Smart shading can help heatproof your home.

IF YOU shade your windows well, you’ll be able to switch off your air-conditioner more often this summer, says David Hallett, the state manager of Archicentre. “It can make you more comfortable on two fronts – it will keep your rooms cooler and ease the burden on your hip pocket as well.”

Archicentre is the advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects. It runs free seminars on a variety of issues, including renovating and sustainable building.

Mr Hallett says that the key to effective shading is to stop the sun from striking windows directly. “Many people try to stay cool by drawing curtains or internal blinds, but the sun is still transmitting heat into the room. The trick is to stop it hitting the glass in the first place.”

Large structures such as verandahs, pergolas and covered outdoor living areas can all do the job, but there’s a catch. “In Melbourne, you’ve got to balance keeping the sun out during the hot months with getting it in during a cold winter,” he says.

If you’re planning to build or renovate, pay special attention to your eaves. During summer, the sun tracks high in the northern sky and stays hot until late in the afternoon as it sets in the west. In winter, the sun is lower in the sky all day. Because of this difference, it’s possible to design eaves so they block sunshine in summer, but let it in throughout winter.

“If you design the building well, with living areas to the north, you will want the winter sun coming in. The calculation of eaves becomes very important,” Mr Hallett says.

Even so, you don’t need to completely redesign your home just to improve its shading. Other cheap and effective tactics include installing shadecloth or outdoor blinds on your windows. Mr Hallett warns DIYers to be cautious with shade sails. “Make sure they’re designed and installed properly because they can come down in strong winds and take some of the building with them.”

Another simple strategy is to grow trees for shade. Robin Brimblecombe, a solar energy researcher at Monash University, says careful planting of deciduous trees to the north and west will help cool your home in summer while allowing sunlight in when they lose their leaves.

According to Dr Brimblecombe, US researchers recently found that houses with existing shade trees use an average of five per cent less electricity over summer. (For more information, see his article in the current issue of ReNew magazine, published by the Alternative Technology Association.)

Before you decide on a tree variety, it’s wise to contact a nursery for detailed advice. “When you plant leafy trees you need to consider whether you’ve got enough water to sustain them through summer,” Dr Brimblecombe says. Despite the extra shade, bigger isn’t always better – thirsty roots can damage pipes and foundations.

Smaller trees can be very effective, especially to the west. “For sustainability, deciduous fruit trees like apples and stone fruits are a great idea,” he says. “You get the double benefit of shade and edible produce.”

Dr Brimblecombe also suggests growing deciduous grape vines on a north-facing pergola. “It’s lovely to sit under their shade and you also get a cooling effect from the leaves as they transpire.”

 

All sorts of products can have a second life.

Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week runs from 9 to 15 November. Now in its 14^th year, the event aims to improve our recycling habits and cut our waste.

“People are really familiar with recycling the cans and cartons they use at home,” says campaign director Brad Gray. “But it gets more complicated with things that can’t go in the kerbside collection.

This week, to help you discard those trickier items, there will be special recycling collection points set up at Melbourne Central, Highpoint, Dandenong Plaza and Chirnside Park.

You’ll be able to drop off old batteries, printer cartridges, corks and compact fluorescent globes (which contain mercury and should not be put in the bin). You can even recycle your old eyeglasses. “They get cleaned and graded and then donated to communities around the world where people can’t afford to buy them,” Mr Gray says.

For this year’s recycling week, Planet Ark is also promoting swap parties, where people can exchange their unwanted treasure for free. There are 10 Victorian councils holding Big Aussie Swaps – check the website to see if your council is involved. If not, Mr Gray suggests staging your own with your friends and neighbours. “We’re encouraging people to re-use before they get to the recycling stage – it has an even better environmental benefit.”

He argues that it’s more important than ever before to get the most from our resources. “It takes thousands of litres of water to make a cotton dress or print a book and that’s water we can’t afford to waste. Swapping is a simple and fun way to save valuable resources.

According to deputy CEO of Sustainability Victoria, Jan Trewhella, a new kind of waste has begun to crowd our tips in recent years – high-tech gadgets such as computers, printers, mobile phones and DVD players. “Electronic waste is growing at about four times the rate of normal household waste,” she says. “And with the change to digital technology we’ll see lots more TVs entering the waste stream.”

Many of these gizmos contain lead, mercury and other hazardous materials. If they’re not discarded carefully, they can end up contaminating our soil, ground water or waterways.

