Greens need to read more ;)

fergalbreen

Hi Greens,

In the run up to Energy Awareness Week 05 and the launch of the new CombatClimateChange.ie web site I have an item of news every day

Today... you can check out the beta web site under construction at http://www.CombatClimateChange.ie

Write to me with feedback, coments and stuff...

Site is going live on 18th of Septmeber and it's this Sunday that Energy Awareness Week starts too...

Peace, Fergal

democrates

Excellent site Fergal, most enjoyable.

The carbon calculator was particularly groovy, with the bonus of making it easy to check out your suv-loving friends dirty secrets too, wait until the next time they get uppity in the pub

Suggestions:

• Tell-a-friend link
  
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• Links to suppliers for eco-friendly products, eg Bicycles, domestic turbines etc.
  
  (even just a link to the relevant sections of the Golden Pages, I assume they'd have no objection)
  
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• Sponsored pages from eco-friendly suppliers (may be beyond mandate and/or too much hassle).
  
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• Special offers from suppliers for people who mention the CCC website
  
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• Links to other eco-friendly sites eg recycling etc
  
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• Link to the Green Issues forum on boards.ie, or some other way to enable online discussion - this let alone generates more info. but it keeps the site fresh, especially if the front page links to the latest posts - you could ask boards for permission to run a perl script on your site that scrapes that info from boards, in return boards gets more users
  
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• More details on the top ten tips, and a growing list of other energy-saving tips.
  
  EG, if I don't use a lagging jacket, what's the best way to dry my clothes in the winter?
  
  What is the reduction in carbon emmissions for each measure I take (too awkward maybe)?
  
  For no.10, ie community support, the practical measures I could take
  
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• School Essay competition
  
  And/or an energy-efficiency in their own home exercise - guerilla marketing, their parents will be hounded into going green
  
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• On the 'Contact Us' page I'd change the heading from
  • If you would like any further information on Combat Climate Change or any other SEI activitiy, please contact us at:
    
    to something like
  • If you would like any further information on Combat Climate Change or any other SEI activitiy, or simply to send feedback, please contact us at:
    
    _
    
    
• A Frequently Asked Questions page (enfo may already have a bunch of energy-related questions received through their website)

A lot of links in there, but the external ones are to enable people who get the impulse to take action, plus if you get some of the other sites to reciprocate with links it should boost your hits and get more people on board.
If you analyse it from a workflow perspective, ie, what is the sequence of tasks you are encouraging people to complete, and look at how each one can be made easier, the above kind of thing starts to arise.

Well that's my two cent, now you've just the slight issue of who'd fund, manage and implement such measures.

CJhaughey

democrates wrote:

The carbon calculator was particularly groovy, with the bonus of making it easy to check out your suv-loving friends dirty secrets too, wait until the next time they get uppity in the pub

I suppose the uppity friends driving 3 and 4 litre BMWs are a target too?
why does everyone jump on Jeeps? I can understand in an urban sense what the grievances are but to keep harping on about SUV's is a total waste of time, the anti SUV lobby started in the US where cars and SUVs are quite different to here.

fergalbreen

Excuse the acronyms but whats the difference between EU and US?

CJhaughey

EU jeeps are usually around 3 litres and diesel, with reasonable fuel consumption rates certainly no more than many big BMWs and Mercedes.
The US SUV is a different animal altogether, with petrol engines up to 6.8 litres and funnily enoughno fuel economy figures available for many of them.
Can you really say that they are the same thing?
is a BMW 540i more fuel efficient than a Toyota landcruiser 3.0 diesel?

democrates

Fair point about BMW's and Mercedes CJ, but I hope you can see that I was simply referring to some friends I know with SUV's in a light-hearted way, I wasn't serious about throwing it in their faces.

But when I see the damage excess consumption and pollution are having on our environment, I find myself wanting to try to do something to improve things.

I try to use gentle persuasion when the opportunity arises to encourage a friend to make wiser choices. That is a very delicate process, you can't broach it head on as anything approaching a preachy accusation is just going to diminish a friendship, and risk being cast as a begrudger. Thankfully there are subtle ways to get the message accross and allow them to save face at the same time.

CJhaughey

I am concious of the excess fuel consumption as well! , it comes from my pocket and tbh I was thinking about installing the vegetable oil conversion kit long before this current crisis.
I have to say I need my vehicle for work, towing heavy stuff etc and it is invaluable for that kind of thing, what gets me is that people blindly follow other countries and assume that what is bad in one country is the same in another.
I have tried very hard to live in a sustainable manner building an energy efficient house with solar hot water, low energy lighting, etc etc yet someone who does not know a thing about how I live my life can make an on the spot judgement about me by looking at my choice of car?!It really annoys me to hear that kind of judgement when the same person would not look at a car with an engine much bigger than my jeep!

democrates

Maybe in the future tax on large engines should be increased much further so that the polluter pays, but with exemptions for farmers with tractors, hauliers etc. and for those who can demonstrate a genuine requirement.

CJhaughey

Far better methinks that the govt (highly doubtful) supports the large scale growing of Oilseed rape and designates it as an agricultural fuel.
All others should pay full whack.

democrates

My salutations cjh. The actions you have taken were obviously preceded by an analysis of the world that has much in common with my own.

It takes energy, commitment, and confiidence in yourself to translate your beliefs into action, particularly when that means going down the road less travelled as opposed to simply following the flock and taking the path of least resistance.

That's why I liked the website above, it's focussed on trying to make the right road, the common road.

fergalbreen

Hi Democrates,

Just wanted to show you that I'm listening not just waffling:

Here are the top 10 tips, a la your suggestions, more will follow soon as I can get them done/approved.

fb

1. Turn your TV off rather than leave it on stand-by – equipment on stand-by uses up to 20% of the energy it would use when fully on

2. Walk or cycle instead of driving for short journeys– it costs nothing and is good for you

3. Turn your heating down – reducing your thermostat by one degree celsius will knock 10% off your heating bill

4. Buy ‘A’ rated kitchen appliances – they cost less to run and over time will give you considerable savings on your electricity bill


5. Use energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs) instead of traditional bulbs – they use 1/5th energy and last up to 10 times as long

6. Insulate your attic – attic insulation will keep the heat in your home for longer and pay for itself in 2-3 years

7. Fit a lagging jacket – lagging your hot water cylinder will keep the water hotter for longer and pay for itself in 2-3 months

8. Don’t overfill your kettle – only boil as much water as you need

9. Fit thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to your radiators

10. Support renewable energy initiatives in your community

democrates

Nice one Fergal.
Saw your sites spot on RTE's 'About the House' earlier today, good exposure.

Something else occurred to me, how about a section for transport?
I've posted a new thread to spread the word and get feedback.
Regs

fergalbreen

Hi Democrates,

It was great, though I missed it myself.

I'm still trying to get my viral email forwarded around though.

atilladehun

Hi guys,
I'm new to all this but it's something I've been very concious of since I was vey young. Any way I was just reading the combat climate change website and came across the cut your heating by 1degree save loads of energy. The heating in my house is crazy. We have no thermostat and the timer is rubbish. 11 years on and we still cant get it to work. can anyone please help as to how i can fit a thermostat on to it to help and for cheap. at the moment were up and down turniong it on and off, those of us who care.

My sister has a grand idea of opening the window while its on to get the balance. don't kill please

bandraoi

eh, spend the money and call a repair guy.
It'll save you his fees in a year or two.
It certainly would have in the last 11.