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.
Tuesday 6 November 2007
How to make public transport easier
I was at the Environment Agency’s conference on environmental futures today listening to representatives of local government talk about sustainability (including Ken Livingstone, who knocked the rest of them into a cocked hat).
I was particularly interested to hear what Sandy Taylor, Head of Climate Change & Sustainability in my home city of Birmingham, had to say on public transport.
He lamented the fact that while 80% of Londoners use public transport, 80% of inhabitants of other cities don’t. It’s largely due to density of population and avoiding congestion, he said.
But isn’t it also - like everything else - about making it easier for people? In London they have a proper integrated public transport system, which is cheap, reliable and easy to use (I lived in London and moaned about the tube but now realise how much better it is than everywhere else). In Birmingham there is no sense of the train from Four Oaks to Redditch being part of the same system as the bus that goes to the airport, or even as the train out to Walsall. And for people like me who don’t want to travel every day, it’s a pain (and often expensive) to have to buy a ticket every time.
Surely cities like Birmingham could benefit from a system like London’s Oyster card? I’ve got one even though I hardly ever need to use it - but when I am in London I know I can swipe onto any form of public transport and I’ll always be charged the cheapest possible rate.
Is this something that is already happening in other cities? Or are we just behind in Brum (as we have been with recycling). I’d be interested to know.
I was particularly interested to hear what Sandy Taylor, Head of Climate Change & Sustainability in my home city of Birmingham, had to say on public transport.
He lamented the fact that while 80% of Londoners use public transport, 80% of inhabitants of other cities don’t. It’s largely due to density of population and avoiding congestion, he said.
But isn’t it also - like everything else - about making it easier for people? In London they have a proper integrated public transport system, which is cheap, reliable and easy to use (I lived in London and moaned about the tube but now realise how much better it is than everywhere else). In Birmingham there is no sense of the train from Four Oaks to Redditch being part of the same system as the bus that goes to the airport, or even as the train out to Walsall. And for people like me who don’t want to travel every day, it’s a pain (and often expensive) to have to buy a ticket every time.
Surely cities like Birmingham could benefit from a system like London’s Oyster card? I’ve got one even though I hardly ever need to use it - but when I am in London I know I can swipe onto any form of public transport and I’ll always be charged the cheapest possible rate.
Is this something that is already happening in other cities? Or are we just behind in Brum (as we have been with recycling). I’d be interested to know.
Saturday 3 November 2007
Don't throw food in the bin - get a bucket
Everyone’s talking about the climate change bill and the possibility that we could be charged for the amount of rubbish we throw away.
I think it’s a great idea. It costs councils money (in wages, equipment and landfill tax) to get rid of every bag we leave out for them, and it makes sense to reward those people who make the effort to recycle.
In future it could pay to find ways to get rid of your rubbish without throwing it in the bin.
So you’re recycling paper, cans and bottles, and you’ve got a compost heap, but what about food waste that won’t compost - meat, dairy and cooked food? Some local authorities collect all this in buckets which you leave out on bin day, but a lot of people are put off by the potential smell and the risk of attracting animals.
There is an alternative, which helps you make use of your food waste yourself - a bokashi bucket.
This is a plastic bucket (yes, I know), with a false bottom and a tap. You put food waste in it, sprinkle a special bran over each time, and when it’s full, you leave it for two weeks and then dig it into your garden or add it to the compost heap. The tap is for a super strong fertiliser which you can dilute and use to feed your plants, or pour neat down the drain as it’s a good cleaner. The bran contains soil microorganisms which break down the food, and produce the magic liquid.
A bokashi bucket will take just about anything, including meat and fish - the only thing the microorganisms don’t like is teabags as the tannin doesn’t suit them (almost as fussy as my son).
It's been used in Japan for many years. I’ve got one and it works a treat - great for the inevitable leftovers when you’re feeding kids.
Why not try one? Find out more at the recycle works and read about how the government is concerned about food waste on the Defra and Independent websites.
I think it’s a great idea. It costs councils money (in wages, equipment and landfill tax) to get rid of every bag we leave out for them, and it makes sense to reward those people who make the effort to recycle.
In future it could pay to find ways to get rid of your rubbish without throwing it in the bin.
So you’re recycling paper, cans and bottles, and you’ve got a compost heap, but what about food waste that won’t compost - meat, dairy and cooked food? Some local authorities collect all this in buckets which you leave out on bin day, but a lot of people are put off by the potential smell and the risk of attracting animals.
There is an alternative, which helps you make use of your food waste yourself - a bokashi bucket.
