Go Green

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #30 on:** July 22, 2011, 05:01:43 PM

I'm merely a tourist on this thread as I would not classify myself as green. My eco-morals are yet to develop - there I said it!

That said, on the boat I do burn wood (salvaged from wherever or fished out of the canal) and heatlogs (compressed sawdust bricks-no glues), and the only other means of cooking is a two burner hob fuelled by alcohol. I even use a Kelly kettle occasionally to use the wood more efficiently.

Flipside is we're off grid down there, so everyone is on their own diesel/petrol generator for mains electric. Unfortunately we're at a sticky wicket where either renewables with genny back up, or mains hook up to the national grid for shore power would be tens of thousands of pounds for even a modest reliable and continual power source. Not efficient, economical or earth friendly.

The only other stuff I do is stuff which saves me money - driving sensibly with windows up, properly inflated tyres, blah blah blah. I still don't like being dictated to on the eco front though. If landfill is so expensive (never mind environmental impacts for a second) how come the money we pay for refuse collection doesn't pay for SOMEONE ELSE to do the recycling for me. Lets face it, they'll be selling the materials they seggregate too so it's a triple whammy me paying for it to be taken away (through taxation), them selling the materials AND getting me to do their seggregation at the same time.

Unfortunately my BS-ometer gets a little twitchy sometimes round this topic. I'll take common sense decisions and work to minimise my own costs (fiscal and otherwise), but I ain't working for free to boost someone elses profits. I'll reserve the right to disagree with manufacturers over what is actually the environmentally friendly option and whether I should or shouldn't buy it too - irrespective of what their marketting strategies or common public feeling may be at the time.

Sorry if I sound like I'm rocking the boat, Im not honestly - I'm just not necessarily in agreement that we're always rowing in the right direction. I'm also sceptical about people profitting from fear factor. I genuinely applaud those who do their bit to minimise their carbon footprint further or grow their own veg or opt for self powered transportation ... so long as I don't get custard pied if I don't join in

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #31 on:** July 22, 2011, 05:49:02 PM

I kinda hate to say this. I live pretty close to a landfill and my power rates are a little lower than most people. The landfill is superclean. They recycle everything and burn methane to make electricity and put it back in the line. I have yet to see trash blowing from that place. The charge to dump there depends on whether you have you recyclables sorted or not...and most times I get out at only a couple bucks. Sometimes I even ask to take a little scrap back. Stainless,steel, stuff I know I can use. All anyone can ask is just to do the best they can. Let's keep this thread alive.

Pacu · **Reply #32 on:** July 22, 2011, 11:29:39 PM

Whenever i can i try to help out the Boy Scouts. When i was in we were taught to respect nature and the enviroment. In fact a great many of the hard to get merit badges were green oriented. Enviromental Science, Fish and Wildlife management, Forestry, Fishing , Forestry, Hiking, Nature, Soil and Water Conservation, even Wilderness Survival.

One of my dual Eagle scout projects was to plant trees as a windbreak for a park pond.

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/boy-scouts/bsa-merit-badges.asp

powernoodle · **Reply #33 on:** July 23, 2011, 06:31:33 PM

By wrapping myself and my family in a 6600 pound Chevy Suburban, we are more likely to survive an auto accident with a 2200 pound hybrid vehicle. This will reduce the number of people being transported by helicopter from the wreck to the trauma center, thus saving many gallons of aviation fuel.

If each of us does what we can, together we can make this a better world.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #34 on:** July 23, 2011, 06:51:55 PM

Great thinking Mr Noodle

I'm just about to phone my brother to ask him to make a 6 mile round trip diversion to our house so I can cadge a lift to a family party this evening. Car sharing helps the environment and means I can get completely off my cake

At this rate I feel global environmental agencies will be modelling the movements of MTO members as supreme examples for the rest of the world as to how we can all contribute

Sazabi · **Reply #35 on:** July 28, 2011, 03:10:00 PM

I'm giving this a bump.

During the summer months, we keep the house thermostat to around 81-83 degrees Fahrenheit, though during the winter, we need to be better; I'm going to start layering so we can hopefully keep the house in the sixties at most. Whenever I wash my hands, I wet my hands, turn off the water, lather with soap, then rinse my hands, which is not much different from how I brush my teeth, too, trying to cut down on unnecessary water usage. I may drink one or two soft drinks a month, which helps cut down on plastic usage, and beyond that, I don't cruise around, wasting gasoline unnecessarily.

Not saying I'm perfect, as I'll sometimes turn on a TV and then open a book for a bit, or how many things I own, especially books, multitools, knives, and clothes, but oh well.

turnsouth · **Reply #36 on:** July 30, 2011, 04:01:14 AM

Let's see...

I only use CFL's for one reason, because I'm a crotchety old cheap smurf, and I'll be darned if I'm going to pay to heat the world every time my kids leave all the lights on
I only use plastic grocery bags because I have friends in the industry, trying to keep their families fed
I work hard for the money that I spend on heat and electricity, so I use it to my advantage, and keep my house as comfortable as humanly possible
We have four cars so that we can drive where we want, whenever we want

Other than that, I do have green shutters on my house.

yud · **Reply #37 on:** July 30, 2011, 05:30:30 AM

Never really considered being "green," there are just too many variables for me to think that there is a point to it.

Now before you are shoot me down as some flat earth ignorant nut job think about gas emissions:
Only 3% of the world's CO₂ comes from humans, so we are to belive that chages of 0.01% make a big diffrence?
And think about transportation buses have huge diesel engines in them that run for 24/7
And if use a bicycle, you will eat more giving off more gas from your body and the cow you are eating is giving of 30-80 cars worth of gas.

So over all I don't see being truly green as being posiable.