Topic of the Day: Wednesday (07/02/07)

[meliz]

Global Warming?

I am really quite freaked by the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report and that fact that projections are that Canada being particularly affected by climate change (something even people of my age can see in our lifetimes). It's pretty clear that there are now very, very few scientific naysayers and that only people with political gains to make are still challenging the existence of the phenomena, so that's good news at least. For me the problem seems so daunting... I think the focus has to be on what we all can do in small ways. Sooo....

Question: What do you do to contribute to global warming and what can you do to help?

Our biggest fault is our driving. We moved to the burbs, and now have a longer commute (and no option to walk), and we travel to the city at least once a day; we also have an old car which is not exactly the most fuel/emmissions efficient creature. Our next car will certainly be purchased according to its fuel efficiency (plus we can't afford gas!). And we have pledged not to drive around so much, and to make our trips to the city count by doing all errands at once.

We also still use old fashioned lightbulbs... I really hate the offensive glow of flourescent ones, but I know we have to suck it up and replace them.

[Csara]

That is honestly one of the things I hate about where we live - I have to drive EVERYWHERE!!! I would love so much to live somewhere that I can just walk, but cities are so expensive and the living quarters are so small! So yeah, I contribute to global warming by all the driving I do and I don't regularly try to even get all my errands done at once. I should make a point to do that so that I am driving less! It also sucks when I am going somewhere with a friend, we have to take separate cars because of our kids' car seats. It's a huge PITA to switch them from one car to another so we don't....we just drive in separate cars.

What have we done to help? We have gotten a more energy efficient washer/dryer. We use fluorescent bulbs. The problem is that to replace other appliances and cars, etc. is expensive. I guess that when the time comes to replace these things, we will get more energy efficient ones, but for now it is just too expensive.

[Sexy Strawberry]

Global warming is a very worrying issue... I wouldn't want to bring any kids to this world and that's one of the reasons, I don't even want to know how this will be like in 50 years!

I try to save electricity, use less plastic, save paper, I re-use all plastic bags, I use public transportation... I would like to recycle trash, but here you don't find any bins for different materials :(, so I throw everything in the same place :(... I do recycle batteries. I could do more though...

[Turtleheadfred]

I have a fuel efficient car - and am considering a Prius (like my sister bought) to save even more. I recycle. I don't drive unless I have several places to go... no just running out for one thing. I turn off the water when brushing my teeth. I take shorter showers. I use environmentally safe cleaners in the house. I don't use aerosols. I use paper instead of plastic - and any plastic I purchase has to be recycleable and is recycled. Anything and everything that I can do - I do. I think it's our responsibility.

[HeavenLeigh]

To be honest, I don't do a thing to help. I have thought about it, but just in passing. I had never sat down and really considered what I should or should not do.
I don't drive a great deal, that's more because of my lack of a social life than anything. I do throw my soda cans by my fence so my little 90 y/o neighbor can pick them up to recycle. He does his daily walk around the block collecting cans ppl throw out for him.

[Csara]

oops I forgot to add that we recycle. Well, actually we DID, until some jacka@@ stole our recycling bin. How ridiculous is that? Ok, it is also ridiculous that I haven't just called the city for a new one, but I will. Thanks for the reminder. :)

[meliz]

HAHA. There is a special place in hell for people who steal recycling bins!:biglaugh:

We recycle paper and bottles... but don't do compost, cans or any of the other programs because apt dwellers in this province do not have the option. How stupid is that??

[Tigerlily]

I'm a nut about trying to save the Earth. I read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn and it totally opened up my eyes that if our civilization continues to take advantage of our planet, we're going to wipe ourselves out. I separate the garbage and recycle everything I can (plastic, glass, paper, etc.), have flourescent light bulbs, and use dimmer switches for the track lighting (can't use flourescents for those), we're on a wind power program which is really making way in our state, (renewable energy all the way!), use cloth shopping bags that I reuse every time I go to the grocery store, which I also get redeemed for using. I have to drive a long way because I live in the sticks, but because of that, I try and bulk all my errands together to save time and energy. I'm thinking of starting a compost, I have to learn more about that. And we really want to get a hybrid for our next vehicle when that time comes. Right now my Subaru has good gas mileage, so it'll be a while.

[HeavenLeigh]

I seen on Dirty Jobs that there's one landfill in Cali that uses garbage to power over 100,000 homes. They sort thru the garbage, take out what is not needed, then bury what can be used next to gas lines. The rotting trash puts off a gas (methane, maybe?) that gives a lot of ppl electricity. I believe they said it was the only landfill of it's kind. Wonder why this isn't happening everywhere? It's better for the enviornment, probably cheaper, etc....

[meliz]

What does everyone think of nuclear power? I used to be dead set against it, but now, I am starting to rethink that...

Wind power is also taking off here.. it makes so much sense! People bitch about the look of the mills, but I think they are quite lovely looking. I bet they are loud so I am not so sure I'd want to live next door to one, but still, heavens knows there are enough wild spaces still.

[jana]

We recycle as much as we can, and I compost kitchen scraps. (Well, I used to have a compost heap at our old place, but now I want a real bin....I have a large-ish plant pot outside that I throw scraps into, a kinda mini compost bin...but mostly I throw stuff off the deck. It either composts or the deer, racoons, possums, birds, etc. eat it.) I want to get worms to keep under the kitchen sink to do vermicompost. I'm sure ds would *love* pet worms! :D

Now that I'm a sahm, I don't drive as much as I used to. I try to walk as much as possible for quick little errands that are nearby.

I don't take plastic shopping bags if I'm just buying a few things or if they'll fit inside something else I'm buying. Checkers look at me *very* strangely when I tell them I don't need a bag. Sometimes they "forget" and put it in a bag anyway. :rolleyes: I have a huge stash of cloth bags that I try to bring with me for grocery shopping, but I usually forget. Since I have a gigantic collection of plastic bags to recyle, I need to start bringing the cloth ones again.

We use cloth diapers and do elimination communication.

We have fluorescent bulbs and I always try to turn off lights when I leave a room.

When the weather is nice, we turn off the a/c or heater and open up the windows. Fans cool us off pretty well for a few months when it starts getting warmer.

[HeavenLeigh]

Meliz...I'm not sure about Nuclear Power since I haven't studied much on it. My first thought "it's dangerous" but I really need more info before making a judgment either way on it.