People more concerned about doing their washing quickly than the environment.

[Starryskiesinthesky]

AIBU to think it is totally depressing that people arent willing to make even small changes to try and stop the environmental crisis that is here. For example, not wanting to use an eco programme on machines because it takes longer, not prepared to dry clothes outside rather than use a dryer, driving everywhere rather than walking. If people who could, made small changes, it would all add up and we might be able to halt some of the damage we are doing to the environment and childrens futures.

Do you have children? If so, congrats. You've already cancelled out any environmental benefit you might get from using eco cycles on your washing machine.

Hey if you want to lecture, go ahead and lecture yourself. Before you do though, consider that UK accounts for less than 1% of global carbon emissions. Perhaps lecture the Chinese or American if you want actual results. If not, then you just want to virtue signal.

I agree op, we can all do something

I do as much as I can - I use a refill shop and milkman to avoid plastic bottles, I walk whenever I can, we are looking into an electric car, I recycle…but I also work, and in order to have washing outside by 8:30 an eco cycle would have to be on by about 5. It’s just not a realistic option.

Until there is systematic change at a much higher level there's very little impact of the measure you state.

You are free to make your choices and I’ll make mine. Don’t be sanctimonious and lecture others on how you think they should live.

The media are doing a great job of making the little people think that if they recycle more, we can solve global warming. We can't. We need serious and drastic change at the top across the whole planet and that's never going to happen. Too many men in charge destroying the planet so they can hoard money.

God these responses are depressing

@sst1234

Hey if you want to lecture, go ahead and lecture yourself. Before you do though, consider that UK accounts for less than 1% of global carbon emissions. Perhaps lecture the Chinese or American if you want actual results. If not, then you just want to virtue signal.

This again… China emits while manufacturing all the stuff we buy over here, for us. Their emissions are to a significant extent an extension of our emissions. It’s a global problem and hiding behind borders isn’t going to help.

Will look into it. Have to look at the programmes on our machine. We already have to soak sports kit in vinegar though to get the stink out!

We do have solar to produce our own electricity though. Get quite a lot. It heats our hot water in the summer. Also don't have a drier and use an airer or the airing cupboard. We also have an electric car.

I do lots with the environment in Mina dh am generally quite a conscientious person but. Having a washing machine which takes 4 hours to do a wash is a complete pain in the arse! Mine only takes an hour and when it breaks I’ll be buying another one with a sensible cycle speed.

To a point I agree, but we rarely don't use the eco wash. At this time of year drying outside tends to not work, but we air dry rather than tumble etc. However do you eat meat most days, drive an ICE car regularly, fly on holiday, have a cat or dog, have more than two children etc?

Many people do things that they feel they can without making any real sacrifices, however they want other people to make sacrifices on their behalf.

I don’t think me washing using the 4.5 hour eco setting is going to cancel out the environmental impact of you having children.

How about we all do what we can and don’t judge others?

Sometimes I use the eco setting.
Sometimes I have to use the hotter programs because my husband and my eldest son have armpits that can corrode metal.
Wont be doing any outside drying today.

It's also not that clear how eco "eco" mode is. I'm 99% sure that the eco mode on my machine is the "eco" version of the full on 2 hr cotton at 60°c wash. I don't think it's more "eco" than the 20°c low spin 1hr wash I usually program by myself!

Is that you Meghan?

Because we know that using a different cycle on our washing machine is gonna do diddly squat difference when you have the massive countries like India chucking bottles in the rivers and not giving one shit about the environment what we do here is irrelevant we are tiny in comparison that's the reality of it

When you have children and so many sports kits and uniforms, work clothes it's not feasible to use the 4 hour cycle everytime.
I do dry outside when I can and I have a heat pump dryer.
I do walk everywhere though, even with small children and in rain and snow.
I grow our own veg, rarely eat meat, buy and sell second hand, reuse a lot of things until its impossible to reuse them again.
Although I get what you're saying, I don't think you can lecture peopel without knowing everything that they do or don't do.

I don't drive, own a drier or use planes.

What are you doing to encourage companies to use less packaging? Or to stop with the plastic bags they use?

The UK isn't even in the top 10 of the worst polluters
China
US
Russia
Japan
Germany
Iran
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Indonesia

What are you doing to lecture them about reducing their pollution?

Stop buying so much stuff would be a good idea, especially plastic tat. Only buy things that you really need. This christmas would be a good time to start.

People are so defensive, I don't feel lectured at by the op at all

If you live in an upstairs flat with a tiny kitchen and no spare room, exactly where are you meant to hang out the washing?
It’s been raining for 3 days where I live. My washing would get more wet than less wet hanging on the line at the moment. My sister had 5 children, she washed twice every day. She also had a life so would Chuck the clothes in and do a 1 hour wash. She would, however, make the boys share the bath water until they reached double figures in age 🤣

I read that thread and learned about eco cycles I hadn't understood how they could be better now I do and I will use it more often than not. I didn't comment on thread though.

oops missed off India which is just after the USA.