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How did furniture get so cheap?

February 16, 2012 By John Coles

Have you ever noticed how the price of things relative to other stuff changes so radically over time?

It isn’t so long ago, for example, that bikes for kids were a huge treat. One child’s bike would have to do the whole family as the younger children grew and there was a thriving market in second-hand bikes. These days, the prices make them next door to being throw-away.

Of course, the most extreme examples of this are in electronics. Even as little as 30 years ago, many families would rent a television. These days, the rental market is all but dead as the price just isn’t that big a part of the average disposable income. And tell me – how much is that PC you picked up for £1,000 five years ago worth Now?

Furnishings are another really extreme example. Go back 50 years or so and a good set of wooden bedroom furniture could quite easily command anywhere around 5-10% of the whole value of an average house. Imagine that now! That would make a couple of wardrobes and two chests of solid wood drawers worth around £12k!

Whereas good furnishings were considered to be finely crafted heirlooms, these days, the flat-pack cheap self-assembly stuff is considered next to worthless in the second-hand market.

Just last week, I picked up a pair of recliners and a great new sofa bed in the sofa bed sale because not only were these a couple of items that I wanted and needed – but I simply couldn’t believe the price!

They were so cheap as to be almost irrelevant. And who cares if they don’t stand the test of time really? They look great for a few years then I’ll get new ones. And as long as I’m not doing any harm to the environment or to any people etc. tell me; what’s wrong with that?

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Tips to save on fuel

February 10, 2012 By John Coles

Many people have become obsessed in recent months and years with saving money on fuel. The constant increases in fuel pump prices make people think twice about making their everyday journeys, let alone longer trips.

In fact, possibly as a reaction to these fuel price hikes, there has been an increase in the number of people buying some of the new eco cars that are now on the market. As well as the hybrids that have now been in circulation since the late 1990s when they were first introduced by Honda and Toyota, many of today’s new cars are also really fuel efficient.  However, you may not be ready to change your vehicle just yet.

There are so many ways you can increase the mileage you get from your vehicle, no matter how old it is; here are just a few ideas:

Travel light – Your car’s engine has to move the weight of the car and whatever is in it. Therefore, it makes sense to empty the car of any unnecessary items and remove extras like bike racks and roof top boxes when you’re not using them. Both the bike rack and roof top box also work against the engine by adding aerodynamic drag. You should also make sure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. Doing this ensures that you minimise rolling resistance and make it easier for your engine to move the car along – saving fuel in the process.

Drive steadily – By driving like your granny you will reduce the number of times you have to fill up the tank. Smooth driving and gentle acceleration is key. Anticipate the road ahead to avoid needing to use the brakes so often. Aggressive acceleration followed by jamming on the brakes will use up fuel far more quickly, as well as making your passengers very nervous.

Find a different route – If you can avoid lots of traffic lights and queues, then you’ll reduce your fuel consumption even further. Virtually everyone has a sat nav these days – just pick the eco route option and the navigation system will work out the cheapest way to get from A to B.

 

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Save money – buy a Honda

January 19, 2012 By John Coles

If you really want to save money and the environment, you should buy a Honda. A Honda car, that is, anyway, rather than a motorbike.

This may sound like crazy advice, but if you really need a car for your life and you’re trying to save money at the same time, then the latest research from What Car? In association with Warranty Direct – tends to suggest that you’ll do best with a Honda. That’s because the manufacturer has been found to be the most reliable car-maker in the UK for an incredible six years in a row.

And the wonder of it is that you can pick up a second hand one really cheaply. There are 10 year-old Honda CR-Vs around, for example, for a little more than a thousand pounds. There are even cheaper ones available but buying too cheaply can be false economy.

Whatever you buy – agree a price first then get it thoroughly checked out by a qualified mechanic you trust – just in the same way you would if buying an old house. In this way – you’re taking advantage of a thorough and completely objective survey carried out each year by two reputable organisations in the UK (the largest survey of its kind) and hopefully buying a sound second-hand and very cheap version of the best manufacturer’s cars.

This is the cheapest and most effective way to organise your motoring. Yes, you will be able to find cars which are a little cheaper to run on the mileage and maybe a little cheaper to buy at the same age. But the combination of the cheap buying price, the mechanical check and the company’s proven track record of reliability simply knocks all other considerations out of the water – financially speaking anyway.

And if you’re interested in going green, the same manufacturer has a range of eco cars available – an ever increasing number of which are gradually becoming available second-hand as well.

 

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Honda Civic Natural Gas wins 2012 Green Car of the Year

December 23, 2011 By John Coles

Honda has continued to prove itself as a green car manufacturer this year.  Its most recent accolade was Green Car of the Year 2012 by Green Car Journal for the Honda Civic Natural Gas.

The civic 2012 Natural Gas model is in its fifth generation. And in the States, it’s the only natural gas car to be produced domestically. Starting prices for the Civic Natural Gas are around $26,000.

Natural gas is a clean fuel and will save drivers between 30 and 50 per cent over petrol.

On fuel efficiency, you’ll get an average of 38 miles per gallon, and this can be improved by choosing the ECON mode.  On a full tank of gas, the range is around 240 miles. Compared to an all-electric car, its range will take you almost three times as far.

