Forums > Social Discussion > What do we have to do to be 'green'
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia
Posted:
There's been a fair few posts on various aspects of environmentalism, usually along the lines of "we shouldn't do X and Y because it's destroying the planet".
So, I was thinking, with a bit of prompting from Triple J radio (not often Mif talks about anything meaningful); at what point do we move on from token efforts to being green?
If you use green shopping bags and low-energy lights does that make you green? Do you have to get rid of your car and forgo central heating and/or air con?
For example, I deliberately bought a house within walking distance of work so I very rarely drive, I bought a solar heating system, a rainwater tank and turn off all sockets when not in use, my air-con is an ultra-efficient inverter and I have no central heating. On the other hand, I have no altruistic motives for any of these; I do them because they save me money. Is this green or penny-pinching?
Are we willing to do things that may benefit the environment if its inconvenient for us or going to cost us money? At what point do we say "ah, screw it!"?
There's been a fair few posts on various aspects of environmentalism, usually along the lines of "we shouldn't do X and Y because it's destroying the planet".
So, I was thinking, with a bit of prompting from Triple J radio (not often Mif talks about anything meaningful); at what point do we move on from token efforts to being green?
If you use green shopping bags and low-energy lights does that make you green? Do you have to get rid of your car and forgo central heating and/or air con?
For example, I deliberately bought a house within walking distance of work so I very rarely drive, I bought a solar heating system, a rainwater tank and turn off all sockets when not in use, my air-con is an ultra-efficient inverter and I have no central heating. On the other hand, I have no altruistic motives for any of these; I do them because they save me money. Is this green or penny-pinching?
Are we willing to do things that may benefit the environment if its inconvenient for us or going to cost us money? At what point do we say "ah, screw it!"?
There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.
Pooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
Posted:
my mum spent a long time looking at eco electricity - not sure if that was the company she went with in the end, i'll try to find out.
anyway, she now gets her electricity from one of those companies & really i think she pays about the same for the the same service but greener. well worth checking out imo.
my mum spent a long time looking at eco electricity - not sure if that was the company she went with in the end, i'll try to find out.
anyway, she now gets her electricity from one of those companies & really i think she pays about the same for the the same service but greener. well worth checking out imo.
I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
I get your point Jeff... but your statement appears as if someone, who is NOT travelling internationally by plane is "automatically" green.... I am sure you didn"t want to feed this basic misunderstanding. But however I can't quite follow up on what you are indicating. Mayyou be so kind to backup your statement with (peered websites) findings and studies?
Someone who behaves like a pig 363 days/year can't claim to be "green" when simply NOT flying to the Bahamas.........
To "be or get green" it takes loads more: Moving closer to work; using public transportation, motorbike or ideally bicycle or inline skates instead of ones own car to get there; taking your own shopping bag instead of buying plastic; recycle as much as somehow possible; shut off water and light as much as possible; avoid heating with windows open; take your garbage with you, instead of tossing it on the street; considering (energy saving) options when building a house; installing a solar power plant..... the list goes on...
I am certain Greenpeace can give you clues, or your local "green" partyparty...
As firedancers/ performers we can also do a lot to minimize our impact: Always use a proper dipping station and avoid spillage and always to remove excess kerosene from toys is just the first step.
Next would be to think, BEFORE dipping and frantically playing with fire: Did I not have enough already?
And finally whether or not to use better fuel...
Written by: jeff(fake)Written by: FireTom
And what is the crap bout "if you are not flying international, you're basically safe"??
If you take an international flight you will emit more carbon than you could save over a year. Cutting them out, by taking a local holiday for example, will cut your carbon emmissions drasticaly. Any other changes you make are trivial in comparason (but by no means useless).
I get your point Jeff... but your statement appears as if someone, who is NOT travelling internationally by plane is "automatically" green.... I am sure you didn"t want to feed this basic misunderstanding. But however I can't quite follow up on what you are indicating. Mayyou be so kind to backup your statement with (peered websites) findings and studies?
Someone who behaves like a pig 363 days/year can't claim to be "green" when simply NOT flying to the Bahamas.........
To "be or get green" it takes loads more: Moving closer to work; using public transportation, motorbike or ideally bicycle or inline skates instead of ones own car to get there; taking your own shopping bag instead of buying plastic; recycle as much as somehow possible; shut off water and light as much as possible; avoid heating with windows open; take your garbage with you, instead of tossing it on the street; considering (energy saving) options when building a house; installing a solar power plant..... the list goes on...
I am certain Greenpeace can give you clues, or your local "green" partyparty...
As firedancers/ performers we can also do a lot to minimize our impact: Always use a proper dipping station and avoid spillage and always to remove excess kerosene from toys is just the first step.
Next would be to think, BEFORE dipping and frantically playing with fire: Did I not have enough already?
And finally whether or not to use better fuel...
the best smiles are the ones you lead to 
SILVER Member
member
175 posts
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, England (UK)
member
175 posts
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, England (UK)
Posted:
Haha. You'd be suprised at how little investigating you'd have to do into ecotricity to find out what's under that shiny well executed advertising campaign.
In my opinion it's all about respect...at the end of the day, doing something is always better than nothing.
Haha. You'd be suprised at how little investigating you'd have to do into ecotricity to find out what's under that shiny well executed advertising campaign.
