Decomag

News

Reset Earth from the UN's Ozone Secretariat

Reset Earth mobile game: get Gen Z to save the planet

Young folks on their phones all day? Then encourage your Gen Zers to download Reset Earth, a mobile game from the UN's Ozone Secretariat (aka the UN Environment Programme). Set in the late 21st century, players race back and forth in time to save the planet earth.

Tenant safety: asbestos rules

Asbestos remains a problem in our housing stock. So if you're a landlord, what are your responsibilities regarding this dangerous material?

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Check out the Government's £2bn Green Homes Grant Scheme and see if you're eligible for help to make energy saving improvements to your property

Travel

Villa Della Pergola English gardens at Alassio

Fingers crossed we can all get to travel a bit later on this year, so if you plan to head to Italy's Genoa region, and you're a keen gardener, find time to visit these gardens on the Ligurian coast, fully restored to glory

Orion Treehouses in the south of France are very eco

Tree house holidays

If you prefer warm rather than boiling hot weather, early autumn is a good month to take a break - and hopefully the covid crisis will be under control by then. And if you want an eco holiday, then a tree house is perfect. Especially if it's in the South of France and has a natural pool to swim in

Sustainable tourism: Colombia's view

Who knows when, but the pandemic will be over within the next few years, and, fingers crossed, even earlier. So if you're a keen traveller you could start planning that trip in your mind to help you cope with present restrictions. And when the world does open up again, tourism needs to be much more sustainable.

Choose an eco-friendly carpet
New carpet is a delight. But it can be an environmental horror when its time comes to die. So are there eco-friendly carpets on the market? And what can you do with a dead one? Kay Hill investigates
Eco warriors as well as workhorse worktops
There's no need to sacrifice good looks and wonderful colour options when choosing environmentally-friendly worktops
Pop a cork: in praise of cork's versatility
Cork's long been associated with bottle stops and dull flooring. Not any more: it's the eco-friendly, design-friendly material designers can't get enough of for furniture, homewares and decorative accessories
French polish: the environmentally-friendly way to restore wood
Many of us reach for a pot of paint when wooden furniture starts to look tired. Is that because we've forgotten about the noble art of French polishing, which restores wood to its former glories? Abby Trow talks to expert Dan Norris

Accessories

Wooden duck handle and PET fabric umbrella from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Today we love: duck handle eco umbrella

We're being deluged, so carry a brolly in your bag. Such as the Original Duckhead umbrella, made from recycled PET fabric... for eco precipitation protection

use non plastic products in daily living

Sustainability: switch to more eco friendly household products

You're probably on the case, but if you've been too busy to get down to your eco living due diligence, here are some products to consider switching to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic you buy - and so cut your carbon footprint. And get 'em in the post..useful in these interminable covid days

Nat Maks' suminagashi floating ink prints, made in Margate

Nat Maks' Suminagashi wall prints

For abstract art in lovely colours, Nat Maks' prints are unique as she uses the centuries old craft of Suminagashi

Features

Choose an eco-friendly carpet

New carpet is a delight. But it can be an environmental horror when its time comes to die. So are there eco-friendly carpets on the market? And what can you do with a dead one? Kay Hill investigates

Eco warriors as well as workhorse worktops

There's no need to sacrifice good looks and wonderful colour options when choosing environmentally-friendly worktops

Pop a cork: in praise of cork's versatility

Cork's long been associated with bottle stops and dull flooring. Not any more: it's the eco-friendly, design-friendly material designers can't get enough of for furniture, homewares and decorative accessories

Interiors

Are you bored with your doors?

Doors are easily overlooked and we tend meekly to accept what we inherit when we move into a property. But stylish interior doors can bring impact, cohesiveness and even a quiet grandeur to your home

We're all going crazy for succulents

Succulents were the height of bohemian chic in the '70s and they're still enjoying a resurgence thanks to a focus on easy-care plants and the need to do something about our indoor air quality. Grower Fiona Weymss of Kent-based Blueleaf Plants gives us the lowdown on these adorable little creatures

Build a summer house in sunny Spain

Brextit notwithstanding, with land prices in Spain still fairly low, you might be considering doing a self-build by the sea... Let this contemporary villa near Valencia by Ramón Esteve architects spur you into action

Gardens

Plants for bird-friendly gardens

If you lament the lack of birdsong in your garden, well, there's a lot you can do to make your garden appealing to birds

Garden rooms: more living space for your home

Should you have a garden that's big enough, it makes sense to put in a garden room if you need a home office, somewhere to put growing kids, sprightly grandparents or overnight guests, or you need a place to escape to. We're nearly in 2021 and sheds ain't what they used to be you know