Tag: how to

How to Lessen Your Monthly Bills by Saving Energy in the Kitchen

Post author By Tatyana
Post date June 6, 2012
2 Comments on How to Lessen Your Monthly Bills by Saving Energy in the Kitchen

Guest post by Ally

The kitchen is one of the most frequently used rooms in your home, whether you are whipping up a snack or cooking a three course dinner for two. So it stands to reason that this is also the place where the most energy is wasted. Making some simple changes in the way you prepare your food and use kitchen your appliances can help you to save a lot of money on utility bills each year.

The Kitchen by eightfivezero

The following tips and advice will help you to conserve as much energy as possible in the kitchen, and subsequently lower your monthly bills.

Tags advice, budgeting, dishwashing, Energy, energy saving, food preparation, food storage, how to, kitchen, lower energy consumption, lower spending, oven, refrigerator, save water, Water

Soil Water

Organic Soil Management – Water Repellence

Post author By Tatyana
Post date January 16, 2012

Guest post by Alisa Bryce

Water repellence is when water can’t filter into a soil. Instead it pools on top and often runs off, sometimes causing erosion.

Water repellent soil (or hydrophobic soil) develops for two main reasons.

When the soil has remained dry for a prolonged period
The soil particles become covered with a waxy coating

Fresh compost and mulches are a frequent source of waxy coatings. This is why it’s important to use aged compost and mulch.

In Australia, overhanging eucalyptus trees are another common culprit of water repellence. As the leaves decompose, the eucalyptus oil inside is released and coats soil particles.

Tags advice, compost, guest post, how to, moisture, natural farming, natural gardening, organic, organic gardening, organic soil management, Soil, soil health, soil management, soil water repellence, water repellence

Articles Get PermaCultured Water

5 Ways to Save Water So That You Can Save Money & the Environment

Post author By Tatyana
Post date January 15, 2012
1 Comment on 5 Ways to Save Water So That You Can Save Money & the Environment

“Running Water” by Jessica Melling

There are two very important reasons why we should all be doing our bit to help conserve water. There is the obvious money-saving benefit that comes with using less water but in my view the second reason is something most of us do not about nearly enough – the environment.

In the developed world, having easily accessible water is not considered a luxury, but although we take running water for granted, the fact is that less than 1% of all fresh water in the world is easily accessible to humans.

In under-developed countries, more than 884 million people lack easy access to safe, clean water, and this number is still growing. This means that only about one in every eight people has water when and where they need it. This alone should motivate you to use water sparingly, but in addition to this; using water, particularly hot water, contributes to global warming by increasing the emissions of greenhouse gases. The average family in the developed world uses about 500 litres of water per day, which produces around 1.5 tons of greenhouse gasses every year.

Tags advice, bathroom, fix, how to, how to save money, kitchen, leaks, money, pipes, save money, Sydney Water Tanks, Water, water pipes, water saving tips, western world

Food Get Inspired Kitchen Gardens Plants Stories

Aquaponics – our evolution so far…

Post author By Tatyana
Post date January 2, 2012
1 Comment on Aquaponics – our evolution so far…

Guest post by Yvonne Lee of www.bargainhunter.com.au

I first came across the concept of Aquaponics a few years ago. I think it was from reading some discussion forums on Aussies Living Simply, but it could have been from a number of places. I even bought the Murray Hallam DVD and made my husband and a couple of friends watch it with me. At the time we had a pond with a few koi and so we rigged up a simple system to cycle some water into a laundry bucket which had some holes punched into it and some blue metal. I managed to grow a few vegies in there quite well and the water did become a lot clearer. I can’t find a picture of the very first laundry bucket system but here is a picture of the pond we had: