Fun eco ideas

22 June 2011

Being green doesn’t have to be boring as the following eco-friendly ideas prove:

Printing without ink

The PrePeat printer is different from conventional printers in that it adopts a thermal head to print on specially-made plastic sheets which are not just water-proof but can also be easily erased and re-used. It is claimed by the manufacturer that one sheet can be used up to 1,000 times, reducing your home and office paper expenses and helping the environment at the same  time.

Eco Drop – No shower too long

We are all aware that taking a shower uses less water than a bath but we can still linger for too long. A solution to this problem has been created which tells you when you have used too much water. The shower works by way of a floor made of concentric circles that convey the drops of water. It is a normal shower floor, but if you remain in there for too long, the circles rise and ultimately prevent you from standing upon them any longer.

University constructs a green roof as a gathering place
The incorporation of green design within modern architecture has become more and more popular. This amazing green roof at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore is proof of the economical benefits of being environmentally friendly. This 5-story facility sweeps a wooded corner of the campus with an organic, vegetated form that blends landscape and structure, nature and high-tech to symbolise the creativity it houses. The roof serves as informal gathering place and also insulates the building, cools the surrounding air and harvests rainwater for landscaping irrigation.

Designer creates a sink that uses wasted water to grow a plantThe Zen Garden Sink is made of polished stained concrete and has a channel that allows the water used while washing your hands or rinsing your crockery to water a plant. Created by young Montreal designer, Jean-Michel Gauvreau, the sink comes in single or double basin model. You can save water and grow new life at the same time.

Energy saving

15 June 2011

Electricity prices are constantly spiking and the need to save electricity is becoming an increasingly important factor. Yet it need not be a daunting task. The positive benefits of conserving your electricity are numerous – from saving money to saving the planet – but they don’t have to be radical changes that negatively affect your lifestyle.

Here’s our list of easy ways to save electricity which you can start on straight away in your home and/or office environment.

Cooking and cleaning can use up a lot of electricity so make sure that you:
• Fill the dishwasher completely and check you are using the correct cycle.
• Try not to overload your fridge. Excessive products will lower the quality of the food and use as much as 10-20% more electricity.
• It’s easy to forget – but try and switch off, empty or clean your fridge when taking an extended holiday.
• Instead of defrosting food in the microwave, it’s more economical to use your fridge.
• Use small kitchen appliances rather than turning on the stove. Try electric grills and skillets, slow cookers, electric coffee pots and bottle warmers. Used correctly, they usually require a lot less energy.

Winter Warming

13 June 2011

As the winter months set in we come to realise that South African houses aren’t always designed to withstand the cold and to keep heat in. Across Europe, double-glazing and insulation is in use which offers heat in winter and cool in the summer whilst saving money on heating bills as well as air con. Depending on the type of material you wish to use does vary the prices considerably yet the overall long term benefits outweigh the initial starting costs. Always use a non-toxic material for insulation. Vermiculite is a light insulator that is safe to use, good for fire resistance and available from most local hardware stores. Other insulating products that are available from hardware stores or builder’s yards are gypsum board, hessian cloth and strong aluminium foil.

However, if you need a quicker and perhaps more affordable solution that can be implemented almost instantaneously then try these ideas from www.ecoheat.co.za/blog:

Use Curtains Wisely Use the curtains in your home to make the most of the heating power of the sun. Open curtains to allow sun in and then close promptly after the sun has set or moved – trapping more of the most eco friendly (and free!) heat available. Upgrading to thick curtains will increase the efficiency of this tactic.

Seal Your Windows Use weather stripping to combat heat lost through sub-par window seals. Weather stripping can be done using specific weather stripping materials (find them at your local hardware store) or with caulk or silicone

Stop Drafts Got pesky drafts coming in under your doors? Buy or make draft stoppers to seal up those doors.

Next time, we will be looking at economical ways of saving electricity

Water conservation

10 June 2011

Water has fast become a sought after commodity. A report by the World Economic Forum, which runs the annual Davos meetings of the international business and financial elite, stated earlier this year that the lack of water will “soon tear into various parts of the global economic system” and “start to emerge as a headline geopolitical issue”.

This may be hard to believe but if we look at our average water consumption it is easy to see how it all mounts up. In our homes alone we use on average about 35% of our water flushing in our toilets. Showers or baths use 20% with drinking, cooking, laundry and dishwashing using about 5%. This is only a small percentage of the water usage figures within your home and it is a growing concern within the South African government.

The environmental resource centre of Cape Town have issued the following water saving tips in the hope that people will strive to take a more hands-on approach to conserving our dwindling water supplies.

Green living

8 June 2011

We understand the difficulties faced with trying to implicate Green ideas into everyday life and in the past it used to be a struggle to live out your eco-intentions yet with the increase in technology, the implementation of eco-materials on a larger scale, there is now more reason than ever to become Green in your home and office.

Over the next few days, we will be looking at ways to implement economical ideas into your space whether you are a home owner, a landlord or a property development agency.