ARWadworth coughed up some electrons that declared:

Has anyone else filled in one of these besides me?

I just tried out
http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/carboncalc/html/index.aspx

My report said

1) My home, for heating and hot water is 20% below the national average.
And so it should be. My house is well insulated and I do not like it too
warm.

2) My appliances create 2 times the national average of CO2 (I doubt that.
I have no TV, one computer on 24/7, CCTV on 24/7 and I use the washing
machine, dishwasher, cooker when needed)

3) my travel footprint is 3 times the national average. I also doubt that.

The action plan Action CO2 gave me is crap.

a) fit draught-proofing around doors and window.

Why? All my exterior doors and windows are double-glazed.

b) Install underfloor insulation

Nice, but I have concrete floors. ActionCO2 never asked about my floors
before suggesting that.

c) Replace your fridge and freezer with a more efficient model

Will that help?

My fridge is 3 years old and is A rated, my freezer is a little older,
maybe 6 years old. It is second hand (my Grandad gave it to me) and I
think it is B rated. Will rushing out to but a new A+++ rated freezer save
on CO2 emissions. I cannot see the total CO2 emissions on the manufacture
of a new freezer plus the CO2 costs of disposing of the old recycled
freezer will have a pay back of less than 10 years.

d) In dry weather use an outside line rather than your dyer

I did tick the box that said I did that already. I tend to use the drier
when it is raining, but then only when needed eg I wash all my work
clothes in one wash on a Friday night. 5 Tshirts or jumpers and 3 pairs of
trousers. If I need a pair of work clothes for Saturday morning I might
need the dryer. Even then I only dry one pair in it.

e) When replacing the car (van in my case) consider choosing the lowest
CO2 model in its category

Yes but a 1.7D van is almost certainly a 1.7D van. There is not much to
choose from.

f) Whenever possible, walk, bike, car share, or use public transport

I do walk to the local shops if just for fags or beer etc. Even better is
the short cut. If I enter the Kings Head by the side door and leave via
the front door I save 20 metres by cutting a corner out. It takes a little
longer timewise but it is worth it. I do drive to do the weekly shop even
though the local supermarket is less than a mile away. Who can pick up a
full weekly shopping basket with just two arms? Diet coke and cat food are
rather bulky.

I cannot use public transport to get to work and back as I have a large
collection of tools, cables etc that I need for work. I think the bus
driver would complain if it took me 20 minutes to get on board the bus.
And buses do not have roof bars for my ladders.

So all in all, Action CO2 calculator is a pile of crap IMHO.

Adam

Just had a "discussion" with SWMBO concerning "the new religion". I hate
having crap shoved down my throat by self-righteous zealots as much as the
next (wo)man and I really think this is where we are at with green issues.
People should be shown what is worthwhile doing with good factual
illustrations, not force fed the fad of the day with nothing to back it up.

My daughter is being taught to recycle at school, which, at here age, I
aplaude. But I tried a little though experiment on her (she's 4). I showed
her a package from Tescos. It was a little cardboard box of pills encased
in a plastic "clam shell". I cut off the clam shell and asked her what she
thought about it. Reply: "Recycle it Daddy". I said "good", "but how about
if it wasn't made in the first place?" "Carboard comes from trees and you
can grow new trees, but plastic is made from oil which is a precious
resource which cannot readily be regenerated". "Why did they put a nice
little cardboard box that worked perfectly well in a silly plastic shell
whose sole purpose is to cut my fingers before I chuck it in the bin?"

I suggested we should jointly write a letter to the manufacturers asking
them not to be so wasteful. Also suggested she ask her teacher if not
making something unnecessary is better that recycling. I'm going to be in
trouble if she does ;-

Cheers

Tim

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Anti FUD, not anti-environment