The 3 R principle in sustainable interior design

This basic 3 R principle lies at the very heart of eco design. Its simplicity belies the complex nature of Eco Design when it is carried out in its strictest form.

When applied to the creation of housing, Eco Design becomes a fascinating but complex style. A well designed eco home will have a number of key features based around this principle:The real emphasis on any eco home is to reduce the amount of resources that it uses, making the most of the site that it sits on, having the following:

– A large amount of glazing on the south side of the building to take in the warmth from the sun.
– A reduced number of openings and windows on the north side to minimse heat loss
– Renewable energy sources such as solar water heating, photovoltaic panels, a wind turbine, located on the walls or roof
– Thick walls and heavily insulated roofs and floors
– A soild section of the building made of brick, concrete or stone, which will act as a heat sink to store the suns heat (known as thermal mass)
– Double or triple glazed windows
– An extremely efficient heating system.
– A minimal number of electrical lighting fittings
– A rated energy saving appliances such as fridges or freezers.
– Reduced flow water systems.

It may well contain a number of sustainable natural materials, such as :

– A timber construction, and external cladding and fittings (such as doors, window frames and banisters)
– Sheep’s wool insulation
– Natural flooring materials such as wood wool or cork
– Non toxic natural paints
– A green turfed roof to insulate and encourage wildlife

Lastly it will consider what resources can be reused and make the most of them:

– A grey (used) water recycling system, and water butts
– Heat pumps to recycle unused warm air
– Recycling bins
– A compost bin in the kitchen and wormery or compost heap in the garden
– Recyclable elements such as stainless steel, or wood surfaces

An eco house is a super functional and efficient piece of design; a building that performs at the highest possible level, putting as lighter possible impact onto the environment is at its very core of being. It places functional efficiency before all other choices, with “style” as a possible additional benefit. After all in the face of such an enormous issue such as global warming and destruction of our living habitat why would we even consider the trivialities of style as being important?

Eco design is a noble thing for architecture and design to work towards, striving to create a pure, efficient world for us to inhabit. It is a courageous ideal for the world of design to do battle with the very wastefulness of society.

What is sustainable interior design?

Good design for the home has traditionally been about bringing a number of different aspects together to create the ideal living space; location, cost, function and style all have to be juggled (with a touch of inspiration of course!) for the perfect home.

However a new issue has landed at our doorsteps, one that now must be considered alongside the rest. Environmental concerns mean that our homes need to go beyond our personal requirements to become more conscious of the planet at a wider scale. We now need to consider the impact our homes are having on the environment, and consider our lives on a wider scale.
In the past “eco design” has been the reserve of what many believed to be tree hugging hippies – but who’s ideas are now becoming ever more relevant. Their approach to design could be summed up as less is more, or simply to tread lightly on the earth.

Society has been quick to ridicule these ideas, largely as they reject the conventional notions of consumerism – with a functional bare aesthetic intertwined with an alternative spiritual belief system. But if you were to drop the latter, there are actually many practical lessons that we can learn from this way of living.
Eco Designs fundamental “mantra” (ok I know that word does sound a little hippy, but stick with me) is known as the 3 R’s, that’s:
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

Reduce is as the name suggests, about reducing your consumption of resources- be it the basics that you use in your home (such as gas, water, or electricity), or more general consumable goods such as packaging, clothes, furniture, petrol, cosmetics and foodstuffs. Being realistic it doesn’t mean living a totally minimal life, rather a more efficient, and thoughtful one.

Reuse refers to the sustainable method that the products we buy and use are made. We should ensure that they come from a well managed and sustainable source, one that is naturally replenished, this includes natural materials such as wood, wool, cork, and rubber. The Reuse of products also refers to items that are re-appropriated; this can be as simple as a chair that is given a new lease of life with a lick of paint or a recovered armchair. In addition it includes fabrics and foods and products that come from a fair-trade/ organic source – ensuring that we are not unnecessarily depleting or damaging the earths resources, or putting others lives in misery, starvation and poverty. Ensuring that the lives of others are in a balance as a result of the way that we live our lives.

