Green Tips

If everyone just did one or two things, then it would be a better place. I'm not one for composting, I can tell you that. It's disgusting. That's what garbage disposals are for, but I recycle.

You could take MUNI or better yet - WALK
Use cloth towels instead of paper towels.
You could switch out all of your lightbulbs with those eco friendly bulbs.

Granite Bay, the town I used to live in near Sacramento, sorted their garbage and recycling, so it all went to the same place. It made me skeptical in general, not to mention that it created bad habits.

I like to unplug electronic appliances when I am not using them - even if a TV/microwave is off, it still leeches energy. Power strips work really well, too. I can't bike to work given that I contract out to places all over the Bay Area, and I desperately miss my bike, but that has often been my preferred form of travel.

BTW good thread to start. Very inherently Northern California-esque, to boot.

I just got a new Droid, and every time I unplug it from the charger, it tells me to unplug my charger completely in order to save power. Cool, responsible addition to the phone.

I've been trying to buy local at the supermarket as much as possible. I used to buy grapes for example that came from Chile--but now I avoid them altogether. I have nothing against other countries but the amount of energy it takes to tranport them really addes to our energy footprint.

I heard that guy, Michael Pollen on the radio and he said a good way to reduce your environmental footprint is to grow your own veggies in a veggie garden. Kind of like, the Victory Gardens from World War II, I guess.

I may have to try that next spring.

I have gotten in the habit of avoiding taking bags when I shop, whenever I can help it. Not sure how massive of a difference it makes, but it makes me feel a little bit better every time.

Lot's of things that save you money can have a possitive effect on the environment--like keeping your tires optimally full and not accessorating too precipitously--both improve your gas mileage and help reduce the amount of gas you buy. (Unfortunately, I think I read a study that suggested these measures don't have as much of an effect as we might hope. Most people--me included--just don't have the discipline to actually carry out such measures.)

Interesting - I didn't realize that those actually affect gas mileage. I got my air filter changed a few months ago which has also helped on mileage tremendously. It's funny how those little things can add up...

I do think you're right that there are larger forces out there than air filters and airless tires. It is nice to do your part though, both for the karma points and to raise awareness. And hey, every little bit helps...

I'm afraid though that by the time we actually start realizing the seriousness of our situation it is going to be too late to head off a lot of pain and suffering of a kind we haven't seen in a while. The other day I heard this guy on the radio who is from a small island nation in the Pacific and he was pleading with the Nations of the World to take stronger measures against global climate change because he feared his country wouldn't survive much longer at the rate that the seas were rising around it.

The problem is that it is like smoking, you don't really notice the danger your putting yourself in until you've reached a pretty serious crisis.

@StephSF - I took 3 reusable bags to Safeway today, walked their, & also shopped at my local Farmers Market! Thanks for the reminder about the bags.
@FlowerGirl - I wish I had enough sun to grow my own veggies and herbs. I guess I could invest in one of those super expensive EcoGardens but you have to plug them in so not sure if you're saving the planet if you are using electricity to grown them. Hmm.
@NightOwInOrinda - completely off topic here, but your point about tobacco is a good one. Most people who get lung cancer (60%) quit smoking 10-20-30 years prior. It's also the #1 cause of heart disease. Tobacco has long term effects that people do not understand and the nicotine that is in it is extremely addictive.

Interesting points all around. The irony is that I always forget to grab my reusable bags. Whole Foods actually gives a ten cent discount if you opt out of accepting paper bags, and more often than not you will see me walking out of a retail store juggling five or six items for the sake of my own (maybe self-righteous) environmental karma.

@Nightowl, that is a depressing and eye-opening anecdote that more people need to be aware of. Unfortunately, I think that larger measures need to be taken on a global level in order to avoid crises like the one that you mentioned.

@StephSF - I think it helps to keep the reusable bags in your car. I always keep 2 there just in case. Keep them where you can see them. Or you can buy the fold up kind that are super tiny and can fit in your purse (if you carry one).

I had a set of reusable bags I was using but every time I would leave them in the house the cats would pee on them (something about the smells). I now keep them in the back of van though htey are pretty ratty from all the washings. (Probably more information than you needed to know about my supermarket bags.)

@Nightowl, remind me not to eat any produce that you bought :)

@Tracypie - great idea. That should probably do the trick. My purse is absurdly full already with stuff I usually don't use but I basically live out of my car so that works great.

Here's a posting regarding how to help fight global warming. We got most of them but I thought the not using as much hot water when possible was an interesting one. (Number 5).

I always tend to mix up things that we do for global warming with thingst that we do for helping the environment in general. I wonder if there are some things that are good for global warming but bad for say beavers or the wetlands. (And vice versa.) Just thinking out loud.

Hmm...I tend to correlate environmental awareness with reducing carbon output. I'd have to think about that question a little further, @Flowergirl.

Does anyone on here compost?

@StephSF - No way! I think composting is disgusting and not very practical for city living. It's practical for people who live in the burbs and have lawns and driveways. But for city folk like me who live in a 1100 sq foot apartment, composting is awful.

Yeah, that's what I've heard, although I've seen some die-hards do it. Personally it's not something I've ever sought out but I like the concept of it. I don't think I would like it in my 1100 sf apartment, either.

Anyone else?

I don't but I suppose that I should. I live on a relatively big property--relative to most houses in Berkeley,and I have heard of composting, but I guess I don't really get it or even why it would be such a benefit. Isn't the stuff people composrt already pretty biodegradable?

I will have to look into further.