When did an argosy laden with rare goods from distant parts last make the news in this country? You’d have to go back a long way. The city of St Petersburg may not have been quite up to the pedigree of Masefield’s Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir, bearing ivory,peacocks, sandalwood and cedarwood. But it… Continue reading
Browsing Category Environment
“Tea cosy houses" will cost hardly anything to heat
The writer has been a frequent contributor to the Sunday Times Home section. A housing association development in the Essex countryside, now nearing completion, will be one of the first in Britain to meet the exacting Passivhaus low energy standards. The group of 14 home, which Hastoe Housing Association is putting up on a green… Continue reading →
Swedish family start to live 85% CO2 reduction life
We are being urged to cut our carbon footprint by just a little (10% was the target of choice in 2010), and many have taken the challenge, concluding that such a teensy-weensy reduction can’t be so hard. But what if you’re asked to slash your carbon use by 85% — that’s the reduction in consumption… Continue reading →
Look, no hands. Safe and automatic road driving within sight
Imagine sitting in your car on the motorway at 70 miles an hour. You’re in the driver’s seat, but your hands are off the wheel, you are drinking a cup of coffee and studying those important notes for the meeting you’re heading to 100 miles away. Do you want to reread that? Your hands are… Continue reading →
Could mackerel displace cod as a fish and chip shop favourite?
“Mackerel and chips, twice please, with salt and vinegar.” Does that sound right? (On reflection, go easy on the salt – we don’t want to negate the benefit of the mackerel, as an oily fish rich in omega-3, credited with a role in healthy brain and nerve development and possibly in heart health.) So there… Continue reading →
World's second Nissan Leaf driver untroubled by range
Social media will ensure that we know more (and sooner) about electric cars, and how they are driving, then any vehicle in history. As owners feed real experience to the world through Facebook and Twitter, manufacturers will be able to build up a far more complete picture of consumer response than any market-research firm could… Continue reading →