Changing habits to meet changing society

Dishwashers use less water than washing up by hand, so not having one is a false economy. www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-research-reveals-how-little-water-dishwashers-use-compared-to-hand-washing-aGVXG4M9NInY

I have a full size dishwasher and run it once every two days.

You do not need to unplug devices all the time. Just turn them off or switch off at the wall. We have never had our televission on standby.

Our heating is 'on' 24/7/365, but we have a thermostat with different settings for different times of day and night, so it may be on, but it isn't operating, so is not using any fuel - except for the thermostat.

I have never had a tumble dryer, but I have always lived in houses where there is drying space indoors. If I was living in a small flat with no outddor space and posibly with a child, I would probably need one. Especially if they had any respiratory problems as damp breeds mould and that can aggravate respiratory problems. This would apply to older people with respiratory problems living in small flats without outdoor space.

I am with Rosie51 many green measures are greenwash, and many measures are dependent on your living circumstances. The same flatdweller who needs a tumble dryer, is unlikely to have any space or use for composted vegetable matter.

No one has mentioned buying second hand furniture. We have always furnished our homes with secondhand furniture. The only furniture in our house that was bought new is the mattresses and sofa. Every few weeks we browse our local aution rooms and it almost makes me cry to see the price good quality furniture sells for, if it can be sold at all. Much of it goes to landfill after remaining unsold.

We recently struck a deal, after the auction, for a modern 6 foot pine book case. For sale in pine shops everywhere for £300. We paid £20 and no extra trees were cut down, beyond those for the original owner.

No one has mentioned ebay or Freecycle/Freegle as a means of rexycling goods. I use both extensively.

Like Bluebelle most of the items on *gagajo's list I have always done. I ceased using single use plastic bags in the 1970s. Have never thrown food away unless completely rotten. giving up the car etc is fine when you live in an urban area, but not in a rural area. But I plan each outing so tat i do as much as possible on every outing.

We all live in different places in different circumstances and one person's necessity is another person's luxury. We also have to balance , for example, energy saving versus environmental issues. For example, washing your clothes aat 30 requires the use of harsh and environmentally damaging detergents, also, as 30 degrees does not kill bacteria, you then need to use more chemicals to make sure your washing is properly sanitised. I wash at 60, but use less environmentally damaging washing liquids. I also only use the washing machine once or twice a week.

I think most people these days are thinking hard about what they can afford or what they consider most environmentally friendly, but we all make our decisions based on our circumstances.

Thankyou Monica that was a really balanced post.

Ditto most of your list GagaJo. I turn off kitchen appliances and welcome the reminder about chargers. Could do better.
I’ve become my grandmother. Vinegar, bicarb and soda crystals hold greater appeal for me than dedicated cleaning products. Someone will probably come along to point out the disadvantages of them, though.
Years ago I worked with someone who disregarded dry clean only instructions. If something didn’t survive a low temperature wash she had no truck with it. Very, very seldom did she have a problem.

Last night there was a programme about Warburton's.

I didn't see it all but the presenter reported from a charity food depot where the chap said that charities can't deal with the tons, yes tons, of bread that are leftover at the end of each day in supermarkets. Seems it's all do with company rivalries; the expectations of the supermarkets wanting fresh bread daily; and consumer demand.

Sliced wrapped bread lasts a good few days - why does there need to be fresh deliveries every single day, and a huge over-supply? Going on what the charity worker said I presume that tons of the stuff is simply wasted as there's too much to even give away.

So a massive waste of raw materials, energy, and fuel for the juggernauts that deliver the stuff nationwide, plus the resources needed to recycle/dispose. Never mind the pollution!

Good post MOnica: I agree with you 100% about "preloved" furniture. Most of mine is second hand, and my children have followed my thrifty ways. As I posted elsewhere, one of the positive leftovers from lockdown is the acceptance that you put outside of your house items you no longer want for passers by to take. My daughter and son in law have emptied a garage, a loft, and garden, from their bought-from-a-hoarder house by using the pavement outside their house with a sign " help yourself ".
Most of it has gone- just a couple of trips to the tip. Happy new owners, loads saved from landfill, fewer things bought ?

MissAdventure

I boil myself in a bucket with some pieces of old cloth, then throw in some lentils to turn it into a nutritious soup when I've finished.

Made me laugh this morning MissA

Living with things until they are beyond repair is probably something that our generation does. My children think nothing of replacing furniture, electricals etc just because they are out of fashion or they fancy a change.
If there was less demand there would be less waste.

Miss A- I hope that you heated the water with solar panels....

I do avoid buying anything in plastic if there’s a glass or metal alternative - all too often there isn’t, though. I stopped buying plastic boxes of laundry pods a few years ago - back to good old powder in cardboard - mind you that was at least partly because I’d read of how they gunge up the washing machine, not to mention that they were an absolute bugger to open.

If doing the shopping dh has to be told not to buy the plastic squeezy bottle of mayonnaise/honey/golden syrup, etc. - I think it’s finally sinking in. I now only buy cooking oil in glass - British rapeseed oil from Asda.

Re food waste, hardly anything ever gets wasted in this house, but that’s not a new thing at all - I am Queen of Leftovers and Using Up.

We still have two cars, but I hardly use mine any more - I take the bus - we are lucky to have very good public transport - or walk. Dh uses it rather more - for trips to the tip, or heavier/more awkward DIY stuff. His is a lot older but rather bigger and used largely for longer journeys - e.g. the 7 hour one to France we’ll be doing soon.

