greenliving

Your lifestyle guide to all things eco... May/June 2010

magazine
E W !
N O THE ST
T E
U T H WON
SO lONd
&

Kevin
McCloud
Why driving an
Aston Martin could
still make you an
ecologist

Solar Energy
The newest addition
to the Glastonbury
line-up

Sweeter
Dreams
Going organic
between the sheets

WIN!
A break at an eco-luxe cottage
in the Cotswolds!
 greenliving_feature

Win a break at an
eco-luxe holiday cottage
in the Cotswolds
Primrose Valley Hotel are giving one
lucky greenliving reader the chance
to WIN a two night stay throughout
March and April. To enter, simply
email info@greenlivingmag.co.uk
stating your name, address, phone
number, and where you got your copy
of the magazine - good luck!
Terms & conditions apply.

Set in the outstanding Cotswolds area, The Chestnuts is a beautiful

eco-luxe holiday cottage run as a Carbon Neutral Business and is a
member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme. 

T
he main part of the cottage dates back
to the 1850s. It has many original
features including a curved stone
stairway, beamed ceilings and a large
inglenook fireplace with bread oven. The
original building has recently been extended
and today the property comprises three
bedrooms, two lounges, two luxury bathrooms
and a separate spa style shower room. All the
rooms are designed in soothing neutral colours
with original art works and artifacts.
maintain the garden organically, source natural
fabrics and buy either organic or fairtrade
where possible.
The holiday cottage is run as a Carbon
Neutral Enterprise and offset any carbon
emissions that they can’t eliminate with the
company co2balance, who audit them
annually and put a portion of their
contribution to the planting of trees on land
adjacent to Summercombe Wood in Somerset.
The Chestnuts are giving one
lucky greenliving reader the
chance to WIN a mid-week stay
(Monday-Friday) between
September and November.
To enter, simply email
info@greenlivingmag.co.uk
stating your name, address, phone
number and where you got your
copy of the magazine – good luck!

The owners are committed to reducing waste Every care is taken to use and provide for Terms and Conditions:
and encouraging sustainability, providing guests products that are kinder to the planet, Not redeemable during bank holidays
recycling bins, compost bins and reusable resulting in a heavenly getaway where luxury or school holidays.
shopping bags to their guests. They also and sustainability meet.

4 May / June 2010

 greenliving

Editor:
Holly Aurelius-Haddock
holly@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Assistant Editor:
Welcome...
Faye Allen
faye@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Art Director:
Chris Jones
designer@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Designer:
Daniel Wild
Isn’t it funny what
designer@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Advertising: you remember as
a child?
Simon Temme
simon@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Contributors:
Molly Conisbee, Bill Gething, Rebecca Gooch,
Richard Spalding, Guy Watson. Most of my stand out memories are those
you’d expect for someone so hopelessly
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to the publisher at the above address.
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Email: peter@greenlivingmag.co.uk
surpassed someone’s expectations of me. In adult life these tangible
© Copyright 2010 greenliving. rewards for good work are a little thinner on the ground, but not
impossible to find. I’ve been overwhelmed by the kind letters, emails and
All rights reserved. Material may not be
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While we take care to ensure that reports, been wonderful to hear that people love the magazine as much as we do.
reviews and features are accurate, greenliving
accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction Almost as wonderful as those treasured gold stars...
arising from the content of this publication. The
opinions expressed or advice given are the views
of the individual authors, and do not necessarily Between catching up with household hero Kevin McCloud (page 21),
represent the views or policies of greenliving finding out how solar energy is Glastonbury Festival’s newest innovation
(page 16) and seeking out our favourite green goodies on the high street
(page 12), we’ve rewarded ourselves by discovering the secret to a truly
peaceful and well-deserved night’s sleep (page 32).
greenliving provides effective communication
through design. We specialise in brochures, Change starts with us. 
corporate identity, advertising, direct mail,
marketing and design for print.
We have a reputation for clear, creative solutions to Holly Aurelius-Haddock.
communication problems for a number of corporate,
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We maintain the highest of standards, throughout
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We pride ourselves on delivering distinctive designs
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following applies to all competitions. All information forms part
of the rules. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules
and agree to be bound by them. The winner will be the first
entry drawn at random from all the correct entries received by
the closing date and will be notified by either post, email or
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May / June 2010 5

 greenliving_feature
greenliving_contents

greenliving

contents Welcome to greenliving!

you your home your planet

4 WIN! 11 BRIGHT STARS 15 SOLAR ENERGY
A break at an eco-luxe Ex-Changing Rooms star The newest addition to
cottage in the Cotswolds Oliver Heath makes going the Glastonbury line-up
green look gorgeous
12 GREEN GOODIES
Planet-friendly treats you 27 INSPIRING STORIES
shouldn’t be without 21 KEVIN MCCLOUD Church farm seeks to
Why driving an Aston connect people back to
Martin could still make the land
you an ecologist
32 SWEETER DREAMS
Going organic between
44 PLANET WORTH
the sheets
38 GREEN AND CLEAN SAVING
Our favourite alternatives Inspiring photography
to synthetic cleaning from around
products the globe

We hope you enjoy this issue of greenliving. We would love to know your thoughts so
please get in touch. Email holly@greenlivingmag.co.uk or write to us at 151-153 Wick
Road, Bristol BS4 4HH

6 March
May//April
June 2010
6
 May/June 2010
A GREENER
TOMORROW...
Meet the team...
With every issue we offer the latest eco news and advice The past 20 years have seen a
growing realisation that the current
from some of the sector’s most prominent figures: model of development is
unsustainable. In other words, we
are living beyond our means. From
the loss of biodiversity with the
RICHARD GUY felling of rainforests or over fishing
SPALDING WATSON to the negative effect our
consumption patterns are having on
Richard Spalding Having founded the environment and the climate.
teaches Human Riverford Our way of life is placing an
Geography and Organic, Guy increasing burden on the planet.
Environment Watson has
Studies at UWE always been fired The increasing stress we put on
in Bristol. Whilst by a passion for resources and environmental
sitting as the Chair of South good food combined with traditional systems such as water, land and air
Gloucestershire Local Food and Drinks farming principles. Determined to cannot go on forever. Especially as
Partnership and Winterbourne Medieval loosen the supermarkets stranglehold on the world's population continues to
Barn Trust, he also finds time to grow a quality and supply, Guy Watson deals increase and we already see a world
few vegetables of his own too! fairly with everybody, which remains an where over a billion people live on
intrinsic value to the businesses less than a dollar a day.
operation.
The goal of sustainable
development is to enable all people
throughout the world to satisfy their
basic needs and enjoy a better
quality of life, without compromising
the quality of life of future
BILL THE SOIL
generations.
GETHING ASSOCIATION
Architect Bill With their fingers Unless we start to make real
Gething was a firmly on the progress toward reconciling these
long-standing pulse, the UK’s contradictions we face a future that
partner of Feilden leading organic is less certain and less secure. We
Clegg Bradley organisation need to make a decisive move
Studios before keeps us toward more sustainable
setting up an independent consultancy last informed on the latest campaigns and development. Not just because it is
year. He has contributed to the practice's community programmes promoting the right thing to do, but also
international reputation for sustainable planet friendly food and because it is in our own long-term
design and is currently a member of the farming methods. best interests. It offers the best
hope for the future. Whether at
Royal Institute of British Architect’s
school, in the home or at work, we
Climate Change Board.
all have a part to play. Our small
everyday actions add up to make a
big difference.

Spokesperson for the Department

for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (DEFRA)

May / June 2010 7

 greenliving_news
News
Co-op Fortnight
From June 19 June – 3 July co-
operatives nationwide will be taking
part in a co-operative fortnight.
Whether you are in a co-operative
already or new to the whole idea, the
two-week campaign aims to promote
and introduce people to the benefits of
the co-operative sector in several areas
including the financial services, public
services, housing, agriculture and food.
Co-operatives are not just
supermarkets and funeral services,
8 May / June 2010
If you have any news or events that you would
like to share with us here at greenliving then
email info@greenlivingmag.co.uk
Green Party Victory
Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has become the first ever
candidate in the party to be elected into parliament after winning
the seat of Brighton Pavilion in this year’s general election.
With Labour coming second and the Conservatives finishing third,
The Green Party won with 31.3% of the vote.
Commenting just after her victory, she said: “Thank you so much
for putting the politics of hope above the politics of fear. This isn’t
just a moment when one MP out of more than 600 is elected. It’s
where a whole political party takes, for the first time, its rightful
place in our parliament.”
A Wheely Great
Invitation!
The Electric Transport Shop,
Bristol’s first dedicated electric
cycle retailer and repair centre
would like to invite greenliving
readers to the launch of their new
shop in Easton.
The event promises lots of
although these are amongst the most
successful models found on the high
demonstrator bikes to try, not to
street. There are in fact over 4800 mention plenty of refreshments
independent co-operatives in the UK and cake!
owned by more than 11 million people
and the numbers keep on growing. Saturday 5 June 12-3pm at The
Visit the website to find out more Electric Transport Shop, St.
information and how you can get
Gabriels Business Park, Easton,
involved within your area:
www.thereisanalternative.coop
Bristol BS5 0RT.
0117 955 2271
www.electricbikesales.co.uk