But e-waste also contains precious metals such as gold, copper and silver, as well as plastic, glass and other materials that can be extracted through recycling. “We can reclaim these resources rather than losing them to landfill,” Ms Trewhella says.

Together with industry partners, Sustainability Victoria runs Byteback, a free disposal and recycling service for worn-out computer equipment. You can drop off up to ten items at a time, including PCs, printers, speakers, cords and other peripherals. There are collection stations in Melbourne and beyond, including Ballarat and Geelong. A nationwide e-waste collection scheme is slated to begin by 2011.

The government agency also recently launched Batteryback, a similar scheme that gathers spent single-use and rechargeable batteries. Collection points (only in Melbourne) are listed on the Resource Smart website.

Mobile phones and old printer cartridges are two other commonly thrown-out products that can be easily recycled. They can be dropped off through any Australia Post office.

For more information, visit Planet Ark’s comprehensive website, Recycling Near You. It lists instructions and links for almost any product, from car tyres to X-ray films, and can be searched by item and council area.

Natural light can cut your energy bills and brighten your days.

Recently, Caroline Ottinger decided to seek the light. “We live in a semi-detached house in Ascot Vale,” she says. “It’s over 100 years old and was quite dark inside. I really wanted to brighten it up.”

After thorough research, she chose two narrow tubular skylights to fit her corridor. The cost – $1200 installed – has paled in comparison to the effect on her home.

“They’ve transformed our hall,” she says. “People can’t believe it when they come over – they think we’ve got lights on. When it’s sunny they’re magnificent, and even when it’s overcast we never need to use lights during the day.”

Ms Ottinger has found the soft, diffuse daylighting to be more relaxing. “It makes me feel so much happier,” she says. “Because I’ve got a young baby I spend a lot of time in the house. I think light makes a real difference to your mood. It’s been an amazing transformation.”

If you’re considering skylights for your house, she suggests searching for a business that offers a free, no-obligation quote. “But it’s worth doing research yourself first, so you know the prices and the products – that way you’re not going to get ripped off.”

The Skylight Industry Association is a good place to start your investigation. President Robert Cussigh says that broadly, there are three kinds of skylights.

Dome skylights are the most common. They have a plastic, opaque dome in the roof and a square shaft that leads to a diffuser panel in the ceiling. Tubular skylights are similar, but use a round shaft with reflective silver lining that directs the sunlight downwards and into the room. Both kinds cost from around $200 to $900, plus installation.

Roof windows are glass units set directly into the roof, with open plaster shafts so you can see the sky. They usually have timber frames and double-glazing, but can come with all sorts of features, including blinds, rain sensors and remotes for opening and closing. They range in price from $400 to $2000, plus installation.

DIYers will find the smaller, tubular lights the most straightforward to put in, but Mr Cussigh maintains that any kind of skylight can be retrofitted. “They’re easier to install while you’re building the house, but most people tend to put them in after the fact. They realise they’ve got a dark room and skylights solve the problem.”

With an elegant design, they can even be a feature. “Many people are putting in roof windows for the wow-factor,” Mr Cussigh says. “You can really open a room up and make it look spectacular by drawing in natural light.”

Skylights can let in more than three times the light of a same-sized vertical window, according to online sustainable design guide, Your Home. Daylighting is also cooler than artificial sources, which means less added heat inside. Although some warmth can be gained and lost through the skylights themselves (depending on the weather outside), it’s minor in comparison to the effect of standard windows or inadequate insulation.

All things considered, says Mr Cussigh, skylights can significantly improve the energy efficiency of your house. “There’s a huge cost saving in CO₂ emissions by not having to flick a switch every time you want light,” he says.

Eco-friendly cleaning isn’t all about elbow grease.

ANGELA Crocombe hasn’t used commercial cleaning products in her home for years. “I’m amazed by the rows and rows of chemicals available at the supermarket,” she says. “They’re so unnecessary.”

She’s the author of A Lighter Footprint: a practical guide to minimising your impact on the planet. The book details all manner of ways to reduce your use of the world’s resources, including using natural cleaning products.

Ms Crocombe has swapped store-bought cleaners for microfibre cloths and a mix of simple goods: bicarb soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, and tea-tree oil (for a fresh smelling disinfectant). She employs other commonsense tactics such as using old toothbrushes to scrub hard-to-reach places, and it all adds up to a healthy saving. “You can save a fortune – there are so many products you just don’t need anymore.”

As a new mother, Ms Crocombe says she’s become even more determined to stick to her regime. “Sometimes I walk past a café that’s been cleaning with the toxic bleaches and it just stinks. I just don’t want my child to be inhaling that. And I’m also concerned about damaging the animal and plant life in our waterways.”

