by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
On Friday, March 14, 2008, the 100th Daily Mail Ideal Home Show opened its doors at Earls Court with a birthday fanfare. Yours truly had the opportunity to attend this gala opening as Editor of Green (Living) Review.
The members of the press, like myself, were then taken for a whistle stop tour around the show to the main attractions, ending up, finally, at the Eco House and the grand opening of it by David Bellamy.
The Eco House is indeed a most interesting concept and I shall, hopefully, cover it in more detail, in an article all on its own.
The first stop of the tour, though, was the Innovation Nation, and it must said that Britain always was one of the cradles of innovations, sometimes though our inventors and innovators go unnoticed, like it was the case with Trevor Baylis and the wind-up radio. While he got himself noticed no one wanted to know that radio, at the time, and now everyone wants to copy it in one way or another.
The next stop on the tour was “Century Street” and, without even having had the time to look at the exhibits inside the houses themselves, alone seeing the children's play and toys in the “play grounds” outside and having seen some of the exhibits in photos, one can but say that we have come a long way in those 100 years that the Ideal Home Show has been bringing the latest innovations for the home and garden, etc. to the consumer.
The Eco House, already mentioned, was the final stop of the press tour and it was this that obviously, amongst some other green and environmental living ideas, that caught my attention.
The Eco House, in my view, but then I am biased, is well worth a visit as well as the display of No1, Lower Carbon Drive. Anyone interested in ideas of how to reduce not just one's carbon footprint – and you know me and my view on the likelihood of climate change being man-made – but also one's general impact on the environment, which I entirely support, and also how one can reduce one's heating and other energy costs, would be well advised to pay a visit to No1, Lower Carbon Drive (use the front door though rather than the back door, as I did by accident – but hey, it was open) and have a word with the experts at hand. You will find this in the DIY and Home Improvement section of the show.
There is still enough time for everyone to visit the Ideal Home Show. It is on until April 6th, 2008 at Earls Court 1 & 2.
To book tickets or view a full list of exhibitors and attractions at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show, visit www.idealhomeshow.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 415 4144.
© Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008
100 Years Daily Mail Ideal Home Show
