Are you eco-conscious?

[ecodweeb]

I wanted to pose this question as in chat last night I noticed a lot of very refreshing comments about hunting/consuming wild game and shopping for non toxic cleaners at Earth Faire/Whole Foods.

 

How eco-conscious are you? Does it cross your mind, or do you do it for other reasons besides the whole "being green" fad?

 

I'll start...

 

Prior to getting Phoenix I learned about diesel volkswagens, having always wanted an aircooled Beetle (and got it, a 73 Super Beetle) as a child, I got into the whole Volkswagen show scene. I then learned about the aircooled's replacements -- the "waterwagens" and a lot of the "old schoolers" who showed up with 80s VWs had diesel VWs. I didn't know diesel engines were offered in cars so I ask why get a diesel? The response was 45 to 60 miles to the gallon, I didn't believe them.

 

I was wrong! My father acquired our neighbors 1986 VW Golf diesel, non turbo. This puppy can drive to Asheville NC from Memphis TN -and back- on 10 gallons of fuel. Thats better than 60 miles to the gallon. It isn't very fast, and no 80s car was really safe, but it's amazing given it's just a 4-cylendar motor, and a decade before the first hybrid cars came out.

 

Well, then my mom had a coworker who bought a new beetle in 2000 (I REALLY wanted on of those cars, and in 2004 I did buy one -- but a gas model), and he got nearly 800 miles out of it's 15 gallon tank, over 50MPG! I couldn't believe that!

 

So fast forward to I bought that New Beetle on 2004, when I moved to NC. I then learned about this thing called biodiesel - a diesel fuel made from vegetable oils, algae, or rendered animal fat. A local co-op started up and was making Biodiesel for sale to 'normal people' who wanted to use it to reduce their carbon foot print and reverse the direction we send our money for our transportation fuel. I was less interested in the green part but very interested in the localizing my money part -- because a healthy local economy makes for a healthy national economy.

 

So in 2007 my beloved 100k mile 2002 new beetle (that I bought in 2004) was traded in for a brand new 2006 Jetta TDI. I now have almost 100,00 miles on this car (3 years in Feb Ill have owned it, that's how much I drive) and its given me a lifetime average of over 41mpg; love the car. Love the smell of the biodiesel (smells like fries!), and all of this played a bigger role in my life than I would ever know....

 

So I'd embarked on this "green" path with my car, but for obvious reasons: the fuel is local, the car gets outstanding fuel economy, and it's all win-win for me. Then my partner's mom called and said she was getting new carpet and we needed to take Phoenix to our house. So we did.

 

I had a terrible accident with a cat urine stain, carpet, and an exploded bottle of bleach. After that incident, I started research citrus based cleaners for my house -- I was scared I'd accidentally kill this little bird that was now living with us. I like Sun & Earth cleaners, but I'll buy just about anything at Earth Faire or Whole Foods that is a non toxic cleaner.

 

I'm also big into solar power; my Beetle came with a solar panel that plugged into the power outlet to keep the battery charged if the car was to be parked for an extended period of time (more than two weeks). I've rigged this up with one of those multi-port power splitters for your car and charge my cell phone, and sometimes my Asus netbook, with the panel. I have three of them and have linked them into a series array (I believe that is the right term) and they produce enough power to charge an iPhone while it's turned on, any other cell phone, and my laptop if it's turned off. I also have solar powered battery rechargers, and use nothing but rechargeable batteries.

 

We recycle when we can, we also use CFL lights in the house -- but I've had two of them explode and the mercury scares me. I'm looking at the very expensive option of LED lighting to upgrade my entire house with; its a one-time investment that should last 15-25 years (longer than I'll keep the condo). The price per bulb on ebay is $15; it's quite an investment but the light is very cool white. I've found that Phoenix is likes the LED lights more than the CFL ones, his beahvior at night is different when the living room is LED lit vs CFL lit (I think the color of the light is why this change happens).

 

So, that's my forte into the survivalist/environmentalist/responsible consumer movements, what is yours?

