Recently by John Newson

I love my cycle trailer. It's a 'Columbus' - a Danish design of the 1970s, I believe. The size of a car boot, but on a stick!

Instead of getting aching shoulders and sore hands, carrying plastic carriers, I stroll along with everything in the trailer. "Cor, where did you get that?!" people ask.

One use has been taking the recycling materials to the bottle bank and paper bank; then loading up with vegetables from the Farmers' Market. It's good for the garden and doubles as a wheelbarrow, for DIY items, or a trip to the launderette.

If it's too far to walk, I clip the trailer on to the stem of the bike and cycle it there. Some people put camping gear in their trailer, and go off for the weekend. It also goes well with an allotment.

Cycle Trailers - this link shows some other models and prices

Next week the guest blogger will be Graham Hankins of Pushbikes, so let's hear your bike related comments and questions.

John Newson guest blogger;

My Victorian house has a solid brick wall, with no cavity walls to insulate. The central heating used to roar away, but couldn't keep up with losses through the walls and windows of my end- of- terrace house. The gas bill was huge and I was trying to heat the sky. Time to join the 21st century!

I decided to borrow the money and move out, while the walls were fitted inside with foam and plasterboard. This has difficulties around the pipes, the electrics [which I was renewing anyway] and the doors. Today, there are thinner materials that make this a possible DIY job. The Energy Savings Trust has some recommended products, as does theNational Insulation Association.

I wanted timber double-glazing, as uPVC plastic has disposal problems, also timber respects the Victorian construction. It was maybe 10% more expensive than plastic. But with a modern, efficient boiler and a full set of controls, I reckon that had added to the value of the house double what it had all cost me. It's the best investment I could have made. Interest rates are lower now, so It could be a good time to talk to a builder, and Birmingham City Council offers a list of recommended builders and tradesmen.

Studying my bills, I seem to have reduced the house's fuel consumption by 60 to 70%. Old homes are an opportunity to make deep cuts in fuel use and carbon emissions. I have linked up with 25 similar houses that open to the public around the country, to explain how we have achieved such reductions. My home will be open again on May as part of the National Energy Foundation 'Old Home, Super Home' scheme. They are looking for more householders who have made old homes energy efficient and are willing to show what they have done.

I'm looking forward to the Northfield Eco Centre's official opening. on Friday 20th March 2pm to 5pm on Church Rd (next to Oulsnam's). See you there...........

John Newson guest blogger writes;

I first got to know Esther Boyd when the Birmingham Tornado came through our area (July 2005). All the roofs were off in my street, the windows smashed and fences down. Over 400 properties were damaged including churches and schools. 19 people were injured. Many lost their possessions. My neighbours were homeless for nine months, while everything got soaked - then dried out and repairs were done. My house had to be decontaminated of other people's asbestos roof tiles, arrived in a storm of fragments and dust. see pictures Tornado

This hadn't felt like normal British weather! I took our tornado as a serious warning from Mother Nature. Climate change had arrived in Britain, and it wasn't nice. Our 'extreme weather event' was just the first of many such incidents, driven by the warming atmosphere.

My approach to any problem is to stop making it worse. I discovered that the air now has 25% more carbon dioxide than when I was born. That's how quickly the blanket of greenhouse gas has grown. Many people still haven't seen the gragh of these readings of CO2 over the last 50 years.

It was clearly time to tell other people about all this. So, I volunteered with Friends of the Earth, who were pushing Parliament for the world's first law to require cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases.

Friends of the Earth gives us a chance
to ask for tough targets for reducing emissions in the UK.
Or volunteer your time..

More tomorrow on what I have done to cut my own carbon emissions at home....