How Green are you?
- Thread starter Adrienne
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GipsyQueen
Active Member
We're pretty green... We only use 'green' cleaning products, mostly because my mom and I get skin problems with anything chemical and because its just better for the envorinment. I ride my bike pretty much everywhere, unless its yucky out (yep Im a wuse.), where I do use my car or use public transport... but its really expensive. I pay more money taking the train in and out of the city than I pay for gas and parking.
We buy from the local farms around us, we're lucky to have that option. They are almost all organic!
We buy from the local farms around us, we're lucky to have that option. They are almost all organic!
It's not just about climate. Its about the kind of world our children will grow up in.
It is about the animals who lose their homes because we keep cutting down their trees. The animals who are harmed because plastic bags end up everywhere.
This is just about plastic bags, but I would think after seeing something like this, how can people not care?
http://www.ativsolutions.com/images/The-Dangers-of-Plastic-Bags.pdf
Professionally or at home...
lol at home I'm not so good but professionally I've conserved more energy and prevented less greenhouse gas from being generated then probably most of if not all the forum combined... but then that's my job... or was my job... recently made the jump to residential energy from commercial so I'm probably not having the same impact in huge reductions all at once but helping home owners improve there homes to be more energy efficient so small reductions all over the place.
At home, we recycle all my lights are compact fluorescent or linear fluorescent (insisted on it... my commercial stuff as Renee frequently still makes fun of me for, was all lighting I was widely accepted as the best in the city at energy efficient lighting... I'll miss the knowing I'm the best in the city of a million *sigh*) the outdoor lighting is on sensors and some of the indoor stuff is on timers controller by the X10 software on my computer.
Water heater and hot water pipe is wrapped and temperature is set lower on it.
We've started using some of those green cleaners from.. I can't remember if it's SC Johnson or Mr Clean or whatever...
There's alot I want to do around my house though so right now my personal life I'm not so great partly because I haven't previously had the funds to throw into fixing up my house as I'd like.
On the hit list though:
Add another R40 to the attic
Add another R10 to the outside walls
Replace baseboard heating and window air conditioners with Split Ductless Heat Pump
Install R22 in the basement walls and R5 on the basement floor.
Pull off window trim and fill gaps between window and stud wall with spray foam insulation
Install radiant heat in bathroom
lol at home I'm not so good but professionally I've conserved more energy and prevented less greenhouse gas from being generated then probably most of if not all the forum combined... but then that's my job... or was my job... recently made the jump to residential energy from commercial so I'm probably not having the same impact in huge reductions all at once but helping home owners improve there homes to be more energy efficient so small reductions all over the place.
At home, we recycle all my lights are compact fluorescent or linear fluorescent (insisted on it... my commercial stuff as Renee frequently still makes fun of me for, was all lighting I was widely accepted as the best in the city at energy efficient lighting... I'll miss the knowing I'm the best in the city of a million *sigh*) the outdoor lighting is on sensors and some of the indoor stuff is on timers controller by the X10 software on my computer.
Water heater and hot water pipe is wrapped and temperature is set lower on it.
We've started using some of those green cleaners from.. I can't remember if it's SC Johnson or Mr Clean or whatever...
There's alot I want to do around my house though so right now my personal life I'm not so great partly because I haven't previously had the funds to throw into fixing up my house as I'd like.
On the hit list though:
Add another R40 to the attic
Add another R10 to the outside walls
Replace baseboard heating and window air conditioners with Split Ductless Heat Pump
Install R22 in the basement walls and R5 on the basement floor.
Pull off window trim and fill gaps between window and stud wall with spray foam insulation
Install radiant heat in bathroom
That's a bit short sighted...
Being green doesn't necesarily mean you believe in climate change... hell you could be green just to save yourself money on energy bills.
It can be about how much chemicals you keep in and around your home that you'll end up injesting or breathing.
Example... my dad when he built his house built it to R2000 standards... this was in the early 90's before global warming was a buzz word and doing things to help climate change didn't exist yet. He went that way because looking into the future, energy prices will always go up.
As a result his house, which is just over 4000 square feet costs him around $2500 to heat and cool ever year.
Climate change be damned I spend more then that heating and cooling my house which is about 1/4 the size.
I don't believe we affect the climate either. But being green isn't about climate---it's simply avoiding the unnecessary wasteage and/or despoiling of natural resources.
That being said, I'm not as green as I'd like to be.
We try to use reuseable instead of disposable whenever possible, we're mindful of our water and electricity use, and we carpool. But we don't recycle at all. Our area doesn't offer recycling with trash service, and only recently started up a recycling center at all. I really need to get our household started on that.
That being said, I'm not as green as I'd like to be.
We try to use reuseable instead of disposable whenever possible, we're mindful of our water and electricity use, and we carpool. But we don't recycle at all. Our area doesn't offer recycling with trash service, and only recently started up a recycling center at all. I really need to get our household started on that.Lol I love to recycle... not for any climate reasons... I love recycling because it's free here.
