Blog Action Day – Global Warming
// October 16th, 2009 // Comments Off // Uncategorized
Blog Action Day is about creating a conversation on something that is important, and it just so happens that this year’s topic is Global Warming.
Many things contribute to global warming, and I’m not really interested in trying to wrap my mind around all of the issues surrounding this multifaceted, global issue. Rather, I’d like to focus on how I try to be ‘green’ and what I think can or should happen to help tackle this global issue.
Some things in my life I DO that I feel help mitigate global warming.
- I walk or bike to work
- I rent, and although I’m at that age where many of my friends are buying houses (which I hope to do in the next few years), I have the luxury to move about Charleston and pick where I want to live. I’ve been fortunate enough to live right near where I work, which is awesome because not only do I get to sleep a little later, but I literally have to walk 100 yards to my office, and when I can/need, I can work from where I live (since I’m a web worker and can work from any computer with an internet connection). I purposefully chose to live near where I work so that I can walk or bike and find huge rewards in time, money, and wear on my vehicle.
- I don’t buy bottled water when I can
- I’m not saying this is evil if you do buy bottled water and there definitely has been debate on bottled water versus tap water safety, but I don’t drink bottled water when I can help it (sometimes I do) because it simply aids in the demand in creating more plastic…..which can be recycled, but regardless of being recycled or not, many plastics don’t make it to recycling facilities and end up in our waterways which, also lead to our oceans and become pellet-like and disrupt our ocean foodwebs….that, in turn, could exacerbate the environmental disturbance that causes global warming. I like using my nalgene, and now more recently, my sigg water bottle because they are sturdy, hold a lot more than a bottle of water, and save on using more plastics.
- If it’s yellow, let it mellow
- This may sound gross, but I try not to flush (mostly in the evenings till morning) the toilet everytime I go pee….because I don’t want to waste water, but think about it, urine comes out sterile, unless you have kidney issues or a health problem, and it takes most bacteria about a day or so to reach a critical (stinky level)…so why not let them sit for an evening. I, however, do flush every morning and clean my bathroom weekly.
- I use Compact Florescent Bulbs
- Not only does this save some money over time, it also saves energy that otherwise would have been wasted with less efficient bulbs. The one caveat is that they contain a little mercury, but if disposed of properly, then I feel like it’s still well worth the switch in money saved alone.
- I try to eat locally grown foods when my budget allows
- I’m all about supporting our local farmers, but I feel like I am also eating healthier and doing my part in keeping all the expenses, gas, pesticides to a minimum because the food doesn’t need to travel as far (less gas used to transport), the food will tend to be more ‘in season’ and native to the area, unlike eating antibiotic ridden food…and the food will have less preservatives. Win, win.
- I take full advantage of Charleston’s recycling program
- I diligently try to recycle what I can to help reuse and reduce the amount of waste that comes from me.
- I cultivate my love and passion for the environment
- I do this by making a point to do at least one fun thing in nature every weekend, whether it be surfing, kayaking, hiking, camping….the more I love our environment, the more accountable I feel to make sure I do my part.
Things I want to DO to help mitigate global warming
- Get an energy efficient vehicle
- Biodiesel, electric….whatever I can do to get a vehicle that not only gets more miles to the gallon, but also dramatically reduces the amount of fuel consumption of a limited resource…and the less green house gases being release.
- Get more involved with educating others on things that can help with the big issue of global warming.
Ideas floating around:
- Transparent Solar cells
- simplifying conversion of glycerin to methanol/ethanol for transesterification to reduce waste in making biodiesel
- research more on algae and alternative biomass fuel sources like switchgrass, soy beans, and corn
- convert wave energy more efficiently to produce power as well as wind energy and geothermal
I hope to add more to this post in the future, but this is what I feel and hope to do my part in helping mitigate global warming.
