Energy Efficient Washing Machine? We just Sust-it

February 9th, 2010

Energy Efficient Washing MachineAfter a good old innings our hand-me-down washing machine finally threw in the towel last week and retired from service.

Being fans of all things second hand and vintage we did ponder initially on searching Freecycle or Ebay for a cheaper, older model but soon came to the conclusion that a new energy efficient machine was the wisest long-term move in terms of saving energy and money.

Having gone on about Sust-it on here before and to friends over the years, this was the first time I personally had the opportunity to use the site for advice on making a purchase.  The conclusion?? Fantastic, Sust-it is in my opinion, a highly useful resource for anyone looking at electrical purchases.

465 washing machines are in the database and all are ranked in terms of their energy efficiency.  Best available prices are listed on everything also you can match your budget to the most energy efficient model.

To be honest, not having had made a major new electrical purchase in several years we were a little worried our cash-strapped January budget wouldn’t stretch to a very efficient model but after browsing the site for a while we opted for the BEKO WM7335 which is ranked 5th out of 465 in terms of annual running costs.

Sust-it gave us a full comparison of the environmental and financial running costs – litres of water used, power used, annual CO2 emissions and running costs per year.  The BEKO WM7355 has annual CO2 emissions of 103.01 kg based on 250 cycles.  The old machine (which was very old indeed) was taken away for recycling and was a Hoover model not listed on Sust-it.   The best performing Hoover washing machine on there emits 120.18 kg CO2 a year so at a rough estimate we’re at least 15% more efficient at washing clothes than we were last year.

Gone but not forgotten – before waving him off to recycling heaven, we also managed to do a spot of recycling ourselves and transformed the old glass door into a handy bowl for all that fruit we’ve resolved to eat in 2010.

Washing Machine Fruit Bowl

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Posted in Carbon Footprint, Eco Tips, Eco Websites, Energy Saving, Green Living, Recycling, Water Saving | No Comments »

Customer Reviews – Get on your soapbox…

February 4th, 2010

Customer Reviews - Win a Set of Recycled Glasses

Speakers corner has just launched here at ECOutlet. Yes this is your chance to get on your soapbox and tell us what you think of our products by leaving us a Customer Review!

To help get things rolling with our latest feature, we’ve decided to add a little incentive so at the end of this month we’re going to reward the Top 15 reviews with a set of recycled glasses worth £14 each.

Though we do appreciate positive feedback, reviews don’t need to be glowingly positive to impress.  Constructive criticism will also be rewarded as will reviews which make us chuckle – in fact anything which helps to inform other customers will be in the running to win one of the prizes.

At the end of the month, we’ll select the Top 15 reviews which we think are the most helpful to our customers and the winners will each receive a set of glasses.

The glasses which are made using recycled Coca Cola bottles will make a lovely addition to any kitchen.  They are great everyday drinking glasses and also double up as slinky Ice Cream Sundae glasses.

If you fancy joining in and entering the competition, there are two ways to leave a customer review:

  1. Log in or register with us on the customer sign-up page.  Go to the product you would like to leave a review for, click the Customer Review tab and leave us your thoughts.   You will then be automatically entered into the prize draw.
  2. Guests can also leave a review.  Simply go to the product page and click the Customer Reviews tab to leave the review.
    If you leave a review this way and want to be considered for the prize draw, you will need to send us an email at comps@ecoutlet.co.uk and in the body of the email please confirm the name of review headline you left on the website.

The Customer Review competition closes on February 28th. Winners will be selected and notified by email on March 1st and all the winners names will also be announced here on the comments section of this blog entry.

Go on… help us to make ECOutlet a better place for everyone by giving us your feedback!

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Top Eco Friendly Valentines Day Gift Ideas

January 28th, 2010

Eco Friendly Valentines Gifts

If you fancy giving your loved one a treat on Valentines Day, check out our top ideas for eco friendly gifts this year from ECOutlet.

