Going Greener

Can you expand on the N? It's an interesting point you make. There is no doubt that some 'green' issues' are expensive to initiate but save in the long run. Similar I guess to setting up a non EHUsystem in a 'van. - yes, you have to spend money but in the end you end up far better off and have a real appreciation of using power sensibly. I am on site in Wales at the moment and all around me, Solar panels are powering the units perfectly well. No generators here! I think what Hedge is saying is that the club is missing simple and easy ways of improving its green credentials (if they have any) Composters and recycling rainwater is not beyond them I'm sure. And certainly wouldn't cut too far into their precious profits It has been suggested that composters might not be used but if there is nowhere else to put your potato peelings, banana skins etc, then you have no choice We all know there are a few amongst us that prefer to make life easy for themselves by not complying to a few simple rules but they will always be with us. Generally though, I think people do care about the environment and we all need to think about future generations. Look how, from simple beginnings, recycling has taken off- it's something everyone does to some degree now and without really noticing it- it's in the Psyche!! The club should be going all out to do the maximum on recycling and green issues simply because of the business that it's in- promotion of the great outdoors and an alternative lifestyle. Sometimes, it's not about cost- its lack of awareness.

SMART METERS will eventually be the norm. We will then have SMART CHARGING - excuse the double meaning but it's intentional. 

SMART PRICING (CHARGING) will be introduced to adjust the price per KwH we all pay by the hour/minute according to national/regional demand levels.

SMART CHARGING will enable us to buy electricity at the most economic rate and store it at home in domestic batteries capable of easily powering a house for the off charge period.

Our national grid will manage the levels of demand so that our peak demand is reduced very much closer to our average demand, and the national capacity of our electricity generation will be approximately halved.

Our leisure industry will be forced to adjust and so will we. If the club doesn't  wake up soon, the changes will be unmanageable.

Hey, all, I'm really enjoying this thread - thank you for such positive and constructive posts!

I'm delighted meanwhile to learn of the Crossways dry toilet installation, that shows the CMC might be starting to move at last  ?

And Obbernockle  - yes to the leisure industry needing to catch up!

Interesting - I was originally hoping for more suggestions of measures we could take ourselves, and there have been some of these already,  the electric bikes, and NevChap's list on recycling etc, but it's feeling to me as if most of us are wanting the sites we use, whether CMC or other, to catch up with the tidal movement and provide more eco-friendly  measures - is that right? Maybe there's a limit to what we can do ourselves without totally reinventing the technology.

And as Navigateur says, most of what we do still depends on somebody further up the chain digging big holes in the ground, but indeed even that's beginning to change. OK, the recent brilliant records of the UK having days where all the power provided by wind and solar energy meant no fossil or nuclear was needed all day still depend on stuff from the ground in the equipment, but it's still reckoned to be more sustainable in the long term than what's needed to feed conventional power stations.

(Meanwhile between the CMC site moving at glacial speed on this computer, and our connection playing silly games, it's taken three attempts to post this so far, so I'll have another go later!  ….Cuts and pastes what I've written so far for the second time, saves to desktop, re-starts computer, pastes back into CMC site, hopes it's not way out of date by the time it finally appears....)

I am enjoying it too Hedge- Obbernockle's post I liked- particularly the last paragraph. Everyone knows the CMHC are more interested in selling their wares than addressing matters that will probably , in the long run, earn them less money, but will put them in great standing with the public. In a world where money is king, can we be surprised. Unfortunately,I think it will be up to individuals to do what they can. There has been some great suggestions on the thread. Sometimes I'm afraid, the good and correct course gets in the way of profits!! 

if there is nowhere else to put your potato peelings, banana skins etc, then you have no choice

Please don't put the banana skins into compost. They take literally years to degrade, even in the open air.  Similarly, raw onions produce an acid that kills off some of the bacteria the break stuff down in compost.

"Sometimes" , Merve ?! Sadly, all too many recent examples, tempting to quote here but way off topic,  - such things as public health often being up there, illustrate how short term rewards for shareholders and/or top executive bonuses come before anything, whether it's safety of people using the products or whatever.

But the fact that more and more of us are taking an active interest, taking ownership of things we can do, even if they're only the thin ends of wedges, is wonderfully encouraging!

Thanks for that Nav. 

Likewise from here - didn't know that. We knew that lemon skins and other citrus things made it too acid, from now on, no banana skins in our own heap! We're lucky, the local council does a food waste collection for their giant waste digester, which copes with everything from chicken bones (duly boiled!) to eggshells.

I don't think I can get any greener with my outfit, perhaps buying shell's V Power diesel might help with emissions, but otherwise I don't see what else I can personally do without sacrificing comfort. I have a 120w solar panel, a large 200APH battery and all but my low wattage kettle is powered from it. I have two rubbish bins, one for recycled rubbish and the other for waste. I consider the major stumbling blocks to achieving more are the site facilities themselves. Not all have recycling facilities and those in the UK which offer good EHU free pitching are few and far between, so the solar panel does not get as much use as I would like.

peedee

I think its a shame that there are a lot of people prepared to do much more to reduce their energy consumption but the infrastructure simply isn't ready yet. We get really cross at home about the plastic used for packing stuff, and we simply don't know whether its recycleable or not. We know that there is too much of it though. People need to be educated bout recycling, and about energy usage and energy waste.

Clubs like this one should be taking the lead, not dragging their heels.