Are motorbikes better than cars? (Jan08)
My sons were more impressed with these bikes than I was! Are motorbikes better than cars? I’ve recently had email correspondence with someone who is convinced they are. Clearly a biking enthusiast he says that: small motorcycles use far less petrol than cars, don’t stand in traffic jams using up fuel getting nowhere and don’t […]
How green is the London Eye? (Oct07)
Much as I love having my children at home, a two week half term at this time of year can be quite difficult because work is in full flow. However, I had a brilliant day in London with my youngest son, Monty, who’s eight. Monty enjoying the view We went to Trafalgar square on the […]
Eco developments on the map (Oct07)
The market town of Langport on the Somerset Levels has been getting some good green press in the last few months. A new development – Great Bow Yard has won a Gold Award from the Buildings for Life Scheme set up by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment or CABE for short. Ecos […]
Gay Times – I interviewed Kristin Digby (Sep07)
One of three interviews I did for the Gay Times – Kristin Digby . See also Peter Tatchell and Paul O-Grady “I don’t even know how to read a f***ing fuel bill”, Kristian admitted when I asked him to tell me how much electricity and gas he was using. I arrived at his house somewhere […]
Gay Times – Peter Tatchell (Sep07)
One of three interviews I did for the Gay Times – Peter Tatchell. See also Paul O-Grady and Kristin Digby With piles of paper balanced precariously almost to the ceiling (it reminded me of Dr Seuss’s Cat in the Hat), Peter’s flat is not only his home but his campaign headquarters too. Animal rights, human rights, […]
Gay Times – I interviewed Paul O’Grady – aka Lily Savage (Sep07)
“I’ve never known anyone make so much fuss about three light bulbs” Paul said as we laughed uproariously in his kitchen. I’d pointed out that there were more lights in just half his kitchen than Peter Tatchell had in his whole flat. Then I saw more lighting above the aga. “Only one” Paul says. So I peered underneath the mantel and discovered there were three!
Green Alliance: can politicians save us? (Jul07)
Giles Chitty and Julia Hailes at Green Alliance Debate Jul07 Matthew Taylor, the Chief Executive of The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) whispered in my ear that he didn’t suppose I would make any jokes in my presentation because women don’t make jokes! He looked a bit surprised when I said that I was starting […]
What is a green building? (Jul07)
I’m not convinced that the Government’s goal of zero carbon buildings is a good one. For a start it only applies to new buildings. And wouldn’t it be better to invest in significantly reducing carbon emissions in a huge number of houses rather than going the whole way in a very few? Achieving the final […]
Prince Charles talking to trees (Jul07)
I was sitting just behind Prince Charles and Al Gore at the Business in the Community Awards dinner and wondered whether my image would be appearing in newspapers as a hazy blur over their shoulders. But I had a clear view of how Prince Charles reacted to Rory Bremner’s impersonations. The one that particularly amused […]
Green Washing (Jun07)
Cleaning clothes Did you know that on average we release 1 billion skin flakes a day, 1 litre of sweat and 38grams of grease? Probably not, but looking around the research centre at Procter & Gamble’s Brussels headquarters, these statistics abound. The corporate giant behind everyday brands such as Ariel, Bold and Fairy Liquid has […]
Interior designers be damned (Jun07)
I stayed the night with friends in Holland Park. Only a year ago they had completely stripped their house to the bone and refurbished it from top to bottom. I wish they hadn’t! Interior designers, builders, architects and I’m afraid to say my friends too have managed to create a family home with an energy […]
Shops and Shopping Centres (May07)
‘I don’t think I’m going to be very popular with this audience’, I admitted, at the start of my speech to the property retail sector (people who develop shops and shopping centres) at Claridges. ‘I don’t buy much stuff’ I continued, ‘and what I do buy I generally purchase through internet shopping’. What I realise […]