Going green is easier than you think, for some

Dick Strawbridge is a bit of a hero of mine. 'It's Not Easy Being Green' wasn't just great TV, it also showed the benefits of a greener lifestyle to millions of viewers. And, as Wikipedia says, he is also 'the proud owner of a rather large and impressive moustache'.

So I was pleased to see Strawbridge in the Guardian last week, laying out his mission to dispel environmentally-friendly myths, including 'eco-gadgets are cons', 'You have to be an engineer to undertake your own eco home projects' and 'Most eco-renovation take decades to pay back the cost'.

Reading through the comments on the article did make me think, however.

Strawbridge says that in the 21st century 'there is no excuse for not being able to get stuck into any eco-project. Information is readily available and all the materials you need can usually be sourced within ten miles' - a point that was seized on by readers who, quite rightly, pointed out that not everybody is in a position to make significant changes to your home.

'Try living in a council flat where you can't change or install anything and have to fight for a recycling box because you live on the first floor and 'might fall carrying it downstairs and sue the council'', says 'Cowgirl'.

I'd love to be able to come up with an easy comeback to this, but I'm afraid I can't. The simple truth is that some of us are are in a lot better positions than others to make changes that can help the environment and save money. Of course, I don't think Strawbridge meant to offend anybody deliberately, but his comment has made me stop and appreciate the amount of control I have over the way I choose to live my life.