Did anyone watch the concerts on 7-7-07? They were on NBC at night & all day on the Sundance channel. Do you think they will make a difference?
What changes have you made in your life to help stop globalwarming?? I have: changed out some lightbulbs to CFL's,started using cloth bags at the grogery store,put in a new watersaver(1.6gal) toilet, replaced leaky faucets, planted trees(Arbor Day member),recycling paper, plastic, glass,& cardboard,donated clothes & other items to keep them out of landfills.I use no pesticides in my garden & I compost.I have mostly native plants.
When I can afford it, I will get a hybrid car.I'd like to also have solar panels if/when the cost comes down.
I really think that little things done by many will make a difference.
In England they didn't even show the Australian start up concert to kick it all off, they did a 15 min highlights show!
The power at one stage went out on stage as there were people were wavhing the power output and keeping it carobn neutral.
If nothing else hopefully it will make people aware of the power they actually use at home and their cars use make a concerned effort to at least try, so that has to be good?
We always have green bags for groceries and goods permanantly in the car so that we are never with out bags and I always deny them at shops. I have a special fold up bag that goes in my handbag. We use 1 big bin liner for the garbage to go to the curb, we use just the bucket in our kitchen bin and empty into that so we don't use single bin liners.
I always use have a full load int he washing machine and I always line dry my clothes outside. We looked into a hybrid car but for us it was waaay to expensive for the initial outlay, but own a small 4 cylinder car and I can walk to the shops if need be.
Water from unfinished reused bottles goes into a bucket or straight onto the garden.
Sometimes it's the kids that are the hardest to turn off lights and watch the water, but you can only try LOL
Good for you,Bilby, for using the green bags. I started using about 7-8weeks ago with only two bags. Now I have 5. It is weird, I am the ONLY one with them at our local grocery stores.I guess it'll take some time for it to catch on here in the Midwest. Feels good not to take the plastic bags, since some of the stores will put 2-3 items in a bag. Such a waste!!
I got 1 of my bags at a garage sale for $.25. Recycling...
It may be a while before I can afford a hybrid car because of the cost. My car is a 4 cyclinder too, a Ford Escort. Ten years old & still going good..knock on wood!! Things are too spread out here to go to the stores by walking but my car gets good gas mileage & I combine trips.
Do you have cable or satellite? The Sundance channel has a series called The Green which gives positive ideas to help with globalwarming. It is Robert Redford's channel.I have seen some interesting things that are in the works.Check it out if you get it. It is on Tuesday evenings here.
The green bags here in Australia have been out for about the last 4-5yrs I have about 12 of them and 1 that is a zippered coolerbag styled bag (that make sense LOL) for cold stuff. They get cheaper the longer they have beeen out and soooo many shops have them now in all colours of the rainbow.
We personally don't have cable or the like we decided that for us it wasn't something we "Really" needed, kids thought otherwise but of course we won out.
You know it's funny even now how many years after green bags started some check out people look at you strange when you say NO to a bag and others have your stuff in a bag before you can say, no don't need one. You have to have your bag out before you get to the checkout so they can't beat you to it! LOL.
Actually the boys are really good with saying no to bags and they don't mind carrying them for me if we are going shopping.
You will probably notice that more and more people will carry them and good for you being a rebel and having your own bags and using them even if not many others have them
I didn't know that Robert Redford had his own chanel, you learn something new every day! LOL
I hope by using my cloth bags, that others will notice & start to use them. If not I will continue to use them & be a rebel!!
I have an insulated bag from Aldi that I use to keep things cool on the way home(with our 80-90+ degree days).
We have satellite, gave up cable because they were uping the rate every six months or so. Sundance channel has a lot of independent films, series etc like Robert Redford's film festival in Utah.No commercials except for advertising for his other programming. Because of his involvement with the environment, he started The Green this past spring. It will be interesting to see where he goes with it,as his first series Big Changes for A Small Planet just ended after 13 weeks.
For the past few years, I have been trying to be more and more conscious of my effect on our planet. I recycle everything I can - glass, plastic, aluminum, newspaper, cardboard, household paper and plastic grocery bags. But, more importantly I've been working harder at "precycling". I make a real effort not to buy things that come in excessive packaging, packaging that can't be recycled and most especially plastic containers. This is somewhat difficult but every little bit helps. I don't subscribe to the newspaper. I get all of my news online.
Right now, I'm trying to do away with paper towels. I have probably cut my use in half, but I'd like to get it down farther.
I've been slowly replacing my light bulbs as they burn out with CFL's. They've improved greatly from when they first came out!
I have also been working pretty hard at using less energy - cold water washes and hanging laundry out to dry, turning off lights, t.v.'s, etc.
Have you ever seen the show "Living with Ed" on HGTV? They're going to be doing a second season. Ed Begley, Jr. has a pretty interesting website, too.
I also recycle aluminum, newspaper & junk mail paper. We don't use plastic bottles but refill our containers from the Brita pitcher.
I mainly do cold washes. I use less paper towels & plan to make cloth napkins out of old kitchen towels cut in half & hemmed.
I had seen a couple of episodes of "Living With Ed" a few months ago & wondered where it went. I had gone to his web site but there was nothing there about when it would be back-any idea??
I get an email with green tips-it is:www.idealbite.com. It has some good tips & the blog with it also has good readers comments. Check it out.
Our school collects aluminium cans so we take them there and the money goes to the school.
I only do cold washes also, we don't own a heater and our clothes dryer probably gets used 1 a month or when there is continuous rain for days on end.
I refuse to buy prepackaged foods such as little bags of chips or snack things for the kids soooo much wrapping goes to waste.
If my dog wasn't a digger I would have a veg garden as it is I only have a few herbs in pots.
Have you found also that by being aware it is not only good for the planet but good for the purse as well?
I will check out website posted above.
I also try to buy things in bigger sizes & less packaging. Less to have to recycle.
I have tomatoes in a pot on my deck. I got the plants for free from my local library. They have a garden series program once a month except for June, July August & December. They get a speaker on all different types of gardening issues. It's free & 5 mins. from my house. They have been doing this since 2000. Very educational.
I have been trying to buy less stuff & reuse the stuff I already have in new ways. I also have gone to several garage sales & even found a few Christmas gifts there!! So yes being aware has saved me some money & kept things out of the landfills.
In regards to the web site, check out the blog as I have gotten a lot of ideas from other posters. Even more frugal ones than the tip of the day! You can even go to their old tips(since 2005). I have been getting their emails since May 2007.
On a personal note, are you a Kathleen or a Katherine? I have a daughter Kathy who is a Kathleen.
