“I do know how your president now has decided to jeopardize your budget, your initiatives, as he is extremely skeptical about climate change.”

These are the words that the newly elected president of France, Emmanuel Macron, used to empathize with American entrepreneurs and scientists as he welcomes them to France to continue their work on climate change, renewable energy, and other technologies that could help our planet.

He ends the video by saying, “France is your nation.” It is hard to not to trust the man and his desire to implement solutions to global warming, but before we jump to conclusions let’s develop a better understanding of what Macron is all about.

After a tumultuous election process filled with protests against both candidates, Macron will be taking over as the youngest president in French history, but don’t let the numbers fool you. Although he garnered 66.1% of the vote, the French people may have simply been voting for the lesser of two evils, an election process that sounds a lot like what Americans experienced during the United States presidential election of 2016.

However, unlike President Trump, Macron is attempting to unite the left, right, and center by recruiting people to government based on “their experience, their competence, what they have done and not for what they represent or their political weight.” Even former president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, endorses Macron for his liberal values and how he appeals to people’s hopes rather than their fears.

Based on what Macron said in his video to American scientists and entrepreneurs, it is hard not to agree with Obama’s point of view. Macron is not only providing solutions for France, he is also addressing the concerns of many Americans.

Macron may be the spark of positive change that France, the European Union, and the United States need.  However, it is important to remember that words are just words. Until these words become actions, we can only hope that Macron is the antidote to Trump’s climate change ignorance and a saving grace for climate change scientists and entrepreneurs.

Sources:

• As Le Pen and Macron Fight for Presidency in France, Unions Are Split — The New York Times
• Barack Obama endorses Emmanuel Macron for French presidency — The Telegraph
• Macron wins French presidency, to sighs of relief in Europe — Reuters
• What happens now Macron has been elected France’s president? — The Guardian

Who doesn’t love helping the environment?  We no longer want large water heaters or other expensive features. Smart buyers are looking for environmentally friendly choices. Water, specifically, is an area ripe for improvement.

The benefits of going green are twofold. First, it adds appeal and versatility to your home, offering unique value compared to other homes lacking these features. Secondly, of course, is that many of these items add actual financial value, both in terms of property value and savings on bills!

Whether you’re currently looking to sell, simply want to live a greener life, or just want to keep your options open in the future, these solutions offer fantastic benefits for everyone.

Harness The Rain

If you live in an area with plenty of rain, turn this to your advantage. Rain collectors can harness this resource for dish washing and other uses around the home, helping to cut down on water bills. However, this water isn’t entirely clean, so it can’t be used for drinking.

That being said, you can add a filter to purify the water for various home uses. This is often where the real value comes in, as it can then be used to provide free shower and tap water! Once you have an effective system set up, you’ll rarely need to use muniipal water.

Organic Gardens

A well-kept garden can do wonders for a home’s price tag, but an organic one also serves a purpose. Whether it’s a large vegetable patch or a simple raised bed, any garden can introduce organic crops. While these will improve your value, they’ll also provide tasty and healthy veggies in the meantime.

Just remember that a key to understanding property value lies in thinking like a buyer. A ready-to-go organic garden helps ease buyers into a better lifestyle and suggests at how green the wider property already is.

The Water Boiler

Even if you have an effective collection system for rainwater, every home still needs hot water. How you heat your water matters a great deal. Your average boiler uses gas or electricity, both of which are power-heavy, to heat water throughout the home.

An efficient boiler, on the other hand, helps save money and adds to the property’s value both financially and in terms of environmental awareness. It will also help improve your home’s energy efficiency, helping to create another vital selling point.

Natural Water Features

Speaking of the garden, how many homes these days feature a water feature of some sort? Most people may think of pools, but these require a lot of clean water and expensive pumps. Still, some simple landscaping can create features that use natural rain water, reducing your need for maintenance and imported water.

A fountain can recycle rainwater, for instance, while a pond serves as an aesthetically pleasing feature. Tastefully done, adding these add little touches to a well-finished garden, increases the value without added bills or running costs.

