Posted by John Goetz
From the Creative Ways to Tackle Global Warming files:
It appears that the Australian Cotton Research and Development Corporation feels the need to develop an argument that cotton is a green alternative to polyester. According to Daily News & Analysis India, the CRDC has commissioned a “life cycle assessment” that compares the environmental impact of cotton and polyester T-shirts on their production, use and disposal stages, the “cradle to grave” approach. This assessment is being done by researcher Francisco Javier Navarro of the Queensland University of Technology’s Institute of Sustainable Resources.
According to the following excerpt: washing dirty linen yourself rather than relying on a machine could help cut down greenhouse gas emission levels… Now there’s an idea sure to gain a lot of traction in the modern world. Surely most of us want to return to that nostalgic era captured in the image above, back to the pre-industrial age when life was simpler and temperatures cooler.
The article continues: For example, washing and tumble drying a dirty T-shirt consumes three-quarters of the energy used in manufacturing and using it…This means our decisions on washing our clothes have a big impact on the carbon footprint of our clothing. It makes a huge difference in energy consumption to hang clothes out on a washing line to dry instead of using a tumble dryer.
OK, that seems to be pretty standard common-sense stuff. But wouldn’t polyester have the edge here, as it takes less time to dry a polyester leisure suit than it does a 100% cotton T-shirt? Well, the study actually seeks to break new ground.
The article concludes with the following:
One of the objectives of Navarro’s research is to analyse the effect of increasing the number of times T-shirts are worn before washing.
Navarro said the use of “smell-friendly” fibres would also assist in increasing the number of times a shirt is worn between washes. “Research shows that polyester is related to more intense sweat odour than cotton,” he said.
So, the suggestion is that we wear the cotton T-shirt more times between washes than the polyester shirt, thus negating the polyester advantage and therefore saving the planet. Now that’s clever, but Dr. Navarro might first want to check and make sure there is not a middle school boy out there somewhere holding a patent on that concept. Perhaps the study will extend this to underwear and socks and just about everything else we wear. No, wait, that has probably been patented by the same boy…
Regardless of who came up with the idea first, I believe this will go over well with those who use public transportation, as they are at the forefront in reducing their carbon footprint.
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
If I hang my clothes out to dry, I’ll need an ice pick to get them down.
I have no problem with sending the serious eco-fanatics back in time. They want pre-industrial, they can have pre-industrial. And pre-antibiotic, pre-electric, pre-supermarket, pre-iPod, etc.
We don’t have to send them that far. If the Time Machine is only temporal and not spatial, a single day should do it. The earth moves at least a million miles each day. That far, and we won’t hear them.
Hi guys, how’s it going?
I just read John’s article, I think he has interesting comments. I just wanted to explain to all of you who are interested that it is not true that one of the outcomes of our research is to suggest that people should go back to handwashing. You can check the source of the article here: http://www.news.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/News.woa/wa/goNewsPage?newsEventID=20159
The best way to make your washing cycle more ecological is to wash in cold water, as that typically saves heaps of energy, and do your best when buying detergents (try to get the best ratio of price/environmental-friendliness). I knew that the concept of washing less would create a bit of discussion. The idea is not to wear t-shirts during two or more days before washing them, that’s simply disgusting! Plus it wouldn’t be realistic to think that most people would take it seriously, so what would be the point in suggesting that? The first results of the research show that reusing one of every twenty t-shirts during half a day already makes cotton a “greener” option that polyester. So what this shows is that a tiny little change in your behaviour does have an impact.
A serious suggestion is to use the tumble dryer less, when possible. I don’t mean to tell you to not use it at all, that’s also unrealistic, but perhaps just tumble dry based on priorities. It’s all pretty common sense, I think a two year old could come up with the same ideas as I have (pretending the contrary I think is bullshit).
Of course, the idea that the CRDC pays for this research can get people to think it’s biased. Well, every research is biased the same that every person has a bias, however the bias in this one are my personal beliefs rather than economic reasons. Bias is unavoidable, from my point of view, and the only way to avoid its negative consequences is by being transparent.