  1. Instead of buying flowers flown in from halfway across the planet – how about something different this year like a packet of your lovers favourite flower seeds to plant in the garden.  No air miles and they can enjoy them for weeks rather than days.  The perfect accompaniment of course would be a lovely recycled Champagne Bottle Vase so they can enjoy displaying their favourite home-grown flowers throughout the summer.
  2. If you’re planning a cosy meal in with a bottle of wine on Valentines night then our Green Wine Glasses and Clear Wine Glasses could be the perfect pressie to whip out at the start of the evening.
  3. Boys can be a little difficult to buy for sometimes but chances are they might like the odd beer every now and then served up in one of our Sol Bottle Glasses or Corona Beer Bottle Glasses.
  4. Is your loved one a grumpy Valentine without their coffee fix?  The Presso Coffee Maker is super stylish, easy to use, makes great coffee and will put a smile on the face of caffeine addicts all year round.
  5. Set the scene on Valentines evening with some ambient eco friendly lighting.  Our candles range includes Soy Tea Lights, Soy Candles in recycled glass containers and some rather butch Man Candles.
  6. Bath and bodycare treats always go down well as gifts so if a little “me” time is something your Valentine might enjoy, the Sweet Geranium Luxury Gift Set is an organic pampering treat they’ll love.
  7. Has your man let himself go lately and looks more hairy biker than Greek God? Perhaps some grooming products might be in order this Valentines.  The Groom Mate Ear and Nose Hair Trimmer and Men-U Premier Shaving Brush will gently prune the smooth operator back to life.
  8. This one is for snuggling up together with during those wintery February nights – hot water bottle covers made from organic merino wool…hmmm toasty!
  9. If a bit of bling is in order, make sure its ethical bling.  Our Ethical Jewellery section has lots of pieces to choose but we especially love the classic style of the Silver Stripe Earrings and Silver Stripe Pendant.
  10. Finally, what about a gift that will last for years and years to come.  Planting a Wild Cherry Tree for your loved one on Valentines Day means they can enjoy a lifetime of one of the prettiest UK trees.

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Wheatgrass juicer + Seed sprouter = Healthy 2010

January 22nd, 2010

Wheatgrass Sprouter and Juicer

Wheatgrass juice anyone? If youre detoxing in 2010 or just looking to be a little healthier then this one might be for you – the Easy Health Seed Sprouter, one of the latest additions to the shop here at ECOutlet.

This manual seed sprouter is used to grow wheatgrass and sprouts on windowsills, kitchen tops or anywhere with indirect light.  It packs in two trays for growing barley and wheatgrass and two separate sprouting trays divided into four segments so you can grow up to eight different varieties of sprouts including alfalfa, mung bean, beetroot, cabbage, fennel or sunflower.

We like the idea of helping people to grow more of their own produce at home – you know exactly what goes into it and it helps to avoid all the packaging and transport miles associated with supermarket purchases.  It’s generally cheaper too – for the cost of a shot of wheatgrass juice in your local juice bar you can grow enough sprouts and wheatgrass to last a week with this device.

Sprouted seeds are highly nutritious and can be eaten with salads, sandwiches or as an accompaniment to other meals whilst wheatgrass has been praised for its numerous health benefits due to a seriously high chlorophyll content.  Chlorophyll oxygenates the blood and organ tissue, impedes the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract, neutralises toxins and helps purify the liver.  Regular intake of wheatgrass is said to improve blood sugar disorders and digestion and reduces blood pressure.

Wheatgrass juice is generally taken in small shots but not all juicers are suitable for making it.  The Easy Health Manual Wheatgrass Juicer is however perfect for the task as it cold presses the wheatgrass which helps preserves all the natural nutrients.  It does’nt just do wheatgrass, if you’re tastes are more traditional you can still get healthy with some homemade orange, lemon, grapefruit, carrot or apple drinks.

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Posted in ECOutlet Products, Green Living, Grow Your Own, Organic Food, Sustainable Food | No Comments »

Meat Free Mondays…..

January 16th, 2010

Eat less meat film
A while back, here at ECOutlet we made a little film called Eat Less Meat. Regular blog visitors might have spotted it before but if you’re new to our site, I’ve posted up the film once more at the end of this post so you can check it out.
It’s a funny, gentle reminder that Eating Less Meat is not only good for your health but also helps to combat your overall carbon emissions (and it won a Green Award too!).

One of my predictions for the coming year is that going meat-free at least one day a week will become a hop topic for many people. The Governments advisory committee on sustainability, the Sustainable Development Commission recently released a report which highlights a diet with less meat as one of the main ways the general public can combat climate change. And as we commence the run up to the next general election, we’ll also be hearing lots more from all the major political parties on the issue as they promote their own sustainable food policies.

