- How do I do a green audit?
- Is there a book?
- I missed part of the programme is there going to be a DVD?
- Do you live there?
- Did the BBC pay for it?
- The waterwheel looks wrong?
- How does the greenhouse heat sink work?
- Can we visit?
How do I do a green audit?
The chap who conducted the green audit was Donnachadh McCarthy - his book, 'Saving the planet without costing the earth' can be bought via his website www.3acorns.co.uk. If you contact him he may even agree to do one for you - rates are very reasonable considering the planet is at stake!
Is there a book?
Absolutely! 'Its not easy being green' is on the shelves now its probably cheapest to get it from Amazon. We have included some details not covered in the series and put in some links to the people we bought from - you may find it useful. Please note - most of the ideas we try in Cornwall can be applied to any house.
I missed part of the programme is there going to be a DVD?
Sorry it looks unlikely that there will be a DVD of the series. The BBC doesn't tend to produce them for series like ours.
Do you live there?
You better believe it! We have invested our life juices in this place and, yes, we do have a whopping great mortgage!
Did the BBC pay for it?
I should be so lucky! I was paid as a presenter but they did not contribute towards any of our work. That said, they were a great bunch and we made them join in when they were not carrying the camera!
The waterwheel looks wrong?
I know the waterwheel looks like it's going the wrong way but we deliberately make the wheel as big as possible for the drop we had. That means when the stream is in flood sometimes the bottom can be in water and rather than have the water having to come back on itself from under the wheel (to flow away) we went for the wheel turning anti-clockwise. The aqueduct is just about level so we don't get much kinetic energy in the water its all about using all the potential energy when the water drops through the 'trap door' onto the top of the wheel between 11 and 12 o'clock… Clear as mud? It's a lot easier when you can see a diagram - you should be able to check out the book page 113 from 13th April.
How does the greenhouse heat sink work?
Some details are in the book, but half the adventure is working out for yourself and thereby customising you solution. All you need is:
- The heat sink is imploded glass - we used bottles from various parties and the local pub - imploded courtesy of Krysteline www.krysteline.net
- Big hole - we lined it with polystyrene that came as packaging
- Pipes were standard waste pipes for under sinks etc
- Fan was a small 12V computer fan from a market £1.20 - in a box made of scrap wood
- A 12V deep cycle leisure battery
- Small 11w solar panel and charge controller
- Old chimney cowl for the air to be pushed out the glass
Air sucked down from the apex heats the broken glass under the floor. Fan runs 24 hours a day. As the greenhouse cools the cooler air is still pumped through the glass, but when it comes out through the cowl, at floor level, the glass has warmed it so a constant supply of warm air is now being pumped through.
Can we visit?
Sorry, we are inundated with requests, but don't have the luxury of being able to spend lots of time chatting to visitors - we still have to earn a living to pay the mortgage. We do run courses to share our experience show people what we have done - but they cost!!
'Tell me, I'll forget;
Explain to me, I'll remember;
Involve me, I'll understand'