Eco Friendly House And Garden

‘The uncomfortable truth about Biodiversity’, he says….

Basically this book explains how looking to save just one species out of a whole ecosystem is not the way forward for saving biodiversity.

And to prove it, he opens up with an Introduction with an image of a Dodo. Are we ecologically worse off after we lost the Dodo as a species?

The Book Itself:
This book is a very easy to read description of how science works in practice. And that sometimes this results in ‘bad’ things.

The Author helps to explain even the simplest concepts about why biodiversity exists (usually due to a poor or limited environment) and how saving or losing key species can have disasterous consequences.

He also uses fantastic and sometimes unbelievable facts about species and habitats that were even a surprise to me after having read widely about these things. And he managed to put a new ‘twist’ on some already obvious facts with cited examples across the globe.

He is not out to ‘pick holes’ in conservation work or the studies of biodiversity across the globe; he just states statistical facts based on current figures that can’t really be argued with (although changes in our behaviour could always change the end results).

He also makes it clear that ‘saving the planet’ and it’s ecosystems and environments is a totally different science to ‘saving the panda’ or any single species or plot of land. Frighteningly he places an argument that we could easily and cheaply save nearly half of the worlds land surface which is currently ‘wildlands’ and where there are less than 5 humans per square kilometer.

But we don’t (or haven’t yet) as they aren’t really ‘worth’ anything to us and have very low biodiversity.

However the services they could provide (for free) for humans is priceless – but we seem to want to save every species rather than just the habitats they live in.

I totally agree that our actions are a tiny bit selfish – in general we want to save cute pandas and butterflies more than pristine but ‘boring’ plains and tundra – but he lets us know that this is quite a good option for saving ourselves. After all, we can’t live on this planet if there is no food or clean water for us all.

Result: 5/5
I couldn’t put this book down! I loved every page and every fact!

It is a reasonably small book too which made for great readability – as you knew it wouldn’t take long to glean all his wonderful and truthful facts from.

I work in one of the environments that he discusses in the book, and he certainly showed me a different side to it – as well as a new look at the principles of evolution and indicator species too.

He has also written a few others books that I can’t wait to get my hands on…..

ISBN: 978-1-900322-86-7

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……

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

Shouldn't being eco friendly be easier than not being green?

Why do so many eco friendly alternatives mean 'putting yourself out' or taking longer to get things done?  When you are a busy mum or are running a tight business – green alternatives should be making your life easier – not slowing you down!

So, I have found a few great eco inventions that could make being eco aware that much easier – and hopefully save you time and money along the way…..

Whole House Switch Off:
Why waste time checking all your plugs and appliances are switched off before leaving the house – because if you are in a hurry – you might not be so thorough!

By wiring up your whole home – or just parts of it – to 1 single 'OFF' switch your life couldn't be easier!  Obviously it won't be linked up to your fridge and freezer, or anything else you need to leave on – but all the lights, TV's and other appliances will switch off until you return home!  Easy.

Power Aware Cord:
If you don't fancy a giant one off switch, then maybe glowing power cables can make it easier to see if things are switched off before you go to bed rather than climbing behind units and cabinets to check the wall switch.

Strida 3 Folding Bike:
Rather than having to carry around your bike seat, take spare clothes to work or wipe oil off your trouser leg – you could ride a tiny folding bike instead!  Gone are the days when a bike was in 1 piece and you needed to worry about leaving it outside.  No more riding in the rain or catching your shin on the pedals when pushing your bike into the garage! 

This neat little bike folds up so easily and is so portable that you have nothing preventing you cycling to work or town knowing that you can still pop inot the shops – or catch a bus if it starts raining!  And they are thinking of making an even smaller, lighter version too….

Eco Friendly Room Dividers:
There are several different eco friendly room dividers on the market that can change the appearance and layout of a room without resorting to stud walls, re-decorating or demolition. 

Either made or felt, wood, eco-friendly plastics or strengthened cardboard and designed in a modular fashion – these 'walls' could be made, shaped or moved to suit your needs – without great cost.  And coming in a variety of colours – they could act as temporary 'wall paper' as well then changed with the seasons being used again and again over time.

Just keep them coming…. We need more like these……

What is this eco friendly living method that is creeping into our lives?