In my opinion it's all about respect...at the end of the day, doing something is always better than nothing.
Pooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
Posted:
i know, my mum did loads! she's stuck at home beacuse of her arthritis so she has A LOT of time on her hands
it took a lot of deciding, but she went with a smallish company...she phoned them up & chatted to them for ages. i guess it could still be not what it seems, but they did a good job of explaining it all to her.
i know, my mum did loads! she's stuck at home beacuse of her arthritis so she has A LOT of time on her hands
it took a lot of deciding, but she went with a smallish company...she phoned them up & chatted to them for ages. i guess it could still be not what it seems, but they did a good job of explaining it all to her.
I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.
PLATINUM Member
member
57 posts
Location: where butterflies fly, United Kingdom
member
57 posts
Location: where butterflies fly, United Kingdom
Posted:
I try to buy things from local shops and businesses.
Firstly the closer the shop/business, the more likely you can walk or bike to it. Or the less fuel you use driving to it.
Secondly, especially in the case of food, the more you buy off the local community i.e farm shops, vegetable box schemes, farmers markets etc, the less miles the food has travelled to get to you, therefore the less fuel used by planes, lorries, vans, cars. Next time you eat a piece of fruit, try to find out where it has come from to get an idea of miles travelled. This summer i worked in an apple orchard and was munching apples all summer grown right where i was staying. (Kelowna in the Okanagan, Canada if any of you know it)
Buying local also supports the community, which is always a bonus. Better still why not grow your own fruit and veg. I would love to do this if i had a patch of land.
I try to buy things from local shops and businesses.
Firstly the closer the shop/business, the more likely you can walk or bike to it. Or the less fuel you use driving to it.
Secondly, especially in the case of food, the more you buy off the local community i.e farm shops, vegetable box schemes, farmers markets etc, the less miles the food has travelled to get to you, therefore the less fuel used by planes, lorries, vans, cars. Next time you eat a piece of fruit, try to find out where it has come from to get an idea of miles travelled. This summer i worked in an apple orchard and was munching apples all summer grown right where i was staying. (Kelowna in the Okanagan, Canada if any of you know it)
Buying local also supports the community, which is always a bonus. Better still why not grow your own fruit and veg. I would love to do this if i had a patch of land.
SILVER Member
member
175 posts
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, England (UK)
member
175 posts
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, England (UK)
Posted:
Oh just remembered something, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested. It's a book on living ethically. It's and easy read; and quite indepth inncomparison to other mainstream "eco books". Good for those interested in making a change in their lifestyle.
A Good Life-the guide to ethical living-Leo Hickman
Oh just remembered something, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested. It's a book on living ethically. It's and easy read; and quite indepth inncomparison to other mainstream "eco books". Good for those interested in making a change in their lifestyle.
A Good Life-the guide to ethical living-Leo Hickman
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
and not expensive: linketylink
and not expensive: linketylink
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
marmite and nutella sandwich
1,590 posts
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
1,590 posts
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
Posted:
You just have to do all you can to be green, from big to small, everything counts
You just have to do all you can to be green, from big to small, everything counts
THE hop Pyro.
(with parents)
Unowned
PLATINUM Member
member
57 posts
Location: where butterflies fly, United Kingdom
member
57 posts
Location: where butterflies fly, United Kingdom
Posted:
yes i recommend this book too. My sister bought it for me for christmas. Great book.
Also the good shopping guide by charlotte Mulvey. i have the 4th edition, but now there's a 5th. it has loads of different brand names for loads of different products and tells you under lots of different catagories, how green they are. Its about 10 pounds.
Written by:
Oh just remembered something, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested. It's a book on living ethically. It's and easy read; and quite indepth inncomparison to other mainstream "eco books". Good for those interested in making a change in their lifestyle.
A Good Life-the guide to ethical living-Leo Hickman
yes i recommend this book too. My sister bought it for me for christmas. Great book.
Also the good shopping guide by charlotte Mulvey. i have the 4th edition, but now there's a 5th. it has loads of different brand names for loads of different products and tells you under lots of different catagories, how green they are. Its about 10 pounds.
veteran
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
Posted:
So thats UK, is there anything like that in Australia, does anyone know?
So thats UK, is there anything like that in Australia, does anyone know?
GOLD Member
*slou?
6,554 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
*slou?
6,554 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posted:
sounds similar to a book on global climate change by a man called George Monbiot Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning
you can't say he's not thought out these things.
asking from victoria Hanz, i would say you could check out Friends of the Earth in Melbourne, who have a nice range of books
Hope this helps
sounds similar to a book on global climate change by a man called George Monbiot Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning
Written by: george monbiot
Failing all that, I have one last hope: that I might make people so depressed about the state of the planet that they stay in bed all day, thereby reducing their consumption of fossil fuels.
you can't say he's not thought out these things.
asking from victoria Hanz, i would say you could check out Friends of the Earth in Melbourne, who have a nice range of books
Hope this helps
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
I got it: get paint, a brush and call maus, if you're male - call ME, if you're female 
I got it: get paint, a brush and call maus, if you're male - call ME, if you're female
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
veteran
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
Posted:
thank you adya!!!!
thank you adya!!!!
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