Introduction

This is the HTML accompaniment to the www.open2.net Coast ‘Postcards from the Future’ interactive quiz. While this version will not display your personal ‘Postcard’ or allow you to see the collective results from all respondents, it should provide some interesting insight into our relationship between our lifestyle choices and the UK coastline. You can try the quiz out for yourself, below.

Your choices shape the coast!

Whether you live in Belfast, Devon or Derby your lifestyle and choices can affect Britain’s coast. Find out more by taking the Eco-Lifestyle Quiz and sending your Postcard from the Future

What do you value most about the coast? Landscape? Wildlife? Jobs? Fun? What are the best ways to protect it? Coasts are dynamic environments: erosion and tides bring constant change. But we know that the choices we make in the modern world are bringing new pressures. Take the quiz to find out more.

Background to the Eco-Lifestyle Quiz

The Eco-Lifestyle Quiz builds on themes identified by Best Foot Forward in a measure of the individual’s ecological footprint or ‘Earthshare’ as well as many of the quality of lifestyle indicators presented by the Environment Agency. The Eco-Lifestyle Quiz offers a quick and easy but not conclusive assessment of how eco-friendly your lifestyle is. The questions consider a number of themes including; transport, leisure, energy, water, shopping, home and garden, and waste.

Earthshare

Earthshare refers to the average amount of ecologically productive land and sea available globally per person. This is calculated as 1.9 hectares per person (Loh et. al., 2002). But how do we know how much we are using?

By considering your lifestyle it is possible to determine your ‘ecological footprint’ which is the amount of land and water area required to support the material standard of living of a human population, using existing technology. Your ‘ecological footprint’ should ideally not exceed your fair ‘earthshare’ if you wish to live a life that is sustainable, in both global terms and for future generations.

What is the Eco-Lifestyle Quiz?

This is a simple quiz which looks at the ecological impacts of your lifestyle. The questions consider a number of themes including; transport, leisure, energy, water, shopping, home and garden, and waste. Read each question and make a yes or no choice.

For background information on how lifestyle choices affect these themes, click the 'more information' link after each question.

Actions you take really do make a difference! Now take the test…

Eco-Lifestyle Quiz

State your location:
Coastal or Inland

Age
0-10
11-18
19-34
35-50
51-70
70+

Questions:

Note down a yes or no answer for the following questions, then take a look at the results at the end to see how you did.

1 - When making a local journey (i.e less than 5 miles) do you usually drive rather than walk, cycle, or use public transport

2 - Do you consider fuel efficiency if you buy a car?

3 – Do you often share car journeys with family and friends?

4 – Do you travel faster than 50 miles per hour by car whenever possible?

5 – Do you travel by aeroplane more than once a year?

6 – Do you tend to cycle or walk to do leisure activities, such as going to the pub or playing sport in your spare time?

7 – Do the majority of your holidays involve flying to your destination?

8 – When on holiday do you tend to stay in one resort rather than travel around from one place to another?

9 – Do you favour holidays in Britain's bustling resorts?

10 – Do you usually socialise and spend your leisure time close to home (within 20 miles)?

11 – In cold weather at home, do you wear only lightweight clothes (e.g. T-shirts)?

12 – Do you monitor your use of heating and hot water, adjusting it to your requirements (e.g. thermostatic boiler controls)?

13 – Do you usually switch off electrical appliances completely when not in use (e.g. TVs, computers, CD players and lights)?

14 – Have you switched any of your electricity supplies to come from renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind turbine, geothermal)?

15 – Do you purchase energy-efficient products and appliances (e.g. loft and cavity wall insulation, low energy light bulbs, double or triple glazing, condensing boilers)?

16 – Do you have a bath or power shower when a quick shower would do the job?

17 – Do you wash your clothes after one day’s wear?

18 – Do you leave the tap running when brushing your teeth?

19 – Does your home have water-saving devices in the toilets (e.g. a low flush lever or something reducing the flush)?

20 – Do you use a rainwater butt, or reuse bath water (e.g. for garden use)?

21 – Do you usually buy locally produced food and vegetables?

22 – Do you usually eat pre-packaged meals?

23 – If you purchase wood products, such as furniture, wood floors and Christmas trees, do you ensure that they come from sustainable forests?

24 – Do you usually replace consumer goods such as washing machine, fridge, kettle, toaster before they have reached the end of their useful product life?

25 – When you buy consumer goods do you usually look for environmental information about the product?

26 – Do you grow or eat organic food?

27 – Is your home plot mainly covered by concrete/gravel or extensions, having little or no garden?

