Your green promises:

Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Oliver Marcus, London >> Stop wasting resources, Ness Backs, New York >> Consume more plant-based foods, Chana Tzi, L.A., Ca., USA >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetables, Holly Weisfeld, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Visit a lot of eco-sites, Maria Kamutzki, Berlin >> I won't litter, Joel Austin, Pinner >> Be more eco friendly, Connor Buchalter, Hatch End >> Re-use water bottles so less waste, David, Middx >> I won't waste water anymore, Ben Green, Hach End >> Help my dad recycle everyday, Phoebe Decker, Northwood >> Turn electrical things off when I have finished using them, Talia Austin, Pinner >> Not to waste food, Joshua Roson, Rickmansworth >> Eat fairtrade chocolate, Josie Sacks, Pinner >> Bike/walk to places not to far away, Zoe Buchalter, Hatch End >> Recycle plastic bags when I go shopping, Sophie Scholl, Moor Park >> Take and re-use our own plastic bags when we go shopping, Cass Family, Harrow >> Not waste paper, Jed Gaffin, Northwood >> Walk to school more, Lea Abrahams, Pinner >> To be more careful with water, Max Abrahams, Pinner >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Ellie Roston, Rickmansworth >> Try and ride my bike as much as I can, Zack Bluestone, Stanmore >> Walk to from school everyday, Meiron Avidan, Stanmore >> Use tap water instead of bottled, Rianna Roston, Earth >> Turn everything off, not leave it on standby, Lewis Decker, Northwood >> Put my rubbish in the bin, Aron Bhalla, Harrow >> I will put my rubbish in the bin, Seth Bhalla, Harrow >> I will not watch the same thing as my brother on a different TV, Ilana Braham, Northwood >> Our family will walk to places if it is less than 2miles, the Garland family, Pinner >> Don't use sandwich bags for packed lunch, David Braham, Northwood >> Switch off lights when I am not using them, Matthew Rodin, London >> To walk and get the train more, Steph Leigh, Watford >> Not to litter and put rubbish in the bin, Jacob Lauder, Harrow >> Help put out the recycling more, Rachel Bard, Hertfordshire >> To put my cans in a recycle bin, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Walk to the bus stop, Matti Brooks, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> I pledge to water my plants with a watering can and not waste water, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> Make more things e.g sculptures instead of just putting them in the bin, Minnie Diamond, Bushey >> I shall turn off lights and T.V. when not needed on, Harrry Rubin, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Harry Rubin 5 Beech, Herts, London >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Katie Moss, Radlett >> Only flush the chain when I need to, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Ride on my bike at least once a day, Sophie Pollock, Borehamwood, Herts >> Grow my own fruit and vegetables in the garden, Isabelle Copeland, Bushey >> Don't leave lights on, Rebecca A, Herts >> Use energy efficent light bulbs!, Dov Colman, Borhamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Josh Zucker, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jake Murray, Borehamwood >> To not leave the shower running!, Lauren Seres, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Tyler Freedman, Bushey >> Do more recycling and help my mum sort out the waste, Maddie Freedman, Bushey >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joseph White, Radlett, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Zoe Klein, Hertfordshire >> turn off the plugs in my bedroom, Oliver Rothstein, Adlenham, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Nina Freedman, Borehamwood >> Take showers instead of baths, Harry Singler, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Harry Black, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Mrs Myers, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Daniel Simmons, Radlett >> Not to turn lights on if it is not neeeded, Etienne Dean, Borehamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Leah Gorb, Bushey >> Use bits of junk around the house to make something & to not throw it in the bin, Sophie Pollock >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Natalie Maurer, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Rebecca Selt, Radlett >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Avital Cohen, Borehamwood >> Recycle my household waste, Max Bean, Bushey >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, Talia N, Hertfordshire >> Recycle my household waste, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Kezia Blakeley, Hertfordshire >> Don't buy herbs if you can grow them, Emily Sterman, Hertfordshire >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Joshua Silver, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Kosmin, St Albans >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Green, Borehamwood >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Jacqueline Sefton, Bushey >> Take showers instead of baths, Sophie Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Joshua, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Benjamin Isaac, Herts >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Abby Rosen, Elstree >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Amanda Finestone, Borehamwood >> Try to have a shower instead of a bath and will not sing in the shower for too long, Sadie, Hertfordshire >> Cycle at least once a day, Jamie Cooper, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, holly, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Michelle Hertz, Stanmore >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, nicola weisfeld, hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Holly Weisfeld, Hertfortshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joshua Collins, Hertfordshire >> Eat less meat, Stephen Scott, London >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Hannah, London >> Continue to educate myself and others in ways of taking care of our earth, Raven Moon, Connecticut >> Try to live on less and take pleasure in the effort, Erich Connell, Greenville, NC >> I will be a vegertarian on a weekly basis, Lee-Ann, Tauyuan, Taiwan >> I promise to make sure all recyclable items go in the recycling and not in the bin, Lara Gordon, London >> I will try to keep recycling my clothes and not buy too many new ones, L.Bratter, North London >> I promise to recycle by altering my clothes, Anita Lancet, London >>

