Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #181449 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

The Guardian, April 23, 2005
From underfloor heating and solar energy, through greener funerals and cleaning with lemon juice, there are some great ideas here.

The Guardian, March 9, 2005
Published on 100% post consumer waste paper, which is about as good as it gets.

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

Excellent one-stop guide to 'green' living
This book is an excellent one-stop guide to environmentally-aware living. It is arranged in sections, according to different areas of life (travelling, kitchen, children etc...) with useful tips and suggestions for each.

The suggestions are practical and non-preachy, with different 'levels' of action involved - to my mind, this is a vast improvement on a lot of similar books, which make only the most radical suggestions. For example, there is lots of info on cycling to work, but also tips for reducing emissions for car drivers. There is practical advice, with suggested websites, books etc which contain more info.

Nor is it all about being 'green' - there is plenty in here about reducing the amount of chemicals in your home, and that kind of thing - all of which will be of use to most people, whether living 'environmentally' or not.

There's a good balance between quite basic 'hints and tips' information, and more detailed stuff. This makes it easy to start small and then build up to bigger changes.

In terms of saving cash, it's a mixed bag. Some of the things will certainly be less expensive, and will save you money; others will be more expensive than the 'non-green' way. I don't think it would be possible for the book to be satisfyingly comprehensive without both sides though, so this is not really a criticism. But the emphasis is certainly more on saving the planet.

Of course, some of these ideas have been round for a while now; you will find suggestions about cavity wall insulation, fitting double glazing etc - all things we've probably heard before. However, the analysis of these is good, and there are also plenty of new ideas as well. All but the most committed environmentalist will find new tips in here.

The 'feel' of the book is good - lots of photos, handy hints boxes etc. It's easy to read without being simplistic, and the 'tone' is not too serious.

Overall, a good book, worth buying, and a very useful source of information.

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.

Save loads of money and be good to the planet
What a great book!!!!! I must say it again. What a great book!!! I have just read if from cover to cover and I have learnt so much. It is from the friends of the earth and it covers from gardening, food, diy, in the home, shopping, recyclcling and waste and communiity. I have learnt that a lot of the everyday things that you use have chemicals in it that you would not want around you. I have learnt a lot about what I can recycle and reuse. The references section has lots of websites and contact details of many companies. If you are just intested in just saving money then this book is for you. If you are just interested in saving the planet then this book is for you. If you are just interested in living a healther life then this book is also for you. I am interested in all these things.