IMNSHO (In my not so humble opinion)
Aug. 19th, 2008 05:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helwenLots of folks talk about living "green", but a lot of the "solutions" are expensive. Want to know the easiest and cheapest ways to green your life? Anyone who's read my LJ for a while has probably seen at least some of this here before, but I need to get some thoughts down for a possible newspaper article or series of articles, so if you don't want to see this stuff again, scroll on by.
Don't buy lots of new stuff. Whether it's cheapo cr*p or "green" recycled/sustainably grown/etc. stuff. Use what you have, re-purpose things, buy from used clothing stores (there are ones for career clothing in some places, even), get things through Freecycle, etc.
If you need to buy new, and sometimes you do, buy things of quality -- things that will last. If it's clothing, try to pick classic styles that will stand the test of time. That's one my mom tried to educate me about, although I do still fall prey to the occasional spiffy /trendy thing... just not as often as I used to :D Even then, they're usually things that will last several years.
Use less fuel for travel. Combine errands when using a car, walk/bike when you can, take public transport if it's available in your area. Even if you only cut down on a few trips by car per week, that's a Good Thing(tm).
Buy what you'll eat, eat what you buy. Don't let food spoil or go past its expiration date. Leftovers are not the food of the devil. Maybe they can be combined with something else (or each other). Maybe each family member will have something different to eat - it's not the end of the world. Food thrown out is money thrown out. Also, at least parts of most commercially bought food can't be recycled or composted, so then the waste also fills up the already full dumps.
Turn out the lights. This one's not quite so obvious. Turn out lights if you're leaving a room and won't be back within 20 minutes. Use CFLs primarily for lights that stay on for a while, but use incandescents for lights that aren't used often and/or for very long. CFLs use more energy than incandescents when being turned on...
Get up early and use more daylight. Sunlight and windows are your friends.
Insulate. Layers on the walls and floor are good -- wall hangings and rugs -- maybe even rugs on top of rugs, as long as the rugs aren't a tripping or slipping hazard. Best way to save money on fuel is to not have to use it.
In cold weather, wear layers. Keeping the heat lower in the home is more bearable if one is dressed warmly. Some people can keep the thermostat lower than others, but I've found that wool socks & good slippers, long johns under the slacks/leggings/skirt, and a few layers on top work for me. Vests are a favorite for me because I can stay warmer without feeling like a stuffed animal (three layers on the torso but only two on the arms). Fingerless gloves are great, indoors or out. People lose a lot of heat through their feet and their heads, so in addition to the socks and slippers, a scarf or hat can be useful. With some work and creativity, you can probably create a new fashion statement :D
I like scarves too, although for indoors a light silk one is all that's really needed -- real silk is great stuff -- beautiful, lasting, and possible to get or make for not too much, if you hunt around a bit.
Other heating methods. Make tea or hot cocoa. Hot soups are good too, for heating from the inside. Baking bread and then leaving the oven door ajar for the residual heat to keep warming the room for a while is another good way to "heat" your home. Candles - double for lighting in some cases (remember, don't leave flames unattended). I know people who've used them this way, to supplement the little heat for which they were using their furnace.
Get up and move around periodically, to get the blood circulating. If you want the movement to have purpose, spread house chores throughout the day. Throw in some light exercise while listening to some favorite music, or while singing a favorite tune.
Have friends over, or go hang with some friends. People produce, on average, 100 watts of heat.
Go to the library (does this sound familiar? I suggested it for getting free AC in hot weather...). Great place to hang out, read, maybe do a bit of knitting or crocheting. On rare occasions, maybe the mall or theatre... Years ago, when I lived with a bunch of friends in Northampton, we ran out of fuel on a Sunday. Wasn't kept track of or the gauge got stuck, I don't remember. Our choices were to pay extra for a Sunday delivery, or wait until Monday for a regular delivery. Gas (carpooling), dinner and a movie were about the same as penalty charge, so we opted to wait on the delivery and go to the mall, where the cinema was located. Then we all bundled up for bed that night -- it was chilly in the morning, but quite manageable. In general I'd still rather go to a library, but we had a good time that night :) And malls do usually have benches and at least one public eating area, so if the mall is closer one can always bring a book or knitting and hang out (preferably with friends -- more fun that way!).
