Green Tips
Here is what you can do … now! | ||
Sierra Club New Year's Resolution
We cite hints for New Year’s Resolutions from Sierra Club’s Pat Joseph, with one month delay.
You Say You Want a Resolution
Well, you know, we all want to change the world. And with that in mind, here are a few ideas for your New Year’s Resolution. Feel free to add your own ideas in the comments. And a Happy New Year to everyone. Let’s make it a good one.
1) Read one authoritative book on global warming. Al Gore’s book version of An Inconvenient Truth is excellent, but just in case you don’t trust his take on things, here are some other titles to consider:
Field Notes from a Catastrophe by New Yorker staffer Elizabeth Kolbert
The Weather Makers by Australian scientist and Man of the Year, Tim Flannery
The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer Weart
What We Know About Climate Change by MIT climate scientist Kerry Emanuel, (the shortest and most accessible of the bunch).
2) Write a letter to the editor of your newspaper or send a missive to your Senator or Congressman. Tell them what you think. They work for you.
3) Conduct a home energy audit. Find out how much power you use domestically and where you can trim it down. Pick the lowest hanging fruit first — things like extra insulation and more efficient lighting can make a world of difference.
4) Experiment with alternatives to driving. Maybe you can telecommute to work once or twice a week. Or carpool? How about riding your bike to the store for that half gallon of milk?
5) Measure your carbon footprint and consider what it would take to become carbon-neutral.
Invest green.... in China
It’s not weird to invest in China. Especially now, in times of recession and a few months ahead of the Bejing Olympics this can be a good idea from a purely financial point of view.
The Green Challenge thinks that it can be a contribution to Environmentalism as well. Just image how eager these companies are to invest in green technology. If they’d only have r&d money, the shift from cheap ancient fantasyless coal-plants towards hightech environmentally friendly energy production and distribution comes closer. The exorbitantly high growth-rate in China must be canalized. So The Green Challengestarted looking for a green company – and we found something: Sino-Environment Technology Group Ltd.
We cite the Company Description:
SinoEnv provides solutions for its customers in two main arenas: water management for both municipal and industrial customers, and waste gas management for industrial customers. The Company operates through four segments: Industrial waste gas treatment, management and recovery of volatile organic compounds; Industrial waste gas treatment and management for independent power producers; Industrial waste water treatment and management, and Municipal urban waste water treatment and management.
Well, isn’t this exactly what China needs? And, let’s be honest, the company is attractive for investors as well, as several analyst have pointed out. I think mid-february is the right time to get in (but that is merly a personal opinion).
Prevent Junk Mail
We like to promote the Internet Platform Care2. They really do have good advice to make Life greener, and in many cases more comfortable.
As an example, they collected ingenious hints on preventing those bulkmails printed on paper and carelessly put in your physical postbox. See This Site. They provide internet platform of the Direct Marketing Association and some handy phone numbers.
MSNBC Green Tps
Ten Green Tips can be found here
Cooking with less Energy
Although cooking uses a relatively small amount of energy compared to heating, lighting, and the use of heavy househould appliances, it still is worth reducing. Of course there are a lot of well-known tips, like using a pressure cooker or a microwave to reheat already cooked food. But I want to keep it much simpler here.
Most people heat their ovens and electric furnaces for every dish they prepare. It would save almost half the energy if more dishes could be cooked at once. And with some culinary genious the food ought not be less tasty.
Let me give an everyday example: chopping potatoes in thin slices cooks them at least three times faster. Doing this cooking in the very same pan as you fry your meat in, you use a third of the energy or even less. Don’t hesitate to throw some beans or other vegetables in there, too, last minute since we want them as fresh as we want our planet. Do not forget to close the pan.
It’s all about an instinct most of us unfortunately lack: the instinct of using as little energy as possible to achieve your goals. I think it’s fun to try to cut down energy use in such everyday situations and to find other ways to do so all the time.
For those of us who like numbers:
An electric surface unit for cooking, operated at full power for one hour uses about 7.4 kWh. Let’s say a normal meal is cooked using half power for 30 minutes, resulting in about 1.8 kWh energy usage. Cutting this to one third, we save 1.2 kWh, which amounts to 1.2*0.43=516 g Co 2. So enjoy your meal with half a kilo less carbon dioxide in the air!
