Over at The Good Human there’s a post listing some cheap alternatives to standard cleaning products that you’d use around the home. They’ve got all the usual chores covered, from cleaning the oven and the fridge, to polishing wood floors and unblocking the bath plug.
A long time ago, a friend of mine emailed me about a chap in Australia who started wondering why all domestic refrigerators are vertically constructed. You may have spotted the obvious side-effect of this design if you’ve ever opened the fridge while in bare feet: all the cold air falls out. Consequently the fridge fills up with warm air, which it has to cool again when the door is closed. This wastes plenty of electricity.
So this clever chap decided to buy an old chest freezer, and convert it into a refrigerator. Chest freezers have the door mounted in the top, so when opened, the cold air inside remains relatively undisturbed. He was amazed at the reduction in energy consumption; it dropped from approximately 1 kilo-Watt hour per day to nearly 0.1 kWh per day. That’s a 90% reduction in energy - and expense.
He’s even offering the service to people in Australia if they don’t feel they could do the handiwork themselves.
Even if this doesn’t directly loosen the shackles of technological dependence, it certainly makes them a lot more comfortable.
A friend recently took me to Springfield Park community orchard in Hackney, London. What a great place! The gates are left unlocked, and anyone can pop in to tend the trees or pick apples. There are plenty of other community orchards around the country; try this Google search of all council and local Government websites for community orchards. There are plenty throughout the country.
Hacking down weeds and walking home with a bag of apples is a great way to get some fresh air. If you have children, they may just enjoy it too.
Some photos of the Springfield Park orchard:
Some interesting thoughts about opting out of the money economy, courtesy of WiseBread.
The money economy? Yep, there are other types. Bartering, the “gift economy”, and more. Not for everyone, but definitely some interesting tips, and thought-provoking writing.
I’ve often wondered what is the most efficient way of heating up food, microwave or conventional oven? And what about heating water, which is most efficient: microwave; electric kettle; or stove? Which uses the least power, and hence saves the most cash? (more…)
