Is being green the new black?

beer2006

Now I've been reusing, avidly composting and hating throwing things away (not recycling, cos I didn't know the word) for 20 odd years.
Now everyone is doing it, Great.................. or is it?

It seems to be the new fashion to be green, celebs driving enviromentally friendly cars (then jetting around the world in a plane of course) programs on tv everywhere about it. It has the makings of the DIY boom that came with changing rooms that now dying out.
Will this last a few years, then will die out?

Everyone suddenly talking about composting........ the same people I've been telling for years and years, suddenly interested because its on the telly. Why do I compost, because I hate to throw anything useful away and use the compost, why do they compost, because its enviromentally friendly........ is it really?
What does composting do that is so EF?
The only thing I can see is cut down on landfill space, but after a number of years that will have reduced anyway and you will have more space.....
Point me in the right direction here.

Show me someone who thinks about their impact on the planet and I'll show you someone who I have time for, show me someone who religiously recycles every week, puts loads in the compost bin, tells everyone about how green they are and then flies off around the world twice a year and I'll show you a fashion victim.

This is meant to be a thought producing post, not particulaly having a go at anyone. I could have made it twice as long.

Ken68

It's a fashion thing, Beer. People want the accolades but not the work. But even if some of the 'green' sticks, not so bad.
Gonna take time anyway. People are geared up to wanting expensive things, like a better car than their neighbours, a dishwasher, a super dooper washing machine .
What is the point of working harder if you live at the same level as the peasants.
Rich people probably think it's some sort of anti-capitalist movement. Perhaps is. The Green Party manifesto reads like it is.

chickadee

Its a start! Unfortunately the problem is education. I seriously believe that many people don't understand the environmental impact of jetting off around the world. Low-cost airlines encourage people to make unneccessary journeys because of the low price. When people buy Kenyan green beans in their local supermarket, how many understand the environmental impact of getting them there?

TV plays a big part in educating people. If people get on the green bandwagon its no bad thing. What needs to happen is that it is followed up with other initiatives to make sure it is ingrained.

Schools are playing a part in this now. My son is at primary school and they learn abour 'Reduce, reuse, recycle'. He is also learning from my example. When it is dustbin day, he is often horrified at the amount of rubbish that our neighbours generate.

It will be a brave government that will introduce 'extra bin tax' or increase airport tax.

Unfortunately it seems that most people have to feel the impact in their wallet before taking action.

SusanCarter

I guess even if it's just a fad and most people stop, at least the little they've done is better than none and some people will continue (which is even better). Part of it is being educated about these things. I try to be environmentally friendly but I've learned loads since this green board has been set up. And it's stuff in the papers (albeit years ago) that made me have a concern about food miles. If people hear about something once then they might not bother but if they keep on hearing about it then they might well give it a shot.

pollys

I'm going on holiday and flying, not my choice, I wanted to go to an organic farm in Devon but 5 out of the 6 voted for the holiday abroad. The last time we holidayed outside this country was 7 years ago so I've gone along with the majority. We are donating to the carbon trust to try and offset our carbon emissions, we are going self-catering and plan to buy from local shops and the market.

At home we do what we can, compost (and use the compost) grow some of our own food. Shop locally, don't use the supermarket recycle and reduce.

My children are environmentally aware and know why we do these things, like chickadees' children they are horrified at the rubbish our neighbours put out for the binmen, 7 black bags today from one house of 5, so I'm told. I cook from scratch and they help just like they care for what we are growing.

This is being green in the 21st Century, yes we have the technology to allow us to fly around the world but we also have the technology to use wind, wave and solar energy to create power. A balance is needed, now where is that brave government?

doddsy

It's a fashionable trend, but let's hope some of it sticks. To tell the truth I prefer the 'fashion victim' as you put it to the defeatist "why bother, my bit isn't going to make any difference" types.

