Practical | ECO-PRATIQUE

Permaculture Workshop: design your garden – 19th February

Posted by Paul on January 24, 2012 at 18:54 5 Responses »

Jan 242012

Feel like re-doing your garden in a more ecological manner? Without pesticides, or fertiliser? Grow some food? Comme and see us to take part in garden design in a permaculture style: pretty and productive at the same time.

You don’t have a garden? No problem? We also have ideas for balconies, and even house plants.

And if you would like one, the Mairie is giving you a chance with their family gardens project.

We holding a permaculture workshop on Sunday the 19th of February from 14h00 – 1800 at the Salle du Preau, behind the line F bus stop “Ferney-Mairie”.

We’ll share our knowhow, our designs, and even our seeds, in a great atmosphere.

Bring your garden plans, or even just photos, your ideas for plants to grow, as well as sheets of paper, pencils and pens, and a cup for tisane or coffee.

Very Important! Indicate north on your plan!

Entry is free as usual, but we will have a hat for a collection as we have to pay for this room.

Permaculture

Posted by Paul on November 29, 2011 at 13:01 No Responses »

Nov 292011

Sorry, this entry is only available in Français.

First year of solar panels in Ferney-Voltaire

Posted by Paul on October 4, 2011 at 22:28 2 Responses »

Oct 042011

After my first year with photovoltaic solar panels on my roof, I’ve supplies 2505 kWh of electricity to the grid.

At a purchase price of €0.58 per kWh that makes a grand total of €1452,90 in one year. Not bad, and well on the way to amortize the costs of installation within 7 years.

So far, so good.

Harvesting my apples

Posted by Paul on August 1, 2011 at 18:48 No Responses »

Aug 012011

It’s four weeks earlier than usual, but we have a bumper crop of apples to harvest this year.

Frédérique’s Garden

Posted by Paul on June 13, 2011 at 17:00 No Responses »

Jun 132011

Sorry, this entry is only available in Français.

Organic Market, Sunday 29th May

Posted by Paul on May 6, 2011 at 08:00 Comments Off

May 062011

The Ferney-Voltaire in Transition team will be at the Organic Market on Sunday the 29th May from 9am to 5 pm.
If you’d like to know why prices keep rising, why pollution keeps increasing; if you prefer quality over quantity, come and meet us to discover what we can do here in Ferney-Voltaire.

We’ll be showing :

Practical examples of comfortable, lower carbon lifestyles .
Information on using the recycleing containers with the help of SIDEFAGE
The new association for cyclists and pedestrians

and we will hosting 3 film-debates at La Comedie

10.30-12.30 The end of suburbia (77’) + debate ” Peak Oil and transport “
14.30-17.00 The power of Community (53’) + debate ” Food – local and/or bio “
17.00-19.00 In transition (50’) + debate ” How to change things in and around Ferney-Voltaire “

All three film-debates are free entry

Avoid the Yellow Pages!

Posted by Paul on April 26, 2011 at 12:10 Comments Off

Apr 262011

Odile has found a very useful site for those who use the yellow pages on the web.
The tradition version wastes paper on a grand scale, but you can avoid having it delivered to your house at all. To no longer receive it, go to the web site www.recevoirmesannuaires.fr & tick “Je ne souhaite plus recevoir mes annuaires”.

Thank you Odile!

Maria’s Garden

Posted by Paul on March 8, 2011 at 13:45 2 Responses »

Mar 082011

Our Group “Food and Gardening” has started a shared vegetable garden in Versonnex.

To see the methodology click here

Green cafe: electricity

Posted by Paul on March 29, 2010 at 21:00 Comments Off

Mar 292010

Links for this evening

Find an electricity supplier:

http://www.energie-info.fr

and http://www.enercoop.fr

http://www.erdfdistribution.fr/

http://www.energie-mediateur.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/new/GuidePratiqueMediateur_Web.pdf

http://www.energie-info.fr/fichier/15EnergieVerte.pdf

Measure your usage:

http://www.selectronic.fr

http://www.diykyoto.com

http://www.amazon.fr

Understand better:

http://www.helianthe.org

http://www.ademe.fr/particuliers/Fiches/equipements_electriques/index.htm

My Composter

Posted by Paul on September 6, 2009 at 21:29 Comments Off

Sep 062009

Even though we have a small garden, we have found space in it for a composter, into which we put all uncooked vegetable scraps, and, being English, used tea bags.
So far, the insects seem to like it inside the composter, but it doesn’t make a nuisance, even though I sit in the garden only 1m away from it.
My composter
We carry the vegetable waste out to the composter in an old plastic ice-cream box.

Today, 100w light bulbs are banned

Posted by Paul on September 1, 2009 at 12:16 Comments Off

Sep 012009

In the start of a rolling phase-out, 100w light bulbs are banned in the EU from today. By 2012, only low-energy light bulbs will be available for sale in the EU. If you haven’t tried them yet, they are a lot better than they used to be, and last for years!

Poweo update (2)

Posted by Paul on June 17, 2009 at 08:27 1 Response »

Jun 172009

I just received an email from Poweo saying we are now supplied by them. The changeover was completely invisible. I am now using renewable energy sourced electricity, using the Planete Verte offer from Poweo. Nothing else has changed. My electricty bill is the same, just coming from Poweo instead of EDF.

Poweo Planete Green electricity

I feel much happier that a concrete step has been taken, but look forward to increasing energy efficiency in my home, and potentially micro-generation of power here “Chez Bristow”.

You have nothing to lose. Sign up to a renewable-sourced electricity supplier today. It sends the most visible signal possible to the businesses generating electricity that we want a zero-carbon future.

Poweo update

Posted by Paul on June 12, 2009 at 20:24 Comments Off

Jun 122009

We received a letter saying we would be connected to Poweo on the 12th of June. Making our home electricity supply zero-carbon. The day came – we waited with bated breath – nothing happened. I checked the web site at www.poweo.com, logging in with my account details that were supplied with the letter. It said “You are not yet supplied by Poweo”

We have no idea when we will be supplied by Poweo. No news.

How to Save Electricity

Posted by Paul on June 6, 2009 at 19:43 Comments Off

Jun 062009

I came across this neat web site How to Save Electricity which I found a very good practical overview of how to save electricity in your home.

I will be following up with my experiences as I take delivery of a electricty consumption meter which tells me in real time how much electricity I am using.

Solar power, windmills and heatpumps to reduce CO2

Posted by Paul on May 10, 2009 at 10:22 Comments Off

May 102009

I have just come back from the Bio Market in Ferney-Voltaire, where I met with the nice people from Acfer. Acfer, or Ambarrois Chaud Froid Énergies Renouvelables is a family run company specialising in CO2 reduction technologies, based in Amberieu en Bugey.

They also have an interesting looking water treatment device, which doesn’t need electricity or salt, but isn’t one of these extremely dubious sounding magnetic things.

They will study your needs, and make a proposal including installation.

The one thing I really like is they won’t sell you anything they haven’t tried themselves.

You will need to speak French to do business with this company.