NationStates Jolt Archive

do you recycle? what do you recycle?

do you reuse? what kinds of things do you reuse?

I am only asking because my kid has gone all environmental on me (that's a technical term)

we recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic. (mostly because I get paid for the cans and the bottles so we have movie money, and the paper and plastic saves room in my trash can)

we reuse newspapers, plastic food containers(like butter dishes), shoe boxes, and stuff like that.

She has been (for the last week or so) on me about conserving energy, apparently I shouldn't read in bed after dark because then I am using the light :confused: I am supposed to shorten my 10 minute shower because I am wasting water :eek: I am supposed to drink coffee out of a ceramic cup instead of my Styrofoam ones?! :mad:

She is driving me insane.......speaking of driving, she wants me to cut down on it, and has even suggested we walk to the library once a week instead of driving there twice a week (it's 12 miles away......whatever:rolleyes:)

so, how far do you go?

are there any energy saving environmental tips that I can throw back at her?

what's wrong with a 10 minute shower?

do I really waste that much water when I use a whole cup of it to brush my teeth 3 times a day?

do you recycle? what do you recycle?

do you reuse? what kinds of things do you reuse?

I am only asking because my kid has gone all environmental on me (that's a technical term)

we recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic. (mostly because I get paid for the cans and the bottles so we have movie money, and the paper and plastic saves room in my trash can)

we reuse newspapers, plastic food containers(like butter dishes), shoe boxes, and stuff like that.

She has been (for the last week or so) on me about conserving energy, apparently I shouldn't read in bed after dark because then I am using the light :confused: I am supposed to shorten my 10 minute shower because I am wasting water :eek: I am supposed to drink coffee out of a ceramic cup instead of my Styrofoam ones?! :mad:

She is driving me insane.......speaking of driving, she wants me to cut down on it, and has even suggested we walk to the library once a week instead of driving there twice a week (it's 12 miles away......whatever:rolleyes:)

so, how far do you go?

are there any energy saving environmental tips that I can throw back at her?

what's wrong with a 10 minute shower?

do I really waste that much water when I use a whole cup of it to brush my teeth 3 times a day?


Children make great compost. :D

If the town I live in has a recycling program I'll recycle, but I won't horde my recyclables just to take them to a town an hour away. I conserve electricity but it's because I'm stingy. I'd ride the bus if it was conveinent.

I'm huge on recycling paper.

Then again I threw my TV away in a random unlocked buisness dumpster because the trashmen refused to take it. You're supposed to pay $25 and take it to the county dump. Screw that.

Edit: I also cut the 6 pack holders apart so fish don't get stuck in them.

Actually the styrofoam cups are pretty *uck* as they are not biodegradable...

We recycle our waste...

http://www.woking.gov.uk/environment/wasterecycle/householdwastecollection

its no big deal...a little more hassle but I figure that at the end of the day I'd rather leave a planet for others to live on after I die.

i almost never use a car. and i mostly eat organic and i'm a vegetarian, wich probably isn't that bad for the environment too.
but i do use a lot of water, for drinking, showering (more than 10 minutes) and other stuff.
i also use a lot of electricity, but i wonder if saving electricity really helps the environement. like they produce less if i turn of my lamp or something :confused: .

Actually the styrofoam cups are pretty *uck* as they are not biodegradable...
well, by the time I get home to wash the cup, it's going in the trash anyway, that's why I have been using the disposable ones.

do you recycle? kinda
what do you recycle? Paper, Aluminum, cans, bottles.

do you reuse? what kinds of things do you reuse?I reuse 2 ltr bottles of soda by mixing kool-aid and refilling with water. Bottles (salsa, dips etc,) become oil and grease collectors.

I am only asking because my kid has gone all environmental on me (that's a technical term)

we recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic. (mostly because I get paid for the cans and the bottles so we have movie money, and the paper and plastic saves room in my trash can)

we reuse newspapers, plastic food containers(like butter dishes), shoe boxes, and stuff like that.

She has been (for the last week or so) on me about conserving energy, apparently I shouldn't read in bed after dark because then I am using the light :confused: I am supposed to shorten my 10 minute shower because I am wasting water :eek: I am supposed to drink coffee out of a ceramic cup instead of my Styrofoam ones?! :mad:

She is driving me insane.......speaking of driving, she wants me to cut down on it, and has even suggested we walk to the library once a week instead of driving there twice a week (it's 12 miles away......whatever:rolleyes:)

so, how far do you go?

are there any energy saving environmental tips that I can throw back at her?

what's wrong with a 10 minute shower?

do I really waste that much water when I use a whole cup of it to brush my teeth 3 times a day?
how to stop her extreme environmentalism?

... remove the Hot Water, saves energy. ;) (if you can, turn the heater off when you're done and let her take a bath in what's left.)

Walk with her everywhere (great exercise btw) including in the rain, snow etc. soon, she'll get tired of it.

if you cannot read after dark, no television, radio, computer... etc after dark.

no snacks, no ice cream, and only cook enough so that there is NO leftover. (a full fridge causes more energy to be used because the cold air won't circulate... so minimize the leftovers.) The opposite would be to cook a ton of something... say... Stew. and eat that for two-three weeks. leftovers saves energy since you use less energy to reheat than cooking. and less pots to wash... saves water.

Get rid of the extra computers, only have ONE. so their computers? bye bye.

make them reuse paper. anything they want to print out, the have to use the backside of other papers.

wash clothes in cold water, and only when you have enough for a full load. If she has a favorite dress, just keep that in the laundry pile saying you need more of that type before washing because a full load saves energy.

