Making Green Building Mainstream

Keep your fence longer: a lower-waste approach to fence care

Date November 13, 2026 Category Sustainable Living

A timber fence with white flowers

A fence is easy to ignore until it starts to look tired.

Boards grey and split, steel panels go chalky and rendered walls crack. At that point many people start pricing a new fence. Often that is not the only option.

Looking after the fence you already have keeps materials out of landfill and saves the energy that goes into making and delivering a replacement. It is one of the simpler sustainable choices a household can make.

In Perth, Pro Painting Works is a family-owned painting business based in Stirling that paints timber, steel, brick and rendered fences across the city’s western and northern coastal suburbs. The way it approaches fence work offers a useful checklist for anyone trying to get more years from an existing boundary.

(more…)

Read More

Insulating an Existing Home: Ceilings, Walls and Floors

Date October 24, 2026 Category Renovating

Exposed ceiling during insulation work

Insulation is one of the simplest ways to make an older home more comfortable. It slows the flow of heat in and out, so rooms stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Many older Australian homes were built with little or no insulation. Others have insulation that has settled or broken down over the years.

Adding insulation to an existing home is often easier than people expect. Some areas can be done in a day, while others are best left for a larger renovation. This guide covers ceilings, walls and floors, plus the safety checks that matter. It also explains what an R value means.

(more…)

Read More

Reducing Building Waste During a Home Renovation

Date September 4, 2026 Category Recycling

Home renovation site

A renovation creates a surprising amount of rubbish. Old tiles, plasterboard, timber offcuts, bricks and packaging all have to go somewhere. Most of it can be reused or recycled if you plan for it before the first wall comes down. Leaving it until the skip arrives usually means everything ends up in landfill.

This guide covers simple ways to cut building waste on a home renovation. It looks at planning, salvage, recycling and the materials that need special care. None of it needs expensive gear or a big budget. It mostly needs a bit of thought early in the project.

(more…)

Read More

Waterwise Landscaping Tips for Perth’s Hot Summers

Date November 19, 2025 Category Landscaping

If you live in Perth and have tried to keep a garden alive during summer then you know the struggle all too well.

By the time January rolls around the ground feels like concrete, your plants are hanging on for dear life and your retic is running overtime.

But if your design is right it doesn’t have to be like that. If you choose the right plants and design well then you can have a thriving garden all summer long. To achieve this, consider consulting professionals who specialise in water wise Perth gardens, such as Martin Cuthbert Landscapes.

(more…)

Read More

Water-based vs solvent line marking paint: which is better for the environment

Date June 29, 2025 Category Eco Products

Water-based vs solvent line marking paint: which is better for the environment

There are environmental concerns in pretty much every line of work these days, especially those that involve using chemicals and paints, line marking is one of them.

If you deal with line marking projects regularly or you are about start your, you’ve probably found yourself wondering whether water based or solvent based paints are the way to go.

Here’s the thing it’s not as black and white as many people think it is. At Delineation Line Marking, they’ve seen how these decisions can affect both project outcomes and environmental impacts, which is why understanding your options is so important.

Both water based and solvent based paints have their pros and cons, but the best choice for you depends on what factors are most important to you, is it cost, or the environmental factors?

(more…)

Read More

Sustainable Landscaping in Perth: Water-Wise Design Tips

Date November 12, 2024 Category Landscaping

Sustainable Landscaping in Perth: Water-Wise Design Tips

Author: Alex Cameron – Perth Landscapes

As a landscape designer working in Perth for over 16 years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the growing importance of water-wise garden design. Our Mediterranean climate, characterized by long, dry summers and decreasing rainfall patterns, demands thoughtful approaches to creating sustainable, beautiful outdoor spaces that thrive with minimal water use.

Understanding Perth’s Water Challenge

Perth faces unique water sustainability challenges, making water-wise landscaping not just an option, but a necessity. Our city’s water supply has become increasingly dependent on desalination and groundwater, highlighting the importance of responsible water use in our gardens.

