It is easy to say that I eat vegetarian two times a week or that I rode 100 kilometres by bike this month. What about energy? How many kilowatts did you save today? The truth is that we need better metering systems to keep us better updated about the energy use at home. While we wait for the smart systems we should still pay attention to energy use. Turn down the thermostat, plug out, switch off and turn off the (hot) tap. But how much does the energy use add weight to our eco-backpacks?
Energy makes about one fifths typical EU citizen eco-backpack. This means roughly 6000 kilograms. This includes heating, electricity use, gas etc. If you’d like to save some kilograms and kilowatts and make a difference you could for instance:
Turn off one 40 W light bulb for 10 h and save almost 1 kg
Wash one full load of dishes instead of two half loads and save more than 2 kg
Cut off hot water for one minute and save almost 1 kg
Wash laundry in 40⁰C instead of 60⁰C and save about 1 kg
Hang dry one load of laundry outdoors instead of tumble drier and save more than 5 kg (it is true that it consumes multiple times more energy to dry your laundry than to wash it).
Have you came across with the news from Vermont U.S. where rebellious people fight for their “Right To Dry” clothes outdoors? Watch the news clip.
Join the rebellious clothesline movement and pick a few other eco-actions to drop off few kilograms from your eco-backpack.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Where does all the stuff come from – the Story of Stuff
Have you already heard about the video called The Story of Stuff? Even the New York Times wrote a front page story about it. What is it all about? As the title of the film says, it is a story about the stuff we consume. What is actually needed along the lifecycle to produce, distribute and get rid of it? And even more importantly, why do we consume so much stuff?
The 20-minute well made film with clear and simple arguments illustrates well the material flows, pollution and social inequalities related to production, consumption and disposal of stuff. The video shows all the issues that are hidden from us when we go shopping. In that sense the idea goes hand in hand with the ecological backpack concept, make visible the hidden flows required to produce a certain item.
The point is that we don’t actually pay the full price for the products we buy. The externalities like environmental costs and inhumane working conditions of production are not included in the price tag. What is even more important in my opinion is the critique towards the consumer culture. The current pace of buying and getting rid of stuff is certainly not sustainable. Telling people not to consume is not very efficient if people really believe they need all the new gadgets, larger homes and so on. But when you realise how the needs actually created by the advertisements and the pressure of the consumer culture, it is much easier to ask oneself if the needs are real or not.
The SoS film has been widely used by teachers in the United States to supplement the traditional materials because of the lack of important information about pollution and climate change. When we have presented the One did it concept in conferences, every time people ask when our site will be available in other languages and how they could use the site and material for education purposes. We know that some teachers have already used our site on their classes but wanted to provide something more.
During the Finnish sustainable consumption campaign week (Nuukuusviikko) in spring 2009 we provided some material for schools and other interested organisations to arrange a simple contest to raise awareness about ecological backpack concept. At the moment we are working together with the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, CSCP on a pilot project for introducing some electronic material and new concepts to bring sustainable lifestyle issues to high school classes. The pilot project will start in September 2009 in Germany and Finland. The learnings will be presented in two conferences in Germany and Belgium before the end of the year. We look forward to launch the concept for a wider audience after the pilot phase. We’ll keep you updated about the developments.
The 20-minute well made film with clear and simple arguments illustrates well the material flows, pollution and social inequalities related to production, consumption and disposal of stuff. The video shows all the issues that are hidden from us when we go shopping. In that sense the idea goes hand in hand with the ecological backpack concept, make visible the hidden flows required to produce a certain item.
The point is that we don’t actually pay the full price for the products we buy. The externalities like environmental costs and inhumane working conditions of production are not included in the price tag. What is even more important in my opinion is the critique towards the consumer culture. The current pace of buying and getting rid of stuff is certainly not sustainable. Telling people not to consume is not very efficient if people really believe they need all the new gadgets, larger homes and so on. But when you realise how the needs actually created by the advertisements and the pressure of the consumer culture, it is much easier to ask oneself if the needs are real or not.
The SoS film has been widely used by teachers in the United States to supplement the traditional materials because of the lack of important information about pollution and climate change. When we have presented the One did it concept in conferences, every time people ask when our site will be available in other languages and how they could use the site and material for education purposes. We know that some teachers have already used our site on their classes but wanted to provide something more.