Ironing also wastes energy... and for what... no wrinkles? no dryers as well. hang her clothes out in the cold weather to dry. oh and no fabric softeners for her either... chemicals you know...

keep the thermostat down. if she's cold, tell her to put on more sweaters and clothes. Heat wastes energy.

go all veggie on her. Meat takes more energy to cook than veggies.

change all the bulbs to 20 watt or the lowest you can find. and only use one bulb per room.

well, by the time I get home to wash the cup, it's going in the trash anyway, that's why I have been using the disposable ones.

Disposable styrofoam cups? Thats a new one on me...

we recycle paper and plastics, return cans for deposit, compost, take household hazardous waste to the collection days, donate/freecycle...all that. my garbage can is usually half full every week, max. the thing i'm trying to impress on my kids is that if they come home from school and put on a sweater (cause i keep the heat around 60) that if they've worn it for 3 hours, it does not need to go in the wash unless they've spilled something on it. they're pretty good about everything else. it's really not a hassle or difficult since it's such a part of our regular routine. the kids enjoy the compost bin, especially. the bin collects all kinds of neat spiders in the top of it, and they like to feed the worms.

we don't use paper plates cups, that type of thing except for rare occasions when we have so many people over that i don't have enough dishes for everyone.

i swapped out many of my light bulbs for fluorescents, but i have to say that i don't like the fact that when they finally die, they are hazardous waste because of the mercury in them. i'd say that if you're not using lights during the day when you have natural light to see by, then reading at night is fine. that is why they invented lamps and all...

Ask her nicely to watch This (http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=7734998370503499886&q=penn+teller) & this (http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4480559399263937213&q=penn+teller)

It's full of facts. And some stuff thats not facts, but still.

i also use a lot of electricity, but i wonder if saving electricity really helps the environement. like they produce less if i turn of my lamp or something :confused: .

thats something ive wondered aswell.

We do recycle some of our rubbish, because the local council makes us (i blame the recycling for the water shortage we had in the summer) but thats about all the family does, theres 6 of us and a dog in a semi-rural area so walking to the shops every day to get shopping is impossible, public transport isnt good enough. same with getting to work, 15 miles for dad every day, if he used the train it would be nearly 30 (going to our nearest station then getting a bus from the station nearest his work to work) and would take a dam site longer too.

do you recycle? what do you recycle?
No, I don't.

Why? Because recycling is bad for the environment. Recycling paper uses more energy than making new paper, so the new paper is the way to go. The only real environmental benefit comes from glass bottles and aluminum cans, but I don't need to recycle those because the homeless do it for me (and it's their primary source of income, so I'm doing them a favour by not recycling it myself).

As for water, I probably do waste that. But, it's free, so that's just an exploitable system it's my responsibility to exploit. Otherwise, the powers that be won't fix it.

Disposable styrofoam cups? Thats a new one on me...
http://www.baypaper.com/catalog/images/prod_images/190-320.jpg

I don't know much about the whole energy and heating thing because the whole country runs on hydropower and geothermal heating which doesn't harm the environment and is dirt-cheap as well.
But I recycle newspaper, bottles, cans and milk-cartons and I don't have a car.

Edit: Oh, and styrofoam is teh 3vil!

we recycle paper and plastics, return cans for deposit, compost, take household hazardous waste to the collection days, donate/freecycle...all that. my garbage can is usually half full every week, max. the thing i'm trying to impress on my kids is that if they come home from school and put on a sweater (cause i keep the heat around 60) that if they've worn it for 3 hours, it does not need to go in the wash unless they've spilled something on it. they're pretty good about everything else. it's really not a hassle or difficult since it's such a part of our regular routine. the kids enjoy the compost bin, especially. the bin collects all kinds of neat spiders in the top of it, and they like to feed the worms.

we don't use paper plates cups, that type of thing except for rare occasions when we have so many people over that i don't have enough dishes for everyone.

i swapped out many of my light bulbs for fluorescents, but i have to say that i don't like the fact that when they finally die, they are hazardous waste because of the mercury in them. i'd say that if you're not using lights during the day when you have natural light to see by, then reading at night is fine. that is why they invented lamps and all...

we do freecycle, and we use fluorescents except in the master bath, and we do the hazardous waste day and wash our car at the car wash instead of in the driveway, and stuff.

I think my kid is insane though.

I do drive a lot, but I have to.....really.

I recycle all food packaging, and I do not buy food that does not have recyclable packaging. I have no garden or lawn, so I have yet to discover an efficient way to compost the garbage created by our family. I bicylce to and from work every day. I buy local food and products, shop second hand, do not eat mammals, use recycled building materials when I renovate, and I also recycle old bicycles for the local community.

I keep my hair short so that I can keep my showers to 5 minutes or less. Buy organic when I can afford it, and try to avoid using anything or buying anything unless I have to.

Mimimum impact.

No, I don't.

Why? Because recycling is bad for the environment. Recycling paper uses more energy than making new paper, so the new paper is the way to go. The only real environmental benefit comes from glass bottles and aluminum cans, but I don't need to recycle those because the homeless do it for me (and it's their primary source of income, so I'm doing them a favour by not recycling it myself).

As for water, I probably do waste that. But, it's free, so that's just an exploitable system it's my responsibility to exploit. Otherwise, the powers that be won't fix it.

but new paper takes a lot of trees, so there's only one option, do everything on a computer.

image

why don't you use porcelein cups?

No, I don't.

Why? Because recycling is bad for the environment. Recycling paper uses more energy than making new paper, so the new paper is the way to go. The only real environmental benefit comes from glass bottles and aluminum cans, but I don't need to recycle those because the homeless do it for me (and it's their primary source of income, so I'm doing them a favour by not recycling it myself).

As for water, I probably do waste that. But, it's free, so that's just an exploitable system it's my responsibility to exploit. Otherwise, the powers that be won't fix it.

