At the woods we have tried to avoid the use of fossil fuelled machinery such as petrol chainsaws, as we do not consider the use of such fuels to be sustainable. The fossil fuel age has given us climate change, oil slicks, huge holes in the ground full of plastic, countless wars and dictatorships in the Middle East and the Bush dynasty figureheading the US rogue state superpower. (And as I write this thousand of troops are massing in the Middle East to invade Iraq once more, to open a new chapter in the devastation there and consolidate control of its rich oil fields for western consumers and corporations.)

A new paradigm has to be found, and people all around the oil guzzling western world are slowly waking up to this. At Steward Wood we are experimenting with wood gas powered engines and tiny hydro electric schemes, and we rely on woodfuel and good old fashioned body and arm power for most activities.

We also started using petrol chainsaws in 2006 to cross cut the larger trees that we fell, as this is so much quicker than 2 people with a 2 person saw. We have trialled a bioethanol blend in the chainsaw (a mix of petrol and ethanol from wheat), and this has been very successful,although our suplly of this has run out.

We fell trees with a two person cross cut saw, sned with axes and bowsaws, move sawlogs with handwinches and then have tea boiled over waste cardboard or woodfuel. It is true that we use a van for transport which has been run up to now on oil-diesel, but we sometimes fill it with biodiesel (treated second hand vegetable oil).

Our paraffin candles and lamps are slowly being replaced by low wattage flourescent lights, and we have a specific policy of not buying anything new, especially if it involves plastics (unless totally unavoidable), which has led us to many of Devon's finest charity shops, recycling centres and skip reclamation yards, not to mention those free ads papers. Hopefully in this way our financial support is given to the reuse industry and the second hand market rather than the large corporations desperate to sell us more plastic baubles made from the ever diminishing, ever polluting fossil fuels that we have all come to rely on.(11/2/03) (updated 2/07)

Other interesting projects exploring fossil fuel free living include the very local Proper Job - a composting repair and reuse project near Chagford, Devon (01647 432985), and Bedzed, a carbon neutral housing estate in South London. The Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales is also fairly inspiring and informing. On the campaigning side, a useful grassroots climate change network can be found at Rising Tide.