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  • mio culture

    How environmentally friendly is wallpaper? If 'not very' is the answer...which it is.. what products can be used to make our walls green and interesting company? Kay Hill investigates

  • Old tyres can be upcycled into planters

    Once you get your creative thinking cap on you'll be amazed at what you can upcycle

Hessian stockings by dejaooh, £26

Christmas is a time lots of us keep our fingers crossed that we'll get a gift or two that's really useful or that we need. So if you want to give gifts that are practical, we've got ideas to suit all budgets, from funky bellows to reclaimed wood coasters via hydroponic indoor veg growing. All wrapped in recycled giftwrap.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1839748976/love-heart-print-romantic-wall-art-heart?click_key=d3c199

Valentine's Day has become another of those days where marketing folks try to convince us our beloved will be thrilled with a bin or a hacksaw. Well, having quizzed a range of folks it seems the old favourites continue to reign supreme: flowers, champagne and a dinner that isn't pasta and pesto. Which isn't to say some new thinking couldn't come into play...

the trip to Oman is to study micro and nano plastic spread

The Mission Spiritus initiative will be gathering data on the global impact of micro and nano plastics - plastic particles have spread to quite literally all quarters of the earth. The expedition is part of its environmental research to impress on world political and business leaders the imperative to halt climate change

Habitree reusable tree made from wood

Putting up decorations is one of the joys of Christmas. But given that tinsel is made from PVC and so doesn't score highly on the eco points chart, how should we deck the halls? Kay Hill has some sustainable suggestions

Go for recyclable paper and cardboard decorations

With the cost of living crisis making life hard for so many of us, Christmas is a great opportunity to appreciate that less is more when it comes to gifts...is it not?!  So get out the brown paper and the biodegradable glitter, don't buy more food than Bruce Bogtrotter could eat, and remember to compost ALL your peelings

Use lockdown to start mosaic making..Katy Galbraith

Mosaic artist and upcycling fanatic Katy Galbraith urges us to look at our old crockery and glassware with a creative eye....and turn them into something useful and beautiful ...or purely decorative. She tells us about her work

Exposed wood beams

Exposed wood beams don't need much in the way of day to day maintenance but periodically it makes sense to have them renovated to ensure they'll be doing a grand job in 200 years' time

 

Learn how to adapt buildings to cope with heatwaves

Make a beeline this week for the Dundee Design Festival. Some 180 designers are taking part in the festival which offers you the chance to take part in workshops, hear talks and see exhibitions covering interiors, jewellery, ceramics and clothing

Asters - easy to grow and prolific

Is your garden or outside space in need of some colourful autumn blooms? The HTA suggests planting Asters, as they flower pretty much up to Christmas.

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