Gee, that's funny, I'd always believed it was the other way around, that paper was the one thing you should recycle, because making new paper consumes trees, and trees are good for the atmosphere and the environment. Recycling glass and aluminum, on the other hand, consumes more energy than making new glass and metal. And we're not about to run out of sand for glass-making.

but new paper takes a lot of trees, so there's only one option, do everything on a computer.
we do most of our stuff on the computer, but it still doesn't keep me from printing like 3000 pages a month.......although 2700 of those are for work.



why don't you use porcelein cups?
if I am home I use a ceramic mug like this

http://www.evright.com/images/products/small/M103.jpg




if I am out of the house, I am out all day long, so by the time I get anywhere to even rinse it out, it's so nasty that I have to throw it away.

Recycling glass and aluminum, on the other hand, consumes more energy than making new glass and metal. And we're not about to run out of sand for glass-making.

no but Quarries are bad for the environement too, and what would you do with the rest of the glass? throwing it away is also bad for nature.

we do most of our stuff on the computer, but it still doesn't keep me from printing like 3000 pages a month.......although 2700 of those are for work.




if I am home I use a ceramic mug like this

http://www.evright.com/images/products/small/M103.jpg




if I am out of the house, I am out all day long, so by the time I get anywhere to even rinse it out, it's so nasty that I have to throw it away.

Don't you know how many cerams it takes to make just one of those mugs! Think of the ...

We're pretty terrible about recycling, partly because some of our annoying neighbors whined to the city about having to put the recycling bins in the alley behind the houses (they claim they have no access, which is a crock) so now we have to put them in front and frankly, my dear, I'm not schlepping two weeks worth of paper and glass from the garage to the front of the house. And no, we aren't going to keep the bins on the front porch. That said, I'm starting to feel a little guilty about the paper part of it, so I might reinstitute that in the Spring. I'd like to get a small composter, too.

http://www.baypaper.com/catalog/images/prod_images/190-320.jpg

Is it biodegradable?

we do most of our stuff on the computer, but it still doesn't keep me from printing like 3000 pages a month.......although 2700 of those are for work.

imagine what amounts of paper you would use if you didn't use a computer.

if I am home I use a ceramic mug like this
if I am out of the house, I am out all day long, so by the time I get anywhere to even rinse it out, it's so nasty that I have to throw it away.

oh i tought you used those cups at home.

no but Quarries are bad for the environement too, and what would you do with the rest of the glass? throwing it away is also bad for nature.

I meant to say that there is the landfill problem, where to put it. I hate being responsible.

And quarries, yeah, well ...

Is it biodegradable?
I don't think so.
imagine what amounts of paper you would use if you didn't use a computer.
I know.
oh i tought you used those cups at home.
nope, only on days when I am not at home all day, if I am only out for a bit I bring my ceramic mug with me, since I can wash it promptly.

I hate being responsible.

who doesn't?

Buy organic when I can afford it
I refuse to buy organic goods, and will not shop at stores that prominently advertise organic goods.

Organic goods are NOT good things. Even ignoring my objections to their absurd naming convention, organic food means you grow less food, less efficiently, and use more energy doing so.

If you were minimum impact, you'd use pesticides.

I refuse to buy organic goods, and will not shop at stores that prominently advertise organic goods.

Organic goods are NOT good things. Even ignoring my objections to their absurd naming convention, organic food means you grow less food, less efficiently, and use more energy doing so.

If you were minimum impact, you'd use pesticides.

some people also buy organic goods because they don't like chemicals.

Gee, that's funny, I'd always believed it was the other way around, that paper was the one thing you should recycle, because making new paper consumes trees, and trees are good for the atmosphere and the environment.
Trees are good for the environment?

No. Young trees are good for the environment, but mature trees are carbon neutral and then they die and decay. Paper (and lumber) is a good way to lock up that carbon so it can't do any harm.

Trees are good for the environment?

No. Young trees are good for the environment, but mature trees are carbon neutral and then they die and decay. Paper (and lumber) is a good way to lock up that carbon so it can't do any harm.

what happens when you don't need that paper anymore?

what happens when you don't need that paper anymore?

shred it and stuff it in your walls as insulation so that your home is more efficient?:p

I don't think so.

I'm not having a go at you....but its not really disposable then...

Is there a substitute you can use? Do you use a lot of these cups? I ask as styrofoam is very hard to recycle...

I'm not having a go at you....but its not really disposable then...

Is there a substitute you can use? Do you use a lot of these cups? I ask as styrofoam is very hard to recycle...

Burn the styroform very carefully, capture all the fumes and use them to exterminate the mice Smunkee's been throwing over the fence into her neighbor's yard? Then use the dead mice in fertilizer.

shred it and stuff it in your walls as insulation so that your home is more efficient?:p

that actually reminds me of a very interesting documentary i've seen. it was about an architect and/or a designer, and they want to make everything (including waste) usefull, either by recycling (reusing it for technology) or by making it bio-degradable (reusing it for nature/biology). that way there would be little or no actual waste. and because waste is loss companies could make more profit, while the environement suffered less.

a very interesting idea. it made me happy, and i hope it will be implemented on a very large scale pretty soon.

I'm not having a go at you....but its not really disposable then...

Is there a substitute you can use? Do you use a lot of these cups? I ask as styrofoam is very hard to recycle...

I haven't found a substitute, and I use about 3 of them a week, so over the course of a year, I would suppose that's a lot of them.

Burn the styroform very carefully, capture all the fumes and use them to exterminate the mice Smunkee's been throwing over the fence into her neighbor's yard? Then use the dead mice in fertilizer.