If you’re looking for new ways to reduce your carbon footprint in 2010, cutting down on meat could be one of the answers. For inspiration check out your local charity shops for veggie cookbooks and websites like Meat Free Mondays offer up handy recipes and restaurant recommendations for anyone keen to dip their toes into a veggie lifestyle.

Posted in Carbon Footprint, ECOutlet, ECOutlet Films, Green Awards, Green Living, Green Media, Sustainable Food | No Comments »

One mans rubbish is another mans rubbish bin….

January 12th, 2010

Magno Chutney Rubbish Bin

Check out our new bling bling Magno Chutney rubbish bin which we recently found abandoned on the streets of Brick Lane. When we spotted it, the empty container was lying on the side of the road with a load of other rubbish waiting for the binmen to cart it off to landfill.

Magpie Marco was instantly drawn to the bright colours and after a quick clean up in the shower it’s now looking well smart in the kitchen.  Someone commented on Twitter when they saw the pic that perhaps the manufacturers should incorporate the dual purpose into the design which is not a bad idea, its very fit for purpose and after hunting in the shops for a suitable bin for some time now, our freebie re-used little number is a more than welcome addition to our home.

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Our carbon neutral fight against the Winter Chills….

January 7th, 2010

Our New Wood Burning Stove

Cosy Wood Fire in the ECOutlet Office

In the ongoing drive to reduce our carbon footprint here at chez ECOutlet, we recently acquired a wonderful wood burning stove. Our mission was to heat the office through the cold winter months as sustainably as possible and burning wood is a great way of achieving this goal.   Wood is a carbon neutral fuel source in that it only releases as much carbon dioxide as it absorbs when the tree is growing.  So long as we replace the fallen tree with a new sapling it’s sustainable too.

We’ve been getting our wood deliveries from Certainly Wood who source it from  sustainable, well managed British woodland and they also kiln dry their wood (to make it more efficient) using wood to power the kilns.

Choice of stove is also crucial, as the more efficient it is, the more heat you get for the smallest amount of fuel. Most of urban Britain is also a ‘smoke control area’. That means its legal only to burn wood (or smokeless fuel) in a stove that meets the requirements of the clean air act.

After a consultation and visit from the experts we opted for a Scan Anderson Multi Stove which was installed by a really nice team from Embers Fireplaces and Stoves. We’ve been saving up for this one for a while, they don’t come cheap but after a couple of months of use we’ve already seen a considerable drop in our fuel bill and the place is much warmer than the last few years even in this cold snap.

If you want to know more about Wood Burners there is a good article on the Channel Four site, the only thing it fails to mention is how lovely (and occasionally distracting) it is to have a warm, flickering fire at work.

PS That’s one of our Recycled Planters in the pic which we’ve found is the perfect vessel for storing wood and it looks really cool next to the wood burner too!

Posted in Carbon Footprint, Climate Change, ECOutlet, ECOutlet Products, Green Living | No Comments »

Kickstarting 2010 Eco Style

January 2nd, 2010

10 eco websites for 2010As a New Year and new decade commences, many of us, myself included will be thinking of change and how we can strive to do that little bit more towards reducing our carbon footprint.
Over the past few years, we’ve tried to incorporate as many affordable changes as possible at home with extra insulation, switching to a green electricity supplier and changing our heating to a new multistove wood burner having the biggest impact on our carbon footprint.

Some of the changes we made were expensive and some of them cost nothing at all apart from a few minutes of my time online.  Whatever your budget is for ‘green living’ in 2010, we can all choose to make a difference every week over the coming year with small, lifestyle changes that cost nothing but all add up to make a big difference.

If you need help kick-starting your year into positive action, check out my website recommendations below and if you have any further useful suggestions, drop us a comment at the end.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy, healthy and sustainable 2010!
- Sign up to a green electricity supplier or green tariff.  It takes a matter of minutes and is one of the single biggest things you can do to improve your carbon footprint in 2010.  Green Electricity Marketplace allows you to compare tariffs for your particular postcode to get the best deal.

- If you eat meat, try to cut down and go meat free one day a week.  Meat Free Mondays is a site dedicated to helping people have at least one day a week totally free of meat.

- Petrol is reportedly going up by 15p a litre in 2010.  If you drive, try a low car diet by joining up to the ranks of Liftshare.

