Larger items can also be found cheaply. According to The Ecologist, 2.5 million tons of timber is removed from libraries, churches, hospitals, pubs and homes each year in the UK. Ten per cent of this is tropical hardwood, which comes from old growth forests that cannot be replaced. Save some 200-year-old trees by reusing them in the form of reclaimed wood. Older woods add individuality to a home with colours and textures that cannot be achieved from the newer pale woods. Look at www.salvo.co.uk (020-8400 6222) for wood dealers in your area; or at www.globaltrees.org for a national directory of reclaimed furniture suppliers (search under “furniture”); www.freecycle.org is a network of local online messageboards where people in your area advertise unwanted items that they are giving away.

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