Saving the Planet
By sengelmohr
@sengelmohr (44)
United States
March 9, 2009 4:12pm CST
What have you done in the last year to become more Eco-Friendly? Did it save you money, or do you just feel better knowing that you are doing your part? I have switched light bulbs and installed a new energy saving cooling/heating system both which save me money. I have switched to all natural and organic products which lower my carbon-foot print, and they are better for my health. Somethings have cost me a little more but in the end I feel I am making a difference.
Tell me what you do and how it has made you feel.
8 responses
@ellaprice76 (196)
• United States
24 Aug 09
I try to recycle as much as possible even though I have come across a number of articles stating that the companies who pick up the recycle end up driving it to the landfill anyways.
What upsets me a great deal is when I see the people in my neighborhood cutting their grass then putting all their grass clippings nicely in a plastic trash bag and then put the nicely tightly closed trash bag in their trash container which is driven to the landfill. It will take over 10 years for the grass in the air tight bag to compost according to the research I read.
@sengelmohr (44)
• United States
24 Aug 09
So what do you do instead? Do you use it for compost or do you use recycled or paper bagging? I don't have any grass to cut but I see our landscaper just throws the clipping in the dumpster (no bags). What makes me angry is all the chemicals they use on our grass around the complex for bugs, weeds, etc. I can always tell when they are coming around by the smell.
Good post and thanks.
@ellaprice76 (196)
• United States
24 Aug 09
We actually should (but most of the people in my neighborhood don't) put the clippings in a clear bag and it will be picked up once a week with other yard waste such a tree limps. It is then dropped off at a place that would make mulch and soil out of it. You see how I can get upset if the people in my neighborhood just dump it in their trashcan.
I cut my grass every 5-7 days and leave the clippings on the lawn. Since my clippings are so short they drop down between the grass. If the clipping are to long they don't drop and can kill you grass. Leaving grass clippings on your lawn is actually much better for you soil. You may think cutting grass every 5-7 days is a lot of work. I thought that at first as well. I used to cut my lawn every 2 week and put my clippings in a bag. It really wore me out and it was a lot of work since grass clippings can be very heavy and I used to have 5 big trash bags full of grass clippings. It would take me all weekend. Now cutting the grass every 5-7 days takes me 2-3 hours including the edging and cleaning up the driveway and sideways, since these grass clippings get all over the place.
@kris182_2000 (5444)
• Canada
9 Mar 09
If you check the link in my profile, you'll find a website where you can find more ideas for becoming more eco friendly.
If you join the site, post up on the forum that you came from here.
There's a lot of good information on that forum, and I'm sure that there will be more that you can find there.
@sengelmohr (44)
• United States
10 Mar 09
Thanks for the link. I also have a blog (sengelmohr.blogspot.com) where I do info on saving the planet and your health.
@kris182_2000 (5444)
• Canada
12 Mar 09
Let me know if you join, I'm trying to keep track of users who join in the coming days.
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
2 Jan 10
Well i am helping the world by not smoking and picking up litter !
@benny128 (3615)
•
9 Mar 09
hhmm personally we re-cycle but we done that for years, all out light bulbs are eco ones
we also turn appliances off at the mains and have a very well insulated home.
We also grow our own fruit and veg and get our shopping delivered so we can limit our car journeys to the super market.
We would love to ditch the car aswell but public transport is awful and expensive here so we still have our car as on public transport to go 8 miles would take an hour in the car takes 20 mins. We were also thinking converting the car to bio fuels, but they are just as damaging with rain forests being cut down to plant bio seed.
we also would like to install solar panels but again it will take us about 10 years to break even on the costs so untill we get some incentives from the goverment then thats a no no.
All in all we are quite eco friendly we even re-cycle our rain water for watering the garden etc etc
@sengelmohr (44)
• United States
10 Mar 09
Sounds like you are really doing your part. Having a garden is about the only thing I miss living in AZ. We did have some tomatoes and peppers this year and we buy as much locally grown produce as we can. Solar would be great out here too but like you, 10 years is a long time before braking even.
@Spook619 (335)
•
9 Mar 09
We've only got eco bulbs now, with the exception of the fish take, but they're pretty efficient anyway. I've taken to turning my computer off during the night. We ran the entire winter with heating no higher than 18. I think that's most of it... WE try to buy local produce where available to try and reduce that that side of emissions.
@sengelmohr (44)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Every little bit helps. You can also save money by unplugging all you appliances when not in use. Phantom energy accounts for about 5% of energy used. To make it easier plug things into a power strip and then one quick flip gets them all. Thanks for dong your part.
@midnightbliss (541)
• Philippines
4 Aug 09
we always try to recycle whatever we can and turning off the appliances is not enough, it still consumes electricity so we always unplug every electrical appliance that are not being used.
@sengelmohr (44)
• United States
4 Aug 09
Thanks for the reply. You are right, Phantom Electricity use can entail up to 5% of your electric bill. Check out my blog and become a follower. I touch on Eco-friendly tips and Health issues. sengelmohr.blogspot.com
@midnightbliss (541)
• Philippines
17 Sep 09
we do practice recycling and the use of reusables at home, it does not only help the environment but also enables us to have a little savings. Also we practice proper use of water.
@gogreenwithme (5)
• United States
25 Aug 09
In addition to making some simple (and some not so simple) changes to do my part, we have actually created a website to give a wide range of resources and steps that can be taken for others who would like to get involved with the 'Green Movement'. Feel free to visit the site for tons of great ideas (link in my profile).
Hopefully others will find it very useful for their home and everyday living.
