THE Ways to Conserve Thread (merged)

Frank · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:58 pm Post subject:

A little exposure to germs is good for you, ya know? Keeps the resistance built up. Wink

A programmable thermostat saved us almost 20% in our oil-heated house. Compact fluorescent bulbs are more efficient and save energy and money. If your refrigerator is more than 8-10 years old you can cut consumption in half by replacing it with a newer product.

etc. etc. There's a ton of good ideas out there - maybe someone should collect a "bullet" list of them.

mindfarkk · Heavy Crude Joined: Dec 07, 2004 Posts: 481

dammit, i thought we were talking about toilet paper!

TheSupplyGuy

Courtest of naturalfamilyonline.com:

51 Easy Ways to Go Green By Tabitha Tucker
Sustainable living is an approach to social and economic -- indeed, all activities -- for all societies, rich and poor, which is compatible with the preservation of the environment. It is based on a philosophy of interdependence, of respect for life as well as non-living parts of nature, and of responsibility for future generations. -- The Sustainable Living Network

Sustainable living is essential to the welfare of our world. Try some of these suggestions to leave your environmental footprint a little lighter and make a difference:
1. Compost.
2. Recycle.
3. Use vinegar and water to clean.
4. Maintain a pesticide-free garden and lawn.
5. Take shorter showers (even one minute shorter each day will add up to a lot of saved water).
6. Wash and re-use food containers.
7. Buy organic food.
8. Use cloth napkins.
9. Turn the water off while you brush your teeth.
10. Use your towels several times before washing them.
11. Install low-flow shower heads.
12. Turn the heat down while you’re out and asleep.
13. Garden.
14. Grow indoor plants.
15. Clean with baking soda.
16. Wear your clothes more than once before washing them.
17. Order coffee in a reusable cup.
18. Walk to the corner store rather than driving.
19. Shop locally.
20. Live near your workplace.
21. Use public transit.
22. Ride your bike.
23. Reduce your consumption of disposable items.
24. Get out and enjoy nature (you’ll automatically want to help preserve it).
25. Use gift bags that can be reused (and then reuse them).
26. Support fair trade.
27. Take David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge.
28. Eat more veggies and less meat.
29. Carpool.
30. Choose an energy-efficient vehicle.
31. Wash clothes with a full load.
32. Run your dishwasher only when full.
33. Repair leaky toilets.
34. Repair leaky faucets.
35. Use a low-flow toilet.
36. Plant drought-resistant native species in your garden.
37. Use high-efficiency appliances.
38. Wear natural materials (organic, when possible).
39. Support local farmers.
40. Learn about local environmental issues.
41. Eat whole foods.
42. Avoid excessive packaging.
43. Carry reusable shopping bags with you.
44. Support alternative energy sources.
45. Use recycled paper products.
46. Let the dishes in your dishwasher air dry.
47. Use rechargeable batteries.
48. Use cloth diapers.
49. Support green businesses.
50. Air dry your laundry.
51. Decorate your home with natural, renewable materials.
_________________
In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.-Thoreau
Peak Oil

killJOY · Fission Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 2478 Location: ^NNE^

Cynus · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 594

I agree that we should all do these things, however, if doing all these things simply allows another billion or so people to live on the planet the net gain will be zero.

TheSupplyGuy · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:45 am Post subject:

Yeah, I don't personally agree with all of them(such as the things KillJOY pointed out), but I figured the list as a whole was too good to mess with.
And excellent point Cynus. I just hope these things will keep a billion people from dying that don't have to when energy becomes scarce, not increase the population.
_________________
In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.-Thoreau
Peak Oil

53convert · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 02, 2005 Posts: 30

I think there are sufficiently good pointers to justify a bump on this.
Use a reel lawn push mower. Great exercise and no gas.

eastbay · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 4:34 am Post subject:

I think there are sufficiently good pointers to justify a bump on this.
Use a reel lawn push mower. Great exercise and no gas.

I agree with the 'bump'.
Funny, I was thinking about this just today. I waste plenty of water (and gasoline) keeping the backyard grass green during the hot summer and was pondering the future removal of portions of the lawn area.
I think push mowing will be a phase many will go through before those with grass lawns skip the mowing altogether and convert their grassy areas to vegitable garden areas.
The sooner the better... but not this week.

Madpaddy · Expert Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2087

eastbay,
Leave the small grassy areas for a goat which will give you great milk. If you don't have enough space for a goat then convert to vegetable garden like you said.

If you are in a suburb then maybe a goat is a bit of a nono for now but not for long!!!!
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53convert · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 02, 2005 Posts: 30

actually, for lawn mowing, if your so inclinded, get a couple of sheep. Evan if just minitures. They clip the grass, not pull and they, like chickens, make great garden tractors.
I do agree about the lawnmowing th9ing, I would much prefer a small veggie garden and orchard to sterile grass, but....... maybe tomorrow. though I would point out that I have started my orchard on my small wood lot.
Does that count.

Kfish · Tar Sands Joined: Mar 31, 2006 Posts: 92

What really gets me is the way a number of posters here use Jevon's Paradox to counter any argument on conservation. Or the common argument, it'll only delay Peak Oil, not stop it.

Both these arguments, I think, miss the point. The point is that we need every second of delay we can get to prepare for a world with less oil. And the sooner we start conservation efforts, the more time we have to get used to living with less oil.

Who cares if China burns the last barrel of oil instead of the US? The greenhouse effect doesn't care - the last barrel is going to get sucked out and burnt no matter how much we conserve. And if we've learned not to use that barrel, what impact does someone else burning it have on us? Unless, of course, there's a "it's not fair! we're conserving but no one else is!" element to the argument.

The conservers are still the lucky ones, because they've gone through the social and cultural changes voluntarily and at their own pace, rather than being forced to change abruptly in a hard landing scenario.
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birchm · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 20, 2006 Posts: 40

Steam_Engine · Coal Joined: Apr 15, 2007 Posts: 3

Here's a suggestion that doesn't require any increased work on your part and in fact saves you time (and loads o' money): a new style pressure cooker. Well designed new pressure cookers, being perfectly safe, aren't like the ones of old. They cook food two to ten times faster than ordinary cooking methods and, as a result, cut the energy used for cooking by about 70%. Unlike microwave cooked food, the meals taste superb, and pressure cookers cook food in a fraction of the time compared to slow cookers.

nocar · Intermediate Crude Joined: Nov 05, 2004 Posts: 680

I checked the link, and it looks exactly like the one I bought in Estonia three years ago. On a vacation trip.
Yes, pressure cookers save in many ways. Shorter cooking time, cheap cuts. Tough meat gets tender and tasty, like old hens - a favorite of ours, that we can get at a local small farm. Inexpensive meals.
Dry peas and beans ccok fast too.