Recycle differs from “reuse” in that the it refers to materials that would generally be totally broken down before being reassembled in another form, such as the recycling of cardboard, glass or paper. Recycling ensures that materials are not taken out of their useful lifecycle loop by being cast into land fill or being incinerated. Clearly the planet does not possess limitless supplies of raw materials, so its essential that we make the most of what we have. You can now recycle nearly 70% of what goes into your home - glass, tin, paper, plastics, clothes/ fabrics, paints almost everything can go somewhere if you simply take the time to think about it.

The 3 Rs sit in a logical hierarchy whereby it’s better to use less in the first place ( ie reduce). So be efficient with what you have and use, and try not to take it for granted.
If you can t use less then make sure that what you do use comes from a well managed renewable, and sustainable source (ie reuse).

Lastly, we should make sure that what we do use or consume, doesn’t just leave the loop by being put into land fill or being incinerated, but recycle it to be reused in another form. Recycling is at the bottom of the 3 R hierarchy as it takes energy to collect materials, chop them up and then reform them into new products - still it plays a vital role in our new sustainable world and life style.

For more eco interior design ideas visit OliverHeath website.

Eco furniture from a Dublin based furniture store

All our beautiful handcrafted bedroom furniture is manufactured in Southern Ireland from the finest range of woods. Not only is it beautifully designed and elegant, but it is functional and purpose-built giving you bags of space for everything that you need to store in your bedroom.

Here at our Dublin furniture online store we also bring you some eco friendly alternatives in a variety of different and styles to satisfy all tastes. So if you’re looking for fine top quality bedroom furniture lovingly made in the Irish tradition in your favourite wood you will just love this site!

Why Eco for our homes?

It was one of the fathers of Modern Design Le Corbusier, that once said “a house is a machine for living in”

Perhaps now more than ever, this quote is appropriate to our age. From a technical point of view our homes are under ever closer scrutiny, to use less energy and out put less waste- to become more efficient. That’s not surprising when we consider that the average home produces 6 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions every year – a figure that could simply be reduced by one third (that’s 2 tonnes less!!) if we applied some simple principles to it.

Not only will this reduce the impact that our homes are having on the environment but also save us a money into the bargain.

We've moved!

We've moved our blog to EcoHomeIdeas to an all singing all dancing blog.

Visit us at http://www.ecohomeideas.co.uk/ for more eco chic style ideas for you home and lifestyle, plus Oliver Heath's design advice and news in the eco business.

You can also follow our updates on twitter: http://twitter.com/ecochicstyle

See you there!

All at EcoCentric

What do Jude Law, Colin Firth, Jo Wood & Emma Thompson have in common?

...They are all supporting World Fair Trade Day which is tomorrow - 9th May. Not only that but they have signed a limited edition butterfly top for People Tree in support of Fairtrade, as modelled by Jo Wood (left) - how many people can say they have Jude Law's signature across their chest?!

World Fair Trade Day is an international event when the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO, formerly IFAT) and its members promote global awareness of fair trade. It is a great opportunity to celebrate the 100% fair trade organisations and companies, and the gorgeous fashions and delicious and great quality foods that are available.

There are 100% Fairtrade breakfasts being held all over the UK aswell as in France, Norway, Poland and the United States.

Why not hold your own Fairtrade breakfast tomorrow - invite some friends round for fresh Fairtrade fruit shakes & hot-cross buns with dried fruit, and a cafetiere of delicious fairtrade coffee. Or if it is too late to organise, then just add a handful of Fairtrade dried fruit to your porridge or muesli.
Click here for some amazing recipe ideas from Tropical Wholefoods.

You could also use this as an opportunity to encourage your local European Parliamentary candidates to sign the Faritrade Foundation's pledge for fair trade, in advance of the European Elections on 4 June.

There is a great range of fair trade products at EcoCentric, from photo frames & albums to bedlinen - currently with 20% off.

National Compost Week: 3rd May - 9th May 09

Yes it’s National Compost Week!

For those of you who don’t know much (or anything) about it, National Compost Week is organised by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme).

WRAP estimate that every year each home throws away 200kg of waste which could have been composted. National Compost Week aims to inform people of the benefits of making their own compost.

This year’s theme is ‘Food for thought’, and focuses on using compost to grow your own food. This theme is perfect because not only is it the right time of year to start planting, but growing your own fruit and veg has been made even easier by ‘Rocket Gardens’.

