What steps are you taking to engage in a more environmentally friendly way of life?

Question

The state of the environment has been a hot topic in recent years. As result, more people are changing their habits to promote the well-being of the planet. (e.g., recycling, driving a hybrid vehicle, etc.)

Answer 1

I'm starting with simple steps. Recycling plastic (including plastic bags), newspaper, and aluminum; combining trips to save gasoline (and my pocketbook); use cloth bags for groceries instead of plastic; using fluorescent bulbs where I can; keeping my air conditioner set at 78 during the day in my home (I'm home all day so this isn't just an easy thing) and 76 at night for sleeping and watering my plants in the early part of the day to make the most of water consumption.

We recently replaced our Air Condtioner so it's more efficient now, and put in double pane windows in half of the house (will put the rest in as soon as we've paid for the ones we bought). These things made our electric bill go down about a hundred dollars a month in our all electric house.

Answer 2

The state of the environment has been a hot topic since THE 70'S.Back then the MAIN POINT was GLOBAL COOLING,Now the MAIN POINT is global warming.Without getting into the POLITICAL argument of this.The facts are that such that humans DO CHANGE THE environment.The steps that I'm taking?
I wish the politicians would listen.We don't need nuclear power.It's not the answer.for the same reason it wasn't the answer in the 70's.Neither is continued use of the outdated system of the internal combustion engine.
There is a technology that currently exists,in which the sun along with the combination of gravity can produce electricity,which produces NO POLLUTANTS.Check out Spain's new power plant.By using a combination of this type of power plant in conjunction with a DESALINIZATION PLANTS.Also I have been trying to get interested parties to invest in building a SPACE ELEVATOR,which could theoretically be the link between a power plant in space and earth(to supply the earth with enough energy/without polluting the earth),also providing the next step in moving industry OFF WORLD.However I run into nothing but objection(which has further convinced me that humans will do nothing/at a time when the worlds resources actually are available to tackle the project/because of the importance of profit).If this trend continues the earth will get better,but I fear at the expense of our civilization.

Answer 3

I compost just about everything that can be composted.
Newspapers, general paper from work and household, cardboard, glass, some types of plastic, aluminium foil, food cans.....all are recycled (mainly by the local council).
90% of our lightbulbs are low wattage and environmentally efficient. Lights are turned off when not in use. Nothing is left on standby if I can avoid it.
The temperature of the central heating is turned down to 18 deg C and we have no air-conditioning.
We have just had the house injected with insulating substance and the loft is double-lined with the same material.
I have a very small car which uses unleaded petrol. Public transport is poor but I use the bus when possible.
I walk a lot but could do better.
I collect rain water for the indoor plants and also am careful with household use of water.
Appliances such as washing machine and fridge are A rated.
I have no tumble-drier - I use a line in the garden.
Old clothes, books, shoes etc. are 'recycled' the charity shops and I buy stuff there as well.
There's probably more I could do and I believe that everyone can do their bit. The trouble is that some people just don't care... e.g. some of our neighbours.

Answer 4

The temperature of the central heating is turned down to 18 deg C and we have no air-conditioning.
We have just had the house injected with insulating substance and the loft is double-lined with the same material.
I have a very small car which uses unleaded petrol. Public transport is poor but I use the bus when possible.
I walk a lot but could do better.
I collect rain water for the indoor plants and also am careful with household use of water.
Appliances such as washing machine and fridge are A rated.
I have no tumble-drier - I use a line in the garden.
Old clothes, books, shoes etc. are 'recycled' the charity shops and I buy stuff there as well.
There's probably more I could do and I believe that everyone can do their bit. The trouble is that some people just don't care... e.g. some of our neighbours.

Answer 5

I have done a lot and plan on making many more changes in my life. I walk if possible, have stopped buying Styrofoam plates, cups and bowls. I have also stopped buying plastic disposable silverware. I recycle cans, plastic goods, and paper. I am overly cautious about fuel consumption and only making a once a week trip to get anything I need in order to cut down on emissions. I am death on electricity consumption. If someone is not in a room or using a TV or whatever, turn it off. I don't buy mulch for my lawn I make my own. I bought a new front loading washer that washes bigger loads with less water. I don't wash unless I have a big enough load. I don't run my dishwasher unless it is full. I watch the thermostat like a hawk and keep it down to government regulations in the summer and winter. The only thing run in this house by gas is our water heater (which soon will be replaced by one of the more efficient electric models) and our dryer. I check before the timer goes off to see if the clothes are dry so I don't waste unneeded gas. Our grass is but by an electric lawnmower. I have showers timed and overuse of the shower is a no-no!!! When possible I find someone to go along and grocery shop so we don't use two cars. I have a new granddaughter and want to help to save and improve as much of the environment for the next few generations possible. Oh, almost forgot. I don't buy spray cans anymore. Only pump.