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Go Solar

Everything you always wanted to know about installing solar PV panels…but were afraid to ask.

We take a close look at one North London resident’s journey to the sun, as he decides to install solar PV panels on his property.

Thanks to the Government's Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme, should home owners choose to install solar PV panels, they can get a 10% p.a. return on their investment, as well as producing renewable energy to power their homes - a great way to save money, make money and be green.

Harris Rosenberg is just one example of many who decided to take the plunge and install the panels. He was guided through the process by Energise Barnet, a community initiative for the residents of Barnet offering impartial and expert advice on every step of the installation process. We have more information on solar panels and Energise Barnet here.

Harris sent us these videos and pictures, documenting each step of the way, starting from when he had the initial survey done to life post-installation. Here's how he got on:

Firstly, introductions. The experts arrive at Harris’s North London home and tell us a bit about themselves and what they do:

And introducing...Harris's North London abode before all this started. A perfectly normal house and a perfectly normal street...but with extraordinary potential for renewable energy:

The house as it was

Let the experts speak # 1. We hear more from Nigel Farren, Founder of Energise Barnet, on what he does and who they are:

Let the experts speak #2. We hear more from Steve Pearce, Managing Director of Precise Heating Services, who’ve come to carry out the survey on Harris’s home:

Our survey says. Steve walks us through the process of having a detailed survey done on your property, the first main step for those seriously looking into solar PV panel installation.

Must-see viewing for those who’ve ever wondered: ‘What is an inverter?’, ‘What is a credit meter?’ – and, the question that often keeps me up at night, ‘What equipment is fitted to claim those all important Feed In Tariffs?’:

More surveying. Andy from Precise Heating Services talks us thropugh the practicalities of the survey:

Going through the roof. Andy goes up, up and away into Harris’s loft to check out how viable solar installation is from a structural point of view:

Don't hit the roof. Andy’s verdict on the roof – will Harris’s loft meet the all important criteria for solar PV installation?

Green light. Now that Harris has had the all-clear, the process really begins. First, the solar panels arrive, as does the scaffolding:

The panels themselves Scaffolding company

Looking pretty in the neighbourhood. The scaffolding goes up. Don't worry, it comes down again later:

It's all go here. A still of the house with scaffolding and the roof sees its first bit of action:

The frames go up House with scaffolding

Chockablock. The roof gets even busier:

Ladders on the roof Drilling on the panels

Panels galore. The first lot of panels are in place and the guys start work on the second row:

First panels in place More panel work

Ta da! And all the panels are done!

Let's get technical. Electricians put the power supply in for the converter. Ron talks us through installing the invertor and other technical delights:

Getting into the mains. More technicalities, this time with the mains:

Night time solar energy? But how can that be, with no sun? Harris discusses storing energy from the panels at night, meaning all your energy needs will be met by solar power - you won't have to get anything from the national grid (you lucky people):

And finally...Harris's home as it sounds today, minus scaffolding and plus solar panels:

The solar house

Interested in finding out more? Get in touch with Nigel from Energise Barnet at nigel@energisebarnet.org.uk - don't forget to mention Big Green Jewish!

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