What do you do to help the environment?

[Bishka]

Do you reduce, reuse and recyle? Do you boycott companies that are polluting the earth?

What do you do?

I use the three R's most in my life (I grew up in Washington State where they were taught from a young age).

What's your favorite environmental website?

Do you have any suggestions to make the environment better?

 

[Inky]

I recycle, even though it means a five-minute walk to the nearest recycle dumpster every time. I also buy organic as much as possible; while it's more expensive, that just means I don't buy food that's as expensive in the first place (organic bananas are cheaper than most non-organic fruits, and I can make a serving of organic spaghetti and marinara sauce for two dollars). I also follow the basic stuff like don't leave the water running down the drain, don't run the water harder than you need it, and turn the lights out when you leave a room.

I also use biodegradable cleaning products. That's something a lot of people overlook. Besides not releasing toxic chemicals into the environment, they smell better, are healthier for humans and pets to be around, and I've found they get some counter stains out better.

 

[Bishka]

I'm just starting to get into organic things (the husbands not to found of it, but I shall convert!! )

 

[Willamena]

I recycle and reuse packaging and containers. I use less harmful detergents for washing clothes, and soap instead of detergent for washing dishes. I use rags instead of paper towels for cleaning up spills. I use washable sanitary napkins instead of disposable ones, or tampons.

I don't turn the lights out when I leave a room, though, because preserving my environment also means discouraging burglars from thinking I'm not home.

 

[Tigress]

I reduce by buying as little plastic-packaged things as I can, and use containers in place of plastic wrap, and plastic baggies. Plastic grocery bags are recyclable around where I live, but I'm still looking into purchasing a nice shopping tote bag. I also recycle, either by putting things out for the weekly rounds, or by reusing the item in some way for myself. I buy things that have been packaged in recycled material, I compost, and I buy organic whenever possible. I try to conserve water, as well as electricity, and to walk, or cycle if and when possible.

Some sites I recommend:

Comondi
Ecolution
Katie's Kisses
Lehman's
Living Nutrition
Organic Gift Shop
Rawganique.com

 

[Hacker]

I'm just starting to get into organic things (the husbands not to found of it, but I shall convert!! )

Me too! I try to eat organic as much as possible.

 

[Bishka]

I found some awesome organic chocolate tonight.

Dagoba Chocolate.



:yes:

 

[evearael]

We definitely try to reduce our consumption as much as possible. We only have to take out one bin of trash a month as a result. We only use lights when the sun is down... though we are blessed with lots of big windows so we can afford to use the natural light. The weather here is mild enough that we rarely need to heat the house and we tend to prefer sweaters and blankets anyway. We consistently recycle everything we can and we rarely buy things new. We give our things to charity when we no longer need them and we buy second hand if at all possible.

 

[Bishka]

We definitely try to reduce our consumption as much as possible. We only have to take out one bin of trash a month as a result. We only use lights when the sun is down... though we are blessed with lots of big windows so we can afford to use the natural light. The weather here is mild enough that we rarely need to heat the house and we tend to prefer sweaters and blankets anyway. We consistently recycle everything we can and we rarely buy things new. We give our things to charity when we no longer need them and we buy second hand if at all possible.

That's awesome Leonne. That's what I'm trying to do, is keep our electricity bill down, which is hard.

I also am trying to buy things that have already been recycled and made into new products (wrappers on my foods and products)

 

[Valjean]

Yes, I do all the popular, "three Rs" things that are so stylish these days, but my greatest contribution, my crowning achievement, is that I have never bred.

The environmental footprint of the average American is huge. A single child's lifetime consumption can wipe out any good even the most abstemious parent might achieve.

Failure to add the environmental impact of one's children to one's ecological tally-sheet is ostrichism at best; more probably hubris.

It is our sheer population that is the overwhelming problem. Earth is a finite system and we are already living beyond its carrying capacity. Our numbers cannot help but degrade it.

I'm sorry, but for an aware adult to breed could well be considered selfish and morally reprehensible.

 

[MaddLlama]

I make my own cleaning solutions, or I use "natural" cleaners, and I do my research instead of listening to the fear-mongering media and the hippie-laden Greenpeace tell me. I take everything that environmental organizations say with a grain of salt, unless it's run by somebody who really knows thier science. Just because some of these "environmentalists" sound smart doesn't mean they actually know what they're talking about.

 

[Bishka]

I'm sorry, but for an aware adult to breed could well be considered selfish and morally reprehensible.

I disagree, and I will ignore that comment about my wanting to be a mother being selfish and 'morally reprehensible'.


I'm also assuming you think anybody on here that has children was selfish and morally reprehensible as well? :areyoucra

 

[Bishka]

I make my own cleaning solutions, or I use "natural" cleaners, and I do my research instead of listening to the fear-mongering media and the hippie-laden Greenpeace tell me. I take everything that environmental organizations say with a grain of salt, unless it's run by somebody who really knows thier science. Just because some of these "environmentalists" sound smart doesn't mean they actually know what they're talking about.

That's awesome.

I try to do all my own research and have science back things up before I go out buy things.

 

[evearael]

I make my own cleaning solutions...

Care to share recipies?

 

[MaddLlama]

Care to share recipies?

Baking soda is a housekeepers best friend. =)

Club soda is really good for stains, and a mixture of lemon juice and tartar sauce makes a good spot bleach. Warm white vinegar with a little hot water in a spray bottle is excellent for soap scum and shower stains, and baking soda and vinegar are great for stainless steel sinks.

^__^

When that fails, or to wash my granite counter tops and other things I used Method brand cleaners and laundry detergent.

 

[MaddLlama]

That's awesome.

I try to do all my own research and have science back things up before I go out buy things.

I have a really hard time trusting a lot of the media-happy environmental groups. Most of them really just want to sit outside and have a drum circle. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they don't really know thier science. Back a few years ago there was a huge environmental rally in DC, and nearly all of them, including the woman who organized the rally, fell for this. How am I supposed to take anything they say about the plight of the earth seriously when they can't identify the chemical make-up of water? That's grade school chemistry.
And, not to mention that I'm still appauled that several years ago Greenpeace and other groups convinced third world countries not to take the tons of food we offered to them because it was genetically engineered. They had the nerve to lie to the leaders of these countries and tell them that the food was poisonous, when nothing could be further from the truth. They lied, and millions that could have had food, got nothing. They lie to the public and protest grocery stores and tell customer that GE food has animal genes in it, and that they release it to the public without testing it. They're either grossly and dangerously misinformed, or purposefully hiding information and lying to people.
Science does infinately more for the earth than these political environmental mouth-pieces.

 

[Bishka]

I've seen that website, it's hilarious! Anybody who can think water is dangerous....they haven't done their research.

 

[standing_alone]

It is our sheer population that is the overwhelming problem. Earth is a finite system and we are already living beyond its carrying capacity. Our numbers cannot help but degrade it.

You bring up an excellent point. Yes, doing all the popular things, like the "three Rs" is helpful, but overpopulation is a grave problem. Certainly, the responsible thing to do is decrease the number of people being born. Frubals to you for making an excellent point!

 

[MaddLlama]

Another great thing you can do is read this book: The Skeptical Environmentalist. If you really want to help the planet, it pays to know what's really happening instead of listening to what they tell you on the news. For them it's a political issue, and not really about the state of the world. If you really want to help, listen to the scientists and not the politicians, and the unsuspecting media-whore pawns of the politicians.