Now I love Rocket Gardens because they take the hassle out of gardening. You simply find and purchase a voucher for the garden you want, Children’s garden if you have kids, herb garden if you like to cook, patio garden if you don’t have a lot of garden space etc. Once your voucher arrives you return the freepost card telling Rocket Garden where you’d like the garden delivered and then a box of baby plants arrives straight to your door ready for you to plant.

Not only are these gardens easy but the plants are 100% organic, reared in soil approved by the Soil Association and are kept free of chemical pesticides, which will be delivered straight to your door.

They also make wonderful eco gifts because you have a variety of gardens to choose from, and you can give the voucher itself as a gift or arrange for the garden to be delivered straight to the birthday boy or girl.

Some of the benefits of growing your own fruit and veg using your own compost include:

• You help the environment by reducing the amount of waste going into the landfills.
• You can use your home made compost to grow your own fruit and veg; which will save you money on fertiliser.
• Growing your own food will reduce in your shopping bill and ensures your food will be 100% organic and environmentally friendly.

So if you want to make the most of spring, start making your own compost and growing your own food, you now know where to start.

Oliver talks @ Grand Designs Live at ExCel London

Oliver appears a lot in print, now he's appearing in person.

On the 26th of April and the 4th of May Oliver will be talking at seminars at Grand Designs Live at ExCel London.

Which seminars will Oliver be speaking at? Well good things come in threes and Oliver is no acceptation.

Seminar one: How to Use Vintage in the Home.
Want to give your home some character? Have things which can be reused and recycled? If so then this is a seminar you don't want to miss. Being held in the 'How To...' seminar theatre.

Seminar two: Eco bedrooms.
This seminar is all about making a living space which will have a big impact on you, without making an impact on the environment. Being held in the 'How To...' seminar theatre.

Seminar three: Urban Eco Chic.
How do you balance contemporary eco style and sustainable practicality? In this final seminar Oliver will address this question. Taking place in the 'Grand' seminar theatre.

The Grand Designs Live runs from 25 April to 4th May 2009, open daily 10am - 6pm.

To get tickets go to the Grand Designs Live website: http://www.granddesignslive.com/

In and out

You may think, for a home based store, we are all about staying in - but no!

As active people who love the environment, we encourage as much interaction with mother nature as we can. A great example of this is our time & tide clock.

As well as telling the time, you can see at a glance the tide levels for your local coastline and whether it is coming in or out - so whether you are into sailing, surfing or kayaking on water, or walking or building sandcastles on the beach, this clock can help you get out on a spur of a moment trip.

A home based product that is aimed at getting you out of the house!

EarthBorn Paints launch new colour range

Breaking news - EarthBorn clay paints today launch their new colour range! This new range of 36 colours (plus white) takes elements from a number of their previous colour ranges to offer a new, more streamlined selection of colours. With guidance from EcoCentric's own Oliver Heath, the new EarthBorn range is a well balanced range of contemporary colours which take the pressure off choosing your paint shades, as are extensively complementary.

Better still, Earthborn clay paints are the only UK paint brand licensed to carry the EU Ecolabel, Europe's definitive environmental standard. This is because they are low odour and VOC free, and help your house and your family breathe clearly, free from harmful chemicals and toxins. Clay paint has a beautiful matt texture which allows walls to absorb variations in humidity, has great coverage and is great for creating special effects. Why not spring clean your home with an eco re-decoration and give you and your family's health a boost at the same time?!

Grab a bargin with EcoExclusives

We all love a good deal, particularly if the shops in question are eco friendly and ethical to the core. Which is why Green My Style, the premier online daily eco-glossy, has

come up with EcoExclusives. Offering a range of discounts or money off vouchers for a range of online retailers, EcoExclusives is your ticket to eco chic on the cheap. Offers are available from shops like Terra Plana, the inovative designers of eco friendly and ethical footwear, Foodari Direct, which delivers delicious, locally sourced food straight to your door, and Fashion Conscience, the gorgeous online boutique full of talented young green designers. There's never been a better reason to get out that plastic and treat yourself to a bit of eco style!

Big Green Festival

If you are around in Manchester this weekend, head down to the Big Green Festival in Chorlton on Saturday (4th April).

