How environmentally friendly are you?

[Tom]

How many people here take steps to reduce the harm they do to the environment? Like waste composting, using natural materials over man made materials, energy saving lightbulbs, solar panels etc?

Myself, I could do better, but so far:

1) I refuse to use plastics on my house
2) I use energy saving lightbulbs
3) I don't keep lights on in rooms I'm not using
4) I don't use the heating much
5) I don't use a dishwasher or tumble drier
6) I bought the most efficient fridge and washing machine available

I plan to install a mini wind turbine when they become available, and I will at some point get a composting bin for my organic waste.

 

[Tilda]

1) We havn't used plastic on our house (not sure if we refused, or if it just happened)
2) We use energy saving lightbulbs, in most rooms
3) We don't keep lights on in rooms we're not using
4) We don't use the heating much
5) We don't use a tumble drier
6) We bought the most efficient fridge and washing machine available
7) We havea huge compost heap made out of railway sleepers!
8) We have a "recycling bin" for bottles, plastic and paper that my mum takes to the supermarket once a week.
9) And yes, my dad is also planning to make a wind turbine thing on our roof

Tilda

 

[Will]

Mostly Kirsty's influence, but we recycle everything that can be (plastics, paper, cans, clothing), use energy saving light bulbs, have efficent appliances. We don't have a washing machine or tumble dryer, because we are poor, and I cycle everywhere.

 

[Tilda]

Forgot our quadruple glazing,
and that our parents make us walk, bus or cycle everywhere

 

[Will]

Forgot our quadruple glazing,
and that our parents make us walk, bus or cycle everywhere

That's because they are sick of you treating them like a taxi service.

 

[TdC]

1) I refuse to use plastics on my house but sometimes can't do without plastic bags.
2) I use energy saving lightbulbs in rooms where lights are likely to be on for longer periods of time.
3) I don't keep lights on in rooms I'm not using (but sometimes I forget to turn them off because I'm like that)
4) I don't use the heating much unless it's so cold I can feel it through a thick sweater
5) I don't use a dishwasher but I do use a tumble drier, mostly because I lack a space to hang my washed clothes.
6) I have no idea what the energy rating is on my fridge/freezer, but if I get a new one I shall certainly get an efficient "green" one.

 

[TdC]

I forgot to mention I have six computers of which two are always on

 

[Clown]

1) I refuse to use plastics on my house

So, err, huh? You got a wooden toothbrush? You don't have any tupperware? What am I getting wrong? OMG THEY USED TRACTORS TO BUILD MY HOUSE. I'm not going to live there now, I'm ECO FREE!

 

[Tom]

No, what I mean is that I use natural materials on the house itself whenever possible. There are 2 PVCu windows on the back of the house that I had to install when I bought it, but only because there was so much work to do I couldn't afford anything else at the time. When the seals break down (which they will), I will replace them with wooden windows.

I am also going to replace the PVC guttering with cast iron or copper. And for your information, my house was built in 1910, so everything was very likely horse-drawn, or steam-pulled, with the exception of the materials themselves being made in factories that would have burnt coal (but that was viable at the time).

I'd love to cycle to work, but frankly thats impossible for me. Besides, why cycle when I'm about to buy a car that does 0-60 in less than 7 seconds?

 

[TdC]

I'm glad TT's have a good mile to the gallon rate


soz Thomas

 

[Tom]

40 mpg tops on the motorway, which is where I spend most of my time

 

[JingleBells]

At home we have to recycle as the council have set up a weekly recycling collection, and only fortnightly bin collection. But in manc:

1) Energy Saving lightbulbs in all rooms where we use lights, no bulbs in the others
2) No Tumble Dryer or Dishwasher
3) I walk to work
4) My flatmates car runs off vegetable oil
5) The windows are wooden, and have no seals

I wouldn't describe my household as environmentally friendly, we're just lazy students saving money

 

[dysfunction]

I'm not eco friendly at all.

I dont recycle as there are no facilities for this. My local dump has one compactor bin where everything gets dumped into.
I use the cheapest light bulbs
I'll buy any Fridge/Freezer/Washing machine etc that I think will be good for my kitchen. If I had space for a dishwasher and tumble dryer and I would have one.
I use the heating whenever I feel cold.
I would use plastics on my house if I found it necessary.

I feel the companies and the governments should be the driving the eco friendly route not the individual. If companies didnt produce so much environmentally harmful items then people wouldnt be able to buy them. The government should also do more with regulating companies production and have facilities for everyone to recycle.

I bet we could all have had non polluting cars by now if the motor companies put their minds to it.

 

[Will]

But the companies would say that there is no market for it. And the free market is God. Untill consumers ask for something, it won't be provided.

 

[GDW]

Am I the only one who doesnt understand the logic of not using plastics in a house and then buying a car that contains about 100kg of plastic that does sub 20 miles to the gallon.

Thats like someone asking for a diet coke with their fish and chips .

