When Richard Crosby dug a well in his garden, most of his mates laughed at the idea. But it's Richard and his family who are having the last laugh - they're saving around Β£1,500 a year thanks to their 'green' lifestyle. Richard, his wife Anne, and their children Edward, 7, and 15-month-old Alexander, live in one of the greenest houses in Devon.
 | | Richard outside his 'green' home |
Richard built a water tank in the garden, which collects rain water. They also recycle the water they use, and Richard has installed a 'non return to sewer' meter. Rather than pump their used water down the sewers, they use it to water the garden. Finally, in May 2006, Richard went one further and dug a well in his garden. The water from the well is filtered and used for everything except drinking. So water from the well is used, then recycled for the garden. And that's not all. Richard's 14-inch roof insulation and thatched roof means he can switch off the heating in January. And his car runs on used sunflower oil. "It's easy being green," said Richard, who has been a policemen for 22 years. "There are three golden rules: Don't do everything at all at once; fit it into your lifestyle; and don't spend a lot of money on it. "We've been in this house since 2002, so this has taken five years or so. I've got young children, so I wanted to do something for the environment - something for their futures.
 | | Reflective: the well is Richard's biggest project |
"We're saving water and energy. It then dawned on me that we were saving cash as well. The cash you save for each individual thing you do, you can pump into doing more eco stuff. "There is an initial outlay - for the electric pump to water the garden, for example. That's Β£50 to Β£100. But afterwards, you're saving a lot of money every year. And you are doing your bit for the environment. "We're not completely green here, but I am doing what I can to fit in with my lifestyle." Digging the well was the most ambitious project: "Broadclyst is built on a prehistoric flood plain, so I knew there would be water down there. And I noticed other wells in the area. "I just got a JCB and dug a hole and there was the water, about 10ft down. It's cold and sparkly. Why use drinking quality water for flushing, showering, and doing the washing? It's very wasteful. "We've got 120cm of water in the well at the moment, so won't be running out this year because of all the rain we've had. The well cost Β£600, so you get money back very quickly."
 | | Richard puts sunflower oil into the filter tank |
On the other side of the house to the well, Richard has built a 'fuel station.' This is basically a tank, into which he pours gallons of used sunlower oil - which would otherwise have to be disposed of by his work canteen. He pours the used oil into the tank, via a home-made filter made out of a cotton towel. This removes the bits of cooked food, so the oil comes out clean and ready to be pumped into his car. A tax has to be paid to Inland Revenue, but the money saved by using sunflower oil pays for the car's running costs and two holidays a year. "This is the way forward," said Richard. "If it's there, why not use it? If you've got water, use it. If you live in a windy area, why not use that to harness power? It's commone sense, really. "I think we've just become very lazy in that it's very easy to get everything off the mains. "The funny thing is that your house feels much more cosy as well, living like this." Richard's next project is to get solar heating, but he's after your help with this: "If there's anyone out there who knows how to fit solar panels to a thatched roof, then I'd love to hear from them." * Take a look at the photo gallery, linked from this page. | 
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