Water Usage

While cutting down on how much water you use will help keep bills low, it doesn’t influence your home’s value until you make some physical changes. Taps, pipes, and showers all use water, so determining just how much water they use is key.Eco showers speak for themselves, but what else can you do?

Tap inserts can be fitted in your kitchen and sink to ensure a full spray of water without wasting it at the same time. These little features help cut down on water without changing your lifestyle, making them easier to advertise and display if your home ends up on the market.

Similarly, for the extra passionate homeowners, a bathwater diverter can re-direct or collect used bath water into an outside container for use in the garden. If you combine this with a rainwater system, just think how effective this will be. These physical installations add instant value to your home as new buyers can easily see the savings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up9lgvZ83Ik

Conclusion

So, there you have it – 5 effective ways to help improve your property value and save the environment. How you choose to implement these depends on your home, of course. Not everyone has space for a pond, but even the smallest organic patch will help. Your home should proudly showcase its green lifestyle, making its water-savvy features tempting for anyone looking to buy in the area.

Recommended Reading:

• Is the Water In Your Rainwater Tank Safe to Drink? – 4 Pumps
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Natural Cleaning Solutions For Your Home
• Zombie Foreclosures Are Bad For The Environment
• 5 Easy Home Improvements To Make Your Home Green And Healthy
• How to Save Money on Your Water Bill

Sources:

• The best domestic water-saving gadgets – The Guardian
• Six Ways To Improve Your Home Value With Water – 4 Pumps
• Gorgeous Landscaping Ideas: Trees, Lighting, and Retaining Walls –Houslogic
• Add Value to Your Investment Properties with Organic Gardens – BiggerPockets
• How it can pay to go green: The energy efficiency measures that could add 16% to your home’s value – This is MONEY

Supermarkets that donate their excess food to people in need, roofs covered in greenery, the private sale of glyphosate banned… Should we expect anything less from a country as committed to strikes and protests as France?

Recently, France has been riding a streak of increasingly environmentally and health conscious decisions by their government that have the potential to change the way the world looks at these issues. When a developed nation with worldwide leader status like France enacts a new policy, other countries look at them as an example of what could happen if they, too, were to try something new. Whether or not you know much about or agree with France’s politics, many of their recent steps towards greener and healthier living deserve a closer look.

Reducing Food Waste

Around a third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted or lost every year. The richer the country is, the higher their rate of food waste. Developed countries are more likely to experience higher levels of waste at later stages in the supply chain. Due to a law unanimously approved by French parliament in May of this year, large supermarkets in France are now required to give unsold food to charity or donate it for animal feed. Prior to this new law, pouring bleach over unsold food to discourage dumpster diving was a common practice. While businesses opposed to the law claim they should be allowed to make their own decisions regarding food waste, the law (if not repealed by the French Constitutional Council) has at the very least inspired a closer look at reducing or recycling food waste options.

Green as Far as the Eye Can See

New roofs have an amazing potential. In March of 2015, France followed Germany, Australia, and prominent cities like Toronto, Canada in promoting green roofs, requiring all new roofs in commercial districts to be partially covered in plants or solar panels. The law lets the business choose which option they would prefer, although either option results in significant environmental, practical, and potentially financial benefits. While environmentalists say the law is too limited because it applies only to commercial buildings, it is an important step forward into incorporating green energy and thinking into everyday life.

People are already familiar with the environmental benefits of the sun. Solar panels can save money on energy bills, provide energy security, independence, and reliability, and reduce the use of fossil fuels with their renewable, consistent energy source. Roofs with plants on top of them are more open to creative interpretation, as there’s a choice to be made between growing food or choosing a more ornamental option. Even the ornamental greenery option provides a range of environmental advantages. Plant life filters pollutants in the air and alleviates stress on the sewer system with its natural ability to manage rainwater. Both options also increase the value of properties through aesthetic improvements and by prolonging HVAC, heating, and ventilation systems.