greenliving is proud to be
working with Green Tomato Cars,
the environmentally friendly private hire service who not only use the eco-
friendly Toyota Prius to get you from A to B, but offset their carbon
emissions too.
T: 020 8568 0022 W: www.greentomatocars.com
If you’re reading this as a Green Tomato passenger, then send us an email to
info@greenlivingmag.co.uk for a chance to win a break in luxury eco
accommodation! See page 4 for more information.
Good Hair Day
Up to 5,000 barrels of oil a day are
gushing into the sea after a BP-
operated Deepwater Horizon rig
exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico
at the end of April. Analysts say the
spill could rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez
disaster as the worst in US history.
Communities across the globe have
been pulling together to ‘mop up’ the
spill with hair. Hair, fur and sheep’s
wool stuffed into nylon tights are the
latest tools in the Deepwater Horizon
clean up. Hair is adsorbent rather than
absorbent so oil clings to the many tiny
scales on each follicle. Matter of Trust
runs an international Hair for Oil Spills
May / June 2010
programme that collects off-cuts from
hair salons and pet groomers, sheep
farmers and of course, individuals.
www.matteroftrust.org
Quest
Quest is in its 15th Year and has become a
real focal point of the early summer in the
South West.
The event is a meeting place for local
complementary therapists and green
businesses to interact, network, share
and support each other. There are
informative and inspiring workshops
and well over 100 stalls for you to
browse, as well as a great line-up of
musicians and talks from leaders of the
green movement. Don’t miss this local
event where you meet people you know,
get inspired and feel part of your local
community.
Grounds open 8am–11pm with free
workshops and music. Book your day
ticket in advance for £7.50. 3 day tickets
£20. Book online at www.questuk.co.uk
or call 01803 762674
greenliving_news
BuildStore
BuildStore’s self-build courses,
hosted at the National Self Build and
Renovation Centre in Swindon are
back by popular demand. The course
is for first-time self builders to help
them learn and understand the
principles, skills and key decisions
involved in building a home, giving
them the insider knowledge, practical
skills and confidence they too need to
get their projects off the ground. In
just five days, delegates can learn
everything they need to know to
make their home building project a
success.
Self-build courses run from 4-8
October 2010 or 15-19 November
2010 and the price for all five
modules is £300 (plus VAT).
Individual modules cost £75 (plus
VAT).
0845 2234455
www.buildstore.co.uk/courses
Eco Workshops
Eco workshops, taking
place at the same
venue, are the ideal
solution for those who
want to get advice, on
a one-to-one basis from an expert or
simply want to sit in on a few
seminars and simply up the
knowledge about heat and energy
solutions for the home.
You’ll be able to dig deep for
information on all the eco
technologies on the market and find
out what new systems could be
available soon. Find out what's new,
what works and what is practical for
your home: this is your opportunity
to get the facts straight from the
experts and join in the discussions.
Eco Workshops: Sustainable Heat &
Energy Solutions is on 12 June 2010
and are free of charge.
0845 2234455
www.mykindofhome.co.uk
9
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 bright stars

I started by studying architecture at Oxford

Brookes for six years before I went on to
work as an exhibition designer. I won a
competition in 1998 through BBC2 where I was
awarded Young Designer of the Year and from this
I was offered TV work. I started off in Changing
Rooms because I thought there was something
missing in their repertoire of designers and
haven’t looked back.

My most recent show, Dream Homes

follows people building their own home.
We visit many inspirational buildings that may
have encouraged and influenced the person who
is building their home to do something more
exciting. This building might be in England or
Europe or even America. We meet some amazing
architects and visit some astonishing sites.

I always did really enjoy taking part in

Changing Rooms. It was a high turnover of
ideas and projects and was a very creative time.
It was stimulating and challenging. I don’t think
people’s view of makeover shows has changed
since I took part in the show – they still enjoy
seeing transformations happen. We go from what
is essentially a wreck of a building or room to
something beautiful.

Very contemporary design can be

alienating – cold and impersonal. The
spaces I create are spaces you feel happy and
relaxed in. All those pieces that have knocks and
scratches take the harder edge off of
contemporary pieces. In a way it’s important to
get the balance between form and function.

I was a windsurfing instructor for five or

six years growing up in Brighton. When you
are teaching windsurfing you are really teaching
people to look after themselves in harsh
conditions and to respect the environment
because it can very easily get the better of them.
Equally these are messages that are transferred
into my architectural studies. The idea of working
with nature makes more sense than trying to
constantly keep it out.

I’m currently doing an eco refurb of my

own home and I’m very aware of what the

Oliver Heath
costs are. We spent about a year and a half
looking for a house in Brighton that was near
enough to the centre that we could walk or cycle
in. It’s a 1960’s detached house and is a great
place to get eco experimenting with. It has a
sweet little garden with a veg patch and
somewhere for our kids to play. It’s not the

S pecialising in environmentally sustainable

obvious beautiful house that you might expect of a
designer but I think it’s going to be great once we
have finished the work. architecture and eco interiors, Oliver Heath
I’m really interested in the future of design has his finger firmly on the green pulse.
and where architecture is going to go. It He made his debut on Changing Rooms
seems to make no sense that architecture affects
the environment unnecessarily. It doesn’t need to.
back in 2000 and is currently filming a
There are so many new technologies, new new series of Dream Homes. discover his
materials and such creativity out there that it’s
very easy to adopt a sustainable lifestyle without it inspirational designs in his latest book
impacting too much on our current lifestyle. Urban Eco Chic.

May / June 2010 11

 greenliving_homes

Figs and Rouge Bodycare

Figs and Rouge bodycare range

combines natural and vintage inspired
aromas with organic ingredients.
Stylish, elegant and natural enough for
everyday use, this gorgeous range
nourishes and moisturises from head
to toe with no harsh chemicals,
synthetic fragrances or parabens.

T: 020 7272 7233

Mud Hut Company W: www.ecoutlet.co.uk
FROM
With a passion for beautiful interiors, the Mud Hut Company holds
at its heart great design and sustainable practice. Like all of the £ 3.40
Mud Hut products, these stunning tiles are handmade using
ancient techniques and are fired to earthenware. No two items are
the same, and glazes and surfaces are often deliberately
distressed to have a worn-in and tactile appearance of age-old
items.

Inspiration for these unique tiles is drawn from medieval tiles in

castles and churches, to Kasbahs and Moghul Indian designs. Tiles
can be supplied unsealed or pre-sealed with linseed oil for waxing
acheiving a warm look. All are stunning designs that capitalise on
the natural colours of different clays and natural pigments.

T: 01179 616773
W: www.mudhutcompany.com

Woven Bags
The woven bamboo handle bag is an
elegant woven bag, equally suited to
special occasions or trips to the shops.
Made using recycled juice packs which
have been ingeniously woven around
two circular handles of lacquered
bamboo, the bags are produced by a

£16.99
co-operative of 500 female workers
in the Philippines and traded
according to Fairtrade principles.

T: 020 7272 7233

W: www.ecoutlet.co.uk

12 May / June 2010

 greenliving_homes

£ 3.99
Catnip Mice

Handmade using vintage fabric, these gorgeously cute little

figures are stuffed with felt wadding and organic catnip,
perfect for a spot of cat and mouse playtime. The mice are a
perfect shape for cats to flip and chase and come with a
lovely long cord tail so owners can join in with the fun too.

T: 020 7272 7233 W: www.ecoutlet.co.uk

Whitstable Bucket BBQ

With summer just around the corner,

this Whitstable BBQ offers a good-
value reusable alternative to
disposables. Measuring 30 x 33cm,
the Whitstable BBQ is made from
galvanised steel and consists of
three parts; the bucket, a tray that
sits inside the bucket where the
charcoal goes and the griddle on top.
Portable and sturdy, when the warm
weather calls for it, the BBQ bucket
can be easily carried from the back
garden to the beach, neighbours
garden or park for a spontaneous
barbecue.

T: 020 7272 7233

W: www.ecoutlet.co.uk
Tree Hugging
Squirrel Design is a family business specialising in creating
inspirational bespoke wooden structures that encourage a greater
appreciation and enjoyment of our outdoor environment.

Their tree houses range from smaller, magical hideaway spaces to £ 21

larger, adventurous schemes including rope walkways, trapdoors,
zip wires and more. Their garden retreats on the other hand
include beautifully crafted carbon friendly eco-lodges, using
materials such as sheep’s wool insulation and timber cut from
sustainably managed forests.

Each Squirrel Design project is carefully and individually designed,

and skilfully built to provide customers with a wonderful space to
spend time in – for play, leisure, education and living.