The festival is celebrating all that is sustainable and local. Check out everything from the big swap (get some new goodies after a feel-good clear out) to green seminars and information about eco generators...

Let us know how you got on.

Egg a politician (virtually!) for Fairtrade

Fairtrade is great - by requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), it addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

At the G20 meeting in London next week fairtrade issues are likely to be sidelined, which is why Divine Chocolate have set up their 'Egg a Politician Game'. You throw a yummy chocolate easter egg at a your choice of world leader - get your aim right and they'll gobble it up. You can then register your support for fairtrade by sending an email to the politician, asking them to raise the issue at the G20. Politics has never been so entertaining!

It's the little things in life...

I have found that trying to put eco thinking into my life isnt about massive changes, but lots of little ones. The great thing being that each little change takes little effort, but added together make a massive difference.

And it is easy for anyone to take these little changes on board.

The ink ran out on our printer this morning so got me thinking about how we can save ink. We already use our mis-printed paper as scrap to print drafts and notes on. But that doesnt save ink.

The guys at SPRANQ in the Netherlands spent many a late night and cup of coffee coming up with ecofont, a font which uses 20% less ink than our standard fonts.

When enlarged you can see the way they have created it, with little holes in the letters. But when reduced to our usual writing size it looks no different from fonts such as Arial.

It is an open source font and you can download it here - make little steps towards your green office.

So I am making the little change of setting up my writer template to use eco font, and hopefully it will give us a couple of extra days before we need to change the cartridge next time... and saving pennies for that extra pack of biccies for our afternoon tea...

On the green carpet for the World premiere of Age of Stupid

Make sure you are hanging out in Leicester Square on Sunday to catch a glimpse of all the celebs making their way down the green carpet at the World Premiere of Age of Stupid.

The Age of Stupid is going to be one of the most talked about films of 2009. It stars Pete Postlethwaite and is from the makers of ‘McLibel’ and the Oscar-winning ‘One Day In September’.In the film, Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone the devastated world of 2055, looking at ‘old’ footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

The world premiere is set to be as green as its message. A special solar powered cinema will be constructed in Leicester Square, and will be attended by numerous celebrities including Gillian Anderson, Natalie Imbruglia, Supergrass, Jonathan Edwards, Dwain Chambers, Ken Livingston, Damon Albarn, Alastair Campbell, KT Tunstall and Ed Milliband.

View the trailer here

The film goes on general release in the UK on 20th March.

If like me you always check out the extras on the DVD, go to the Guardian website for the 'Making-of' short for the film.

Why not let us know what you think of the film by leaving a comment below.

Spice up your life

Do you long to do something different with your life? Whether you're feeling unfulfilled in your job, are facing redundancy or you're simply stuck in a rut and feel it's time to make a change, head down to One Life Live at London Olympia this weekend and get the inspiration, advice and practical support you need to make it happen.

Whether you long to retrain for a new career, want to take a career break to travel or volunteer overseas, live sustainably, dream about becoming your own boss or simply feel in need of a achieving a better work/life balance - you'll find the answers at One Life Live.

With insiring seminars and speakers, it really is a great show. It opens tomorrow, March 13th, and runs till Sunday. Simply quote FS1 to book two tickets for £22 – normally priced £14 in advance and £16 on the door.

Do you have a Green Office?

This week has been Green Office week, hoping to empower employees to be able to make a positive impact on the environment while in the office, and to unite offices up and down the UK in an effort to change the way we work.

Click here to see Oliver's top tips for an eco and stylish office.

Whilst it is an incentive to know the way we are working is not having a negative impact on the environment, I mostly am affected by the way a greener workplace is a happier one.

I love having plants around the place - makes it look nicer and plants in enclosed spaces can help absorb the nasty emissions from computers, moblie phones etc. The cactus next to my pen pot also is a deterrant to anyone who may be thinking about 'borrowing' a pen from my desk... You can get some great ones that can be grown in pockets - fresh strawberry anyone?

I cycle to work, meaning I arrive in a more positive frame of mind (no pushing and shoving on the tube!), am healthier and have already had some great exercise by 9am. You can get a bike tax free through the government initiative set up to encourage cycling - check it out here. Also, think about all the savings on tube/bus fares...


