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Green & ethical MoneySaving

Archives for April 2011

Free trees?
I was wondering if anybody is aware of any “Free Tree Schemes”? My home backs onto an open field and when I walk my dog over the field I just think how nice it would be if there were a few trees planted over there. It would offer more character and be great for wildlife and the environment. It would give the area a bit…
Eon Energy Saving Monitor - Problems
I have recently noticed something i dont know if anyone else has had this problem i have this installed correctly for months. but now in the last week or so it registers heavy usage for the previous day/night (the bars), i have monitored it regularly and shocked to see what is happening. i turned off the hot water boiler,…
Cash for clothes recycling company in Preston area?
Hi, A long-shot but does anyone know of a company who do the clothes recycling where they collect bags/weigh them and give you money in Preston/Leyland area? I have seen a van near where I work in Preston with a mobile number on but have never written it down and struggling to find a local company on the Internet. Many…
Zero House
A completely self sufficient house. Not a "looker" perhaps, but interesting nonetheless, I think. http://www.zeitnews.org/core-technologies/
does anyone make their own chimenea logs
I have recently bought a chimenea for the garden and have seen log makers Does anyone make their own chimenea logs and if so what do you use and what and where can i get the gadget that makes the logs. Sorry but also are they any good i would like to use recycled paper and make logs/bricks to use in it. Anyone give me…
Is Rubber made from PVC. Want to avoid PVC for children.
This product is made from rubber.. https://www.plumproducts.com/catalog/partdetail.aspx?partno=25006HD Does it mean it could be made from PVC? Is rubber made from PVC or does rubber contain PVC????
Wood a rubber Matt offer a less toxic surface under kids climbing frame?Or fake grass
Hi.. I would just like to ask you a question. I am looking to cover the dense shade area around my kids climbing frame. Research shows that grass will not grow due to high shade from large over hanging tree plus near by fence. Woodchip is no good as this becomes a cat toilet. I looked at artificial turf/grass; but I read…
Problem with NPower Juice and PV installation
We had a 2.2kWp PV system installed by a local company in mid-February and it works well - over 400kW generated so far but I can't get any response from NPower Juice who are our elect. supplier. I've complained to them that they haven't acknowledged that we now havbe a PV setup - no reply. I then told our installer who…
Unrefined Shea Butter & Eczema
This stuff is awesome, more effective on my eczema than my prescription steroid cream - my main patch is now barely visible. :D Just started my mother using it and she is getting similar results. From the research I've done I suspect shea works as a barrier, as an emollient and a healing agent. I purchased the cheapest…
New Solar PV system - says "waiting"...
I had a new system installed yesterday and the installers said that there wasn't enough sun for it to start working when they finished late afternoon and it should spring into action the next day. Well it hasn't.....the inverter still says "waiting". The inverter is a Sunny Boy 3000 and the 18 panels are Shucko. I've been…
Solar PV Meter Security.
What is stopping a householder from turning off the electric / shutting down the solar pv. Putting a joint in the cable to the Generation meter with a switch which when flipped would put 240v through the meter indefinitely. Totally not condoning it but are there any checks on the meter or cable ? even a small amount (think…
TV programme mystery
Not sure that this is the correct place for this post but here goes anyway. Some time ago there was a TV programme that showed different ways of farming, one system in particular (I think in America) had cows grazing in the field followed by chickens which were brought in in little trucks. The chicks ate grubs and…
Solar PV - group discount?
I'm one of a group of people in a small town looking to install solar PV. We were wondering whether to see if we could recruit (say) 50 - 100 householders from the town and approach companies about givng us a discount. It occurred to us that we would have done the 'sales' work, and it would be cheaper for the company to…
Re-using the insoles from Clarks shoes
Hello, Just wanted to share a little tip with you.Some of Clarks shoes(not all of them) have really well structured moulded insoles in them which will simply lift out of the shoes.The winter before last I saved the insoles from a pair of really good boots when I came to throw them out. I used these insoles inside two…
Differing readings on PV
Had PV installed in Dec last year.Consists of 12 Sharpe panels (2.82) There is a Landis&Gyr Generation meter today the reading on that is 488KW but Ive also got a Fronius IG30 portable device which when I was look through it today shows the year to date figure produced is 540KW. When I sent the FIT meter read through…
Aluminium cans - prices
Hi there We visited our local recycling centre (one on the http://www.alupro.org.uk/) with 18kg of pure aluminium cans. When we came to 'get the money' they offered 10p per kilo. That seems unbelievably low. Alupro suggest that around 40p per kilo is the average. Hence we were given a quarter of the average value. To rub…
cooking oil instead of diesel
cooking oil instead of diesel Im thinking of getting a diesel van...is it that simple to use cooking oil instead of diesel....im not bieng funnny but with it be better for my engine if I put olive oil in ?
Solar PV Ordered!
After seeing my electric bill motor from £60 per month two years ago to £150 last month I decided to take the plunge. We are having a 3.8KW system, can't fit any larger on the roof. Hopefully this should provide a significant proportion of our demand. The installer has calculated a return of £2k per year index linked for…
PV Selling Techniques.
We were assured that with all firms selling PV systems having to be MCS registered they wouldn’t be marketed like Double Glazing; it would all be up-front and straight forward. This morning I received a cold call – despite being registered for no sales calls – about buying a PV system. The young man was calling 'about a…
May Old Tyres Be Buried?
I have inherited around 70 old tyres which, although they're causing no immediate problems, would ultimately be better out of sight. In 6 months or so, I shall be hiring an excavator to do various works, and it occurs to me that I could bury these tyres quite deeply in an area that will be landscaped & become a wildlife…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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