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.

People are confusing things they have a choice about with necessity.

Suitcases no one would criticise you for the situation you are in, and you are trying to distort the argument by claiming that people are.

Daphne- as I said previously, yes we all have different schedules and needs, but surely not everyone has to wash everything quickly 7 days a week

@Tulipomania

People are confusing things they have a choice about with necessity.

Suitcases no one would criticise you for the situation you are in, and you are trying to distort the argument by claiming that people are.

I disagree. That pp definitely was judging “artificial feeding”. As if people who ff don’t get enough judgement on here already.

@JaninaDuszejko

We live in the UK where it rains at least 75% of the time so line drying isn’t always feasible.

Glasgow has more wet days per month than any other city in the country and it still has more dry days than wet days (14.2 wet days per month).London has only 9.1 wet days a month. And (having lived in Glasgow and regularly line dried my clothes) the majority of the wet days are in the winter when you'd not be hanging your washing outside anyway.

Indeed I live in Manchester which is, frankly, pretty wet. I do admit to using a tumble but it hasn’t been on more than five times since March. I do use it more in winter but it’s almost totally redundant for half the year. Imagine how much less energy would be used by the UK if we ALL only used the tumble half the year

I do admit that I look at the weather forecast and to some extent plan my laundry around it. But if I can do I imagine most other families can too.

@Theluggage15

No, we’re totally fucked because countries like China won’t do anything. It doesn’t make a blind bit of difference what the U.K. does. The breastfeeding comment is so sanctimonious, if you’re that bothered about the environment why did you have a kid?

RTFT FFS. China is taking action. And we outsource most of our emissions to China. It's a totally false argument that people use as an excuse for not wanting to face up to the fact that our kids will be inheriting a fucking awful future if we aren't prepared to make a few small sacrifices now.

Keep blaming China in your Xenophobic way if you must (and its politics are grim I agree) but take some responsibility for your own actions too.

". On octopus we get cheaper electric between 11pm and 6am."
@Frazzled2207. Ooh that's worth knowing, we've just been moved to octopus since Avro collapsed

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead
Check your tarif, not necessarily all of them. But octopus def prioritise using of renewable energy generally and I would def recommend.

@Tulipomania

chocolateorangeinhaler you have spectacularly missed the point.

Being conscious consumers doesn't mean we have to give up everything and live like we did in the pre-industrial revolution.

It means adapting our behaviour in small ways, which collectively will make a big difference. And making better environmental choices where you can.

By the way, there are some eco-friendly phones - e.g Fairphone. And if you choose to buy your electronics 2nd hand as many of us do, then they have a minimal carbon footprint.

Ahhh so it's ok to consume junk with abandon from all over the world and dec ourselves with clothes for a fiver made in a sweatshop by kids in Bangladesh but we can't dare wash clothes how we want because of the environment.

I think you are the one missing the point.

You're either eco friendly or not. You don't get to just pick the bits that suit your life and virtue signal about it to everyone else.

I do what I can when I can and yes I have children, have a car and own a washing machine. I use the eco wash, try and avoid plastic use, recycle when I can, try and walk when I can, try and not put the heating on until I am freezing etc etc. I'm not saying I am the best i am just saying I care and try.

Ahh so what you mean is that you don't do anything more than any of the rest of us are doing that you have kindly come on here to have a go at.
How many times do you wear your clothes before you put them on this eco wash ? If you wear your tops/bras etc only once before you wash them then you are doing too much washing, regardless of what cycle you use. Work tops here are worn for 2 days at a minimum, I wear my bras for several days before washing them. Unless they are sweaty or dirty you should be getting more wear out of things before you wash them. Do you dry your towels between uses or just shove them straight in the wash ?

I use the 40 degree wash and have a heat pump tumble dryer which uses far less energy according to manufacturer. I don't dry on the line apart from in summer because I'm not home to get it in before the dew soaks it (plus seagulls have a habit of dive bombing it, target practice!)

[quote MatildaIThink]@canigooutyet
You list is pointless because it ignores the fact that the West has mostly exported it's pollution to many of those countries. We make very little in the UK, most of it is made in China, so that is where the emissions are. It also ignores the emissions per head, which place the UK much nearer the top.[/quote]
I hate comments like this, where the West is still seen as the ‘centre’ of the world. You know some of China’s biggest export markets is to the developing world, right?

And it’s not solely as if jobs were shipped to China from the West. Many of those factories and jobs NEVER EXISTED in the West in the first place, Chinese entrepreneurs developed them and were able to out-compete your homegrown alternatives.

