Going Green For Fun and Profit
Shopping for green products can be a lot of fun. This is an expanding area with new types of goods and green materials being released each week. A great deal of innovation is evident from young British designers & ones from abroad who are keen to show off their talents by using green materials in new and interesting ways.
When we think of green products, perhaps we think about fields with rows and rows of brilliant white wind turbines slowly rotating together. Or we think of the building in a recent James Bond film that was powered by solar power generated from solar panels. These are the big, flashy green technology images which garner a lot of attention.
Green products are also in the little details too. Old style radiators that need regular bleeding and never seem to find that perfect balance between being warm but not hot, now have improved controls that can better regulate them. This might not seem green per se, but the controls help reduce waste energy and keep energy costs down. When a home needs less energy, the energy power stations which themselves burn fossil fuels to generate the power, do not need to generate as much power. Through this virtuous chain, this helps to reduce the amount of dangerous emissions being released into the atmosphere.
Insulation for walls and in loft conversions may not be as cool as having a solar panel as a talking point for the neighbours, but it also does its part in retaining heat in the home, keeping exterior heat outside and in so doing reducing energy needs. Many green products following a similar path of directly or indirectly providing energy saving benefits.
Home appliances have also come a long way since the days of home owners keeping a second freezer for extra cold storage whilst they ignore how much energy it sucks down in the process. All home appliances today now come with energy saving ratings which helps to guide the consumer towards the appliances that conserve energy during operation, especially in standby mode. Seemingly every appliance from hobs to fridge freezers to televisions now use far less energy than their counterparts did when they were made ten or more years ago. Any appliance that is older than seven years or did not come with a energy rating should be considered for replacement to an energy efficient model instead.
The green deal energy plan opens up all of these possibilities for new additions to the home. This latest scheme from the UK government provides surveyors, workmen for the installation, and finance in one neat package.
There is a Golden Rule where it is stated that the cost of installing the green upgrades should not exceed the cost savings over time from reduced energy bills. This is a noble goal that gives some insight into the idealistic view that the government has towards going green.