A risk adverse approach also makes sense to Bridget Gardner, founder of Fresh Green Clean. Her business was previously an eco-cleaning service, but she now consults and educates on green cleaning methods. She’s holding her next workshop for householders at CERES Community Environment Park in East Brunswick on November 7.

“There are a lot of unknowns with chemicals and human toxicity, especially because the chemicals are tested individually, not in the combinations found in finished products,” she says. “The EU is doing an enormous amount of work to tighten chemical regulation – it’s about taking a precautionary stance. For people who are concerned, there are solutions that make cleaning a lot simpler.”

Ms Gardner spruiks a four-step process. “I teach people that water is a fantastic cleaning agent,” she says. “And it’s not about going back to grandma’s recipes and scrubbing hard.”

The first step is to wipe the surface with a microfibre or textured cloth to remove anything loose. Next, soak to soften. “If there’s something stuck on, just leave it damp a moment. When you wipe it again, it will come off easily,” she says.

Then target any stubborn grime or stains with bicarb soda – add a small amount to a damp cloth to form a paste and rub gently. To remove shower and bathroom scale, Ms Gardner recommends first running the cloth over a bar of soap, then adding the bicarb. “You’re basically making something like Jiff. The soap makes bicarb more effective and easier to wash away afterwards.”

The final step is to dry the surface with a chamois, dry cloth or squeegee. Ms Gardner maintains that this process won’t take any extra time. “You have to be fast in a cleaning business, so I know these steps work.”

Although a growing number of commercial cleaning products are being marketed as ‘green’, it pays to be wary of their claims. Before buying, look for Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification and make sure the ingredients are listed. “Even if you can’t understand the gobbledygook, someone else can,” Ms Gardner says, “It means they’re not hiding anything.”

For a full list of low-impact cleaners, visit the Safer Solutions website.

It’s easy to turf the grass for a veggie patch.

Under stage 3a water restrictions, we’re banned from watering lawns from the mains. So avoid the dead grass this summer, suggests Adam Grubb from Very Edible Gardens, and convert it “from lawn to lunch”.

You can build a ‘no-dig’ garden without any back-breaking work, by layering brown organic matter (such as pea straw or autumn leaves) and manure (cow, sheep or horse) to form a raised bed.

“It’s like creating a compost where you’re going to grow your veggies,” Mr Grubb says. “No-dig gardens are really well-suited over lawn or weeds, or where the soil is poor.”

Begin by spreading chicken manure or blood and bone over the designated area, then set down wet newspaper to stifle the grass below. Next, layer the manure and organic material to at least 40 centimetres. “It’s sometimes called lasagne gardening, because you alternate those two layer types as you go up,” he says.

To plant your vegetables, make small holes and fill them with compost or rich topsoil. Place seedlings into the soil, rather than the manure.

Leafy greens will thrive in no-dig gardens straight away, but peas, beans and root vegetables like carrots and onions can find the manure too rich for the first few months. “You’ve given your garden such a boost that you won’t need to fertilise for twelve months,” Mr Grubb says, “Its performance will improve in the second year.”

Very Edible Gardens can help you get growing. They provide materials, know-how and permaculture design services (fully installed raised veggie beds start at $750). See their website (below) for a more detailed guide to no-dig gardening.

Matthew Pember, from the Little Veggie Patch Company, also offers backyard food growing expertise, from advice through to garden installation and maintenance. “You can grow almost anything in springtime,” he says. “But it’s important to plant what you are going to eat. It defeats the whole purpose if you don’t eat them!”

Delicious home-grown tomatoes are at the top of the list. Mr Pember’s favourite variety is black Russian. “They’re really tasty to pick off the vine and eat with a pinch of salt,” he says.

You should propagate seeds now, but if you want to plant as seedlings, hold off until early November. “The rule of thumb is to plant tomato seedlings over the Cup weekend,” he says. “Make sure to water regularly and deeply while the plants develop.” Grow basil, chilli, oregano and thyme as well, and you’ll be able to bottle a delicious tomato sauce when you harvest in late summer and autumn.

If you strike pests or other growing pains and decide to search the Internet for advice, remember to stick to southern hemisphere pages that match your climate. In any case, Mr Pember says the best wisdom is usually close at hand. “I live in Thornbury and I’ve got lots of Greek and Italian neighbours. They’re a wealth of information and they’re always happy to share what they know,” he says. “Learn from the people who’ve been doing it for years.”