28 – Do you grow fruit and vegetables each year (e.g. in your allotment or garden)?

29 – Do you actively support and encourage wildlife (e.g. in your garden, bird table, wildlife charities membership)?

30 – Have you reduced the use of home and garden chemicals or use more eco-friendly products?

31 – Do you pass on old clothes and goods (e.g. to charity shops)?

32 – Do you recognise the 'hidden gold' in your old clothes and goods? Do you believe in 'waste not want not'?

33 – Do you recycle home waste (e.g. glass, paper, plastic and tins)?

34 – Do you compost food and garden waste (e.g. composter or compost heap)?

35 – Do you make a separate journey by car to recycle your waste?

*Additional Information (to help you make your choices):

Transport (Q1-5):

On average we each travel over 6,000 miles per year in the UK, mostly by car, and this share is increasing. Cars burn fossil fuels and are the fastest growing source of climate change causing carbon dioxide. Car engines are getting more efficient but people are choosing bigger and faster cars, and travelling further, resulting in growing emissions.

Happily most of our journeys in the UK can be made by walking and cycling ­ and these are the best ways of tackling childhood obesity, and keeping people fit and independent later in life. Transport policy that starts from meeting these needs would address climate change, health and congestions problems all in one.

Leisure and Tourism (Q6-10):

As we've got richer, and transport and tourism infrastructure has expanded we've become a nation of holidaymakers. But we're now beginning to count the cost. In 2003, UK Residents made a staggering 150 million overnight trips within the UK and 25 million trips were made to the UK by overseas visitors.

Traveling frequently by air is not sustainable. But it sounds like we'll be missing out on a lot. Some tourism guides are now suggesting that the best option for you, the planet, and the places you visit is to travel by air less often, but stay for longer. And why not get familiar with Britain's coast again?

Energy (Q11-15):

We're an energy hungry society: our taste for wearing t-shirts in our homes in winter, and for plnetiful new gadgets has seen demand (and hence carbon dioxide emissions) rocket. All of our main energy sources affect the environment. The main impact of fossil fuels comes from the release of greenhouse gases when they are burnt. Nuclear power creates radioactive waste that has a long life and cannot yet be safely disposed of.

Renewable sources (wind, solar, tidal, hydro, bio-fuels) do far less environmental damage than fossil and nuclear sources, but are a small proportion. Some argue they have an unwelcome visual or noise impact in some areas. There are no magic wands, but a mix of households and industry reducing energy use, big increases in energy efficiency and more renewable electricity production offers a way forward.

Water (Q16-20):

Household water consumption has risen by 70% over the past 30 years, due mainly to the introduction of water demanding appliances, like power showers and dishwashers, but also because we are changing our habits ­ such as washing ourselves and our clothes every day.

We need to get back to remembering that clean water is a valuable resource. Trapping, storing and purifying water uses a lot of energy. Even relatively water rich countries, like the UK must start to be much more conservation-minded, given that climate change is likely to affect the water cycle and give rise to increased drought risk and rates of evaporation. On the plus side, regulations and a better informed public have seen the seaside getting cleaner.

Shopping (Q21-25):

'I shop therefore I am', Research shows there is no relationship between people's wellbeing and how many new gadgets they have. And in a world of limited resources, buying and then throwing away broken or out-of-fashion consumer goods is a recipe for ecological disaster, especially if the fast growing economies of China or India want to pursue the same wasteful path as we have.

Better designed long-life and more easily repairable domestic appliances will serve us better, save us money and preserve resources in the long term. Also, looking for more locally produced goods can reduce the pollution of transport and help to create robust local economies with stable jobs.

Home (Q26-30):

It can be a surprise to find that households have as big ­ or bigger impact on the environment than industry. Households create pressure associated with demands for water, energy, land and waste management and other services. Decisions we make everyday ­ such as how and where we shop ­ can dramatically cut our environmental impact.

Questions you can ask yourself include: how far has this product traveled to me? Are these groceries in season'? Is this cleaning product biodegradable and the packaging reusable / recyclable? Can I wear this another day before washing it? Growing some of your own food, and making your garden wildlife friendly (birdfeeders, or ponds, for example) are simple ways of making your own green' home.

Waste (Q31-35):

On average, each person in the U.K. produces about 500 kilos of household waste per year. The packaging from last night's dinner or an old mobile phone will probably be taken to a local landfill or will be incinerated. In the UK we only recycle about 9% of our rubbish, so that's a place to start. But recycling uses a lot of energy: taking a glass bottle to your recycling centre in your car can use more energy and create more pollution than if you just threw it away in the bin.

