Info on the Environment

[TheWife]

Does anyone know of any more websites where I can get info like this:

For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380
gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one
aluminum can.

By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb
for four hours.

Don't ask for ATM receipts. If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save
a roll of paper more than two billion feet long, or enough to circle the equator fifteen times!
-
Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. You'll conserve up to five gallons of water per day.
Throughout the entire United States, the daily savings could add up to more water than is
consumed every day in all of New York City.

- Get a voice-mail service for your home phone. If all answering machines in U.S. homes were
replaced by voice-mail services, the annual energy savings would total nearly two billion kilowatt
hours. The resulting reduction in air pollution would be equivalent to removing 250,000 cars
from the road for a year!


I'm having a hard time finding stuff. I find lots of "things you can do" but w/o the info of what the impact is, kwim?

[czechmate]

I've seen some of the statistics on:
greendimes.com (stop junk mail and plant a tree)
greenerchoices.org. (products for a better planet)
seventhgeneration.com (recycled products and cleaners)
climatecrisis.net (Al Gore's documentary website)
earth911.org (check under energy - costs and conservation)
I'm glad to know that other people are making changes too.

Jen

[jr_lenz]

Originally Posted by TheWife

Don't ask for ATM receipts. If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save
a roll of paper more than two billion feet long, or enough to circle the equator fifteen times!

I made a deposit the other day with the atm card and it didn't post to our account, the receipt was the only thing that saved us.

[czechmate]

Originally Posted by jr_lenz

I made a deposit the other day with the atm card and it didn't post to our account, the receipt was the only thing that saved us.

I do as much possible with cash so I never need a receipt. Of course there are times when it's not possible. Today I gassed up and used my debit card and declined the receipt. But I always try to save in some way.
And when making deposits, I would never trust a deposit made through an ATM. I always go inside and speak with a person.

I always explain to my kids (and everyone else who will listen) that when you throw something away - it really never goes away.

[BAC]

that's all pretty interesting!

I wish recycling was more convienent... but living at an apartment complex its a little difficult.

Buuut, I saw at IKEA that there are recepticles for recycling light bulbs, glass, aluminum, ect.. so maybe I will start saving it in a bag and bringing them there.

Any other ideas?

[czechmate]

Great question!
Although you live in an apartment, there are so many things (more than I've listed) that you can do to make a difference!

Try to not use plastic bags or paper bags for convienence shopping. (Grocery shopping, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.)
Get a/some reusable totes. I have 2 reusable totes and I have a family of 4 plus 1 cat. Actually I can fit tons of stuff into them!

If you do use plastic bags - find a store (my grocery does) that has a return/recycle drop box. They can use those plastic bags for composite decking materiels. (Among other things)

Paper bags are just bad.

Also at the grocery or convienence store, check to see if the items you are buying come in a recycled container. (Check the bottom to see the recycle code). Once you start looking, you would be amazed at how excessive amounts of packaging are used for one little item.

Try to purchase recycled toilet paper, paper towels, or tissues. I like 7th Generation brand. They are more expensive than "traditional" types, but I feel good about myself when buying them.

Also, you can change your light bulbs out to CFL - compact fluorescent lights. They are much more energy efficient, will save you money on your electric bill, and will stay lit for several years.
(They are more expensive initially, but are cost effective in the long run and when you move out, you can take them with you.)

Don't leave the faucet running when brushing your teeth.

If you must use a dishwasher, wait until it's full and then run it on the light cycle. It still gets your dishes clean as a "normal" cycle, but uses less water.

Wash you clothes in cold or warm water. (not hot)

If your wanting to throw something out - like appliances or furniture - see if someone would be willing to buy it. If not, see if you can donate it. That way you are "recycling" it for good use!

And you could talk with your apartment complex. See if they can or would be willing to set up a recycle drop off area. It might be in their best interest to do so!
Jen

Anyone else have any ideas?

[TheWife]

Here's the whole list I compiled. We have "Family Home Evening" (it's a religous thing) with our families every Monday, and sometimes we add the extended family, and this was my topic for the evening. I gave the following info, and challenge to the family:

(Sorry, some is a repeat but I'm too lazy to go through and delete things lol.)

For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.

By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Don't ask for ATM receipts. If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save a roll of paper more than two billion feet long, or enough to circle the equator fifteen times!

Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. You'll conserve up to five gallons of water per day. Throughout the entire United States, the daily savings could add up to more water than is consumed every day in all of New York City.

Get a voice-mail service for your home phone. If all answering machines in U.S. homes were replaced by voice-mail services, the annual energy savings would total nearly two billion kilowatt hours. The resulting reduction in air pollution would be equivalent to removing 250,000 cars from the road for a year.

