Review: Eco-washball

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Sat, 09 Mar 2013 - 17:41

 

Eco-washball reviews 

We hand-picked  four grubby GIYers from the washing basket to review to eco-washball (RRP $37.95) a round plastic laundry-ball filled with 3 types of ceramic pellets. You throw it into the washing machine along with your clothes and ½ the detergent you’d normally use (or no detergent at all). I’d send you onto a link but the eco-washball site is currently down. As to the science in it, and what those little ceramic pellets might be doing, I’ve got a chemist onto it and the results will be posted here soon.
 
Our reviewers ran it through it’s paces and here’s what they thought.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours: The power of comparing electricity bills

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Tue, 05 Feb 2013 - 14:31

I love opening up my power bill. Love the crackle as I tear open the envelope, the chart, the stories!  And now, for added excitement, there’s a competitive element!  A graph comparing your energy use with other folk in your neighbourhood (names withheld!) to see who holds the energy high-ground*.

Comparing energy bills is my equivent of looking in someones bathroom cabinet!

Full or half ... a toilet flushing dilemma!

Thu, 24 May 2012 - 16:41

Daily dilemmas confound me.

I'll spare you the details but we've had a blocked loo. After trying to fix it, and failing, I called in the plumber.  While he was here I popped the question - full flush, half flush or not flush at all? What is best for the environment, sewers and my own pee-ce of mind (that is the first and last lavatory joke I am going to do I promise).

Rubber meals - stretching food as far as it will go.

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Sun, 18 Mar 2012 - 13:22

I love to be resourceful – with the food, my time and energy. The more meals I can eek out from one thing and one session in the kitchen, the better.  The other day I cooked up a cracking roast lamb. I’m a country girl and this is my ultimate childhood favourite. With the left-over meat and gravy I made shepherds pie and with the bones and last bits, lamb barley soup – 1 leg of lamb, 3 meals. My granny would be proud – and I really made the most of the meat and its eco-hoofprint.

One Million Women

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Fri, 23 Dec 2011 - 16:51

A few weeks ago I presented a GIY-workshop at the One Million Women summit in Sydney. I did a quick garbled session on DIY fix-its with Bernie Hobbs. What we lacked in clarity we made up for in comedy. I love the whole idea behind this campaign.

So often, climate change campaigns and campaigners give the impression of being hard core and hairy. Unless you are a firm follower, it's hard to get motivated to get involved.

Fighting stand-by power with stand-by power. A review of a gadget.

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Tue, 13 Dec 2011 - 10:52

I used to be very pro-active about turning stuff off at the wall, my career depended on it but now it bores me.

I saw these the other day at ALDI-  the VIVID Remote Control Socket Set (not a good name) for around $25. Four sockets with one remote control that can turn them all off. I've heard about fighting stand-by power with remote controls and here it was.