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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
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General: Non Building Green eco way of living?

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  1.  
    Aside from green building methods what else do you guys incorporate into everyday living?

    Eg. Washing powder brands? Car choices?

    Anything else worth mentioning?
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 19th 2014
     
    Transport choice, probably makes the biggest difference. It is my biggest failing, I drive about 25,000 miles a year, bit more this year due to having to visit family up country. Public transport is out of the question for that because of time and money (4 hours compared to 13 hours and 70 quid v 160).

    I personally don't burn anything for heating (though gas and coal are burnt on my behalf). This is more a local air quality issue.

    I infrequently buy 'stuff' to replace working 'stuff'. So my last phone lasted 7 years, this one is 3 years old and probably got a few years left in it. Laptop is over 6 years old, Vista works fine for me. No telly, all digital radios that use a couple of watts.

    All my lighting is 8W CFL pendants, so only got 8 of them in house.
    Washing machine has a condensing dryer on it, but only used that feature a couple if times this year.
    Added insulation to fridge to improve performance, though having monitored that for the last 3 weeks may consider getting a newer one as it uses about 350 kWh/year. I am sure I can get one better.

    Short showers, only heat the room I am in, not got my heating on yet this year but it has been pretty warm. Been out for a few hours and the house is at 19°C.
    No dishwasher, just use cooking utensils sensible, I don't need a clean mug or teaspoon 10 times a day. I use Ecover washing up liquid, but Tesco washing powder.

    I don't have doorstep recycling, but recently decided to look at my glass usage. About 3 kg a month. Not sure if that is good or bad.
  3.  
    Interesting, I have a bit of a passion for cars and drive a 3.3 petrol however I converted this to lpg primarily for cost reasons but didn't really appreciate the low emissions previously.

    I'm looking to review my lifestyle but do appreciate a good motor and my mileage is minimal, there is also the fact that maintaining an older vehicle is better than replacement. Although I would like an electric car but the prices are ridiculous.

    Is ecover really that green?
    • CommentAuthormike7
    • CommentTimeDec 19th 2014 edited
     
    I have a Bristol 603 with a 5.9 litre Chrysler V8 and a 124 litre fuel tank. I regularly drive it to Cambridge and back ... once every eighteen years. Otherwise it stays in a shed, thus preventing it from doing more damage. Open to offers tho, Victorianeco.
    Not having children and not eating meat is probably greener than buying ecover.
  5.  
    What's not green about eating meat?
    • CommentAuthormike7
    • CommentTimeDec 20th 2014 edited
     
    There's probably many sites making the case but here's just one at random:-
    http://www.vegetarismus.com/info/eoeko.htm

    Apart from the ecological, animal rights and human health issues, there's also the likelihood that you'll find you can wash up with cooler water and less detergent, need less refrigeration and less/no kitchen extraction if you go veggie. Not that Ayesha and I have entirely, we've just shifted a lot in that direction. It helped that we found some really good veggie recipes.
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeDec 20th 2014
     
    Anything else worth mentioning? talking to people, helping make the world (or your community) a better place, saving water, exercise, health and well being, working sensible hours, social life, the list goes on.

    good subject Vicco
    • CommentAuthorBeau
    • CommentTimeDec 20th 2014 edited
     
    Grow some of our food and look to buy organic local produce. I realise growing your own food is not an option for many

    Vehicle choice appears very important. Did one of those carbon footprint calculator things and our then car apparently gave off more carbon emissions than the rest of lifestyle put together. That was 10000 miles in a 50 mpg diesel! Sadly work now requires me to do similar miles in a pickup truck near 25mpg :cry:

    Low energy appliances is a given but tricky one when your old inefficient freezer never dies. Great site for this http://www.sust-it.net/

    No foreigne holidays. Learn to appreciate more local destinations.

    Personal choice but no kids

    Try to avoid being sucked in by consumerism. Yes yes the new version is more spangly and faster than the old one but do you realy need it? What's wrong with old sofa? Do you realy need a new kitchen? All easy for me to say living in an beautiful isolated place removed from the Jonses

    Work choices.

    And yes washing brands but this forced on us anyway as septic tank only likes non bio.
  9.  
    Yeah I've got a few things stressing me out at the moment :

    House renovation
    Fighting to see my son more
    Potential redundancy in new year
    Other house sale
    Hypothyroidism

    Looking for a more basic lifestyle as you say Tony, try to enjoy work life balance more etc. It is interesting when you look at material things like you say beau
  10.  
    I was just looking at secondhand prices of 1st. Gen Nissan Leafs the other day as there is no way I could spring for the cost of a new one. These would be cars where the batteries are owned outright not leased. But then I did a bit more research and read a bit about "range collapse" which could seriously impact the usability of the car with some owners reporting a range of less than 50 miles on older cars.

    Running costs would rise considerably if the batteries are leased but the Renault Fluence seems to be coming to small money and might balance the equation out.