This is a plastic bucket (yes, I know), with a false bottom and a tap. You put food waste in it, sprinkle a special bran over each time, and when it’s full, you leave it for two weeks and then dig it into your garden or add it to the compost heap. The tap is for a super strong fertiliser which you can dilute and use to feed your plants, or pour neat down the drain as it’s a good cleaner. The bran contains soil microorganisms which break down the food, and produce the magic liquid.
A bokashi bucket will take just about anything, including meat and fish - the only thing the microorganisms don’t like is teabags as the tannin doesn’t suit them (almost as fussy as my son).
It's been used in Japan for many years. I’ve got one and it works a treat - great for the inevitable leftovers when you’re feeding kids.
Why not try one? Find out more at the recycle works and read about how the government is concerned about food waste on the Defra and Independent websites.
Saturday 6 October 2007
It's for charidee, mate
I feel like I'm sitting on a big green secret.
What saves stuff going to landfill, raises money for good causes, and lets you shop at rock-bottom prices?
Answer - charity shops.
But, I hear you groan, they're always full of tat and just for old ladies. But no! There are five charity shops within walking distance of my house and I use them for all sorts of stuff.
The trick is to change your expectations of what you buy. So shiny and new is best, right? Why? After you've used something a few times, it'll look just the same as if you'd bought it from the local Oxfam. And if you break / lose/ spill red wine all over you expensive new purchase, you'll be kicking yourself, right? Not if you bought it for 40p from Save the Children. I just think of it as a donation and go back and buy something else. Or of I get something home and don't like it, again it's a donation, and I take the offending item back to the same shop (or another one if I'm too embarrassed) for them to sell to someone else who might like it better.
Some of the best things to buy from charity shops are:
Try it. Teach yourself to rummage (it's just like the sales) and who knows, you could be like my friend Tansy who found a wedding dress (worn just once) for 99p in Oxfam (see it here).
To read more about cheap ethical fashion, see my article for myvillage.com
To find your nearest charity shop, visit the Association of Charity Shops
What saves stuff going to landfill, raises money for good causes, and lets you shop at rock-bottom prices?
Answer - charity shops.
But, I hear you groan, they're always full of tat and just for old ladies. But no! There are five charity shops within walking distance of my house and I use them for all sorts of stuff.
The trick is to change your expectations of what you buy. So shiny and new is best, right? Why? After you've used something a few times, it'll look just the same as if you'd bought it from the local Oxfam. And if you break / lose/ spill red wine all over you expensive new purchase, you'll be kicking yourself, right? Not if you bought it for 40p from Save the Children. I just think of it as a donation and go back and buy something else. Or of I get something home and don't like it, again it's a donation, and I take the offending item back to the same shop (or another one if I'm too embarrassed) for them to sell to someone else who might like it better.
Some of the best things to buy from charity shops are:
- jeans. They've already done all their stretching/shrinking, so you know that if they fit now, they'll always fit. The shops check what they're given and won't sell on a pair that are worn or torn in places you don't want them to be.
- books. Do you need your books to be shiny and unthumbed? Try your local charity shop and you may pick up something you'd never have spotted in Waterstones. I found a fascinating book about Napoleon's imprisonment on St Helena - something I never would have found in a 'proper' book shop.
- games and toys. Brightly coloured plastic easily outlives its useful life with one child. And if you buy it secondhand, you don't have to feel quite so bad about the oil that went into its production.
- basics. Let's face it, you'll never find high-fashion items here. But basics like T-shirts, sweaters and trousers don't go out of style and by buying these at rock-bottom prices, you get to save money for your next purchase of break-the-bank organic fairtrade shoes.
Try it. Teach yourself to rummage (it's just like the sales) and who knows, you could be like my friend Tansy who found a wedding dress (worn just once) for 99p in Oxfam (see it here).
To read more about cheap ethical fashion, see my article for myvillage.com
To find your nearest charity shop, visit the Association of Charity Shops
Wednesday 3 October 2007
Energy saving lightbulbs and other no-brainers
There's a light in my living room that we had a dimmer switch put on when we moved in, to give the room a little 'ambience' (this was when there wasn't a screaming two year old running around the place). As a committed low-energy bulb fan I've always used them there, but was constantly frustrated by the fact that the bulb flickered when we tried to dim it. As a result we only ever have the light on full or off, which sort of defeats the point.
A friend eventually told me that this was a common problem, and was something to do with the way energy saving lightbulbs are made (please don't post a comment explaining the technology). I just shrugged and decided to put up with it. After all, we hardly use the overhead light in there anyway.
But now it seems my problems are solved. Some bright spark (I had to get that in there somewhere) has brought out the Megaman, the first energy saving lightbulb that works with dimmer switches. Hurray! I'll be going out to buy one, even if the name is excruciating. You can get them at The Green Shop.
