Kitchen gadgetry and innovations have certainly made it into the nationals over the past couple of weeks, haven't they? One that surprised me, was the article about how the use of a blue plastic ball-like object, popped in with the wash, reduces the need for laundry powder/liquid and through adding to the agitation during the washing cycle, improves the result.

This makes sense to me, since the extra agitation echoes that of the ancient laundry tradition of beating laundry on the rocks in the river, or in later years, on a washing board (my mother used to have one of those), or of scrubbing the hands under the tap, rather than smearing on soap and letting the water rinse it off. What surprised me though is that this is something I wrote about in 2000, having had a discussion with Professor David Bellamy (he of TV fame) who advocated the device's use. It was even the same colour blue although I can't recall the manufacturer. Perhaps it's the same product, which has failed to catch on, despite David's recommendations...

Still on the subject of laundry, I was fascinated to read about the development by a team of US scientists and the US Department of Energy, of an ultrasonic machine that is claimed to dry clothes in half the time an ordinary dryer takes, more efficiently, more quietly and more cheaply and without the threat of shrinkage. It uses amplified sound waves emitted by piezo-electric transducers to rapidly vibrate the clothes dry and could be ready for incorporation into consumer appliances, within the next few years. What do you think about this idea, which is something I'd not come across before?

The final piece of 'news' surprised me, in as much as Environment minister Thérèse Coffey is claiming that all new fridges could soon be supplied with a free thermometer, to ensure that consumers keep their fridges at the desired temperature, to tackle the unnecessary waste caused through storing food at too high a temperature, so it spoils quickly. She's clearly behind the times...

Perhaps we should offer to sign her up to receive KBzine, so she can read all about the wonderful things this industry is doing - such as reducing water usage and producing 'smart' appliances - which do so much more to save energy and look after the environment, than what she's suggesting!

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs