Flavour of the month-calculate your carbon footprint

[Jiffy]

It seems that the latest parlour game of choice is to use one of the online 'calculators' to calculate one's carbon footprint.

Thus far I haven't found one which takes into account how much meat & dairy is consumed, even though animal agriculture is beaten only by fossil fuels as a cause of global warming.

Does anyone else think that this is a bit fishy?

[aubergine]

There was one that did the rounds a little while ago that took consumption of animal products into account.

[Buddha Belly]

This one does the vegan thing.
Its not the best one ever but better than most.
http://independent.footprint.wwf.org.uk/

Mine is 2.29. It told me to walk more and travel less by car!!!! I use my partners car for an hour, max, a week. Otherwise it's 1 hr train and 1-4 hr cycle everyday.

But with the discovery of veganforum my computer time has skyrocketed.

[BlackCats]

I did your one Buddha Belly, I got 2.79. If mine is 2.79 I dread to think what number my meat-eating, car-driving friends would be.

These were my tips:

Buy more seasonal food
Did you know: Although we could meet over 70% of our eating needs from food grown in the UK, we import more than half of the food we consume. Buying locally-grown, seasonal food would mean we could reduce our food miles, use less packaging to preserve fresh produce, and not least help us reconnect with the annual patterns of seasonal produce.

Walk instead of using other modes of transport

Turn down the heating in rooms which you are not using

Avoid over-packaged products

We only have one Economy 7 heater on downstairs in our house. I buy fruit and veg from the local market but I don't know if it's locally produced. I don't make any effort to buy seasonal though, I had strawberries the other day. I might try the Lush shampoo and shower bars actually to try and use less packaging.

[harpy]

Hmm, I got exactly the same tips as you BlackCats - perhaps they give them to everyone?

I do try to buy mostly seasonal food but I don't think there was a question about that was there? Then it told me I should do it! Interesting though.

[BlackCats]

^ Oh I thought it would be advice catered to your number result. I might do my husband's to see what he gets even though I'm guessing it might be pretty similar to mine.
(What number did you get Harpy if it's not a secret.)

[Gorilla]

i did that one and apparently my lifestyle uses 2.3 planets, it told me to buy more seasonal food, walk instead of using other methods of transport - i've never owned a car in my life! - turn down the heat in rooms i'm not using and avoid over-packaged products; it didn't seem to ask anything about packaging other than recycling.

eta: they also ask how much money you spend on jewellery but they don't ask if it's new or second-hand, and they ask how much you spend on toiletries but they don't consider that the more eco-friendly they are the more expensive they tend to be (although i suppose you could go back to basics and not spend much).

none of these quick questionnaire things can really be that representative of your lifestyle but it's good to have an idea i suppose - although i suspect if you're doing the quiz in the first place you're already fairly aware of how to reduce your environmental impact

[BlackCats]

My husband got 3.55 (above the UK average) and he did get the same tips as I did so it must be general. I never thought about how much jewellery I buy, I didn't even think about that being environmentally damaging. Not that I am encrusted with diamonds or anything.

[Gorilla]

bling bling BlackCats

[BlackCats]

That just shows the difference in mine and my husband's result was that he eats meat and I don't.

[harpy]

(What number did you get Harpy if it's not a secret.)

I didn't save it but I think it was 2.5-something. The questionnaire didn't seem to ask about some of my eco-sins, like sometimes preferring baths to showers.

[Gorilla]

having a bath, how terrible Harpy. i guess they didn't want to bombard people with questions so it could be easy to use.

it's interesting that your husband's result was so much higher than yours because of the meat-eating, BC.

[Jiffy]

I came out at 1.89, it might have been lower but for the first time in many years I recently purchased jewellery for the wife.

I guess it proves that the survival instinct will always outweigh environmental considerations.

[Gorilla]

^