    But if you are leasing batteries what guarantee do you have on their performance/capacity? If they start to suffer from range collapse are you entitled to swap for new?
  11.  
    I've a 14 year old electique belting van does about 35-40 miles on a charge. Underfortunatley recent jobs required me to use my 2.6l diesel transit so not getting used much good for local work though
    • CommentAuthorrhamdu
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2014
     
    Useful book (though a few years old): Time To Eat The Dog? by Brenda and Robert Vale

    Memorable for demonstrating that it is greener to drive in the most efficient car (with every seat occupied) than to walk, fuelled by cheeseburgers.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2014
     
    Posted By: rhamdufuelled by cheeseburgers.
    I am about 500 yards from a burger outlet, should I drive to it.
    Good book all the same.
  14.  
    I wouldn't touch anything Renault with a barge pole
    • CommentAuthortony
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2014
     
    Recycling, reusing, up cycling, repairing, reducing
    • CommentAuthorgravelld
    • CommentTimeDec 21st 2014
     
    Buy stuff for the long term. E.g. good quality shoes, suits. Trouble is, to do this properly takes research.
    • CommentAuthorRob_14
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014 edited
     
    Posted By: Chris P BaconI was just looking at secondhand prices of 1st. Gen Nissan Leafs the other day as there is no way I could spring for the cost of a new one. These would be cars where the batteries are owned outright not leased. But then I did a bit more research and read a bit about "range collapse" which could seriously impact the usability of the car with some owners reporting a range of less than 50 miles on older cars.

    Running costs would rise considerably if the batteries are leased but the Renault Fluence seems to be coming to small money and might balance the equation out.

    But if you are leasing batteries what guarantee do you have on their performance/capacity? If they start to suffer from range collapse are you entitled to swap for new?


    The winter range can be less than 50 miles in a gen 1 LEAF, but only if it's driven in a hooly sort of way – heater on full, hard acceleration, high speed. Driven in a hypermiling style with the heater off 70+ is more likely.

    Manufacturers are doing heavily incentivised deals on new registrations, linked to PCP finance – the total ownership costs are very competitive when you factor in fuel cost savings.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    Posted By: Rob_14the total ownership costs are very competitive when you factor in fuel cost savings.
    Competitive with what? An economical, similar performance car that can do around 600 miles between 'charges', or a bus full of people?
    I think with current and foreseeable battery technology that hybrids are probably the better bet.
    • CommentAuthorRob_14
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    Posted By: SteamyTea
    Posted By: Rob_14the total ownership costs are very competitive when you factor in fuel cost savings.
    Competitive with what? An economical, similar performance car that can do around 600 miles between 'charges', or a bus full of people?
    I think with current and foreseeable battery technology that hybrids are probably the better bet.


    Competitive with a petrol or diesel car around the same size. The LEAF's performance (0-60 time) is faster than most.

    The problem with hybrids is they burn hydrocarbons, emit more CO2 and other contaminants per km and have inadequate EV range.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    I still think that the major problem they have is range anxiety and high price.
    I would like to have an EV that did at the very least 500 miles, rather have 600 mile range, then I can visit family.
    Take the last couple of days. Yesterday I did about 100 miles in 2 journeys, today about 50 in 5 journeys and two different vehicles.
    Tomorrow I have a 300+ journey and the same the day after. So an EV is strictly out for me, a hybrid would do it nicely and probably use at least 20% less fuel. Not perfect, but an improvement.

    EVs are still a long way off being viable for personal transport for anyone other than city dwellers that also have access to other vehicles.
    • CommentAuthorRob_14
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    Posted By: SteamyTeaI still think that the major problem they have is range anxiety and high price.
    I would like to have an EV that did at the very least 500 miles, rather have 600 mile range, then I can visit family.
    Take the last couple of days. Yesterday I did about 100 miles in 2 journeys, today about 50 in 5 journeys and two different vehicles.
    Tomorrow I have a 300+ journey and the same the day after. So an EV is strictly out for me, a hybrid would do it nicely and probably use at least 20% less fuel. Not perfect, but an improvement.

    EVs are still a long way off being viable for personal transport for anyone other than city dwellers that also have access to other vehicles.


    City dwelling is less relevant than journey profile but they aren't suitable for everyone. I know a number of people who own Mitsubishi i-MiEVs who live in Cornwall – they enthuse about the car's narrow width being ideal suited to the country lanes.

    Most EVs have rapid charging, which can add 50-60 miles range in around 30-40 minutes (a leisurely comfort stop). There was a piece in yesterday's Sunday Times about using a LEAF for a Christmas journey from Sunderland to London (168 miles).

    EVs are particularly attractive for people with a regular commute, and for multi-car households where there is a significant short trip demand. Because EVs are near-silent and totally free of vibration, many owners prefer using them for all journeys within their autonomous range.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    4 inches narrower than my Scenic, makes a difference on our third-world roads!

