Geyser Timers and Saving Electricity

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geyser timerHeating water is one of an average household’s biggest electricity spends.  In the UK water heating and central heating systems are usually integrated and managed with a time switch as standard, but here in South Africa our water geysers up till recently have often been left to run all day and night. The conventional wisdom was that it uses more power to heat water from cold than it does to maintain the heat throughout the day. This may be true if the hot water taps aren’t being switched on and off all day, and if you have a very efficient blanket retaining the heat in the geyser, but how many of us do? Continue reading →

Is Your Toilet Paper Destroying Forests?

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fsc logoNext time you are buying toilet paper, or any paper product for that matter, check for this little logo somewhere on the packaging. The FSC logo tells you that the wood used to make that paper comes from well-managed forests and is traceable to source.

Too many forests around the world, particularly in the Congo and Indonesia, are still being devastated by illegal logging. There’s not a lot we can do about it directly, but we can choose the products we buy just a little bit more carefully, so that suppliers are encouraged to use wood from sustainable, well-managed sources rather than supporting the illegal timber industry. Continue reading →

Natural Deodorants – Make Your Own with Coconut Oil

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coconut oil deodorantIf you are looking for a healthier and greener alternative to regular deodorants then the simplest solution is to make your own. This may sound all too way out and crunchy granola hippy, but it’s easy and what is more important it works!

Years ago I switched from roll-ons to rock crystal deodorants, thinking that these were totally safe and free of the aluminium that makes the regular products a health worry.(Aluminium has been linked with breast cancer and Alzheimers.) Continue reading →

Green Winter Warmers – Draught Excluders

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Draught excludersNow that autumn has hit Cape Town, with a breath of winter to come, it’s time to think of keeping warm and keeping down those electricity bills.

We all know that good insulation is key to reducing heat loss and beating the cold winter nights, but rather than starting a major project, let’s look at a small, very do-able DIY measure to keep warmer this winter – keeping out those sneaky draughts, which chill feet and ankles and persuade us to turn up the heater another notch.

Draught excluders are so easy to make that even a total non-sewer like me could make one, if only I’d get around to it. Here are a few tips I’ve gathered together to help me make mine. Continue reading →

Planting Trees For Special Occasions

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tree plantingPlanting indigenous trees is one way we can all make a difference. Whether it is because we want to reduce our carbon footprint, restore a bleak landscape or just because we love trees, a tree planted and looked after will most likely outlive us, a positive legacy that we can be proud of.

Planting a tree is a great way of marking a special occasion: a birthday, an anniversary. Now that the autumn rains have started it’s a great time for tree planting and our girls were determined to plant a tree each for Easter, not so much for their carbon footprint, it must be admitted, more because the Easter bunny has always left eggs in their special trees! Even though you don’t need to wait for an occasion to plant a tree it is lovely to have a growing memorial to a special birthday or event, and kids love having their own trees to look after. Continue reading →

A Greener Home – 3 Small (or Big) Changes You Can Make Now

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How many of us would like to make our homes greener, but are put off by the cost? There are lots of great things we could do if we only had an unlimited budget… we dream of going off-grid but never take a step towards it as we just can’t afford the investment.

While it would be great to take giant steps towards a greener lifestyle, there are plenty of small steps that we can take now, instead of waiting to win the lottery. Here are a few suggestions:

Showerheads-water-savingWater Saving
Small Step: The simplest, cheapest and quickest way of saving water is by switching your regular shower head to a low flow, water efficient shower head. Typically you can cut your shower water consumption by half. In an average household where three showers are taken a day, this would save 38,000 litres a year. The cost of a low flow showerhead can be anything from R100 to R1000, so do your research first to find the right one for you. Continue reading →

Green Gifts For Valentines Day

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So red roses are out as a romantic gift, if your love is a green, green eco-warrior… so what would he or she like instead, as the ultimate romantic gesture that shows that you are equally committed to their environmentally friendly ideals?

soy heart candleNatural heart candle
A heart shaped hemp and soy candle with a gorgeous scent ticks all the boxes for a romantic token.  The oils are totally natural and beautifully silky so that you can use them as massage oils after you’ve enjoyed your candlelit dinner. This candle is available from Hemporium in several fragrances and is 100% vegan. Continue reading →

LED-light-bulbs-eskom

LED Lighting Rebates From Eskom

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LED-light-bulbs-eskomHave you been thinking of going greener at home but haven’t got around to it yet. Eskom’s latest residential rebate program might be just the incentive you need. They are offering to replace existing halogen downlighters with LED lighting alternatives for free! If it seems too good to be true check out the details as laid out by Eskom’s service provider on this project. Continue reading →

New comfrey leaves growing

Green Intentions for the New Year

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New comfrey leaves growingNew Year’s resolutions are all too often made only to be broken. There’s something about a list of must and must nots that stirs up the rebel in all of us. So I’ve long since changed to setting intentions, and not just at new year. However the beginning of a new year is a great time to look at what you are doing with fresh eyes and see if there are any steps you can take to improve on things.

My green intentions are all about building on where we’ve started to go greener. Continue reading →