The message
from David Hansen contains these words:

On Wed, 03 May 2006 18:42:08 +0100 someone who may be Adrian
Brentnall adrian-the papers and the wrote
this:-


Ah well - I suppose it makes good telly..... g

That seems to partly be the idea and there is nothing wrong with
that.

There wouldn't be anything wrong with it, except for the hilarious
degree of Marie Antoinette pretence by the Strawbridges. Changing their
gas-guzzler vehicles might do far more to save the planet and its
resources . It's made very clear that they have a great deal of money
which effortlessly fills and conceals every pitfall and reality gap.
Just a couple of examples;

"We've been thinking about buying our own wood to fuel the stoves".
Meanwhile they burned a huge stack of free heat for fun. Someone else
has already pointed out that their use of three stoves is inefficient..
Heating a far smaller house on one highly efficient woodfired system, we
used between 15 and 20 tons of wood per year The load they took delivery
of, was (at a guess) less than two tons, supposedly to feed 3 stoves
"until Christmas". If that unseasoned wet wood was fit for burning (ie,
giving out optimal heat) , Mrs would not be crouched shivering in
sweaters and scarf beside a stove on full burn, and upstairs would be
roasting, even without the silly air pipes.

They will have burned the lot (for little heat output) long before
winter comes.

Planning regs (which a redevelopment like that can't evade) insist
that a domestic home has a tested potable water supply. Plugging a
hosepipe into a muddy spring and tasting a glassful, gives a very false
impression of the health hoops to be jumped through before bringing
spring water into the domestic system for drinking..or even, it's
advisability. (Particularly, in Cornwall, where I would imagine heavy
metal contamination is likely, and within stonesthrow of other houses
or rural farms and their own livestock, al l of which could have
coeliform runoffs).

One can't help noticing that the adult Strawbridge invariably waft
around with fairies and clipboards, while a changing parade of workers
are paid to do the donkey work in their so-called "self sufficient "
lifestyle :-) Where has the gardening lady gone to?

It's entertaining all right, my only question is, how far are the
Sawbridges aware of the TV producers' real agenda..which is surely,
exposing their pretensions and holding them up to ridicule
..
Janet.