Answer 6

I recently moved so I replaced every bulb in my new place to the 'squiggly' bulbs. Since I am renting I kept the old bulbs and will take the new ones with me when I move again. I kept the boxes so when I discard the 'squiggly' ones I have a safe way to dispose of them.
I realized after saving plastics and glass for a week or two just how much I threw away. Then I realized if I toss this much, what are other people doing? So, I decided to recycle right away.
I've tried to use canvas bags at the store when I shop and it's awkward. If I use plastic bags I check them for holes and reuse them as trash can liners in my bathrooms and bedrooms. Walmart has a place inside front of store recycle those bags and the parking lot usually has recycling dumpsters that makes recycling very convenient.
I 'think' before I buy anything. I consider the packaging and how much of it can be recycled, how it will affect the environment and is it a 'local' product?
Buying 'organic' is expensive. If no chemicals are purchased to spray crops why would there be such a huge cost? Granted, use of some chemicals protect the crop and larger harvest will bring grower more money. Buying environmentally friendly cars or switching to alternative fuels is financially impossible for our family, but I am doing what I can, when and where I can. I look forward to the prices balancing out for those of us who want to eat and live healthier.
Eventually, these new habits will become a natural way of life.

Answer 7

I do not have the money to buy a new hybrid SUV or car; however, I do my part in little ways. I recycle plastic bottles, magazines and newspaper, use energy-saving light bulbs, take 5 minute showers and turn the water off when brushing teeth. When my family and I visit beaches or parks, I make sure the trash is thrown away and the space we occupied is clean, even better than before our arrival. I never, ever let my passengers or I throw trash out of the car, no matter how small the item while traveling on the highways. Next year I plan to join in on the annual cleaning of the beaches. Everyone can participate and you do not need money or a big event to participate in keeping the environment clean. The earth depends on everyone’s participation across the world to assist in keeping the environment clean.

Answer 8

My biggest step is getting a Brita water-filter pitcher instead of buying tons and tons of bottled water. Water is about the only thing I ever drink, so I would get the huge family packs of water bottles at Costco, and even though I recycled the bottles, that's still a lot of plastic I was using.

I've also cut out the use of paper plates. I mean, I have a dishwasher. How hard can it be to wash a couple extra plates?

I know that the steps aren't particularly grand (I don't have a hybrid vehicle and couldn't afford one right now anyway, etc), but if everyone would just do ONE small thing -- driving a little less, recycling a little more, using recycled paper and stuff -- it would be a big impact.

Answer 9

I'm underage, so some things (like buying a hybrid car, etc.) I am not able to do. What I do try to do:

~Not use water bottles or recycle them (they use up the remaining fresh water in the environment, and although the plastic bottles can be recycled, only one in four bottles actually end up being recycled.

~Don't use heating or air conditioning unless very necessary. Or, if I use it, I use it very lightly.

~Recycle glass bottles, etc.

~Wrote to Congress about global warming.

~Turn off electronic devices when not in use. For instance, try not to fall asleep with the television on and turn lights off when you leave a room. Believe it or not, this will save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

~Unplug devices from walls when not in use. Even when items such as lamps, flat irons (aka hair straighteners), blow dryers, CD players, and phone chargers, are left plugged into a socket, they use energy even if they aren't on. When you finish straightening your hair, just pull out the plug and leave it there. IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND and these devices suck so much energy, they spew 18 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the air a year!

~Only run my dishwasher if it's a full load.

~Buy fresh foods instead of frozen

~My family is organic

~I'm a vegetarian

~ I walk or bike when possible, rather than driving or riding a bus.

I don't use helium balloons. Helium is terrible for the environment.

~ Our family buys in bulk. At stores like Sam's Club, you can buy many products in bulk (this is often cheaper as well).

~ I NEVER feed wild animals.

I'm really trying to protect the environment because I love the world around us and I don't want it to die. I hope that people will take the iniciative and work to help the environment too.

Answer 10

Well lets see, I recycle, live down town driving my Hybrid car very little. I also have florescent lighting throughout my house saving me over 800 dollars ever 5 years or so. I also monetarily support Environmental Defense and the Nature Conservancy and sometimes World Wildlife Fund and the Audubon Society. Also I have a push scooter to get around town on shorter trips and have extra insulation to my attic. My windows are all double paned and I turn my heat below 60 Fahrenheit in the winter and rarely use my air if at all.

Finally what will makes the greatest difference of all is that I am vegan. It takes an exponential amount of land and resources to raise animal based products compared to plant based material, not to mention animals release a significant amount of methane which is about 20 times more heat trapping than CO2. Couple this information which the fact that such products requite often require pasteurization and or cooking at a later point not to mention refrigeration a vegetable diets wins hands down as being more environmental friendly way to live.

Answer 11

L take the bus to and from work. I stopped buying gallon sized bottled water, i put a purifier on my kitchen sink and we drink tap. I buy the long lasting light bulbs that are shaped funny and cost more. I walk to the store now instead of driving. I reuse the plastic grocery bags that i have, and i have had these same bags about 2 years now. I signed up on the Greenpeace website, so i can learn and do more for our environment. I stopped using aerosol sprays. We are starting a community garden next spring. And we are looking into a neighborhood recycling program, so paper-glass-plastic and aluminum could be recycled. I know these are just small steps i have taken. But i really believe that any steps are better than none. And we all need to do something, and we all need to get involved. This is our planet,and it is our responsibility to leave this planet greener and in better shape than it is now to future generations.