Industry and government can be pressurized to work harder at reducing the environmental impact. Banning of disposable bottles and green' incentives based on deposit schemes, banning of plastic bags and new kinds of low impact packaging have all been successfully introduced around the world.

Answers:

Bold answers are those indicative of a more eco-friendly lifestyle – i.e. these score higher. Check your answers against these and see how you did:

1) Note: Transport Section
a) Yes
b) No

2)
a) Yes
b) No

3)
a) Yes
b) No

4) a) Yes
b) No

5)
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Leisure Section
6)
a) Yes
b) No

7) a) Yes
b) No

8)
a)Yes
b) No

9)
a) Yes
b) No

10)
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Energy Section
11)
a) Yes
b) No

12)
a) Yes
b) No

13)
a) Yes
b) No

14) a) Yes
b) No

15) Condensing boilers?
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Water Section
16) a) Yes
b) No

17)
a) Yes
b) No

18) a) Yes
b) No


19)
a) Yes
b) No

20)
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Shopping Section
21) a) Yes
b) No

22)
a) Yes
b) No

23)
a) Yes
b) No

24)
a) Yes
b) No

25)
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Home Section
26)
a) Yes
b) No

27)
a) Yes
b) No

28)
a) Yes
b) No

29)
a) Yes
b) No

30)
a) Yes
b) No

Note: Waste Section
31) a) Yes
b) No

32)
a) Yes
b) No

33) a) Yes
b) No

34)
a) Yes
b) No

35)
a) Yes
b) No

Results:

Postcard Introduction (when viewing your postcard):

Thanks for completing the quiz. You will now see how lifestyle choices like the ones you have made could affect an imaginary stretch of Britain's coast.

Click on each of the objects in the pictures to see how 'eco-friendly' your choices are. Of course, this quiz and the postcards are quick, simple and a bit of tongue in cheek. But the reality is that choices made by individuals, and above all by government and business, will shape Britain's environment, especially its sensitive coastline.

Bar Chart Introduction (when viewing your results):

The graphs below show how you scored in each category.

Roll your mouse over each column for more information on how your choices may affect the environment. You can see results from other people who have taken the quiz by clicking 'all results' on the left.

Do you notice differences between the results for coastal or inland residents? Has age affected the results? Have a think about why these might vary across the groups. Do you think people have a different attitude to environmental issues or the coast according to where they live. You can learn more about all these issues by taking a course with the OU.

Advice for a greener lifestyle:

Transport Use:

Your score for TRANSPORT USE is not an eco-friendly score. There are many actions you could take to change your lifestyle.

Consider walking or cycling for short journeys
Use public transport when possible
Drive at 50 miles per hour or less as a fastest fuel-efficient speed
Try to share car journeys with family and friends
Use the idling speed of your car to slow down to a gentle stop and save fuel
Travel by air as little as possible for holidays
Try to share car journeys with family and friends
Buy locally grown food and reduce air miles

Leisure Activities:

Your score for LEISURE ACTIVITIES is not an eco-friendly score. There are many actions you could take to change your lifestyle.

Consider taking up leisure activities that are not dependent on non-renewable energy sources
When holidaying take train or boat rather than air or road when possible
When staying in hotels save water and use towels more than once
If you have time you could become a volunteer for environmental charities

Water Use:

Your score for WATER USE is not an eco-friendly score. There are many actions you could take to change your lifestyle.

Don’t leave taps running when you brush your teeth or wash vegetables or crockery
Use left-over water (e.g. in the basin) for watering plants or flushing the toilet
Consider whether you need to flush the toilet for every use – a third of household water is flushed down the toilet!
Use a water-saving device such as a water-filled plastic bottle in the toilet cistern to save flushing water
Water the garden at night during the summer when there is less evaporation
Use less water, e.g. by sharing bath water in the family or having shorter showers – power showering may use more water than a bath

Use of Energy:

Some aspects of your USE OF ENERGY are eco-friendly, but there are still actions you can take.

Monitor and reduce your use of electricity and other non-renewable energy sources
Keep the heat in by drawing curtains and shutting doors
Adopt energy efficient measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation, low energy light bulbs, double glazing, condensing or Micro-CHP boilers, solar heating, and thermostats
Turn the heating down and wear warm clothes indoors in the colder months
Switch off TV, computers and lights when not in use (i.e. don’t leave them on standby).
Buy energy-efficient goods and appliances
Turn off the oven or iron a few minutes before you are finished allowing residual heat to do the work

Shopping Activities:

Some aspects of your SHOPPING ACTIVITIES are eco-friendly, but there are still actions you can take.

