Going Green Podcast, Video blog and Daily News

  One Year On With a Heat Pump: Warm, Efficient, and Gas-Free We kept the heating on all day — and our bills still went down. 🏠 A Year Ago, We Made the Leap We ditched gas. We installed a heat pump . We braced ourselves for frostbite, financial regret… and, maybe, the smug warmth of good intentions. A year later? We’re warm. We’re efficient. We’ve learned a lot. And we haven’t looked back (except to check the gas meter... which now does nothing at all). 🌡️ Heating On. All Day. Every Day. One of the biggest surprises? We don’t turn the heating off. Our air-source heat pump runs constantly , gently maintaining a steady temperature throughout the day and night. And the house? Cosy. Even when the rain’s horizontal and the dog refuses to leave the porch. Because we work from home , this has been a game-changer. No more freezing until 4 pm trying to “save heating” — just steady, smart warmth. 💡 Why Constant Heat Works Heat pumps work best with low, steady temp...

  The Zero-Waste Lunchbox Challenge Because your sandwich doesn’t need its own landfill. 🥪 What’s in Your Lunchbox? Be honest — does your lunch involve: A cling-film-wrapped sandwich? A crisp packet or two? A single-use plastic fork from the takeaway salad? A yoghurt pot, an energy bar wrapper, and a bottle of water? We’ve all been there. But now it’s time to step up. Can you pack an entire lunch that creates zero waste ? Welcome to the Zero-Waste Lunchbox Challenge : No single-use plastics. No throwaway packaging. No guilt. 🗑️ The Problem with Convenience Food Most pre-packaged lunch items come wrapped in: Thermoformed plastics Foil-plastic laminates (hello crisp packets) Non-recyclable film Microplastics in tea bags and yoghurt lids These materials are difficult or impossible to recycle — and they add up. Fast. Multiply that by 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year… and you’ve got a lunch-based climate crime scene. 🧡 The Zero-Waste Lunch...

Train, Bus, or Bike? Greener Commuting Without Tears Your journey to work shouldn’t cost the Earth — or your sanity. 🚗 The Problem with Cars (Yes, Even the Small Ones) We love our cars. They’re convenient, private, and stocked with questionable playlists and half-melted mints. But here’s the reality: Transport accounts for ~25% of UK carbon emissions Commuting by car is often the single biggest part of our personal footprint Electric cars help, but they still require vast resources to produce The greenest journey? Often the one you share , or don’t drive at all . 🚆 Train: The Underrated Green Hero Trains are 3 to 6 times more efficient than cars per passenger Ideal for medium/long commutes You can work, nap, read or eat a guilt-free second breakfast Some routes now run on electricity from renewables 🔧 Downsides: Reliability can be patchy Ticket prices in the UK… let’s not talk about it But season passes or planning ahead can make it work 🚌 Bus: No...

  Natural Insulation: Sheep Wool, Hemp and More Because staying warm shouldn't cost the Earth — literally. 🧱 Insulation: The First Step to an Energy-Smart Home Before you even think about heat pumps, solar panels, or triple glazing, ask yourself: “How well is my home insulated?” And more importantly: “ What is it insulated with?” Most homes are wrapped in synthetic materials — like fibreglass or rigid foam — which do the job, but come with high embodied carbon and landfill problems. Enter: natural insulation materials . They’re sustainable, safe, and surprisingly effective. 🐑 The Case for Natural Insulation Natural materials don’t just keep the heat in — they: Are renewable and biodegradable Have low embodied energy Regulate humidity and breathability Are safer to handle (no itchy skin or masks) Can help avoid mould and condensation issues Perfect for older homes, green retrofits, and anyone who doesn't want to insulate their loft with pe...

  The Ethics of Buying Used Tech Because your next gadget doesn’t have to be fresh from a factory to be powerful — or planet-friendly. 📱 Second-Hand Tech: Smart Choice or Risky Gamble? Let’s be honest. Buying a brand-new phone, tablet, or laptop feels nice . Unboxing, that fresh gadget smell, the shiny case unmarred by fingerprints... But that thrill comes with a hidden cost — one that goes way beyond the price tag. If you're serious about sustainability, it's time to ask: Should I be buying my tech second-hand? Last year's iPhone was the thing to have, according to Apple. Why should it be discarded this year because of a few minor changes?  🌍 The Hidden Footprint of New Electronics Making a single smartphone requires: 240 kg of raw materials ~70 elements , including rare earths Huge amounts of water , energy , and mining Often exploitative labour and toxic byproducts Worse still? Many devices are replaced long before they fail , just because a...

  Why Dishwashers Can Be Greener Than Handwashing Surprise! Your squeaky-clean eco instincts might be soaking the planet. 🍽️ Wait… Dishwashers Are Better for the Environment? Yes, really. It sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Surely standing at the sink with a sponge, some elbow grease, and a splash of Fairy Liquid must be more planet-friendly than running a humming box of buttons and jets? But modern dishwashers are surprisingly efficient — and when used correctly, they can outperform handwashing in water and energy use. Let’s rinse off the myths. 💧 The Numbers Don’t Lie Method Water Used Per Load Handwashing (tap on) 40–100 litres Dishwasher (modern A-rated) 9–12 litres Handwashing (bowl only) ~9–15 litres Energy use? Dishwashers use less if you don’t pre-rinse and run them full. Hot water? They heat their own water more efficiently than your boiler. Cleaning power? Higher temps = better bacteria kill. So yes, if you wash up under a running tap — ...