How Green Are You?

[EcclesCake]

I'm not a fervent eco-warrior but I do want to do my bit for the environment and preserve resources/save money.

I caught up with a friend today who proudly announced that she washes every garment they wear.....after one wear.....including jeans!!! She also irons just about everything.

How important is it to you to look after the environment and what steps do you think are reasonable to take as part of every day life? And what would you/wouldn't do?

[ummmm]

I recycle. That's about it.

[dotty.]

I buy mcdonalds and they recycle their frying oil to make bio-diesal

[bednobs]

i never do any ironing. I promise it's for "environmental" reasons ;)

[sunny-dave]

I still remember the "save water, bath with a friend" campaign with great affection ...

... but I'll do most things - reduce/recycle/re-use.

It seems an interesting conundrum that the most committed 'greens' (with a small 'g') are often people without children ... I have family members who are much too busy to save the planet for their own children ...

[Tilly2]

I recycle too. I try not to use too much water, and electricity. I compost my kitchen waste. I try to walk rather than use the car. I don't use pesticides in my garden, I feed the birds and have a wildlife friendly garden. I buy outdoor reared meat and local vegetables. I have solar panels. That's about it.

[Maydup]

I'd like to think I make as little enviornmental impact on this earth as possible. It also saves money!

I wouldn't wash anything unecessarily and rarely iron! I use, reuse, reduce and recycle whenever I can; so reuse shopping bags, even plastic bags which I keep veg in the fridge are the same ones used over and over. I grow my own veg and batch cook to keep the freezer nice and full and efficient.

I use non chemical household products and avoid things like air freshener altogether. We recycle everything we can and compost peelings and garden waste. We have 4 compost b ins and 3 water butts. On the down side we have put our heating on now! and we do run two small and economical cars. We live in the countryside and have little alternative but we do only about 18,000 miles between us per year.

Its more of a way of life for us than a challenge, but we are by no means perfect.

[Prudie]

That's a responsible lot Tilly. I recycle but am actually quite wasteful with water and electricity.

[EcclesCake]

I think that is the default position for many Umm, better that than nothing.

I'm curious how many have/do:-

turn off the tap when cleaning their teeth?
harvest rain water?
utilise solar energy?
look out the window and see it's a good drying day, instead of using dryer?

Etc....etc...

And, what else do you do?

[ladybirder]

I'm very careful, don't waste anything if I can help it. Put another sweater on before I'll turn on the heating, don't use the washing machine until I've got a full load, never waste water or food and recycle goods rather than chuck them away. It's a way of life, I don't even think about it. I just think it's wicked to waste stuff when other people in the world have so little and I do my best not to.

[vodkancoke]

I am a walking contradiction! I recycle, I keep my central heating off most months and I walk rather than use the car (when my ankle works!)
However, I do what your friend does and I wash everything after one use including towels. I also iron everything and keep the water running when I brush my teeth.

My parents have solar panels on their house (in Scotland!!) but I live in a flat so it's not possible for me.

[Maydup]

turn off the tap when cleaning their teeth?
- I try but achive it about 50% of the time
harvest rain water?
- Yes 3 water butts to us eon the veggie patch
utilise solar energy?
- No
look out the window and see it's a good drying day, instead of using dryer?
- Always and if its wet, I spin the clothes hard and hang around the house only drying in the tumbler for the last 15 minutes to fry them completely.

Am also very concious of food miles and try very hard to buy local or at least British.

[EcclesCake]

Good point Maidup, unnecessary use of chemicals is a vital part. Unfortunately I hate Ecover and am discovering the Method range and another organic/natural cleaning product than doesn't make you cough.

[ummmm]

I'm more green than I thought then. I keep the heating off, all lights are off, never leave the tap running, walk for shorter journeys...etc

[Maydup]

No not keen on Ecover either. I use Faith in Nature for laundry liquid and wasking up liquid. Oh and their shower gel. I use Jason shampoo and conditioner and a lovely light lavender and lemon had gel. Still use ecover limescale remover as nothing quite beats it and I'm not keen on the smell of vinegar!

[ladybirder]

Oh yes I try and buy only local fruit and veg etc if possible, don't use insecticides, use water butts. When I wash my hands I wet them, turn the tap off, soap and wash them, then turn the tap on to swill the soap off. Having a water meter makes you more careful with water. Of course I feed the birds and the foxes. One of my best friends does just the opposite and insists in sitting around in shorts all the year round even in the coldest weather. Instead of a cloth to wipe stuff down, he uses those impregnated cleaning wipes that you then chuck away. So I think he cancels out all my efforts.

[EcclesCake]

Maidup you've made another good pint that is close to my heart.....food miles.

I try to eat seasonally and locally to get the best produce, at its peak and for the best price. I avoid all air-crated, out of season produce in favour of UK grown. I am happy to sacrifice eating green beans or asparagus just to ensure them at their peak and to truly asppreciate their value on the table.

[sophie_1003]

We don't have a tumble dryer so everything is air-dried.
Recycle everything the blue-lid wheelie bin will take; which is almost everything.
Wash things after 2 wears (apart from underwear, that would be a bit gross!)
Avoid putting heating on and then turn radiators right down in rooms we don't use as much.
Lights only on in room we're sitting in.
We share a small engined car and I drive to work (MrS walks) as it is 15+ miles away but do feel awful driving and being surrounded by other cars occupied by just one person. But public transport would mean a train and two buses and would be impossible to get there on time.
Not into environmental cleaning products and shop at Aldi so not much choice there on where things are from!
So probably a medium shade of green for me?

[EcclesCake]

Oh hell, does everyone have a friend who will only wear a short sleeved t-shirt and have the heating on full blast......and when it gets hot open a window?

Totally baffles me!

[sunny-dave]

No tumble dryer, just an outside line, an airer and an airing cupboard. No dishwasher - I just don't believe the stuff about them reducing water/energy usage, especially if you factor in the environmental costs of producing the appliance.

Food miles is a particular hobby-horse of mine - more important in many ways than the 'organic' sticker. Why do we need 365 day seasons for everything? Eat local and eat seasonal - better for the planet and a darn sight more interesting too.

[EcclesCake]

I agree Dave, enjoying fruit and veg in their natural, local season means you get them at their prime.

I enjoy cooking through the seasons, it forces a change in my repertoire and I make the most of peak quality and value.