Also, I really don’t believe in “don’t do this, don’t do that”. My advise for people is to try to be more aware of what they do when it comes to washing because a tiny change every so often does help.
I couldn’t imagine my wife doing the laundry with the old wash tub. If she had to do that, you’d know every AGW believer in the neighborhood. They’d have knots on their noggins that would make a man cringe just looking at them. LOL
Thanks Mr. Navarro for such a reasonable response. You sound like a really nice guy. However, nobody needs to tell me how to do my laundry. In Texas we call people who do that busybodies.
Thanks again,
Mike Bryant
Eh, at least he gives a reasonable response. He just gives advice, doesn’t want to issue orders. “Busybodies” are fine with me so long as they are without legal sanction.
Now, I don’t think it’s necessary, and I don’t think we have a problem in the first place (either in terms of global warming or “peak oil” or whatever), but I am fine with a difference of opinion so long as it does not want to pick my pocket, run my life, or toss me in the clink.
True Evan, but this drip, drip drip of wheedling, suggestions and advise for me to try to be more aware of what I do, is tiresome. I already have a wife.
While it is difficult for me to type this; with only the one finger not bandaged; on the one hand I can move; and with only one eye not swollen shut; I thought it important that I should share this.
I had suggested to my wife that she hand-wash clothes in cold water, for the sake of global warming.
The doctors do expect me to, eventually, to make a full recovery.
Does someone have a list of all the things I must change to satisfy the Green Machine?
1. Change my lightbulbs to the poisonous ones.
2. Handwash my clothes. (preferably)
3. Line dry my clothes. (if there are blowflies, too bad)
4. Wear my clothes days longer. (but not so long that the albedo increases)
5. Turn off power to my house.
6. Donate the money I save on utilities to green organizations.
7. Buy only white pets. (albedo)
8. Paint everything white.
9. Eat only what Dr Pachauri says is OK. (buy lots of curry)
10. Change transportation to bicycle. (make sure it has a basket for loads)
11. Do not have children. (that will eliminate grandkids too)
I am sure I have left out a few things but this is a good start.
Do your part to increase Pet Albedo.
“drip, drip drip … I already have a wife.” Mike Bryant
“A constant dripping on a day of steady rain and a contentious woman are alike;” Proverbs 27:15
Evan,
[snip]
Reply: statePoet1775, how many times do I have to ask you not to begin or participate in religious/epistemological discussions on this site? I would also like to admonish Evan Jones for encouraging you. ~ charles the moderator.
Name change to reveal the guilty. I do want to save Evan’s soul, he is such a nice atheist.
OK Charles. I have been a poor guest. Maybe a thread where you can shunt off types like me. I apologize for causing you grief.
Sorry, I cheated. One must play by the rules.
When this CO2 thing is settled, I do hope for the sake of sanity that mankind is innocent or it will be one imagined crisis after another.
Well, I’m currently living in Oz (not where the Wizard is) and somebody decided dryers are a no-no. And their electric dryers are garbage. An hour and a half to dry 4 towels. When I moved here years ago I inquired about gas dryers and no one even knew there were such things. And no one seems to understand you’re supposed to have an exhaust pipe attached and out through a wall. Never saw anyone do that (except me). In the town I live in, most people don’t have dryers and our greener than green council is anti-dryer.
When I was in Kuwait, I found hand washing my microfiber in the shower convenient.
Aaron: Yeah, and when I was in Uni, I would shower and wash my clothes at the same time. And I ate nothing but macaroni and ketchup for the last month of term.
ahhhh, good times…..
Mmmmmmmm… macaroni and ketchup…
When I lived in Japan the bothersome gusset thieves intent on stealing ladies’ skimpies in a fad known as “panchira” made my eco efforts to dry garments outside a smidgen tricky. Perverts aren’t made nearly enough accountable for their perverse impact on the environment.
Macaroni with a couple drops of mustard.