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Living a more sustainable life in a climate change emergency

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    #122
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7



    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448567#Comment_118448567

    You need please to define poor? My life is greener than ever these days as I am all but homebound out here! No car any more, and my supplies come in on the community ferry so no extra fuel etc. And yes a very simple life is increasingly pleasant. My electric toaster died so I now have a camping toaster.... No electric kettle any more. etc etc etc. A pay as you go phone. No TV or radio... The laptop is enough. It would take a lot of getting used to for a younger person?



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    #123
    John M00re
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭John M00re


    I think even if fast fashion has called much attention recently and consumers are rejecting the biggest fast fashion retailers, there's still a lot of discussion needed about some resources other "high quality" brands use and also we should do something about the greenwashing they're doing. I'm not a fan of only consumer actions to stop this climate emergency but I do believe in the power of community changes. I think the show of Hassan Minaj on the issue makes some important remarks: https://youtu.be/xGF3ObOBbac



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    #124
    ELM327
    Registered Users Posts: 21,371 ✭✭✭✭ELM327


    Buying local is better than buying from megachains. I'm not going to stop eating meat. However I am willing to change and my use pattern is changed from buying meat mostly in Tesco or Aldi etc to buying locally grown and locally slaughtered meat in a craft butchers in the nearest town.

    My driving is now 100% powered either by my own Solar energy or by night rate energy which is inherently cleaner as off peak.

    We're cutting back oil and coal etc use by using a wood burning stove with a heat driven fan above it. The wood I use is from my own land , one of the neighbors, or a local store less than 5km from the house. The wood from our land is from cutting back or down trees that I would have to cut for safety reasons anyway.

    We have 8 battery rescue hens for eggs, and coupled with buying our meat locally, most days our carbon footprint is very low. On the other hand I'm not a mad climate evangelical. I'm just showing that by making small changes you can make a big difference to your own carbon footprint without suffering any loss at all in quality of life.



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    #125
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I wouldn’t compromise the quality of my life or the life of my family by doing things as individuals that will make no difference to anything. I would include flying away on holiday and eating meat in that.

    For me it’s about finding areas in which lifestyle improvements and sustainability intersect. Those intersections might be an electric car (because they’re brilliant), buying local produce (because it’s fresher and tastier), recycling (I live more cleanly because of it), improving heating systems and insulation (it saves me money and it’s more comfortable), being smart in what rooms need to be heated and when, and how much hot water I need (it saves me money), cycling as much as possible (I enjoy it) etc

    I’ve no interest in being a climate martyr, but all those things help in their little incremental way



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    #126
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    One of the more effective ways to reduce pollution and the causes is simply to buy less stuff and complain about stuff that breaks early and can't be repaired, if everyone complained and refused to buy short lived products, then retailers would eventually get the message and manufacturers would produce better, longer lasting products.

    Steps ilke this would make far more difference than most other measure put together. Just imagine the energy and resources used to make five washing machines that last only five years against the energy and resources needed to make one good machine that lasts twenty five years.



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    #127
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Largely accidental and circumstantial but nonetheless sincere conservationism here. After years on disability and now pension... But my life is and has been all the more fulfilling and deeply enjoyable for this... Lacking for nothing and small luxuries are deeply meaningful and valued. Waste is deplored and avoided. Almost never red meat. By preference. Raising twin pet lambs finished that for me,, . Bacon and chicken and as I rejoice in my cats...Happy with cheese. I honestly have no idea of the sources of what I buy as being housebound and dependent on the one shop who deliver limits. As does cost. First responsibility is to health and welfare. Burning mostly local turf.. . But then living sustainably was always rhe better way. And was certainly the way we were raised postWar. So it is all very easy for me. No choices. At ease with it - as long as I get the occasional bar of CDM.. There are limtis beyond which I will NOT go!



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    #128
    Boardnashea
    Registered Users Posts: 824 ✭✭✭Boardnashea


    Can I raise the heating question? Grace7 is burning local cut turf. I am burning local cut timber and wood pellets in the boiler. I'm seeing opinions recently regarding the use of wood stoves. I know it is difficult to get planning for any stove in a new build these days but for those of us in existing houses - should we get rid of the stove?

    We love our gas cooker but I'm also looking at videos saying I should be moving to induction hob. We have solar PV so I wouldn't mind getting an electric oven (when the existing one dies) but should I change the hob too?



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    #129
    SuperBowserWorld
    Registered Users Posts: 6,487 ✭✭✭SuperBowserWorld


    FOMO = conspicuous and mindless consumption.

    All the advertisers are at it. It's their job.

    So, be wary when they are manipulating you.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_of_missing_out


    Also, FOMO creeps in everywhere, so boards.ie will have a ton of threads talking about stuff you may or really may not need.



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    #130
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    FOMO is not the only ploy, making stuff that fails quickly forces excessive consumption. Products that should last at least 15-20 years are failing after only 5 years or less.



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    #131
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120195422#Comment_120195422

    NB I cook by bottled gas not turf. And an electric kettle. The solid fueleul stove is for space heating and hot water.



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