Dog Community

1 Thing you can do to help the environment

Posted : 2/28/2007 12:37:31 PM

I lurked on the Al Gore thread and was very impressed with the idea of naming practical ideas for personal contribution to the Global Warming problem. Per Saveastray's great idea, name something that you do - anything at all.

ORIGINAL = Saveastray:
Perhaps we could all make a pledge, as iDoggers, to, rather than spend our time debating whether Gore is a hypocrite or not, to post something positive, relatively inexpensive and painless that we could each easily do to make a difference, no matter how small? Just because the rich and famous and socially conscious choose to remain rich doesn't mean we have to throw the baby out with the bath water! I know our biggest problem is laziness and not knowing what we could do to help, so I would appreciate learning. One thing we already do is pick up a piece of trash whenever we go anywhere. We always throw away our trash, but not everyone else does, so we make sure we each pick up at least one piece of someone else's trash. That's four less pieces on our walking trail in our park. Not much, but it doesn't cost a thing and it helps rather than hurts. One thing we're going to do this year is add rain barrels to the house to collect rainwater for the garden. There are expensive and inexpensive ways to do this, expensive is buying the barrels for about $100 to $150 dollars, inexpensive is getting recycled barrels and fitting them up yourself.

I use totally biodegradable and compostable poop bags!!! May not seem like much, but I use at least 3/day and it really adds up.

I use my own bag to shop. I just discovered one (on another forum) that actually folds up very small and attaches to your keychain, so you don't even need to remember to bring it along!

I completely stopped purchasing bottled water. I installed a good filter on my tap and now I just refill a few leftover plastic bottles and a glass pitcher. This one was EASY and makes a big difference!

rwbeagles

Posted : 2/28/2007 1:16:12 PM

Hehe....is not buying bottled water enviromentally sound?
We use straight tap water here, and my DH has one of those Brita things in the fridge...hey that's cheap...yay!

We own ONE car (allbeit the dreaded SUV!)...and I do not drive...that's not choice but bad vision tho lmao. But hey...don't many families have 2 or more vehicles these days? that's cheaper too...wheee! Our city has NO public transport else I'd gladly use that. DH rides the train to work bt has to drive to and from the train station.

Hmm...I only do full loads of laundry...but I do them OFTEN. Does that help? lol...

We put the themostat as low as is comfy in summer(80) and winter (67) both. Again...to be cheap more than to save the environment. But then we run the fan so...that's likely a wash lol.

We don't go out much...lol.

My daughter gets walked to school instead of driven or riding the big smelly bus.

Scout in Canada

Posted : 2/28/2007 1:29:08 PM

We have a programmable thermostat which is a huge money/energy saver. When we're home, it's at 66 in the winter (we have lots of blankets around the house) and 80 in the summer. When we're at work or sleeping, it's at 60 in the winter, and off in the summer.

We got a thermal/insulating wrap for our water heater, and covered all our water pipes with foam insulation.

We recycle like it's going out of style....

We don't buy bottled water either - Brita.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 2/28/2007 1:29:09 PM

We do buy bottled water (the individual ones) but we also recycle them. Does that count? We also recycle cans, plastic containers and newspapers. We have one car - it's not a hybrid, but it is an economical Toyota. If I have to wash something less than a full load, I adjust the water level accordingly and I never wash in hot water. I only run the dishwasher if it's full. I reuse the grocery store bags. The paper ones go into the recycling if I'm not using them for something else and the plastic ones go either to the dog park or back to the bin in front of Safeway. I didn't use either fireplace this winter - but that's less because of the environmental issues and more because nobody mucked them out and I didn't feel like doing it. Maybe next winter.

Joyce

rwbeagles

Posted : 2/28/2007 1:38:03 PM

We have a programmable thermostat DH installed one of these to replace the disco era one that was here when we moved in. Apparently we have a "heat pump" which is supposedly a more efficent for of heating...who knows! The programming thing is neat.

I am home all day with the kiddo so it does need to be on during the days of summer or winter. This time of year is when it's nice to have it off and open the windows...not above 80 outside and nice breeze...but come April I am sure it'll al be A/C hell lol.

mrstjohnson

Posted : 2/28/2007 1:53:36 PM

Most of the things I do are honestly for selfish reasons (save money, etc.), but hopefully they work regardless.

When we had a dishwasher I always used the air dry setting instead of the heat dry. I completely melted a plastic cup once and never used that setting again. The dishes dry just fine and to be honest, they are less brittle and hot when you take them out.

I never drive around with the A/C on in the summer.

If I am only getting a couple small things from the store I walk instead of drive and reuse old bags.

We don't buy individiual bottles of water, just the large gallon size, use cups, and reuse the old jugs.

I hang my laundry out to dry on the line outside (that is everything but the underwear) in the summer...nothing smells better than air dried sheets!

labcrab

Posted : 2/28/2007 2:02:33 PM

Hehe....is not buying bottled water enviromentally sound?

