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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

535 replies

Starryskiesinthesky · 01/10/2021 07:49

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.

OP posts:
MyPatronusIsACat · 01/10/2021 20:22

@Starryskiesinthesky I actually agree.

I know four different people - all within a stone's throw of me, (in my street,) who tumble dry EVERYTHING. We have had the driest year for AGES, and 90% of the year's washing could have been dried outside, but they ALWAYS use the fucking tumble drier. I know it's nothing to do with me, but I reserve the right to be annoyed by it. They're just too lazy to hang it out. I don't mean to bash the young and I hate people doing this, but it's ALL under 35s who do it. Being at work or having kids is no excuse.

I have had kids and have always worked, and looked after ailing parents, and looked after my home etc, and have never even ever USED a tumble drier, let alone use one 100% of the time to dry my washing. (Never owned one.) I mean, it's OK in winter and when it's bloody cold and wet, but why the fuck would you for it when it's warm and sunny?!

FatFredsFriedEgg · 01/10/2021 21:09

@MyPatronusIsACat Google it if you don't believe it. I didn't believe it either.

I assume having a child is responsible for even more than that.

WhatAShilohPitt · 01/10/2021 21:28

Unless you’ve done all that you can - vegan, cycling, no flights, recycle everything, wear a jumper instead of putting on the heating, buying only recycled toilet roll, using a bamboo toothbrush instead of plastic etc etc etc you shouldn’t be on AIBU lecturing people who may be taking other steps that you aren’t.

Theendoftheworldisnigh · 01/10/2021 21:35

Oh, it's the brilliant "You're not allowed to say anything about the environment unless you live in a tree and wear grass skirts" argument.

lljkk · 01/10/2021 21:42

Norty TAAT

badabadabadababadadadaaa · 01/10/2021 21:59

@FatFredsFriedEgg

I discovered recently that a medium-sized dog is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions in a year than an average mileage small family car. And you can't switch a dog onto 'eco'.
Damn that must be one farty dog
purpleneon · 01/10/2021 22:13

@canigooutyet

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?

We are huge consumers from these countries & the only reason the U.K. figure is low is because we don't manufacture very much!

Moonmelodies · 01/10/2021 22:24

How many people in the UK are driving Chinese cars? Use Chinese coal? Steel?
Cement? Between 2011 and 2013 China made, and used, more cement than the USA used in the entire 20th century.

Autumngoldleaf · 01/10/2021 22:34

My eco program is the shorter program! It reduces a 1.5 hour wash to 45 mins. I can't understand how longer one's are more eco Friskney

HalzTangz · 01/10/2021 22:37

@Macncheeseballs

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

But don't you find those that get defensive are the ones that don't make changes at all, that buy fast fashion to wear once or twice before sending to landfill etc

Flyingantday · 01/10/2021 22:47

@FakeFruitShoot

It taies the piss that we tell women (and it is usually women) need to dick about making their lives hellishly inconvenient by walking the school run, using cloth nappies and san pro, using eco spin cycles and drying out doors, arranging to shop locally, cooking vegan unprocessed food, cleaning windows with vinegar... meanwhile 70% of emissions come from just 10 multinational companies. And guess who profits most from those companies? Not the befannied among us, that's for sure.
Some good points here (although the reusable San pro is surprisingly good these days).

Sometimes I do feel a woman’s lot in life is to feel guilty for everything she does, as well as all the things she doesn’t manage to do.

That’s not to say we must hold up our hands and give up, but we need to be positive about the things that are realistically in our power to change and make a difference, rather than judging each other’s washing machines and whether we make our own baked beans.

sst1234 · 02/10/2021 00:09

@Moonmelodies

How many people in the UK are driving Chinese cars? Use Chinese coal? Steel? Cement? Between 2011 and 2013 China made, and used, more cement than the USA used in the entire 20th century.
Ssshhhh, you’re not allowed to say that. Because we can halt climate change, if only 65 million people on an island in northwest Europe stopped using washing machines and ate only seaweed. All about the small changes innit.
ElCaMum · 02/10/2021 00:16

I use my drier all year round but then I live somewhere that has over 95% of its electricity produced by renewable energy sources.
Maybe that’s what the UK should be pushing for 🤷🏼‍♀️

Lostmarbles2021 · 02/10/2021 00:21

If everyone made small changes, that adds up to billions of changes. I agree with posters that say this alone will not be solve the issue. That’s because bot everyone makes those choices because they can be hard. That’s why we need policy and legislation. We didn’t want energy saving light bulbs but we’ve learned to live with them because the choice was taken away.

We need individual action
We need UK wide policy and legislation
AND we need Worldwide policy and legislation.

leavesthataregreen · 02/10/2021 00:36

@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.
Is that per capita? If not, it's not a fair analogy. China and USA are bound to have greater emissions than us. We're a tiny island. They are vast land masses with far greater populations.
sst1234 · 02/10/2021 00:43

Climate change doesn’t care about fair, it cares about the totality of emissions. China and US as a collective could cut their emissions by 1% and it would make a bigger difference than everyone if the UK have gave up their washing machines forever.
We can blather on about fair or accept that tying ourselves in knots about ‘small changes’ makes 0 difference when the big boys are not willing to play.

safariboot · 02/10/2021 00:55

Well, it made me check my assumptions. The cotton cycle is stupid, three hours normal, seven in "eco" mode. Bugger that. But the other cycle I use a lot is only a bit longer if I press the eco button. I'll have to try it and see if it still cleans well. Although I'm dubious about how much energy it'll actually save.

Easier to calculate will be how much fuel I'm not burning by cycling more and driving less.

What China, India, or the USA do isn't an excuse to be wasteful. Besides, saving energy saves money. Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves and all that.

HollaHolla · 02/10/2021 01:14

@xprincessxjanetx

I am currently pregnant with baby number 6. I have about 2-4 loads of washing per day depending on bedding changes, towels etc so if I did long washes on everything and hung them out to dry then I would never stop doing washing.
I’d say your environmental impact is already shocking with 6 kids. Sorry.
MoreAloneTime · 02/10/2021 05:15

The thing is it makes more sense to look at why people aren't taking the most eco friendly options and what barriers they have rather than going straight to emotional blackmail. When people feel judged with no attempt at understanding they shut off.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 02/10/2021 09:51

A year 1 kid does not get so sweaty their clothes need washed. Unless you are in some kind of forest school, how the hell is he getting muddy every day? Perhaps if he is spilling food every time he eats, that’s something you need to be working on, because I can assure you, most kids will not spill at every meal. A shirt is not generally “grubby” after a day of normal use. Wearing fresh trousers is not the same as cleaning your teeth, don’t pretend that it is.

A less active Year One child may not get sweaty, (especially if they’re driven to and from school with no risk of mud splashed trousers from scootering through puddles, no wet fields to cross, no adventure playground to run and climb in on the way home).

My son spends breaktimes playing chasing games like tag, running, getting muddy knees and grass stains. So even without the walks to and from school he gets a lot of exercise.
Then add all the grime from the adventure playground and the sweat from climbing cargo nets, going down slides, rolling on astroturf and bark etc (on our way home).

His tie and jumper normally have splashes of what I assume to be soup or paint, so yes they get washed too.

If clothes are dirty (sweat, mud splashes, grubby knees, food or paint) then yes I think it’s appropriate to wash them. I wouldn’t send him to school in dirty clothes any more than I’d send him without brushing his teeth or washing him!

Appreciate some year one children manage to keep their uniform clean enough to wear for a week. But many don’t! And the school itself asks they’re sent in a clean set each day.

Feelslikealot · 02/10/2021 10:02

I'm not sending my children into school in dirty clothes for the sake of washing them overnight while clothing manufacturers are sending hundreds of thousands of tons of unsold clothes to landfill every year.

Shellfishblastard · 02/10/2021 10:42

My DD’s don’t wear clean clothes to school every day. When they get changed after school I check them to see if they need washed or can be reused.

School shirts can often be reused for a second day - especially when worn under a pinafore.

I only wash the DD’s skirts and pinafores once per week as we only have one of each - they are a heavy check and expensive.

At our school the children wear a relaxed /sporty uniform on PE days to save them getting changed. So they do not wear their check uniforms every day.

They always wear clean pants, socks etc and will always have clean uniform available if the clothes worn the day before are dirty. But I see no point in washing something that looks clean - for the sake of the environment and also my sanity!!

Shellfishblastard · 02/10/2021 10:44

Just to say - my DD often come home looking very clean and smart still. I have friends whose boys come home absolutely filthy every day. A mix of mud and food all over them!

There are exceptions - yesterday my youngest fell in the mud and was filthy when she came home. I wouldn’t ever send her in wearing those dirty clothes. But if she’s come home immaculate them I see no reason why she can’t rewear them same clothes the following day.

Wazzzzzzzup · 02/10/2021 10:47

So what difference does one end up with if you compare, let's say:
59 min on 40degrees
To eco programme?

AGreenerShadeofKale · 02/10/2021 10:52

Look at manufacturer information.

Mine shows the 20 minute at 30 degrees as lowest electrity use, not the eco. That's for the mucky stuff.