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Living the eco week
WE all know we should be living an eco-friendly life, but how many of us practice what we preach? As part of our eco-week we challenged not-so-green Express reporter Lindsay Pantry to reduce her carbon footprint as much as possible in just one week. From the little things like switching off lights and not leaving her computer on standby, to bigger changes like ditching her car and walking everywhere instead, Miss Pantry, 24, tried it all. Here's how she did.
MONDAY
GOT up early to make sure I was all prepared. First things first – got ready eco-style.
Swapped my whitening toothpaste and electric toothbrush for a normal brush and natural toothpaste. Left me feeling as though I had lumps of cheddar for teeth and it tasted disgusting.
The natural crystal deodorant lasted about 56 minutes before I resorted to my usual one. Quite frankly it would have been offensive to my co-workers to continue.
Switching everything off before work took forever. As did chasing after my flatmates who went round after me and switched it all back on again. Still ended up running to work.
Lunchtime – time to get the shopping in.
No driving to the supermarket for me this week, but shopping locally in the market – with my eco-friendly bag of course.
It took ages and I thought the stallholders thought I was mad for asking where everything came from, but I've had to keep track of those food miles!
Eventually got back to work with minutes to spare. Gobbled down my Yorkshire ham sarnie, resulting in very unfriendly indigestion.
Monday night would usually be cleaning night. But ordering my eco-friendly cleaning products over the internet last week was a bad idea – there was no sign of the delivery.
At least an evening sitting on the sofa wasn't too damaging to the environment.
TUESDAY
My hair was already bearing the brunt of eco-week.
It was really easy to get hold of the natural shampoo and conditioner from a high street chemist – and I had high hopes – but then my hair caught a slight breeze and I was almost knocked out by the pungent smell.
You would think with it being natural it wouldn't smell but oh no, it was horrific.
With each use my hair was getting even drier and started to resemble hay.
Another lunchtime trip to the market meant I fell behind at work. This was made even worse as it was my turn to do a video for our website. With no car, it was hard work dragging about the heavy camera, tripod, and all my usual stuff, on the bus, and it took twice as long.
I didn't need to go to the gym tonight.
Still no delivery from eco-friendly cleaning company, so washing up was really stacking up.
Tonight a trip to the theatre in Leeds meant taking the bus home.
After waiting half an hour for the late bus in the rain, finally got home at 11.30pm. I missed my car.
WEDNESDAY
I missed bananas, was fed up of going to the market on my lunch break and living in a pigsty.
Still no cleaning products, so was considering doing a Kim and Aggie and cleaning everything with vinegar and lemons.
But can't use lemons as they've probably got a bigger carbon footprint than I have.
Bonus points on the food front though. I found a veg box delivery service – all organic, minimum food miles and happily delivered to my doorstep.
For once I won't have to lug around my fancy canvas bag with me tomorrow. Phew.
I usually go swimming in Normanton on a Wednesday but the prospect of getting yet more buses was more than I could bear.
So stupidly went for a jog near my house. Not a good idea when you live where I do. Maybe it's more eco-friendly, and safe, not to bother.
THURSDAY
Hooray! Cleaning products at last – and they're not bad.
Had to use twice as much washing up liquid and the loo cleaner's not as good as bleach. But so what? They do the job, so long as you've got the money to spend.
Now, thanks to my delivery from Doorstep Organics, I have more veg than I know what to do with.
The personal service is certainly better than what you'd get at a supermarket and so long as you've got time to be creative with what you've got, they're great.
Though I must admit I had no idea what to do with some of it – my downtrodden housemates, who have had to deal with a dirty house all week, are in for a treat!
FRIDAY
Not much to report today, more buses, more being late, more missing the car.
SATURDAY
My challenge today was to buy a new outfit, eco-style, for eco-friendly night at the pub (not using electricity at home was the perfect excuse).
Loads of shops these days seem to do organic, fairtrade clothes, so thought it would be no problem. But everything was so basic – and expensive – that I didn't come out with anything.
Next stop was the charity shop. I've been recycling all week so surely buying recycled clothes was the next logical step, but still no joy.
Eventually settle on the most eco-friendly option of all, wearing something I've already got.
SUNDAY
Usually Sunday nights are staying in with a takeaway. But getting someone else to make your food and drop it at your door doesn't sound very eco-friendly, so it was the remaining bits of fledgling veg for me.
Then it occurred to me that the biggest changes for me this week had all been food-related.
It got very wearing not being able to nip to the supermarket because the food, wrapped up in layers of unfriendly packaging, has travelled so far.
I got on a lot better without my car than I thought I would, and the savings at the end of the week had been big.
But if you go the whole hog you end up spending so much money on eco-friendly products that it doesn't seem worthwhile.
I think I will change my ways, but to be entirely eco-friendly would be obsessive and I'd probably end up on a self-sufficient commune, and that's not really practical for everyday life.
But if everyone made the small changes I made, it would make a difference.
Expert's view
Mark Warner, a sustainability manager at Leeds Metropolitan University, gave his expert opinion on Lindsay's experience:
Lindsay's experience is typical of anyone who makes a major change to their life.
Whether it is environmentally motivated or not, it is perfectly natural to be negative about change and the impact it has, mainly because it's easier than being positive. But be positive we must, so there are some things we should remember:
. Sustainability (the social, economic and environmental impact we have) is about balance, not extremes. If you have to carry heavy photography equipment to a rural location, it is perfectly acceptable to take the car.
. Not having to go to the gym is a great positive. Let's say the average monthly cost of the gym is 70. If you buy a bike for 450 you will pay that back in six and a half months, you will become fitter, be more mentally alert.
Add the savings from fuel and everything after that is sheer profit. Add your reduced carbon footprint and your can have an all-round glow of self righteousness.
. If you catch a bus or train this is time to read a book, have a coffee, read minutes for a meeting or even have a cat nap. We must remember the social aspects, you have to have some 'me' time and stay healthy.
.It takes time to build habits. In Lindsay's diary it shows by Saturday she is just beginning to suss it out. Online organic food deliveries, for example, are one of our best kept secrets. Going online for all her food shopping will also give her a lunch break to actually sit down and have a break.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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