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Sometimes I feel like I have OCD in regards to green living. The lengths I will go to just recycle something would be considered strange by most people, I'm sure. Do any of you feel like this?
I am also cynical, in general, so I often question how much I am really helping the Earth every time I unplug the microwave when I leave home. Frankly, living in a southern state has really affected my enthusiasm to the green effort, too.
Green living just seems like a thankless hobby sometimes. Sorry for the down post, but maybe I need to surround myself with people with similar values, so I don't feel like I am trying to save the earth by myself.
It's tough to balance. For years I didn't use CFL, due to concern about mercury, and also the conditions in mercury mines of China. When LED's came along, I started to convert to them when the price was very high. I have no regrets. My home has been switched from oil to electric heat pumps and an electric heat pump hot water heater. My guess is most try to be as green as they can, but our understanding is often limited.
Responsible living can be thankless if you look for thanks in others. I bet there are things you do just for the pleasure of doing them and the only thanks you need or want is that what you give yourself. Think of responsible living like that and it might change your perspective.
There is little satisfaction in being "green" if those actions or behaviors aren't responsible from end to end. For example, buying something and then making sure it doesn't end up in a landfill isn't really green if everything that it took to make that thing before you got it isn't also "green". Likewise, there are many who go with the "green" thing yet do other things that still put them in a deficit when it comes to their adverse impact on the environment.
If you can live in a way that really encompasses end to end responsibility in choice making, you might be amazed at the difference even a single person can make.
The simple question "I wonder what it took to make this?" before obtaining it can make a significant change in attitude because when that choice to buy or not buy is made and you thought about it end to end, you did far more than the conspicuous EV driver that uses a hundred gallons of water to wash their car twice a week.
Actually you are on the right track because it is the individual contributions that make the big difference because people hide in groups and cheat because someone else will take up the slack.
Pat yourself on the back and reward yourself for achievements in reducing your adverse impact on the environment. It can be discouraging though when you see people buying carbon credits so they can fly in private jets or pollute because they think they can buy the right to do that and still call themselves, green.
I live relatively green just because it happens to be a cheaper way to live. Living close to work and commuting only 7 minutes, or 2 miles, is great. If I buy a home, I'd like to buy one in the part of town that is literally a half mile down to just a quarter mile from work. I could walk to work... this part of town happens to have the best bang for the buck homes... built in the 70's with finished basements, higher square footage with a lower price than 'new' homes which cost more and are built in less desirable locations more prone to the sump pump needing to run (low lying areas). They do happen to be along train tracks, but that does not bother me.
I don't go out of my way to live green really.... but my carbon footprint is much lower than a typical person's right now just by circumstance. My next car might be a prius, not just because it's better for the earth, but because their build quality is good and used, they can be had for around $15K with around 50K miles on them, at which point priuses are basically just broken in.... plus I like hatchbacks and I don't like Ford Focus's dual clutch transmission, and don't want to drive a stick. If the Focus had a slushbox it would be a solid contender... other contenders are the Corolla, Civic, Accord, and Camry. Fusions are ugly. I was behind a prius today (there are very few around here) and man it was a nice looking vehicle.
I've already stated in another thread I'd like to see catalytic converters on lawn mowers. Outside of that, it's other countries that need to improve their pollution standards like China for example. We are doing a pretty good job.
I guess I haven't given it much thought. I don't consider myself to be all that green but I do recycle, compost, drive a gas efficient vehicle and try to avoid wasting energy on things like AC unless the heat is unbearable. I've had friends laugh because I don't like to waste water, e.g., if a glass of water is left sitting, I prefer to pour it on a plant rather than down the drain, but most of this I do without consciously thinking about it, more habit than anything. On the other extreme, I have an inground pool that is a huge waste of energy and a house many would say is too big for 3 people so, I guess like a lot of folks, I do what I can that doesn't cause me discomfort. Hopefully becoming more green will be an evolution for most folks. Sometimes I do things without even realizing how wasteful an action is, until someone else points it out.
My biggest conflict is cans. Seven a week from dog food, 14 a week from cat food and a few from what I eat. They should be cleaned and a simple rinse doesn't do it, they have to be washed and that uses a fair amount of water which is a limited resource that I hate to waste. I'm on a well and septic tank so that get calculated in too.
Any thoughts on the best way to clean cans without too much water waste? Don't forget that letting them sit and build up until I have a batch can lead to nasty smells and bugs and I don't want that.
Same dilemma with the cans. Either wash them out and use a lot of water or use a little water and use a cloth/sponge to clean them. But then you have to wash the cloth/sponge. And of course paper towels are even more wasteful too. The sponge is probably the least wasteful - use one dedicated to the task and a small one so you can put it in the can the best. You can wet the sponge, get the main stuff off and in the trash. Rinse the sponge and the can out briefly and you should be good to go. Once a day for all your cans will be the least wasteful, but it doesn't take long for the dog and cat food cans to stink. And you gotta be careful those can edges are sharp - which is why the shallow cat food can is OK but the bigger dog food cans may not be depending on which ones you have. Since I had a St. Bernard at one point, we got the bigger cans of dog food.
My biggest conflict is cans. Seven a week from dog food, 14 a week from cat food and a few from what I eat. They should be cleaned and a simple rinse doesn't do it, they have to be washed and that uses a fair amount of water which is a limited resource that I hate to waste. I'm on a well and septic tank so that get calculated in too.
Any thoughts on the best way to clean cans without too much water waste? Don't forget that letting them sit and build up until I have a batch can lead to nasty smells and bugs and I don't want that.
Thanks for any help with this one.
Depending what their next use is, try dirt. Fill the empty cans with dirt. Let them sit as long as you care to and then dump them out. The cans will come out pretty clean, they won't smell and the dirt can be used in compost piles or just sprinkled out where you have space. A small hole works good and you just cover it up. Your dog might decide to eat the dirt though but that shouldn't be too difficult to take care of. Racoons, if they are about are a different story, that what lights are for.
The wetter the contents were the better the dirt will work. The dirt absorbs the residue. Take the can, smack it open side down and everything comes out. No water, no detergent needed.
Sometimes I feel like I have OCD in regards to green living. The lengths I will go to just recycle something would be considered strange by most people, I'm sure. Do any of you feel like this?
Sometimes I wonder why my normal garbage goes into a green can, and my recycled garbage goes into a blue can.
Fortunately later, from my window overlooking the driveway, occasionally I get so see our trash pickup service deposit the green and blue cans into the same truck / bin and my concern over can colors seems less important.
This is how I learned not to sweat the small things.
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