You have probably heard of the Permaculture movement, but aren't really sure what it is all about.  The prefix 'perm' doesn't immediately sound eco friendly or green, but suggests permanency – long term goals and aims.

But long term 'culture'?  The word doesn't instantly connect with your changing lifestyle – but it could.

Define Permaculture:
Well, there are plenty of definitions all revolving about the same point but emphasizing the particular niches within it:

"Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies."

"Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems. This synergy is further enhanced by mimicking patterns found in nature."

"Permaculture is sustainable land use design. This is based on ecological and biological principles, often using patterns that occur in nature to maximize effect and minimize work."

"A system of perennial agriculture emphasizing the use of renewable natural resources and the enrichment of local ecosystems."

Basically, permaculture can be seen as a way of living and farming in synch with the way that nature would do it herself.

In the way that natural cycles in weather, plant distribution, human activities and so forth carry on regardless when unaffected by humans – why can humans fit into that system rather than change it?

Forests grow from bare rock in nature; each plant or animal finding the best way to fit in to the changing habitats – so why can't humans exploit that natural series of events to help them survive – and without affecting it adversely.

Change Isn't Always Good.
We know that over time, a heath will become overgrown with scrub plants which will eventually turn into trees and so a woodland is born – and this is the way that nature works best. 

But when humans want the land to stay free of trees – they have to go against that very natural pattern – and this takes time, energy and money.  For example, large scale farmers have to plough the land regularly to stop other plants growing, kill insects with chemicals, kill wildlife by other means and basically fence off the natural habitats long term and feed and water it excessively in order to grow the 1 thing they want.

However, permaculture looks at growing crops that are naturally occurring there – or can grow well in that location without draining on resources or getting rid of natural plants and animals as a result.

It still isn't an easy job as you need to be able to survive on these crops and make a living from them- but you use nature to help you farm and grow them instead of chemicals and a life-long battle!

The Basic Plan:
Permaculture is a working science with some very technical examples - but its principles can be easily understood.

Ideally a working system would use less energy, increase productivity and help restore or balance the natural environment.

For example housing the duck pond near your flower garden or veg patch so that these ravenous feeders can eat all your garden slugs for free (saving you food for them and chemicals to kill your slugs).  Or growing mature trees over your water source, so that less water evaporates from it and the plants can water themselves. 

photo credit: george.schon

Much of this you might think is common sense – yet we still buy white bread (which has most vitamins and minerals bleached out of it – with man-made vitamins and minerals added back in afterwards) and we sell all our home-grown milk to other countries and then buy milk back from yet more countries to make up the difference!

And the principles of permaculture are just applied to farming methods – they can be applied to almost any human environment including cities!

But that's a whole other story……

A Real Guide To Sustainable Living – they say, and they mean business. 

This isn’t a book that you can take lightly – it is full of maths and equations to justify their suggestions; and some things really need explaining as they turn common eco conceptions on their head!

Basically this book explains how we should be approaching our lives if we truly want to live an eco friendly lifestyle – or to live ecologically within our ‘allotted’ means.  By ‘allotted’ they mean if we are only to use our fair share of worldly resources rather than just putting a green angle onto everything we do.

And to prove it, they open up with a look at the widely held beliefs of the world without even considering the eco consequences to see what we are expecting the Earth to do for us as we are today.  From there, they try to whittle us down to what the Earth can actually do for us.

The Book Itself:
The book is something you need to read with a notepad and calculator on one side and some strong coffee on the other!

I have a basic grasp of ‘footprints’, ‘embodied energy’ and the worlds finite resources – but the maths part was a bit too much to keep on top of piled thick, as it was, in the body of the text.

They did have a huge number of very easy to understand charts and tables of everything they were talking about (which helped make up for skipping all the equations) and I didn’t loose the thread of their arguments by not reading all the numbers and MJ’s etc.

The Authors help to explain why some of the things that we assume would be eco friendly turn out not to be based on a bigger picture – for example walking isn’t that ecologically sensible if you are getting all your energy (ie eating) processed cheeseburgers from a store.  Basically, the energy chain of land use, transport, chemicals, packaging, heating, storing and selling the burgers in the first place is so huge that the ‘eco’ effort of walking fuelled by burgers wasn’t really ‘saving the planet’.

photo credit: Bob B. Brown

Similarly a 20 minute shower in an eco friendly low-water shower still uses nearly twice the amount of water than a 5 minute shower in an old-style water-intensive shower.  Further more, sharing a bath between 2 people uses around the same water per person as that same eco-friendly – but long – shower.

