Hundreds of organisations are developing initiatives to reduce the impact of human consumption on the planet, but others are simply choosing to ignore the green movement. That makes sense, as your carbon footprint only contributes to, say, CO2 emissions. Oh, and deforestation, the loss of the Earth’s wildlife, global warming (which puts the wellbeing of those in the developing world, and future generations, at the greatest risk) and more. But, hey, if “going green” sounds too much like hippy talk to you, here’s how you can waste energy and ignore the green movement completely.
Firstly, turn up the thermostat on your water heater. For every 10° increase, you can churn out an extra 600 pounds of CO2 emissions every year from an electric water heater and 440 pounds from the gas heater. While we’re at it, if you always set your washing machine to its highest temperature, you can add to those CO2 emissions with an additional 500 pounds of CO2 per year. Sure, it will cost you more in bills, but we’re starting a revolution here.
But while you’re emitting out all that extra heat, don’t forget to let it all out into the air through your walls and ceilings. Living in a cold country, such as the UK, gives you the fantastic opportunity to NOT insulate your home. This means you get to up your heat factor by increasing your gas and electricity appliances to stay warm and toasty, so make sure you avoid installing fuel-efficient energy-saving models at all costs.
Now, a great way to ignore the green movement is to laugh in the face of one of its simplest practices: recycling. Increasing the amount of landfill waste should become one of your top priorities, so you need to choose disposable products whenever possible. When you’re doing your weekly food shopping, avoid the “recyclable materials” label like the plague. Not now, or ever, should your products be reused, and locally sourced produce is for squares. If you can buy products that are also made via the exploitation of workers – and, trust me, you can – you get double points! Congratulations, you’ve taken your first steps to undermining the green movement, as well as the planet, your descendents’ wellness and the overall wellbeing of humankind.