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The Trail of the Shrinking Footprint, or, Nancy Drew Goes EcoHappy
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Here are the things I do to save the planet:
WHAT: ride my motorcycle instead of driving my car
WHY: my bike gets about three times better mpg, goes 180 miles on a full tank (2.9 gallons, vs. my car, which takes eight or nine gallons to go that far) and I fill up for about ten dollars. Also, my engine is extremely clean and efficient and quiet, as motorcycle engines go.
ADDED INCENTIVE: motorcycles have priority loading on the ferries, so I always make any boat I'm on time for.
WHAT: turning the car off instead of idling
WHY: studies have irrefutably shown that turning the car off and then back on when it's time to roll doesn't waste gas. Starting back up uses less gas than idling for 29 seconds.
WHAT: riding my bicycle when time, distance, purpose and weather allow
WHY: then I use no petroleum distillates except a little chain lube.
ADDED INCENTIVE: healthy.
WHAT: using my dishwasher (and clothes washer, come to think of it) only when full
WHY: it uses less water than hand washing. This has been proven, except in the case of people who employ extremely cautious washing practices such as those I use when our water storage tank runs dry.
WHAT: drying clothes on the line in dry weather
WHY: it saves electricity and I think the clothes smell better. Then again, I do live at the beach. I have a whole system of hanging the clothes so seams stay straight and nothing needs ironing.
WHAT: choosing a summer gig that requires a commute of under 300 yards
WHY: it lets me relax, avoid road stress, decrease my carbon responsibilities, and live in community.
ADDED INCENTIVE: a morning yoga fix and hot tub dip every day.
WHAT: choosing a profession that allows me to work from home
WHY: again, no commute. I order supplies online and have them shipped to my door since the UPS and FedEx trucks are out here anyway.
WHAT: recycling paper, cans, glass, and plastic
WHY: my landlady includes this in the rent and picks it up herself. And it's good for the planet, though the next item is even better.
WHAT: buying from bulk bins with my own refillable containers
WHY: it keeps me from buying new containers when really I just need what's inside them. The checkout folks sometimes don't know what to do, since I put my own tare weight on my jars, but I'm willing to train them.
WHAT: carrying and reusing my own water bottle and/or coffee cup
WHY: come on, who really wants to throw so many cups away? All of the independent coffee places on the Island offer a discount for using your own cup. Bravo.
Here is where I could improve:
WHAT: eating the food I buy
WHY: even though it's hard to shop and cook for one, and even though I am finicky in the extreme when it comes to food (little can o' shhhhh for Dex), it is just wasteful to let [insert healthy food item here] go bad in the fridge. I buy nice things with every intention of eating them and then time telescopes on me when I'm not looking and everything's slimy and stinky.
WHAT: leaving electronics off when I'm not using them
WHY: it wastes electricity. I leave the computer on and the TV, sometimes just for company. I turn off lights and heat quite often, though.
WHAT: impulse buying
WHY: it usually happens with a credit card and because I probably don't need whatever it is anyway.
WHAT: feeling guilty about what I haven't done
WHY: I'm only human and I do my best. One foot in front of the other will just have to be good enough.
WHAT: ride my motorcycle instead of driving my car
WHY: my bike gets about three times better mpg, goes 180 miles on a full tank (2.9 gallons, vs. my car, which takes eight or nine gallons to go that far) and I fill up for about ten dollars. Also, my engine is extremely clean and efficient and quiet, as motorcycle engines go.
ADDED INCENTIVE: motorcycles have priority loading on the ferries, so I always make any boat I'm on time for.
WHAT: turning the car off instead of idling
WHY: studies have irrefutably shown that turning the car off and then back on when it's time to roll doesn't waste gas. Starting back up uses less gas than idling for 29 seconds.
WHAT: riding my bicycle when time, distance, purpose and weather allow
WHY: then I use no petroleum distillates except a little chain lube.
ADDED INCENTIVE: healthy.
WHAT: using my dishwasher (and clothes washer, come to think of it) only when full
WHY: it uses less water than hand washing. This has been proven, except in the case of people who employ extremely cautious washing practices such as those I use when our water storage tank runs dry.
WHAT: drying clothes on the line in dry weather
WHY: it saves electricity and I think the clothes smell better. Then again, I do live at the beach. I have a whole system of hanging the clothes so seams stay straight and nothing needs ironing.
WHAT: choosing a summer gig that requires a commute of under 300 yards
WHY: it lets me relax, avoid road stress, decrease my carbon responsibilities, and live in community.
ADDED INCENTIVE: a morning yoga fix and hot tub dip every day.
WHAT: choosing a profession that allows me to work from home
WHY: again, no commute. I order supplies online and have them shipped to my door since the UPS and FedEx trucks are out here anyway.
WHAT: recycling paper, cans, glass, and plastic
WHY: my landlady includes this in the rent and picks it up herself. And it's good for the planet, though the next item is even better.
WHAT: buying from bulk bins with my own refillable containers
WHY: it keeps me from buying new containers when really I just need what's inside them. The checkout folks sometimes don't know what to do, since I put my own tare weight on my jars, but I'm willing to train them.
WHAT: carrying and reusing my own water bottle and/or coffee cup
WHY: come on, who really wants to throw so many cups away? All of the independent coffee places on the Island offer a discount for using your own cup. Bravo.
Here is where I could improve:
WHAT: eating the food I buy
WHY: even though it's hard to shop and cook for one, and even though I am finicky in the extreme when it comes to food (little can o' shhhhh for Dex), it is just wasteful to let [insert healthy food item here] go bad in the fridge. I buy nice things with every intention of eating them and then time telescopes on me when I'm not looking and everything's slimy and stinky.
WHAT: leaving electronics off when I'm not using them
WHY: it wastes electricity. I leave the computer on and the TV, sometimes just for company. I turn off lights and heat quite often, though.
WHAT: impulse buying
WHY: it usually happens with a credit card and because I probably don't need whatever it is anyway.
WHAT: feeling guilty about what I haven't done
WHY: I'm only human and I do my best. One foot in front of the other will just have to be good enough.
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