They use compelling reasoning to hold this all together as well as extensive research data from around the globe.  And even though a lot of their arguments offer very simple solutions to the World’s ecological problems – much is still recommending a somewhat ‘alternative’ lifestyle, where you use hemp for clothes, buy less things, stay ‘behind the times’, somewhat, live in smaller houses with the lights off and share things with other people rather than buying your own.

Now I know that this will all reduce our eco footprints and keep our emissions down and the world turning – but these aren’t the eco friendly living tips that people want to hear.  The people that do want to hear this are probably already aware of most of their discussions already.

I totally agree that our actions are sometimes more important that the eco technology that is on offer (like flushing the toilet less times will save more water than flushing more times with a low-flush mechanism, and choosing a small basic home will be better in terms of resources than living in an enormous eco friendly house) but I think that it is preaching to the converted.

Result: 3/5:
Even if my not-so-eco-friendly friends could have forced themselves to have read this entire book in the first place, I don’t think they would be heeding much of it’s advice.

I think it is a great text-book style book and can really help to compare ecological differences between common activities and products, but I don’t think it will change peoples attitudes in the style in which it is written. 

Although I really enjoyed several section of this book, I noticed a flaw.  They spend so long working out the embodied energy (EE) of a product (or the products and activities that went into making the parts for that oringinal product) that they sometimes considered slightly different things as important in each case.

For example, in the only section of the book that I had a really good knowledge of (pets) they managed to completely write off the transport angle for the tinned food in their comparison of dog and cat food (even though they went into shoe leather replacement in the walking vrs driving section).  They say that the eco effect of tinned packaging was negligible because we are encourage to recycle tins!  Well, how on earth do they intend to get these tins to those 76.5 million hungry cats worldwide without making an ecological impact?

And secondly their argument included showing that a cat food with less meat content made less of an impact (obvious when you consider the land used for beef and the land used to grow the winter food for beef as well) – however, cats that are fed on low amounts of meat will be more likely to become ill, get dry skin, loose hair, get gum disease etc (as not enough meat or too much vegetable matter isn’t good for a cat).  As a result – you will be using your vet more often or maybe adding shampoos and supplements to your cat to ‘cover up’ all these new problems.

Now I’m sure that these cosmetics and medicines (and trips to the vets) have just as much of an impact as adding the few extra percents of meat in their food in the first place.  High quality dried pet food are fed in smaller quantities as other foods, and are known to reduce these health (and aesthetic) problems – as well as coming in bulk paper packaging instead of heavy, bulky tins filled with 80% water!

They also said that a well handled hamster will be happy to live on it’s own – where infact the most common type of hamster (the Syrian hamster) will ONLY ever live on it’s own.  If you put 2 in the same cage, they will no doubt fight to the death within just a few days!

So now, can I really believe all the other comparisons they made in areas that I know little about?

ISBN: 978-0-500-28790-3

Now that the Holidays are over – you will have plenty of things ‘left over’.

It’s not just the food that gets left over after all your family have finally gone home – there are all sorts of other things around the house that need to either be stored for the year, re-used, recycled or given away! 

However – the food is the easiest to sort out – so make that your priority!  No matter how much you plan to buy less this year – it doesn’t always work out like that – so sometimes you end up with much more than you wanted – but don’t worry – you can make it all go to good use if you think ahead!

photo credit: Dplanet::

So, get your pen and paper to hand, and start sorting everything out!

First Things First:
Before you can start making plans for your left-overs – you need a diary!  You ned to be able to plan not only the next 4 weeks – but also the whole next year.

Ideally you will have the next 4 weeks on a day to day diary – and then the rest in months – this way you can organise which days you need to have eaten certain foods by and which days you already have plans for, and then dot things off into the future for birthdays, holidays and next winter!

It’s amazing how quickly days can come around when you are working and visiting friends!

Food For Thought:
So, starting in the fridge you can start planning your food – as this food normally has the shortest dates!

