How Green are You? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

11/18/2007 12:06:02 PM · #1

In contrast to the more argumentative threads on global warming, I want to start a positive one focusing on what everybody does to reduce their impact on their environment. Rather then being a let's pat ourselves on the back thread, I want to challenge everyone to do one more thing to help the environment, reduce their consumption footprint, etc.

I'll start.

Things I currently do:
Carpool to work (In a 30MPG Civic)
Use programmable thermostats
Line dry clothes instead of using the dryer
Compost organic kitchen waste
Use compact florescent lights throughout the house
Recycle paper, plastic and aluminum at home
Use a mulching mower and don't apply fertilizer or pesticide to my lawn anymore.
Invest in a solar power company and a clean energy ETF
There are probably more that I can't think of at the moment.

What I will start doing today:
Put non-essential electronics on power strips/timers that can be completely turned off to reduce their idle power consumption.

What I want to do in the future:
Change my car to something more fuel efficient- maybe a Prius?
Find some dimmable florescent lights to replace my last few remaining incandescents
Write to my power company to request that they offer the option to purchase only wind power generated electricity. (Currently their standard mix is 10% wind energy)

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

11/18/2007 12:10:52 PM · #2

1)Recycling far exceeds waste for me
2)Ride public transit (though still drive to the park and ride)
3)Starting to use compact fluorescents but these aren't much good for outside in the winter since they're only rated to -15C. I'll try a seasonal switch come spring.
4)Still looking for dimmable fluorescents though.
5)Electronics not in use - most connected to power strip that is off when not in use.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

11/18/2007 12:27:22 PM · #3

That's about as "green" as I get.

Sad to say, I'm not very green but I do take public transportation and do a lot of walking. eh.

11/18/2007 12:31:14 PM · #4

What about my challenge to start doing something new???

genghis

Canon PowerShot Pro1

11/18/2007 12:39:24 PM · #5

Why bother to conserve our resources?
Since the earth is flat, we have a whole other 50% of the planet yet to be plundered.
(or is it a cube???? 83%???? hmmm....)

11/18/2007 02:16:25 PM · #6

Things I currently do:

Drive a hybrid (averaging 49-50 MPG)
Favor public transportation over driving when traveling within major cities.
Favor walking over public transportation or driving within reasonable distances.
Refuel my car at night whenever possible.
Carpool whenever possible, though it rarely is for me.
Set my thermostat manually up or down when leaving for extended periods of time (I cannot install a programmable thermostat in my apartment due to the use of aluminum wiring)
Use compact fluorescent lights everywhere except my bathroom (where they are usually not on long enough for the wattage savings to offset the extra power used by the bulb's starter).
Minimize printing and other unnecessary use of paper.
Bring durable reusable bags with me for use when shopping.

What I will start doing today:

My power company released a site when I can check my electric usage daily. Use this to experiment with various electricity-saving techniques.
Weather-seal my windows for the winter.
Get more consistent about recycling
Be more consistent about turning off lights I'm not using.

What I want to do in the future

Eat low on the food chain more consistently (I do eat some meat, but more vegetables, grains, beans, soy, and the like than most).
Eat less fast food and 'convenience food'.
Purchase wind-generated electricity

~Terry

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

11/18/2007 02:47:33 PM · #7

Great post Terry! What does refueling your car at night do? I also like the idea of eating lower on the food chain. I think I will try to do that more as well.

rox_rox

Canon EOS-20D

11/18/2007 02:52:38 PM · #8

What I do now.
1. Recycle
2. Because I live in an RV my power bill never exceeds $120.00 per month. Usually around $80.00. We are currently building a windmill to eliminate our power bill altogether. AC stays at 81 during the daytime ad off when it's cool outside.
3. Don't irrigate grass. Hand irrigate small garden only as needed.
4. Avoid plastic bags and use green bags when shopping.
5. Drive moderately fuel efficient automobile, and drive very little.
6. Avoid buying new stuff and superfluous junk. I try to purchase only what I use and to purchase second hand whenever possible.
7. Belong to freecycle.org
8. Avoid processed and heavily packaged foods. Purchase locally grown and organic products when available.

What I would like to work on:
1. Stop wasting so much paper.
2. Use even less plastic.
3. Convert to organic cleaners.
4. Start composting (when I have space).

Oh, I almost forgot: I sell wild caught Florida shrimp and try to convert people away from imported farm raised seafood.

Message edited by author 2007-11-18 15:17:25.

JeffryZ

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/18/2007 03:12:43 PM · #9

I don't even own a car- haven't driven in over 15 years. Walk to work and ride a bike elsewhere. No AC, do not use heating (thanks to living in a moderate climate)- just adjust my clothing for hotter or colder days. I have a ceiling fan and a portable fan for the hottest days. My utility bill runs around $35 a month year round. Use my own bags (cloth) for the grocery store. The point here is not for anyone to try to show that they are the "greenest" but to share ideas for how to do things better than many of us do. Thanks for starting it.

11/18/2007 03:23:11 PM · #10

Originally posted by sailracer_98:

Great post Terry! What does refueling your car at night do? I also like the idea of eating lower on the food chain. I think I will try to do that more as well.

Refueling at night reduces the evaporative emissions that contribute to the formation of ozone.

For the similar reasons, you should never "top off" your gas tank. If the pump stops at $28.63, don't round up to $28.75 or $29.00 -- just replace the nozzle and pay your $28.63.

