Energy Rethinking - use less save more

The headlines about global warming and carbon emissions are invariably grim. If you’re concerned about your own contribution to this planet’s carbon overload, it’s easy to become rather quickly discouraged. When we toss our drinks cans and newspapers into the recycling bins, it can sometimes feel as though we are are we doing little more than spitting in the wind.

Take Heart – You Do Make A Difference

That’s why I was so pleased to discover clever little tool today that can show you exactly how much of a difference you own, individual recycling efforts can really make. Developed by Coca Cola in association with WRAP(Waste & Resources Action Programme), The Recyclometer shows you how much energy you can save in terms of powering a light bulb, a television and a microwave.

Did you know, for example, that recycling one egg box saves enough energy to power a lightbulb for 41 minutes, a television for 31 minutes and a microwave for 5 minutes? Or that a recycling a single glass wine bottle bottle saves enough energy to power a light bulb for 3 hours, a television for 2.5 hours and a microwave for 24 minutes? Recycle your Christmas copy of Vogue and you’ve saved enough energy to power a comfortable evening in for the family – 8 hours of lighting, 6 hours of television and an hour of microwave cooking.

Newspapers, Christmas cards, take-away menus dropped through your letterbox , a six-pack of tinnies, all sorts. Visit the Recyclometer, enter the likely contents of your own recycling bin to see the carbon reduction contribution you’re making, and I guarantee it will put you in a much better holiday mood.