It seems you can make anything out of eco materials these days, with Swedish furniture chain Ikea is giving away a recyclable camera to promote the launch of its PS 2012 eco furniture collection.

The KNÃPPA flat-pack digital camera is made almost entirely from cardboard, and is being given to customers for free so they can take 40 photos of their eco furniture and then upload them to the Ikea website. Giving away a recyclable camera is a clever way for Ikea to gain column inches and to highlight the environmentally friendly PS 2012 range eco furniture range. Every item is made from sustainable and renewable materials, which include:

Wool – Synthetic textiles, like nylon and polyester, are made from petroleum and are very polluting to manufacture. Eco textiles made from wool, on the other hand, are far more environmentally friendly, and luxurious too. Other eco furniture textiles include hemp, organic cotton and silk.

Bamboo – This fast growing grass can be treated to create an elegant and light material for making eco furniture, like small tables and chairs, with a look that resembles hardwood.

Wood plastic – Plastic is combined with wood to create a hardwearing composite with the low environmental impact of sustainably harvested wood.

Flax – This is a bast fiber grown in cool climates. It’s a good conductor of heat and has antistatic qualities, making it perfect for creating attractive and cool fabrics for sofa cushions and eco furniture upholstery.

Eco furniture is also often made from water based glues and varnishes that don’t emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Along with being less polluting to manufacture, water based eco furniture treatment materials are better for your health and the environment too.

Along with its PS 2012 eco furniture range, Ikea recently bought a Scottish wind farm and plans to spend £4 million installing solar panels on the roofs of ten of its UK stores. Such a large investment can’t simply be dismissed as a marketing gimmick, and reflects how brands and businesses are becoming more eco conscious, both in the products they produce and their attitude towards environmental responsibility.

Some rug producers illegally use children in the production of rugs as a source of cheap labour. “Rug children” are often forced to work seven days a week, up to sixteen hours per day, receive no education or decent living conditions and therefore have a bleak future. Here in the UK, consumers unwittingly buy these rugs in the big chain stores and independent high street shops, and in so doing perpetuate the problem.

The news is much better when it comes to purchasing a luxury ‘designer’ rug in the UK.  GoodWeave labelled rugs are now widely available in this sector from the likes of The Rug Company, Deirdre Dyson, Bazaar Velvet, Jacaranda Carpets, Knots Rugs and WovenGround.  To make shopping for ethically produced rugs easier, GoodWeave UK launched its own online Rug Directory, which informs interior designers and consumers about the latest GoodWeave labelled rug designs and where to buy them.

Rug manufacturing takes place in some of the poorest regions of the world, and rural poverty and lack of access to education forces families to send their children to work, often hundreds of miles from where they live. It is important to understand the context here – these kids do not bring home any income to their families, they sit for hours on end, working in atrocious conditions in return for a meal and somewhere to sleep, if they are lucky.

If the West did not buy rugs from producers exploiting children, the practice would stop and that is what GoodWeave works towards, but in the UK, high street retailers are slow and reluctant to take on their share of the responsibility.

GoodWeave is active in India and Nepal with a pilot scheme in Afghanistan. It encourages rug producers to sign up to its labelling scheme, which funds random and independent inspections of the rug producers and educates and financially supports rescued children and those that are vulnerable. In return, these producers can apply the GoodWeave label on their rugs.  If UK Retailers bought only GoodWeave labelled rugs to sell in their shops, this would deny a market to producers using children and in so doing drastically reduce child exploitation – but many don’t. This lack of effort in the UK is in sharp contrast to the USA and Germany where major retail brands such as Macy’s and Otto make GoodWeave labelled rugs widely available.

All too often large fail to understand that the only way to prevent child labour in the informal manufacturing sector is to have local inspectors, out in the villages carrying out random, unannounced inspections on a regular basis.  It is easy for the large retailers to be duped into believing that their suppliers are not using child labour, as weaving is often subcontracted out to thousands of individual, village based weavers.  Visiting buyers and annual audit teams cannot possibly visit all these places and yet this is where children are often found by our inspectors, making rugs.

Some UK high street retailers make donations to charities in India and Nepal, provide clinics and schools and others make commitments on sustainability, and all these efforts are to be applauded, but to my knowledge none of them are really tackling child labour in the informal manufacturing sector.

So, next time you are in a shop about to buy a rug made in Nepal or India, check it is a GoodWeave labelled rug and buy with a clear conscience. If there is no label, then please do not buy and explain to the shop owner or manager why – only then do we have a chance of educating our high street stores and making a real difference.

