Change your lifestyle to reduce greenhouse gases?

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A local major radio station here is running this poll on their website:

"Are you willing to change your lifestyle to reduce greenhouse gases?"

I thought I would reproduce the same question here to see what results come up. So far, at this point, a shocking 83% there have said that they would NOT do so. How can we complain about big industry if we ourselves will not, in some meaningful way, take part in such an undertaking?

-- Change your car
-- Reduce driving, especially with one person in car
-- Recycle all your recyclables, etc.

Please take part in this poll.

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I think maybe another choice could be -- have you done this already?

Here are some of the things we do:

recycle, as much stuff as possible.
we don't really compost but we do leave nonmeat food out for the birds (leaving meat or bones out contributes to a rat issue around here)
we both take public transportation to work. We only use the car on weekends to grab a restaurant meal and go food shopping
most of our lights are fluorescent bulbs, and we continue to replace incandescents with fluorescents
we keep the heat down (that's been tough this winter as it's been bitterly cold)
we don't use A/C much in the summer
we buy local goods when we can

And you?

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Good question!

Like Jespah, I already do a lot. But I've definitely been thinking about how to do MORE in the wake of the scary report today.

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I have enquired about making my electricity come from green sources wherever possible ... mainly wind, here.

They haven't answered!

Perhaps they are trying to save energy?

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Thanks to those so far who have replied, and or, taken the poll. Early days yet for results.

Speaking for myself, I drive a Toyota Echo hatchback, so I can't really downsize much there. The car is quite fuel efficient. My wife and I don't drive it too much. Public transit here is quite pathetic in town though.

We've been recycling for quite a number of years and I was responsible for setting up a good set-up for picking up all our materials here in our 32 unit townhouse complex. It still irritates me when I see something as simple as cardboard being put into our garbage containers.

I would like to hear from others' experiences with recycling as well. Also, if the area in which you live uses alternative sources of energy /fuels, etc.

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Reyn, where I live we have a small blue basket where one may put anything that can be recycled. The truck comes by every Thursday and picks up the stuff.

I can walk to the beach, so I don't have to drive, and although I have two cars, they don't get driven too much, so I am doing my part. What infuriates me are the number of phone books that appear on my doorstep and in my front yard, and the last time that I put them in my basket, the truck wouldn't take them.

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You can't put phone books in for recycling? That surprises me, as we've done that for years.

Thinking of selling one of those cars?

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Well, since my Dodge Monaco has a body made in Canada, Reyn, you might want to buy it. Razz

That engine still runs as smoothly, if not more so than my new car. No carbon emissions in either, so I suppose it is environmentally safe.

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What we do already.

Our council supplies a recycling serivice A 200 litre (44 gal) wheelie bin is provided for kerbside pickup each fortnight.

From my house
All paper products are recycled
all glass products are recycled
all plastic containers are recycled
all metal containers are recycled

All green waste and kitchen scraps are composted. We have a compost heap ihn the chook pen so the chooks eat the kitchen scraps and we get the eggs in the meantime their scratching around helps braek doen the heavier material.

We have two vehicals one for my work (an old 4wd) and an old sedan both of which i would love to replace but cant afford to. there is basically no public transport here. (a bus runs once a day to Melbourne). My wife generally walks to work.

I turn off lights that other people leave on.

We do not own a clothes drier. Washing is hung outside or under the carport occasionally it needs to be "finished off" inside.
We grow some of our own vegetables.

We own a small block (10 acres) on which we planted 5000 trees as a carbon sink.

I think the most important thing for any person is to do what they feel capable of and to lobby for legislators to green up building codes and energy producers. Switch to green energy producers or those that use a mix.

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I did a lot of this, back when I could. I recycled up the kazoo, both in Venice and Eureka. I composted, sure. I walked for miles around. Grew at least some of our food.

Now I live in a city ostensibly twenty or more years behind the times - really, it's quite the surprise re the stupidities. I don't know that the people at the city are lame now. They were in the past.

Few recycling centers. Well, few anything, in comparison to the possible.

(I suppose I need to write a list and not post it here but send it to whatever are the powers in my new city.)

Back when I walked for miles around (to walk and sometimes to shop) there were places to Walk To, both in Venice and Eureka.

For me now to walk across Coors Avenue to potentially see the Rio Grande is a lame pursuit: moderately dangerous for the jogger (I don't see many of them), and worse for anyone not jogging, of whatever age.
Total AUTO ORIENTATION.

I've seen that before, having lived near a state highway in a dense city - LA.

Urban planners (I qualify as one, did some of it) are getting a grip on a lot of this. Sometimes I post on it and, given the effort, it is a lot of slog for wee recompense, so I've slowed down. Anyone can see more info nearly daily at archnewsnow.com

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Hmmm, now you've got me thinking, Reyn. What have I done?
Not a huge amount, a lot (like chaging to solar power & getting the plumbing work done so most of my grey water can be recycled) is not affordable, sadly.

OK, I'll list what I have done:

-Changed to the smallest, most fuel-efficient car I could afford a few years back. (another Echo driver here, Reyn! Very Happy

)
-Walk to the shops regularly (they're very close) & use public transport when possible.
-Turn off any house lights when the rooms are not in use. Ditto for power to DVD player, TV, etc.
-Changed from a top-loading to a front-loading washing machine. Heaps less water use!
- Compost much of my waste vegetable matter.
-Regularly "green garbage" whatever cuttings, etc, I can't use myself. This is a council service, along with glass, paper & metal recycling.
-Wash & re-use the few plastic"take-away" containers I've gotten.
-Bought a number of those little "green bags" to take shopping, rather than rely on the plastic ones from the shops.
- no poisonous weed killers allowed. Organic garden fertilers only.
- No clothes dryer or electric dishwasher. (don't need them, anyway.)My rotary clothes dryer is terrific & I prefer handwashing dishes, anyway.
- Planted as many small native shrubs as my small block can comfortably manage. (For the air! The birds!)
-Never use heavy-duty chemical cleaners. Opt for the environmentally safe varieties.
-Re-use as much grey water as possible. (Using environmentally friendly detergents)
- Air con. in one room only. Hardly ever used. I rely on o/head fans on hot days. They do the trick very well, along with ventilating the house by opening all the doors & windows in the mornings (on days like today). Then drawing the blinds when it gets warmer.
- and .....?

