Louise's carbon challenge

Happy New Year to everybody… already 14 days into January and I am still putting off the ‘resolutions’. Sustaining an ever improving Carbon Footprint is proving to be every bit as difficult as I thought it would be when I signed up for this last spring.

I keep finding really good reasons why everyone else should be doing the hard work!

Louise

IF the council gave us better bins I would recycle more… IF supermarkets didn’t provide plastic bags I would HAVE to remember my own bags… IF public transport was cheaper I wouldn’t use the car as much… IF the council cleaned the cycle path quicker after a flood I would cycle more (outrageous, I could just use the road!) and so it goes on – it’s always somebody else’s fault that I don’t do what I should.

So what is really hard?

The dishwasher issue is still a problem – I have not relented – we are still washing up by hand, being much more efficient with hot water. The family is still are not convinced that this is a great family ‘social activity’ which rather spoils things when they spend the whole time moaning that if we had a dishwasher things would be so much better.

Another difficulty is the car! I am determined to sell a car but my family keep finding finding a reason why we shouldn’t. They now say “we will sell it in a couple weeks”, but they say that every couple of weeks!

I have also got out of the habit of using my bike during the winter – totally my fault. I must get back into the habit. I am still not composting – maybe when the summer comes? I am ALWAYS forgetting my shopping bags and ending up with loads more plastic bags!

What is proving quite easy? 

I think the electricity saving is much better. Once we got the low energy lamps in that has just looked after itself. I am using trains much more - especially as there have been quite a few really good ‘deals’ recently. I am going to Paris at Easter (doing the Paris Marathon) – the new Eurostar link is brilliant. Recycling is generally going well.

What new ideas do I have?

The best one came from an article I read on the BBC North Yorkshire website about compacting. One family vowed not to buy anything new for a year (apart from food and essential cleaning and household items). I thought this was brilliant. All three children are now away and it seems like a good time to commit to something like this.

Oh dear what have I done now? There are sure to be problems!

Louise