To think most people would not care if it was free.

[DrinkTaboo]

Ok so today I have been off, had friend around an catching up on a bit of washing. I throw a load on an it's like half full, I don't give a shit on it goes. Friend then tuts an tells me I am being wasteful!

AIBU to not give a shit about saving the planet every second of the day? Yes I do my bit but really I could careless if my washer or dishwasher is not full to breaking point when I put it on.

So this got me thinking and so I'm asking on here do you care? Do you worry everytime you do something about the effect it is having on the planet? Driving? Taking the bus/train? Using anything in your home that will use water or energy? And would you care still if it was all free? If heating your home in winter was free would you still limit it just to save energy or would you think bollocks to energy saving, I'm cold?

Am I a shit person for not caring? I'm not a piss take I do turn the tap off when brushing teeth, turn lights off when leaving a room ect... But yeah.

Oh btw this friend leaves her tap running for her cat! But tells me I am bloody wasteful....

I just think if all energy were free most (not all) people would not care about turning that TV off at the wall. AIBU?

Ah your friend has sadly caught Harryitis. Also called "Do As I Say Not As I Do Bores". It shows itself by a lot of regular finger pointing and ridiculous statements.

There is a cure though! You have to get them to look at you and say very firmly "Shut the hell up and sort your own life out". Repeated at regular intervals over a week's course usually produces the required effect.

I have so little time during the week, if I am doing a load I probably have 3 loads piled up so it's really a matter of how much I can squeeze in until the door won't close.
Think what is worse for washing machines is what people put in there: fast fashion and cheap tat that is made to break. Much worse than a half empty cycle.

*worse for the environment than washing machines

Dogsarebetterthancatsok wouldn’t it be better to buy another work shirt?

I would never do a load of washing that was not full, it would feel wrong. On the other hand, I probably do things other people don’t do, that are wasteful - like having a bath instead of a shower. I do think about waste though, it will be one of the factors behind every decision.

I do worry about everything’s effect, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I think about it all too much tbh. If I ever put something recyclable in the bin it'd drive me nuts if I didn't wash it out, if there's any possibility of drying outside i couldn't use the drier even when I'm fit to drop. I hate it. I also hate when Or dad ways to save the environment and all people can come up with is don't use straws or use soap. I just feel like there must be more we can do!!!

AIBU to not give a shit about saving the planet every second of the day?

I’ve seen a few of these posts this week. Strange coincidence 🤔

Cannot fathom what anyone hopes to achieve from them, other than whipping up a nice frothy lather.

I'm mostly motivated by cost. If I wasn't, I'd have an entire Instagram page dedicated to footage of a tap running endlessly, shots of me using a wash cycle to clean a shirt and two pairs of socks, pictures of unsorted rubbish etc and I would friend every sanctimonious preachy enviro-fascist bore I could get my hands on so that they could see it all. I'd be happy because I'd be pissing them off and they'd be happy because they would have an endless source of things to get pissed off and self righteous about, so win win.

I was in Bangkok recently and the anti-plastic message does not appear to have been received....there are straws and single use plastic absolutely everywhere and in huge quantities as most people don't drink tap water. When you see the scale of it in a city that size it is very hard not to wonder what the heck you can possibly do to make a difference here. I still try though!

It's a common misconception that quick programmes on washing machines use less water/energy and are therefore 'better' from an eco perspective. Not so... if you want to be more economical in your washing (NB - I'm not for a minute suggesting that everyone SHOULD, merely picking up on comments that it's what is driving some people's behaviour), then use the 'eco' programme on your machine. It will be longer, and I know it's counter-intuitive, but it's true. Eco programmes save energy by heating the water more slowly over a longer cycle. Some models can also sense how dirty the water is and recycle anything that's clean enough to use again.

I think about everything I do, yes.
I'm not taking it all on my shoulders so shrug at my imperfections rather than get bummed. But never don't think of the impacts. I hate the way plastic packaging is so hard to avoid nowadays. I remember when all the same stuff we buy now was sold without plastic packaging. It IS possible.

Cost is less motivating than need to save time, tbh. It's time I can't spare. It would take me min. 2 weeks to travel by land to see my family (vs. 16 hrs that includes a 12 hr flight).

OMG one shirt!