T: 01454 238967
W: www.squirreldesign.co.uk

May / June 2010 13

 greenliving_solar energy

A common misconception in the UK is that you have to live in the middle of the Mediterranean
to benefit from solar energy, when in fact the British climate offers the ideal conditions for this
green energy alternative. With the National Grid buying back your unused energy as well as a
whole host of other cash incentives, solar is an increasingly more viable option both
environmentally and economically, enabling you to avoid the increasing cost of depleting fossil
fuels. In this issue, greenliving finds out about an exciting new project set to change the fields
of Glastonbury for the better and also seeks out the best local experts on the subject…

Catch the sun

May / June 2010 15

 greenliving_solar energy
Y Solarsense
Michael Eavis, founder of the renowned
Glastonbury Festival, the largest
contemporary music and performing
arts festival in the world, will set another
record in August this year when work
commences on a new Photovoltaic solar
system at Worthy Farm in Somerset.
The site of the Glastonbury Festival will
now be home to a 200kW solar
Photovoltaic system, the largest
domestic solar system in the UK and
over 50 times the size of the standard PV
systems normally being installed on
households. The project will see over
1100 solar panels cover the roof of one of
large cattle barns at Worthy Farm; if
these panels were put end to end, they
would stretch for 1.5km.
Solarsense UK Ltd, an award-winning
installer based in Bristol, has been
working with Mr. Eavis on this project
since early 2007. With 16 years’ of
experience in the business, and over
3000 commercial and domestic
16
installations on their portfolio, or maintenance costs of any PV system,
Solarsense are in a good position to he will continue to reap the financial
deliver Mr. Eavis with a system that will benefits in years to come.
cater to his financial and ethical
specifications. One of Mr Eavis’s wishes The Clean Energy Cashback Scheme is
was that all equipment used in the not limited to large installations however.
installation should be British-made and Any person installing a PV system on
to this end Romag, a glass specialist and their property will be eligible to receive
solar panel manufacturer based in up to 41.3p per unit, tax free, for every
Durham, have been selected as the kWh their system generates. With the
panel of choice for the
project.
“The site of the Glastonbury festival
The recent launch of the
Clean Energy Cashback
will now be home to a 200kW solar
Scheme has enabled the Photovoltaic system, the largest
project to be not just domestic solar system in the UK...
green, but also a sound
financial investment for if these panels were put end to end,
the Glastonbury founder. they would stretch for 1.5km”
With the Clean Energy
Cashback Scheme,
Mr. Eavis can expect a return on his cool clear conditions in the South West, a
investment of up to 12%, which medium-sized domestic system of
translates into an annual income of at 2.1kWp would be expected to generate
least £60,000. With the minimal running around 2000 such units per year. Maybe
that’s why The Financial Times asked its
readers, “It makes you wonder why you’d
bother with an ISA this year, doesn't it?”
Solarsense will be keeping a blog about
progress on the Glastonbury project at
www.solarsense-uk.com. Also available
on the Solarsense home page is the
Clean Energy Cashback Calculator,
whereby homeowners interested in PV
can see in real figures what financial
benefits are available for those getting
involved in green energy.
T: 01275 394139
W: www.solarsense-uk.com
May / June 2010
 greenliving_solar energy

Y Fair Energy
Fair Energy is a community interest
company specialising in seamless, full
service transitions to renewable
heating for domestic and commercial
customers. Put simply, they design,
install and integrate solar thermal hot
water systems as well as wood fuel
biomass boilers.
As a community interest company they
also have social enterprise goals,
helping individuals and communities
take control of renewable heating to
give them energy independence, lower
fuel costs and lower CO2 emissions.
Their ultimate aim is to help alleviate
global fuel poverty and encourage
secure and affordable energy to fuel
our future.
Also since Fair Energy are MCS
certified, it means all their solar
thermal and wood fuel installations will
be eligible for the Renewable Heat
Incentive, where the government
reimburses participants for using
renewable heat energy.
T: 0845 12 66 555
W: www.fairenergy.org.uk

Y Plug in
to the Sun
These guys were the first solar PV
installer in Cornwall and offer professional
installations for homeowners, business,
community groups, housing associations,
schools and councils.

For those who are thinking of making the

switch they offer a free no obligation site
survey followed up with a fixed price quote
and detailed plan. Based in Penzance and
working throughout Cornwall and Devon,
Plug Into The Sun pride themselves on top
quality installation and professional
customer service. 

T: 0844 800 9512

W: www.plugintothesun.co.uk

Y Ecocetera
Ecocetera is a Bristol based
renewable energy company who are
passionate about helping
homeowners reduce their
dependence on fossil fuels and
nuclear power. They specialise in
solar photovoltaic systems that
convert the sun’s energy directly into
electricity. The electricity supply
feeds the house first of all and any
surplus energy is exported to the
National Grid, not wasted.
Because solar systems don’t need
direct sunlight to produce electricity
but actually operate more efficiently
at lower temperatures, they‘re
perfect for our British climate –have
a look at their website for local
success stories!
T: 01179 590580
W: www.ecocetera.com

May / June 2010 17

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 greenliving_eco veggie fayre

Eco
veggie
fayre
The Bristol Eco Veggie Fayre (May
29th and 30th) is one of the world’s
biggest gatherings of veggie
food and a must visit even if
you’re a meat eater!

Some of the UK’s finest veggie food

producers gather together at the first ever
Bristol Eco Veggie Fayre on Saturday May
29th and Sunday 30th 2010, with the
organisers expecting up to eight thousand
people through the door to experience the
delights of one of the UK’s fastest growing
lifestyle choices – the veggie diet.

Some choose to be veggie for health

reasons, others make the choice because
they are concerned about the welfare of
animals and others go meat free due to
environmental issues. No matter the
reason, a growing number of people are
going veggie for one reason only – the
outstanding food!
Veggie food has long since shed the
earnest but rather dull hippy image of the
‘70s and with leading UK veggie caterers
at the Bristol Eco Veggie Fayre alongside
some award-winning food producers,
there is a huge choice to be had.
“Visitors to the show will be spoilt for
choice when it comes to what to eat,” says
organiser Tim Barford from Bristol based
hemp firm Yaoh. “There is an incredible
selection of really tasty food on offer and
all of it is 100% plant based. We have over
100 stalls at the event with some amazing
products on offer, including bodycare and
clothes, plus loads of information – it’s a
“There’s a real increase of interest in
anything eco-friendly and especially in
Bristol which has a huge population of
veggies already,” adds Tim, “and with such
an excellent variety of products, food,
experts and information available, it’s
going to be a busy and exciting weekend.”
really good way to find out just how good
the veggie lifestyle can be.”
The weekend will include 48 talks and Tickets are now on sale at
cookery demos as well as an www.yaoh.co.uk/catalog
entertainments arena with three stages. For more information:
Saturday’s headliners are Roots Manuva www.bristol.ecoveggiefayre.co.uk
and there will be a gypsy music theme The show is organised by Yaoh and
with 3 Daft Monkeys on Sunday. You can sponsored by Beanie’s Health Foods,
also find a licensed bar, a kids area, a Bute Island, Vitamix, Natural
green homes zone, an eco cinema and an Balance, Activeg, The Spark, Viva!,
art exhibition. There really is a full line up Cook Vegetarian, Chunkies, Excellart,
to suit all tastes and with an advance VeggieVision, and Foods for Life
admission price each day of just £6 for
adults and £3 for kids and OAPs, Tim is Tel: 01179 239053
expecting a full house.

May / June 2010 19

 greenliving_kevin mccloud

This month household hero

and environmentalist Kevin
McCloud tells Rebecca
Gooch why the recession has
been a tonic for sustainability
and why being green is
purely a state of mind…

If Kevin McCloud weren’t so green, you’d

call him prime time gold. The Somerset-
based presenter of Grand Designs – the hit
show which follows self-builders in
pursuit of excellence – has been described
as the David Attenborough of the
construction site.

“Hmph,” he snorts dismissively,

unimpressed by the glowing epithets. “All
stuff to fill newspapers with.” What
admirable modesty. He has even described
himself as “a piece of telly fluff”. While the
52-year-old may not have a big head, he

Kevin
certainly has big viewing figures.

Although he predicted back at kick-off in

1998 that Grand Designs would probably
only be watched by “a few
surveyors”, it’s now the
highest-rated programme

McCloud on Channel 4, watched by

around 4 million people per
episode, and bought by 127
countries.

“It’s the stories that make it

popular, the human
condition,” he says. “Home-
building is one of the last big adventures
we can all go on, and it’s tangible,
something everybody could do. I’ve met
people who live in council flats in Sheffield
who love the programme. Not because
they’ll ever have the money to even buy a
house let alone build one, but because
they connect to the people who are doing
it. They see the difficulties they are going
through, and it’s a dream they all have.”