Don't buy lots of new stuff. Whether it's cheapo cr*p or "green" recycled/sustainably grown/etc. stuff. Use what you have, re-purpose things, buy from used clothing stores (there are ones for career clothing in some places, even), get things through Freecycle, etc.
If you need to buy new, and sometimes you do, buy things of quality -- things that will last. If it's clothing, try to pick classic styles that will stand the test of time. That's one my mom tried to educate me about, although I do still fall prey to the occasional spiffy /trendy thing... just not as often as I used to :D Even then, they're usually things that will last several years.
Use less fuel for travel. Combine errands when using a car, walk/bike when you can, take public transport if it's available in your area. Even if you only cut down on a few trips by car per week, that's a Good Thing(tm).
Buy what you'll eat, eat what you buy. Don't let food spoil or go past its expiration date. Leftovers are not the food of the devil. Maybe they can be combined with something else (or each other). Maybe each family member will have something different to eat - it's not the end of the world. Food thrown out is money thrown out. Also, at least parts of most commercially bought food can't be recycled or composted, so then the waste also fills up the already full dumps.
Turn out the lights. This one's not quite so obvious. Turn out lights if you're leaving a room and won't be back within 20 minutes. Use CFLs primarily for lights that stay on for a while, but use incandescents for lights that aren't used often and/or for very long. CFLs use more energy than incandescents when being turned on...
Get up early and use more daylight. Sunlight and windows are your friends.
Insulate. Layers on the walls and floor are good -- wall hangings and rugs -- maybe even rugs on top of rugs, as long as the rugs aren't a tripping or slipping hazard. Best way to save money on fuel is to not have to use it.
In cold weather, wear layers. Keeping the heat lower in the home is more bearable if one is dressed warmly. Some people can keep the thermostat lower than others, but I've found that wool socks & good slippers, long johns under the slacks/leggings/skirt, and a few layers on top work for me. Vests are a favorite for me because I can stay warmer without feeling like a stuffed animal (three layers on the torso but only two on the arms). Fingerless gloves are great, indoors or out. People lose a lot of heat through their feet and their heads, so in addition to the socks and slippers, a scarf or hat can be useful. With some work and creativity, you can probably create a new fashion statement :D
I like scarves too, although for indoors a light silk one is all that's really needed -- real silk is great stuff -- beautiful, lasting, and possible to get or make for not too much, if you hunt around a bit.
Other heating methods. Make tea or hot cocoa. Hot soups are good too, for heating from the inside. Baking bread and then leaving the oven door ajar for the residual heat to keep warming the room for a while is another good way to "heat" your home. Candles - double for lighting in some cases (remember, don't leave flames unattended). I know people who've used them this way, to supplement the little heat for which they were using their furnace.
Get up and move around periodically, to get the blood circulating. If you want the movement to have purpose, spread house chores throughout the day. Throw in some light exercise while listening to some favorite music, or while singing a favorite tune.
Have friends over, or go hang with some friends. People produce, on average, 100 watts of heat.
Go to the library (does this sound familiar? I suggested it for getting free AC in hot weather...). Great place to hang out, read, maybe do a bit of knitting or crocheting. On rare occasions, maybe the mall or theatre... Years ago, when I lived with a bunch of friends in Northampton, we ran out of fuel on a Sunday. Wasn't kept track of or the gauge got stuck, I don't remember. Our choices were to pay extra for a Sunday delivery, or wait until Monday for a regular delivery. Gas (carpooling), dinner and a movie were about the same as penalty charge, so we opted to wait on the delivery and go to the mall, where the cinema was located. Then we all bundled up for bed that night -- it was chilly in the morning, but quite manageable. In general I'd still rather go to a library, but we had a good time that night :) And malls do usually have benches and at least one public eating area, so if the mall is closer one can always bring a book or knitting and hang out (preferably with friends -- more fun that way!).
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