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.

I already use the eco cycle on my washing machine - not sure why the OP is so convinced that they are the only one who does that?

But not to OVER population.
Polishing my family's halo
😂

Yeah you do that.

I’ll just carry on enjoying my 4 children without being made to feel ashamed of myself.

Win win.

@pelosi

type🤔

I never go to McDonald's or buy fast food and try to avoid unnecessary packaging.

I don't use straws. I try to reuse and recycle

A lot of folk on here are talking about line drying washing in our less than ideal climate. Some years ago I bought a whirly line cover. Not the kind that you put on the line when it's folded up - but one which was anchored by a 'device' on each arm of the dryer. It was fairly wind resistant and things pegged on would dry in no time. It was brilliant. In fact I've still got it but can't use it as the 'things' on the arms broke as they became brittle. Maybe I'll see if I can interest a manufacturer to get it made again.

Well I’m feeling thoroughly shamed by this thread.

I drive a 60km round trip weekly to care for an elderly relative, hot wash loads of soiled bedding and clothes and tumble dry to cope with the excess laundry. I drive another elderly relative to the supermarket weekly instead of making several trips on foot to buy her shopping, my dm’s, the first relatives and my own.

I’ve also procreated not once, but twice. I even drive my autistic ds to appointments that would take hours to reach on unreliable public transport.

What a pity our common ancestor didn’t have an abortion.

I don't even think you need to persuade people to line dry. Those that have the means to seem to actually enjoy doing it for the days of the year when you can. I always say it's the only thing I enjoy about a heatwave.

I do dry outside when possible but if you had an incontinent severely disabled teenager you might find you are washing and drying more often due to getting through multiple sets of clothing and waterproof covers on everything, a day.

Tried to line dry today but it's now raining so airer and tumble dryer on

Fatehasresigned, I don't wash my underwear daily, just change it

And he travels everywhere by car because he can't walk far, can't cycle and people aren't generally fond of screaming, self injuring teenagers on public transport.

@loopylindi

A lot of folk on here are talking about line drying washing in our less than ideal climate. Some years ago I bought a whirly line cover. Not the kind that you put on the line when it's folded up - but one which was anchored by a 'device' on each arm of the dryer. It was fairly wind resistant and things pegged on would dry in no time. It was brilliant. In fact I've still got it but can't use it as the 'things' on the arms broke as they became brittle. Maybe I'll see if I can interest a manufacturer to get it made again.

I assume that is something for one of those plastic rotary things not the traditional thin rope line hung from the garden shed that me and most of my neighbours have.

Maybe you should have used the line for washing instead

Came here to post the link to the Kurzgesagt video but I see someone else has posted it already!
Honestly watching it shows you just how pointless everything you do is.
8% of all co2 emissions come from the concrete industry alone. A few people running their washing machine on eco cycle or buying electric cars means nothing if we continue building with concrete, or use planes or overseas shipping.

@MoreAloneTime

I don't even think you need to persuade people to line dry. Those that have the means to seem to actually enjoy doing it for the days of the year when you can. I always say it's the only thing I enjoy about a heatwave.

Yes I agree. We’ve had one of the best summers here in Scotland. For the first time in years I had an empty washing basket. I could get washing dried in 2 hours some days - it was so hot.

I could do three loads after being on holiday and have it all washed, dried and folded within 24 hours.

Now it’s autumn, rainy, much cooler - it’s taking days to dry washing on the airer. It’s taking even longer because we aren’t using the central heating yet.

I’m using my tumble drier for towels, bedding, jammies only. But it’s difficult.

Would be far easier if we were in the 1950’s and us women folk didn’t work too

Some emissions (eg industrial like producing steel or concrete) are not avoidable. The kinds of choices of people can make are about emissions which are entirely avoidable.

I agree about the not working. For example I'm using reusable nappies as a SAHM but I'd struggle to find the time to wash and sort them if I was working. Or else something else would have to give.

The fact that women are expected to work and cook healthily and run a home, raise children (often with no support) and be eco friendly all at all times isn't always realistic.

[quote Silverswirl]@HereticFanjo no not really- very rainy here and my house isn’t especially warm but I did buy a £30 heated airer which I place next to a radiator which seems to do the trick[/quote]
See we rarely put heating on @Silverswirl we just wear an extra jumper and use the tumble. It all evens out in the end really. It does help that we have a fairly new tumble that weighs everything etc. I'm sure our old one used a lot more energy - but then I had it 15 years so it lasted well. It has just started raining for the sixth time and counting today which is why I rarely bother hanging stuff out. I used to be in and out like a yoyo 😂

In fact after reading this thread I feel positively virtuous at all the stuff we DO do that I hadn't really noticed before as being environmentally friendly. Non meat eater, wfh full time so no more long commute, recycle religiously, charity shop for clothes, drive cars till they die etc. I'd like the next car to be electric but it depends on the infrastructure.

Of course we can all do better. That's a given but us little people are spinning a lot of plates. You can be sure the 1% aren't fretting over the environmental destruction caused by their 20th Barbados flight of the year. I won't be losing any sleep over my beloved tumble dryer.

