Product Description

Does saving the planet require great effort? Does it mean extreme measures such as taking up residence in trees? You will be pleased to know that you can do your bit without any major change to your lifestyle. You even get to save money in the process. You do not even have to give up your car! You can cut your fuel consumption by a quarter if you reduce your average speed. The most fuel-efficent vehicles can save you up to GBP900 a year and did you know there are tax exemptions for electric cars? If you insulate the roof of your home at a cost of GBP170, you will save GBP80-GBP100 a year. By stopping draughts, you can save GBP10-GBP15 a year on heating costs. Are you aware that there are government grants that half the cost of installing solar panels making them only slightly more expensive than slate? We do not always need toxic cleaning products that are cleverly marketed to us. Neat lemon juice at 65p a bottle works well on kitchen surface stains. White vinegar costs even less and can be used to clean fridges, windows and ceramic tiles. A lack of time prevents us from shopping around for better deals. In 'Collins Save Cash and Save the Planet', all the hard work has been done for you. There are practical suggestions for lessening our impact on the environment in the following areas: the home & garden, DIY, transport, work, health, food, holidays, banking. Global warming is becoming a reality and the number of asthma sufferers increases yearly. Find out about the latest research into human damage to the planet. Friends of the Earth is the country's most influential national environmental campaigning organisation with over 100,000 supporters in the UK alone. They aim to inspire and educate the public to become more personally involved in improving their local environment. Information is provided on how to sign up to Friends of the Earth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2592696 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Andrea Smith writes for national newspapers and specialist environmental magazines and has a weekly column in the Leicester Mercury. She also works as an assistant for Dr Caroline Lucas, an MEP for the South-East. Andrea worked at Friends of the Earth as a feature writer from 2000/2001. Nicola Baird is an environmental journalist. She has worked at Friends of the Earth since 1999. Nicola has two daughters and lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Good for the environment, less good for saving money
I was disappointed by this book and felt it didn't quite live up to its title. There are many excellent ideas on ways to be environmentally friendly, but a lot of the time I felt the "save cash" theme was tenuous or got lost altogether. For example, the author's calculation that it's cheaper to get the train to Paris than fly assumes that you live in central London (just where the train happens to leave from) and ignores the existence of budget airlines. Occasionally, the tips didn't have much to do with the environment either, such as never letting your pet sleep on your bed. There's some good stuff on healthy living, but that's not the reason I bought this book.

Save Cash and Save the Planet is a worthwhile read for anyone who's concerned about the environment. If it's the cash aspect that appeals to you more, then save yours and don't buy this book. Many of the best tips - those which genuinely do save you money as well as being good for the environment - are available for free on the Friends of the Earth website.

Sustainable savings
I'm not necessarily a gung-ho environmentalist, but I do believe we should do what we can as far as sustainable living. Some things seem so expensive! However, the authors' suggestions range from free, easy-to-implement habits to more expensive implementations that we should keep in mind for long-term, future projects. Even for those outside the UK, it's very helpful!