10 things you could do to become more green and ethical

HLK

Liney wrote:

Unplug your mobile phone charger
Did you know that 95% of the energy used by the UK’s mobile phone chargers is wasted energy? Only 5% is actually used to charge phones, the rest is used when the charger is plugged into the wall but not switched off at the socket. That’s over 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions that could be avoided if we all just unplugged our chargers after use – the equivalent of almost 500 football pitches’ worth of forest every year.

My OH just won't believe this ( very intelligent guy that he is normally )- he says when they aren't plugged into a phone they are not using energy .. how do I convince him .. ?

CopperPlate_2

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule wrote:

I agree, all together they cause more damage than eating meat to the world. Individually most of them are on a level with animal farming. (well, all except for the 'drugs pervading society' line).

But because other things are damaging, does that mean we shouldn't try to cure any of them?

Racism and bigotry cause huge problems in the world, but do we ignore it because "chemicals are more of a problem"? Of course not - we try to fix ALL of the worlds problems.

Was going to thank you for a supportive post and then I saw your signature! :eek: :shocked:

Then I changed my mind - still think your post is okay though.

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule

CopperPlate wrote:

Was going to thank you for a supportive post and then I saw your signature! :eek: :shocked:

Then I changed my mind - still think your post is okay though.

My post wasn't really supportive of you though - it was saying that just because some things are damaging doesn't mean we can't make a difference. That involved stop eating meat, stop using chemicals in our personal lives, stop supporting business that damage the enviroment, do support small traders by buying fairly (and fair) traded goods.


My signature? Well, thats what the polis do best - beat people up (unless you happen to look slightly brown, then its a bullet to the head). ;p

Stompydebs

dolly_day_dream wrote:

Sorry Ken but after being vegan for over 2 years I don't look ill. Quite the opposite - people comment on how well I look and I certainly have more energy than before. To be fair I am at the stage in my life when I benefit from more soya in my diet and I could reasonably be described as a very voluptous vegan:o

I am the only vegan in my family although there are vegetarians as well. I am not trying to convert anyone cos your food is such a personal thing and I will happily cook meat for visitors to my house but they always end up eating my dishes:rolleyes:

I agree that some of the literature does go over the top and that puts people off - it certainly wouldn't lure me to the cause. My view is that I live my way for a variety of reasons, one of which is to help the rest of the world towards food equality. If I can persuade people to eat a few vegan meals after eating at my house then great but willing converts are better than conscripts.

Hi,,,,

My daughter who is now 17 has followed a vegan diet for 2 years, She is 100% healthy, and full of energy. My 10 year old is vegetarian and i eat meat on occasion. I have let my daughters make there own choices. I have actually found as well that buying vegan food is cheaper,,depending what you buy of course! I often cook vegan recipes,, also think that vegan and vegetarian food can be more tasty as well! I remember telling my mums partner who is in his mid 50's that my daughter was now a vegan ,, his reaction was " She needs looking at,, you dont want to mix with those wierdos",,,, Why are some people so ignorant??? GRRR!!!!

Anyway i thought the post above mine was very sensible and good!!!

Byessss

CopperPlate_2

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule wrote:

My post wasn't really supportive of you though - it was saying that just because some things are damaging doesn't mean we can't make a difference. That involved stop eating meat, stop using chemicals in our personal lives, stop supporting business that damage the enviroment, do support small traders by buying fairly (and fair) traded goods.


My signature? Well, thats what the polis do best - beat people up (unless you happen to look slightly brown, then its a bullet to the head). ;p

I see. Thanks for clarifying that. Might as well go and live in a cave on a mountain in that case if I've to stop eating meat, stop using anything that contains chemicals, stop supporting businesses that damage the environment (good grief! which ones are left?!) and support small traders of which there are not exactly an overabundance in this immediate area.

I understand the point you are making, and it's well made. If everyone took the attitude, well what can i do about it, nothing would get done. To quote a very large supermarket 'every little helps'.

I won't get into a debate about your sig, other than I find it a bit inappropriate...but then, I take it it's meant to be tongue in cheek...

dolly_day_dream

CopperPlate wrote:

. Might as well go and live in a cave on a mountain in that case if I've to stop eating meat, stop using anything that contains chemicals, stop supporting businesses that damage the environment (good grief! which ones are left?!) and support small traders of which there are not exactly an overabundance in this immediate area.

I am feeling quite sad cos you seem to be implying that I am suffering....
I don't eat meat, buy as much food as I can locally, refuse to support unethical businesses, don't drive, recycle like mad, buy as much as I can from charity shops and try to use environmentally friendly cleaners etc but can honestly say that I am not suffering in the least. To be fair I have chosen each of these wilingly. My health has improved, my wealth has improved and my stress levels are far lower. I truly enjoy life in all its forms, I laugh often, sing and dance. I am lucky in that I am a primary school teacher which allows me to release my inner child each day:D :j

Do I do all of the above perfectly - no of course I don't I just do the best I can each day. I know that I have tried and that is what counts. I am not trying to convert you just stating that those of us who do these things are not actually suffering.

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule

CopperPlate wrote:

I see. Thanks for clarifying that. Might as well go and live in a cave on a mountain in that case if I've to stop eating meat, stop using anything that contains chemicals, stop supporting businesses that damage the environment (good grief! which ones are left?!) and support small traders of which there are not exactly an overabundance in this immediate area.

A cave? There are plenty of people (myself included) thay don't live in caves (although there are a few caves in spain with ethical minded people living in them) yet manage not be selfish idiots, ruining the environment for everyone. There are plenty of business that don't damage the environment try going outside and I'm sure you'll find one. There are small traders in EVERY area - I live next to one of the most deprived areas in the UK, which is surrounded by big-business (as all deprived areas are) yet still manage to find small traders. The middle class areas have a plentiful supply.

I won't get into a debate about your sig, other than I find it a bit inappropriate...but then, I take it it's meant to be tongue in cheek...

Depends which bit you mean? Obviously beating yourself up is tongue-in-cheek, but the sentiment behind it is deadly serious (as Xie Gulying, Jean Charles de Menezes, Bouna Traore, Zyed Benna & Gareth Myatt have all found out).

I find their deaths inappropriate.

Gorgeous_George

Save the Earth - die young.

In practice, the only thing that will make Mother Earth live longer is a smaller population. A good bout of bird flu or a proper war that halves the current population would make a massive impact on greenhouse emissions.

Vegans - Can you imagine a countryside without animals?
Vegetarians - No animals = no dairy products. Being vegetarian doesn't work.



GG

p.s. I'm two-thirds vegetarian.

p.p.s. If animals weren't meant to be eaten, they wouldn't taste so good.

CopperPlate_2

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule wrote:

Depends which bit you mean? Obviously beating yourself up is tongue-in-cheek, but the sentiment behind it is deadly serious (as Xie Gulying, Jean Charles de Menezes, Bouna Traore, Zyed Benna & Gareth Myatt have all found out).

I find their deaths inappropriate.

Whatever.

Apparently my above post, which was meant in the true spirit of humour, has fallen flat. My apologies.

I do what I can to reduce the impact I have on the environment as a whole and in its entirety. There are some things that I am happy to continue doing but to a lesser degree, i.e. driving a car, eating meat (because I like it), using electricity (but Good Energy electricity), etc. The difference being I don't feel the need to tell all and sundry about it, and wear my proverbial heart on my sleeve. And, again, I don't feel the need to criticise others for doing just that.

CopperPlate_2

kenshaz - you are starting to behave like a stalker.