KneesUp
Guru
With it becoming increasingly clear that we as a species are ruining the planet, if we haven't ruined it already, I find myself thinking more and more of the environmental consequences of my actions, and it occurs to me that I have not a clue how to do this.
For example, I use an Aeropress coffee maker at work, and I am low on filters - it came with a few hundred paper filters which are now running out. I can buy more single-use paper filters, or I can buy a metal filter that you can use over and over again. How do I compare the impact of producing and shipping lots of paper filters (albeit they are biodegradable) versus one metal filter? And come to think of it, is the impact of either totally insignificant compared to putting more water in the kettle than I actually need once every 10, 50, 100 coffees?
Similarly with cars - I can't afford a new one at the moment, but if I could I would have no idea how to compare the impact of just using my current one until it falls to bits versus getting a new one.
Do you consciously make decisions with the environmental consequences in mind - and if so, how do you decide what to do?
For example, I use an Aeropress coffee maker at work, and I am low on filters - it came with a few hundred paper filters which are now running out. I can buy more single-use paper filters, or I can buy a metal filter that you can use over and over again. How do I compare the impact of producing and shipping lots of paper filters (albeit they are biodegradable) versus one metal filter? And come to think of it, is the impact of either totally insignificant compared to putting more water in the kettle than I actually need once every 10, 50, 100 coffees?
Similarly with cars - I can't afford a new one at the moment, but if I could I would have no idea how to compare the impact of just using my current one until it falls to bits versus getting a new one.
Do you consciously make decisions with the environmental consequences in mind - and if so, how do you decide what to do?