The Ban of Glyphosate

Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Round-up and an all around health hazard, is treated somewhat differently in Europe than it is in the United States. While the interests of the corporations manufacturing the pesticides still triumph in the U.S., several European countries have taken a World Health Organization report of glyphosate’s role in causing cancer seriously. In June 2015, France banned the sale of glyphosate over the counter, joining countries like the Netherlands. Banning glyphosate three months after the announcement of the WHO cancer study shows how quickly a government willing to put its foot down could make a difference in minimizing the amount of hazardous herbicides and pesticides all around us. At the very least, the French government is displaying a heartening distrust of Monsanto.

Our Oh So Chic Canary in the Coalmine

That’s great for France, but what about people who live in the U.S.? While the U.S. is a much larger country than France, keeping an eye on how other developed nations around the world are responding to the need for greener energy, less wasteful policies, and a reduction in the harmful, cancer-causing substances can give us needed ammunition. Seeing a country enact at least three major green policies in less than a year can be an incredibly convincing to those struggling to hold us to the crumbling status quo.

Maybe we can also find inspiration in our own lives. We can add a solar panel, reevaluate our food waste, go organic in our own gardening, or take the next step in our environmental journey. After all, the French can’t beat us in everything.

Recommended Reading:

• 5 Cost-Effective Ways To Home Container Gardening – DIY
• Urban Gardening
• How Vertical Gardening Could Help Save the World
• How to Start a Vegetable Garden – How to Grow Vegetables
• Can Progressive, Cutting-edge Organic Agriculture Feed Everyone?

Polytunnels seem to be popping up all over the place – and with good reason! They’re a fantastic gardening tool that can increase crop size, extend the growing season, and protect your plants from the elements. And, you get all of these benefits without the hassle that comes with erecting a permanent structure such as a greenhouse. Around 90% of people who purchase pre-made polytunnels choose to erect them themselves, because it’s incredibly simple to do, and can save a significant chunk of cash compared to hiring a handyman or builder to do it for you. So here’s an easy guide to walk you through the process of building your very own polytunnel.

What Is a Polytunnel?

Basically speaking a polytunnel is constructed from a metal-framed semi-circular tunnel covered in hardwearing polythene with UV inhibitors to maximize its lifetime. A large amount of air is enclosed by a polytunnel, so it stays warm much longer than a greenhouse – and also does not suffer from such dramatic temperature fluctuations in summer. During the winter you can regulate temperature and maintain heat very simply by lining the inside of the tunnel with bubble wrap and then removing it in spring. The polythene film has a lifespan of between five and ten years, but the cost to replace it will be only 15%-20% of the cost of the original tunnel.

Lay the Foundations

As with building any structure, you need to start by laying the foundations. Correctly placed foundation tubes are absolutely vital to the safety and longevity of your tunnel, so it’s crucial to get this step right. Start by marking the base positions around the site of the polytunnel – these will form the outline of the tunnel and will provide the base structure for you to build your aluminum frame. You should make sure the positions are evenly spaced and that the corners are at right angles, otherwise your tunnel might not be stable. You should then simply drive the foundation tubes into the ground at those marked positions. You can do this with a large hammer – but make sure to place a wooden block between the hammer and the tops of the tubes to avoid damaging or distorting them. You can either use tubes provided in a pre-fabricated polytunnel kit, or if building your own tunnel from scratch, offcuts of scaffolding poles or mains water pipe provide the perfect inexpensive substitute.  These should be cut to about six feet in length and driven into the ground to a depth of about three feet, depending on your desired polytunnel size. The bigger the tunnel the deeper the poles should go. Once they’re securely in the ground, check to be sure the tubes are level with a spirit level.

Build the Frame

Whether you’re constructing a pre-fabricated polytunnel or building one from scratch, you’ll need a series of aluminum hoops to make up the frame of your tunnel. To build the frame, simply connect the hoops together (they generally come in multiple sections) and simply slide them over the foundation tubes, bolting each in place. Finally, fit the ridge pole down the centre top of the tunnel, corner bracing and doorframes. Check that the hoops are all straight and in line, then tighten all the joints carefully.