- If you can’t avoid using the car then check out these Eco Driving Tips from the AA.  Simple things like ensuring your tyre pressure is correct will help ensure you are driving efficiently and could save you more than 10% on your fuel bill.

- Sign up to a green newsletter.  Websites like The Nag and Friends of the Earth Daily Tip will keep you informed and inspired to take action throughout the year.

- Think about sourcing more food locally, supporting local business and reducing the transport miles of your food.  The 100 Mile Diet includes 12 Reasons for Eating Locally and the Big Barn is the UK’s no.1 local food website, helping people to find good, safe, accountable food from local sources.

- Give your home an energy check up with the Energy Savings Trust and you could save up to £300 in 2010.

- Did Santa bring you a new mobile for Xmas?  If so, make sure the old one does’nt end up in landfill this January.  Envirofone is just one of many websites which allow you to trade in your old mobile phones for cash, saving you money and just as importantly avoiding landfill.

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Competition Time – Win 1 of 3 Cardboard Castles

December 2nd, 2009

Cardboard Castle

Every month in the ECOutlet newsletter we run a competition to win something fabulous and eco friendly.  This month we have 3 Cardboard Castles up for grabs worth £11.99 each and to be in with a chance all you have to do is email us at comps@ecoutlet.co.uk with the answer to the following question:

What species of dinosaur is our Cardboard Dinosaur?

Is it
a) Diplodocus
b) Tyrannosaurus rex
c) Doyouthinkhesawus

The newsletter competition is only open to residents of the UK and Ireland and any entrants must be already signed up to the newsletter.  If your names not down on the newsletter list, you entry will be excluded from the draw.

More details on our monthly newsletter can be found here and to sign up, simply enter your email address in the field provided.  This months competition closes on December 11th and the winners will be notified by email after the closing date.

In last months newsletter we had 5 H2Onya Water Bottles up for grabs and the lucky winners were:

Sally Rock – Bournville
Lorraine Wilson – Buckie
Fiona Edwards – Broadstone
Martin Best – Wimborne
Beth Bowdler – Truro

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Top 10 Winter Warmers…

November 20th, 2009

Top 10 Winter WarmersChilly, wet and windy…thats the weather round-up for the next few days and now that winter seems to have settled in, this list of Top 10 products may be some assistance in keeping homes warm and energy efficient over the winter months.

  1. If you have floorboard draughts at home, prevent them with the Gapseal Floor Filler which will fill the gaps between floorboards and make rooms more heat efficient.
  2. Draughty, noisy letterbox?  The Ecoflap acts as a draught excluder for letterboxes. When the wind blows, it will actually blow the Ecoflap shut and it will then never blow open making it completely draught proof.
  3. If you have an unused fireplace at home, heat from the room could be escaping up and out the chimney.  Prevent this with a Chimney Balloon which once installed will help keep cold air from entering the room, and warm air from escaping up the chimney.
  4. Radiator bleed keys are a thing of the past with the Aladdin automatic radiator bleeder which works by automatically removing air from radiators ensuring only hot water remains.  No dealing with black gunk or rusty water, once fitted you never need to worry about bleeding radiators again.
  5. The Radiator Booster uses miniature 12-Volt electric fans to suck the heat up from the radiator and send it out into the room.  This reduces heat loss through the wall and as it heats the room quicker it allows the heating system to shut down sooner, saving you energy and money.
  6. It is estimated that as much as 70% of the heat from radiators is lost by heating the wall behind the radiator. The Ecosavers Radiator Reflector Foil and Heatsaver Radiator Panels avoid this heat loss by bouncing the warmth back into the room and preventing it being absorbed into the wall.
  7. Banish door draughts with a funky snake draught excluder.   Not only will it have you going all nostalgic for the 70’s, they are also one of the most tried and tested ways of plugging the gap under doors and stopping cold air getting in.
  8. When bed time calls this winter, snuggle up with an organic, super-soft and luxurious hot water bottle cover made using organic merino wool.
  9. When the inevitable nasty winter cold sets in, stick on the Eco Kettle and treat yourself to a nice hot whisky.  Always does the trick for me!
  10. Okay so I’m struggling to reach number 10 and this one wont save you any money or energy but it will perhaps make a night in during the dark winter months that little bit cosier, our recycled glass candles are made using sustainably sourced soy wax and bring a warm, ambient glow to your surroundings.

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