From Black to Green: how facing the toughest challenge of my life led to a more sustainable lifestyle
In August 2023 I finally managed to move out of London and realise my dream of buying my first house on my own, by the sea. But within the first month in my new little house in a pretty Kent seaside town everything went wrong and I ended up facing the biggest health and financial crisis of my life. THE HOUSE OF HORRORS... I had been so glad of my escape to the sea and so eager to start a new, healthier life. I craved change and peace of mind after some tough years marred by physical and mental health issues, increasing anxiety, stress and panic attacks. I soon realised the survey on the house had missed many urgent issues. It needed a full rewire, a new boiler (found to be faulty on the day I got the keys), some new guttering, removal of a gas fire (described as a 'death trap' by the gas engineer) and a kitchen drain gulley replaced. Then, just as the work was starting on the above, there was a bathroom leak that sent water cascading on the ceiling and wall below. The ...