At the end of March, millions of eco homes, businesses and famous landmarks will simultaneously switch off their lights at 8.30pm. This is in recognition of the WWF sponsored Earth Hour – an event that has spread to 135 countries worldwide as a symbolic way of showing concern for the environment.

You can participate in Earth Hour by registering on the campaign website and then being ready to flick the light switch to join the global blackout on the 31st March. However, if you want to take proactive steps to protect the environment then you don’t have to wait until Earth Hour; you can help reduce carbon emissions all year round by investing in eco lighting in your eco home.

£1.9 billion is spent on lighting homes every year, accounting for up to 20% of electricity bills. With this in mind, investing in eco lighting can be a great way of saving money as well as reducing carbon emissions from your eco house. Lighting is also a major cost for commercial buildings, accounting for up to 60% of total electricity bills.

The government has set the bold target of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases 60% by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, schemes are available to provide financial assistance to commercial enterprises to become greener, such as the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) and Carbon Trust 0% Interest Loans. This money can be spent on eco lighting systems, such as sensors and automated lighting controls that reduce or switch off lights when an area is vacant. These eco lighting methods could save businesses up to 80% on their electricity bills.

The different types of eco lighting to choose from

In 2011, 150 watt incandescent bulbs (which have barely changed in design since they were first invented by Thomas Edison in 1879) were phased out. These bulbs were highly inefficient as 90% of the energy produced was given off as heat and they lasted less than 1000 hours. In their place, there are now a range of eco lighting options for your eco home to choose from:

Halogen bulbs – These consume 25-30% less energy than incandescent bulbs. The name comes from the halogen gas contained within the bulb which slows its deterioration.

Energy saving CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs – Using only 9 watts, these bulbs can last 10,000 hours, which is 10 times longer than  incandescent bulbs. They warm up quickly, have a superior light quality and are not prone to flicker. They can also reduce carbon emissions by 70%, saving eco homes £7 per year per bulb.

LED (light emitting diodes) – These are seen as the future of eco lighting in eco homes. They can last 100,000 hours (literally a lifetime) and use a mere 2 watts. They use 75% less energy and produce 80% less heat. Without containing toxic elements like mercury or lead, they are also 100% recyclable. Although they are more expensive upfront (costing around £25), you can expect to recoup the cost of LED lights in a couple of years.

Read more about Sustainable Lighting via the 50 Q & A’s kindly supplied by Clearvision, who are leading experts in this field.

If you want to make your eco home as environmentally friendly as possible then (along with eco furniture) buying energy efficient eco appliances is a no brainer. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend hours doing complex sums to work out which eco appliances consume the least energy because it’s all been done for you.

Energy efficiency ratings for white goods have been mandatory since 1995. The brightly coloured energy efficiency certificates seen on the front of dish washers, washing machines, fridges and other appliances are now widely recognised and respected by consumers and manufacturers alike.

Graded from A to G, these tell you how much electricity eco appliances use. The higher the grade the more efficient they are, thus simplifying the process when buying eco appliances for your eco home:

Eco Electric Ovens – It might sound like an urban myth, but the test for eco ovens is to bake a brick and see how much energy is used. Improved door insulation is one of the key features of an energy efficient eco oven.

Eco Washing Machines – These are monitored for water consumption, energy use, the cleanliness of the wash and the dryness of spin results. To minimise your energy consumption, use a longer cycle rather than a quick wash because quick washes force the heating element to work harder overall. Turning down the dial from 60ºC to 40ºC can also cut your running costs in half. When buying an eco washing machine check the drum size because a larger drum can halve the number of loads you need to wash in a week. The latest hi-tech models can even weigh your laundry and adjust the cycle time and energy usage accordingly. Unfortunately, they have yet to design a machine that irons and folds your clothes as well

Eco Tumble Dryers – You’d think there is nothing eco friendly about tumble dryers, which drain electricity at a frightening rate. However, ‘A’ rated condenser models are available for your eco home which use heat pump technology and consume nearly 50% less than conventional ‘C’ rated models.

Eco Dishwashers – Running dishwashers at a lower temperature can vastly reduce running costs. Quick washes use 15-20% less energy, while an eco wash can save 50% on your dishwasher energy bills.

Eco Fridges and freezers – So much progress has been made in the cooling technology of modern eco fridges that they’ve expanded the energy efficiency ratings to A+++ to make a distinction between the latest eco models. One tip is to keep your fridge as full as possible to reduce the amount of electricity used to keep it cool. And when going on holiday, when the fridge is bare, turn the temperature up to save some extra cash.