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ossobuco wrote:

I did a lot of this, back when I could. I recycled up the kazoo, both in Venice and Eureka. I composted, sure. I walked for miles around. Grew at least some of our food.

Now I live in a city ostensibly twenty or more years behind the times - really, it's quite the surprise re the stupidities. I don't know that the people at the city are lame now. They were in the past, or some were.

Few recycling centers. Well, few anything, in comparison to the possible.

(I suppose I need to write a list and not post it here but send it to whatever are the powers in my new city.)

Back when I walked for miles around (to walk and sometimes to shop) there were places to Walk To, both in Venice and Eureka.

For me now to walk across Coors Avenue to potentially see the Rio Grande is a lame pursuit: moderately dangerous for the jogger (I don't see many of them), and worse for anyone not jogging, of whatever age.
Total AUTO ORIENTATION.

I've seen that before, having lived near a state highway in a dense city - LA.

Urban planners (I qualify as one, did some of it) are getting a grip on a lot of this. Sometimes I post on it and, given the effort, it is a lot of slog for wee recompense, so I've slowed down. Anyone can see more info nearly daily at archnewsnow.com

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All along with msolga until I get to lights. I've an eye problem, have few rods. I need light rather badly, just to plain old see, and for my well being at present.

A legislator in California is proposing to outlaw incandescent light. I know about the fluorescents, have used them where I could, and shut off lights where I can now, but when I need to see, I need brighter light, never mind the wattage. Outlaw them and you might see the odd suicide.

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Interesting reading from everyone! We're doing pretty much what every one else has listed, although we don't have a composter. We don't have a regular garden. with our small backyard, we only have a few potted plants and bushes, etc.

msolga wrote:

-Changed from a top-loading to a front-loading washing machine. Heaps less water use!

Now, these front loading machines are supposed to be a lot more efficient? Does this extend to saving electricity as well as water?

When we were shopping a few years back for washers and dryers, they were just becoming more available, but at that time were quite pricey. Perhaps in the next purchase we will consider them.

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If I owned my own place, I'd compost my food waste. I don't have anywhere to put the stuff as it is now. I do compost when at my parents' house.

I do recycle everything that my city will accept - paper, glass, plastic, cardboard, metal.
I do bring rcyclable plastic bags to places that accept them. The city won't pick them up with the recycling, but I can bring them to the recycling center and to whole foods.
I do the same as above with any styrofoam that the recycling center accepts.
I do recycle electronics, clothes, books, etc at the recycling center.
I do drive a honda civic, not a hybrid, but good gas milage.
I do opt for low-packaged food when I can.
I do have my heat set way down low, not that this helps in my current apt.
I do try to remember to use my reusable fabric shopping bags.
I try to teach the kids not to waste food, not to waste paper, to recycle, etc.

but, also:

I drive too much, but need the car to care for the kids I take care of.
I don't restrict enough my consumption of products made or harvested far away (I am concious of what I am buying - where it's from).
I do too much laundry.
I don't reuse my paper bags often enough.

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Reyn wrote:

msolga wrote:
-Changed from a top-loading to a front-loading washing machine. Heaps less water use!

Now, these front loading machines are supposed to be a lot more efficient? Does this extend to saving electricity as well as water?

When we were shopping a few years back for washers and dryers, they were just becoming more available, but at that time were quite pricey. Perhaps in the next purchase we will consider them.

Reyn

It appears that the most energy efficient models are the most expensive ones. More control over variables like the size & type of wash load (& resultant impact on water & energy consumed), etc. I've opted for the best front loader that I could afford, as determined by consumer energy rating scales. Mine is not in the range of the highest "star" ratings available in Oz*, but a hell of an improvement on the front loader I'd previously used. It appears that hot water usage is a major factor in amount of energy used. I've taken to using cold water almost exclusively, for both washing & rinsing.

*different countries have different ways of rating energy efficiency. You'd be able to check out the Canadian consumer advice prior to buying.

http://www.nt.gov.au/powerwater/factsheets/washers.html

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littlek wrote:

but, also:

I drive too much, but need the car to care for the kids I take care of.
I don't restrict enough my consumption of products made or harvested far away (I am concious of what I am buying - where it's from).
I do too much laundry.
I don't reuse my paper bags often enough.

Ah yes, k!
I'm sure I could add many "but alsos" as well!

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Thanks Olga for that advice.

Well, so far only 1 person saying that they would not change their lifestyle to cut greenhouse gases. I think the "No" folks are just not voting here. Obviously that number should be higher.

This morning, I checked the other poll I mentioned in my first post and the current outcome is 64% for "Yes" and 36% for "No".

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I recycle as much as I can, but my efforts are frequently sabotaged by Mr. Noddy who is not enthusiastic about extra effort.

Unfortunately our thermostat is set between 72 and 75 degrees because old bones need more heat.

Has anyone had any experience with www.FreeCycle.org ?

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Well, we do so since some couple of years already.

And since it didn't happen from one second to the other all at once, I really don't think, that any redduction of lifestyle was singnificantly happening.

Quite the opposite: we live a lot ... better, if not healthier.

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