Another one from the BBC:

[news.bbc.co.uk]

Home alone

More people now live alone than ever before, with more than a third of all households expected to be ‘solo’ by 2021. So what does it mean for the nation?

Surely living on your own isn’t that big a deal? Not so, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). It is one of the most significant changes to take place in British society in decades, with implications for every person, the environment, the economy – even feminism.

I thought quite well of the article until I ran into sections like this:

Men are used to being looked after which might help explain why they struggle on their own, according to psychologist and life coach, Gladeana McMahon.

“It is still women who do the bulk of the daily tasks and organise the social diary, men miss that when it is taken away from them. Women find it liberating just to be looking after themselves and no one else.”

…and then you find that solos such as I are exploited for cash – “Solo living is disproportionately expensive and this has more of an impact on poorer people living alone” – and we are destroying the environment – “it also has serious implications for the environment, particularly energy use. The domestic sector makes use of almost a third of the UK’s energy so more solo households will lead to greater energy use” and worst of all driving up prices and unfairly filling-up housing that would be better occupied by breeders and dinks – “Housing demand will also rise faster than population growth figures suggest, according to the IPPR.”

Oh give me a break! My trash/wheeliebins go out once a month, not once a week; the amount of unrecyclable waste that I generate is tiny and even if I stopped recycling I’d be hard pressed to generate the amount of weekly garbage that the family of five across the road does, and yet somehow I only get a 25% discount on my Council tax for being single. I’ve no children at school (or at all) and I make scant use of council services other roads and footpaths, my energy footprint is so small that Southern Electric and British Gas owe me money due to excessive bill estimates and overcharging via direct-debit.

Oh, and apparently I can’t cope with juggling my schedule and my shopping. [Sigh] I’m not unique, I can think of three or four solo guys in similar situations.

I just want to know to whom the IPPR have been talking, because they’re letting the side down.