Tumble drier is used far less now but still necessary for the odd thing - e.g. pillows and my down-filled gilet.

We do still fly, inc. recently to a friend in Majorca. And will in September, to visit my sister in Cape Cod. So I’m not claiming any kind of eco-virtue.

MissAdventure

I boil myself in a bucket with some pieces of old cloth, then throw in some lentils to turn it into a nutritious soup when I've finished.

Planning to give up our rural (semi-rural for the few years) life, with its dependence on cars, for high density urban life, walkability, and public transport.

I waver between ‘can’t wait’ and ‘this is the worst idea ever’ on a daily basis.

MissAdventure you are definitely the winner of this thread!!
No one can top that!
I’m afraid my mind was running along similar lines!

Oh, others I forgot. For my outer clothes (not underwear), I don't use detergent. They clean perfectly well with just water. I've taken to using only the 15 minute wash and it's fine. Obviously, anything more soiled or bedding, gets a longer wash plus detergent. To be honest, the no detergent thing didn't start as an eco measure, it was because I wear a lot of black and I was fed up with detergent fading it. But discovered it washed perfectly well without.

People who don't use plastic - what do you do about bin bags? We have to bag our household waste (not the stuff that goes in the cardboard/recyclable bin) or the binmen won't take it.

If you could get strong paper binbags I would consider using them, but AFAIK they are not available. I do try to use the ones that scam charities put through the door, and repurpose bags that have been used for other things, but even so, I can't avoid buying binbags, which are the ultimate in single use plastic.

As an aside, autocorrect doesn't like binbags either . I've had to change beanbags and bonbons back to 'binbags' already.

I Turn the microwave off at the wall because apparently on standby that can use quite a bit of electricity over the year. I don’t drive and I don’t fly so I think I’m doing my bit…?

Re phone charges read this article www.howtogeek.com/231886/tested-should-you-unplug-chargers-when-youre-not-using-them/

I think it is only old charges that are bad

We try to be as careful as we can be with electricity/gas/water and there's hardly ever any food waste here.
We are lucky to have a 'take your own container' plastic free shop locally so I can buy what I need rather than a big packet of something. I also have a good butcher and a veg market.

Both have bikes and use them whenever possible, car when necessary so that's sometimes once in a fortnight sometimes every day depending on what we're doing.
We have kept away from public transport throughout the pandemic and still do so.

Charity shops are a way of life for me - I liked to ring the changes when I was teaching so often would buy something, use it for a little while and then take it to a different charity shop. Anything from everyday wear to wedding outfits have been sourced from charity shops! Do the same with books - especially reference ones.
OH has had the same clothes for years!
Just try to be mindful while living a normal life really.

Further, we have never had either a dishwasher or a tumble dryer. Some folk would really struggle to cope without these fundamentally unnecessary items nowadays.

Maybe "fundamentally unnecessary", but to some - like myself and my partner with disabilities that make standing at the sink or walking up steps and a gradient to get to the washing line holding on to a basket of washing in one hand and a walking stick the other - quite difficult and painful... they do appear to be crucially necessary.

I have chronic venous insufficiency in my legs, my partner can barely walk. Both tumble drier and dishwasher allow us to remain independent of outside help.

A washing machine is also intrinsically unnecessary - we could do washing of clothes and linen by hand (or in the bath tub if you have one)... but I'm really pleased I don't have to. Basically, because I couldn't stand long enough to do it!

I have been doing everything you have been doing GagaJo apart from unplugging things. It causes arguments because my husband has everything on standby. I have been re using and washing plastic bags and lunch bags for years. I use recycled plastic bottles in my veg garden for all kinds of uses.
I don’t always peel veg or if I do I make something out of them. I come from a big family so food waste to me is a crime. I do eat meat and fish but only in small quantities and from sustainable and traceable sources. I grow fruit and veg in season and I order a box of mixed fruit and veg that would otherwise be thrown away.

MissAdventure

I boil myself in a bucket with some pieces of old cloth, then throw in some lentils to turn it into a nutritious soup when I've finished.

... I'm loving this!

oh MissAdventure you are a scream!
I was going to say I do all those things already but.....

I was just saying, as I waited an hour for my bus in central Edinburgh while I watched as 4 tour buses passed me along with solid traffic belching out fumes and moving at a snail's pace.
What happened to climate crisis?
My cousin from America is coming to stay, for one week. Was I supposed to say she couldn't?
My DS is coming from NZ this year for the first time in 4 years. What was I to say?

I accept that we all have to make changes and cut down and I have turned off the heating though it is freezing still.

My shampoo and conditioner, in bar form, have lasted me over a year and I do wash my hair once a week

Dickens

MissAdventure

I boil myself in a bucket with some pieces of old cloth, then throw in some lentils to turn it into a nutritious soup when I've finished.

... I'm loving this!

Ditto! ?

MissAdventure

I boil myself in a bucket with some pieces of old cloth, then throw in some lentils to turn it into a nutritious soup when I've finished.

???

You always cheer me up MissAdventure
We need to keep laughing otherwise .....

Dishwashers use less water than washing up by hand, so not having one is a false economy
And you can put the dishcloth in the dishwasher too!

I doubt I could squeeze myself in there as well, though.

?