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Brass Monkey Challenge 2016

July 7, 2016 @ 20:16 By Gavin Webber 4 Comments

Winter is here well and truly and it’s time for an update on this years Brass Monkey Challenge 2016.

We’ve been experiencing minimums of 0 – 5°C (32 – 41°F) during the night, and daytime temps of 10 – 15°C (50 – 59°F).  Whilst it may not be cold for some of you, it’s all relative, because in summer we have daytime temps of around 27 – 45°C (80.6 – 113°F).

Brass Monkey Challenge 2016 2015

Not a cold as this little fella!

So to save on energy bill, particularly natural gas, a couple of years ago Kim and I decided to give ourselves a challenge to see how long we could stand not having the heating on in the house.  Could we handle it and use behaviour and passive heating to keep warm?

Well the answer (for the 3rd year in a row) is a resounding YES!  It’s been quite easy.  We even gave it a name.  The Brass Monkey Challenge!

Our single wall furnace does not even have the pilot light lit, and we have managed to stay warm so far.

During the day we wear a few extra layers and use passive solar heating by letting light flow into the north facing rooms.  This heats up those rooms and we let use those rooms in the evening.

At night we shut all the internal doors of all rooms which keeps the ones we’re in warm.  We also pop on another layer of clothing and throw a couple more blankets on the beds for when we go to sleep.

With my office door closed and my computer turned on, the room heats up to a comfortable 18°C (64.4°F) in the evening.  As it is also one of those north facing room with a double glazed window, it gets up to about 22°C (71.6°F) during the day.

Kim’s office is south-facing, so need an hour of heating first thing in the morning with the reverse cycle air-con, then that’s it.  It stays warm all day.

It has been because we’ve invested in the comfort of our home as well.  We fitted double glazed units to all the north facing windows.  You can read about the double glazing installation here.

Double Glazing

We also added extra insulation batts to the roof space.  That has been a vast improvement of the heat holding properties of each room.  The installation of the extra insulation in the ceiling was document here.

All external doors are solid wood and have draft strips that shut when closed.  We also have draft snakes against the inside of those doors, just in case.

All other windows have closed pelmets fitted to stop cold air circulating behind curtains and have draft strips where necessary.

So there you have it.  That’s our Brass Monkey Challenge 2016 and staying warm and cozy.  Although we are not swanning around in T-shirts and short (and neither should you in winter), it is definitely possible to not have any heating on in a cool/temperate climate and stay warm.  You also save on your energy bills as well and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Wins and high-fives all around.

For other tips about how to stay warm in winter without the need for heating, have a listen to our podcast episode about our original Brass Monkey Challenge.

Have you tried a similar challenge at home?  We would love to hear about it in the comments!

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Filed Under: climate change, energy efficiency, Heating Tagged With: Brass Monkey Challenge

Inverter Saga Continues

July 6, 2016 @ 22:49 By Gavin Webber 10 Comments

Well dear reader, it’s been determined by the inverter manufacturer Fronius that it is cactus and needs a replacement.  It wasn’t something that could have been mended, which was disappointing to say the least.

Something else that’s come to light is that due to electrical regulations for solar PV systems, the isolation switches have to be replaced.  As well as that, due to the inverter being completely replaced, the system has to be inspected again.

So here’s the quote by Energy Matters (aka SunEdison);

Item Cost (incl. GST)
1x Fronius Galvo 3.0 Light $1881.00
4x DC Isolators $933.97
1x Earth Fault Alarm $7.24
1x Label Kit $79.21
Service (labour, shipping & installation) $385.00
Site Inspection $140.00
Total $3426.42

A fair bit out of pocket, and I estimate that it will need at least 3½ years of operation to pay itself back.  Not too bad, but it was certainly not an expense I expected after only 9 years of operation.

Solar talk

Installation day September 2007.

I will have to draw down on my mortgage to pay for it, so that means I have to work longer to pay it off.  Swings and roundabouts I suppose because it has been due to our very low electricity bills since 2007 that we’ve been able to pay down our debt rapidly in the first place.

The only way to proceed is forward, so I’ve asked the work to proceed.  Once the installation starts, I’ll give you another update.  Hopefully nothing else goes wrong in the process.

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Filed Under: Energy Matter, renewable energy, Solar Power

Little Green Workshops – End of Year Update

June 29, 2016 @ 20:40 By Gavin Webber 5 Comments

Many of you may know that Kim and I run a small home based green business called Little Green Workshops.  We teach cheese, cold processed soap, soy candle, and bath soak & scrub courses at our local community centre.  We also sell kits, supplies, and gifts for anyone who is not close by.

We got the inspiration to start this venture because many of you asked for more information about how we make and do some of the things we perform on a weekly basis, living a more sustainable lifestyle here in the ‘burbs.

Many of you may be wondering how it is all going.  Well let me give you an End of Year update.

This financial year (1 July 2015 – 30 June 2016) we clocked up the following stats;

  • Workshops taught: 27
  • Private Classes: 6
  • Students attended: 247
  • Website page views: 180,355
  • Website orders dispatched: 650
  • Countries shipped to: 6
  • YouTube Videos Tutorials created: 36
  • YouTube views: 815,331
Gavin and Kim

Gavin and Kim

We are pleased with these statistics, especially when it is only our 1st full year and 20 months of operation.  We are also very proud of what we have achieved so far and are seeing sustainable growth month on month (besides the Christmas spike).

You know I’m a fairly modest bloke, but it’s taken a lot of hard work to get where we are today.

They say that many small business tank in the first five years due to debt overload and other factors.  We haven’t taken out loans or borrowed to support the business.

I’m one who believes that debt is a form of slavery in disguise, so we have avoided this as we’ve started up.  And because of it, we sleep better at night!

Thankfully due to the low startup cost of setting up and maintaining an eCommerce presence on the Internet, and in part this blog and our YouTube channels, we have been able to reach a wider audience of students than we would normally have been able to.  Students who are keen to learn and create their own sustainable products, knowing exactly what goes into them and keeping it all natural.

We also began regular shipping to five new countries besides Australia this year due to demand; New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, and South Africa.

Little Green Workshops - end of year update

Click Through to the Shop!

All in all we are ecstatic that we’ve kept managed to our core green values in every business decision we make.  Sustainably sourced packaging, avoid single use products and plastic, run a carbon neutral worksite and websites, and sell products where others can make and do instead of just consume.

So as a special thank you and a gift for you, and to share in the success that you have helped to create, we have just launched a limited two-day sale over at Little Green Workshops, offering 10% off all products (excluding course bookings).  Sale ends at 2359 hr (midnight) 30th June 2016 Australian Eastern Time.

You can use the coupon code in bold below in your cart or checkout to apply the discount;

eofysale2016

Thank you once again for reading, watching, and listening to our blog posts, podcasts, and videos during the last 12 months and following our sustainable living journey.

Without you regularly visiting this site, I would still be a conspicuous consumer, unmotivated to strive to be greener, stuck in the rat race, plodding through life in misery.

By being able to share our sustainable living journey with you, I’ve given myself permission to live, love, and enjoy life to the fullest!

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Filed Under: Little Green Workshops, skills, Sustainable Living

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

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