[kittykittykitty]

I recycle, am careful with water use, replace lights with CFLs (should use LEDs even if it stretches the budget:ohmy:),plan erands around appointments to reduce auto use, reduce A/C use, and buy organic whenever possible. It's for the Mother as well as for me. I'd like to have cleaner air to breathe and cleaner water to drink as well as a little more change in my pocket. But it isn't something new. As a child in the Depression I learned to use, reuse and make do.

[ecodweeb]

thift needs to make a huge comeback, reuse and make do is the way to go!

[judygram]

Exactly and as I was brought up by parents who went thru the depression I learned a lot from them about reusing and making do with what you have.

 

I combine trips to the grocery store and other places as much as I can since I live out in a rural area there are no close ones to go to, I go after I get off from work before I come home since I work in an area where some of them are.

 

I have also replaced some lights with the CFLs as they burn out and I use some fans to keep from turning the A/C up and we will go back to using a wood stove this winter to cut down on fossil fuels.

 

I still have my SUV which is not real good on gas mileage but until the economy gets better I won't trade it for a more efficient model.

[ecodweeb]

Are you looking at a hybrid SUV/CUV or a station wagon for its replacement, Judy? You'd really benefit from the diesel being in rural settings; our Jeep has a daily cycle of +/-70 miles (30 pure highway and at offpeak travel hours) and it gets easily 24mpg (450-475 miles before we fill it up, don't trust the low fuel warning). With a lighter foot and a long drive I've gotten nearly 600 miles out of it (30mpg). The VW sedan can go upwards of 700 miles pure highway, 600-650 in combined cycle (worst ever was 525 miles). But these are older vehicles; the new clean diesels seem to be as good once broken in but have 0 visible exhaust out their tail pipe. I'm disappointed in the SUV hybrid economy; not very good if you use more highway than stop and go city.

 

I have had mixed luck with CFLs. I'm really not a fan of them, plus I question the true econess of them with the Mercury content. Still looking at LEDs, I don't know why they are not more common place -- they've existed since like the 70s!

[judygram]

I really don't like diesel, it burns dirty and the engine is louder than gas models but hubby wants to get something like a Ford Focus but I don't really want to go that small. I know it gets good gas mileage but I have a dirt road to navigate and during the winter when it snows you really need 4 wheel drive so thats why I really like my Jeep plus its bigger and has more room to haul stuff as we go to visit my son occasionally, its a 4 hour drive.

 

I am lead footed sorry to say, I tend to get out on interstates and get down so to speak.

 

I really don't like the CFLs either since they don't give off the light the incandescent bulbs do and that mercury is a problem too since you cannot dispose of it in the trash.

[ecodweeb]

They do make the 5200k CFLs but they cost even more than the 5400 "warm" CFLs that are like $2-3 each these days.

 

Do you have a Cherokee? I find that most of the non-Jeep SUVs have horrible ride heights and just don't do well.

 

To be fair, the Liberty CRD is really loud but not that sooty/smokey (unless the turbo pipe blows off -- that has happened once). The Grand Cherooke Clean CRD they had for all of one year was just as quiet as the V6 gasoline model and had 0 tailpipe output, but I don't think it got exception economy (24-26 I think?), the 30MPG capability was our primary reason for the Liberty -- that and its ability to move bird cages, of course!

 

You might want to consider a Subaru, they have 4x4 and usually are higher ground clearance than other cars. The current ones aren't that beautiful looking, but sometimes function means more than form.

[judygram]

We have considered a Subaru and some of those are nice.

 

I have a Grand Cherokee limited, in my older age I like all the extras that I used to have to do without when the kids were still at home. I hate the Jeep Liberty, the ride is horrible and the ride in the grand is just fine plus I like the height better than in cars.

 

We won't be getting one for a while, we are going to go on with what we have for now.