Read more: Water Corporation WA – Waterwise Gardens

Key water challenges in Perth include:

  • Declining rainfall patterns
  • High evaporation rates
  • Sandy soils with poor water retention
  • Rising water costs
  • Groundwater limitations
  • Extended dry periods
  • Variable water restrictions

Essential Elements of Water-Wise Design

Creating a water-wise garden involves much more than simply choosing drought-tolerant plants. One of our clients, Phil, noted:

“The level of professionalism Perth Landscapes offers is next to none. Most importantly offering further suggestions to add value, improve sustainability whilst considering future implications.”

(more…)

Read More

Zero-Waste Mining: Australian Initiatives Reducing Environmental Impact

Date June 15, 2024 Category Sustainable Living

"Zero-Waste Mining: Australian Initiatives Reducing Environmental Impact"

G’day, eco-warriors and mining enthusiasts! Grab your reusable water bottles and put on your thinking hardhats, because we’re about to dive into a topic that’s more exciting than finding a gold nugget in your backyard – zero-waste mining.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Zero-waste mining? Isn’t that like a meat-eating vegetarian?” But hold your horses, because our clever Aussie miners are turning this seeming contradiction into reality.

(more…)

Read More

Water Wise Plumbing

Date February 24, 2024 Category Recycling, Sustainable Living

Water Wise Plumbing

It’s a no-brainer that people are keen on water-wise plumbing in a dry continent like Australia.

Throw in some weather extremes along with El Nino, and we get even worse drought issues.

We asked plumbing experts if you can save water and money by retrofitting changes to your house and habits.

Here’s a couple of ideas that they had to get you thinking:

(more…)

Read More

Top 3 Ways To Build An Eco-Friendly Garden

Date February 15, 2023 Category Sustainable Living

Eco-Friendly Garden

People throughout the world are becoming more environmentally conscious every single year. This has led to a rise in things like sustainable landscaping and eco-friendly gardening. Basically, practices like this refer to the construction of new gardens using environmentally friendly techniques.

These include things like reducing chemical and fertiliser use, planting native species and encouraging local wildlife to visit your garden. If you’re thinking about using eco friendly landscaping materials in your own environmentally friendly outdoor space, then keep reading! Here are my top 3 ways to create an eco-friendly garden:

  1. Plant Native Species

According to www.gardenspec.com.au planting native species is probably one of the best ways to make sure that your new garden is a environmentally friendly gardening. Try and choose species which grow in your local area, and try and plant a variety of different natives that complement each other.

Although they aren’t as commonly used in urban gardens as they probably should be, native plants come with a whole range of benefits, including:

  • They provide essential habitat for native wildlife like birds and small mammals.
  • If you choose natives from your area, they will be tough and suited to the climate. This means that they will need little maintenance.
  • In the same way, they will be suited to your soil type. Most Australian natives are very hardy, requiring little fertiliser or nasty chemicals.

If you’re not sure what sort of native species you should plant in your area, do some research online or head into your local nursery and speak to an expert.

(more…)

Read More

Benefits of Using Natural Deodorants

Date November 29, 2022 Category Eco Products, Toxic Free

Natural Deodorants

In recent years, studies have shown that choosing natural body care products such as aluminium-free deodorant offers a range of benefits.

While there is no denying that the significant range of regular deodorants makes it challenging to buck the trend, you will soon come to realise that aluminium-free natural deodorants is the correct path down which to travel. Here’s why.

They Unblock Your Pores

Everyone knows that when you clog up your pores, your skin suffers as a result. That’s why there are so many natural body care products on the market that are designed to unclog them – to keep your skin healthier.

(more…)

Read More

Why Eco-Friendly Cleaning is Becoming More Popular

Date September 23, 2022 Category Eco Products, Sustainable Living, Toxic Free

Eco-Friendly Cleaning

The cleaning aisle of any local supermarket looks far different than it used to. While plastic packaging is still prevalent, there has been a recent insurgence of sustainable cleaning products with gentle ingredients and environmentally-friendly packaging. So, why the change and why are people choosing eco-friendly products now?

