PowerSwitch

Well it's here again, the season when most people buy people they don't like, a load of junk they don't want. How about a book (very readable). Here is a taster.

And here is a snippet:

One of the main sinks of energy in the “developed” world is the creation
of stuff. In its natural life cycle, stuff passes through three stages. First, a
new-born stuff is displayed in shiny packaging on a shelf in a shop. At this
stage, stuff is called “goods.” As soon as the stuff is taken home and sheds
its packaging, it undergoes a transformation from “goods” to its second
form, “clutter.” The clutter lives with its owner for a period of months
or years. During this period, the clutter is largely ignored by its owner,
who is off at the shops buying more goods. Eventually, by a miracle of
modern alchemy, the clutter is transformed into its final form, rubbish. To
the untrained eye, it can be difficult to distinguish this “rubbish” from the
highly desirable “good” that it used to be. Nonetheless, at this stage the
discerning owner pays the dustman to transport the stuff away.

I have bought nothing for other people (whether I liked them or not) for a long time, the only exceptions being my two daughters and my wife, whom I happen to like and often buy stuff for. No specific time of year changes that, just my moods.

It's easy to not buy stuff. In fact, I've never particularly seen the point of buying stuff for others. Most people I know have more money than me anyway.

I buy nothing for others except Mrs. W, but unfortunately it gets bought by proxy as she buys all the stuff for others.I suspect Mrs.E does the same.

I’ll be drinking more alcohol and unfortunately fermentation produces carbon dioxide.

I bought some Mr Kipling Mince Pies as I am fond of them and they remind me of Christmases past.

Made in the UK so 10,000 food miles and counting. How about that for global warming.

I think the ghost of Christmas yet to come has something nasty in store for all of us.

I will minmise my carbon emmisions as far as I consider to be reasonable, but as for reducing or adding to carbon emmisions, compared to what ?

Is train travel to the West Country and back adding to carbon emmisions (diesel fuel used by train) or is it reducing carbon emmisions by not going by road ? Or should one consider that the train is running anyway and the EXTRA fuel used by conveying me is negligable ?

And what about the leisure trips planned on the West Somerset Railway ? not very green being coal burning, and is only for leisure and admiring the countryside. Or again one could take the view that the carbon emmisions are no worse than a similar trip in an SUV, and might be no worse than some peoples use of central heating and giant TV sets. Or take the view that the train is running anyway and that the extra coal used by conveying me is negligable.

Leaving travel aside, my Christmas should be fairly low carbon but probably not carbon neutral.

Christmas lights, about 1,000 put up but they are all low energy LED types and used largely instead of other lighting, not as well, so little if any increase in energy use.

Extra food and drink purchased and likely to be consumed, locally made were possible. (doomer stocks consumed when possible and replaced with new)

Extra use of oil lamps and candles, partly for decorative effect but also for warmth, probably not bad compared to central heating, and better than electric heating. Also has the advantage of stock rotation and keeping oil lamps in good working order.

Some use of disposable alkaline batteries for trivial or decorative purposes. Not as wastful as it sounds since I replace all batteries in seldom used or safety related items anually. The old ones may as well be used up for non essiential purposes.

I give some Christmas gifts but try to respect the enviroment in so doing by giving things that are either energy saving, or that the recepient would have purchased anyway.

To my Mother, a ton of firewood, plus food and drink.
To my Sister, LED Christmas lights to replace incandescent ones.
To an old friend who has fallen on hard times, a new small A* fridge as I doubt they could afford one and the alternatives seemed to be a cheap secondhand power gobbling fridge, or going without and risking food waste or spoilage.

To internet friends in Ghana some 12 volt fluorescent light fittings to replace incandescents and thereby give more light from an existing PV system. Also books on basic building, and basic but "western style" farming.

To some neighbours who are suffering financialy, a load of warm bedding etc. Also smoke detectors with lithium batteries.

To the trainee at work, some tools.

adam2 wrote:I will minmise my carbon emmisions as far as I consider to be reasonable, but as for reducing or adding to carbon emmisions, compared to what ?

Compared to not adding to them.

Is train travel to the West Country and back adding to carbon emmisions (diesel fuel used by train) or is it reducing carbon emmisions by not going by road ? Or should one consider that the train is running anyway and the EXTRA fuel used by conveying me is negligable ?

