The wasted resources, effort and power expended in making this load of hardwood furniture parts only to be thrown away unused is a small example of all that is wrong with global economics. And this is only half the load we collected.			Running The running costs of a property this size can be quite considerable, but over the years we have invested in long-term ways of keeping it all going in an economic and ecological manner. Water is not a problem - we have the abstraction of up to 40,000 litres, if we so wish, each day. Electricity is less of a problem now, thanks to our PowerHouse renewable energy distribution matrix which provides much of what is needed for our earning capacity. Food is less of a problem, ever since we erected our large polytunnel which gives us two growing seasons per year - chillies, peppers and melons are all very delicious, thank you very much! Our biggest expense is heating over winter (one Rayburn and one woodburning stove, both providing central heating, one providing domestic hot water and cooking facilities) but recently we have become aware of the amount of waste wood going to landfill, and subsequently have bought a trailer, to go with our landrover, to enable us to pick up loads of up to 2 tonne in one go. This varies between old pallets and demolition timber to windfallen trees and driftwood. The picture on the left is of new furniture parts which were made in Malaysia only to end up in a skip on an industrial estate in south Wales, UK.