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jusdeadphunky
Forum Elder
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 2222
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 Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:27 pm Post subject: 10 simple things to be more green |
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Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Go Green
December 27, 2006 — By Della De Lafuente, Associated Press
Laurie David, who produced Al Gore's documentary about global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth," says saving the planet isn't about everyone doing everything.
"It's about everyone doing something," said David, who is also the author of "Stop Global Warming: The Solution is You" and founder of the StopGlobalWarming.org Web site. "The impact of small actions by millions of people will be huge."
Some scientists and climate models are predicting that unchecked human-caused global warming over the next century is expected to raise sea levels and cause extremes in temperatures.
"The public is finally starting to get that if you drive a car, or do many other things, you're a carbon emitter -- and you're contributing to the problem," David said. "The upside is that there's something that we can all do about it."
David helps get her point across by talking about the way everyday household products harm the environment. "When I talk about toilet paper and paper towels, which are made of virgin wood, people gasp," David said. "I tell them, when a 100-year-old tree is cut down ... so that we can have disposable paper products, is this acceptable? Should we still be using virgin trees for this?"
The green solution: "If every American household changed just one roll of paper made with virgin wood to one recyclable post-consumer roll, half a million trees would still be standing."
She's made the switch to post-consumer paper -- products made of paper previously used by consumers, then recycled -- in her own home despite initial complaints about the toilet tissue's not-so-squeezable texture from her husband, Larry David, creator of "Seinfeld," and his own HBO comedy series, "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
"My family is adapting," said David, noting that her kids recycle and take shorter showers. "Besides, they are making softer toilet paper now so I think we're O.K."
Here are 10 things you can do in the new year to do your part for the environment, including some "go green" tips from David's Web site, http://www.StopGlobalWarming.org.
- Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Replace three frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide and about $60 a year. The Council on the Environment and Jewish Life is organizing a campaign called "How Many Jews Does It Take To Change A Light Bulb?" to encourage synagogues and other Jewish groups to replace conventional bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which last four times longer but use 25 percent of the energy.
- Save the water bottle. Sick of watching your recycle bin fill up with water bottles? Time to buy a reusable water bottle. REI, the outdoor equipment store, carries a 16-ounce Nalgene bottle, $7.95, in five colors, made from polycarbonate plastic; it has a wide mouth and is easily washed. Eastern Mountain Sports carries SIGG bottles from Switzerland, including an 0.6-liter lightweight stainless steel model that is a replica of a 1941 Swiss Army bottle, $20, in blue or red.
- Pull the plug on electronics and chargers. Mobile phones, BlackBerry devices, iPods, digital cameras and other electronics use energy, even if they are turned off, if the charger is still going.
- Take shorter showers. Water for bathing accounts for two-thirds of all water-heating costs.
- Buy a hybrid car. Hollywood actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz have glamorized them; David even convinced her husband's HBO comedy series to have his character drive one on the show.
- Create idle-free zones. Schools, churches, synagogues, libraries, shopping malls and anywhere that accommodates a large number of vehicles are prime spots for signs requiring vehicle engines to be turned off to help cut fuel emissions and improve air quality. David helped institute a no-idle rule in the parking lot of her children's school in Southern California to cut down on the "carbon dioxide haze" created by parents' idling vehicles. "You can do the same at your school, temple or church," David said. "Ask that a sign be posted outside that says, 'Turn off your vehicle.'"
- Buy local food products. You may pay a bit more in the grocery store, but buying locally grown products helps the earth because less fuel is required to transport your products to market. Additionally, buying goods that require less packaging may help reduce your garbage.
- Bring cloth bags to the market. Tote your own cloth bags to the store instead of plastic and paper bags, reducing waste and requiring no additional energy. David also suggests carrying your own garment bag to the drycleaners to avoid bringing home plastic bags and wire hangers.
- Put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat in your home.
- Use recycled paper. Switch your home and business paper products to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, saving countless trees and five pounds of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
Source: Associated Press |
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justin goochGMI
Newbie
Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 3
Location: somewhere in michigan
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| Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:59 am Post subject: , |
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im not the only enviornmentalist here  |
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Nesta13Maldini
Known Associate
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 173
Location: My Computer Chair
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| Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:20 am Post subject: |
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Green! Like MONEY  |
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Lester
Forum Elder
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 4650
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| Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:31 am Post subject: |
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"Earth!
Fire!
Wind!
Water!
Heart!
GO PLANET!
With your powers combined I am Captain Planet!
Captain Planet, he's our hero,
Gonna take pollution down to zero,
He's our powers magnified,
And he's fighting on the planet side
Captain Planet, he's our hero,
Gonna take pollution down to zero,
Gonna help him put us under,
Bad guys who like to loot and plunder
*You'll pay for this Captain Planet!*
(chanting)
We're the planeteers,
You can be one too!