Go through everything in the fridge and write it down on a sheet of paper with the latest date you could eat it by; then look at fruits, cakes and breads etc, working your way through absolutely everything you have in the freezer and cupboards – including those traditionally ‘long-dated’ items – just to be sure. 

I’ve noticed stores selling very short-dated items over the holidays as people are just buying everything!  So never assume that things have long use-by dates – check everything properly.

Once you have listed everything, you can start to put them in date order and plan your meals over the next few weeks.  That way, you can plan to eat everything before it goes out of date – wasting as little as possible!

By actually having a list of when you need to eat or drink things by infront of you – you will be able to see what you can’t use in time – and so could open up the opportunity to invite people over to yours to help finish it off – or take things over to someone else’s house when you visit them!

New Creations:
Don’t forget that food doesn’t need to be thrown away by it’s use-by date if it is made into something else; for example all those root vegetables could be made into a lovely soup and frozen for another month!

Once cooked – meats can be frozen, bakery and dairy can also be preserved ‘on chill’ for many weeks after they can be used in their refrigerated state.  So by using your kitchen skills and your left-overs – you could spread your food over the next month without really trying too hard!

I know your compost heap might miss out on a few things – but we all know that food is in short supply on a world-wide scale, so why not make better use of it all – even if it means buying a specialist book on it – and trying some new dishes with the family!

Future Gifts:
No doubt, on your list there are boxes of chocolates, biscuits, wine and other products that have another 6 months or a year or 2 still to go – so why not think about keeping them to hand for upcoming birthdays and as yet unplanned dinner parties with family and friends.

I have biscuits for cheese and bars of chocolate that has more than a year on it that I am planning to hold on to in my ‘spare’ kitchen cupboard for some get togethers!

Of course – you are more welcome to eat them all yourself!

Rather than settling for what you have – why not think about getting a new qualification!

Many people have a passion.  A passion that means that they are willing to spend endless hours learning about it regardless of the money or time it takes up of their lives.

Whether it’s a passion that means that they walk miles through the countryside watching out for wildlife, trek to the highest mountains, junp off the highest mountains or swim under the ocean.

We don’t get paid for these passions – we just do them.  But what if there was a way to make that passion pay the bills?

What Is Your Passion?
Regardless of what makes you tick – you can make a career of it.  I mean we all have skills and qualifications from a work perspective to make sure the bills are paid.  And if you work in a shoe shop, you will soon know everything there is to know about feet and insoles – whether you want to or not!

But, have you spent the time to take a course or get qualified in your passion? 

Like watching wildlife? Then think safari tour guide. Like diving?  Then think PADI instructor.  Like children?  Think skills mentor.

photo credit: ReneMT

But you can’t put ’20 years walking in a local woods’ down on your CV for that perfect job.  And ‘always loved kids’ or ‘been abroad before’ don’t count for much either.

So what are you going to do about it?

Think Of A Course!
There are endless amounts of courses out there to harness your passion and turn it into a selling point.  Whether you look online or at a local college, you can find a different course for everything these days.

Whether it is a simple certificate to prove what you already know, a vocational diploma to improve your existing skills or a degree level course to learn something new – it’s out there.

And, this way you will be helping not only yourself and your job prospects – but all the people who will benefit from your new skill.

An added bonus of the online courses is that you can do them whilst abroad.  That way, your days spent volunteering will be further enhanced by your studies at night, making your support twice as effective! 

All this could lead you in whole new direction – hopefully to follow your dreams!

If you fancy looking at your local landscape in a new way this winter then get your walking boots on!

Yeah – a walk out in the local countryside is always great fun for the family – and an eco friendly day out – but why not look at it in a slightly different way by joining a local tour guide on a themed walk? 

That way you can get another angle on the fields, hills and rivers you see on your regular walks.

1) Local Support:
By attending a local walk, you will be showing the local charity or society which is running the event that you are interested in the area and it’s history.

This could mean that they will add extra things to their schedule for the following years based on the number of visitors taking part.  Needless to say that if only 2 people turn up to each event they organise – they might not run so many in the future – so they need to know that you are interested in the areas that they are helping to preserve and bring to life.