Add the Cover

Now your framework is securely in place, it’s time to attach the cover and add the ‘poly’ to your tunnel. Most pre-fabricated polytunnels will come with some sort of cushioning to put over the hoops, to ensure the polythene sheet doesn’t snag or tear – but if you’re building one from scratch you can use foam coverings or anti hot-spot tape (which can be sourced from larger garden stores). This isn’t absolutely vital, but will increase the lifespan of the sheet by around a year – so it’s a good investment. Clear any stones from the ground around your frame and unroll the cover, sliding it over the hoops so it sits evenly over the frame. To secure it you can either attach it to the base rail if you have one (as most pre-made kits will), or  simply bury a skirt of polythene in a trench approximately 30cm deep. If your model is supplied without a base rail, but you don’t have space to dig a trench, you can make one using lengths of 70 x 45mm timber, cut to length, then bolted on to the foundation tubes. Whichever you choose it’s important to keep the plastic sheet as taut as possible during fitting. Now simply either cut a V shape in the sheet where you’d like the entrance to be, or use whichever door system is provided in your kit. There you have it, your very own polytunnel!

Be sure to check out our website, premierpolytunnels.co.uk

I have never understood why anyone would buy into the belief system that nuclear energy is clean, unless invisible but deadly contamination doesn’t count.

Before recent events in Japan reminded us of the global threat of radiation due to a meltdown or any other release of radioactive material into the atmosphere, we knew nuclear energy wasn’t green or clean. How could it be when radioactive waste takes tens of thousands of years to decay to safe levels?

Now, with the crisis in Japan, Americans are once again speaking out about the safety of nuclear energy. And the White House is talking back.

White House spokesman, Jay Carney made it clear that President Obama, who has proposed $36 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear power, has no plans to change his policy.

We find it ludicrous that low CO2 emissions and clean nuclear energy are synonymous when talking about nuclear energy.

Alex Flint of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency said in a Fox News interview that the United States is “best in class” at anticipating and preparing for unlikely events, especially since 9/11. While doing his best not to suggest the Japanese were not lax or inept in preparedness, he suggests we are more prepared and will learn from their mistakes as well. But the truth is we currently have 104 nuclear power plants in operation in the United States and many of them are on coastlines or fault lines. When scientists say the San Onofre nuclear power plant in California was built to withstand a 7.0 earthquake, which is sufficient based on their study of the seismic activity in the area, along with its thirty foot tsunami wall, forgive me if I have my doubts that all is well and perfectly safe. I can’t help but think about New Orleans. The levees, built by the Army Corps of Engineers, failed when Katrina, a level 3 hurricane, reached the shore. American superiority? Best in class, my ass.

The Japanese are well trained, well prepared, and they knew they were living on fault lines with the threat of tsunamis. After an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale and a massive tsunami, their preparations failed. At the time of this writing, they are facing not one, but possibly three meltdowns. There have been three explosions, which have released radiation into the atmosphere.

And one important consideration to remember is this: once released, that radiation cannot be contained. How many of Japan’s downwind neighbors will be affected by the fallout?

From the 1890s through 1910, thousands of Americans used solar water heaters to heat water for their homes.

Out with the Old and In with the New

I was doing research for an article on alternative energy when I discovered an interesting fact. From the 1890s through 1910, thousands of Americans used solar water heaters to heat water for their homes. But as soon as natural gas became available, as a relatively cheap, new alternative, solar systems were abandoned.

Now, a century later, we are investing our time and money into solar technology. Why did we have to wait so long? What if we’d been improving the technology for the last hundred years? How far would we have come?

And then, I thought about western medicine.  We turned our backs on centuries of wisdom. Eastern medicine was discounted as foolishness. Home remedies used for generations were labeled as dangerous or ineffective. Again, something new—antibiotics—replaced the old.

What about food? Modern agriculture? The “green revolution,” using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, did indeed increase yields. But at what cost? For thousands of years we replenished the soil with manure and compost. But the new method replaced the old. And now our fields, the lifeblood of our crops, are stripped of nutrients and contaminated with poisons. So what do the big agricultural businesses do? Do they look to the past and embrace the wisdom of those who came before us? No. They create genetically modified plants and contaminate the entire food chain with poorly or virtually untested unnatural food.

If we are to find solutions to the problems we face today—depletion of fossil fuels, world hunger, global warming, clean water, pollution, and more, we need to embrace the wisdom of the past, while we look to the future.