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Is railway modelling green and healthy?

3347 Views 34 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  Brian Considine, 
G
With Prince Charles having a bit of a downer on McDonalds and lots of talk of carbon emissions right now its time for Model Rail Forum to have its own debate on green and healthy issues.

Is railway modelling a green pastime?

Is is healthy for you?

On the green side it has to be said that from a recycling point of view it is probably one of the top pastimes. You can model a whole layout from the contents of the refuse sac. And old models last forever and are constantly recycled on eBay and elsewhere. On the other hand the amount of metal and plastic and packaging utilised in ready to run new model production probably has the effect of making it ungreen overall if you only buy new models.

On the healthy side you do have to stretch and twist and cut and lift and run up and down stairs if you have a loft layout and it does take your mind off food and other digestive perils so it clearly it is better to be a railway modeller than not if you are seeking a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand it is all too easy to slump in your chair and watch your trains pass by if there is no ongoing project and your doctor might be alarmed at this practice.

As it is clearly in the interests of any hobby to promote its greeness and health giving properties could any of you provide examples of what you have done that you consider either to be a green or healthy practice.

Having to rush over to the end of a layout every 30 seconds to sort out Hornby Pullman coaches that keep derailing might be an example of excercise as you need to be nimble. And using the polystyrene packaging of your latest electrical goods to create an embankment would be an example of being green.

Really what we are looking for are the best examples of being green and burning calories that you can provide.

Happy modelling
Gary
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QUOTE (PhilH @ 1 Mar 2007, 11:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Given that most models are now manufactured in China, and knowing China's attitude to emissions, labour laws etc, and having to ship the stuff from one side of the world to the other, I doubt that railway modelling is green and healthy to anyone, except the end user.

I was wondering when someone would bring that subject up !

Some time ago, on another forum there was concern voiced about the adhesives & solders (to name just two) used - I know EU law says that goods sold in the EU have to comply with this & that but.......................

At the end of the day though Railway Modelling is overall greener than some other pastimes & interests.
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Whatever the pro's & con's of the reasons behind global warming, most people do not really care about how it effects their own use of energy - it's always someone else who is causing the problem.

The mother taking her children 500yds to school in her car does not think it's her - she thinks it's the guys in the Transit going to the building site.
The guys in the Transit going to the building site don't not think it's them either - they think it's the guy in the Beemer going to the office. He in turn thinks it's all the office lights left on at night & so on.

All this talk of must change the lightbulbs, drive less, turn off you PC & so on just won't work - because people are p
off being told what to do by the authorities. What will work is to educate people that to do this, do that will save them money.
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With all this talk of changing lightbulbs/lamps in the home to energy efficient ones, turning off appliances from standby & so on it occured to me last night what a complete waste of effort this really is.

Last night we carried out some work to a shop facia in a shopping centre (mall to our American friends). This centre is covered and at the time closed completley to the public, no staff in any over the other shops & just a few security people.
Walking up just one "arm" of the centre (there are 6 arms on three levels plus food court) I estimated some 26kW of lighting left on !
How many TV's, PC's left on standby would that power.

The authorities need to stop bullying the public & start on the bigger fish - the real culprits (if they dare ! - most of the shops in question belong to national chains). This example is just one small part of one centre in one town.

Is this energy consumption that big a problem - if it is then we had better start slowing down the Eurostars & so on - that should save a few kWh.

Well, that's my Monday morning rant over.
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QUOTE (BRITHO @ 23 Mar 2007, 14:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Added by the man in the white van fron the Planet Thanet.

Regards

John

They are now silver
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