Hard Rain

Greenhouse gasses are causing shifts in rainfall patterns, leading to summers like this one (so far the wettest since records began). Just to make things more complicated, this heavier precipitation is going to alternate with hot summers like last year, but in entirely unpredictable ways.

Aside from focussing on the root cause of all of this I think it's time to do some better planning around water use. Perhaps every new build should have mandatory rainwater storage for grey use (toilets etc.) All of those tanks would provide a buffer during heavy rain fall that would lessen run off and thus flooding and save water in dry spells. Whilst we're about it, how about fines for the fools who concrete over their gardens and/or rewards for anyone who rips the paving up and plants a lawn.

Neither of these measures woudl stop flooding, particularly with water volume such as that seen in the last week, but they could soak up overflow in lesser events, and cut the burden on reservoirs.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Morph goes Green

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Heywood Gardens low energy homes

Seddon Homes have put some serious thought into this new development, turning cookie cutter looking homes into energy efficient buildings. The designs have been thought through from first principles, with well planned insulation and energy saving measures so that the houses require less (solar and wind) power in the first place. I'm not in the market, so I don't know if the £245,000 asking price is comparable to similar mundane homes, but Manchester Confidential seem convinced.

Most of us are still ignorant to the fact that energy efficiency doesn't mean compromising standard of living. Yes you can give up your car and wash the dishes as oppose to using a dishwasher, but where eco-homes are concerned there really aren't any sacrifices because the changes are already in place and finely tuned to provide maximum comfort.

Seddon Group's case study on Heywood Gardens

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Vegetarian shoes

If you don't want any cows to suffer for your footwear then why not get your next pair from vegetarian shoes? I don't have any problem with leather, and there do seem to be a lot of man-made materials used in their range. This isn't a big problem if, like me, you recycle your old boots into plant pots after five years of service, but if they're just thrown away the ethical balance is skewed.

On balance, I think I'd rather have some of the ethical, hemp or recycled footwear from Arkadash.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Shoes, Vegetarian

Nil Rubbish

Bryn Fogden challenged himself to produce no landfill for the whole of May. To do this he had to change his shopping and some of his eating habits, but he did manage and intends to carry on. He blogged the whole experience at nilrubbish.blogspot.com.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Rubbish

Manchester's Green King and Queen

A couple from Hulme have won £1500 to spend on energy or wasyte saving work on their house after making great changes to help tackle climate change. Alan and Shelley Heckman lowered their energy and water consumption over eight months whilst taking part in MAnchester's Eco-Diet Challenge.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Manchester

Tent top wind powered phone charger

Commissioned by Orange, this mini windmill sits atop any dome shaped tent. It would be ideal for Glastonbury or one of the other festivals.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Wythenshawe's carbon neutral festival

Wythenshawe is to hold the "Party without Pollution" festival next month, and is encouraging local residents to save enough energy to make the whole event carbon neutral. The headquarters for the festival are in a building made from shipping crates that incorporates a number of energy saving, if gimmicky, devices such as a cycle powered photocopier.

Technorati tag: Festival, Carbon neutral

Daryl Hannah's love life

Daryl Hannah is a Green goddess, using her celebrity to promote environmental issues. She also walks the talk, and her website with news, tips and a videoblog.

Technorati tag: Green, Celebrity, Daryl Hannah

Everything's bright in the solar world

A few pieces of promising news from the world of solar power and heating.

The Worldwatch Institute estimates that the cost of photovoltaic cells may drop by as much as 40% in the next few years. One factor contributing to this is the increase of manufacturing of photovoltaics in China, such as the new facility announced by Suntech, a key supplier of building integrated solar products.

Bosch Solar Thermal Systems say they have seen a 60% increase in year to date sales over the same period last year and expect to sell 150,000 units this year.

Technorati tag: Solar Power, Photovoltaic, China, Solar Thermal

Boosting Prius performance

Lithium Technology Corporation has developed lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells which can greatly increase the fuel economy of hybrids. There are issues with safety, which mean Toyota are not yet ready to start using them.

Another way to increase a hybrid's mileage is to get Solar Electric Vehicles' fitted solar panel roofs.

Somewhere out there is the ideal combination of solar panelled garage and car, with high capacity batteries.

Technorati tag: Hybrid Car

Dirty Old Town

Manchester produces more carbon dioxide than any other English city after London.

Technorati tag: Carbon Dioxide

Downlaod Razorlight's carbon neutral song

Johnny Borrel of Razorlight has recorded a song in support of Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign. He recorded the song in a solar powered studio at The Premises in London. iT can be downloaded free from 7Digital in wma format.

Technorati tag: Music, Campaign

Eco talk at the Hay Festival

Some of the contributors to the Guardin's Comment Is Free section are at the Hay Festival. Here are a few of their Green flavoured posts-

Is political leadership renewable?

The challenge facing David Miliband is clear - to realise the potential of renewable energy. Today's question at Hay: does he have the courage to do it?

I'm not climate change's Billy Graham

Climate change denial, I discovered at the Hay festival, shares the same characteristics as religion.

The joys of going green

Dick Strawbridge's talk at Hay was enough to make the most jaded nip out for a low-energy lightbulb.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Climate Change

It's a Mini economical adventure

BMW has announced changes to the Mini line that could see its diesel model achieving up to 72.4mpg. Utilising "hybrid like" technology, the little car will only engage its alternator on deceleration, rather than having it be a constant drag, and the manual versions will will turn the engine off rather than idle and give the driver hints on teh best gear to engage.

The caveat, as always, is that we should all be using cars less. However, for those of us who must, we should all consider the new breed of economical super-minis and/or alternative fuels.

Technorati tag: Mini, Transport, Hybrid

Hot Rodding for the Environment

If you must use a car, then you should at least try to use it as efficiently as possible. Jalopnik has some simple suggestions for improving mileage. Obviously, I would have put "Don't use your car when you don't have to" at the top of the list, but I don't have a car, so it's my only option.

Should I ever need to get a car I'll be looking for something I can run on biodiesel, or possibly a biodiesel/ petroleum diesel mix because you can't always get to a green fuel pump. I hanker for a Volvo estate or small van to cart my bikes around in. Efficiency isn't such a concern with a closed circuit fuel supply like biodiesel, but VCACarFuelData.org.uk, allows you to search for your next ride by this and other criteria. If I could forgo the space considerations then the Citroen C1 would be worth considering, the most efficient of the cars currently listed on there.

Of course, another option is to do something as inventive as this Russian driver, who replaced his Opel's engine with a 50kw motor and filled all the spare space with batteries.

Technorati tag: Electric car, Fuel Efficiency, Transport

C40

The C40Large Cities Climate Summit was held in New York this week, with mayors of major cities from around the world vowing to do their bit to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This is looking increasingly like a problem that's going to be tackled first at a personal and local level before national governments are going to pay any attention.

Technorati tag: Climate Change, New York

Dojo Ecoshop

Tucked away in Manchester's old textile district is a wonderful souinding source of ethical and eco beds and furnishing.

We are a small, independent company with strong roots in the textile heart of Manchester, we’ve been making tough, beautiful furniture here since 1990. We left our jobs in scientific research to set up a sustainable business where we could be responsible for the ethical and environmental impact of every aspect of our actions. We wanted to extend our holistic outlook on living to the way we worked too, as a positive and practical force for fairness, healthy living and a sound environment.

Our approach has always been simple and down to earth, we use the best organic and natural materials to produce well designed, functional eco goods that are made to be used, to be enjoyed and to last. We are committed to fair trade from start to finish, from sourcing ethically produced fabrics and fillings to honest pricing of our products.

Our journey has been challenging, exciting and creative and would mean nothing without the support and inspiration of family, friends, producers, suppliers and of course our customers. We look forward to developing more of our plans for new products and meeting new people along the Way.

Sarah and Jonathan

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Ethical Business

Devon's £3billion wind farm

The world's largest offshore wind farm could be built off the north coast of Devon. If it goes ahead it could provide nearly all of the county's electricity, and there are plans to supplement it with tidal power schemes.

As this article appears in the Daily Mail expect the usual NIMBY nonsense in the comments.

Technorati tag: Devon, Wind Power, Offshore Wind Power

Gordon Brown's eco-towns

Gordon Brown is getting on teh home ownership bandwagon, hoping to outdo Thatcher's grand vision. The promising part of his pronouncement is a call for "eco-towns", to be powered locally from sustainable sources.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Gordon Brown