(numbers from hyperphysics and this Co2 Calculator)
Some good Energy Tips concerning Cooking are at this Australian site
Green Tips from the Pacific Coast
This is a collection of Green Tips put together by "Lights Out San Francisco", a website that coordinates an Event where all citizens of San Francisco will switch all non-essential light off for an hour and switch to CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulb). The event will take place on Oct. 20, 2007. Let's hope this action will provide impetus for other metropolitan areas around the world to do the same thing.
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
CFLs last up to 10 times longer and use 75% less energy than the incandescent bulbs most people have in their homes. Sure, they cost more, but they’ll save you money in the long run. - Take the SF Climate Challenge
Get started on the SF Climate Challenge by getting together a team of 5 or more households and signing up on the
SF Climate Challenge website. At the end of October, begin doing all you can to conserve energy in your home. At the end of the PG&E billing period, the SF Climate Challenge will we compare your energy use during the contest period with your use from the same time during 2006. Then they’ll award prizes of up to $5000 to the teams who’ve conserved the most energy. - Take public transportation
Driving your car just 10 miles less each week for a year would save the environment from several hundred pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. - Unplug appliances
Nearly 10% of the average electricity bill is due to idle appliances and electronics left plugged in. Unplug DVD players, TVs, microwaves, computers, mobile phone chargers, and the like when they’re not in use. - Vote green
See “Get out the green vote” on the right-hand column of this page for information about how you can get involved to influence politics on a local, state and national level. - Replace old appliances
Old washers, driers, and refrigerators consume a lot more energy than newer appliances, especially those with an Energy Star® rating. As an added incentive to replace old appliances, PG&E offers rebates on new energy-efficient purchases. - Use less water
Low-flow showerheads, and cold-wash laundry cycles can reduce the amount of household energy used by 14% to 25%. The same goes for turning down your hot water heater to 120 degrees. Save up to 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by running your dishwasher only when there’s a full load. - Drink from the tap
The Bay Area’s tap water exceeds the quality of many bottled waters. By not buying plastic water bottles, you save energy used to produce and dispose of bottles. If you buy plastic water bottles, be sure to reuse and recycle them. - Adjust your thermostat
A minor change of your thermostat setting to +2° in the summer and -2° in the winter can save your hundreds of dollars in electricity bills and our planet hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year. - Check your tire pressure
Cars are most fuel-efficient when tires are properly inflated. Also, take heavy items out of your trunk to get better mileage and think about upgrading to an energy-efficient, biodiesel or hybrid vehicle. - Take a vacation near home
Airplanes produce a huge amount of emissions. Instead of flying, consider exploring places closer to home–go camping, visit local museums, or get to know a nearby town. - Reduce, reuse, and recycle
Donate old clothes and toys. Consider buying used products, rather than brand-new ones. Choose products with less packaging. Recycle glass, metal, aluminum, paper, and plastics – and even your cellphone and computer with the help of Green Citizen. - Compost
Composting helps the local economy, reduces trash in landfills, and creates nutrient-rich fertilizer. We’re lucky enough here in San Francisco to have a curb-side program. Order a compost bin from Sunset Scavenger Company. - Save a cow
Reduce the amount of red meat you eat. Cows produce methane, a greenhouse gas. By eating less meat, our air will be cleaner, you will be healthier, and those cows will be happier. - Eat local and organic
Fruits, vegetables, and meat often travel thousands of miles to get to our plates. When possible, buy local produce, at places like the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays. You’ll be supporting the local economy as well as saving fuel. Also, organic farming boosts the environment by producing soil that is better able to take CO2 out of the atmosphere than conventional farms.
Buy FSC-Wood!
Do only buy wood that has the FSC-sign on it! The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is the most liable ecological label for wood. Ancient forest are being threatened for several decennia; each year a surface of about three times the Netherlands is being harvested – without replace. You can do something, buy wood from those forests that are sustainably managed. If you are to buy wood for furniture, a window frame or a doorpost – Always ask for FSC!