I think I finally got rid of all of them....I found where they were getting in an sealed it off, after that we killed 2 more and then they were gone, I haven't seen any evidence of them at all. (although it is cold so they could be hiding)

Burn the styroform very carefully, capture all the fumes and use them to exterminate the mice Smunkee's been throwing over the fence into her neighbor's yard? Then use the dead mice in fertilizer.

burning it would probably produce a lot of dioxines. wich are extremely bad in the environement and in food, so i wouldn't do that if i were you.

if I am home I use a ceramic mug like this

http://www.evright.com/images/products/small/M103.jpg

if I am out of the house, I am out all day long, so by the time I get anywhere to even rinse it out, it's so nasty that I have to throw it away.I can't remember the last time I brought a cup of coffee and it came in styrofoam cup. They always sold in paper cups with a cardboard ring to act as an insulator between your hand and the cup.

I recycle glass as less energy is needed to process recycled glass as it is already free of impurities. Metals are recycled for the same reason.

As for paper and plastic I tend to focus on reduction and reuse rather than recycling.

I consider that I walk, cycle or travel by train to be an offset to taking as long as I want in the shower.

I have a washing powder that allows you to wash at 30C instead of 40C. I'm still skeptical. I think they just add extra perfume or something.

I've volunteered at an environmental educational garden thingy. They had this test which approximates how much carbon you use. I got around 2000 kg of Carbon. They claim that sustainability was 1000 kg per person. Average UK carbon footprint is 10,00kg, and the average American footprint is about 20,000. I have no idea how they worked these figures out. I've seen them bandied about elsewhere as well.

I haven't found a substitute, and I use about 3 of them a week, so over the course of a year, I would suppose that's a lot of them.You could always buy a thermos flask and take that with you whenever you go out. There's a lot to be said for the convience of a thermos flask.

I haven't found a substitute, and I use about 3 of them a week, so over the course of a year, I would suppose that's a lot of them.

How about using paper ones instead? Is that possible?

I'm not having a go at you....but its not really disposable then...

Is there a substitute you can use? Do you use a lot of these cups? I ask as styrofoam is very hard to recycle...
my parents wash their styrofoam cups and reuse them. when they get damaged enough that they cannot be used as cups, they wash em, dry them, and save them... and use em as packing material when sending packages.

You could always buy a thermos flask and take that with you whenever you go out. There's a lot to be said for the convience of a thermos flask.
it would be convenient except I don't have a way to wash it on my days out, so by the time I got home it would be very nasty and I would end up throwing it away anyway.



How about using paper ones instead? Is that possible?

I haven't found a paper cup that didn't burn my hand.......my coffee is hot.

Tell them that recycling causes air pollution. It's true enough to shut them up without having to lie.

it would be convenient except I don't have a way to wash it on my days out, so by the time I got home it would be very nasty and I would end up throwing it away anyway.





I haven't found a paper cup that didn't burn my hand.......my coffee is hot.

How long are you at work? A week?

How long are you at work? A week?

I work 60 hours a week, I only work 3-4 days a week. Twice (sometimes 3 times) a week I am out of the house and in my car for about 18 hours.

I work 60 hours a week, I only work 3-4 days a week. Twice (sometimes 3 times) a week I am out of the house and in my car for about 18 hours.

And a thermos turns nasty in a day?

And a thermos turns nasty in a day?

yeah, it has, it grows mold, it smells bad, and by the time I get home, I am tired and I don't want to see it in the morning. I sleep less than 4 hours a night, I don't have time to scrub a thermos full of fuzz when I could just throw away a cup a few times a week.

I think I might be lazy. :(

Good on your kid! But yeah, I can see how it'd drive you crazy...

And no, a 10 minute shower isn't bad, and you can tell her that reading in bed actually saves electricity compared to if you'd be reading before going to bed, seeing how your bedside lamp is probably lower wattage than the one in the living room. ;)
From what you write and have written before, you do a lot in terms of recycling and reusing already.

The car is obviously the worst offender, but not only is it the US, it's also Oklahoma, so I'm guessing there's not really that much in way of alternatives.

So, in sum, I'd say you're doing great. Except for those pesky styrofoam cups... :p
As Infinite Dunes has said, you can hardly even get those here anymore, it's almost exclusively paper (cardboard) cups. Burgers etc.also don't come in styrofoam containers anymore, that's also paper now.

Since you only use 3 cups per week (as opposed to 3 per day, which is more like what I imagined) I'd say it's not exactly an environmental crime.;p

But I still don't get why you can't use a real cup - or, more accurately, how exactly you are using them in the first place.
You carry around a styrofoam cup all day - where do you get the coffee for it? Do you carry it with you in a thermos? And, um, where do you even drink it? In the car? At work? While shopping? The way other people drink their expensive Starbucks lattes? *feels dumb*
And, mainly, how on earth would you possibly get a mug you use for coffee anywhere dirty enough to have to throw it away?????? :confused:
I mean, if the styrofoam cup stays non-nasty long enough to drink the day's last bit of on-the-road coffee out of it (which any real mug would, too) then what exactly happens between that last gulp of coffee and getting home that makes it so nasty as to be uncleanable?? Do you take your coffee with superglue?


EDIT: I just now saw this: yeah, it has, it grows mold, it smells bad, and by the time I get home, I am tired and I don't want to see it in the morning. I sleep less than 4 hours a night, I don't have time to scrub a thermos full of fuzz when I could just throw away a cup a few times a week.

I think I might be lazy. :(
Smunkee - there is no way in hell a thermos gets MOLDY in a day! Even if your coffee comes with milk in it - simply flushing it out with hot (preferably boiling, if it really *is* with milk) water when you get home is enough! Just don't screw the lid on when it's still wet when you put it away.



i also use a lot of electricity, but i wonder if saving electricity really helps the environement. like they produce less if i turn of my lamp or something :confused: . Uh... yes?

yeah, it has, it grows mold, it smells bad, and by the time I get home, I am tired and I don't want to see it in the morning. I sleep less than 4 hours a night, I don't have time to scrub a thermos full of fuzz when I could just throw away a cup a few times a week.

I think I might be lazy. :(

Must be a climate thing...Mine doesn't.

