Ten free things you can do to save the planet

By Locamama Posted February 19, 2008 15:17:07

Ten Free Things You Can Do to Save the Planet

Instead of giving up chocolate or Dr. Pepper for Lent this year, I've decided to do my part on a carbon fast. I think that regardless of whether you agree that climate change is caused by people or not, we can all agree that it's a good thing to conserve our resources. So in that spirit here are ten things you can do to help save the planet that don't cost a thing.

Unplug your chargers when not in use. That means cell phone chargers, Nintendo DS chargers, palm pilot chargers. They continue to leech electricity even when not in use.
Turn down the thermostat one degree. You won't even notice but imagine the impact it would have if everyone would do the same.
If you don't already, recycle. Some are lucky enough to have curbside recycling in their communities. If yours doesn't already offer it, call your city and ask if there is a drop off spot or if they have considered implementing a recycling plan.
Reuse something that you would normally throw away. I do lots of kids crafts so I reuse egg cartons, meat trays, etc. I would love to hear other suggestions of ways to reuse items normally thrown away. I also reuse all of those many, many papers that come home from school by letting the kids color on the blank side.
Consider composting. It's good for the worms. It's good for the garden. It's good for the environment. It also makes a great science lesson for the kids.
Stay home. I know people have to go to work, take the kids to basketball practice etc. but try to find one day a week that you can stay home and not put that car on the road. Bonus points for walking or riding a bike.
Ride share. See if any of the kids on your kid's ball team live in your neighborhood and take turns driving them to practice. (Can you tell that I have two kids playing ball at the moment?)
Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
Drink tap water. I find that ours tastes fine to me when it is cold. If the taste bothers you, add a squeeze of lemon.

0 Karma 15 Replies 6 Referrals

Probably one of the easiest and best things you can do is to stop using all of those plastic grocery bags. Get yourself some canvas or cloth bags and take them to the store with you.

Staying home is one thing, but how about using a bicycle to commute to work every day? You mentioned riding a bicycle one day a week, but how about every day instead? That would make a real impact instead of just a warm and fuzzy one day a week feel good thing. While that may not be possible for those with a really long commute a great many people could easily ride a bicycle to work if they would just do it.

Probably one of the easiest and best things you can do is to stop using all of those plastic grocery bags. Get yourself some canvas or cloth bags and take them to the store with you.

That is a great one. I was going to add that but I wanted to put things that were free though I could assume that everyone has some kind of bag at home to take to the store.

On that subject, check out this link. This is from an artist, Chris Jordan, and it really illustrates our wastefullness. He photographs various items that show our consumption. The problem is that you really don't get the full impact of just how huge these pieces are but it's still eye opening. 60,000 plastic bags used in the U.S. every five seconds!

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=?view=XXX_09NNN/

Consider composting. It's good for the worms. It's good for the garden. It's good for the environment. It also makes a great science lesson for the kids.

Does anyone want to learn about compost? I'm sure I'll be bored later and I can outline the process if you're interested. I'm sure no one is...but I'm just throwing it out there.

~Zoo

That is a great one. I was going to add that but I wanted to put things that were free though I could assume that everyone has some kind of bag at home to take to the store.

Frankly it's probably the easiest thing someone can do and will have a much larger over all impact that all of those others put together. I've been using my own bags for a long time now.

Lockergnome ran an article on what it would take to "fix" the Human impact on global warming. i.e. what would man have to do to not stop GW, but to stop its increase.

The answer was - eliminate all carbon output.

Most of your suggestions are common sense and good as they not only save you money, they reduce polution. HOwever, saving the planet is out of my league and I am not going to even try.

Thank you whackos for the best reason yet to tune you out.

Does anyone want to learn about compost?

I'm just looking for a compost bin that I can put together myself or an inexpensive one to purchase.

I've been using my own bags for a long time now.

Do any of the stores give you a hard time? I had a store that threw a fit because I didn't have a bag, I just wanted to take my single item with the receipt. I thought that was ridiculous.

HOwever, saving the planet is out of my league and I am not going to even try.

You can do your part. I know that you're not Captain Planet. I don't know that humans are the cause of climate change. Scientists much more knowledgable than me can't even agree on the issue so I don't pretend to know more than they do. I do know that we use too many resources and there are consequences.

Thank you whackos for the best reason yet to tune you out.

I resemble that remark!

Do any of the stores give you a hard time?

Never. Most stores these days are used to people bringing their own shopping bags.

I had a store that threw a fit because I didn't have a bag, I just wanted to take my single item with the receipt.

Ah well, there are idiots everywhere.

I'm just looking for a compost bin that I can put together myself or an inexpensive one to purchase.

Yes, but don't you want to learn the science behind it?!?! Science!

~Zoo

You can do your part.

Read my response again! According to the whackos, anything less than a complete elimination of Man's Carbon output (read stop breathing!) is a waste of time! What part of that do I need to do? Kill myslef?

Yes, but don't you want to learn the science behind it?!?! Science!

Science is just essence mixed up.

Yes, but don't you want to learn the science behind it?!?! Science!

WWW Link

Yes, but don't you want to learn the science behind it?!?! Science!

Isn't that the worms crawl in and the worms crawl out and the worms make your banana peels into black gold? Something like that?

Kill myslef?

No, don't kill yourslef. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I thought you thought moi' was one of the whackos.

WWW Link

Hehehe!

Isn't that the worms crawl in and the worms crawl out and the worms make your banana peels into black gold? Something like that?

In layman's terms...sorta.

Actually it's a fascinating microbial process.

*hrm*

You have larger detritivores(insects, fungus, worms) start working on all the huge pieces- peels, eggshells, hunks of this or that and the smaller ones(bacteria and fungi) start on the smaller/smallest stuff. Microorganisms really start to take over and start eating and eating and eating. While they are munching away they're constantly dividing, producing their wastes(which includes helpful bits like nitrates), liberating other elements and compounds into useful forms, and as a result the pile gets very hot...upwards of 140 degrees Farenheit. After this prolonged heating most of the microbes die(at least the harmful ones) thus leaving a sterile and very fertile patch of dirt.

Basically you're contributing to the brown food chain...where the dead things are eaten and their components are freed to be used again in the green food chain.

Or at least that's a very quick and easy to understand overview.

Yay learning!

I could be a teacher...if I had the patience.

~Zoo