The Energy Swap continues and in last week’s episode, the Texans arrived in the UK. There were a few great lines – “Is this the typical size [oven]? Seriously?” – but mainly it continued as it began: a hodge-podge of environmental issues, some related to energy.
There was at least some attempt to explore the reasons for the observed differences. In a discussion with an expat Texan couple now living in the UK, the Texan visitors debated the relative contributions of education and geography. For example, compared to the UK, Texas’s southern climate reduces the food miles associated with many ‘staples’ such as bananas. Education too has had an impact on the environmental behaviour of Texans (at least for local issues); littering in particular is much more socially unacceptable there than in the UK. But with cheap land, cheap fuels and a poor awareness of the global consequences of consumption, it is all too easy for energy use to soar.
It’s clear though that both families have a hard time separating these environmental issues from each another. How, for example, do the benefits of flying less or recycling regularly compare? I’ll consider this in an upcoming post. In meantime, don’t forget to listen to the final episode, this Friday, 11 am, bbc Radio 4.