    So take that 50 to 60 mile range. That would get me half way to Exeter, but take probably an hour longer, 6 hours to Bristol and I am still in the West Country.

    They are just not worth considering, even for a second car. I just can't see what the fuss is about.

    It is worth remembering that they are not pollution free, just that the problem is 'exported' to somewhere else.
    • CommentAuthorRob_14
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    Posted By: SteamyTea4 inches narrower than my Scenic, makes a difference on our third-world roads!

    So take that 50 to 60 mile range. That would get me half way to Exeter, but take probably an hour longer, 6 hours to Bristol and I am still in the West Country.

    They are just not worth considering, even for a second car. I just can't see what the fuss is about.

    It is worth remembering that they are not pollution free, just that the problem is 'exported' to somewhere else.


    As I wrote, EVs aren't for everybody. I refer back to the two car household which can switch a significant proportion of their miles to EV usage.

    EVs not pollution free? I'm well aware of that, however, many EV owners charge using their self-generated solar PV and/or buy their electricity from Ecotricity or Good Energy. And power station emissions are better controlled than petrol/diesel exhausts. See Prof Dame Julia King's blog on the Friends of the Earth website for the science: http://www.foe.co.uk/blog/four-things-about-electric-vehicles.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 22nd 2014
     
    Posted By: Rob_14Prof Dame Julia King's blog
    I have read her bit. It is rather bias.
    Yes EV are lower polluting, but if we charged that at the times of lowest grid intensity (night), the intensity would go up (Ed and myself have been looking at this).
    And that nonsense about using EV's to balance the grid, bit like lending your neighbour petrol when they are short of cash.

    I would also like to see the numbers behind the 30 mile average trip. OK if it is the mode, and it accounts for 80% of all trips, not so good if it is the median or mean, without an SD it is meaningless.

    So if a 1st gen LEAF is getting about 50 to 60 miles per charge, we give some of that charge back when the RE is not producing, we may get the 30 miles journey, just. One traffic jam on a cold night and there will be a few parked up getting frosty.

    Don't get me wrong, I like the technology (Studies Automotive Engineering before I studies RE and Environmental Science), also done a lot of 'looking at the grid' in the last couple of years.
    The technology is years off, and the IC engine has a lot of life left in it still. There was a large article in the IET comic about it a few months back. If the electrical engineers are singing the praise of ICs, it is not time to buy an EV.
    Price of oil is up a bit today though, 4.26% today, but natural gas is still heading down, -5.14.
    • CommentAuthorGarethC
    • CommentTimeDec 23rd 2014
     
    Think the new Toyota and Honda fuel cell vehicles have more, ahem, mileage?

    Toyota Mirai can do up to 300 miles to the tank and refills in 3-5 minutes. Going on sale in the US at equivalent of £37k BEFORE subsidies (although the pre-subsidy German price will apparently be a heftier £47k).

    OK, so no charging infrastructure yet, and that's still a bit pricey, but feels a lot closer to being a genuine replacement for even one car households.

    I like the idea of hydrogen being part of the overall 'solution' to storing (especially excess if we get there) renewables electricity too.
    • CommentAuthorwookey
    • CommentTimeDec 27th 2014
     
    Big subject.

    * 20 years ago we paid extra to live close enough to town that we could both cycle. That was a _really_ good plan, enabling us to not depend on cars, and saving corresponding fortune.
    * Got a bike trailer a few years later to cut out the one 'essential' car trip: weekly/bi-weekly shop.
    * No children - arguably the greenest thing you can do by a large margin.
    * I now use the train a lot for work travel to Europe, and this year am making a stand about refusing more than one intercontinental flight for work on the grounds that's it's now demonstrably unethical.
    * We grow a lot of our own veg, and over last two years have learned to eat less meat. This is mostly about unlearning 20 years of cooking habit.
    * Dry clothes on a line.
    * Don't buy tat we don't need/can't afford. Recycle/reuse. Use freecycle.
    * Shower when the sun comes out (in winter) (solar thermal DHW)
    * Always check efficiency when buying anything with a power consumption.
    • CommentAuthorsquirrel
    • CommentTimeDec 28th 2014 edited
     
    Posted By: wookeyBig subject.
    * No children - arguably the greenest thing you can do by a large margin.



    Ok I'll bite. How is that a sustainable choice? If everybody makes the same choice, mankind will be extinct within a few decades.
    • CommentAuthorBeau
    • CommentTimeDec 28th 2014 edited
     
    Posted By: squirrel
    Posted By: wookeyBig subject.
    * No children - arguably the greenest thing you can do by a large margin.



    Ok I'll bite. How is that a sustainable choice? If everybody makes the same choice, mankind will be extinct within a few decades.


    Very eco for the planet :wink:
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeDec 28th 2014
     
    I feel a case of Farage coming on :devil:
  30.  
    Steamy, if you want to split the cost, I'll buy half the case.

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