Good news!
Following the severe floods last summer, the government has announced new legislation to deter people from paving over their front gardens.
In future, if you want to use a non-porous substance to cover your front garden, you'll have to apply for planning permission, which could take a couple of months. MPs haven't yet decided what will be defined as porous, but it's likely to mean anything which water will soak through rather than running off. This could include wood, gravel or specially constructed 'green' paving which is porous (and is already used in road building to reduce runoff and increase safety).
This isn't just the nanny state taking over. Think about it. More and more of us live in areas at risk of flooding. It's not just rivers and the sea which we have to worry about anymore - our sewage systems are at stretching point in many cities and towns. A one per cent reduction in runoff to drains can result in a nine per cent improvement in efficiency of the system.
In London alone, over two thirds of front gardens have been paved over - the equivalent of 22 Hyde Parks.
But if we're going to really make a difference, we need to do more than just stop paving over the already depleted number of front gardens. I'm in the process of ripping up part of my (ugly, functional) block paved front drive and replacing it with a flower bed and hedge. The hedge will protect my front door from the wind and help keep my garden tidy from the rubbish that gets blown in. It'll stop my toddler running out into the road. It will give me some privacy, and look much nicer. And what's more, it'll reduce the amount of water flowing into the drains along my street and reduce the risk of my house being flooded.
What's not to like?
(And while you're at it, you could always get rid of the car too and really get some greenie points...)
Find out more
Wednesday 26 March 2008
Monday 14 January 2008
Still hoarding Christmas rubbish?
Are you one of those people who's hoarding their rubbish from Christmas because they don't want to chuck it out but aren't sure how to get rid of it properly?
Well, there's plenty of advice out there - and plenty of options for getting rid of all the unwanted packaging and even presents themselves.
Presents from hell
Admit it, we all get one howler. Whether it's a lurid green jumper, a tea cosy in the shape of a duck or a book on the marshlands of the world (OK, maybe not), there's bound to be something lurking in a corner of your home, making you feel a twinge of guilt every time you spot it. Don't just kick it to the back of the cupboard, help it find a better home.
Options include selling it on eBay - you never know, someone else might be prepared to pay for it, and eBay sell thousands of unwanted gifts each year. Or you could take it to your local charity shop - if they can't flog it, they'll probably know someone who can. Or you could try freecycle - I've got rid of all sorts of junk here. You won't make any money, but someone else could benefit from what you don't want.
Packaging
Every year I'm tempted to send family members home with the packaging from the presents they've brought encased in plastic - but I know my husband would kill me if I did. A lot of the packaging can't be recycled, but if you break it up, you'll often find that some of it can - for example, most packaging includes at least some cardboard. And if you're really lucky your council will recycle the sort of plastic used in packaging too. Don't forget that some packages can be reused - to store things in or for someone else's present next year.
Wrapping paper
If your wrapping paper went in the bin on Christmas day, hang your head in shame! Most wrapping paper is easily recyclable. Next year, avoid foil wrapping and try switching to decorative paper bags instead of paper - that way, you or the recipient can reuse them. I have a stash of these in a cupboard which makes wrapping ever so easy - and if I'm giving someone a present at my house, they'll expect me to get rid of the wrapping which means I get to use the bag again! Mean or what?
Cards
If you haven't got rid of your cards yet, make sure you recycle them. As well as the normal council collections (if you have them), you can take cards to shops like WHSmiths and Tesco, and raise money for The Woodland Trust at the same time. And next year, make sure you buy cards that are at least partly made from recycled paper, and not packaged in plastic - try Oxfam for example.
The tree
Every year the tree festers at the bottom of our garden and eventually finds its way onto a bonfire sometime during the summer. Better than going into landfill maybe, but still not exactly carbon-neutral. All the CO2 the tree has sucked up during its short life will be released into the atmosphere on burning. Better to put it out as green waste if your council will take it, or to take it along to your recycling centre. Many councils take Christmas trees and shred them for mulch - much better! And don't forget next year - buy a sustainably grown tree that hasn't been shipped too far.
For more advice and contacts, see grownup green and recycle now.
Well, there's plenty of advice out there - and plenty of options for getting rid of all the unwanted packaging and even presents themselves.
Presents from hell
Admit it, we all get one howler. Whether it's a lurid green jumper, a tea cosy in the shape of a duck or a book on the marshlands of the world (OK, maybe not), there's bound to be something lurking in a corner of your home, making you feel a twinge of guilt every time you spot it. Don't just kick it to the back of the cupboard, help it find a better home.
Options include selling it on eBay - you never know, someone else might be prepared to pay for it, and eBay sell thousands of unwanted gifts each year. Or you could take it to your local charity shop - if they can't flog it, they'll probably know someone who can. Or you could try freecycle - I've got rid of all sorts of junk here. You won't make any money, but someone else could benefit from what you don't want.
Packaging
Every year I'm tempted to send family members home with the packaging from the presents they've brought encased in plastic - but I know my husband would kill me if I did. A lot of the packaging can't be recycled, but if you break it up, you'll often find that some of it can - for example, most packaging includes at least some cardboard. And if you're really lucky your council will recycle the sort of plastic used in packaging too. Don't forget that some packages can be reused - to store things in or for someone else's present next year.
Wrapping paper
If your wrapping paper went in the bin on Christmas day, hang your head in shame! Most wrapping paper is easily recyclable. Next year, avoid foil wrapping and try switching to decorative paper bags instead of paper - that way, you or the recipient can reuse them. I have a stash of these in a cupboard which makes wrapping ever so easy - and if I'm giving someone a present at my house, they'll expect me to get rid of the wrapping which means I get to use the bag again! Mean or what?
Cards
If you haven't got rid of your cards yet, make sure you recycle them. As well as the normal council collections (if you have them), you can take cards to shops like WHSmiths and Tesco, and raise money for The Woodland Trust at the same time. And next year, make sure you buy cards that are at least partly made from recycled paper, and not packaged in plastic - try Oxfam for example.
The tree
Every year the tree festers at the bottom of our garden and eventually finds its way onto a bonfire sometime during the summer. Better than going into landfill maybe, but still not exactly carbon-neutral. All the CO2 the tree has sucked up during its short life will be released into the atmosphere on burning. Better to put it out as green waste if your council will take it, or to take it along to your recycling centre. Many councils take Christmas trees and shred them for mulch - much better! And don't forget next year - buy a sustainably grown tree that hasn't been shipped too far.
For more advice and contacts, see grownup green and recycle now.
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