I found this absolutly halarious... (sp?)

The Question: What are the top 3 things a person can do to go greener?

One of the answers: This just cracks me up...

Remember in elementary school when you learned about those OTHER three R's? Of course I mean reduce, reuse, and recycle.

REDUCE-Reduce your consumption! Don't use plastic silverware, don't use paper or foam cups and plates, don't buy foods in single-serving packages, don't drive when you can easily bike or walk to your destination and carpool or take public transportation when you can't , turn down your hot water heater to 98 degrees, shower every other day, use cloth diapers, use rags instead of paper towels, turn down the heat or the air conditioner when you're not home, switch to energy efficient light bulbs, turn off lights and appliances when you're not using them, use natural light during the day, you get the idea.

REUSE-Use a cloth bag or basket to carry your groceries in, donate used clothing and appliances to charity instead of throwing them away, save Popsicle sticks, paper bags, pipe cleaners, wrapping paper, and anything else that you think could be used for kids' crafts (a lot of times Head Start and other preschools/day cares have lists of needed things like this available to the public!), wash and reuse plastic and glass containers, think creatively about "trash" and find things to do with it. Ever see those purses made out of plastic grocery bags? Same concept.

RECYCLE-Take the time to learn about and follow your community's recycling guidelines, return aluminum cans and plastic bottles to the store, use food waste to make your own organic compost, buy products made from recycled goods, teach your children and educate your community about what can be recycled. Things like batteries are actually recyclable, but not many communities are on board with this kind of program; push for yours to get on board.

I know that's a lot from three things, but I truly believe that these are the keys to a greener existence.

 

I don't see how that's funny...

 

I shower twice a day and will continue to do so. And anyone who has kids will (most likely) NEVER use cloth diapers. Have you seen the stuff that comes out of there? I'm not touching it, or washing it. Sure we all need to do our part to keep things clean, but some of these are way over the top. Those who make these list I would be willing to bet DO NOT live by the standards they are telling others to live by, nor do they have plans to do so.

And as far as energy efficient light bulbs, make one that works with a dimmer switch, and doesnt contain mercury and I'll consider it.

 

They're just recommendations...how closely you want to follow them is personal opinion.

 

Phillips makes CFL's (compact flourescent lights) that work with dimmer switches. You may be able to find them at your local home store and if not you should be able to find them on the web, probably on Phillips website.

The mercury that is in these lights is very minimal. These lights will have no affect on your health under normal usage, should you break one then it's a slight problem but considering the small amount of mercury contained it's not a big problem.

 

I remember reading somewhere a while ago it was actually more environmentally friendly to use disposable diapers than cloth, something about when you consider the amount of water and detergent used to clean cloth diapers. I wish I had saved the article.

I also wouldn't want to deal with the stuff that ends up in the diapers. I have one still in diapers, some days it's all I can do to keep from when changing him.


Shower every other day? Do the people that come up with this coexist with other humans? I know the people I work with would not be tolerable only showering every other day. You tend to stink after sweating all day in the summer.

 

my point exactly!!!

 

As calgaryhhr noted, Philips makes CFLs that work with dimmers now, as do other brands.

You should really consider CFLs. About a year and a half ago I went on a lightbulb changing rampage and changed every light bulb I could reach to a CFL bulb. The result? An average reduction of about 110 Kw/H per month in electricity usage just from changing light bulbs.

 

I use CFLs in most sockets. I've been converting to them as my bulbs burn out. They are so much better than the old flourescents.

I try to recycle every chance I get but can't convince the younger workers in my office that it's important. In our county, water, sewer, trash, and recycling are all included in the same bill. If I have to pay for it, you bet I'm going to use it!

Growing up in a family of 7 with a septic tank, we were limited in the water we could use. I now take showers whenever I want. I did add a timer to my hot water heater which has saved a ton of money. It costs under $50. Replacement windows with low e glass are also a great option. They pay for themselves very quickly.