Where previous generations repaired and mended, we rush out to buy replacements. And where they depended on glass and crockery, now even organic food comes cocooned in plastic and cardboard—modern packaging may prevent more food from spoiling, but it also adds significantly to the ton or so of dustbin rubbish the average household throws away every year. Some manufacturers run refill schemes, and may even offer a discount over buying ready-packaged goods, but such schemes are rare.
A smart way to deal with over-packaging is to give it new life. It’s cheaper and greener to wash and reuse glass and plastic containers than make new ones—reincarnate them as candle-holders and vases.
Dishwashers are worse for the environment than washing by hand?
While washing dishes by hand for a family of four uses 20-25 liters of water a day, an energy-efficient dishwasher for the same family uses 15-18 liters of water per cycle—less water than hand washing if it’s fully loaded each time. But factor in the energy used to run the dishwasher and it loses hands down against human muscle power. So choose the most energy-efficient dishwasher you can afford—the higher initial cost will easily be recouped by lower running costs and it will be kinder on the environment.
Run like clockwork
Radios powered by clockwork and the sun will run for hours without the need for mains electricity, while clockwork torches mean you’ll never be at the mercy of old batteries. If you’re more ambitious, fit solar panels to your home to heat 50 per cent or more of your household’s hot water. They’re now much more affordable at around £2000-£4000 if you have them professionally installed, £1400-£2000 if you install it yourself. Grants may be available for going solar.