2) Local Knowledge:
It goes without saying that the guide running the tour will be a fountain of knowledge regarding the theme of your tour or walk.  Whether they have specialised in ancient history, industrial history or natural history of the area – you can rest assured that they have a passion for the subject and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm with others.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

And what better way to reward them – and possibly to inspire others – than to attend one of their tours.  They will be able to give you an ‘hands on’ experience of the landscape, and hopefully inspire others to share their passion in the future or to find a new skill.

3) Local Landscapes:
By taking a trip to one of these locations – you will get to experience and support the very land you are standing on.

The reason these landscapes are still landscapes rather than industrial or housing estates is because people like your tour guide (and other volunteers in the area) are working hard to preserve them as they are.

Your visit is just the perfect way to remind them that what they are doing is all worth while.  Even the people who aren’t doing the tour but are in contact with the tour guide will feel the rewards of your visit.  When they ask about how the walks went and the answer is ’36 people turned up!’ – everyone wins!

4) Local Secrets:
Many of these organised tours could include a visit to places you haven’t been before!  You may get invited onto private land, through farm buildings and even underground!

There are many patches of land local to you that are owned privately, tenanted out or kept ‘people-free’ for a reason – whether it is for preservation, conservation, habitat regeneration, farmland or which has limited access – however, your tour guide may have exclusive access!

You could be allowed to walk through parts of a nature reserve that are off limits to the general public, stretches of woodland that are not close to footpath or river banks that are in the middle of farmland!  Imagine seeing your local landscape from a whole new angle or wandering into a little copse that is virtually undisturbed?

Imagine the photo opportunities?

5) Local Inspiration:
After learning something new about the very places you thought you knew so well could open up a whole new point of view for you or your family.

Maybe you always just walked the dog along the same path without a thought for the ancient hill fort just over the hedge or the tiny stream running the other side of that field.  You might start to look out for badgers in the copse there – or deer coming from that woodland now that you know they are there…..

You could have got yourself some great photos of an old farmhouse or barn that you can’t see from the road – or that disused air-raid shelter or underground storage hole that you wouldn’t have seen were it not for your guide telling you!

If you thought the countryside near you was already the most amazing place – be prepared to see even more of it on a guided walk!

Did you know that the money in your savings account could be destroying habitats?

When you invest your savings into a pension fund or other savings accounts – do you actually know what happens to it?

Do you think it just sits in the bank you are using earning interest?  No it certainly doesn’t!  Your bank or other company use it to fund other deals around the world to make your interest.

And they may be using it directly: through funding a company or buying that company’s products, or indirectly; by funding other companies who happen to fund that company or buy their products.

Now, what if that company were drilling for oil in the Amazon and had had a few serious leaks over the past 10 years?  What if that company were growing oil palm in Borneo after clearing hectares of prime rainforest?  

Do you know where your interest is coming from?  Has that extra £500 you earned last year cost the livelihoods of tribal warriers in Brazil, or the actual lives of the dwindling numbers of wild orangutans left in Borneo?

photo credit: BlatantWorld.com

Ask Questions:
So, next time you are thinking about what you can spend your savings on – think what they have cost the planet and the animals and people on it.

However, the way to feel good about your savings is to have invested in a suitable eco investment.  Such schemes may well fund replanting of woodlands for eco friendly timber; planting of rare plants and trees for niche industries like violin manufacture; or green oil production.

Find out where your bank is going to be investing your money before you hand it over.  All the while nobody is asking – they will just carry on as usual.  If the returns are calculated purely on financial gain – then your money will probably never be spent on green alternatives.

Make sure your bank is aware of your concerns for their spending – and you may well be part of the crowd that makes them change their funding.

It’s Your Money!
The irony of your investments could be ridiculous if you actually looked into it.  I mean you could be donating £10 a month to an eco friendly charity trying to halt the destruction of coral reefs – yet investing in shipping industries who regularly travel through these delicate waters damaging the coral.

Or you are making sure that you buy sustainable consumer products – while funding the farming companies who are blanketing the earth with monocultures and oil plantations at the loss of the very environments your ethical products are trying to save.

Basically you are funding both sides of the argument.  You are paying for the destruction in the first place and then funding the charity who is trying to ‘fix’ the problems afterwards!

And of course it also means that you are paying twice: once to break it, then again to fix it!