Its Not Easy Being Green-worth a watch

[Goodlife1970]

Just been sent a cutting about a programme thats due to air on BBC2 on 28th March,Its Not Easy Being Green.It follows the lives of Dick Strawbridge (you may know him from Scrapheap Challenge,hes the one with the wicked moustache!) and his family as they move to Cornwall and convert an Edwardian/Medieval house with 3 acres,to be self sufficient/environmentally friendly. They build a watermill,have wind turbines,keep hens and pigs,grow veg,collect rainwater,ect ect. Looks very interesting,personally I cant wait!

[Shirley]

oooh now that does look interesting... will have to remember that.

David (my other half) went to school with his sister - oooh claim to fame lol.....

[Shirley]

Just seen a trailer for it... looks like a hoot!!

[Muddypause]

It follows the lives of Dick Strawbridge (you may know him from Scrapheap Challenge

I knew I'd seen that moustache before.

[Upahill]

They're also running a series of his articles or articles that accompany the programme in any case in the Irish Mail. I imagine the UK Mail is too?
One of my newspaper donaters takes the Mail so I'll post the articles if anyone wants them?

[Andy Hamilton]

that does sound pretty good, nice to see that TV has something worth watching for a change.

[Libby]

I spent ages looking for 'It,s not easy to be green' last night, so I could book it in! I eventually found it on BBC2 England which I don,t usually think to look at!
BBC2 Wales must be getting it at a later date. 2010 probably

[Upahill]

I don't know which BBC2 Ireland get ( you'd think Southern Ireland would get the signal from Wales) but our papers say it starts 28/03/06.
I don't suppose anyone is planning on videoing the series and would send me a copy? I'd cover costs ( or swap or whatever) if anyone was interested?

[Andy Hamilton]

Its on it 2 mins, actually quite looking forward to it.

[Tigerhair]

Just watched it! I like the ideas they are having.... but there's too much standing around and not enough doing for my liking! Shame about the roof too! Did they mention Welsh slate or not? They could have sourced it from there...?

The water wheel would have been better as a turbine though, wouldn't it? Although they probably wouldn't have been able to build it themselves...

[Chickenlady]

I don't really watch much TV, but happened to turn this on just as it started.

How wonderful to have a bit of reality TV that was actually about what it was supposed to be about rather than the usual awkward characters and relationships, rows, etc.

I thought they were a very nice fully functioning family, although the moustache took me most of the programme to come to terms with - why??? How does he eat?

But the subject matter was very interesting, and it was very realistic. Like most of us, they had to compromise over some things - they did mention the roof and the fact that the slate had to be imported or it would have been twice the price. They are just doing the best they can, which is all any of us can hope to do.

It will be very interesting to see how this programme develops.

[Tigerhair]

I agree, they are a lovely family - I hope our son grows to be that nice! It's a shame they couldn;t have done a deal with a welsh supplier of slate - on TV... advertisements etc...? Could have got the price down - dunno, perhaps they tried.

The tash?! Well he was a Colonel?!

[Lou8]

I enjoyed the programme too.
Dick is sooo unbelievably enthusiastic. His wife seems a little more normal - she has the odd moan but is still enthusiastic and keen to get on and get stuff done.

Looks a beautiful place. I also loved all the shots of their dogs - what a gorgeous collection of mongrels.


Anyone know the name of the man who came to audit them in their old house and who had written the book with the checklist? I'd be interested in getting the book but didn't catch his name.

[Shirley]

http://www.cix.co.uk/~dmccarthy/ the very lovely donnachadh mccarthy (I hope I've spelt it right!!)

Wasn't it just a brilliant programme...

[Andy Hamilton]

It was a good program at last some people that are (almost) normal on TV doing something for the eco movement. I think that Nev would really like this program will have to let him know when the DVD is out. I can imagine him tryign to build a water wheel

I emailed donnachadh and asked if he could give me a little quote on reducing your rubbish that I could use on an article. Will see what he says.