We all need to do our bit, alongside big governments. There will be renewed international pledges at COP26 next month. Even China has set a net zero target and pledged to phase out coal. And as a PP said we are simply outsourcing a lot of our emissions to them

You don’t really believe this, do you?

You can do a short 30 deg wash. Longer washes use more electricity. In Scotland it's cold and damp most of the winter so drying clothes indoors on airers makes more sense than outside

Yeah that's where the tiny part of our garden comes in, and the fact it's overlooked on every side by built up houses. Not much wind as we are surrounded by houses.
It works fine in summer but not enough wind or heat come about mid September, until about May.
We dry inside though, but that only works once the heat goes on (which for eco and spider reasons, hasn't happened yet!).

@Tulipomania

So you don’t really want anyone to speak about China because that would mean that the virtue signalling would be null and void. And then calling it xenophobic to shut the debate down. So unimaginative and predictable. Do you also tell people to ‘be kind’.
You can continue to take ‘small steps’ if it makes you feel better. Most people know that what we do in the UK makes almost 0 difference to climate change.

@Tulipomania

Rosti1981 You have clearly given it a lot of thought and should not feel guilty for occasionally using your tumble drier etc when you need to.

I am the same - I avoid it when I can but on a wet weekend if I have washed a double duvet cover then it goes in the drier. I probably use mine about once a month.

It's the people who won't even consider making small changes to their lifestyle because they perceive it as 'inconvenient' that I think are so self-centred and that depresses me.

Yup I get that. But I think education and asking people to make one small change is the way forward, otherwise it quickly becomes overwhelming! It was the one small change mentality that got us to where we are now (which is still pretty imperfect tbh, and as I say does depend on effort/time/money as well). That's where government needs to step in to support people to make the easy/natural/cheaper choice to do the right thing, and where we can see that actually it is lots of of people making small changes that could actually help more than a few being 100% green. I've learned a lot over the years thinking about this (hence why I know we are far from perfect, and circumstances dictate a lot!). First child was mostly in disposable nappies (occasionally eco disposable nappies) but we were in a one bed flat without outside drying space. Come second baby we went almost 100% cloth, but that was with a back garden and the option of an occasional tumble drier. Plus buying enough cloth nappies so we didn't run out if we did need to hang them to dry. And willingness to have washing strung everywhere and it not drive me completely bonkers. Helps that I am pretty pig headed when it comes to trying to do something, but it definitely isn't the easy option or one that I'd suggest everyone can do when less well equipped in terms of time, money, living situation etc etc. But that's when the small actions make a big difference. Using one or two cloth nappies part-time alongside disposables. It's still making a difference and may eventually lead to using more and more, but I think all or nothing thinking and the whole problem feeling overwhelming, means that many people just give up as it feels too hard to implement.

@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.

We we have less than 1% of the global population. And you know all that stuff we buy that is made in China? Those are our carbon emissions, not theirs.

Ahhh so it's ok to consume junk with abandon from all over the world and dec ourselves with clothes for a fiver made in a sweatshop by kids in Bangladesh but we can't dare wash clothes how we want because of the environment.

Distorting the argument again. No-one has said these things are OK on here?

As for the China issue, it's complex argument. www.dw.com/en/fact-check-is-china-the-main-climate-change-culprit/a-57777113

The eco setting on my washing machine is a shorter cycle, not a longer one

Actually I know we’ve outsourced our emissions to China and China seriously don’t give a fuck about environmental issues, paying a bit of lip service so gullible people will think they’re making an effort really doesn’t count.

It still makes zero difference what people in the U.K. do, and I don’t think your silly ranting helps Tulip.

My eco setting is short but only 20 degrees. Not sure how clean my laundry would be at that temperature.

Lets be honest the societal expectation for us not to be stinky doesn't help does it. I could never get away with natural deodorant or wearing my tops twice

@Harmonypuss most electricity use in washing comes from heating water, not the spinning. Eco washes don’t heat water as much.

Doesn't the washing machine take water in that is already heated from the boiler or is that not the case now

@woodhill

Doesn't the washing machine take water in that is already heated from the boiler or is that not the case now

No modern washing machines are all cold fill nowadays

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead

I take my washing down to the river and scrub it on a board. I'm surprised, OP, that you don't do this. You don't sound very environmentally friendly.

You have a board!

That's terribly extravagant, I only use rocks these days 😇