Eco Ideas

Recycling

We don't believe we can continue to use energy and resources at the current rate. The natural resource we consume to carry out life and living are limited. Recycling is essential to slow down this spiral of use and abuse of these resources. Land fill is not the answer. Burying the products that have consumed so much energy (fossil fuels) and natural resources to make in the first place is not sustainable. We need to find ways of gaining better value for money out of every product we make and use. All products should be turned into something else once its initial use is over. Current waste products need to take the place of raw materials in both simple and innovative new ways.

Outriggers for the eaves were recycled from another development.

Worm farms come in all shapes and sizes. We have been using a Reln plastic worm farm kit for some years now. All our vegetable and biodegradable scraps have been going into the worm farm. The secret to a successful worm farm is variety. The more variety in the scraps the better the worm farm will function. Some say not to put too much citrus in and to add lime etc. In all the time we have had ours we have not had a problem and I believe it is all to do with variety. Pizza boxes make great covers in place of the recommended hessain to keep moisture levels stable. Alternatively shredded paper works well also. Our problem will now be competing for the vegetable scraps from the chooks.

I also set up a separate system to process all the dog waste. Using a plastic compost bin and taking some of the worms from the worm farm I have been able to compost and break down all the dog waste from our pet dog. With the compost bin set up on the ground with a soil base, the worms break down all the waste. In the four years I have been using this system I have never had to empty the bin. This keeps all the waste on site and does not add to landfill. The worm farm is remarkable odourless considering it only contains dog waste.

All the cardboard packaging is being chipped up and will return to be used in the worm farm. Worms love paper and cardboard.

Compost

A must for every gardener is a compost heap of some description. The material produced from a good compost bin transforms the worst of soil into something workable over time. This process is like mimicking the forest floor, where the organisms and micro-organisms break down the leaf litter producing a layer of humus or organic material which in itself is a micro climate for worms, slaters and all sorts of other small organisms. This layer is constantly turned into the soil as the next layer is added. This is where the oxygen exchange takes place, where the soil breathes, where the carbon exchange occurs, it is this layer that helps retain moisture. I can't imagine having a garden especially a vegetable garden and not having a compost heap. The nutrients removed from the garden by cropping have to be put back. Compost and manures are part of the answer to this. Adding manures to compost is also a great way of producing healthy compost.

Mulch

Mulch would have to be the most under rated garden product. I still see so many gardens that do not have mulch or have mulch so thinly spread that it is of little consequence. A 75-100mm layer of organic mulch will improve your garden ten fold. Mulch helps to retain moisture, breaks down to provide organic matter to the soil, encourages organisms and micro-organisms into the soil, encourages worm activity and protects the soil from direct exposure to baking from the sun. There are a lot of organic mulches that are recycled or by-products from other processes such as sugar cane mulch, green organics, leaf litter, etc.

Solar

Install a SolarVenti to help prevent respiratory problems, while reducing your heating and cooling bill as well as carbon emissions.
In order to meet current building standards and be energy efficient, new houses are well insulated and almost airtight, however a minimum level of fresh air is required to remove odours, carbon dioxide, water vapour and other contaminants from the inside.

SolarVenti®

Offers a Sustainable Solution:

• Reduced Temperature Variation
• Improved Air Quality
• NO Running Costs
• Easy to Install

*Price Range: $649 to $2475
Available in Five Sizes and Three Colours
*Roof Mounting and Cooling Kit Extra
Tap into nature and choose SolarVenti for your home

• Reduce energy consumption & footprint
• Ventilate without compromising security
• Eliminate the need for opened windows
• Protect your house and contents from the damaging effects of humidity
• Keep the house fresh - circulate dry, warm air
• Remove odours, carbon dioxide, water vapour and other contaminants
• Prevent mould, mildew, damp and condensation
• Simple, easy to install on roof or wall
• Runs on solar - no ongoing costs
• Over 20,000 units sold in Europe since 2002

Imported and Distributed by:
Global Eco & Environmental Solutions
Ph: 1300 655 118
www.ges.com.au
www.solarventi.com

The SolarVenti principle for in-ground cooling

SolarVenti can help you keep the house cool during summer, by using the natural coolness of the ground. The cooling fan should be connected to pipes which are dug into the ground as illustrated here. If possible, place the pipes in the ground under an area which is watered regularly (e.g. a garden bed), as the evaporation of water will lower the temperature of the ground further. As long as the sun shines on your SolarVenti unit the cool air will continue to flow into your house.