During the Finnish sustainable consumption campaign week (Nuukuusviikko) in spring 2009 we provided some material for schools and other interested organisations to arrange a simple contest to raise awareness about ecological backpack concept. At the moment we are working together with the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, CSCP on a pilot project for introducing some electronic material and new concepts to bring sustainable lifestyle issues to high school classes. The pilot project will start in September 2009 in Germany and Finland. The learnings will be presented in two conferences in Germany and Belgium before the end of the year. We look forward to launch the concept for a wider audience after the pilot phase. We’ll keep you updated about the developments.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Break the routine
We love the holiday season don’t we? Especially the possibility to break routines is great. You know spend time and effort on things we really love to do. The change in routines can be either positive or negative from the environmental perspective but that is not the main point here. Important is that during holiday we have time and energy to question some the locked-in habits of our everyday life.
It would be great to see the routine breaking mindset more often out of the holiday season too. When following discussions about sustainable lifestyles and practices there is no debate without comments like “sounds like a good idea but in Normal life of Normal people it is impossible”. I bet there are definitely normal people telling their stories about slow travel, bicycle commuting, reusable nappies and vegetarian (or even vegan)cooking to take a few examples.
Even if we are not ready to turn our whole life upside down at once we can find some of the issues so inspiring that we decide to break our routine and take a try. We all are familiar with the feeling that we want to do something better or differently. It is much easier to break the habit if we have some concrete advice to start with. Small changes don’t need to be complicated we just need the holiday type of mindset to make the (pro-environment) change. Let’s hold on to the open-minded attitude while we are back to our desks and everyday life.
It would be great to see the routine breaking mindset more often out of the holiday season too. When following discussions about sustainable lifestyles and practices there is no debate without comments like “sounds like a good idea but in Normal life of Normal people it is impossible”. I bet there are definitely normal people telling their stories about slow travel, bicycle commuting, reusable nappies and vegetarian (or even vegan)cooking to take a few examples.
Even if we are not ready to turn our whole life upside down at once we can find some of the issues so inspiring that we decide to break our routine and take a try. We all are familiar with the feeling that we want to do something better or differently. It is much easier to break the habit if we have some concrete advice to start with. Small changes don’t need to be complicated we just need the holiday type of mindset to make the (pro-environment) change. Let’s hold on to the open-minded attitude while we are back to our desks and everyday life.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
How to work out your sports eco-backpack?
We’ve learned how important regular exercise is for us. While running through the green parks and forests we appreciate the natural environment around us. But do we ever think if your sport routines have any impact on the environment somehow. The impacts are obvious if we have a large motor boat to cruise around. If boating is not the thing for you, there are still few rules of thumb to keep in mind to avoid adding too many kilograms to your eco-backpack while taking your regular exercise.
Transport, how to get there?
Use your muscle power to get to the sports facility. Public transport is almost as good but doesn’t make a good warm up exercise. If connections are poor maybe you can take turns with your friends and share a ride.
Transport, don't go far
Take advantage of sports facilities near by our home or place of work to cut down extra kilometres.
Sports facilities
The less constructed, heated or cooled space is needed, the better. Building of sports facilities require natural resources and heating and cooling consume energy. Basically if you go jogging or play football outdoors it probably it adds fewer kilograms to your eco-backpack than swimming in swim hall or playing ice hockey indoors. Remember still that usually if you swap a car ride to the site to bus or bicycle ride you probably save more than by giving up your favourite indoor sport for jogging.
Shoes, bats, and other equipment
Equipment does not usually cause so much pressure on the environment compared to sports related mobility and sport facilities. Same rules apply for sports equipment like for other stuff. Use the things you already have as long as possible, share goods, go for second hand items when you need to buy something.
Add exercise to your everyday routine
If can cycle to work or grocery store it helps you to keep fit but it also saves time since you don’t need to dedicate so much time for “doing sports”. The new routine might drop off few kilos from your waist and eco-backpack too.
We provide some sports related eco-actions to help you lighten your sports eco-backpack. Summer is good time for all the sports with light eco-backpack. Enjoy!
Transport, how to get there?