May / June 2010 21

 greenliving_kevin mccloud
“To drive a Toyota Prius
50 miles a day to and from
work doesn’t make you an
ecologist. If you have an
Aston Martin in the garage
and you walk or cycle the
short journey, that makes
you an ecologist.”
Although Kevin puts the show’s appeal
down to the human stories involved, his
own erudite and enthusiastic input has
been just as integral to its huge success.
Surprisingly, he’s big on sustainability,
recycling, anti-acquisitiveness and
‘retrofurbing’ – the refurbing and
upgrading of the old, rather than replacing
with the new. And after a filming trip to the
Dahravi slums of Mumbai late last year,
he’s also bigger than ever in his conviction
that our homes, environment and how they
contribute to social interaction are
absolutely crucial to our happiness.
The people he lived with had few
possessions, and lived side by side in
corrugated shacks, where every inch of
space had a multi-function, which
engendered natural sociability. “Because
women don’t have huge kitchens, they
rinse their pots in the street. That has to be
the most civilised, sociable way of doing
the washing-up – outside in the sun,
chatting to your neighbours. It’s all about
people sharing things.
It’s about making sure
people are happy where
they are living and
content to stay there,
22
rather than treat their homes as an
isolated box that is part of their pension
plan or investment portfolio.”
Having “things” does not make us happy,
he insists. He hates buying new stuff,
grows a lot of the food he eats and only
really uses the supermarket to buy loo
rolls. But he does admit spending “a
frightening amount of money” on rare and
specialist design books, and is fond of his
two highly sustainable bespoke Harris
Tweed suits, one green and one blue,
which he had especially made for filming –
even if they can get a bit whiffy…
“Traditionally they would soak the cloth in
urine during part of the dyeing process, so
when it rains you worry you’ll start
smelling like an incontinent Scotsman.”
Yet, of all his possessions the one that
gives him most pleasure is, perhaps
surprisingly, his little diesel Volvo C30.
“I love that car – it’s beautiful inside, funky
outside and does 70 to the gallon. I don’t
have to drive a car like a dodgem!”
“It’s interesting that
all the people who
write about
happiness, like
Oxford Professor Avner Offer in his book
‘The Challenge of Affluence’, say that since
the war we have immeasurably increased
our standard of living in Britain, and we
have also increased our happiness. But
actually our happiness sort of peaked in
the mid-’70s, and frankly we could have
got by with a lot less material
improvements to maintain the same
standards of happiness and self-worth.
“The point is that happiness doesn’t come
from material benefit – it’s from family and
relationships, it’s that simple. What we
need to be doing, in all of our social
housing schemes and eco towns, is
planning for better social interactivity and
more social cohesion. And you can do that
by giving people shared gardens and
shared space and all kinds of shared
facilities. Fundamentally, it’s dependent on
people talking to each other over the
washing line, isn’t it?"
He’s putting his money where his mouth is
on that one, with a £19 million project to
build 200 eco-homes near Swindon. This
brave venture only came about when a
similar eco-development project in
Cornwall that Grand Designs had been due
to follow suddenly fell through when the
May / June 2010
 greenliving_kevin mccloud

“The point is that happiness doesn’t come from material benefit –

it’s from family and relationships… Fundamentally, it’s dependent
on people talking to each other over the washing line, isn’t it?”

contractor decided he didn’t want to be
filmed.
“So it just ground to a halt, and slightly in
desperation I said, you know what – I’ll
become the developer.” In 2007 he set up
his own enterprise called HAB (Happiness
Architecture Beauty), and on May 27th,
after ‘ploddingly slow’ progress, work
finally begins on the first project; a 42 eco-
home development called The Triangle.
one car is an eco car. It’s not the object
that determines its environmental
performance really; it’s how we use it.
“So to drive a Toyota Prius 50 miles a day
to and from work doesn’t make you an
ecologist. If you have an Aston Martin in
the garage and you walk or cycle the short
journey, in my view that makes you an
ecologist. If you run three baths every day,
turn the heating up and open the windows,
it doesn’t matter how energy performing
your house is…it’s about how we live.
“That’s what I’m interested in – how we
live.”
Grand Designs Live:
May 1–9, London ExCel
October 8–10, NEC Birmingham
www.granddesignslive.com

“And I’m still putting money where my

mouth is!” he laughs. “It’s been painful at
times, but no, I don’t regret it.” Both
bureaucracy and the recession contributed
to the occasional pain, he says. But he
believes that one beneficial side effect of
the economic crisis is that we’ve all
become a little bit more thrifty – recycling
and repairing, when once we might have
binned and bought new. Without realising
it, many of us have unknowingly joined the
sustainability movement.
Home for him, his interior designer wife
Zani and four children, is an ‘unshowy’
500-year-old farmhouse with 20 acres
near Frome, full of retrofurbishments and
eco-innovations like loft insulation made
from Black Mountain sheep wool – which
is one of his hand-picked Green Heroes
showcasing at Grand Designs Live in
London (May1-9) and Birmingham
(October 8-10).
He’s not just an avid fan, he’s a user of
these “new, exciting, under-represented’
Kevin’s Green Heroes
1 Tirex carpet - doormats and
carpets made from strips of reused
tyres. www.interfaceflor.com
7 Hemcrete - Building material
made from British-grown hemp
fibre and lime-based binder.
www.limetechnology.co.uk
2 Sting fabric - Upholstery fabric
made from recycled wool and
fibre from stinging nettles. 8 Giles Miller cardboard king -
Sustainable, corrugated
www.camirafabrics.com cardboard furniture.
www.gilesmiller.com
3 Insulated blinds - Five-layered
blinds that offer heat-saving
equivalent to 85mm of fibreglass 9 Smile plastics sheet material -
Sheet plastic made from recycled
insulation. plastic drink bottles, yogurt pots, Cds
www.heatsavershades.co.uk and factory waste.
www.smile-plastics.co.uk
4 Combined solar panels - divert
excess heat into heating water.
www.newformenergy.com 10 Parans solar lighting system -
External panels channel
sunlight via fibre optic cables into
5 EcoForce plastic products - Bath
scourers, sponges and cloths
made from recycled plastic.
inside rooms. www.limitless.uk.com

hero products. “I’m ordering some Heat

Saver blinds and we use the scourers
made from recycled plastic. We’ll be using
Hemcrete on our houses in Swindon too.”
But products aside, he’s a great believer
that our eco-friendliness is not down to
what we own, but how we use it.
www.ecoforce.co.uk
6 Black Mountain sheep’s wool
insulation - High performance
insulating material made from the
fleece of British upland sheep.
www.blackmountaininsulation.com

“I give a talk now and again with some

slides and I show lots of pictures of
houses, and ask which is the eco one?
Then I show pictures of cars, and ask the
same question. Is it the restored 1972
Sunbeam? Is it the Range Rover? Is it the
Smart car? The answer is none of them.
No one house is an eco house, just as no

May / June 2010 23

 greenliving_style over speed

Lose the Lycra!

3 lycra’s a thing of the past – this

year it's all about looking chic
on your bike.

3 Make sure you're not wearing

anything too baggy that might
get caught in your chain.

3 Consider investing in a helmet

if you think it’ll help you feel
more confident – or you plan
on going really fast! 

3 don’t be a sweaty Betty!

Consider loose, breathable
fabrics. Wear a few thin layers
that you can easily remove
rather than a heavy jacket or
jumper.

3 Invest in panniers and you’ll

avoid a sweaty back from your
backpack.

Style over speed

In a bid to get commuters or many people, the thought of roading’ or climbing a mountain is
from behind the wheel and
onto the saddle, we offer
up a few ideas on why
cycling needn’t mean
F cycling to work is at best a
seasonal activity, at worst an
impossible undertaking. A lot of
this resistance to change our daily
commuting routine can be put down to the
carrying your bike up the steps to store it
in the front porch!

Town bikes such as Raleigh Shoppers are

same reason we criticise city 4x4 drivers:
anything more than an the vehicule just isn’t appropriate for the
easy way of getting from job. Or so we think. Because with a few
A to B. small changes in both attitude and attire,
peddling your way to the office has never
been easier or more enjoyable…
SENSIBLE BIKE
If you're lucky you might find one or two
bikes in the corner of your average bike
shop that fall into a sensible category, but
everything else will probably be a
mountain bike or a racer, neither of which
are particularly practical. In reality, the
closest the majority of people get to ‘off-
back in vogue again; bikes that encourage
an upright position and afford the rider a
far better view of the road ahead as well
as redistributing your weight so that it
isn’t sat on top of the handlebars, making
the ride far more smooth and comfortable.
Some town bikes also come with chain
guards, mud guards and internal gears so
you don’t have to tuck your trousers into
your sock to avoid the oil or arrive with
mud up your back.
SENSIBLE CLOTHING
We don’t dress up to walk to the shop for a
pint of milk - so why should we if we if we
go by bike? Since the Cycling City Project