It makes up like half my trash and they haul it away for free. To get a can of garbage (the big cans mind you) is like $2.50 per can. not alot but adds up after doing it week after week.
It makes up like half my trash and they haul it away for free. To get a can of garbage (the big cans mind you) is like $2.50 per can. not alot but adds up after doing it week after week.
I agree it is not all about climate change but our health. Using chemicals in my house which are poisonous just doesn't sit well with me. If my children got ahold of my 'green' products I don't need to call poison control or worry about them burning their mouths, etc because they are all 'safe'. I use biodegradable washing agents because ultimately they go into my lake and I want my lake to be healthy for the animals that live there. Saving money is also key and recycling, using energy efficient bulbs, etc. cut down my bills which is great!
xpaeanx
Active Member
don't worry gem... I don't recycle... well, I do "in home recycling" as in I use chinese food containers and such as tupperware. But I dont' recycle other things. I've been meaning to talk to my landlord about getting a recycling program set up at the house. But, when I was at my old house I used to recycle cans, plastics, and newspapers. The only thing that I dont like is that they only take in certain kinds of plastics and the others get thrown away because they don't process them. You would have to look at the bottom of the plastic container, and they did #1 plastics only if I remember correctly. Anything else got thrown out... I wish they would ship it to other processing places... or start processing all plastics.
and I also don't agree that we really affect the climate... BUT that has nothing to do with why I try to be "green." I prefer not to waste as much as possible... which helps my wallet, my household, and our envirnment.
and I also don't agree that we really affect the climate... BUT that has nothing to do with why I try to be "green." I prefer not to waste as much as possible... which helps my wallet, my household, and our envirnment.
Baking soda and white vinegar can pretty much clean everything in your house.
They are green and also very cheap.
Miakoda
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Puck, we hunt too. Mostly deer and hogs, but my friend is heading back today with a ginormous bull moose he got in Wyoming last week! Mooseburgers on the house!
I do what I can, but some things I'm just not going to do or cannot afford to do.
I really wish we had a recycling bin & pick-up where we live, but we don't and they actually charge you anywhere from $10-20 to make a drop-off. I'm sorry, but I don't have an extra $20 a week to pay someone to recycle my things. However, when we move there is recyle pick-up.
I've started using some reusable shopping bags. I try to keep it 50/50 because I use the other ones for dog poop & emergency stinky-diaper use. As for the on-the-go stinky-diaper bags, I've started buying the eco-friendly biodegradable ones. They are only like an extra 75 cents or so.
We use to use integrated CFLs until one broke and when we called about clean-up, we were told to immediately evacuate me (I was pregnant at the time) and Cole out the house & to stay out for at least 48 hours. I'm sorry, but we didn't notice such a tremendous entergy savings that I'm willing to be homeless for a few days should another one accidentally break. Then there's the whole mercury clean-up and disposal kit you need on hand. The fact that these bulbs are disastrous for the environment yet are getting tossed out with the daily trash is a serious concern.
We also have Energy-star appliances (dishwasher & icebox) that use less energy. But I will admit that I only got them because they had a 10% discount on them. I have no issues with the icebox, in fact I don't notice anything different, but the dishwasher irks me to no end. It has about 1/3 the drying power of a standard hairdryer and there is still water on most of my dishes when it's finished...& of course there is no running the drying cycle again on it's on. In an effort to get the dishes as dry as possible, I have to run it on Sani-wash everytime & use the hot start & hot dry & every other "hot" button available in an effort to get the thing the hottest on the inside so as to help dry the dishes in the end. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I would NOT get the energy star dishwasher.
I support our local dairy, Kleinpeter, mostly because I use to work for them and I know how they treat their animals and know that NO growth hormones or antibiotics are used on their cows. They are very adamant against it.
And of course, I'm the first to pull over and buy mustard greens from the guy selling them on the side of the road. I LOVE to buy from the local farmers.
I do what I can, but some things I'm just not going to do or cannot afford to do.
I really wish we had a recycling bin & pick-up where we live, but we don't and they actually charge you anywhere from $10-20 to make a drop-off. I'm sorry, but I don't have an extra $20 a week to pay someone to recycle my things. However, when we move there is recyle pick-up.
I've started using some reusable shopping bags. I try to keep it 50/50 because I use the other ones for dog poop & emergency stinky-diaper use. As for the on-the-go stinky-diaper bags, I've started buying the eco-friendly biodegradable ones. They are only like an extra 75 cents or so.
We use to use integrated CFLs until one broke and when we called about clean-up, we were told to immediately evacuate me (I was pregnant at the time) and Cole out the house & to stay out for at least 48 hours. I'm sorry, but we didn't notice such a tremendous entergy savings that I'm willing to be homeless for a few days should another one accidentally break. Then there's the whole mercury clean-up and disposal kit you need on hand. The fact that these bulbs are disastrous for the environment yet are getting tossed out with the daily trash is a serious concern.