Doddsy

Murtle

Show me someone who thinks about their impact on the planet and I'll show you someone who I have time for, show me someone who religiously recycles every week, puts loads in the compost bin, tells everyone about how green they are and then flies off around the world twice a year and I'll show you a fashion victim.

I find this comment quite simplistic in a world that has become increasingly smaller.

I would class myself as green - not just a recent fad, but something I have stood for and belived in for many years even when ridiculed through my teens for it. However, I will be jetting halfway around the world in a big bad aeroplane this year. Unfortunately/fortunately that is part of where the world is at. My reason for going is partly to see my Dad who now lives halfway around the world partly to see the place he calls home. Unfortunately in order to see some of my family I have to take this action, I also have a desire to see the corners of the earth and what Mother Nature has to offer in so many disguises. I find it very hard to constantly be told since it became fashionable that if you fly you aren't green. There is a big world out there, and flying is one of the only ways to go and see it. To my mind what we should be looking at is ways to combat the pollution caused by flights, not knocking people for doing it.

SusanCarter

pollys wrote:

I'm going on holiday and flying, not my choice, I wanted to go to an organic farm in Devon but 5 out of the 6 voted for the holiday abroad. The last time we holidayed outside this country was 7 years ago so I've gone along with the majority. We are donating to the carbon trust to try and offset our carbon emissions, we are going self-catering and plan to buy from local shops and the market.

Who are the other five? How come they can make you go abroad by air?

pollys

My husband and 4 young children and there is no way that I am holidaying without them. I am already looking to next year though, staying in a Yurt.

beer2006

Murtle wrote:

I find this comment quite simplistic in a world that has become increasingly smaller.
To my mind what we should be looking at is ways to combat the pollution caused by flights, not knocking people for doing it.

I don't think it matters if its simplistic or not, is it correct?

Are the massive number of flights that are being taken affecting the climate? If they are, then saying we can't do anything about it, isn't going to help.

Can we combat the pollution caused by flights, or can we cut the number of flights? Its either one or the other. We can't do nothing, which is what we basically are doing.

As for knocking people for recyling all year, then completely ruining any benefits they may have made, by taking a flight somewhere. Why shouldn't I, is it not the truth?

moonrakerz

I have to say that in my ever so humble opinion, much of the so called green goings-on are a complete and utter waste of time. No one appears to be looking at the big picture.
Being keen gardeners we have composted much of our waste for years, but I have to admit to being more than a little bemused on some of what goes on under that ever so in-fashion heading of re-cycling.

We have lived in our present house for 20 years, for 18 of those the dustmen came once a week and took away our rubbish. They were brilliant - if it would fit in the back of the truck they would take it. One bin plus one bag, plus two bags, plus three bags - they would take it. In parallel with that we would collect our papers, bottles, cans etc and when we went to town we would put these in the containers in the supermarket car park.

Now we have official recycling - and wheely bins ! If it doesn't fit in the bin, it stays outside in the road. But don't worry - we now have our local re-cycling centre, so I can take my rubbish to the tip myself.

Finally - to my main point - this re-cycling centre must have THOUSANDS of cars going in and out every week. Is this saving the planet ? I think not. All these cars are carrying rubbish which previously would have been carried by a few extra trips of the refuse carts. And of course, there are those who can't even be bothered to drive to the re-cycling centre and dump it in the hedgrows. I, myself am making at least one trip a week there now. And before someone says (as the politicians love too) that I am making too much rubbish - I don't MAKE any rubbish, I just try to get rid of the stuff that is inflicted on me.

Has any genius in my local council considered this ? Of course not - he has his "re-cycling targets" to meet and he will meet them, regardless of any damage to the environment he might cause in meeting them - because that is not HIS problem. They tell us to use our cars less - then we have to use them to get rid of the rubbish. Surely the dust cart is the equivalent of the bus ? One dust cart trip = 100 car trips !

Joined-up (local) Government ! Good job they aren't trying to organise a p***-up in my local brewery !