Standard home to eco-friendly home

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by SustainableMatt, Jul 17, 2009.

  1. SustainableMatt

    SustainableMatt Junior Member

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    Hey all

    My dads place is not necessarily eco friendly atm due to lack of saving power, water but we have waste treatment portable at the back of his place.
    So any idea to change around the place that make life easier? Like solar panels, solar hot water tanks, water tanks and that etc?

    Thanks

    Matt
     
  2. bazman

    bazman Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    The best single thing you can do is plant an edible garden and use rainwater to help it grow. Use all your green waste as a fertiliser (compost it)
     
  3. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    I'd start by reducing consumption. Change to energy efficient lights and appliances. Insulate to reduce heating / cooling requirements. Install water saving shower heads, and look at the water using appliances like washing machines as they might be worth replacing. What do you use for cooking? Can you change to gas?
    If you still have any money left then a solar hot water system and a rain water tank with a pump would be where I would go next.
    I don't think there's one right answer, but trying to generate LOTS of electricity to feed an inefficient house seems nuts, when you could reduce your needs first.
     
  4. SustainableMatt

    SustainableMatt Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Yea we doing something this weekend. But dad is pretty lazy doing things, ie he always on the computer, watching movies on massive plasma and smokes alot. He sounds like destroying the environment by miles than anyone else i seen before!

    How i get him to focus about the environment?
     
  5. SustainableMatt

    SustainableMatt Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Shopping list for tomorrow:
    -More energy light bulbs
    -Compost bin
    -Energy efficent garden light
    -Getting quotes for water tank, solar panels and solar hot water system with rebates

    EDIT: It could get extra rebate for replacing the existing electricity hot water tank to solar one?
     
  6. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Hey Matt

    Welcome to the Forum 8)

    All those things you are doing, are good things, in terms of creating a more sustainable home for yourself, and for your dad.

    As for any more tips, you are going to have to think about the things you already know about, and then search for ideas/inspiration in the thousands of forum threads on this site.

    You gotta read, man. Read, then do! Then check to see if what you are doing is the best way of doing it, yeah? Maybe even hook up with others in your area and learn/teach each other?

    As for getting the 'old man' interested. You have to make what you are doing appear to him to be more interesting than what he is doing, yeah? Take him shopping with you. Bribe him, if you have to.

    You can do it!

    Catch ya, Mark.
     
  7. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Tell him he'll get more sex if he helps out the environment.

    It probably isn't true but it seems to motivate men to action......
     
  8. SustainableMatt

    SustainableMatt Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Got new energy efficent bulbs to replace all old globes in house including lamps. So its all replaced now. Didnt get the composit bin yet, we are going to get more plants (heeps!) in September holidays.
     
  9. sam_ford

    sam_ford Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Contacting the Alternative Technology Association and asking their advice would be a great place to start
    https://www.ata.org.au/
     
  10. thepoolroom

    thepoolroom Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Look for DVDs of It's Not Easy Being Green and River Cottage. If he likes watching TV, perhaps shows like those will get him interested? :)

    INEBG has lots of engineering, DIY, and blokey stuff that most Dads would enjoy. River Cottage has lots of vegie growing, fishing, animal-raising, shooting, and cooking. Both are very watchable.

    Also, try getting him interested in home brewing (if he drinks). It's enjoyable and saves you heaps of money, plus it's fun to drink your own home brew with mates. Once he's into it, then tell him it's very eco-friendly :).

    You might be able to play on the money-saving side of things with gardening, chickens, solar hot water, insulation, etc. Also check out all the government rebates - everybody loves getting money out of the government!

    Have a look at my web site below - we've been converting a normal suburban house into something more environmentally friendly and sustainable. We still have a long way to go, but it's getting better all the time!

    Edit: just noticed my sig isn't there - my web site is https://www.green-change.com.
     
  11. WolfJag

    WolfJag Junior Member

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    Re: Standard home to eco-friendly home

    Force him to watch the 3 seasons of "It's not Easy Being Green". That should give him some incentive!
     

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