Check leaks. One drip can cost you 75 gallons of water a month. Insulate pipes where possible to prevent heat loss, and only operate dishwashers and washing machines with full loads. Consider low-flow shower heads.

In colder seasons, turn down your thermostat slightly; every degree can save up to 5% in heating costs.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs and use only a fraction of the energy, saving you money over their lifespan.

By planting trees, you can reduce home cooling costs by as much as 50%and grow yourself a little shade on a warm summer day.

If just 1 million homes switched entirely to solar power, we’d cut yearly CO2 emissions by 7 million tons.

If just 1 million households each replaced 4 traditional lightbulbs with Compact Fluorescents (CFL), we’d eliminate 900,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

1.5 million tons of plastic are used to make bottles every year, a waste that could instead power electricity in 250,000 homes.

Calculate your carbon footprint at SOS | Live Earth | 7.7.07 and aim to reduce your individual output by 1 ton.

If just 1 million people cut down their trash by 10%, we could reduce our yearly CO2 emissions by as much as 50,000 tons.

You can make 20 new cans from recycled material with the same energy it takes to make 1 from scratch.

Wash your clothes in cold water and save yourself up to $400 a year in bills.

Every ton of recycled paper saves enough electricity to power a 3 bedroom house for an entire year.

Contact your local energy utility about available eco-friendly, green power. Ask for it, demand it, and if you don’t live in a green zone, support the movement by investing in renewable energy certificates.

Consider bamboo the next time you’re landscaping your yard; bamboo stores more CO2 and generates 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees.

Computers use up to 70% less electricity when you put them to sleep instead of using a screensaver.

Paper represents more than 70% of office waste. Print and copy on both sides of the page before taking it to the recycling bin.

Look for greener opportunities; recycling is already a $50 billion a year industry with solar power expected to exceed that in the next 10.

Motion sensor lighting can reduce your average energy consumption by as much as 33%.

If just 1 million people shut down their office PCs overnight, we could eliminate up to 45,000 tons of CO2 per year.

For every 3 meetings held by video conference instead of flying cross-country, it would be like taking a car completely off the road for an entire year.

Find and report ways to reduce waste and inefficiencies in your job, whether you work in a restaurant, factory, farm, or office.

The international meat industry generates roughly 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Globally, we use as many as 1 million new plastic bags every MINUTE at a cost of 2.2 billion gallons of oil a year. Go reusable whenever, wherever.

Over 25% of your daily household waste consists of excessive packaging used to ship your purchases to the shelf. Next time you’re at the market, shop around for less packaging.

Purchasing 100% post-consumer recycled paper lightens your carbon footprint by 5 pounds of CO2 per ream.

By purchasing digital music online you can help conserve the oil consumed in transporting CDs to and from the store.

Support companies with top environmental records and future-forward products. Visit The Climate Group: Home for more information.

A 100-guestroom hotel can save an estimated 72,000 gallons of water a year through a linen and towel reuse program. You don’t wash your towel everyday at home, do you?

For only $80 you can purchase a portable solar charger to juice up your next playlist.

Encourage "green" spending by asking your local retailers to move their eco-friendly products to eye-level.

The most fuel-efficient gasoline cars on the road today get 35-40 miles per gallon with hybrids topping out at 50-60.

Next time you’re in the market for a new car or truck, buy more efficiency & less CO2 output.

Buy carbon offsets to help counteract the CO2 pollution from your next big trip.

The average commuter burns 340 gallons of gas and creates a 3.4 ton cloud of CO2 a year. Carpool and cut that figure in half.

If just 1 million people replaced a 5 mile car trip once a week with a bike ride, we could reduce CO2 emissions by about 100,000 tons a year.

Hybrids get roughly 10-20 more miles per gallon than their conventional brothers and put gas money back in your pocket.

Ride public transit and help conserve an estimated 1.4 billion gallons of gas & curb the release of roughly 1.5 million tons of harmful CO2 a year.

Encourage your city to install LED traffic lights which consume 80% less energy than traditional lights and can save a large city millions of dollars a year.

Petition for change in your local governments and get involved in one of the many environmental groups in your area.
Our planet’s future demands legislation today. Let your civic leaders and representatives know that the polar bears aren’t the only ones skating on thin ice.

Video sharing websites receive millions of hits a day throughout the world; make a video and inspire a global audience with your message.

Challenge your city’s professional sports teams to adopt greener policies and turn its resources toward encouraging others to do the same.