People Are Becoming More Conscious

Market research from commercial cleaning experts shows that eco-friendly cleaning products are making up a larger share of all cleaning products every year. While a supply of sustainable cleaning products makes it easier for people to buy them, consciousness can also be a driving factor.

People are starting to realise that some of the ingredients in standard cleaning products can be harmful to health and can also cause skin irritation in those who are sensitive. Parabens, sodium hydroxide, phthalates, and ammonia, to name a few, are chemicals that people would like to avoid having in their cleaning products.

Manufacturers are Listening

Manufacturers continually put out surveys to the Australian public to find out what they want, need, and prefer. Otherwise, they could spend millions on product marketing and manufacturing, only to find out no one is buying or wanting what they are selling.

Manufacturers are listening. They are hearing their customers talking about their passion for cleaner oceans, safer homes, and sustainable products, and they are spending time developing something that people want.

(more…)

Read More

Top 5 Green Tips for Office Supplies

Date August 2, 2021 Category Eco Products

Office Supplies

Creating ‘green’ office spaces is becoming an increasingly popular trend, especially among industry-leading SEO and other digital companies. Doing so will help you reduce your business’s environmental footprint, saving the planet and ensuring a healthy climate for future generations.

You will also find that many potential clients will prefer to work with a company that’s committed to eco-friendly operations. Because of this, I’ve put together the following list of my top five tips to implement more eco-friendly office supply policies. Remember, it never hurts to do your own research and identify actions specific to your business.

  1. Reduce Printing Waste

One of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental footprint and make your office more eco-friendly is to simply reduce the amount of office supplies you use. And one of the best ways to do this is to reduce printing waste.

Rather than printing hard copies of everything, sit back and think carefully about whether you actually need to print a document before doing so. In many cases, you will find that a digital copy serves just fine.

(more…)

Read More

Common Habits Which Can Damage Your Teeth

Date June 23, 2021 Category Personal Health

Common Habits Which Can Damage Your Teeth

When you speak about dental care with dentists they will be able to give a long list of reasons why people end up with damaged teeth. Some can often be unavoidable such as an underlying medical condition or an accident, however, there are also many reasons where the blame lies solely with the individual in question.

On that list of reasons, you will see many which you could have predicted, but there are also some which you may not previously have realised can harm your teeth. So, in a helpful spirit, and in the hope that you can avoid or stop any of these, here are the most common bad habits that cause damaged teeth.

Smoking

This seems to appear on every bad habit list but there is no getting away from the fact that smoking can harm your gums and teeth and there is no better evidence for that in the stained teeth that many smokers have.

Chewing Ice

Whilst this might seem a simple and harmless way of cooling down on a hot day and taking in water, chewing ice can actually harm teeth. The force required can be excessive and there is a risk your teeth’s roots can be weakened.

(more…)

Read More

Why a Website is a Sustainable Way to Advertise Your Business

Date April 12, 2021 Category Sustainable Living

Advertise-Your-Business

No matter if you run your business from home or have a dedicated office or warehouse in some other location, advertising is needed so people can be made aware of what you do or offer that they may need. If people don’t know about you, they can’t become customers. Most advertising is costly, but when you advertise with a website, online business consultants otherwise known as a digital agency can use it to take your business to the next level.

Here are some of the advantages of advertising your presence online with your own website.

  • A website may cost more than an ad initially – and that is doubtful when talking large ads – but it is there all the time. Compare this with a newspaper or magazine ad that only lasts as long as that edition – rarely more than a week.
  • With a website, customers can contact you directly via an email link. They don’t even have to write down the email address to take home with them.
  • A website offers several different ways for contact: the email address, a phone number, a contact form on the website or a physical address.
  • You can have a great deal more information about your goods or services on the website than you could fit into a paper advertisement.
  • You can provide a way for customers to purchase your products from your website without being dependent on a bricks and mortar store, with its limited business hours.

