My Passion with Chris Law

Chris Law, a designer at Leeds-based display company Vert, talks about his passion for the environment and recycling.

Three years ago, I went on holiday to a campsite called Cerenety, in Bude, north Cornwall.

Some people might know it from being featured on the BBC series, It's Not Easy Being Green. Its purpose is to act as a campsite for like-minded people providing an idyllic location in the beautiful natural landscape to camp and enjoy the surroundings. It also works to promote alternative energy, something I've been interested in for as long as I can remember.

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I've stayed at Cerenety two or three times a year for the past three years, helping them to solve practical problems and develop the campsite's sustainable amenities.

It's more of an experience than a holiday but one I enjoy all the same. The campsite has offered to let me stay for free in exchange for the work I put in. During my last stay, I helped to build two corrals for the Alpacas bred on the farm. The corrals separate the Alpacas from the sheep and allow you to easily administer medicines and treatments.

Reclaimed materials are used for much of the work, mostly what's found washed up on local beaches or closed businesses – it really is in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment.

I believe individuals and businesses can do a lot more with reclaimed materials. Since working for Vert, I have become proud that my beliefs and efforts have been reflected in the ethos and practices employed by the company. We try to use as much recycled or recyclable content as possible, and it often surprises clients to know that it doesn't cost a premium, and is actually often the most cost-effective option.

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At home, I use reclaimed materials to make my own furniture, instead of going to a hardware store for DIY products. You would be surprised what you can find at a reclamation yard or even in selected skips. You should always ask of course, but people rarely say no and it isn't hard to stop builders from working, to have a look at what they intend to discard.

I recently made a coffee table for my house, which guests

often comment on. I made it from a reclaimed French oak timber truss and only used

hand tools so not to waste energy or compromise the romantic qualities of its conception.

I get a great satisfaction from producing something from nothing, with next to nothing.

My next project will be convincing my father to join me in filtering our own bio-fuels from vegetable oils.

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