Anita rents a workshop just near the high street. She works with a couple of friends repairing household goods - furniture, washing machines, computers, televisions and so on.

These days, products are built to last and be repaired, so when something goes wrong, people's immediate reaction is to take it to her, or one of the growing number of similar repair workshops, rather than go out and buy a new one.

It's hard work but is easier with the more recent products made of advanced materials such as ultrastrong but ultralight carbon fibre, that reduce the weight and make them much easier to handle (and transport). The new washing machines (screwed into the floor to stop them taking off) weigh so little you can easily carry one up the stairs yourself. All as energy efficient as possible of course.

Products stay clean for longer and wear harder, and that means less energy is used in maintaining them as well as using them. European regulations have meant that many household appliances have a much longer life - since manufacturers were made responsible for their disposal - and a whole service industry has grown up to service them.