(more…)

Read More

The 10 Stages Of Concrete Pool Installation

Date January 5, 2021 Category Landscaping

The 10 Stages Of Concrete Pool Installation

If anyone reading this is thinking about having a concrete pool installed on their property, then the first thing we say is congratulations and we hope it comes to pass. A pool not only adds value to a property, but more immediately it is a great focal point for your family and friends to come together and have some fun.

You need to be aware that the process from the initial decision to have a concrete pool, until it is completed and ready to use, is considerable.

To give you a better idea of how you go from idea to a finished pool, building maintenance and landscape experts share with us the 10 stages which the installation of a concrete pool must pass through.

#1 Ideas, Design, and Commitment

Admittedly that is three but together they form the process of your initial ideas, the design of your pool, and you agreeing to it and then making the commitment via a contract with your pool installation company to go ahead and start work

#2 Initial Digging

The digging out of the hollow where your pool is going to be is the stage where you might be thinking ‘What have I done?’ given that it causes considerable upheaval in and around your property. As the excavation proceeds you will start to see the initial shape of your pool within the earthwork.

(more…)

Read More

How To Draw Your Landscape Design

Date December 8, 2020 Category Landscaping, Sustainable Living

How To Draw Your Landscape Design

Building a professional landscape design is a challenging task . Nevertheless, it can be a fulfilling experience if you choose to invest plenty of time and some energy backed up by some defined guidelines. One of them is to draw a basic landscape design, which can be done without advanced tools, software, or high-end drawing materials which require experienced landscapers.

Landscape design can be defined as a floor plan specially designed for outdoor spaces. It is used to construct a visual illustration of garden spaces with the help of scaled dimensions. The new renovation design includes several elements, including the natural ones as well as those that are manufactured.

The first step to create a landscape design, whether you’re thinking of designing a new one or improving the pre-existing landscape is to identify the inventory you already own. The simplest way to do this is to accurately record the location and size of the permanent features of the garden.

When you have identified the features of your site, it is time to draw a rough outline of it by taking a suitable sized notepad and sketching your outdoor space. Include everything you see especially those items that you cannot remove or are not planning to remove.

Do not forget to include buildings, walls, trees and shrubs, paved areas, pools, fences, patios, and every other permanent feature. Add sideways and walkways and sketch the property lines too. This is a point where you should not be too concerned about accuracy and instead focus on including every permanent feature.

(more…)

Read More

7 of The Latest Eco Friendly Computers

Date September 20, 2020 Category Eco Design

Eco-Friendly-Computers

If you are into sustainable living and eco friendly products, you might be interested to learn about the latest computers that all have many elements of sustainability, meaning their carbon footprints have been reduced. If you use a computer a lot you may work in web design or a related area but these days almost everyone uses a computer of some kind, be it ever so small.

  • If you work as web designer or SEO and you’re on your computer all day, you might prefer a desk top PC. You’re in luck because DELL offers the LOOP desktop PC. All the parts are recyclable and rented out. They are updated weekly so you’ll hardly ever have to buy new parts. It can be assembled in 30 seconds or less because it is screw-less.
  • So how does a computer made of paper sound? It may not seem like the strongest thing around, but have you ever tried tearing a thick sheet of cardboard? Hard, isn’t it? This little laptop is made from stacked sheets of paper. If anything breaks, you can simply replace it by more of the same and send the broken part back to be recycled. No waste means green.
  • Another laptop is solar powered, with its own solar panel that folds out to power the device. This is ideal for those on the go who tend to sit in the park or drink coffee on the sidewalk while they are using their laptop. This will be a big savings in power use, with the solar panel being able to charge the computer whether it is opened or closed.
  • Another laptop is made from starch-based polymers so the frame can be recycled as well as all the inner components. It can also shine a laser on the wall to project a screen, so you don’t really need a screen or a keyboard.

(more…)

Read More

5 Signs Your Exhaust System Is More Polluting Than It Should Be

Date February 5, 2020 Category Sustainable Living

Newer cars have engines and exhaust systems that are designed to be friendly to the environment. This is accomplished primarily through the catalytic converter, which converts bad emissions and pollutants from your car exhaust system into compounds that are harmless to the environment.

When the catalytic converter starts to fail, or an exhaust leak occurs, this conversion stops, and the resulting pollution can be harmful to the environment as well as damaging to your vehicle. The following are 5 signs that your vehicle is causing harmful pollution due to a malfunctioning exhaust system.

  1. Smoke From The Exhaust

The most obvious and direct sign of harmful pollution is smoke emitting from your car’s tailpipe. A healthy exhaust system on modern vehicles rarely emits visible smoke, if ever. When smoke starts to come out, it’s usually as a sign of some sort of problem. This smoke might appear in three different colors.

White smoke is a sign of coolant leak within the engine. Blue smoke is a sign of an internal engine oil leak. Black smoke indicates that your car is burning up too much gasoline, possibly due to a malfunctioning fuel injection unit. Any of these different colored smoke emissions are creating harmful pollutants and they are sure fire sign it’s time to repair your vehicle.

(more…)

Read More

5 Items You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

Date January 10, 2020 Category Recycling

recycling

As you go to lift the lids of your recycling and waste bins, you may hesitate over which one to put your “rubbish” in. In a world that’s focusing more on sustainability than ever before, it’s quite essential to consider what you can recycle and what you can’t.

Even though many recycling centres have a list of do’s and don’ts, that doesn’t mean that products not on that list won’t make the cut. Confused about what you can and can’t recycle? Here are a few things you can recycle, but may not have realised.

Aerosol Cans

Aerosol cans have always been a little tricky. They are covered in warning and hazard labels and don’t seem like the easiest thing to recycle. But those who throw them in their waste bin often have a little hesitation. Surely, they can’t be doing much good for the environment? You’d be right.

Fortunately, you can recycle aerosol cans, including the deodorant variety. Pop them in your home recycling bin and enjoy peace of mind at knowing they will not be destined for the landfill.

Batteries

Batteries are not something you can throw in your home’s recycling bin, but that doesn’t mean you can’t recycle them. Rechargeable and single-use batteries can both find a new life, but you just have to go a little out of your way to make it so. Do your homework and find a battery recycle centre near you.

(more…)

Read More

Top 5 Tips For Environmentally Friendly Fire Safety

Date October 10, 2018 Category Recycling

Environmentally Friendly Fire Safety

Environmentally friendly fire safety is becoming a major part of the fire protection plan of businesses throughout Australia and the world. People today are a lot more aware of their environmental footprint than they perhaps were in past decades. As business owners, it’s up to us to do what we can to reduce our environmental impact so that we’re more attractive to consumers.

With this in mind, I’ve put together a list of my top five tips for environmentally friendly fire safety in the office. They include:

  1. Use A Fire Suppression System With Non-toxic Gases

Many fire suppression systems use toxic or harmful gases that are very pollution. Although laws are changing and it’s becoming harder to use toxic fire suppression systems, you still need to choose carefully. Go for something that uses an inert gas – like argon – that won’t contribute to things like global warming or the destruction of the ozone layer.

  1. Don’t Store Toxic Chemicals Near Fire Risk Areas

As a business owner, one of the the worst things you can do is store dangerous, toxic or polluting chemicals near areas which have a high fire risk. If a fire does occur, these chemicals could be vaporised or otherwise make their way into the environment, causing significant damage to sensitive ecosystems. Make sure that you always follow appropriate fire safety measures and sustainable business practices when you’re working out where to store chemicals.

(more…)

Read More

Advantages of Eco Friendly Landscaping for Commercial Areas

Date September 16, 2018 Category Eco Design

Landscaping-for-Commercial-

Most commercial areas benefit from having landscapers craft beautiful landscaping, but it is also important these days to ensure your landscaping is environmentally friendly.