24 May / June 2010


was launched, women cyclists are being
seen around Bristol more and more, but by
no means are they clad head to foot in
Day-Glo, Lycra and overshoes!
Cycling enthusiasts quite rightly own all
the correct kit for mountain and tour
biking, but this type of kit is appropriate for
the task in hand and not this 3-mile
commute. The most important thing is for
city cyclists to be comfortable by wearing
thin layers and loose clothing – if this
advice is heeded then you’re likely to arrive
at work with nothing more than flushed
cheeks, and the need for the office to have
a shower facility becomes an excuse
rather than a requirement. Many online
cycling retailers and some larger high
street cycling shops have a great range of
female-friendly cycle clothing on offer and
will happily point you in the right direction.
May / June 2010
greenliving_style over speed
For help and advice on what to wear,
where to cycle and the best bike for you,
register at www.betterbybike.info/cycle-
training or call 01179 222877
SENSIBLE SPEED
It goes without saying, but be sure to make
your daily journey as safe as possible by
Switched on?
allowing plenty of time to get there - and Some people prefer to have a
cycling a little slower in the process. You helping hand, especially when it
don’t need to tear round the city at 30mph comes to tackling the hills in and
in order to feel the benefits of leaving the around Bristol. Electric bikes can
car in the drive. take the strain when you’d rather
not. local stockists include:
Travelling at a sensible speed also means
a more gentle form of exercise for those Atmosphere Electric Bikes
who are just getting back in the saddle; you 01179 087153
might never forget how to ride a bike, but a
gruelling and sweaty re-introduction to Fred Baker Cycles
two-wheeled transport might make you 01179 249610 
want to!
The Electric Transport Shop
Cycling need be nothing more than a 01179 552271
pleasurable and relaxed mode of
transport, so let's get bikes and clothing fit
for the purpose.
25
 The Electric Transport Shop
0117 955 2271
Gabriels Business Park
Easton
Bristol
(map on website) BS5 0RT

Bristol’s first dedicated electric cycle retailer

and repair centre - now open in Easton.

www.electricbikesales.co.uk

Inspiring
Stories:
Never before has a generation been so disconnected from the land and food. The food
industry has created an obesity epidemic, costing the UK billions, as well as a dependency
on oil and gas to make nitrates and pesticides accounting for around 40% of the fossil fuel
inputs into agriculture. This month, greenliving takes a look at a project that provides a
beacon of light for the farming network and customers alike.
I
n 2007, the government brought out a
report entitled Food Matters which
caused a huge global shake up of the
awareness of food production inside and
outside of the UK. Food Matters
highlighted the need for the government to
take a more integrated approach, not only
in providing information to consumers, but
to our entire food policy. This need to
tackle the health, social, environmental
and economic challenges in the food
system has been the driving force of
change in recent years.
It’s no secret that a point of crisis is within
sight. This developing crisis has caused a
resurgence of interest in local produce,
farmers’ markets, box schemes,
seasonality, community farms and
allotments, to name but a few.
One such project that sought change was
Church Farm in Hertfordshire. The farm’s
owner Tim Waygood took over the plot of
land after growing tired of seeing
tasteless, miserable looking food on
supermarket shelves at inflated rates. “I’d
been looking into climate change and peak
oil, as well as all the other nightmarish
side-effects of what gets called
‘conventional agriculture’ – eventually I
knew I had to something about it”.
The ethos behind the farm is founded on
the belief that securing good food for all is
about the careful management of the
world’s natural resources by tried-and-
tested methods, not just a reliance on new
technologies. Church Farm believes that
answers lie in a radical reworking of the
May / June 2010
Better Food,
Better Farming
“People are realising that
they’re surrounded by this
kind of debt-fuelled
illusion of satisfaction; that
they’ve been overspending
in a meaningless way and
that it’s time to re-
prioritise”
very best traditional methods.
The Farm also recognises
that not only would we
benefit from fine food but
also a more stable
food agriculture, which
would provide clear
streams, teeming
wildlife and thriving
rural communities.
greenliving_inspiring stories
Tim argues, “It’s a measure of the failure
of our present farming methods that the
countryside is so depleted of these things.”
Church Farm is a modern, ecological
revival of traditional mixed farming,
creating an alternative to corporate
supermarket consumerism. Tim asserts:
“We reject desert monocultures in favour
of a mixed farm that values and improves
the land and the wildlife that lives on it,
and that means renewing our ancient
contract with animals. It also means
radically altering our food system from
food to fork and finally, it means
reconnecting people and communities with
their food and where it comes from,
making farms the bustling centers of
community they once were.”
The farm processes and sells the food
directly to customers. Tim also offers
households the chance to join the farm
whether that means playing an active role
in the running of the farm or simply visiting
and feeding the animals.
“It’s all about re-imagining all that a farm
can be rather than churning out
commodities for mass markets – we want
to provide a sustainable lifestyle. Our
philosophy is to start with great food. To
achieve that you need great farming, and
that kind of farming can be part of a
great life.”
To find out more information
about Church Farm call 01438
861447 or visit
www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk
27
 BILL
GETHING
Architect Bill
Gething was a
long-standing
partner of
Feilden Clegg
Bradley Studios
before setting up an independent
consultancy last year. He has contributed
to the practice's international reputation
for sustainable design and is currently a
member of the Royal Institute of British
Architect’s Climate Change Board.
The Government may be planning for all new build housing to be “zero carbon” by 2016, but
this month Bill Gething looks at the problem at hand – the vast extent of existing housing that
will still be standing by 2050 and demonstrates why change can only begin at home.
The Climate Change Act (2008), a legally
binding commitment, requires that by
2050, the UK will have reduced its national
carbon dioxide emissions by 80% as
compared with 1990 levels.
This challenging target is achievable but
only by a combination of reducing our need
to use energy in the first place, using and
distributing what energy we do use more
efficiently and reducing the emissions
associated with producing energy. All
aspects of our way of life need to be
reassessed in these terms.
Over a quarter of our total emissions are
produced by our homes; over three
quarters of these are from space heating
and water heating, with the rest due to
lighting, cooking and using all the
appliances and gadgetry that appear to be
an essential part of modern life.
Whilst it is true that these emissions may
be reduced by changing the way we
produce our energy, that energy is likely to
be much more expensive and probably
scarcer. We therefore need to look at how
to radically reduce the use of energy in the
home as well as the possibilities of
generating some or all of that energy on or
close to our homes.
Thermal standards for new homes are
becoming increasingly stringent. From
28
Upgrading
your home:
A whole house
approach.
2016, all new homes will be “zero carbon”. buying more efficient appliances and
But what about all our existing homes? It moving towards more efficient light
has been estimated that, given how few fittings, to more major interventions like
homes we demolish, over 80% of the replacing boilers, hot water cylinders and
homes that will exist in 2050 have already heating controls. Nevertheless, these
been built, many of which have very poor incremental changes should be made in
energy performance. Almost all of these the context of an overall strategy for the
will need upgrading between now and 2050 whole house so that opportunities are
to energy performance standards similar exploited to their maximum potential and
to the new homes of today. the individual steps complement each
other.
A surprising difference can be made at no
cost simply by being more careful about Similarly more major interventions, such
the way we use energy in our homes. as improving wall insulation, may
Looking at insulation, ventilation and air inevitably be quite disruptive. These need
tightness as well as possible renewable to be carried out to a high enough
energy options and a reduction in water standard, similar to that of a new home,
use (and hence the need to heat it) are all that will stand the test of time so that they
appropriate measures that consider a will not need to be revisited in the
whole-house approach to energy efficiency. building’s lifetime.
There may be occasions when there is an Many interventions are interlinked and will
opportunity to undertake a comprehensive only be possible, or will be better value,
refurbishment, perhaps when moving into when carrying out other work and these
a new house, but it is more likely that offer “trigger” points where it will make
improvements will happen incrementally sense to include energy efficiency work.
as part of the normal cycle of maintenance For example, if a house needs re-roofing
and refurbishment. These will range from and external wall insulation is being
“The realities of what we need to do to avoid catastrophic
climate change are beginning to dawn on us. New financial
mechanisms are being developed but we need to make a
fundamental change in our attitude to our homes”
May / June 2010
 greenliving_upgrading your home

considered, it makes sense at least to Innovative Pay As You Save (PAYS) financial
extend the roof so that it will cover the packages are also being trialled in Stroud,
external wall insulation even if the Birmingham, Sunderland and Sutton to
insulation work is to be carried out later. test out ways of enabling householders to
The Government recognises the scale of upgrade their homes at no upfront cost,
the challenge and also that the straight with a loan that is linked to the property
forward financial payback from some (rather than the householder) where the
thermal upgrade measures can look pretty savings in energy costs pay off the loan
unattractive given the length of time over an extended period.
people typically stay in a home.
The realities of what we need to do to avoid
Their CERT (Carbon Emissions Reduction catastrophic climate change and to deal
Target) scheme, which runs until 2011, with diminishing reliable sources of cheap
requires substantial domestic energy fossil fuel are beginning to dawn on us.
suppliers to make savings in the emissions New financial mechanisms are being
of their customers predominantly by developed to make it possible to finance
offering discounted cavity wall and loft the work involved but more importantly we
insulation. A further £350 million will be need to make a fundamental change in our
contributed by energy suppliers through attitude to our homes; to make sure that
the Community Energy Savings we add real long term value to them by
Programme (CESP), running until the end upgrading their performance rather than
of 2012, offering free and discounted making cosmetic changes that in all
central heating and other energy saving likelihood will be ripped out by the next
measures on a street by street basis, owner.
targeting households in most need of
improvement.
Replacing hot water cylinder

OPPORTUNITY
Re-rendering/re-pointing
Adding a conservatory

Replacing windows

great opportunity
Replacing boiler
Moving in or out

loft conversion

New bathroom

possible opportunity
Re-plastering

New heating
New kitchen

Re-flooring
Re-roofing
Extending

Re-wiring

MEASURES TO CONSIdER

Wall insulation
Roof insulation
Floor insulation
Heating controls
Cylinder/pipe insulation FURTHER READING:
Airtightness improvements
CE309 Sustainable Refurbishment: Towards an 80%
Efficient ventilation
reduction in CO2 emissions, water efficiency, waste
Windows reduction and climate change adaptation. Energy
low energy lighting Savings Trust, February 2010. Download free from
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/business/Publication-
Energy efficient appliances
Download

May / June 2010 29

 greenliving_soil association

A new food campaign launched by the Soil

Association ‘Better Nursery Food Now’ has
attracted interest from many parents,
nurseries, nutritionists, caterers and cooks.
Policy manager Pamela Brunton takes a look
at the latest supporter to jump on the better
nursery food bandwagon: the government.