I once worked somewhere for 2 weeks (a temp thing) and in that short time I had revolutionised their non-existent recycling system... I'd like to do that 'one year on' thing where tv cameras go back to the room that was made-over to see if they kept any of it...

Perhaps the Ovetto recycling bin would have been good for them - a stylish visual reminder to recycle.

If you have any ideas for a green office, or leave us a comment...

Are eco-homes ugly?

No! I hear you cry...

Join the controversial debate at EcoBuild this week at Earls Court...
Germaine Greer, Bill Dunster, TonyJuniper and David Orr will be debating the aesthetics of low carbon design for new homes and communities tomorrow in the main arena at Ecobuild from 17.00 - 18.00.

Ecobuild is always worth a visit and is also free but you should register at http://www.ecobuild.co.uk/

Ecobuild is the world’s biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment, so if you are renovating, doing an eco self-build or just interested then get yourself along for the best showcase of sustainable construction products anywhere, plus dozens of inspiring attractions and more than 100 free conference and seminar sessions.

But hurry, the show finishes on Thursday!

Win tickets to the Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show plus a pampering session

With just under a week to go until the first ever Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show this Sunday 8 March the organisers have 25 pairs of free tickets to give away plus 3 free pamper treatments to be enjoyed on the day. Even if you don't win you can get 2 for 1 tickets by quoting ECWHS-EW09 when you book online or by phone.

To win the tickets visit the ethical weddings blog

Eco and ethical considerations are growing amongst couples getting married, but finding trusted suppliers of services and products for the big day is relatively difficult. I know when I got married in 2006 I spent a vast amount of time researching on the web and trying to make informed decisions - as if the planning wasn't stressful enough already! But it was important to us that our wedding, and setting up our new home, was as ethical and environmentally sound as possible.

We had our wedding list with EcoCentric, as well as with a few other eco companies. when we have guest round they love our dinner set and cant believe it's recycled glass!

The Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show takes place this Sunday (8 March) from 11am - 4pm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This exclusive wedding and home event offers ideas for couples for green & ethical weddings and living. It will be the perfect opportunity to see, touch, taste and try before you buy all the essentials for your Big Day - check out dresses, occasionwear, accessories, photography, flowers, gifts, honeymoon destinations, venues, cakes and much much more.

Home & gifts and the fairtrade mark

We are currently in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight. You will no doubt recognise the logo as you go around the supermarkets and when clothes shopping, but it is hardly ever seen on crafts, gifts and homeware items.

Why?

The Fairtrade Certification and its system of minimum pricing were designed initially for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardized minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) is currently conducting a global research project on the potential for a Fair Trade label for crafts. We await the results with interest. (source: Pinkdoodle)

Across the EcoCentric range you will see that we have many products that are 'fairly traded'. This means they have been produced in a closely regulated environment which is fair to workers in pay and working conditions.

The range of home products that are certified fairtrade currently include fairtrade organic cotton bedlinen - dont forget you can get 20% off until the end of fairtrade fortnight which ends next Sunday 8th March - just enter voucher code 3209 at the checkout

Fair Trade Fortnight is here!

Fairtrade fortnight starts today, and there's hundreds of great events going on to promote Fairtrade around the country. From free smoothies in Norwich, to hot chocolate tastings in Brighton and a Fairtrade pancake race in Cornwall, there's sure to be something going on in your area. And don't forget the Fairtrade Taste Fair (see my last post) run by Cafe Direct in London's Whole Foods Market - Oliver Heath will be dispensing his wisdom about eco re-styling old furniture which could give you some great ideas for a new look for your home. Check out the events list on the Fairtrade Foundation website for an event near you and get down there!

Fairtrade has really come on leaps and bounds in the last few years - from the very first Fairtrade Chocolate and coffee, the Fairtrade label has now been certified for use on over 3,000 products, meaning making the ethical choice is increasingly easy and accessible. Today sees the launch of the first Fairtrade olive oil, made by a co-operative of 265 farmers in Palestine. The co-operative are already planning how they can use the Fairtrade premium paid to them to improve their lives and agricultural farming in Palestine. You just have to plan which delicious and quality Fairtrade products to buy to celebrate Fairtrade fortnight, or why not make it your habit all year round?

Tastefair - a quick heads up...

