We are all being advised to be aware of the energy that we use within our household. When we are searching for our household appliances we are given their energy efficiency rating so that we can be sure that this issue is on our agenda. Also when we are buying a house, we are given a report that tells us how energy efficient the house is. But what really constitutes a reduction in energy consumption? Surely we must first know how much power an average house uses up, although this in itself is a complicated question.... Full Story

Jewellery has a long history, from ancient Greece to modern times and from Africa to Europe, humans have always had the desire to adorn their bodies. Jewellery can express many things about a person. It can be a symbol of power, a symbol of wealth, a symbol of love or an expression of individuality. It can be discreet and understated or it can be bold and outrageous. It can arouse feelings of envy, shock or even disgust. Full Story

In these times we are all trying to do our best to be more aware of the effect of our actions on the environment. One of the easiest things that we can do is recycle our household waste. Local authorities have already gotten on board and most of us now have a separate bin in which we can deposit our recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, tins and cans. This, of course, means that there is really no excuse for us not to all be doing our bit. However, sometimes in our zest to do the best we can to be eco-friendly we might find ourselves recycling things that really shouldn't be recycled – either because there are no facilities to deal with that particular material or simply because it is a bad idea. Full Story

It seems that every direction you turn these days the concept of being green stands in the front.  Cutting down the impacts against the environment is being address in travel, production and now even in reading.  Many people are looking at the benefits of reading books through new electronic modes (mainly over the internet) verses reading through the traditional method of print (in a book). Green living - it's the future! Effects of Print According to many experts, every aspect of the traditional print industry has an environmental impact.  Delivery of ... Full Story

I really hate doing the dishes. This is a bone of contention in my household as my husband believes that dishes should be washed as soon as they are used. I am more of the opinion that they only need to be done once the sink is full – usually about twice a day. As you can tell, I do not have a dishwasher but I I often wish that I did. However, considering that we are all more conscious of our energy consumption these days I wonder whether it would be wrong to get a dishwasher. Is it greener ... Full Story

Vinyl was developed in the 1920s and since then it has gone on to play a vital role in everyday life. Two simple building blocks make up vinyl, ethylene from natural gas and chlorine from common salt. Despite the simplicity of its constituents vinyl is the world’s most versatile plastic. Simple chemical processes can create a product that is rigid, flexible or semi-liquid, thick or thin, clear or coloured. Vinyl - it's almost mystical to some people The first gramophone records were made of a variety of materials including ... Full Story

Today it seems that we are constantly being urged to use less energy, recycle all we can, give up the car and eat local produce. Maybe sometimes we feel that no matter what we do it is not going to make much of a difference. The problems are just too big, it’s too difficult to make the changes or maybe we feel that there is no point in doing something if others are carrying on as before. We may also feel that it is up to manufacturers and retailers, such as the supermarkets to either reduce the amount of packaging ... Full Story

Jewellery is something that most people own. It is often given as a gift or a token of affection and is handed down from generation to generation. However, how many of us actually think about how our jewellery is produced? The sad fact is that the precious metals and stones that make up our jewellery are often associated with exploitation, wars and environmental degradation. It looks nice - but what is it doing to the environment? You may have heard the term ‘dirty gold’ and wondered what it referred ... Full Story

Humans have been keeping animals for centuries. Archaeological remains from as far back as the Stone Age have shown signs of domesticated animals. These animals were kept either for food or as working animals. For example dogs were kept to help with the tasks of hunting, guarding livestock or herding livestock. Today animals are still used to perform certain tasks, some of them highly specialised. Sheep dogs, police dogs, guard dogs, dray horses all still play a part in our society, but also many more animals are kept simply as pets. Studies have shown that having an animal around, even ... Full Story

The Environmental Protection Act, 1990, Part IV, gives cities the authority to enforce laws and regulations designed to improve the environment and keep it clean. The EPA gives authorities and individual citizens the right to take legal action to get areas of their city cleaned up. Under this act, various groups have the responsibility to keep public buildings and areas clear of rubbish. This is the aim - no rubbish. Anywhere Litterbins are available on most city streets, in the expectation that people will actually use them to dispose of ... Full Story