There are two ways to refuel. You can either fill the tank quickly at a fuel station.  It takes about five minutes to fill the car with natural gas stored under pressure. Alternatively, you can fill the car with natural gas at home, via a refuelling kit supplied by BRC Fuel Maker.  This is slower as it’s not stored under pressure, and is designed to take place over a number of hours, usually overnight.

Natural gas can be used on its own or mixed with biogas. And there’s no danger of an explosion with a spill; it is lighter than air and will disperse quickly into the atmosphere. It’s a better environmental option than petrol or diesel as it produces fewer greenhouse gases.

In the States, there are seven Honda Civic 2012 models available, including the Natural Gas, Hybrid, High Fuel Efficiency, Si, sedan and coupé. All of the models have improved fuel efficiency, but the Natural Gas has the greenest credentials overall.

 

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Green interior design

December 6, 2011 By John Coles

When you sign up to a green lifestyle, it gradually infiltrates all your decisions and actions.   Far more than just recycling the rubbish, you also change the way you heat your home, the way you use your car. Being green gradually becomes a part of all your purchasing decisions, too.

So there’s no reason why you can’t also adopt a green policy towards the interior design of your house.

Whenever you are going to repaint a room, make sure you check the paint you’re using.  You can get organic and non-toxic paints today in a huge array of colours and finishes.  Double check the list of ingredients and make sure there aren’t any VOCs (Volatile Organic compounds) in there.  These are found in many materials and substances, and studies have suggested that being exposed to VOCs may worsen conditions like asthma.

If you want to change your flooring, then bamboo is a great green option.  It’s one of the fastest growing plants in the world and can be grown in poor soil easily, so it’s a renewable source of wood.  A bamboo grove releases a lot of oxygen back into the atmosphere. As well as being used for flooring, bamboo wood can be used to make other products like textiles, scaffolding, paper, and furniture.

Today, as well as being interested in the shape and size of sofas UK customers are also increasingly concerned as to where and how the materials to construct the sofas have been sourced.  This is usually quite easy to ascertain – simply ask the retailer for some background information on their supply chain. Any company worth its salt will be happy to provide the information, as it demonstrates that their company has a good environmental track record.

Check that any sofas and chairs you are considering buying are constructed from responsibly sourced wood, and that no toxic dyes were used in the production of the fabrics.

Of course, making green purchasing decisions requires a little extra research, but there are plenty of environmentally friendly products out there if you’re prepared to seek them out.

 

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Drive greener in the winter

October 5, 2011 By John Coles

When the days get shorter and colder, it becomes more difficult to live in an environmentally friendly way.  In the summer, we all use less energy for lighting, heating and cooking.  But as it gets colder, it’s all too easy to turn on the heating and then keep notching it up a degree or two.  You’ll cook more often, and dull winter days mean that there’s a need to have the lights on for longer, too.
You can also easily become a less eco-friendly driver in the winter months.  Here are a few pointers to make sure you don’t have a negative effect on the environment:
Don’t warm the car up
If you need to defrost your windows before heading off in the morning, use some elbow grease and clear the windscreen with a scraper.  It’s not very good for the environment to turn on the engine and leave the car running while you go back inside and get ready. You may be longer than anticipated and it only really takes a minute to clear any condensation, so wait until you’re sitting in the driving seat to switch on. Even with a low emission car such as a hybrid, an idling car will produce unnecessary emissions that only serve to add to the air pollution.
Layer up
Put on an extra jumper or coat instead of driving with the air conditioning on high heat.  It’s better for your skin as well as the environment.
Test your brakes
If you’re heading out in icy conditions, make sure you give the brakes a few gentle tests before you need to use them in earnest.  If at all possible, try to avoid slamming on the brakes as you’re more likely to skid.  Sharp braking and subsequent acceleration lead to higher fuel consumption, and greater production of emissions. Even hybrid cars, which can recuperate energy lost through braking, will be most fuel-efficient when driven sensibly.  Give yourself some extra time for a journey in winter, and you won’t have to take any unnecessary risks in bad weather conditions.

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Good reasons for greener motoring

September 13, 2011 By John Coles

There are loads of reasons why it’s better for you to make greener choices in your motoring habits. You may think you know them all, but you probably don’t. Pretty much everyone now uses unleaded fuel. In fact, it’s almost impossible to get hold of leaded fuel these days. But we all need to go a lot further and here are five big reasons to do so.
1.    The environment.
This may sound obvious, but choosing cars with better environmental credentials like hybrids is better for the environment. An easy start then!
2.    Your pocket.
If you choose a green car and look after it, the chances are it will save you money. Hybrid cars, obviously, get far better MPG figures. So if you look after your vehicle well, it should give you many years of happy and clear conscience motoring, whilst far outweighing the slightly higher purchase cost in the long run. Oh yes; the road tax is cheaper too.
3.    Your health.
Besides polluting the environment, cars are bad for your health. The Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust estimates that 80% of journeys are less than five miles, whilst 33% are under one mile in length. Most of these could be walked / cycled / run or be done on the bus. So leave the car at home and get your walking shoes on. Not motoring at all is the greenest type of motoring there is!
4.    Your street cred.
It won’t be long before conventionally-powered 4×4 cars are seen as anathema. If you’re in the vanguard of greener motoring, your street cred’ will be a lot higher and it will go down a lot better with your kids, if you have any.
5.    Your car
If you make greener choices, then treating your car gently should be one of them, as this cuts down on fuel consumption. It also has the benefit of being better for the car itself. So it will last you a lot longer.

Filed Under: Environment