Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 YS's homework over halfterm was to calculate the carbon footprint for his household and take the resulting action plan into school today. * click here to calculate your carbon footprint * I was pleased that we were below the average in all 3 areas but surprised that they suggested we get a dishwasher as apparently a full dishwasher is more economical than washing by hand . Depends how often you do it and how much running water you use, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Ours is nearly double the national average but there are 6 of us in the house. I use washable nappies so have extra washing but those using disposables don't get extra added on . We are in the process of changing all our candle type light fittings over in fact they were due to arrive in thepost yesterday. I counted about 60 light bulbs in our house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 60 I am too scared to work out our carbon footprint - in some areas we are very good but in others we are still very bad.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I did this a while ago and we came out under what they wanted people to be. we were under 4tons or something. We did well cause OH cycles to work so the car only gets used for the odd trip out and to do food shops and we never fly. Plus we have a brand new combi boiler, and all new A+ rated machines and dishwasher etc and dont use a hose or garden sprinkler. It is anoying though That they dont take into consideration thing like cloth nappy use, in fact they dont ask about nappies at all. or about what percentage of waste you recycle etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yes we suffered nappy wise thousgh I sue both washables and moltex. It asks how much water you boil to make tea but we ararely boil it. I have two cups of coffee a day and I use milk and the microwave. DH doesnt drink hot drinks- what rate are they calculatign that on? I also use sopanuts which though I've carried on washing at 40 as I found 30 to be "Ooops, word censored!" the runs last less than half the length of a normal wash as I dont use the rinse and use the shortest cycle anyway. I also asks about travel no I've said never to both local and long distance for public transport but the truth be told I never go anywhere. I wonder if theyre assuming I drive there instead! all the recommendations they gave us costs hundreds so we just can't do it. Now if they mad elife easier for us..... I was brutal with us and rounded up if I'm honest and we still came out way below average.What are the people above average doing!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Well someone I know spends £90 a month on her electricaity bill alone. And I really dont know how. I have a 3 bed house when she has only a flat, plus Im at home all day with heating on etc, and yet I spend £30 a month on electic. I wonder what on earth she is doing to get that sort of bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 That was really interesting to do. We came out a bit above the national average, but I know there are some areas we are better in than it gives credit for. Although we have a lot of light bulbs, 10 of them are in a chandelier type fitting that gets switched on once in a blue moon, instead we use table lamps with low energy bulbs in. And we don't car share because we fill up our car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I was impressed with the Calculator - the best one i've seen. There will always be blips. e.g. it recommends filling our dishwasher every time (which I do!) and using economy wash (which I do - and on economy 7 overnight). We only have a half-size d/w too, so i think we do quite well. We came out at 1 tonne over the average, mostly because I have a big car. With 6 of us, it is much cheaper, financially, to travel this way. Doing long journeys by train or coach is just not cost effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 We're the same with 6 in the family how could we not have a large car? We live in a semi rural location so walking and cycling isn't that easy and don't get me started on the buses. I did put the OH flies 3 times a year on domestic flights but that is for work. Does that count? Our gas and electric combined are now £175 a month which is high but we live in a fairly large house. Yes it asks how many light bulds but not how often their used, We have 8 in our dinin g room light but it's used a couple of times a year. Our lounge is rarely used and when it is it's during the day and so the lights (7) are almost never used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 all the recommendations they gave us costs hundreds so we just can't do it. Now if they made life easier for us..... Same here - double-glazing and cavity wall insulation not really an option at the moment! And unplugging chargers is not so easy when your sockets are hidden behind furniture and chargers are plugged into 4-way extensions But our fridge and freezer are getting old, so I will certainly be looking out for energy-efficient models when they start to fail... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Ooh, will try and work out ours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I did badly on the lights thing it asks how many you have as energy efficient and of the 43 (yes 43 ) I have all of the ones that can be energy efficient are it is the idiot that installed blummin spotlights in my bathroon and kitchen that are to blame I am yet to find an energy efficient alternative That and leaving stuff on standby It also said I need to have underfloor insulation my floors downstairs are concrete - go figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I did badly on the lights thing it asks how many you have as energy efficient and of the 43 (yes 43 ) I have all of the ones that can be energy efficient are it is the idiot that installed blummin spotlights in my bathroon and kitchen that are to blame I am yet to find an energy efficient alternative I've got these ones http://shop.eurobatteries.com/product_info.php?products_id=2133 but they have special fittings so you would need to change the whole fittings and probably transformer which is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I think it's a good idea to calculate the carbon footprint, but i can't help wondering if the govt is using this site to check up on people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 It didn't really work for us. I put our house in as 7 bedrooms to try and account for the granny annexe but it didn't let me put in enough televisions or cookers etc. Also the car part didn't account for different driving styles - I drive hard and fast but the anti chicken drives slowly and carefully. Also despite my constant nagging the anti chicken still leaves things switched on, earlier she was going out and I turned off 4 lights and the television in her living room!!! Oh and our leccie bill is £150 a month but the anti-chicken has electic heating in the annexe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 Interesting site, we were mostly ok apart for travel, OH flies to Europe for work so that puts our footprint up horrendously ut his complany does try to offset it. We are also advised to install underfloor heating but our floors are concrete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I think it's a good idea to calculate the carbon footprint, but i can't help wondering if the govt is using this site to check up on people? Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you etc. etc. I calculated mine some time ago and was fairly good but could do a lot better. My argument is that my score was very skewed by the fact we went to visit family in New Zealand last year. First time I have flown in over 10 years! I also agree that they don't seem to give credit for some green things you do, because they are not on their list. It could do with being more comprehensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I think it's a good idea to calculate the carbon footprint, but i can't help wondering if the govt is using this site to check up on people? Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you etc. etc. Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you Gotta find a way, to find a way, when I'm here This forum is always putting songs in my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I don't know that song, Bronze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 That would be Nirvana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 15, 2008 Author Share Posted February 15, 2008 I sort of cheated with mine - I put down that we never fly which has been true up till now but ES flies to Belgium in April, YS flies to Spain in May and all 4 of us fly to Rome in July . I'm keeping to my current calculation . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Ok I've just had our combined gas & elctricity bill in and it's £660 that doesn't include a discount of £78 for paying by DD . We pay monthly so although I knew it was high I didn't realise how high the winter bills were. We have a multifuel burner too so spend on coal as well. I think I'm off to find a little 2 bed house we can all squeeze into Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 hmm, I've come out with a total footprint of 6.46 tonnes ... below average but above the 'target'. I don't honestly think there is a lot more I can do to change my home at the moment - can't afford a new boiler or a new washing machine, although I would look for energy efficient ones when I do buy new. It's a cool website though, definitely better and more detailed questions than one of the other 'carbon footprint' ones I've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Our result was so high I wouldn't dare mention... The house is big, there are 6 of us, and as someone else mentions, you don't seem to get 'brownie points' given for anything green you do... Travelling will always be our big green downfall.... my family is abroad, my husband works for an international consultancy and flies every week, and we also fly for holidays. My closest friends live in India and Australia, so the only way to see them ever, is for them to fly here, or me to fly there... and as there are 6 of us in the family, whenever we fly our carbon footprint, as a household, really takes a blow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...