So why are energy saving lightbulbs such a no-brainer? Well, to my mind a green no-brainer is something that is environmentally-friendly and saves you time and money, or maybe makes your life easier. Energy saving lightbulbs hardly ever need changing (time), cost less over time cos you buy less of them (money), and are good for the planet too (using 80% less electricity - which saves you money too). Anyone still not using must literally be on another planet.
There are other no-brainers too. Only putting as much water in the kettle as you need - that watched pot really will boil quickly! Using soap instead of plastic-packaged handwash - cheaper, greener, lasts a lot longer so less shopping. And charity shops - if you’re good at rummaging.
There are other things which some people may consider no-brainers but others might not, as they don't hit all the buttons. Composting - lots of free compost, lovely healthy flowers, less going to landfill - but more effort maybe? Walking short distances - cheaper, gets you fit, but is more effort, I admit. Travelling by train - much more pleasant than sitting behind the wheel in my book, but can be more expensive if you don't book ahead. I could go on.
But if you can't face any extra cost or effort, at least an energy saving lightbulb is the place to start. And the politicians will love you for it too.
A friend eventually told me that this was a common problem, and was something to do with the way energy saving lightbulbs are made (please don't post a comment explaining the technology). I just shrugged and decided to put up with it. After all, we hardly use the overhead light in there anyway.
But now it seems my problems are solved. Some bright spark (I had to get that in there somewhere) has brought out the Megaman, the first energy saving lightbulb that works with dimmer switches. Hurray! I'll be going out to buy one, even if the name is excruciating. You can get them at The Green Shop.
So why are energy saving lightbulbs such a no-brainer? Well, to my mind a green no-brainer is something that is environmentally-friendly and saves you time and money, or maybe makes your life easier. Energy saving lightbulbs hardly ever need changing (time), cost less over time cos you buy less of them (money), and are good for the planet too (using 80% less electricity - which saves you money too). Anyone still not using must literally be on another planet.
There are other no-brainers too. Only putting as much water in the kettle as you need - that watched pot really will boil quickly! Using soap instead of plastic-packaged handwash - cheaper, greener, lasts a lot longer so less shopping. And charity shops - if you’re good at rummaging.
There are other things which some people may consider no-brainers but others might not, as they don't hit all the buttons. Composting - lots of free compost, lovely healthy flowers, less going to landfill - but more effort maybe? Walking short distances - cheaper, gets you fit, but is more effort, I admit. Travelling by train - much more pleasant than sitting behind the wheel in my book, but can be more expensive if you don't book ahead. I could go on.
But if you can't face any extra cost or effort, at least an energy saving lightbulb is the place to start. And the politicians will love you for it too.
Friday 21 September 2007
Welcome to my blog
Hello and welcome to my blog.
I've been doing my best to adopt a greener, more ethical lifestyle, and I know plenty of others who have too. There are aspects of it which have made my life easier or more pleasant, but there are other things which have given me a headache or aren't straightforward.
I plan to use this blog to share the green and ethical living tips and resources which I think everyone should know about - to shout some of them from the rooftops, I hope! I also want to explore some of the areas where it's hard to decide which route to choose - for example, is it best to buy products that are local, green or fairly traded? And where can I find products that match all three criteria?
Finally, I want to highlight things that are going on in the world which are relevant - examining government interest in green isssues and what it could mean for the rest of us, highlighting new ideas or technologies, and 'hoovering up' new ideas where possible.
This blog supports my journalism - I specialise in writing about green living but I also write about other topics including travel, parenting and reviews. And I'm working on a book. Find out more on my website (currently under development - watch this space!)
Finally, if you've got a good tip or something you'd like to say about green living, please post a comment.
I've been doing my best to adopt a greener, more ethical lifestyle, and I know plenty of others who have too. There are aspects of it which have made my life easier or more pleasant, but there are other things which have given me a headache or aren't straightforward.
I plan to use this blog to share the green and ethical living tips and resources which I think everyone should know about - to shout some of them from the rooftops, I hope! I also want to explore some of the areas where it's hard to decide which route to choose - for example, is it best to buy products that are local, green or fairly traded? And where can I find products that match all three criteria?
Finally, I want to highlight things that are going on in the world which are relevant - examining government interest in green isssues and what it could mean for the rest of us, highlighting new ideas or technologies, and 'hoovering up' new ideas where possible.
This blog supports my journalism - I specialise in writing about green living but I also write about other topics including travel, parenting and reviews. And I'm working on a book. Find out more on my website (currently under development - watch this space!)
Finally, if you've got a good tip or something you'd like to say about green living, please post a comment.
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