Since you only use 3 cups per week (as opposed to 3 per day, which is more like what I imagined) I'd say it's not exactly an environmental crime.;p

But I still don't get why you can't use a real cup - or, more accurately, how exactly you are using them in the first place.
You carry around a styrofoam cup all day - where do you get the coffee for it? Do you carry it with you in a thermos? And, um, where do you even drink it? In the car? At work? While shopping? The way other people drink their expensive Starbucks lattes? *feels dumb*
And, mainly, how on earth would you possibly get a mug you use for coffee anywhere dirty enough to have to throw it away?????? :confused:
I mean, if the styrofoam cup stays non-nasty long enough to drink the day's last bit of on-the-road coffee out of it (which any real mug would, too) then what exactly happens between that last gulp of coffee and getting home that makes it so nasty as to be uncleanable?? Do you take your coffee with superglue?

I fill it up at home, and drink my coffee and throw it away, the rest of the day I refill my water bottle, unless I stop for a treat a sonic, which comes in a foam cup as well.

I have had to throw them away before, I can't get the sugar and mold out of the bottom of them, it's gross and I don't have time to screw with it.

I really don't understand the styrofoam cup thing :confused: Maybe it's just the climate. It takes things days to get mouldy here.

Anyway, with the exception of composting*, I recycle everything I can: Glass, tins/cans, plastic bottles, cardboard and paper. I have my own shopping bags so I don't use countless supermarket-provided bags.
I drive an efficient diesel car (and don't go very far at all in it, and I don't do that very often), I have all energy-saving bulbs (first thing I did when I moved in here) and I don't have anything on if it's not being used (with the obvious exceptions; the hot water heater, which is on a timer to use cheap electricity; the fridge; the alarm clock; my mobile 'phone charger - because I'd forget to turn it on, and my boss would get unhappy).

And then I go and spoil it by having a computer that idles at 200-300 watts, including the monitor. Ho hum. At least it runs SETI whilst it's at it.

*I live in a second (American: third) floor flat and have no garden. I'm not composting in my bedroom, dammit. And where would I put the compost anyway?

Uh... yes?

ok i understand that, if for instance everybody would insulate their houses better, that would save a lot energy. but on the other hand, i'm sitting here with two lights on. if i put those out, would that change much?
also, i live in one of the best lit countries in the world. i don't know a road that isn't lit by one of these large orange lights, so much that you can see flanders from satalite pictures taken by night. that sucks, so why don't they change that?

do you recycle? what do you recycle?

do you reuse? what kinds of things do you reuse?

I am only asking because my kid has gone all environmental on me (that's a technical term)

we recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic. (mostly because I get paid for the cans and the bottles so we have movie money, and the paper and plastic saves room in my trash can)

we reuse newspapers, plastic food containers(like butter dishes), shoe boxes, and stuff like that.

She has been (for the last week or so) on me about conserving energy, apparently I shouldn't read in bed after dark because then I am using the light :confused: I am supposed to shorten my 10 minute shower because I am wasting water :eek: I am supposed to drink coffee out of a ceramic cup instead of my Styrofoam ones?! :mad:

She is driving me insane.......speaking of driving, she wants me to cut down on it, and has even suggested we walk to the library once a week instead of driving there twice a week (it's 12 miles away......whatever:rolleyes:)

so, how far do you go?

are there any energy saving environmental tips that I can throw back at her?

what's wrong with a 10 minute shower?

do I really waste that much water when I use a whole cup of it to brush my teeth 3 times a day?

We recycle cans, bottles and paper. But the best way to be conscious about the environment is to avoid garbage in the fist place. I have a ceramic cup at work for tea, so I don't have to use the paper ones they have there. Styrofoam is largely outlawed in Europe, as far as I know.
I hardly ever spend a whole 10 minutes in the shower, and I turn the water off when shampooing my hair and soaping myself.
We never use the dryer we have here to save energy and try to avoid heating whenever possible.
I don't own a car but take the bus or walk, conserves resources and reduces carbon emissions.

That's all I can think of in 5 minutes...

it would be convenient except I don't have a way to wash it on my days out, so by the time I got home it would be very nasty and I would end up throwing it away anyway.Um... yes... I know what you mean... not washing up stuff immediately is digusting... umm... >.> *strategically places a tea towel over something in the kitchen*
I haven't found a paper cup that didn't burn my hand.......my coffee is hot.http://www.greenhome.com/products/kitchen/food_service/111853/

I find these things work well. I'm not suggesting you buy a box for yourself, but I'm surprised your shops don't have them.

my parents wash their styrofoam cups and reuse them. when they get damaged enough that they cannot be used as cups, they wash em, dry them, and save them... and use em as packing material when sending packages.

Thats not a bad thing...but the problem is that someone somewhere will eventually chuck them...

do you recycle?
Yes.
what do you recycle?
Paper, plastics, batteries, glas, cans - pretty much everything that isn't trash trash.
do you reuse?
Yes.
what kinds of things do you reuse?
Boxes, jars and such things.
are there any energy saving environmental tips that I can throw back at her?
Nothing that wouldn't backfire sooner or later. You've talked about her on here often enough and I reckon she's way too smart. :p
what's wrong with a 10 minute shower?
It's too short?!?
There's nothing wrong with it. A bath would use a lot more.
do I really waste that much water when I use a whole cup of it to brush my teeth 3 times a day?
No. At least you're not brushing your teeth with the faucet running.

I fill it up at home, and drink my coffee and throw it away, the rest of the day I refill my water bottle, unless I stop for a treat a sonic, which comes in a foam cup as well.

I have had to throw them away before, I can't get the sugar and mold out of the bottom of them, it's gross and I don't have time to screw with it.
I'm sorry, I only saw your posts where you already said that after I posted, here's my edit from above:
EDIT: I just now saw this:
Smunkee - there is no way in hell a thermos gets MOLDY in a day! Even if your coffee comes with milk in it - simply flushing it out with hot (preferably boiling, if it really *is* with milk) water when you get home is enough! Just don't screw the lid on when it's still wet when you put it away.

