Share how you've lived green lately. (recycle, heating, toxic, bicycle)

[LilyLeftTheValley]

Whether...
to pat yourself on the back by publicly proclaiming it;
in the hope of inspiring others;
to share ideas and processes;
and/or remind folks that there are others out there doing their level best...
post how you've lived green lately.


My addition to start things off:
- finally got around to purchasing metal drinking straws and cotton produce bags that I can also use for baked goods last month.

[flyingsaucermom]

Spending WAY too many hours thinking about my participation in consumerism. As I am moving to the other side of the planet, in a very warm, humid climate I have a legitimate need to make several purchases, but I am making an effort to make mindful choices that reflect my values and concerns for the environment. I suppose the best thing would be not to buy anything new at all, but instead I am "investing" in high end quality pieces. I've been using this website called BuyItOnce.com as a guide in creating a "capsule wardrobe". I am likely buying a few products from Saddleback Leather Co that promises a 100 year warranty. Not having to buy a tote or handbag ever again sounds irresistible on so many levels.

[GregW]

I have not installed a room air conditioner despite the repeated sessions of 90+ degree weather here in the Northeast. We make up for that greenness by taking local trips in our Corvette with a really cold AC on board.

[StealthRabbit]

3 million miles in a car that cost $35 and runs on free fuel?

Zero detectable emissions.

I get used tires at junk yard for $5, 'reuse' of existing refuse is being pretty green.

When traveling, I usually stay in hospitality guest homes. $free to $ 20/ night worldwide. Using spare rooms.... Staying in existing homes. Traveling around the world for nearly 8 months, and used 2 hotels.

Usually when traveling we eat via grocery store / town fresh market, Ask produce person for discarded (bruised) produce. Using food that would be thrown away is green. (And occasionally brown)

When flying I use discount carriers. Ryanair, Southwest fly full planes and carry many more passengers per aircraft, due to quick turns at the gate. More efficient operations are green.

[HappyRider]

At this rate what do you think of picking through neighbor's trash?

[pvande55]

A couple days the temp got over 90F. Didn't turn on the air conditioner, slept in basement. Last week went to a concert 20 miles away on bicycle.

[tuebor]

I had been accumulating glass peanut butter jars because cleaning the residue from an empty peanut butter jar is an icky job, but I can't recycle them when they're dirty. I finally figured out an easy way to clean them: take them to the beach.

I live near the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. I take the jars to the beach where I can use the sand and water and maybe a small stick of driftwood to clean them out quickly and thoroughly. No detergent needed and no water is wasted. I just have to be careful not to get too close to other bathers in case someone is allergic to peanuts.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by tuebor

I had been accumulating glass peanut butter jars because cleaning the residue from an empty peanut butter jar is an icky job, but I can't recycle them when they're dirty. I finally figured out an easy way to clean them: take them to the beach.

I live near the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. I take the jars to the beach where I can use the sand and water and maybe a small stick of driftwood to clean them out quickly and thoroughly. No detergent needed and no water is wasted. I just have to be careful not to get too close to other bathers in case someone is allergic to peanuts.

Wow, I guess that does get the job done.

I usually soak mine with a little dish soap and then I use a scrub and let friction get most of the jar clean. It's best to use a mini spatula first though. I don't remember where I got mine, but they're really helpful in using up the product as much as possible too.

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by tuebor

I had been accumulating glass peanut butter jars because cleaning the residue from an empty peanut butter jar is an icky job, but I can't recycle them when they're dirty. I finally figured out an easy way to clean them: take them to the beach.

I live near the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. I take the jars to the beach where I can use the sand and water and maybe a small stick of driftwood to clean them out quickly and thoroughly. No detergent needed and no water is wasted. I just have to be careful not to get too close to other bathers in case someone is allergic to peanuts.

Many peanut butters have xylitol in them. Please make sure you are not cleaning jars of this type in a public waterway (which is and should be illegal btw) because even small amounts of xylitol can be toxic to wildlife.

[lkb0714]

The single most important thing anyone can do is learn about the complicated and nuanced issues related to the social cost of carbon. I do not mean to be a killjoy but individual actions, even when added up across the nation will have a minimal impact on our carbon footprint. Even someone living a miminalist lifestyle, such as some of the ones above, still have a piece of the shared pie that includes emissions from things like building roads, heating and cooling government offices, supplying our military and so on.That minimal footprint has been botn calculated at 8.5 metric tons a year even if you are homeless and eating every meal in a soup kitchen. For the rest of us more typical consuming americans it is 20 metric tons.

We need to force the government to make the pie we all share smaller. So the most green thing, is to vote green and not on big elections like president, but the small ones like state senate or town council or whatever little ones we are not normally paying attention too.