The best way to achieve this is to get advice from a professional landscaper who considers eco-friendly landscaping to be not only desirable but essential today.

(more…)

Read More

7 Eco Friendly Packaging Materials

Date February 25, 2018 Category Eco Design

Eco Friendly Packaging

Packaging comes in a range of different materials. Sometimes what is used depends on the kind of freight or goods that it needs to protect, other times it is simply a matter of what the company finds cheapest or easiest to use, or what the transport company insists on. Plastic is a much used material that has certain benefits, but it also has a downside in that it takes a long time to break down.

There are several options for eco friendly packaging materials and more are being found as the swing to sustainable practices becomes more important and more popular. Here are some of the most used sustainable packaging materials.

  • Cardboard and paper. While they both originate from trees, often it is the waste product from timber that is used. And since both can be used over and over and they break down quickly in landfill leaving no residue they can be considered sustainable. If recycled, other products can be made from them.
  • Cornstarch biodegradables. Packaging made from cornstarch break down easily and is a compostable product. It is often used for takeaway foods or made into pellets that can be used as a filler in boxes or cartons. While it does have a negative impact on the environment when in landfill, this is only for a limited time.

(more…)

Read More

The Reasons Behind Sustainability Practices in Business

Date January 23, 2018 Category Sustainable Living

Sustainability Practices in Business

Many businesses such as SEO companies jump on the green bandwagon by following sustainability guidelines in an effort to attract more clients, but this does not always work. For a start, adopting environmentally friendly practices – while often simple – does take at least some effort. If you are only doing it to get more customers and this doesn’t happen in a way you can quantify you’ll lose interest. Once that happens employees cannot be expected to get behind you.

It is important to have at least some enthusiasm for the concept rather than just for the results in terms of the bottom line. People don’t like to change the way they do things unless there is a good reason that they can agree is important. While employees may be mildly interested in your bottom line they are often more interested in their own, or in the way any change will affect them personally.

(more…)

Read More

How Can a Villa Holiday be Eco Friendly?

Date January 12, 2018 Category Eco Design, Sustainable Living

Eco-freindly-holiday

A report this month from holiday experts Easy Villas says if you are truly into sustainable living you may wonder if a holiday in a villa is truly an eco-friendly choice. Even though this can seem like a costly choice and therefore not so very sustainable especially if you are on a budget, you have to look at it from a different perspective. A luxury holiday like can be eco friendly if you share it. Shared holidays are usually much more fun anyway.

Suppose you choose a 3 bedroom luxury villa and took 6 people – 2 to each room. Divide the nightly rental by 6 and it suddenly becomes very affordable. At that rate, the cost of the villa that is advertised at $240 per night, drops to a mere $40 per person. This is something you would never find in Australia, especially not for luxury accommodation. Even caravan parks cost more than that per night and they certainly don’t have luxurious accommodation.

What do you get for that? A lovely villa with lots of living space and a kitchen as well as the bedrooms. Having a kitchen means you can save on the cost of bought meals, especially breakfast. You get a pool that abuts the villa so you can virtually step off the porch into the pool. Many villas have private pools so you don’t have to share with anyone other than your group of friends.

There is luxury outdoor furniture you can use in between swimming in the pool and most villas are close to restaurants, spas and other luxuries that you would enjoy on such a holiday.

(more…)

Read More

Why are Designer Garden Pots Sustainable?

Date December 19, 2017 Category Eco Design

Designer Garden Pots

Garden pots can be said to be eco friendly if making them didn’t cause pollution and if they last a long time. Sustainability experts consider garden pots to be sustainable if they are made from some natural substance that breaks down in around 5 years. But how is that sustainable?  If you are going to spend money for something like a designer garden pot that you adore the shape and colour of, it needs to last longer than that. And most do because that is what they are designed to do.