Thought the Turkey Twizzler had had its
chips with the school dinners campaign?
Think again. Unclench your toddler’s
sweaty palm and you may still uncover
the remnants of a reformed meat nugget,
high in fat, salt and additives that are now
banished from school lunches for older
children.
Our youngest children are the most
vulnerable to the effects of poor diet.
Children’s eating habits are formed at a
young age so the food they eat at nursery
has a far-reaching effect on their food
choices and physical health. Almost one
in four children start school already
overweight or obese, meaning they are
more likely to suffer from serious health
problems like heart disease and cancer
later in life: yet there are no clear rules
for the food that nurseries can serve.
Last week the government’s Department
for Children, Schools and Families
announced that they have tasked the
School Food Trust with reviewing the
rules for nursery food. The SFT were
responsible for putting in place the
standards for school lunch that have
seen such great improvement in the
quality of food served to older children,
and evidence is growing of improved
pupil wellbeing, better behaviour and
increased ability to learn. The Trust must
now follow the recommendations of the
Soil Association’s Better Nursery Food
campaign and put in place compulsory
standards for the food served in all
nurseries, to make sure every child gets
the start in life they deserve.
The Soil Association’s 2008 report was
the first detailed investigation into the
state of food fed to young children
attending nurseries in England and
Wales. It found wide variety in the quality
of food served in early years day care.
Despite the lack of authoritative guidance
many nurseries do their best to serve
good food, but most fall short of serving
important food like oily fish, and
processed foods high in salt, fat, sugar
and artificial additives, that are now
banned in schools, are still on offer in
nurseries. More than four in every five
nurseries in England and Wales are
privately run and parents pay on average
£35 a day for childcare, yet the report
found some nurseries spend as little as
25p on ingredients for a child’s food. And

30 May / June 2010


there are no rules to stop them.
Over a year ago the Soil Association asked
DCSF to put the School Food Trust in
charge of standards for nursery food, to
make sure nutrition and cookery training
was available for nurseries’ cooks and
care staff, and to improve the inspection of
nursery food. Parents agree. In a new
survey on a social networking site
Mumsnet, 1,000 parents with children at
nursery have told us they want strong
rules for nursery food: sweets, chocolate
and chips, which are banned or restricted
in schools, also banned in nurseries;
additives that are linked to behavioural
problems banned in nurseries; and
compulsory nutrition training for nursery
cooks.
To parents everywhere: the government is
listening. Now is the time to speak up and
tell them we need better nursery food, for
the lasting health and wellbeing of the
next generation.
May / June 2010
greenliving_soil association
Case Study
Abbeywood Tots, Bristol
Money spent per day per pupil: 80p
Organic ingredients: 100%
Local ingredients: Fruit and veg from a local wholesaler.
All meat from a local organic farm.
Unnecessary processed food: No
Parents given information on menu: Yes
Parents involved in setting menus: Yes
Comply with CWT guidelines: No
Menu analysed by a nutritionist: No
Mike Williams is the owner of three nurseries in Bristol, which are all
certified organic by the Soil Association. They provide an average of 120
meals per day to children spread over three sites, and each day they spend
80p per head. Abbeywood Tots decided to become 100% organic so that they
could provide a locally sourced, healthy balanced diet. Mike explains: “It was
not an easy process by any means and it did take time to find the suppliers
with the right quality products and the right delivery times. We had to make
the changes gradually, and not overnight.”
In order to pay for the organic meat on the menu, Abbeywood have reduced
the number of times they eat meat to two or three times per week. The rest
of the time the caterer uses pulses (sourced from Essential Trading Co-
operative in Bristol), pasta dishes and fish dishes. To supply a fully organic
menu, Abbeywood Tots found that the costs went up by 20% initially. Mike
explains that this was off-set by lower wastage and now this difference is
down to 15% as a result of reviewing the menus gradually.
Want to help?
Thousands of people have signed Better Nursery Food Now’s online
petition demanding better nursery food for our children, with thousands
more people following the campaign’s progress on Twitter and Facebook.
To join the campaign or sign the petition, visit www.nurseryfood.org
31
 greenliving_sweet dreams

The importance of getting a good night’s sleep is invaluable for improving our
health and well being. Going one step further, sleeping organically ensures benefits
for farmers, traders, retailers and eventually, consumers. In this issue,
greenliving puts together a selection of the best eco bedware companies to
ensure you sleep as easy as can be...

Sweer
dreams
4 living
Memory foam mattresses and support
pillows are recommended the world
over for their pressure relieving
comfort and support. However, there
can be some major drawbacks with regular
memory foam. It is made from synthetic
(petro chemical) foam that can emit up to
61 chemicals. The synthetic foam traps
body heat and can be too slow to recover
making it difficult to move. 4 Living is one
of the UK’s first dealers offering the only
all-natural memory foam mattress and
support pillows. Their patented memory
foam is natural, 80% more breathable and
offers up to 72% faster recovery time
compared to the best regular memory
foam. They come with a 90-night trial
with full money back guarantee and an
unrivalled 20 year warranty.
The Fine Cotton
Company
Passionate about quality and with the
emphasis on style and luxury, The
Fine Cotton Company has introduced
a collection of stunning organic
cotton bedding for babies, which is
soft to the touch, kind on the
conscience and great value too. Skin
friendly yet beautifully designed ~
everything your baby needs for a good
night’s sleep!

T: 0800 7565199 T: 0845 6029050

W: www.4living.co.uk/natural W: www.thefinecottoncompany.com

Biome lifestyle
Biome Lifestyle offers sumptuously
soft organic and fairtrade bedding in
The little a variety of colours and patterns to

Green Sheep ensure the perfect look for your

Launching the latest in cot bed technology,
the award-winning Little Green Sheep is
proudly presenting the newest addition to
the flock – the Ryeland – the most
environmentally friendly, all natural cot
bed to date. This revolutionary product
offers an idyllic environment for babies,
toddlers and young ones up to five years.
T: 0800 028 1433
W: www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk
room. Each set has been individually
selected according to its look and
feel plus, importantly, the ethics
involved in its production and
distribution. With sustainability and
assurance at its heart, Biome
makes it easier to create a unique
personal space to relax and
unwind in.
T: 020 8809 6188
W: www.biomelifestyle.com

32 May / June 2010


Bamboo, the new eco-fabric
If you’re looking for eco-friendly bedding
but demand comfort, style and durability
then you should be sleeping between 100%
bamboo bedding! Bamboo fabric is made
by harvesting organic fast growing bamboo
and pulping the stems in a closed system.
This releases the cellulose and natural
antibacterial properties of the bamboo.
The pulp is then refined and spun into a
soft yarn and woven into fabric of luxurious
quality. Bamboo is free of chemicals and
certified organic, in contrast to cotton
which is grown with many fertilisers and
pesticides.
White Cloud
White Cloud specialises in the very best
wool bedding products. Used for
bedding, wool is a natural choice for the
future as it is renewable, sustainable,
100% natural, and biodegradable. Pure
wool provides both lightness and
comfort all year round, resulting in
consistently better quality sleep. It is a
good insulator and naturally creates a
microclimate keeping warm in winter
and cool in summer. Wool uniquely
transfers moisture away from your skin,
helping maintain an even body
temperature throughout the night. It
offers relief from allergies and is fire
resistant and naturally resistant to dust
mites. White Cloud products are made
May / June 2010
Bamboo textiles are made of Moso, Ci and
Dragon Bamboo– not the type of bamboo
that pandas eat. It’s finer and smoother
than cotton and has a silk-like drape, the
softness is ideal for babies, sensitive skin
and for allergy sufferers. Bamboo is softer,
stronger, more lustrous, and three times
more absorbent than cotton – it keeps
away moisture, so it is cool in summer and
warm in winter, also ideal for people prone
to night sweats as the bamboo allows
excellent ventilation.
T: 01380 739234
W: www.bamboobedsheets.co.uk
using only the best wool in the world
from New Zealand; natural wool filled
duvets, pillows, natural wool underlays
and magnetic underlays, organic and
natural blankets and cashmere duvets.
The unique Supawool process used in
manufacturing separates the wool
fibres to maximise the retention of
the loft (up to 30% more than
conventional methods) making it the
warmest and lightest on the
market. None of White Cloud’s wool
duvets are treated with chemicals
to make them washable; they simply
need fresh air and sunlight with an
occasional dry clean, all of which makes
for purer and more eco friendly living.
greenliving_sweet dreams
Fou
Furnishings
Here’s a few top tips from Fou
Furnishings on why opting for organic
bedding makes sense and looks
gorgeous on your bed too.
• Organic cotton bedding uses long
fibres which allows your bedding to
keep its look with every wash as well
as feeling soft and comfortable
against your skin.
• When chosing quality, a good sign is
the thread count which can range
from 150 to 475 and Egyptian organic
cotton is the height of luxury.
• For a crisp look choose percale or
for silky softness opt for sateen.
• Certified organic bed linen gives
assurance on provenance and
performance.
• Linen should be tested for
shrinkage, colourfastness and
pilling, as well as organic sources
and finishes.
• If you have sensitive skin, toxin free
and soft organic cotton bedding is
ideal for you too.
• Organic fabrics protect the
environment, reduce chemical
sprays and toxins for farmers and
ensure fair trade, allowing you to
rest very well assured that you are
doing your bit even when you are
asleep.
T: 01416 445211
W: www.foufurnishings.com
T: 01989 721010
W: www.whitecloud.co.uk
33

PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING in
HOMOEOPATHIC
MEDICINE
BRITISH SCHOOL OF HOMOEOPATHY
has moved to Exeter Natural Health Centre
e School is now interviewing for new students
for the academic year September 2010 / 2011.
e School has been established for 25 years and
has full accreditation from the Society of
Homoeopaths.
• 4 year part time course,
11 weekends per year
• Excellent clinical training
• Very experienced professional tutors
• Well structured syllabus with supported learning
To find out more and to apply for interview
please call Mo or Ali Morrish
01392 214074 / 422555 bsh@enhc.org
www.homoeopathy.com
Fou Furnishings!bxbse!xjoojoh!boe!psjhjobm!dpmmfdujpo!pg!mvyvsz!
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10% off boe free P&P gps!Hsffo!Mjwjoh!sfbefst/
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!ps!wjtju!www.foufurnishings.com !
Bamboo
The eco fabric for the 21st Century
Bamboo fabric is ideal for bed
linen. It’s a wonderful light and
soft fabric, softer than cotton with
a silk like drape and a beautiful
silky lustre. It’s also a very strong
fabric and with care will last many
years.
What’s more, bamboo has huge
advantages over cotton, being
softer, stronger, more lustrous, and
three times more absorbent – it
wicks away moisture, so it’s cool in
summer and warm in winter.
Make the ethical choice -
organically grown bamboo bed
linen will give you a safe and
luxurious sleep night after night.
Tel 01380 739789
www.betweenthesheets.co.uk
 greenliving_riverford
down on
Riverford Farm...
pring is here and it’s time to rekindle
S our affection for rhubarb. Despite
being widely used in desserts,
rhubarb is actually a vegetable; it’s a
member of the ‘polygonaceae’ family and
related to sorrel. Rhubarb was popular in
Victorian times and through most of the
20th Century, but suffered along with
many of Britain’s homegrown, traditional
vegetables as supermarkets began to sell
out-of-season fruit from around the world.
We love growing organic rhubarb on our
farms. It’s an excellent crop to grow in
Britain, enjoying cool climates and
suffering very few pests. It also packs a
flavoursome punch at the table.
36
Rhubarb makes a comforting, traditional
pudding topped with crumble mixture and
rolled oats. Later in the season, throw in a
few handfuls of strawberries too. Custard
essential! Or make the most of its vibrant
colour by swirling stewed rhubarb through
creamy yoghurt for a quick dessert.
Think rhubarb’s only good for pudding?
You’re in for a treat. Its sharpness works
beautifully with meat and fish. Try serving
Jane Baxter’s simple Rhubarb Butter
Sauce with an organic salmon fillet. It’s
good with other oily fish and pork too.
Guy Watson
Founder of Riverford Organic
May / June 2010
 greenliving_riverford

Recipe
ww M o
w. r ore sOn
riv ecip eas lin
er es a ona e
fo t l
rd
By Jane Baxter, .co
Riverford Field Kitchen .u
Taken from the Riverford Farm Cook Book k

Easy Serves 6-8

Rhubarb Butter Sauce for Fish
Put the rhubarb, sugar, orange juice and Ingredients:
zest in a pan and cook gently for about 15
500g rhubarb, cut into batons
minutes, until the rhubarb has broken
down into a purée. Meanwhile, in a 2 tsp sugar
separate pan, boil the fish stock until juice and grated zest of 1 orange
reduced by half its volume. Stir in the
rhubarb, season and cook for 5 minutes, 150ml fish stock
then push through a sieve into a clean pan.
40g chilled butter, cut into
Just before serving, heat the sauce and
small pieces
whisk in the pieces of butter a few at a
time to give a glossy finish. Season to sea salt and freshly ground
taste. black pepper

Special
FREE Offer!
vegbox* offer
for greenliving
readers!
*Place a regular order and the 3rd Riverford Organic
box we deliver is free. Applies to Vegetables Limited
new customers placing a regular Wash Barn
order. The free box will be the same Buckfastleigh
value as the cheapest previous box. Devon TQ11 0JU
Quote GLM10 when ordering. Local Call: 0845 600 2311

May / June 2010 37

 greenliving_green & clean
OMOP WOOD FLOOR CARE
STARTER KIT, £29.99
From hip eco home-care producers
Method, whose fans include Brad Pitt and
Stella McCartney, comes this stylish
wood floor cleaner which can be used to
dust, using the compostable sweeper
pads (made from corn); or to clean, using
the washable microfibre pad and non-
toxic, biodegradable Omop Juice, made
from coconut derived cleaning agents.
Green & Clean
We squirt, scrub and spray – but without careful consideration for the
chemicals we use, home cleaning can bring harmful contamination, as
Rebecca Gooch reveals….
Everyone wants a nice clean house, and
nobody wants to fill it with toxic
chemicals, do they? But take a look at
what’s lurking under your kitchen sink
and you may feel like putting a big orange
hazard warning on the door.
We’ve been brainwashed into believing
that without a truckload of synthetic
chemicals, cleanliness is not just next to
Godliness – it’s next to impossible. These
powerful ingredients do the trick, but at a
price.
The air inside our homes has 5-10 times
as many pesticides as the air outside –
why? Because any product that claims to
kill germs or bacteria contains a
pesticide, which pollutes the air we
breath, along with the volatile organic
38
BENTLEY ORGANIC SHOWER AND
BATHROOM CLEANER, £5.95
This lime fresh, scum-busting chemical-
free cleaner is made with 100%
naturally derived ingredients, and like
all Bentley Organic’s UK Soil
Association certified formulations kills
99.9% of all household germs and
bacteria such as ecoli, listeria and
salmonella – the only natural/organic
cleaning range to do so.
compounds (VOCs) that evaporate from all
the other eco-unfriendly dirt-busters we
spray and squirt without considering the
health side-effects for our family, pets
and environment. You don’t need to
swallow these ingredients to be affected
by them, inhalation and contact with the
skin is enough; and many of the toxins are
bioaccumulative, so over time even mild
exposures can build to toxic levels.
A few of the nasties include:
• Chlorine bleach – a highly caustic
disinfectant which can irritate the lungs
and eyes; once in the drains it can create
toxic and possibly carcinogenic
organochlorides.
• Sodium Hydroxide – found in drain,
metal and oven cleaners, this can burn
eyes, skin and the respiratory tract.
MAISON BELLE ECO GLASS
CLEANER, £4.50
From the Isabella Smith Apothecary –
denmark’s answer to Martha Stewart –
comes this prettily (and recyclable
PET) bottled, non-toxic, biodegradable
glass cleaner, scented with green tea
and sage. Just spray and wipe for a
smear-free sparkle.
• Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) – found
in detergents, disinfectants and all-
purpose cleaners; a suspected hormone
disruptor.
It’s a myth that only synthetic chemicals
can get things super clean, and there is a
growing choice of alternatives which
won’t harm your health or pollute the
planet. We’ve hand-picked some of the
best – or you could try some of the DIY
tips from Stephanie Zia, author of ‘Done &
Dusted – The Organic Home on a Budget’.
May / June 2010
 greenliving_green & clean

CITRASOLV MULTI-PURPOSE
CLEANER, £6.95
Made from orange peel extract, with no
toxic or carcinogenic chemicals, this all-
purpose cleaner – winner of the Edison
Award for Environmental Achievement –
can be used diluted or neat to clean most
household areas. At full strength it can
remove stains like ink, grease and oil
from clothes, carpet and upholstery.