Yeah, minimizing consumption and all that. The less plastic you use, the less plastic that ends up in landfills. Plus, the more self serving and immediate issue for me is that plastic leaches PCB's and other toxins into whatever it's containing. I know I don't need any extra chemicals and if it lowers my consumption - Bonus! Oh and geez - the biggest thing with bottled water (for me) is that you are paying good money for water that is often of lower quality than your tap (depending on where you live, of course). The purity standards and frequency of testing for quality are far less for the bottled water industry than they are for city tap water. There are articles (credible ones

) all over the internet about this. It's a bit of an eye opener. Anyway, here's one

You know, I try to recycle everything I can - but ultimately I don't have any faith in the process. I really don't believe that the stuff is getting recycled. I try to focus on using less instead. For example - I cancelled ALL of those annoying (yet fun!) catalogues that were overflowing my mailbox EVERY day. They were really just *making* me spend more money anyway. lol It's actually a big relief to not get them anymore.

I wish I could do a programmable thermostat - that's a great one! So easy and no sacrifice to your family's comfort. I'm bad with that. I leave the heat or AC on ALL day and ALL night.

dubilpie

Posted : 2/28/2007 2:26:37 PM

We have a natural spring down the street and I get our drinking water there and just fill up my 5 gallon jugs from there. I am trying to use more natural cleaning products. My next car will probably be a hybrid, I drive a mini van now and it is terrible on gas so I don't use it much. If I know I have a lot of driving to do, I take dh's focus.
I re-use my zip lock bags when possible. I really limit the A/C use in the house. All our light bulbs are energy savers. We have a programmable thermostat and the house never goes over 68 in the day time and 62 at night (still have a $450. gas bill per month) . I am a stickler about lights on for no reason.
I really have to start re-using my plastic grocery bags, It really is laziness on my part.

Stacita

Posted : 2/28/2007 2:39:41 PM

We did the tankless hot water heater. Since there was an immediate reduction in the utility bill it must be energy effecient.

Insulated our 70 year old home. Maintain the big, beautiful trees.

Disposable poop bags.

We use washable containers with lids rather than plastic or foil to cover things.

Filtered vs. bottled water.

Canceled the newspaper.

Environmentally friendly fertilizer and cleaning products.

Combine errands, etc.

Xebby

Posted : 2/28/2007 2:52:35 PM

I don#%92t purposely try to be environmentally friendly but it does seem like my living style is.

First my house is call an Efficiency, it#%92s a house but is it one giant room with no separate rooms other then the bathroom and closet. The whole house is connected to one breaker of my neighbor#%92s house. Then, inside my house I have those spirally energy saver light bulbs (forgot there name) I mostly have them because they seem brighter than regular lights. During the day I don#%92t need to use the light because the ceiling is covered in sky lights. We also have windows all around the house and a big bay window that also allow a lot of light inside. The why the house was built was to use less energy. I don#%92t have a bath tub so I have to take showers, which does use less water. Even the tolet in my house is a low-flow tolet[

].

My car is a Toyota Echo which gets up to 50 miles per gallon. It#%92s very fuel efficient and I only pay around $10/week for gas so right there I#%92m doing something good. I have to use a car to get around becuse my college is about 50 miles away so there is no way I could use public trasportation or walk.

I am building a greenhouse to grow my own veggies. I am not wasteful but that#%92s mostly because I don#%92t have the money to live that way. Anything I buy I know I need, for the last few years I hardly ever bought anything that I could#%92t use. I am a very picky shopper but then again that#%92s about money as well.

Xerxes

Posted : 2/28/2007 3:00:47 PM

I traded in my big 6 cyl truck for a 4 cylinder.

I also increased my tire diameter by 10 millimeters, which increases fuel mileage. (don't try this unless you know it will work-it can have a profound effect upon braking, steering and the handling characteristics of your vehicle.)

houndlove

Posted : 2/28/2007 3:05:31 PM

Okay ladies, hold on....

I use washable maxi pads. They aren't just for your grandma anymore!

We also only have one car (a Subaru Forester so it drives and gets mileage like a car though it looks like an SUV) and I take public transit to work (I get a free bus pass with my job). We also walk a lot because we live in the city.

I shop at a natural foods co op and buy mostly organic. We usually subsribe to a Community Supported Agriculture program to support small organic family farms.

We have an "Earth Machine" composter in our yard. I don't compost as much in the winter because it just sits there and freezes, but in the warmer months I compost all organic matter aside from dog poop.

We're pretty much tree-hugging hippies just in general.

mrstjohnson

Posted : 2/28/2007 3:12:54 PM

use washable maxi pads. They aren't just for your grandma anymore!

I give you credit! You couldn't pay me enough!!!

labcrab

Posted : 2/28/2007 3:21:59 PM

I use washable maxi pads. They aren't just for your grandma anymore!

O M G!!

I am an aspiring greenie, but this will NEVER happen in my house. Wow, that's hardcore and dare I say... bloody responsible of you!!! [

]

houndlove

Posted : 2/28/2007 3:27:14 PM

It's actually not all that weird or bad, you'd be surprised.

Not to get too graphic, but, oh okay, what the hell: You're supposed to soak them in cold water before laundry day, and the water that you soaked them in makes dynamite plant food. No, really!