Fairtrade Fortnight (23rd February to 1st March) is fast approaching, and to celebrate Cafe Direct have set up Tastefair. A two week celebration of all that is eco and ethical, Tastefair features a great selection of workshops as well as top celebrity speakers. Oliver Heath will be there, speaking about how vintage items can add heaps of style to your home as well as being eco friendly. Red or Dead's Wayne Hemmingway will also be sharing his wisdom on eco style, and Tom Madden from River Cottage will be discussing seasonal food. There's also live music, and workshops on how to make great coffee and the journey that the coffee goes through 'from seed to cup'.
I'll put more on the blog about this in the next few weeks, but just thought I'd put a quick 'heads up' out there so you can get your tickets in time!

Bed Luxury to stay in bed for

I spent an awful lot of time (although never quite enough) in bed, and I'm always keen to make my bedroom environment as peaceful, heathly and eco-friendly as possible, without compromising on style. So I'm pretty excited about the gorgeous new luxury organic cotton bedding available at EcoCentric. It's exceptionally high thread count and sateen finish mean that it's super soft and reflects the light really beautifully. For the ultimate in luxury, I'd use it on top of a pure silk duvet and pillow and in a FSC sourced Cherry-wood bed from Crate and Barrel.

The benefits of using organic cotton really are phenomenal. Conventionally grown cotton accounts for around 17% of the worlds pesticide use, which largely ends up in waterways and the eco system. Because organic cotton is grown without these chemical nasties, it is not only kinder to the environment, but also better for you, as you are minimising the amount of toxins and chemicals that you're bringing into your home. And since organic cotton is often also fairly traded, like the bedding above, it means that producers are getting a fair deal and, consequently, have a better standard of living than if they were at the mercy of the fluctuating market price.

Bring valentines back into focus

I dont know about you, but I feel there is a bit of pressure put on us around valentines, to show the best expression of love we have ever given. But that doesnt mean buying the biggest bouquet of roses or box of chocolates. Here are a few ideas from Oliver that bring it back to basics...

Romance is about:

Surprise
It's great to have be given an exciting surprise that shows that your partner cares enough to plan and keep a secret. It shows a sense of life and passion that we all hope will be with us for life.

The details

Sometimes it's the little things that count; a romantic note stuck to the fridge door, a chocolate on your pillow (providing it hasn't melted!). There is a delicacy and intimacy that tells your partner that you know this will make a difference to their day. Think of the possibilities of chocolates, candles, notebooks or even post it notes!

Nostalgia

Remembering a special moment that you shared- it could be a photo, a simple train ticket from a treasured journey, or an object thy you bought together such as an antique. Why not present some of these memories in a scrap book or photo frame.

The senses

Bring the sense bubbling back to life - it's all about the juxtaposition of relaxation and of course stimulation! Anything that feels, smells, tastes, sounds or looks lovely will do the trick. Often it's the senses that get overlooked on a daily basis that make a difference. Share an evening with some indulgent bath products, chocolate & candles. Snuggle together under luxurious fabrics such as organic cotton bed linen or luxurious pure silk blanket. Or if you really want to make a more permanent statement, why not paper one wall with this evocotive burlesque wallpaper...

Take a closer look at stinging nettles

It might not seem like the most likely material for your next sofa, but stinging nettles are the latest new-starter in the fabric world. Designed by fabric manufacturer Camira in collaboration with DeMontfort University, STINGPlus is made from 75% organic wool and 25% stinging nettles. It's strong, sustainable and biodegradeable and has been called 'the most sustainable material ever'. Given that stinging nettles are also very easy to grow and require no pesticides or fertilisers, it certainly does seem to be pretty eco friendly. My only concern would be that the 'sting' has been removed before you sit on the material!

Lighten up!

You may have seen in the news over the last few weeks that the standard lightbulb as we knew it is no longer being stocked in stores in the UK. Some people are in uproar that they are having to change to low-energy bulbs - as if they dont want to save money on their energy bills...

Oliver has a good point: "I've just changed all my bulbs to CFLs [compact fluorescent lamps] and saved around four-fifths on my electricity bill. It really is quite staggering that so many people are still using Edison's light bulb which was invented in 1879. It's 130 years later and people are still using the same technology – that just doesn't happen in other areas of our home and lives." Can you imagine still keeping a horse and trap when all your freinds are driving the Prius?

