coal-fired electricity to keep your devices going?

And one final point is what will I read in my doctors waiting room if all magazines are online only?  Will the surgery need to provide e-readers for us all?  Or will we have to bring our own?

Low energy, CO2 reducing, HFC-free, natural materials, easy to maintain and fully compostable! 

Now that sounds a lot better than the high energy demanding, hydro-carbon filled, man-made material landfill site-filling drain on resources air conditioning units that we all know at the moment!

So if you are thinking of replacing or installing a new air conditioning system for your home or office, then maybe compare the benefits of this new system alongside the normal ones – and make you choice then.

The Financial Benefits Of The New System:
There are many many eco-friendly benefits of these new air conditioning units which I will list below, but there is also the financial costs too.  For example, the replacement filters can be fitted by you rather than having to call out an engineer, and the maintenance of the whole system is low from the start and it only costs about 10p per day to power.

You also need to input less energy into the units to keep them running as they transfer their energy very efficiently within themselves requiring less input from external energy sources.

And, they control the levels of carbon dioxide in your workspace.  Now we all know that a stuffy office is not conducive to work – and you normally fell like it’s time for a nap – but this is only due to the rise in the level of CO2 (the ppm count) with all those warm people breathing out!  So, if this level is maintained at a low level, everyone should be able to keep working and be more productive during the whole day.  And this mean better profits – essential for a small business!

The Green Credentials:
Here are some facts and figures from the Cool Phase website detailing the eco benefits of their great new invention!

• Each system installed could save around 800kg of CO2 a year.
• Units do not contains any ozone damaging refrigerants or contribute to excessive global warming.
• Outer casing is made from FSC approved plywood materials.  
• All materials used are natural, and so can be mashed up and composted at the end of their life.
• Units recover heat from their surroundings late in the day and store them until the following morning with no need for extra energy.
• If you live in the UK – this is a locally built product!

So, we should stop thinking of air conditioning as being a constant flow of freezing cold air into the workplace – but more of an ambient controlled atmosphere that actually does condition the air of your office, school or home for the better.

Better for the environment, better for your health and better for your wallet!

An eco friendly business doesn’t just talk about it – it acts on it!

Depending on the type of business that you run, or the company that you work for, there could be a certain amount of long-distance travel involved.  And long-haul means wasted time, staff not working and carbon emissions!

So Climate Care Day is asking: ‘Why not consider a ‘travel free’ day as part of your current business plan?’  This initiative supported by the WWF is trying to give you the opportunity to look at the alternatives, and make businesses more eco-friendly.

By asking you not to travel as part of your working day, they are trying to get businesses and individuals to think about the impact that their decisions can have on not only their business itself, but also on the wider environment.

What Are They Asking?
Basically, the idea of Climate Care Day is to get businesses to not arrange any long distance travel for that 24 hours.

So, on the 26th of March 2010, they are hoping that corporations will communicate via other means rather than face-to-face.

Whether this means individuals will communicate verbally by telephone, digitally via the internet or virtually with live video conferencing – it doesn’t matter.  As long as they haven’t flown or driven hundreds or thousands of miles to do it in person!

There are plenty of technological alternatives available to businesses today that can eliminate or reduce the need for business travel – and can save a lot of money in the process!

However, a lot of people are not thinking of these alternatives as they plod along doing everything as they have always done it.  Added to this is the problem of the changing market, where something that wasn’t really a viable option a few years ago is now readily and very often cheaply available.

Sometimes things that have always happened a certain way are seen as static – with no real reason to change it – well, if it has always worked like that – why change it?

But we have seen with the impressive speed with which cell phones have morphed into a huge array of handheld mobile technology gadgets that make phone calls, give you directions, display whole journals, film events, take pictures, search the internet and even play games.  Why would you still want to do all these things separately and as slowly as we used to do it?

Would you rather go to a library and scan through the paper index and individual paper journals to find a certain fact, when you could use the internet instead?  And why would you want to carry a camera, your cell and a laptop to review new products for your company, when a smart phone could do all 3 jobs in 1?

The same could be true for your business if you worked smarter – and it makes economic sense.  Save time, save money and reduce carbon emissions – but also create a better work environment and help society change for the better.

Why Do It?
Climate change is said to be the biggest threat to nature and humanity in the 21st century, and has now become a serious business issue.  Ignoring this could have detrimental effects on not only your own business itself, but on the way we work as a planet at the moment.

Coastal cities are having to make 25-year plans to move whole industries away from threatened coastlines.  You can’t just change the country’s infrastructure overnight!

And supplies and raw materials are changing – for example landfill sites are being raided for their raw ingredients which were buried in the past decades, and old computer parts are being harvested for the precious metals they contain.

We also know that in general things that stay the same are left behind.  I mean if you ran a business today that was based on using only dial-up internet- you would not be able to compete with others in the same market.

You don’t always need the newest inventions, or the most expensive – but you need a viable alternative that suits your business needs.

So, even if you can’t take part in this event, consider looking again at some business improvements – and become more eco friendly along the way.

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!!!