Use your muscle power to get to the sports facility. Public transport is almost as good but doesn’t make a good warm up exercise. If connections are poor maybe you can take turns with your friends and share a ride.
Transport, don't go far
Take advantage of sports facilities near by our home or place of work to cut down extra kilometres.
Sports facilities
The less constructed, heated or cooled space is needed, the better. Building of sports facilities require natural resources and heating and cooling consume energy. Basically if you go jogging or play football outdoors it probably it adds fewer kilograms to your eco-backpack than swimming in swim hall or playing ice hockey indoors. Remember still that usually if you swap a car ride to the site to bus or bicycle ride you probably save more than by giving up your favourite indoor sport for jogging.
Shoes, bats, and other equipment
Equipment does not usually cause so much pressure on the environment compared to sports related mobility and sport facilities. Same rules apply for sports equipment like for other stuff. Use the things you already have as long as possible, share goods, go for second hand items when you need to buy something.
Add exercise to your everyday routine
If can cycle to work or grocery store it helps you to keep fit but it also saves time since you don’t need to dedicate so much time for “doing sports”. The new routine might drop off few kilos from your waist and eco-backpack too.
We provide some sports related eco-actions to help you lighten your sports eco-backpack. Summer is good time for all the sports with light eco-backpack. Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Do small things matter?
Every now and then the potential of small everyday pro-environment choices and actions are questioned. People claim that if we only do small things we’ll only achieve small changes. The importance of high level agreements to cut emissions is of course crucial. Similarly no one can question the need for regulations for more sustainable buildings, energy production, transport systems and city planning.
However, we might feel powerless in front of the huge environmental challenges we face and get frustrated about the slow pace of change in the high level decision making. But our everyday life matters too. Food, mobility, housing and energy use at home make up the majority of the weight our personal eco-backpacks. Why wouldn’t we take control over our choices in our everyday life? We can start right away to make improvements. Take a walk or ride your bike, cut some off the meat every now and then, and turn down the thermostat. These are easy, quick and inexpensive ways to make a difference.
The opponents of green consumption have a point criticising the potential of green products. It is true that if we buy more just because it is greener we are fooling ourselves and green washing our own life. But when it comes to renewable energy for instance we have a green product to go for. Most of us would still like to heat our homes and run computers, right?
Behaviour change is what we need. We believe that small is better than nothing but it is true that also huge changes can be made in personal life if we look at food, mobility and housing. Cutting down kilometres and questioning the need for bigger homes are definitely big changes and the ones we urgently need for. The good news is that by taking these decisions we are adopting overall pro-environmental practices, not just tackling one single issue like reducing air pollution for instance.
Making individual and informed choices does not mean you have to manage it all alone. There is something between individual choices and high level decision making, communities. It gives you much more confident and powerful feeling when you find other people doing their bit too. The supporting community can be consist of your real life friends, neighbours or people you around the world you know through the online communities. Have you already challenged your friends to take some of the One did it eco-actions?
However, we might feel powerless in front of the huge environmental challenges we face and get frustrated about the slow pace of change in the high level decision making. But our everyday life matters too. Food, mobility, housing and energy use at home make up the majority of the weight our personal eco-backpacks. Why wouldn’t we take control over our choices in our everyday life? We can start right away to make improvements. Take a walk or ride your bike, cut some off the meat every now and then, and turn down the thermostat. These are easy, quick and inexpensive ways to make a difference.
The opponents of green consumption have a point criticising the potential of green products. It is true that if we buy more just because it is greener we are fooling ourselves and green washing our own life. But when it comes to renewable energy for instance we have a green product to go for. Most of us would still like to heat our homes and run computers, right?
Behaviour change is what we need. We believe that small is better than nothing but it is true that also huge changes can be made in personal life if we look at food, mobility and housing. Cutting down kilometres and questioning the need for bigger homes are definitely big changes and the ones we urgently need for. The good news is that by taking these decisions we are adopting overall pro-environmental practices, not just tackling one single issue like reducing air pollution for instance.
Making individual and informed choices does not mean you have to manage it all alone. There is something between individual choices and high level decision making, communities. It gives you much more confident and powerful feeling when you find other people doing their bit too. The supporting community can be consist of your real life friends, neighbours or people you around the world you know through the online communities. Have you already challenged your friends to take some of the One did it eco-actions?
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