Nothing is negligible, anything else is accountable.

And what about the leisure trips planned on the West Somerset Railway ? not very green being coal burning, and is only for leisure and admiring the countryside. Or again one could take the view that the carbon emmisions are no worse than a similar trip in an SUV, and might be no worse than some peoples use of central heating and giant TV sets. Or take the view that the train is running anyway and that the extra coal used by conveying me is negligable.

See previous answer.

Leaving travel aside, my Christmas should be fairly low carbon but probably not carbon neutral.

Christmas lights, about 1,000 put up but they are all low energy LED types and used largely instead of other lighting, not as well, so little if any increase in energy use.

Extra food and drink purchased and likely to be consumed, locally made were possible. (doomer stocks consumed when possible and replaced with new)

Extra use of oil lamps and candles, partly for decorative effect but also for warmth, probably not bad compared to central heating, and better than electric heating. Also has the advantage of stock rotation and keeping oil lamps in good working order.

Some use of disposable alkaline batteries for trivial or decorative purposes. Not as wastful as it sounds since I replace all batteries in seldom used or safety related items anually. The old ones may as well be used up for non essiential purposes.

Nothing significant then.

I give some Christmas gifts but try to respect the enviroment in so doing by giving things that are either energy saving, or that the recepient would have purchased anyway.

To my Mother, a ton of firewood, plus food and drink.
To my Sister, LED Christmas lights to replace incandescent ones.
To an old friend who has fallen on hard times, a new small A* fridge as I doubt they could afford one and the alternatives seemed to be a cheap secondhand power gobbling fridge, or going without and risking food waste or spoilage.

To internet friends in Ghana some 12 volt fluorescent light fittings to replace incandescents and thereby give more light from an existing PV system. Also books on basic building, and basic but "western style" farming.

To some neighbours who are suffering financialy, a load of warm bedding etc. Also smoke detectors with lithium batteries.

To the trainee at work, some tools.

Well, not much to post about then You don't fall into the category of "most people". I think the quote from the book refers to people who but lots of consumer tat, that gets shelved for a respectable time, then dumped.

adam2 wrote:and basic but "western style" farming.

A book on Permaculture would have been better.

That may not have introduced the natives to GM and glyphosate.

kenneal - lagger wrote:

adam2 wrote:and basic but "western style" farming.

A book on Permaculture would have been better.

Possibly, but what was requested was books about "western farming in years gone by"
The local people are very experienced in growing the usual crops as have been grown for generations. What they wanted was books about different crops and different farming tecniques. How best to farm say 20 acres ? that it is too much for hand cultivation, but very small by industrial farming standards.
Last year I sent the popular self sufficiency book by John Seymour, useful to an extent, but other books to give a broader view seemed sensible.

What is the climate like in Ghana, Adam? Wet? Dry? Definite wet and dry seasons? UK agriculture might not suite their climate, even old style UK agriculture. Permaculture, which can be adapted to any climate, might have been better.

There's always next year.

Winter festivals have been around a long time, presumably as a way of avoiding going insane during the long, dark winter nights. (Especially up here, where we're now into the 3-4 weeks either side of the winter solstice when the sun never actually makes it above the local horizon).

Maybe it's another good opportunity to "go local"; build emotional capital with neighbours (have 'em in for a mince pie and sherry), do some voluntary stuff in the neighbourhood and source locally for those Christmas goodies!

We're having the chap in from up the road for Christmas lunch, for the second year running. He lives alone. I guarantee we'll be crow-barring him out of the door at about 1.00 am, but he's a hell of a good story-teller. Never quite sure how much of it is actually true. but who cares? We'll be setting him up in a duel with my Mum (also quite a raconteur - is that how you spell it?) to see who gets a sore throat first!

Pressies? We've decorated a tree in the garden this year, so there's nowhere in the house to put 'em. That's our excuse. Sorry kids.

ETA: Thanks, WB, for the link to the book. Heard of it, but hadn't read it. Now ploughing through. Interesting stuff, and I like his writing style.

The winter solstice is a sensible time to celebrate.

emordnilap wrote:The winter solstice is a sensible time to celebrate.

...but not to be celibate

I'd love to be chased.