Induction Hobs – Electrically powered hobs are the greener alternative to gas and ceramic hobs. Only the base of the pan is heated, thus saving energy otherwise wasted heating the sides.

Eco appliances with high energy efficiency ratings are the sensible choice for your eco house. They are more energy efficient, create less carbon emissions and they cost less to run, which means more money in your pocket and a greener home.

Eco homes can be luxurious as well as green

Creating an eco home can seem at odds with luxury. For too long, the eco movement has been associated with the anti-consumerist ‘woolly jumper brigade’, and eco homes seen as ugly prefabricated buildings which put function ahead of aesthetics.

But the perception of the eco home is changing.

Recently, the ‘Apple Hayes’ eco house was nominated in both the Best Eco Build and Best Luxury New Build categories at the Northern Design Awards. While at the high end of the scale, ‘Barnsley Hill Farm‘, with a £4m valuation, features a 25 seater home cinema, indoor pool and steam room but with the carbon footprint of an average two-bed flat.

These eco homes show that luxury and being environmentally friendly can go together. And the rise of an educated eco-conscious generation is leading to developers creating luxurious eco house developments all over Europe.

In the UK, ‘The Lakes’ features 160 luxury villas (starting at £870k) built with eco materials (e.g. sustainable timber) and with energy saving features, such as rainwater harvesting, wind turbines and solar panels.

In Switzerland one developer is pouring £1b into transforming the village of Andermatt into a car free community with 500 luxury apartments, which are to receive 50 percent of their energy from geothermal heating.

Eco furniture can be aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and green

As these examples show, eco homes can be aesthetically pleasing and luxurious. This extends to the eco furniture, eco appliances and other environmentally friendly features you furnish your eco house with.

Eco furniture is made from sustainably sourced materials, including textiles as well as timber, which are produced with the minimum environmental impact. The range of eco products available also includes eco wallpaper and non-toxic eco paints.

The growth of an eco conscious generation means there is a growing market for luxurious eco homes, along with eco beds, eco chairs and other items of eco furniture which are attractive, comfortable and environmentally friendly.

Christmas is approaching and people will be looking forward to spending time in their living room with their families, watching movies, playing board games and passing around the mince pies. As with any room in your eco house, there are many ways you can make your living room more eco friendly. Whether it’s using eco furniture or eco appliances, you can make greener choices that will both reduce your energy bills and be kinder to the environment.

Eco appliances

LED TVs – These have backlit screens which are much greener than conventional LCD or plasmas screens. For example, a 42” plasma TV uses 277 watts when it’s on, whilst a similar sized LED TV uses less than half that amount. LED TVs also have a long lifespan, saving you even more money in the long run.

Eco friendly mains adapter – Thanks to TV ad campaigns, it’s now well known that leaving electrical appliances on standby still consumes a significant amount of electricity. In fact, it’s estimated that £900 million is wasted leaving appliances with the red light on. One option is to simply switch TVs, DVD players and set top boxes off at the mains. Or you could buy a mains socket adapter, for your eco living room, that learns how much standby power connected devices use and then overrides them by reducing the electricity supply by that amount.

Eco lighting – Lighting accounts for 15% of your eco home’s electricity bills. So switching to eco friendly bulbs is a simple way of making your eco living room greener. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that one CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulb consumes 80% less electricity and lasts up to 10 times longer than standard bulbs. This can translate into savings of up to £6/year in electricity for regularly used lights. When you consider how many bulbs there are in your eco home, this can mount up to a significant saving.

Eco fireplace – Bio-ethanol fireplaces are clean burning, which means they produce no dirty pollutants and can be used in any eco living room. Bio-ethanol (a.k.a. methylated spirits) can be produced from a wide variety of renewable crops, such as sugarcane, potatoes, rice and beetroot, adding to its green credentials. When the bio-ethanol is burnt it creates a beautiful dancing flame but without the dirty smoke to go with it, which means you don’t need a chimney or need to install pipes.

Eco furniture

Eco wallpaper – You could use FSC approved eco wallpaper, made from ethically sourced wood pulp, or another option is eco paint, which uses the minimal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to protect your family from exposure to pollutants.

Eco sofas – These are made from FSC approved wood and eco upholstery that’s made from ethically sourced materials, such as bamboo, organic cotton and hemp, which are all plant based and can be harvested sustainably.