[ecodweeb]

To be fully honest the only reason we got it was the diesel engine. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but it works. I'm amazed, given it's Jeep's small utility, it just towers over the CV-R, RAV4 and other "cute yutes" that it competes against when you park next to them. We make good use of the 4x4 system each summer at the beach, and we live in a flood prone zone ... so disaster was another factor in getting a 4x4 vehicle.

 

Even when you 'replace' the Jeep with a new daily driver, keep it. They don't make them like that anymore. That was one of the better vehicles they made, don't let it go!

[judygram]

Thats why we have two of them, my hubby has the older model and I have the newer of the two.

[MsGardeness]

I do a fair bit for the environment by having 3 rainbarrels under downspouts around the house, compost bin in the backyard, turned the A/C up to 25C, turn the furnace down to 18C in the winter. Just bought a new smaller car that gets MUCH better mileage than the old clunker which I recycled to my brother-in-law. I am on a "FreeCycle" Yahoo group for my city to recycle items I don't use anymore (instead of putting them in the dump). I use CFL bulbs where I can throughout the house. Close the blinds during the day to keep the hot sun out in the summer. Replaced drafty windows. I don't bother watering the grass/lawn at all - it will come back in the fall and if I don't water - it doesn't grow and I don't have to mow it! Have drought tolerant plants in the gardens. Only go out shopping once a week and make a list to get it all done in one trip. If I'm in a traffic jam or line up at the gas station - I turn off the car. Turn off lights, TV, etc when not in a room. I'm sure there's more I can't think of right off hand... Every little bit adds up.

[ecodweeb]

You turn your car off too, MsGardeness? Kudos to you! People think I am nutty to shut the car off at a long stop light or waiting in a long line (like a backup on I-40 from a semi fire - we're not going anywhere for an hour, at least).

 

Every little bit helps!

[judygram]

Exactly

[Luvparrots]

I recycle cans, glass, paper etc. I have ecobulbs throughout the house and use only cold water for washing clothes. I don't water my lawn in the summer. I plan all my car trips so that I only go driving a couple of times a week. I keep my AC at 74° and my heat at 68°. I give all unwanted furniture, clothing, etc. to Goodwill or other thrift stores. I take old computers and tvs to recycling also. What else???

[ecodweeb]

Well this is interesting! Hanes is looking at Hemp as an alternative to cotton for their clothing: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/hemp-fabric-our-lives

[chezron]

I ride my bike to school 15 miles rt

 

We recycle everything that is recyclable:

glass, paper, plastic, milk cartons, egg cartons, styrofoam, aluminum cans, aluminum foil, cardboard, newspaper, batteries, any paints, prescription drugs etc. go to toxic recycling.... you get the idea. We barely have a bag of trash a month, mostly just plastic wrap.

 

All soiled newspaper from the bird cages goes in the compost pile, along with food scraps.

 

We don't eat fast food, too much waste in packaging.

 

We bring our own tupperware for take-out, and coffee mugs for take-out coffee. We filter our tap water and never drink bottled water. If we travel, I bring a empty glass bottle to fill with water on the plane.

 

We use only normal ingredient cleaners that are non-toxic and biodegrade.

 

We use only nonphosphate, low-sudsing soaps to clean clothes.

 

Even our dryer sheets can be recycled.

 

We drive a Prius, when necessary, getting 50+ mph

 

Our landscape is totally organic and a designated wildlife habitat with flora to feed insects & birds, etc.

 

We are waiting for LED lights because mercury scares me (enough of it in our environment already).

 

We only buy low-packaging items, and don't use anything considered disposable.

 

We try to buy the bulk of our, and our bird's food, as organic and local, and ALWAYS bring cloth bags to shop.

 

All unwanted items go to Goodwill. Did you know they take OLD jeans, considered unwearable, because they are chopped up and used for insulation?

 

In winter we wear lots of clothes in the house and keep the temperature around 65 degrees and 78 degrees in the summer. When possible, we open the windows for natural AC.

 

I am sure there is more, but I believe it is very important for everyone to pitch in, in anyway they can. One person's actions have larger ramifications than we realize.

 

And our biggest contribution to the environment is we don't have kids! Just fids.