New York recently launched a 5-year initiative to "hybridize" the city's taxi fleet and cut its CO2 emissions by an estimated 200,000 tons a year.

Cities across America are seeing an increasing number of car-sharing programs like Flex-Car in Seattle, which supply convenient access to "community vehicles" at a nominal fee.

Rising seas will put an estimated 70 million African lives at risk of flooding by 2080, displacing an already impoverished people least responsible for climate change. Visit Oxfam International : United for a more equitable world today to learn more about how you can help Africa.

By 2025, almost 500 million impoverished Africans will face severe water shortages due in large part to global warming. Without funding and an urgent plan of action, climate change will continue to wreak havoc on an already struggling continent.

Though Africa is least responsible for the climate crisis, its people continue to be the most affected by climate change. Industrialized nations must act now to reduce their own emissions and provide financial support to ensure the sustainability of our planet’’s poorest continent.

Working in concert with specialized contractors, The San Diego School District recently installed solar roofing across 24 of its facilities and expects to reap more than $37 million in total cost-savings over the next 20 years. Inspire your School District to see the light.

More than 100,000 school buses throughout the U.S. circulate in-cabin pollutants up to 5 times more toxic than the air outside. Find your representative's mailing address at Congress.org and ask him why Congress has yet to deliver on its promise to correct the problem.

Chicago recently launched a tree-planting campaign to lower temperatures, capture CO2, and beautify "heat islands" throughout its bustling city-centers.

The city of Boston has begun installing solar powered trash-compactors throughout city-streets, crunching trash and reducing the number of garbage pickups needed each week.


Challenge:

Goal: Accomplish as many of these energy-saving tasks as possible by Christmas Eve.
The team with the most completed tasks wins the prize basket.

Change at least 5 bulbs to CFL’s
Put blackout curtains in your hottest room (I did this, WOW, major difference!!)
Sign up to opt-out of junk mail (try NFN - Native Forest Network's Guide to Stop Junk Mail )
Email the family 10 more things they can do to help the earth
Use canvas bags for groceries
Put computers/tvs/etc. on surge strips, unplug at night, or at least turn OFF
Plant a tree
Stop getting ATM/Gas/Food receipts
Use only cold water for laundry (I've used cold only for years, the clothes still get clean)
Recycle all your household paper & mags
Do someone’s errands 3 times to save gas (if you are going to the store, add someone's list to yours, one car trip!)
Wait until after 8 pm to run DW/W&D
Keep appliances unplugged and lights off (toasters, blenders, hair dryers etc. still use power while plugged in, even when off.)
Stop buying books, DVD’s and CD’s/go-E (get these from the library or digital versions)
Start using non-disposable dryer sheets
Wean off of Ziploc’s and other disposables
Try & share your reviews of healthy/organic/chemical-free products
Make digital notes (instead of post-it's, notepads.)
Make a financial contribution to a charity that supports the earth.
Keep thermostat at 75 summer/70 winter
Use rechargeable batteries
Eat meat less than 3 times a week (meat processing is a major contributor to enviro-problems)
Add your own challenge for the family

[BAC]

Originally Posted by czechmate

Great question!
If you do use plastic bags - find a store (my grocery does) that has a return/recycle drop box. They can use those plastic bags for composite decking materiels. (Among other things)

....

And you could talk with your apartment complex. See if they can or would be willing to set up a recycle drop off area. It might be in their best interest to do so!
Jen

I reuse my plastic bags as garbage can liners, lunch bags, ect. I also just recieved some paper bags from a grocery store in which I plan on reusing whenever I go shopping. I like the idea of the totes too.

My apartment complex set up a recyle drop off area...?? That seems unlikely. Last night I heard something that sounded like gun shots, twice. It could have been gunshots or a car backfiring.. the sad thing is, I'm not positive which... so the apartment complex might have different things on their minds than the enviroment.

The good news about recycling and my apartment complex is that I regularly see a guy who rummages through the dumpsters looking for pop cans and who knows what else..

I really like all of these suggestions. I HATE hate hate wasting things!

[czechmate]

Originally Posted by BAC

Last night I heard something that sounded like gun shots, twice. It could have been gunshots or a car backfiring.. the sad thing is, I'm not positive which

OMG - maybe a move would be in order?
Be careful!
Jen

[BAC]

Originally Posted by czechmate

OMG - maybe a move would be in order?
Be careful!
Jen

YES. I think the clientel at the complex has gone down considerable since my boyfriend moved there June of 06. We have already put in an application at another place and are really looking forward to moving. The new place is literally down the road from a Lifetime Fitness and Ikea so I'm pretty excited about that...