I fill it up at home, and drink my coffee and throw it away, the rest of the day I refill my water bottle, unless I stop for a treat a sonic, which comes in a foam cup as well.

So why not just rinse out the mug when you fill the water bottle? Then it'll be mostly clean, and you can just wash it properly with the other washing up later.
And if you wind up with sugar in the bottom, you're either not stirring enough or using too much sugar ¬_¬

So why not just rinse out the mug when you fill the water bottle? Then it'll be mostly clean, and you can just wash it properly with the other washing up later.
And if you wind up with sugar in the bottom, you're either not stirring enough or using too much sugar ¬_¬

I refill my water bottle from my water jug, it's cold water, it's not really great for anything other than drinking.

I fill it up at home, and drink my coffee and throw it away, the rest of the day I refill my water bottle, unless I stop for a treat a sonic, which comes in a foam cup as well.

I have had to throw them away before, I can't get the sugar and mold out of the bottom of them, it's gross and I don't have time to screw with it.

i don't think that's mold at the bottom, but a stain. Does it wash away when you wash it? and do you put that much sugar in your coffee that it doesn't dissolve by the time you get to it? :P

i don't think that's mold at the bottom, but a stain. Does it wash away when you wash it?
no, so I throw it away. my OCD doesn't deal well with it whether it were a stain or dirt.
and do you put that much sugar in your coffee that it doesn't dissolve by the time you get to it? :P
do I have to conserve sugar now too?:(

I refill my water bottle from my water jug, it's cold water, it's not really great for anything other than drinking.

It'd rinse the coffee dregs out and prevent it going mouldy. Presumably you have toilets wherever you're working, or stop by them, or something? Use the sinks in there to rinse it...

I don't recycle and I don't conserve. And I take 20 minute very hot showers. I need them to wake up. But I support any one that does want to conserve.

I walk everywhere on campus (except if it's too cold, then I take the bus), recycle plastics, some paper and glass, avoid using styrofoam and turn off lights when I'm not using them. I also make sure that the windows are shut properly to prevent wasting heat.

Three things:

1. The main problem with Organic is that the standards for it (in the US, at least) are so riddled with loopholes that the standard is almost meaningless. The real way to go is "pure" organic or permaculture, which is agriculture based on ecological principles, with exclusively local distribution. It's a bit more expensive at the cash register, but none of the hidden costs (animal rights, environmental toxins, soil degradation, excessive water use, petroleum dependence, etc.) are there, and so it is more responsible. The food produced is incomparably delicious, too. I had "grass-farmed" eggs a little while ago and they were absolutely incredible, plus they came from the happiest hens around.

2. Aluminum actually requires only about 1/8 the electricity to recycle than to manufacture. The aluminum refining process is very electricity-intense since it is manufactured only by electrolysis and not by heat-based processes like most other metals. The whole paper thing can be rendered a non-issue by hemp, but they still won't allow it in this country because the idiot policy-makers can't tell the stuff apart from marijuana (and, yes, they are different...). Recycling glass doesn't really matter beyond less landfill space, although glass could hypothetically be ground up and made into beach sand. Just a weird idea.

3. Styrofoam actually remains intact for about 250,000 years until low-level UV eventually breaks it down into radicals that proceed to wreak havoc on the environment. Of all the impacts that humanity has had on the environment, only radioactive waste from nuclear projects will remain longer. There was a fascinating article on the Times Online about how long it would take the environment to recover if humans suddenly disappeared from the Earth, but I can't find the link to it, so I'm hoping someone else will have better luck.

4. (OK, I lied) Energy conservation is not something you should be trying to discourage in your child. I'm glad to hear that someone else out there actually cares. Right now most of our energy comes from fossil fuel, and most of the alternatives offered are simply different forms thereof. Global warming is already demonstrating a devastating effect on human society, as climate-change induced droughts are exacerbating the crises in Darfur, Niger, and Sierra Leone; natural catastrophes such as floods are devastating regions such as China's Yellow River, Bangladesh, and the US Gulf Coast; and rapid melting of arctic ice is already inching up sea levels. El Nino, once an event that happened about once a decade, is now happening every other year, and it's seriously altering the climate of the Pacific Rim. Disease pandemics are emerging at a terrifying rate as a result of environmental disturbances and overpopulation. Global warming is real, we're causing it, and it will radically alter the conditions of this planet, the very conditions upon which we rely for our very survival. All the government legislation and industry efforts in the world won't be enough to avert the problem if we the consumer refuse to change our habits. Sure, it may be an inconvenience, but you are investing against your own future. That's not to take any of the heat off of the policy makers and business leaders, though: people won't change their habits if they have nothing good to change to. Solving this problem has to be an effort both from the top down and from the bottom up, meeting in the middle. Don't think of it as being an arbitrary set of restrictions, though: it's an investment, and an opportunity. The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones, it ended because stones were no longer adequate. Today our heavy industrial, energy-hungry, unsustainable society will have to transform itself not because we won't be able to fuel itself; oil, coal, and gas reserves could keep it going for two more centuries if climate change was not an issue. It will change because it is no longer adequate to ensure our continued prosperity in the face of a world out of balance.