Also, check out the wind energy link I posted above. If your power company won't offer a green energy option, it's another option you can consider to purchase wind power, albeit indirectly.

~Terry

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

11/18/2007 03:27:10 PM · #11

Originally posted by rox_rox:

4. Start composting (when I have space).

Rox, check out this link on composting with minimal space. All you need is enough space for a 10-gallon box. By way of comparison, a typical kitchen trash can is 13 gallons.

I've been wanting to try this myself, along with some balcony gardening. I live in a 2nd-floor apartment with a balcony.

~Terry

rox_rox

Canon EOS-20D

11/18/2007 03:33:56 PM · #12

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Originally posted by rox_rox:
4. Start composting (when I have space).

Rox, check out this link on composting with minimal space. All you need is enough space for a 10-gallon box. By way of comparison, a typical kitchen trash can is 13 gallons.

I've been wanting to try this myself, along with some balcony gardening. I live in a 2nd-floor apartment with a balcony.

~Terry

Thanks Terry,

I am going to give this a shot. I tried a mini compost heap and caused a controversy. My neighbor thought something died in our yard, and my husband thought my neighbor wasn't cleaning up after his dog. I had to quickly dispatch the thing with a few shovels full of dirt!

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

11/18/2007 03:56:33 PM · #13

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Refueling at night reduces the evaporative emissions that contribute to the formation of ozone.

Also, check out the wind energy link I posted above. If your power company won't offer a green energy option, it's another option you can consider to purchase wind power, albeit indirectly.

~Terry

Ah, I see. I mostly refuel in the morning, but Mass mandates vapor recovery systems on gas pumps, so hopefully that catches any evaporating gas that would otherwise escape.

My power company currently suggests that you donate money to the New England Wind fund, but has no way to do this directly through your bill.

Louis

Nikon D800

11/18/2007 04:22:45 PM · #14

Now:

1. Recycle like crazy, at home and at work - we have regular recycle pickup in Ontario (and most of Canada). I understand this is not necessarily the case in the US. Is that true?
2. All major applicances in the house are "green power" applicances.
3. Installed a programmable thermostat.
4. Walk quite a bit (though have to drive long distances often).
5. Getting a hybrid in May.
6. At work, I've set a policy that the office can receive only electronic faxes, to be printed on an as-needed basis only.
7. I use a mulching electric lawnmower, mowing when needed and not to keep up with the Joneses (and eschew lawn maintenance in general :P)

Edit: also recently set a policy at work to put all workstations to sleep during off hours and when not in use (used to be on 24hrs).

Message edited by author 2007-11-18 17:28:11.

Azrifel

Fujifilm X100VI

11/18/2007 05:24:51 PM · #15

Green:
- drive a car that does 49 miles per gallon and it is not a hybrid (so no batteries that create their own problems)
- bought an appartment that uses solar energy and and a heat exchange system (excess heat from the apartment is cooled by cool water from the ground, the warm water is pumped back into the ground and used in the winter to warm the cold apartment and the warm water for the shower. An endless cycle.)
- seperate waste into paper, glass, organic and non-organic, plastic for recycling
- turn off printers, scanners, harddrives, computers when not in use and pull the plug to prevent the adaptors from using energy
- pay a huge amount of eco taxes on almost anything

Not so Green:
- I like to go bazurk on my motorcycle with open exhausts, blowing away a liter every 14 kilometers (which is pretty economical compared to most cars). There is no need to ride, other than fun.

fotomann_forever

11/18/2007 05:51:31 PM · #16

*Don't own a car.
*Don't own a computer printer.
*I don't own a television or a stereo system (gave both away).
*My main computer is now a laptop, which uses less power than the desktop and laptop I replaced with it.
*I don't get any newspaper or magazine subscriptions.
*I grow my own herbs.
*I reuse condoms... hehe, no I don't :-P

*Fight people that live in the house with me for a more conservative thermostat setting. They love to turn the AC cold and the heater hot.
*Try to convince fore mentioned other people that eating a cow a day isn't "dealing with the methane problem."
*I've been planting fruit trees all over the yard to replace pine trees downed by Katrina and Ivan.
*I quit smoking, which decreases my carbon monoxide output, not to mention the damage the tobacco industry does to the environment.
*I pee outside whenever I get a chance, so as not to waste gallons of water a day getting rid of it.

Things I plan to do in the future:
*Die: decreasing my carbon dioxide and methane output. Although, I will produce methane as I decompose as well as take up space in a "landfill."

*Drink less cola, which is both bad for me and contributes the majority of MY aluminum use.

*Eat less, period. And hopefully soon, eat more yard grown fruit.

*Try not to contribute too much to the over-population of the planet.

*Support space exploration and birth control as a way of dealing with fore-mentioned over-population.

Balko

11/18/2007 06:21:57 PM · #17

I hang my laundry outside instead of using a dryer.
I use online banking instead of paper bills.
I plant trees every year and ask the city to plant them in areas.
I use the spiral fluorescent light bulbs.
I turn down the heat at night and keep it low / keep thermostat at 79 or 80 in summer for air conditioning.
I cook mostly from scratch, so no cardboard, styrofoam, or metal in garbage / landfills.
Gave up sodas 6 months ago - no aluminum cans / plastic bottles.

I do not pee outside LOL

Message edited by author 2007-11-18 18:22:47.

11/19/2007 10:44:46 AM · #18

This bump was printed on 100% recycled electrons. :)

~Terry

noraneko

Canon EOS R5