No landfill destination for designer pots

Designer garden pots are not going to find their way into landfill for a very long time. And when they do they will begin to break down just like any rock does, over time – if they were made of concrete to start with. Pots that break down quickly are all very well if they are to replace those ugly black plastic pots that find their way to landfill as soon as the plant in them has been planted out into the garden.

But pots for the balcony are not like that. They are going to be used for the life of the plant and beyond, because plants often die, so you could easily be planting several different plants in your designer pots over their lifetime. In fact, they should actually last as long as you do – or longer.

(more…)

Read More

8 Elements of Sustainable Landscape Design

Date August 31, 2017 Category Landscaping, Sustainable Living

Landscape-Design

When it comes to landscape design, not everyone understands how to incorporate sustainability. Sustainability is simply another word for environmentally friendly. Implementing it into your landscape design can mean that maintenance is reduced and the impact on the environment is lessened.  This is good news for your pocket and energy levels as well as for the planet.

So what exactly can we do to make our landscape design more sustainable? There are many elements to be considered.

  1. Make the area water wise. Part of this is planting natives or other plants that like the kind of dry weather that most of our country is blessed – or cursed – with. We don’t have to use a tonne of water every day to keep those lawns and gardens green and healthy. Growing shrubs and plants that prefer or tolerate dry weather means you use less water. This reduces your costs and the time taken to water the garden, not to mention the cost of replacing plants that die when water restrictions come into being.

(more…)

Read More

Property Renovations that are Environmentally Friendly

Date July 30, 2017 Category Eco Design

Property-Renovations

Whether you are planning a small renovation or one that will require you to call in good removalists and move out for the duration, if you were thinking of property renovations it is also wise to consider those that give you the most benefit sustainably. That is, they use environmentally friendly procedures to enhance your lifestyle. For instance, you may need to add an extra room, but is it going to create a dark space by taking away natural daylight from the room it adjoins? If so, you may want to think what you can do to prevent this.

It may be possible to get extra space by rearranging the interior of the home, or by adding a room on another side of the house. If not, can you add a skylight to the room that is left without a window? Or maybe you can repurpose the room by creating a window into the new room. This is only possible if privacy is not an issue.

There are many other ways to make sure renovations are environmentally friendly and add to your lifestyle rather than taking anything away from it.

(more…)

Read More

The Advantages of Sustainability for Fencing

Date July 5, 2017 Category Eco Design, Sustainable Living

Sustainable Fencing

Whether you’re a fan of sustainability or not, it is fairly obvious that practicing it in every area of life actually saves costs and often time, as well as the earth’s resources. For instance, sustainable fencing not only keeps you secure, but saves a lot of time in maintaining the fence and also the costs of doing so.

Fencing contractors may offer picket fence options and they do look nice, especially with certain styles of houses, but this kind of fence is not particularly sustainable because it requires regular painting to protect the timber from the weather and ensure it lasts a long time. Some people would consider it unsustainable simply because it uses timber, but timber is a natural and renewable resource that is often grown especially for such applications.

(more…)

Read More

8 Sustainable Building Materials

Date May 24, 2017 Category Renovating

eco friendly material

Any prospective home builder who listens to sustainable construction advice should know about the choices in building materials that are environmentally friendly.  Timber is the traditional material used for the frame or the house, but unless it is sourced carefully it is not always an eco friendly choice.  Trees are a renewable resource, but most take a long time to become mature enough to cut for building a house. However, pine grows more quickly and you can source timber from dedicated pine plantations.

Here are some more building material options you may not have thought of –

  • Many people choose concrete for their whole house instead of just the flooring slab. It has good thermal mass, meaning it has the ability to keep the home at a stable temperature so there is less need for heating and cooling.

(more…)

Read More

Ways to be Sustainable with Home Improvements

Date May 14, 2017 Category Renovating

When doing home improvements there are many ways to make sure they are sustainable – and for that matter, that the rest of your home is too.  Being sustainable is not only about saving the earth’s resources; it’s also about creating a home that does not cost as much to run over its lifetime. Eco-friendly construction advice will help you achieve this.

