![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Zero Waste: The Before Picture
Dec. 22nd, 2019 12:31 amMy knowledge-base is scant. I joined the Zero Waste Ireland Facebook group a few months ago and since then I've begun noticing the amount of waste in my own life, but I have been slow to make changes to be honest. I think the best advice I've picked up from that site is that we don't need a few people to be doing zero waste perfectly, we need everyone doing zero waste imperfectly.
RTE ran a short series during Science Week called "What Planet Are You On", which looked at how to reduce your household's carbon footprint. They focused on the areas of waste (organic, recycling, general), car use, electricity / gas consumption, and water usage. Given my limited knowledge base, and the extremely broad scope for improvement I think I will start with this, and try to gradually reduce the imperfections in my efforts.
Waste:
We had to get a second general waste bin, and a second recycling bin for our household. Our waste output is very high, and this is an area we can definitely improve. We use The City Bin Company so I am hoping to be able to pull together some data from our usage in 2019 in order to measure the progress.
Car Use:
I am not in a position to make any changes to the car I drive so I will have to consider reducing how much I use it. Long-term, I would like to get a more efficient vehicle but I don't know when I will be able to afford that.
Electricity & Gas Consumption:
I can compare last year's bills to measure progress. Our cooker and heating run on gas, everything else is electric. I found some very simple tips to get started - unplugging appliances, and turning off lights in unoccupied rooms being the first steps. The main appliance that came under fire in "What Planet Are You On" was the tumble drier, so I will be mindful of that as well.
Water Usage:
This is harder to measure, although I believe I should be able to buy some sort of meter or meters to monitor use. I am not focusing on this to begin with, I hope to expand my attentions to this later in the process.
RTE ran a short series during Science Week called "What Planet Are You On", which looked at how to reduce your household's carbon footprint. They focused on the areas of waste (organic, recycling, general), car use, electricity / gas consumption, and water usage. Given my limited knowledge base, and the extremely broad scope for improvement I think I will start with this, and try to gradually reduce the imperfections in my efforts.
Waste:
We had to get a second general waste bin, and a second recycling bin for our household. Our waste output is very high, and this is an area we can definitely improve. We use The City Bin Company so I am hoping to be able to pull together some data from our usage in 2019 in order to measure the progress.
Car Use:
I am not in a position to make any changes to the car I drive so I will have to consider reducing how much I use it. Long-term, I would like to get a more efficient vehicle but I don't know when I will be able to afford that.
Electricity & Gas Consumption:
I can compare last year's bills to measure progress. Our cooker and heating run on gas, everything else is electric. I found some very simple tips to get started - unplugging appliances, and turning off lights in unoccupied rooms being the first steps. The main appliance that came under fire in "What Planet Are You On" was the tumble drier, so I will be mindful of that as well.
Water Usage:
This is harder to measure, although I believe I should be able to buy some sort of meter or meters to monitor use. I am not focusing on this to begin with, I hope to expand my attentions to this later in the process.