We also have Energy-star appliances (dishwasher & icebox) that use less energy. But I will admit that I only got them because they had a 10% discount on them. I have no issues with the icebox, in fact I don't notice anything different, but the dishwasher irks me to no end. It has about 1/3 the drying power of a standard hairdryer and there is still water on most of my dishes when it's finished...& of course there is no running the drying cycle again on it's on. In an effort to get the dishes as dry as possible, I have to run it on Sani-wash everytime & use the hot start & hot dry & every other "hot" button available in an effort to get the thing the hottest on the inside so as to help dry the dishes in the end. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I would NOT get the energy star dishwasher.
I support our local dairy, Kleinpeter, mostly because I use to work for them and I know how they treat their animals and know that NO growth hormones or antibiotics are used on their cows. They are very adamant against it.
And of course, I'm the first to pull over and buy mustard greens from the guy selling them on the side of the road. I LOVE to buy from the local farmers.
How come you don't just open the door a crack and let them dry the o-natural way? Just gotta wait an extra hour before you unload it... or use a towel to get any puddles on things like the bottom of a glass.
darkchild16
We are Home.
Shark with kids yea not the best idea. I know Bev would try and crawl in there and play.
Miakoda
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Because that "crack" becomes the Grand Canyon & then Cole has every dish spread out all across the house.
And I do end up having to dry all the dishes with a towel. But seriously, if I have to prewash crap & then I have to dry it also, why in the hell did I pay someone $500 for a freaking dishwasher?
T
tessa_s212
Guest
Old thread, but didn't want to start another with the same topic! but was interested in still hearing about other ways people are "green"
TBH, I'm in it for the money savings! If I couldn't save while being "green", I wouldn't be able to be "green" at all. But I definitely love that I can be planet friendly while saving money!
We cloth diaper (and cloth wipes!) part time. We use disposables for outings and sometimes nightime. Depends on when the cloth is all out and needs to be washed.
Before I was pregnant I purchased a Diva Cup, but never got to use it and ended up giving it to a friend, so now will soon have to purchase another but in model 2 size.
I'm also going to enlist my mother's help to sew my own "mama cloth" to use as pantyliners, so now more wasted money going to chemical filled, icky disposable menstrual products! It just makes sense because it can all be rinsed, soaked, and thrown in to wash with the cloth diapers!
I try to use reusable shopping bags as well, but we also get the plastic bags to use in the small waste baskets around the house.
That's all for now, but when we can afford to do so, I'd also like to try and buy greener cleaning products.
Oh, and I recycle as well! (Hard to do here because Dustin's grandparents hate recycling, but I do what I can to save things and take it to my mom's to be recycled.)
TBH, I'm in it for the money savings! If I couldn't save while being "green", I wouldn't be able to be "green" at all. But I definitely love that I can be planet friendly while saving money!
We cloth diaper (and cloth wipes!) part time. We use disposables for outings and sometimes nightime. Depends on when the cloth is all out and needs to be washed.
Before I was pregnant I purchased a Diva Cup, but never got to use it and ended up giving it to a friend, so now will soon have to purchase another but in model 2 size.
I'm also going to enlist my mother's help to sew my own "mama cloth" to use as pantyliners, so now more wasted money going to chemical filled, icky disposable menstrual products! It just makes sense because it can all be rinsed, soaked, and thrown in to wash with the cloth diapers!
I try to use reusable shopping bags as well, but we also get the plastic bags to use in the small waste baskets around the house.
That's all for now, but when we can afford to do so, I'd also like to try and buy greener cleaning products.
Oh, and I recycle as well! (Hard to do here because Dustin's grandparents hate recycling, but I do what I can to save things and take it to my mom's to be recycled.)
I do anything and Everything I can.. From turning off the lights, growing vegetables, recycling in many ways, to Restuffing dog toys with dog hair clippings and Making comfy dog pillows out of dog hair/ Old dingy stuffed animal stuffing.. I also scatter the fur from keely's brush around the yard for the birds to use as nesting material..
I cant help it im a treee hugger
I cant help it im a treee hugger
darkchild16
We are Home.
Not much honestly, they dont recycle here that I know of. I do freecycle and buy used for bev at least. We do have paper bags and no plastic but thats not purposly thats a law here and I HATE it I need those bags for dog cleanup. It makes no sense either because alot of people have dogs here and walk them on the beach and now the city has to keep the doggy stations stocked and bags still end up all over the beach.
puppydog
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I compost, grow my own food, I am getting two chickens for eggs and pest control. I don't recycle as of yet but I will try to start soon. Things are going to get easier once I am settled into the house. My life was a little disrupted recently.