When designers were trying to persuade people to the benifits of the low-energy bulbs they came up with stylish and innovative shades that are specifically designed for use with these bulbs. Here are a few examples:

Felt
Made from 100% wool, felt is naturally fire retardent, so an ideal material for lighting design. It is moulded into shape when wet and bound together. It can be moulded into some interesting shaps, and can be cut into as it doesn't fray. The delight shade is a great example of this. However, intense heat can mean the shade loses its shape and can get scorched, so is designed to be used with the low-energy lightbulbs that give off a minimal amout of heat. Most of the energy of the edison bulb goes into heat it gives off - not hugely efficient...

Recycled plastic
Polyproplene is a great material, can be made from 100% recycled plastic and also be recycled at the end of its life - a closed loop system. It is also bendy so can be shaped into great forms for unusual shades. Again, intense heat can affect the shape and performance of the plastic so needs to be used with low energy bulbs.

Paper

Previously a faux-pas because of the fire risk, you can get gorgeous printed shades in recycled paper and card that work perfectly with the low-energy bulbs.

The bulbs themselves have come on in leaps and bounds since they were first developed and now come in stylish shapes to complement your lighting design as well as being available in warmer shades rather than the previous cool white. Try them and see...

And I haven't even touched on the possibiliies of LED lighting...more on that soon...

More good wood

Space saving and an eco design delight? That'll be these gorgeous Pur Magin Chair; there's one chair when you're alone, and four for when you're with friends. A work of art in itself, the chair evolved from a need to be functional and space saving, but also to look good. The four chairs stack together like the layers of an onion (my imagery, I'm not sure it's quite the impression the designers wished to give!), but can all be used seperately when the occasion arises. In my eyes there is only one problem with the 'Magic' chair - it's only available in Canada!

Life in the treetops

Well I never...Treehouses, once the staple of childhood fun, have, quite literally, come up in the world! This week the Guardian uncovered it's ten best green treehouse designs, for the ultimate in stylish eco living in the treetops.

My favourite is this beautiful structure, the eco friendly Yellow Treehouse Restuarant in New Zealand. Perched half way up a 40m Redwood tree, the restaurant is, bizzarely, the result of a project by New Zealand Yellow Pages as all of the materials and services used were souced using the Yellow Pages. The ideal eco restaurant? It just might be. Although it might be advisable to lay off the wine; it's a long way down.

Health in a stylish glass

What were your new year resolutions? Do you even make any?

After the Christmas period of eating and drinking rich and delicious food (Thanks, Mother-in-law!) it is a common time to think about getting into shape. And the best way we know to get beautiful skin and feel energised is to drink lots of water.

Boris Johnson is obviously on our side as he is pushing the London on Tap campaign promoting tap water in London by creating a stylish drinking carafe for restaurants and venues throughout the capital to use when we order tap water. Not only does it taste great, but tap water is also cheaper and has a carbon footprint 300 times smaller that bottle water.

Did you know:

- London’s tap water is rated top in the UK, making it one of the best in the world? It consistently rates highly in taste tests, beating more expensive, bottled alternatives.

- London water is 500 times cheaper than bottled water, and is kinder to the environment, emitting 300 times less CO2 to process than bottled alternatives.

- Tap water is not only good for you, it’s good for London and kinder to the planet.

So here are your action points:

1. Be proud of your tap water, Londoners! Order tap water when eating out, instead of bottled. Do the taste test - and save yourself some pennies!

2. Let us know if you would like us to offer the London on Tap carafe on ecocentric.co.uk by leaving a comment below.

Hello 2009!

A new year, a new leaf. After a long Christmas break of over indulgence many people at this time of year start thinking about ways to change and improve their life. While the financial predictions for 2009 might not be too rosy, there are several things we can do to help our tightened purse strings, as well as the environment. Here's one tip to get you started...


Monitoring our electricity consumption is a key starting point to reducing our energy use and saving precious pennies. The Efergy energy meter, from EcoCentric, is a clever little piece of kit: you attatch the sensors your electric cable and can position the monitor wherever you want, or walk around with it. By transmitting real time information the Efergy shows you which appliances are using the most energy, and by storing your usage info over a period of up to two years, you can chart your progress in reducing your electricity consumption. Genius!