 

[GekuL]

- Don't recycle, because I can't be arsed. If there was a collection service or bins near my house I'd probably consider it.
- Lights, usually turn them off if there isn't anyone in it but only if I'm not going back for a while. Don't use energy saving lightbulbs, and turning lights on and off is going to break the filaments quicker on normal lights so it's more economical to leave them on if I'm going back at any time.
- My family uses a tumble dryer and dishwasher, 7 people in the house and I'm not fucking cleaning it all
- No Plastics in my house as far as I know, but that's because of it's date more than any economical reasons.
- Usually walk and use public transport, but that's because parking is a bitch where I go. I do think it's strange that one person needs 2 tonnes of metal and plastic to transport themselves. We should all be using sinclair C5's
- Heating. I'd be perfectly happy with it off all the time as I don't feel the cold much, but others in the house do.

 

[dysfunction]

But the companies would say that there is no market for it. And the free market is God. Untill consumers ask for something, it won't be provided.

But in most cases you dont have a choice. If you buy milk for example it comes in a plastic bottle. Why can't it come in something thats eco friendly?
How do I get the milk manufacturer to give me that??

Thats where government regulation comes in...

I'm also including other countries governments and industries.
There is no point in a few countries being eco friendly if you have others that still pollute in vast quantities.

Its not going to work.

 

[Will]

Thinking about it, energy saving light bulbs are cheaper in the long run than ordinary light bulbs. They last longer, and use 10% of the power.

And you get money off your new washing machines/fridges/freezers if they are more energy efficiant than the old ones.

 

[sibanac]

There are 2 PVCu windows on the back of the house that I had to install when I bought it, but only because there was so much work to do I couldn't afford anything else at the time. When the seals break down (which they will), I will replace them with wooden windows.

I am also going to replace the PVC guttering with cast iron or copper.

wouldnt aluminium windows be better then, no need to paint them en no trees need chopping down and they can be recycled at the end of their life

 

[Wij]

I'm not environmentally friendly at all

I sometimes wash less than I should. Does that help ?

 

[Tilda]

wouldnt aluminium windows be better then, no need to paint them en no trees need chopping down and they can be recycled at the end of their life

No, because the fumes released, and the fuel required to make aluminium for windows (heating, purfifying(sp?), rolling, pressing, shaping etc etc) far outweigh the cost to the environment of a wooden window.

Tilda

 

[sibanac]

No, because the fumes released, and the fuel required to make aluminium for windows (heating, purfifying(sp?), rolling, pressing, shaping etc etc) far outweigh the cost to the environment of a wooden window.

Tilda

but a wooden windows will need painting every 2 years or so and paint is nasty stuff. while most of the aluminium production could therorethicaly be done by clean energie source and alot if not all the aluminium for a window could come from empty coke cans

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I use both sides of the toilet roll. Regardless of what I left on the first side.

 

[Xtro]

I live with a girl who is a recycling Nazi.

Put a cardboard box in the BLACK (normal waste) bin and I am lectured how ten billion amazonian rainforest dwellers suffer - or something.

Consequently I have long gone past caring due to her fucking nagging. Amazingly she's vegan as well. How I love smearing bacon over her plates.

Hr. Hr.

 

[Wij]

Use her bed as your private composting bin.

 

[Tom]

wouldnt aluminium windows be better then, no need to paint them en no trees need chopping down and they can be recycled at the end of their life

Aluminium windows are no better, and actually need more care than a wooden window.

Wooden windows/doors nowadays are sourced from managed forests. The oak that I'm using for my bathroom floor is all from new growth English forests (managed).

Actually, you don't need to paint windows. You could use tung oil or similar to seal them, they're just not as pretty.

And regarding my car, I'm a good boy so I'm allowed to treat myself now and again. And cars these days have to be largely recycleable (can't remember the %age but its well over 50). Whats better, a new car, or buying an older car that uses less plastics and metal, but spews more toxins into the air, and drips contaminated oil/water onto the road?

 

[Tom]

But in most cases you dont have a choice. If you buy milk for example it comes in a plastic bottle. Why can't it come in something thats eco friendly?
How do I get the milk manufacturer to give me that??

You can buy milk from anywhere in glass bottles. 100% recycleable, glass can be melted down and reformed with no loss in quality, again and again and again.

 

[Sar]

Me?

Not at all.

 

[Yoni]

Re the use of plastic in your home:


Recycling Plastics

Also re the wood that is used within the home. You need to be VERY careful where that wood comes from. When you go into your local merchant you can ask about the origin of the wood, if they can not show you that the origin is from a "managed" source then the likelyhood is it is not environmentally friendly.

 

[Gengi]

Not very I work on an Oil Rig and fly a lot, we do recycle glass and plastic, old clothes to the charity shops. I have both a dishwasher and tumble dryer and use them a lot, UPVC windows all the way because I ma a lazy git. I will probably stick up plastic guttering and facias when I can afford it in 2012.

Later