ECOVER POWER CLEANER, £3.99

After seven years in the lab, Ecover’s
men in white coats have developed the
world’s first ‘Eco-Surfactant’, using an
entirely biochemical process, similar to
brewing beer. It’s the power within this
BIO-D GENERAL PURPOSE POLISH, degreaser, which they say is as effective
£3.65 as Cillit Bang Power Cleaner degreaser
Great for cleaning wood, veneer and when it comes to ovens, pots and pans.
laminate surfaces, this ready-to-use spray
comes from a family-owned, ethically-
motivated company, whose
hypoallergenic BUAV and Vegan Society
endorsed products are made from natural,
largely plant-derived ingredients,
supplied wherever possible from
renewable sources.

SIMPLEHUMAN MITT KIT, £19.99

A nifty pack of four washable microfibre
EARTH FRIENDLY PARSLEY PLUS
mitts each designed to clean a particular
MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER, £3.50
home surface – glass and mirror; TV and
Proof that not all cleaners have to smell
computer screen; stainless steel and
of lemons, this deliciously snifftastic hard
general kitchen – without the need for
surface cleanser uses the power of
chemicals. Just dampen one side with
parsley – yes, parsley – in an all-natural
water to clean, then flip over to buff and
formula which has no harmful chemicals,
polish.
and like the rest of the plant-based Earth
Friendly range works as well as
conventional cleaners, smells fabulous
and offers good value for money.

May / June 2010 39

 RICHARD
SPALDING
Richard
Spalding teaches
Human
Geography and
Environment
Studies at UWE
in Bristol. Whilst sitting as the Chair of
South Gloucestershire Local Food and
Drinks Partnership and Winterbourne
Medieval Barn Trust, he also finds time
to grow a few vegetables of
his own too!

40 May / June 2010


veg of
heaven
Reconnecting the people back to the soil...
Since mass production was enforced by a system catering for profit rather than
seasonality, our food landscape has had to endure unrecognisable changes.
This month, Richard Spalding takes us back to our homegrown soil and shows
us how market gardening can make an easier return than expected…
set myself the target of making regular
I visits to the plot before the Easter
holiday. I have achieved wonders in
sixteen hours (over eight visits) and added
to my collection of pottery, glass and clay
pipes. No Saxon hoard as yet, but every
piece tells a story of people and their
endeavours on the allotment.
This skinny strip of red soil where I garden
commands views over the north Bristol
fringe. When I break for a moment, I can
see what I have christened the “Blue
Finger”. In fact, the plot sits right on it.
This high grade agricultural land running
north out of the city used to form the
Bristol Market Gardening and Dairying
Sub-Region and showed up as a distinctive
blue tract some eight miles long and about
a quarter of a mile wide on the 1950s map
of land use classification.
Its glory days are gone, as today it is criss-
crossed by pylons carrying electrical
energy, motorways carrying lorries full of
food energy and yet it holds memories of
foodscapes past; a place worked by many
of the figures we see staring out at us from
the 1897 photo of the Bristol and District
Market Gardeners Association.
They evoke a powerful sense of control and
order over local resources used for feeding
May / June 2010
greenliving_the view from the plot
the city and perhaps offer us some wisdom
on local provisioning for the future. Whilst
the economics of UK market gardening
don’t seem to add up at present, surely
neither does the bedlam economics of
global food production systems with their
seemingly scant regard for seasonality and
their focus on corporate control of what we
put in our bellies.
Back at my feet, the preparation goes on
apace and the milky juices pour out of
severed dandelion roots as I crack them
deep underground with my spade. I think
about Charles Dowding’s exhortation to
refrain from digging and simply use
foodscapes are like, but I suspect they are
mulching to build soil structure with the
many and varied across the South West
help of earthworm and teeming soil fauna.
and you, like me, will continue to think
It is a remarkable and deeply moving idea
about and act upon ideas for revitalising
that this thin crust of soil sustains
them for generations to come. This work
humanity, even though our treatment of it
will continue to lay out the ground for our
often lacks a long term sense of
collective food culture and will need
stewardship.
persistence and insistence on all our parts
if we are to convince our policy makers
Plot 67 is in good shape thus far, but I have
that food and place must once again
been here before at this time of year and
become a central feature of our moves
then gotten overtaken by events; returning
toward resilient communities.
to an overgrown plot in September with
dreams dashed for another year. It may not
Back to the plot again and those edible
be vegetable heaven yet, but my quest is
utopian dreams!
still intact on All Fools Day.
I don’t know what your own local
Richard Spalding
41
 greenliving_directory

Directory Welcome to the greenliving directory. Updated

bi-monthly, this directory is your essential guide to
featured businesses, organisations and producers
in Bristol, Bath and the surrounding areas.
TRAVEL

Asheston Eco Barns Boscrowan Farm Camper Daze The Linen Shed

T: 01348 831781 T: 01736 332396 T: 07540 474987 T: 01227 752271

E: ashestonecobarns E: elizabeth@boscrowan.co.uk E: info@camperdaze.co.uk E: bookings@thelinenshed.com
@googlemail.com
The Linen Shed

Camilla House O’Connors Campers Rezare Farmhouse Rosehill Lodges

T: 01736 363771 T: 01837 659599 T: 01579 371241 T: 01209 891920

E: pete@oconnorscampers.co.uk E: info@rezarefarmhouse.co.uk E: reception@rosehilllodges.com

HOME

Abaca Ltd Bamboo Textiles ECOS Organic Paints Edward Bulmer Limited

T: 01269 598491 T: 08448 26 25 25 T: 01524 852371 T: 01544 388 535

E: enquiry@abacaorganic.co.uk E: info@bamboo-textiles.co.uk E: mail@ecospaints.com E: info@edwardbulmer.co.uk

Fou Furnishings Gecco Interiors Limited The Greenshop Pink Hat

T: 029 2021 1418
T: 0141 644 5211 T: 01494 565459 T: 01452 770629 E: ruth@pinkhat-interiors.co.uk
E: info@foufurnishings.com E: help@geccointeriors.co.uk E: enquiries@greenshop.co.uk

42 May / June 2010

 greenliving_directory

ADVERTIS
E
HERE!
CALL GRE
ENLIVING
TE NOW
L: 01179 7
79188

ENERGY

Apollo Renewables Ltd Capture Energy Ltd Chris Rudge Eco-Exmoor

Renewable Energy
T: 01672 511211 T: 01209 716 861 T: 8442 412992
T: 01297 306114
E: info@apollorenewables.co.uk E: mail@capture-energy.co.uk E: andyb@eco-exmoor.co.uk
E: enquiries@chrisrudge.co.uk

Ecocetera Ltd Fair Energy Solarsense UK Ltd Southern Solar

T: 01179 590580 T: 0845 12 66 555 T: 01275 394139 T: 0117 953 9090

E: enquiries@ecocetera.com E: info@fairenergy.org.uk E: info@solarsense-uk.com E: bristol@southernsolar.co.uk

LIFESTYLE

Ascension Monkton Wyld Court Beyond Skin Eco Concierge

T: 0845 3881 381 T: 01297 560342 T:0845 373 3648 T: 07505 480903
E: help@ascensiononline.com E: info@monktonwyldcourt.org E: info@beyondskin.co.uk. E: kirsten@ecoconcierge.org

Great Elm Physick Garden Liv-UK Izzy Lane Worn again

T:(0)1373 814607 T: 07912062141
E:info@greatelmphysickgarden.com T: 01386 791055 E: lorraine@izzylane.co.uk T: 0207 739 0189
E: enquiries@liv-uk.com E: info@wornagain.co.uk

May / June 2010 43

 greenliving_a planet worth saving

44
A planet worth saving... March / April 2010
 ‘‘The waterfalls at Semuc Champey have to be
one of the most beautiful places in Central
America, set in the middle of the jungle
untouched by civilization. When I was there the
only other person was a local woman, she looked
so serene against the vivid green water and
forest, it was an inspiring and calming
moment’’

Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Picture taken by Skye Saker from Bath

Have you taken a breathtaking picture you'd like to share with our readers? If so, please email
March / April 2010 45
holly@greenlivingmag.co.uk or write to us at 151-153 Wick Road, Bristol, BS4 4HH
 Choose yo
Hand made using the finest organic Belgian chocolate
and blended with essential oils, these organic treats
promise to boost and rejuvenate from within.

Each of the 12 irresistible flavours has been created

for mood enhancing indulgence - which one will you
choose today?

beautiful dreamy lovely fantastic sensual

Organic White Organic Milk Organic Milk Organic Milk Organic Milk
Chocolate with Chocolate with Chocolate with Chocolate with Chocolate with
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ur mood...
To find your nearest stockist:
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0845 602 6862

yin yang
Organic Dark Organic Milk Chocolate
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sexy seductive mistress gorgeous fruity

Organic Milk Organic Dark Organic Dark Organic Dark A moist (plum duff)
Chocolate with Chocolate with Ginger, Chocolate with Chocolate with Milk Chocolate with
Chilli Jasmin Green Tea & Chilli, Cocoa Nibs Sweet Orange, Mixed gentle Spicy Fruit &
Goji Berries & Acai Spice & Rose Petal a dash of booze
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