I do try and think about it all the time. I certainly do full washes in dishwasher and washing machine, and I only have showers at home. I might have a shower from time to time in a hotel - but so many are taking baths out and only installing showers now anyway. I do not walk enough - I live in the USA - and although we walk a lot more than we used to, it is nowhere near as much as we did in the UK. The infrastructure outside cities does not exist and distances are so big. We do walk a lot locally and our neighborhood is known as a "walking neighborhood" so it has lots of trails and pathways. My worst right now is plastic bags - I am trying to learn the discipline of carrying reusable bags so I can ditch all the plastic bags we collect. We use reusable steel straws and a lot more reusable water bottles. And I buy products that are environmentally safe when possible.

I feel good when I do these things - but that is pretty pathetic when you really think about it. It all seems pretty futile - I am not sure any of this makes a difference at all when large corporations do not change their ways.

I try really hard in my day to day life to reduce my impact/waste etc. I do think it’s important for us all to do what we can. But I cannot stand people who go about pointing out to others where they’re going wrong/not doing enough. Everybody needs to take care of their own business and let everyone else take care of theirs.

YABU

I get in from work and put it straight in as I need it for the next day. I don’t have another one as they only gave me one. I don’t have other washing as DH does it during the day. I don’t care what you all think. I need it so I do it. Bet all these people criticising drove to work today after dropping their kids off at school ( The worst things you can do for the enviroment) sick to the back teeth of all the virtue signallers just now.

Yes - I always think about it. Occasionally there are other priorities but there has to be a good reason to do the less green thing.

@Dogsarebetterthancatsok environmental stuff aside, isn’t that a total hassle? What if you have plans after work?

Can’t you ask work for a second shirt?

I’m mostly motivated by being economical rather than ecological.

The planet will look after itself. Most species since the beginning of time are extinct. I suspect humans could achieve a tiny difference to the natural cycle of climate change - despite being responsible for the speeding up of the process. There are some very easy solutions but they’re also too drastic and uncomfortable for realistic discussion.

Dogsarebetterthancatsok ask work for another shirt? Ask your DH to save the washing until you get home with your shirt?

I too do my bit and I did not even think about plastic when making this thread but yes, you are right most people will buy plastic bottles and the like over glass because it's cheaper. My point exactly.

My washer is 12kg so it's not that I was washing 1 shirt. I do full loads all the sodding time but I needed the stuff done so just threw it in. I'm not on a water meter so bloody pay sky high water rates so do feel I can justify a half load here and there. But the washer was not the point of this.

I still feel that most people would choose the less eco option if it was cheaper todo so or more convenient. Example... I could walk to work in an hour but I don't! Because I put my time first over saving the planet. However if it cost me loads to drive there I would probably way up the cost with the pay and leave or move house.

It's hard when cars come into it, because it's not like saving energy in the home but maybe that goes the show that again most will pick the cheaper over the more eco. If you have a old car and can't afford a new one, would you bin it and walk/taxi/bus it everywhere to save the planet? If it cost you a lot more monthly using said taxi/bus then keeping the old car?

I too have led bulbs and the like, again I do, do my bit. I just felt pissed off at my friend so came on here to ask if anyone else thinks the same as me. Being called wasteful is bloody rude but maybe it's true. Maybe I am. Idk anymore. Feel like the bar keeps moving.

Your friend needs to buy a cat drinking fountain.

I use the eco or quick wash (30 minute) on the washing machine if I have a small load to wash that can't wait.

Dishwasher has half load button which I often use for more than a half load, also use the eco programme which doesn't dry although as it is a Bosch none of the cycles dry anyway, even the hottest one.

I have stopped trying to wash some of the recycling clean as it takes more water than it is worth to remove the stuck on bits, and considering other people (neighbours) put the wrong stuff in their bin anyway and pollute the entire load, I doubt it makes much difference. I do recycle as much as I can, including the electric items etc. going to the dump so that they can be sold on and repaired for resale.

Textiles go to the charity shop, rags are marked clean rags on the bag.

I use less bath water than I used to, would shower but it is broken.

I can see your point. If I've got almost a full load and I can get it on the line then the washer will go on.
I recycle what I can but imho compared to what manufacturers are doing to the environment I don't think me put half a load on once a week is going to make any difference.

No l try and do my best. Use less plastic recycling and stuff like that . But l have just put on less than half a load of washing as l have no clean uniform for work tommrow. I can't magic up any more white stuff that needs washing. My machine adjustes water and time by load so l see no difference.