It'd rinse the coffee dregs out and prevent it going mouldy. Presumably you have toilets wherever you're working, or stop by them, or something? Use the sinks in there to rinse it...

public restrooms are unacceptable

<---- has OCD

I can barely use them, only if I have to. I couldn't bare to bring a dish into one.

ok i understand that, if for instance everybody would insulate their houses better, that would save a lot energy. but on the other hand, i'm sitting here with two lights on. if i put those out, would that change much?
also, i live in one of the best lit countries in the world. i don't know a road that isn't lit by one of these large orange lights, so much that you can see flanders from satalite pictures taken by night. that sucks, so why don't they change that?
That last one is an excellent question - you should take it up with your (local) government. ;)
Here, even though hardly any municipality has enough money to replace the old, wasteful streetlights, at least when new streets are built or old ones renovated or when the old lights are broken for good they install new ones with more economical bulbs and with a deflector on top that concentrates the light downward, so you have more light where it matters with less wattage.

As for your bigger question - yes, it would. It's one of those "think bigger" things. No power plant is going to be able to be shut down because you turn off your two light bulbs. But if everybody turns off their two lightbulbs, that does add up.
Electricity you use for appliances adds up just as much as heating oil used to heat badly insulated houses.

If you think your one crummy lightbulb, or your TV being on standby 24/7, or your computer running all fucking night long (personal pet peeve, disregard the expletive if you want :p) doesn't make a difference, you might want to take a look at your electricity bill and see how many kilowatt hours (and euros) you use up all year - and then google some energy conservation sites to find how much exactly could have been saved by turning off one crummy lightbulb, really switching off one TV, and maybe even switching off one fucking computer while the owner is sleeping. In terms of kilowatt hours and euros.

I only make an effort to recycle aluminum because glass is just made of sand and paper grows on trees :/

Thats not a bad thing...but the problem is that someone somewhere will eventually chuck them...

... you should see what I do with the Styrofoam material I get...

I have a styrofoam cutter (from my small kid time) I get some glue and make styrofoam balls to toss around as well as other decorations.

but yeah they eventually end up in the trash. :(

That last one is an excellent question - you should take it up with your (local) government. ;) [streetlamps]

In the UK they use quite efficient streetlamps, except in silly places like London where they dress them up pretty.
This page here (http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/environment/street_lighting/index.php) says:
A typical low pressure sodium (orange) light used in a residential road is rated at 35 watts. After the losses in the control gear, the actual power consumption is between 48 and 65 watts but this light actual produces six times as much light as a 60w tungsten filament lamp.
Those orange lights are by far the most common in most places.

your computer running all fucking night long
Hehehe, yeah, that annoys me too. Dread to think how much it'd cost to leave this bugger on 24/7. I even turn my router off at night ;)
The only exception is when I download large files overnight (to not use my bandwidth allowance), and then I use my ancient laptop rather than one of the desktops.

no, so I throw it away. my OCD doesn't deal well with it whether it were a stain or dirt.

do I have to conserve sugar now too?:(

i had a feeling some form of OCD would be involved :P
no, don't need to conserve sugar :p just curious on how sweet your coffee is.

i had a feeling some form of OCD would be involved :P
:p
no, don't need to conserve sugar :p just curious on how sweet your coffee is.
some call it syrup, it's not that bad though.......I don't think.

i had a feeling some form of OCD would be involved :P
no, don't need to conserve sugar :p just curious on how sweet your coffee is.

in my case? the waitress asks me if I care for some coffee in my sugar.

our city has a recycling program so I recycle paper, glass, plastic and aluminum.

I used efficient lighting

energy saver appliances

I carpool as much as possible and will get a high MPG and low emmissions vehicle as soon as I can afford one.

I use as little water, gas and electricity as I comfortably can, and even to the point of discomfort in some instances, like not turning the heat past 68 in the winter or below 82 in the summer.

I purchase stuff that is environmentally friendly in regards to food and cleaning products and such.

... there's probably more but I'm too lazy to really think about it.

in my case? the waitress asks me if I care for some coffee in my sugar.


hehe, there are other things you can sweeten coffee w/ like chocolate powder or syrup. and creamer....

i used to drink coffee w/ a buncha goop in it, but now i'm just down to 1 tsp. sugar and coffee. but i still like frappacinos and sweet coffees, just don't drink them as often.

That last one is an excellent question - you should take it up with your (local) government. ;)
Here, even though hardly any municipality has enough money to replace the old, wasteful streetlights, at least when new streets are built or old ones renovated or when the old lights are broken for good they install new ones with more economical bulbs and with a deflector on top that concentrates the light downward, so you have more light where it matters with less wattage.

As for your bigger question - yes, it would. It's one of those "think bigger" things. No power plant is going to be able to be shut down because you turn off your two light bulbs. But if everybody turns off their two lightbulbs, that does add up.
Electricity you use for appliances adds up just as much as heating oil used to heat badly insulated houses.

If you think your one crummy lightbulb, or your TV being on standby 24/7, or your computer running all fucking night long (personal pet peeve, disregard the expletive if you want :p) doesn't make a difference, you might want to take a look at your electricity bill and see how many kilowatt hours (and euros) you use up all year - and then google some energy conservation sites to find how much exactly could have been saved by turning off one crummy lightbulb, really switching off one TV, and maybe even switching off one fucking computer while the owner is sleeping. In terms of kilowatt hours and euros.

maybe i should ask them.

and yes i probably should trie to use less electricity, but i'm just being lazy, tomorrow is my last exam, maybe after that ;)

hehe, there are other things you can sweeten coffee w/ like chocolate powder or syrup. and creamer....

i used to drink coffee w/ a buncha goop in it, but now i'm just down to 1 tsp. sugar and coffee. but i still like frappacinos and sweet coffees, just don't drink them as often.
wouldn't work in my case. I hate the taste and aftertaste of coffee. so much that a small splash of it in hot chocolate, with sweetener, is not enough to mask the coffee taste.

wouldn't work in my case. I hate the taste and aftertaste of coffee. so much that a small splash of it in hot chocolate, with sweetener, is not enough to mask the coffee taste.

black tea? they have great black teas that are flavored like mint, chai, fruit and whatnot.

I try my best, but Americans are so wasteful.

Reading at night uses far less energy than the daytime average. You're being picked on for no reason there.