For instance, when a home has top quality insulation in the ceiling and walls as well, it will be warmer for less cost because the warm air doesn’t seep out.  And of course, it will also be cooler in the summer. However, insulation is not the only thing to reduce the cost of running heating or cooling. Other essentials may be –

(more…)

Read More

How to Ensure Your Home is Free of Toxic Fumes

Date April 8, 2017 Category Toxic Free

Toxic-products

Builders and renovators are increasingly understanding the need for sustainability. They realise that many of their customers require homes that make the best use of building materials and that are designed to reduce their carbon footprint, not only in the building of it, but into the future. Sustainability is gradually becoming more acceptable, but it is time it moved into the mainstream of society so that everyone uses sustainable practices as a matter of course.

In this way our planet will be preserved and our health will improve, as many sustainable practices are actually very good for our health as well as the pocket. If we live in a polluted atmosphere all the time it is bound to affect our health, often in ways we don’t expect. For instance, many years ago no one thought that tobacco smoke could kill, and certainly no one would have believed the second hand smoke could cause cancer, yet this has proven to be the case.

(more…)

Read More

Sustainable Landscape Gardening Ideas from Another Country

Date March 1, 2017 Category Sustainable Living

balinese-garden

If you are considering rejuvenating your garden area with sustainable and eco-friendly ideas but have planned a holiday overseas, it’s a good idea to wait until you come home before making the final plans.

Why?

According to the Bali experts and holiday booking company Easy Bali Villas, you will see many lovely landscaping ideas around villas, in other locations, and even in other countries. You may even see some garden hardware that you would just love to enhance your property with.

For instance, many people love Balinese garden statues and the way in which they are showcased in the gardens of that country. You can easily purchase this type of thing while in Bali and have it freighted home, because it will most likely to too heavy to carry or you can get your landscaper to source the material locally on your behalf if that is more convenient.

It is possible to get something truly unique that will make your lawns and gardens really stand out.

Many such ideas spring into being from the efforts of local people making the best of what they have, even though they and many of their friends are really not well off. This means that they are quite likely to be highly sustainable and even if you don’t purchase the actual products, you can get quite a few ideas that can be translated back into your on garden using products from your own country.

(more…)

Read More

Environmentally Friendly Kitchen Designs

Date February 13, 2017 Category Eco Design, Toxic Free

Environmentally Friendly Kitchen

If you are building a new home or renovating the kitchen in your current home there are many ways in which you can have an environmentally friendly doing so will not only help the environment; it also saves on costs and can even keep you healthier, when you remember that many products release toxic fumes that are known carcinogens. Continue reading for a list of tips that the kitchen specialists at Kitchen Professionals have put together.

Toxic building materials

If you use building materials that are both sustainable and non-toxic your kitchen – and lifestyle – will be well on the way to being a lot healthier, not to mention environmentally friendly.

Start with the kind of materials you use in the kitchen for the cupboards, the counter tops and the flooring. Many cupboards – particularly the inner parts or the back –  are made from MDF or other types of materials that are bonded together using toxic glue. This glue can release fumes into the air for many months after the product has been installed in your kitchen.

(more…)

Read More

How to Expand the House Almost Cost Free

Date February 12, 2017 Category Renovating

Many homes look large from the outside, but that’s because about one third of the front is taken up by the garage roller door.  Once inside, the house doesn’t have as much room as you may have expected.  When your family expands, there’s really not enough room unless you add an extra one. That may cost more than your budget allows.

But there is another way when it comes to home renovation that you can expand the house and get more room, be it a bedroom or living room. It’s time to convert the garage.  This works best where the garage has a doorway straight into the house as many do these days. But even if it doesn’t, cutting a door into the wall between the garage and the house is a relatively easy matter for a handyman.

(more…)

Read More

Previous Posts