please empty your brain below

DG, you make a good argument, but, in the words of the Tesco ad, every little helps and anything that makes people think about how they can save energy cannot be a bad thing.

As an aside...the washing powder ad that claims it does just as good a wash at 30 degrees than it does at 40 degrees. I would have thought that the only way that this is possible would have been to have stronger detergents and chemicals in the powder. If so, what is the knock on effect to the environment? Are they just as biodegradable as the old powders?

I see your point. But I suggest you use straw and newspaper to line your walls and ceiling. No one will ever see it and it is a green way to save energy. I expect pictures.

I can manage excatly 0\\% and it would be harder to find a greener person than me. But, that's because I did it all years ago, and, as you say, you can only do some of the things once.

A way that a huge difference could be made would be legislating that offices had to turn off unnecessary lights and PCs at night. Just walk through any big city after dark and you'll see what I mean.

Oh... and the washing thing... It is recommended that bed linen be washed at 50 degrees to kill the little nasties that live in beds.

There's seems to be a problem with your comments DG - although they are appearing, a whole box full of computer speak comes up after one posts; this ends: "comment = '116901708383528151'The table 'HS\\_incoming\\_comment\\_log' is full". We've broken Haloscan!

I made 7\\% - woo hoo! I agree that every little helps, but that it what the list is missing - more little changes people can make easily on a daily basis. Based on this list, you have to undertake major works to make your 20\\% - most people just won't do that unfortunately.

Don't panic - it's blogland wide. Haloscan problem not yours.

We have a similar problem - we've done all of those that we can do (and will do again in the new place) - but I don't think we're the people this thing is aimed at.

I'd suspect that it's aimed more at the people who don't do owt already, and/or the ones who say "well I can't do much, so I won't do anything" - as an earlier commenter says, "every little helps", and I'd hope that that website is aimed at pointing that out.

Agree with Lyle, it is somewhat preaching to the converted. Unless you are interested in climate change and saving energy your unlikely to be on that website anyway, but at least they're trying.

Saying that, I have no idea if my boiler is condensed or not, but I am not forking out for a brand new one when the current one is perfectly adequate.

The only one I could change is 30C washing, and it's only bed linen or heavily stained things that get hot water - everything else is already at 30.

I suppose I could replace the TV with an LCD. They're supposed to suck less juice. It's true that a lot of this stuff just cannot apply to rented Victorian flats.

I think LCD TVs suck more juice than convential TVs. Or possibly, they suck less juice per square cm, but more, because they're larger. Or something.

Unless you install cavity wall insulation or a condenser boiler, then you'll never get to 20\\%, even if you do have a loft.

I've got another suggestion for the list though: "Stop being an American (33\\%)"

If we could back claim by about a year then we could have:
instal loft insulation
instal cavity wall insulation
energy saving appliances (well we bought a new dishwasher and washing machine)
giving us a grand 21.8\\% woo hooo

I also want to claim a few percent for having a car which averages 60 to the galon and keepimg cars for at least 5 years to get good value and reduced environmental impact from car production.
If we can back claim about 5 years for our low energy lights and the 1 degree drop in thermostat, washing at 30 degrees and a few more for having 2 wood burners in which we are currently burning our old roof so the heating hardly ever comes on anyway.

If we can go back 10 years then we catch the condensing boiler and we have a grand total of..erm...lots.
What do we win other than the knowledge that we are doing something for the planet for the children of owners of 4WDs doing 20mpg who clearly do not give a f**k?

We could start by banning the sale of "old fashioned" light bulbs at once. Seeing the displays in supermarkets of loads of very cheap but inefficient bulbs shows just how much they really care.

Stop being so negative. Some people are already doing a lot of these things sure, but others will easily be able to cut their emmissions by 30\\%+

Just do your bit. if 1.3\\% is it, that's better than nothing.

I'm sure if you tried really hard you might be able to think of some more things all by yourself!

I'm not being negative about saving the planet, I'm being negative about the way this website blindly assumes that its advice suits everybody.

I'm not shooting the message, I'm shooting the messenger for a badly-focused campaign.

A lot of people are already thrifty energy-users 'cos they can't afford big bills. The couldn't-care-less brigade will have to save a lot more than 20\\% if an *average* of 20\\% is to be achieved.
vagrant is probably right that some people could cut their emissions by 30\\% but how do you get them to take any notice?
Incidentally, that EST website has the tone of a revivalist meeting, very off-putting.

Well DG, perhaps it is a good thing that you have already are so green and creating so few emissions. If you don't use your heating much you have no need for insulation in any case.











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