Would be far easier if we were in the 1950’s and us women folk didn’t work too

A lot of the "old school" ways of doing things were more eco friendly (although more from necessity in previous generations rather than an active choice) before supermarkets and more processed food, people would shop daily and locally - they probably didn't have a car - because food wouldn't last a week. They would have wasted less food and eaten more seasonally (albeit probably a lot less variety) washed clothes less frequently, line dried them, Used cloth nappies etc
But a lot of households would have had one parent (usually the mother) at home to do all those things.

I don’t use the eco settings on my machines because I looked them up and they run for two and a half hours at 40C whereas my mixed load cycle runs for less than one hour also at 40C...therefore my mixed load cycle is actually 2.5x more eco friendly than the official “eco cycle” So it’s not a given that the eco cycle is always the most eco friendly cycle.

I am no saint, and I don't use th eeco setting, but this is not true.

The eco cycle runs for longer but uses very little electricity, this is because it relies on soaking not agitating, and it heats up more slowly and doesn't try and keep the water hot for the whole cycle.

So the short cycle uses way more electricity because it heats quickly and it agitates the clothes to get them clean.

This is actually relaly important, and maybe there should be more time spent on TV ads explaining this.

The short cycle is not more economic in energy or water than the long eco cycle. the short cycle is the least economic on the machine.
The eco cycle is called the eco cycle for a reason.

washing machine manuals should have an overview of water&electricity use of the different programmes.
the eco programnes tend to use less water and less electricity.

@Fizbosshoes

Would be far easier if we were in the 1950’s and us women folk didn’t work too

A lot of the "old school" ways of doing things were more eco friendly (although more from necessity in previous generations rather than an active choice) before supermarkets and more processed food, people would shop daily and locally - they probably didn't have a car - because food wouldn't last a week. They would have wasted less food and eaten more seasonally (albeit probably a lot less variety) washed clothes less frequently, line dried them, Used cloth nappies etc
But a lot of households would have had one parent (usually the mother) at home to do all those things.

Yes I agree.

My gran walked to the shops several times per week for fresh food and veg for meals. There were no “big shops” with food covered in plastic. No car to drive to enormous supermarkets.

She would wash when she had a full load and hung her washing inside on a “pulley” (sp?) if it was raining. There was time to do these things.

Two working parents find that they are constantly chasing their tails and catching up at the weekend. That’s when we start to rely on the tumble dryer

How can they possibly know if a child has a clean shirt every day? It beggars belief that any school would have this policy, let alone that they would be able to police it. And where does it end? Does it include trousers, jumpers, coats, blazers and ties? Because if not, whatever risk they believe is inherent, is not being mitigated unless they insist on an entire clean outfit every day. And if you are following it, more fool you.

Of course they can’t police it, but it makes sense to send them in freshly laundered clothes? Even without covid kids get muddy knees, spill soup or sauce on their jumper/tie/shirt. They get sweaty in the playground. He’s only year 1 so doesn’t have a blazer.

Can’t imagine not giving him a clean vest, underpants, shirt, jumper, tie, trousers and socks each day. I have 5 of each. Maybe the rule is to stop parents sending them in wearing the same grubby clothes as the day before?

Clean clothes are like having clean teeth and washing your face in the morning. Taking regular baths/showers. Perhaps we should shower and attend to hygiene less as it uses water, soap and toothpaste?

Coats and shoes are outdoor wear, so not included in the policy. He has 3 coats in case one gets wet, muddy or needs mending. 2 pairs of shoes in case one gets wet.

The "old school" ways of doing some things might have been better for the environment, but people weren't doing them to be environmentally friendly and more virtuous than we are now, they were doing them because that was the norm for them then just as we do stuff because it is the norm for us now.

I don't wash my underwear daily, just change it

So do I 😂 Until I have a full load I don’t put the washing machine on. I think most people have laundry baskets for this purpose. But I wouldn’t put most underwear on the eco cycle, I save that for delicates or clothes that have been worn lightly. Underwear you keep on all day.

@Feelslikealot

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.

That is an absolute lie. Me and my 4 children consume way less than another family I know with one child and another family I know with no children but 2 pets and almost every other couple I know.

Its a lie! A pure bullshitting lie. Yes we still create waste (didn't ask to be born and all that) but it is a minescule amount in comparison. Massive amount to us.
Also an eco family's actions can snowball and affect other people's actions.
Example- my partner has gotten his colleagues second hand goods when they were going to buy new.
My children talk about the environment and changes we have made, are making etc to all of their friends.
I have asked several family and friends for all of their food waste and rabbit waste for my compost heap.
so one family has effected the actions of several people in a good way.
See also car use, drying instead of buying tumble dryer, encouraging others into charity shops etc.
It all adds up and when I feel guilty about having my children because of arseholes saying things like this, I remember what we have achieved as a family and laugh. Because you're just trying to make people feel bad for something that is so wonderful.