koopkooper
Practically Family
- Messages
- 610
- Location
- Sydney Australia
because I might cause greenhouse gas emissions!
Seriously, this is getting beyond stupid, I found this article today which to me suggests we have lost the plot on all of this and Green organisations would like us to all stand still and do nothing.
A study shows that in the course of their daily lives, Australian mothers produce more than four tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Carbon Planet study found a family that does two loads of washing per week, using warm water and an energy-efficient machine, produces about 42kg of greenhouse emissions a year. With a less efficient model, that could leap to 179kg.
Giving children two baths per week in an average tub using an electric water heater emitted 1387kg of greenhouse emissions each year.
An average car trip to school of around 13km each way produced 1.07 tonnes of emissions annually.
Sarah Smith, a primary school teacher and mother of two, who was part of the study, does at least two loads of washing a day and runs her dishwasher twice daily.
On a typical working day, the part-time teacher would use a kettle, a toaster, drive her three-year-old daughter Charlotte and 19-month-old son Oliver more than 10km to daycare, wash clothes and dishes, have showers and run a bath, bake in an electric oven, watch television and use heat lamps in the bathroom.
In winter, air-conditioning would be switched on five nights out of seven.
Mrs Smith has never been more aware of her daily energy use than now and she would like to reduce it.
"The kids I teach are really into it and want to know more and that drives me to think about it," she said.
Mrs Smith and her husband Adam own a car each. Hers is a small 4WD; his a Holden Commodore.
Other findings from the study include: shopping trips emitted 1.11 tonnes each year and oven use accounted for 111kg, assuming meals took about half an hour to cook each night.
A stove produced 180kg each year, while vacuum cleaners accounted for 14.6kg if used for one hour per week.
Mrs Smith thinks governments and businesses have a big role to play in building awareness and educating the public on reducing their emissions.
"(But) it's ultimately up to everybody," she said.
Houses should have rainwater tanks and there should be government subsidies to support that, Mrs Smith said.
However, home owners could easily take small steps, such as changing their taps to water-efficient models and buying low-energy light bulbs.
"I (now) know how much energy I use in a day and it's ridiculous," she said.
Mrs Smith said emissions could be saved while cutting down household jobs. She often cooks two dinners in one night and freezes the leftovers for the next evening.
"Half of this is just being practical," she said.
Stand still !!!! Don't move a muscle!!
Seriously, this is getting beyond stupid, I found this article today which to me suggests we have lost the plot on all of this and Green organisations would like us to all stand still and do nothing.
A study shows that in the course of their daily lives, Australian mothers produce more than four tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Carbon Planet study found a family that does two loads of washing per week, using warm water and an energy-efficient machine, produces about 42kg of greenhouse emissions a year. With a less efficient model, that could leap to 179kg.
Giving children two baths per week in an average tub using an electric water heater emitted 1387kg of greenhouse emissions each year.
An average car trip to school of around 13km each way produced 1.07 tonnes of emissions annually.
Sarah Smith, a primary school teacher and mother of two, who was part of the study, does at least two loads of washing a day and runs her dishwasher twice daily.
On a typical working day, the part-time teacher would use a kettle, a toaster, drive her three-year-old daughter Charlotte and 19-month-old son Oliver more than 10km to daycare, wash clothes and dishes, have showers and run a bath, bake in an electric oven, watch television and use heat lamps in the bathroom.
In winter, air-conditioning would be switched on five nights out of seven.
Mrs Smith has never been more aware of her daily energy use than now and she would like to reduce it.
"The kids I teach are really into it and want to know more and that drives me to think about it," she said.
Mrs Smith and her husband Adam own a car each. Hers is a small 4WD; his a Holden Commodore.
Other findings from the study include: shopping trips emitted 1.11 tonnes each year and oven use accounted for 111kg, assuming meals took about half an hour to cook each night.
A stove produced 180kg each year, while vacuum cleaners accounted for 14.6kg if used for one hour per week.
Mrs Smith thinks governments and businesses have a big role to play in building awareness and educating the public on reducing their emissions.
"(But) it's ultimately up to everybody," she said.
Houses should have rainwater tanks and there should be government subsidies to support that, Mrs Smith said.
However, home owners could easily take small steps, such as changing their taps to water-efficient models and buying low-energy light bulbs.
"I (now) know how much energy I use in a day and it's ridiculous," she said.
Mrs Smith said emissions could be saved while cutting down household jobs. She often cooks two dinners in one night and freezes the leftovers for the next evening.
"Half of this is just being practical," she said.
Stand still !!!! Don't move a muscle!!