'Cause saving our planet is the thing to do,
Looting and polluting is not the way,
Hear what Captain Planet has to say:
*THE POWER IS YOURS!!*" |
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jusdeadphunky
Forum Elder
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 2222
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| Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: , |
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| justin goochGMI wrote: | | im not the only enviornmentalist here |
nope we have a few.
b.t.w. i am starting to realize that my fellow justin's tend to be pretty cool. |
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Docsmitter
Known Associate
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 311
Location: CA LE FOR NYE YAY
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 2:24 am Post subject: |
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capp'n planet pwns.
The sad thing is it's as simple as that... but... it inconviences people... And no Offense but AMERICA is very very lazy. |
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exton
Forum Elder
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:14 am Post subject: |
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| Docsmitter wrote: |
And no Offense but AMERICA is very very lazy. |
Hard workers are just the people who don't have enough sense to be lazy.
America doesn't ignore ecological disaster on account of laziness; the proper lazy man still gets done what he really needs to do, just with minimal effort.
No, america ignores these things because of stupidity. |
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Docsmitter
Known Associate
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 311
Location: CA LE FOR NYE YAY
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | Docsmitter wrote: |
And no Offense but AMERICA is very very lazy. |
Hard workers are just the people who don't have enough sense to be lazy.
America doesn't ignore ecological disaster on account of laziness; the proper lazy man still gets done what he really needs to do, just with minimal effort.
No, america ignores these things because of stupidity. |
You can't rule out lazy, saving resource at the cost of time and extra work, menial things, they would rather waste then inconvience themselfs. |
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exton
Forum Elder
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:39 am Post subject: |
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| Docsmitter wrote: |
You can't rule out lazy, saving resource at the cost of time and extra work, menial things, they would rather waste then inconvience themselfs. |
I think stupid is the main problem, though, because getting this stuff done really is necessary. Even the laziest of people will find some way to get it done, if he's smart. |
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Docsmitter
Known Associate
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 311
Location: CA LE FOR NYE YAY
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:08 am Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | Docsmitter wrote: |
You can't rule out lazy, saving resource at the cost of time and extra work, menial things, they would rather waste then inconvience themselfs. |
I think stupid is the main problem, though, because getting this stuff done really is necessary. Even the laziest of people will find some way to get it done, if he's smart. |
I think your giving man to much credit here. Personally I love our world. Maybe I am not as extreme as hug a tree save a rabbit mindset, but even I and many people who are pretty enviromentalistic sometimes can't help wasting or taking the short nonfriendly shortcut... Ignorance isn't that only problem its also how we have been raised and taught. With always having plenty and abundance. Look at people who lived in the Great Depression, they save and resuse and utilize EVERYTHING, to the average man today. Its scary. |
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exton
Forum Elder
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
Posts: 4218
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:33 am Post subject: |
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| Docsmitter wrote: |
I think your giving man to much credit here. |
Well, i'm implying that the vast majority of mankind is fatally incompetant. |
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Docsmitter
Known Associate
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 311
Location: CA LE FOR NYE YAY
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| Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:42 am Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | Docsmitter wrote: |
I think your giving man to much credit here. |
Well, i'm implying that the vast majority of mankind is fatally incompetant. |
pretty much =( |
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Anym
Forum Elder
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 2562
Location: Jersey
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| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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| exton wrote: | | Docsmitter wrote: |
I think your giving man to much credit here. |
Well, i'm implying that the vast majority of mankind is fatally incompetant. |
That seems to be about correct.(WWI,WWII,Iraq War, Nukes, etc) |
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Lester
Forum Elder
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 4650
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| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:31 am Post subject: |
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| Anym wrote: | | exton wrote: | | Docsmitter wrote: |
I think your giving man to much credit here. |
Well, i'm implying that the vast majority of mankind is fatally incompetant. |
That seems to be about correct.(WWI,WWII,Iraq War, Nukes, etc) |
Reality tv, barney, weight loss pills... |
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Some Chick
Not a Newbie
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 136
Location: EARTH
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| Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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I would like to add one:
Feed the bugs, don't kill them. Yes, bugs. It may sound weird but we are losing lots of bugs due to pollution and the huge number of pesticides available on the market. (I'll admit, I'll fucking scream if I see a cockaroach) But we really need bugs because birds and other small animals need to eat them. (I know, major infestations are a different story)
I wouldn't suggest feeding them in your house or anything but if you've got one inside you could at least scoop it up and put it outside instead instead of smashing it.
Also, most bugs and ants don't like the smell of burning sage or marijuana. so that should be something that you try first before spraying some harsh pesticide all over the place. |
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