Carbon Footprint
Most of us are unwilling to give up our motor vehicles or flat screens to make a small impact upon the continued health of our planet but there are a few things which we can do. This small list is by no means complete but contains hints which can improve our lifestyle while reducing our carbon footprint.
1. Plant a fast growing deciduous tree where it will shade your house during the summer. A large tree can provide enough cooling to reduce the load on your air conditioner and result in a smaller electric bill. Being deciduous, it will drop it's leaves in the fall, allowing the sun to provide warmth to the house when needed. Additionally, while in leaf, it will convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. This is true of any green plant.
2. Plant, at least, a small garden. Did you know that many of the items on the grocery shelves are transported over 500 miles? No space for a garden? Even a couple of tomato plants in containers can save you money and reward you with taste not found at the store. Patronize the local farmers market for locally grown vegetables in season.
3. Garden organically and mulch lawn clippings. Compost vegetable scraps, weeds from the garden and other yard waste. Used in the garden, compost will condition soil and provide a wide range of plant nutrients. Mulching lawn clippings reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Overused chemical fertilizers can run off , polluting our streams and lakes.
4. Support community recycle programs. Let's not fill up the landfills with material which can be reused. Recycled metal generally uses far less energy than new material. Recycled paper and cardboard can save some of our valuable trees. Many areas have recycle centers which will pay for metal and other materials.
5. Check your home for insulation and leaks around doors and windows.
6. Use your imagination to find ways to save energy such as combining shopping into one trip, rather than two or three. Is there a nude beach closer to home?
Obviously, one person cannot make an impact but there is the personal satisfaction of doing one's part and maybe a few extra coins in your pocket.
These are some good suggestions. I built my house where trees already were, so didn't need to plant. The trees help so much in keeping my house cool, I normally don't turn on AC till temps are consistantly above 100. Vegatables fresh from garden or from local farmers market are definatley better. You also aren't affected by scares like in the past with contaminated spinich and tomatoes. I combine my trips into town as much as possible. I also hike to lake to fish and swim instead of driving.
Most of us are unwilling to give up our motor vehicles or flat screens...
I ride a bike to work year round and have for three years. And my (small by todays standards) flat screen uses one third the power of the TV it replaced. I am remodeling one room of my house at a time and tripling the R value of the insulation in each one. The list goes on and on.
A person has to be careful when saving the planet. Trees are a great thing do, but buying a hybrid car? Is does more harm than good when you buy one of those cars. Look into what it takes to make one of those batteries. That there will scare you off.
I own more trees than you can ever count! We have a garden the size of a football field. We raise our own eggs and chickens. We raise our own beef. We both have full time jobs. We can't do a whole hell of a lot more but fat asses like AL GORE and that moron from PENN STATE (Mr. hockey stick ) could. Look at AL's carbon foot print. This is so BS. Who really wants to kill the planet? Electric cars are not and never will be the answer nor will wind mills and I am not holding out much hope for solar at this point. What is the saying? Do as I say not as I do?
A person has to be careful when saving the planet. Trees are a great thing do, but buying a hybrid car? Is does more harm than good when you buy one of those cars. Look into what it takes to make one of those batteries. That there will scare you off.
Much like what it takes to dig up coal or oil. Except when that battery is all used up 10 to 20 years from now it IS 100% recyclable. Oil will just be gone.
I own more trees than you can ever count! We have a garden the size of a football field. We raise our own eggs and chickens. We raise our own beef. We both have full time jobs. We can't do a whole hell of a lot more but fat asses like AL GORE and that moron from PENN STATE (Mr. hockey stick ) could. Look at AL's carbon foot print. This is so BS. Who really wants to kill the planet? Electric cars are not and never will be the answer nor will wind mills and I am not holding out much hope for solar at this point. What is the saying? Do as I say not as I do?
Amen Sunluver
Also I have to say, it's not all about the so called "Carbon Footprint", it's about simple conservation which everyone has the capability of doing. Improving the R value of your home is great, planting a large garden, or planting trees, changing light bulbs all are good. I'll add that of my years in the plumbing business, our industry has been the leaders of the "Green" movement by manufacturing and installing water saver toilets and faucets, high efficiency water heaters and heating systems, etc. So, I guess you could say that my business somewhat capitalizes on the "Green" movement (in a good way) which also prompted me to go a step further and get into the Green Energy business promoting it in de-regulated markets. While what we do at home is great to improve sustainability inside the confines of your own property, don't be afraid to capitalize on it and go beyond the confines benefitting others and yourself while building sustainability.
We take off clothes when it's hot, put them on when it's cold, and don't have heat nor air conditioning, at all (nor did we in San Francisco.) We are two people with one vehicle. We are beginning to add charcoal to our soil - paradoxically, since charcoal is made with fire, this is a great strategy for carbon sequestration; charcoal-enriched soils in the Amazon are still black with carbon over 500 years after their Indian gardeners stopped tending them. We looked at solar hot water - our usage is evidently pretty small; the payback for us would have been 40 years, longer than the life of the system. If costs sensibly represent the energy required to create the system, then not such a good energy deal. For heavier users, probably. We will be looking at something lower tech, even tho it will probably not be up to code.
Our local powers that be are in process of enacting a "green" building code that will require heavy insulation in walls - nonsensical, of course, for a naturally ventilated house that doesn't even have heat or air conditioning installed! In fact, the insulation will slow down the natural convection that vents vernacular-style hot-weather houses, and more or less REQUIRE air-conditioning - not a green outcome at all. I suppose it depends on your assumption base. If you're gonna air condition, then insulate. If you're gonna drive, then use a light vehicle.
We recycle cardboard and plastic. Our county doesn't take other things unfortunately. When we visit any place that does such as nudist parks we visit, we definitely recycle.
Redbud trees grow quite quickly in decently amended soil (fertilized) and once grown during summer do provide shade. We've stopped using our central A/C unit and use window units in bedroom and our home offices when we're in them. We do have ceiling fans. Wish I had one in my home office and kitchen, that'll wait.
I do drive less than in previous years (being unemployed helps there). I also use ethanol-free gas in my car to get better mileage. I am going to start stockpiling incandescant bulbs for our front entry way as I use that "room" to bring in my outdoor potted plants.
This year we have 2 tomato plants growing.
Actions
Back to TopicsReply to TopicShare this topic
Get paid just by sending us users/traffic.
Signup takes seconds, start now!
Signup as an affiliate!