I must admit, I have never really been particularly green....it's just not something I'm very good at.
Recently I read an article discussing the various kinds of electrical appliances we live with in our homes today in comparison to how people managed without them years ago, and it prompted me to have a look around my own home...
I assumed we would have probably around 7 electrical appliances....I was surprised when the tally actually came to 15!
So, how many electrical appliances do we have....and how much of a necessity are they?!
Let's break it down....
Washing Machine - Well I suppose in theory we COULD live without it - we could wash by hand or just go to the laundrette, but I'm sure most new Mums will agree that the washing pile seems to be endless with a baby in the house and so I would really rather not have to live without the washing machine!
Dishwasher - We could certainly live without this I think, its a luxury. We're not a massively populated house who couldn't get by without it - its just a quick fix and actually, I don't really like the smell of dishes when they come out of the dishwasher so I prefer to hand wash! I could live without this.
Microwave - We don't often get to have hot meals as soon as they're made anymore since Tyne usually decides that Grown Up Dinner Time is when he wants his bottle - so I don't know how we'd survive without the microwave these days! Plus we have a microwave steriliser for Tyne's bottles - so its a bit of a necessity for us now!
Kettle/Toaster - We don't have tons of extra Kitchen electrical appliances like toasted sandwhich makers, coffee makers (though I'd like one!), George Foreman Grills, etc - so I don't think we're too bad on that front. The basic kettle and toaster are certainly a necessity though - especially because our grill doesn't work, so no toaster = no toast!
Oven - I'm sure everybody would agree that it would be pretty bloody difficult to get by without an oven!
Fridge Freezer - Again, I know there are people who don't have freezers - an old friend of mine didn't have one and insisted it made her healthier coz she had to buy fresh food every day - but I couldn't get by without ours. I like to freeze leftovers to use at a later date, and I know this will also be something I do a lot once Tyne starts weaning onto solid foods.
Televisions x 2 - I know there are plenty of families still around who choose not to have TV sets. Thats fine if thats their choice but I personally wouldn't choose to opt out - I don't watch a great deal of TV but its nice to have the option and I do enjoy watching films at home. Plus I don't like the idea of Tyne being left out when he goes to school and other children are talking about what they watched on TV.I do think we could get by with just one set though.
Stereo - I love my music, and I still have old records and CDs which I don't want to give up as they have a lot of memories attached to them - so a stereo is a must have for me!
Ipod Docking Station - Again, I love my music and I LOVE my ipod! Must have!!!
DVD Players x 2 - As I have mentioned, I'm a big movie addict so a dvd player is a must - but we have one to go with each TV. We could certainly get rid of a TV, and therefore get rid of a DVD player!
Laptop - Definitely a must have - or else I wouldn't be sitting here writing this post!
Desktop PC - We don't really use the Desktop very much at all, I really only wanted it because I like to play The Sims. We could get by without it.
So out of 15 electrical appliances, I would be prepared to part with 4.
How many electrical appliances do you have in your home and how many would you be prepared to give up?! As always, I'd love to hear from you!