Are You Below Average?

[Muddypause]

I've been thinking about starting a little campaign, based on something I said in passing to a fellow forumer the other day.

All we need to do, to make a positive contribution to relieving the burden on the environment, is to consume less than average. If enough people do this, then the average will itself become lower, and we will then be on a downward spiral of consumption. Eventually, the average will be down to sustainable levels.

This means that no one needs to feel that they have to save the world on their own; everybody can watch TV or drive a car, or eat food from around the world - but just do less than the average.

I know this means sorting out what is, currently 'average'. But has this idea got legs? Anybody else want to join me in being below average?

[Andy Hamilton]

I am with you mate, I think that I am far below average. It kind of goes with the whole philosophy of the site, a little is better than none at all.

[Millymollymandy]

Definitely below average, even my IQ! But way above average for other things (quality of life might be one of them!).

[FluffyMuppet]

I'll give it a go. We're probably a bit below average but maybe not (hubbie loves his gadgets). It would be interesting to see.

[Wombat]

Yep! I'm with you Stew (solidarity Bruvvers! ).

Seriously - a good idea!

Nev

[glenniedragon]

How would we establish Average?
Am I average, or would you work on your own average, then attempt to lower it-Great idea though!

Kind thoughts
Deb

[Muddypause]

Therein maybe the flaw in the plan.

Averages for stuff like domestic consumption of electricity/gas and road fuel should be fairly easy to establish - I haven't looked yet, but I'm sure there are guv'ment statistics that would lead to that. You could work out average personal use of, say, electricity, and if you live in a house of 3 people, then you aim to consume less than 3x that average as a houshold.

But I'm not really sure how to work out average consumption of 'goods'. The industries behind those goods will consume energy and resources to varying degrees, which I suggest also need to be accounted for by the ultimate consumers.

Meanwhile, I foresee a future where cars have stickes saying
"Are you a below average driver?"
"My driving is less than average"
and even
"My wife's driving is below average" <HUSH!!!>

[Andy Hamilton]

What about I am below average in the bedroom and proud of it.

[Goodlife1970]

Count me in! Would like to think Im below average but theres always that nagging doubt.................

[Muddypause]

Just thought you might be interested in some figures to aim for. I've been looking at figures from government websites, and worked out some average consuption figures for domestic electricity and gas use, and petrol consumption.

For people in the UK; taken as per head of population, the amount of electricity each person uses domestically is about 2,000 kiloWatt-hours per year. A kWh is 1 unit on your electricity meter.

The amount of gas we use is about 7,300 kWh per person per year. Now, not everyone uses gas in their home, so you will have to figure out a way of consolidating your total energy use. 1 unit on your gas meter is about 31 kWh (this is because gas is actually metered by volume), so 7,300 kWh is around 235 metered units.

So a houshold of, say, four people, will be below average if they consume less than 8,000 units of electricity, and 940 units of gas.

The average amount of road fuel used by private vehicles is a little harder to calculate, mainly because I don't fully understand the figures I found. But I think it works out at around 900 litres per year per vehicle.

[Wombat]

What about I am below average in the bedroom and proud of it.

[*stuffed*]

There is always room for cut backs although I'm sure I'm below average by a fair amount already.
We don't have a car and walk everywhere. Even when we go on our yearly short holiday it's in the country and we have to use public transport.
However I am one to forget to turn the lights off when I leave the room so even if that's all I could manage to change it would be a step in the right direction.
Great idea by the way.

[ina]

What about I am below average in the bedroom and proud of it.

Was he above average in the home brew again when he wrote that?

I'll have to work out my electricity - I don't use any gas, so I suppose I'd be "allowed" a little more electricity?

[Boots]

This is very tricky...

When I compare useage in the city to the country, I see some huge differences. The townies run all sorts of weird extra things... security lights, buzzers, room intercoms, street lights that turn the joint into an all night disco... automatic doors, airconditioners in every office, washing machines that run on hour long cycles... that kind of thing. In the country we have dogs that bark, holler across the paddocks at smoko or bang on the walls, no lights on the road - just reflective signs, we leave our doors open and the only shops airconditioned are the food providers, and not all of them are, just a couple, and we don't use auto washing machines because we just can't waste that much water.

BUT - we have extra distances to travel, so probably do more k's, but due to that most of us have bikes or small cars. My run about is a little 3 cylinder jobbie that only uses a smidgen more than my bike. We pump water, so that needs energy and also run power across longer distances (they say that costs more, when you use extension leads. Does it Muddy?) Things are different for different families. The where's, why's and how's matter, I think.

I really like the idea, and it has definately made me think. Have just been trying to work out how to apply it. I just got our summer power bill and it totalled 4674kwh. That's for 3.5 humans in airconditioning, and the menagerie (incubator, hatchery, birthing/milking stalls, aquarium pumps). We don't have gas. So that means we are sitting at about 1300 per human for a 3 month period, which at Muddy's average says we are way over! The Bill also noted a slight decrease from the previous year (52.8 to 51.4)

No wonder that thing you sent me to said I need a Mini Power house Nev!

Water consumption is vastly under what the townies are allocated though. We just don't collect anywhere near what they get allocated, so we have to really consider it.

So, I guess we just keep working on our own average??? Trying to bring that down? It has cooled down again now, and the airconditioner is no longer on - so the next one will drop a lot... BUT, that is normal too... The summer bill is always a kicker. Tis kind of hard to "average"...

Phone Bills... two teenage girls in house. Give me back the days when they were under 5 and happy to talk into tin cans.. Say no more!

Not sure how I can compare my average to, say an old couples average who lives in a city, for example. We have different needs, maybe? Based on where we live, how we live and what we do/have? Am I making any sense here... Am thinking of things like freezers... we raise all our own meat, so we have 3 freezers. I don't figure most people would have to run 3 freezers, but most folks don't raise their own meat, or pay between $1.10 and $1.80 a kilo for it either... Dunno. Do we just establish our own averages and strive to live beneath them?

[ina]

You are making a lot of sense! And it sounds funny, your bills are higher in summer... When ours are a lot lower! Definitely no need for air conditioning here. But a lot of people have massive security lights in the country - with all that street lighting in town you don't need it to that extent! I'm always annoyed at those bright lights that go on whenever I pass. It's often blinding to pedestrians and cyclists, too - only adjusted for drivers (if at all).

If you are running three freezers, then you'll be going shopping less often than somebody who doesn't raise their own meat. So that saving would offset an expenditure at the other end... I think I would try and find out what the average consumption is for Australia, or even better, for your part of it, and then compare yourself with that.