The styrofoam cups are pretty wrong. Never mind the environment, what about your intestine!
Get a nice china mug in the shape of a hippo or something. A big mug is a comfort, covers most of your face in those moments you just want to hide from the world. No need to actually say "talk to the hippopotamus arse, the face ain't listening."

I used to recycle cans but it was just a hassal so I gave it up. I try to shut the water off while brushing my teeth. Once in a while if I go to my best friends house, I'll walk (it's only a half a block) usually because I know I'll be drinking and I refuse to drink and drive. Other than that I drive every wheres. I do pretty good at shutting lights and whatever electricity I'm not using off. I definately have room for improvement on being environmentally freindly. Oh I also use Right Guard Spray deoderant that has "No c" something. Like I said I have a lot of room for improvement.

<---- has OCD



That explains alot.

Actually the styrofoam cups are pretty *uck* as they are not biodegradable...

You want to get rid of a styrofoam cup? Put it in a bowl of acetone. It's fun to watch.

Smunkee, you could even use that one as a science experiment for your kids. =) Not sure if nail polish remover is strong enough, but I think you can get pure acetone if you want.

As for me, I'm pretty lazy. I recycle if the bin is right there. We conserve electricity at the house and we were sure to get energy saver products and energy-conscious windows and all that, but we don't cut down our shower timer or refrain from using electricity at night. We carpool - driving is a necessity where we live, but at least we aren't using two cars every day. But, for the most part, it has to be convenient for me to do it.

--I also cut apart the six-pack holders so nothing can get stuck in them. Have since elementary school. =)

Gee, that's funny, I'd always believed it was the other way around, that paper was the one thing you should recycle, because making new paper consumes trees, and trees are good for the atmosphere and the environment. Recycling glass and aluminum, on the other hand, consumes more energy than making new glass and metal. And we're not about to run out of sand for glass-making.

Any paper you get from the store is from a tree farm. It works just like any other agricultural product. Afterall, we are a bit above hunter and gatherers.

black tea? they have great black teas that are flavored like mint, chai, fruit and whatnot.

never tried black tea... yet.

Japan has some stringent recycle laws, some a little more lenient, but some are just damn well ridicioulus. In my town I have to seperate burnable trash, plastic, newspapers and magazines, recycleable paper, cardboard, and cartons, food trays, steel, alumanium, glass (colored seperated from non), plastic bottles, batteries and lightbulbs, and everything else. And they all get thrown away on seperate days of the week, depending upon the calendar.

In other words, Smunkee, I think you're kid would love it here.

I separate all my waste (plastic,paper and organic). As I am a bit of an optimization fanatic, I actually take off the plastic wrapper from the cigarrete pack and trash them separately. I also recicle my printer cartridges (i.e. I take them to a store to get them refilled) and take care not to dump oil or cigarettes into the toilet.
I try not use my car unless I absolutely need to, I usually use public transportation or walk if the distance is under 2km and I have time for it. Also, I use energy saving lamps, have my computer and monitor set up to enter standby after a while of inactivity and have submitted a similar plan for the hundreds workstations at my company.

never tried black tea... yet.

I'm surprised. Lipton Orange Peoke (sp?) Black Tea has been around for ages. I thought it was their most popular and well known teas.

Well if yer ever in Vegas, You are invited over to sample a whole slew of black teas!

You could always buy a thermos flask and take that with you whenever you go out. There's a lot to be said for the convience of a thermos flask.
it would be convenient except I don't have a way to wash it on my days out, so by the time I got home it would be very nasty and I would end up throwing it away anyway.
Baking soda does a great job at cleaning thermos flasks. And (like WYTYG said) after cleaning it, don't screw it shut unless fully dried. ;)
I haven't found a paper cup that didn't burn my hand.......my coffee is hot.
Why not simply use two? That's still better than the alternative. And there are those paper cups with a handle so you wouldn't have to touch it directly and get burned. :p

Any paper you get from the store is from a tree farm. It works just like any other agricultural product. Afterall, we are a bit above hunter and gatherers.
Not up here.

But tree farms are great for the environemnt, because they produce trees really quickly for maximum carbon sequestration.

I don't eat meat (and as of recently, no fish either.) I don't own or drive a car (bicycle and train for me.)

Whether or not I take the metal lids off glass bottles to recycle them seperately (I do) pales into insignificance compared to those two factors.

Of course the cheap food and even cheaper consumer crud I buy is made possible by oil-burning farm machinery and oil-burning shipping. I buy local and low-impact when I can, but it costs more and sometimes isn't an option.

My biggest sin is all the electricity I use. Mostly made by burning black coal, even though I pay the green surcharge and the company promise to invest it in renewable energy sources. A few bucks a year isn't going to change much there.
EDIT: Oh, and I love stainless steel. That's got to be bad ...

Not up here.

But tree farms are great for the environemnt, because they produce trees really quickly for maximum carbon sequestration.

How come I can't find any statistics on where paper comes from? I smell a conspiracy.:p

At midnight, I ride around stealing people's recycle bins. Why?

...so they can't recycle anymore and so I can throw their recycables in the ocean!

You want to get rid of a styrofoam cup? Put it in a bowl of acetone. It's fun to watch.

Smunkee, you could even use that one as a science experiment for your kids. =) Not sure if nail polish remover is strong enough, but I think you can get pure acetone if you want.

yes!
and use a huge piece of styrofoam, and only a small amount of acetone. bet your kid that you can put a piece of a meter or something of styrofoam into a small container. fill it with acetone and watch it shrink. you could say to your kid that she has to stop with the environmentalism if it works ;)

EDIT: Oh, and I love stainless steel. That's got to be bad ...

especially when you take it out of context.

Don't something like 90% of all recyclables get taken by the government and dumped into a landfill anyway? I read that somewhere.