Eco accessories – It’s often the little touches that can make the most impact in your eco home. Fairly traded bamboo coasters, seagrass picture frames, linen plant pots and natural recycled leather photo frames are just a few examples of eco accessories that will give your eco living room an environmentally friendly green glow.

Energy bills are becoming a worry for many households. The recession continues to bite, but all six of the big energy providers have announced price rises of more than 15%. This means gas and electricity will cost £120 per year for the average household, with no reassurances they won’t rise again in the near future.

So what can you do about it? Turn down the heat, and wear an extra jumper? Or find innovative ways of making your eco home more energy efficient? One option to consider is investing in eco plumbing technology. After the initial investment – which can be subsidised with a government grant – you can make big yearly savings on your eco home’s energy bills.

Three eco plumbing options to consider:

1. Eco plumbing with underfloor heating

It’s estimated that hiring an eco plumber to install underfloor heating in your eco home can provide up to 70% of your annual hot water. As the name suggests, underfloor heating consists of laying pipes underneath the flooring through which hot water is circulated to provide a nicely warmed floor. It can be installed under tiles, eco flooring materials like FSC certified wood, laminate and carpet. And it also does away with unattractive radiators.

As well as being pleasant to walk over on a frosty winter morning, underfloor heating heats rooms more evenly than radiators. It also runs on a lower temperature, so it requires less energy and reduces your eco home’s energy bills.

2. Eco plumbing with ground source heat pumps

Geothermal heat pumps have been around since the 1940s, but their popularity has grown tremendously recently, with over 1 million installed worldwide every year.

They consist of pipes which are layed 1.5 metres underground or ground collectors which are bore holed 23+ metres deep. Heat is then absorbed from the ground into fluid passing through the pipes or the ground collector, which is then routed to the eco home. No matter what the weather is like on the surface, the heat of the earth beneath the surface doesn’t change. Consequently, ground source heat pumps can provide a constant source of heat energy all year round.

This type of eco plumbing is estimated to be able to save up to 70% on heating bills. It uses no fossil fuels, making it 100% non-polluting, and grants of up to £1500 are available from the government to help cover the upfront installation costs.

3. Eco plumbing with Air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps work on a similar principle to ground source pumps except they take heat energy from the air. The air source heat pump can be placed against a wall on the back of the eco house, which means there’s no need to dig holes for laying pipes. The pump then extracts heat from the air which is transferred through pipes to the eco home’s central heating.

This type of eco plumbing is estimated to deliver up to 3 times more heat energy than the electricity it consumes, reducing electricity usage 30-40%. Government grants of up to £900 are also available to cover the upfront cost on this eco plumbing option.

4 reasons to commission a UK furniture craftsman to

create eco furniture for your eco home

These days with eco consciousness rising, there’s a wide variety of eco furniture to choose from. But sometimes it can still be difficult to find a specific piece you’re looking for. Maybe you need a dining table to be a specific size, or a design that matches the existing furnishings in your eco home. Or maybe you have an eco furniture design in your head you’d like to make into a reality.

In these instances you should consider commissioning a UK furniture craftsman to create a piece of eco furniture for you. They’ll sit down with you, listen to what you’re looking for and then fashion your idea into an exceptional and personal piece.

Inevitably, handcrafted eco furniture will be more expensive than something you’d buy off the shelf from a mass market retailer. But there are many reasons why you should consider commissioning a piece to add a special feature to your eco home:

1. Unique – Unlike mass produced furniture, a piece of eco furniture you’ve commissioned will be a one of a kind. This will make it an eye catching feature in your eco home and a talking point with guests.

2. Long lasting – In this consumerist culture we live in, a lot of mass produced furniture is only expected to last 5-10 years. Not only is this a waste of money but also a waste of the resources and materials used to build it. Specially built eco furniture, on the other hand, is built with high quality, durable materials and expert craftsmanship to last a lifetime.

3. An antique or heirloom for the future – UK furniture craftsmen dedicate their lives to perfecting their craft and building their reputation. This means a piece you buy now could see its value increase over time, as pieces by certain craftsmen become sought after.
4. Made from locally sourced eco materials – Whether weaving textiles, forging metal or carving wood, you’ll find that most UK furniture craftsman are eco conscious about the materials they use. Many only use wood they’ve harvested themselves or sourced from FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified forests that are sustainably managed. You’ll also find many upholsterers use eco textiles and traditional hand weaving techniques to create eco cushions and eco chairs.

So when you consider all of the above, in our throw away culture where most things are mass produced, eco furniture that’s been made by a UK furniture craftsman to your design can offer a valuable and unique touch to your eco home.