Buy locally grown food or grow your own vegetables and eat seasonal food. Did you know many shop-bought vegetables are flown in, leading to carbon emissions associated with transportation!
Eat food with less waste packaging such as ready meals, fast food and take-away meals
Try to buy goods with less packaging when you shop
Try to look after your belongings rather than seek to replace them
Save paper and buy fewer newspapers - you could consider sharing with family, friends or colleagues
Use a list when shopping and buy only what you need. Think about whether you really need Buy One Get One Free (‘Bogoffs’)
Use the library more often – don’t buy so many books
Consider passing on and sharing old clothes and goods
Bring your own plastic bags when shopping
Look for long-term value from the goods you buy before replacing them
Use the library more often – don’t buy so many books
Consider passing on and sharing old clothes and goods
Bring your own plastic bags when shopping
Look for long-term value from the goods you buy before replacing them

Home Activities:

Some aspects of your HOME ACTIVITIES are eco-friendly, but there are still actions you can take.

Grow a wild garden and encourage wild life
Try to grow some fruit and vegetables without using pesticides or other chemicals – organic may be better for the environment and better for your health but did you know that many shop-bought organic vegetables are flown in!
When you are decorating your home, measure carefully and don’t buy more materials than you need
Use eco-cleaning agents or reduce your use of polluting chemicals in the house or garden

Waste Activities:

Some aspects of your WASTE ACTIVITIES are eco-friendly, but there are still actions you can take.

Pass old clothes and goods to friends, family or charity shops
Compost household waste
Recycle paper, plastic, tins, cardboard and packaging
Bring old bottles to the bottle bank although this would not be eco-friendly if it involved a special journey by car
Reuse or recycle old bottles and packaging
Buy goods that last and have minimal packaging
Remember the saying ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’

Epilogue

And finally… it’s not easy! …

Modern life is busy, and the issues are not simple: we don't suggest with this simple quiz that you are either an environmental scoundrel or a green angel. But we hope its got you thinking about some simple things you can do to protect what we all value.

Government and business have a bigger role to play than individuals, by creating sticks and carrots in the tax system, by overcoming that sense that I'm not doing this unless everyone does' and by phasing out some products and services and bringing in new ones. Let them know how you feel!

Get better informed, and write to your MP, your pension fund and the shops and companies you use. If we want to keep the things we treasure about the coast ­ whether its beautiful scenery, clean beaches, bustling resorts or thriving towns ­ we need to put some pressure on people with the power to make the big decisions, as well as attending to the little ones ourselves.

References

Best Foot Forward: www.bestfootforward.com
The Brundtland Report (1987) ‘Our Common Future’ – Report of the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development.
The Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust.co.uk
Climate change solutions from the New Internationalist: www.newint.org/issue357/contents.htm
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2005) Securing The Future, Delivering UK Sustainable Development Strategy, March.
DTI (2003) Energy White Paper. Our Energy Future: Creating A Low Carbon Economy, London: The Stationery Office, February.
The Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Donnachadh McCarthy (2004) ‘Saving the Planet Without Costing the Earth: 500 Simple Steps to a Greener Lifestyle’. Fusion Press.
Loh, J. et al. (2002) ‘Living planet report 2002’, World-wide Fund for Nature, Gland, Switzerland. www.panda.org search for ‘Living Planet’.
Open University 2000. Going for Green’s EcoCal: Your Environmental Health Check, Supplementary Material for T172 Working with Our Environment (Milton Keynes: The Open University).

Eco-Lifestyle Quiz – Authors:

Dr Sally Caird
Research Fellow in the Open University, UK. Faculty of Technology, Department of Design and Innovation. Sally Caird developed the Eco-Lifestyle Quiz and text for this BBC website following the development of the Young Eco-lifestyle Quiz, first trialled in the Firs Lower School, Ampthill, UK. In addition she is conducting research on the adoption and effective use of energy-efficient products and systems with a view to developing more people-centred eco-design.

Dr Stephen Hallett
Researcher in Cranfield University, UK. National Soil Resources Institute (NSRI). Stephen Hallett is a co-author of the Eco-lifestyle Quiz, landscape photographer and an environmental scientist with an interest in sustainable development and management of natural resources, particularly land and soil. He has developed a series of school level educational initiatives, for instance www.soil-net.com.

Liza Griffin
Researcher at the Open University working on Environmental Governance and sustainability.

Sally Crompton
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Technology, The Open University.

The Eco-Lifestyle Quiz is copyright © Dr Sally Caird and Dr Stephen Hallett, 2005

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