INITIATIVE: EARTH
Apr. 22nd, 2008 08:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thezI don't really make New Year's resolutions, but I figured it would be good to make some Earth Day resolutions.
1. Get into better shape so that I can ride my bike to more places. I think I'm going to follow this "couch-to-5k" running plan. I started yesterday, and man, it felt great to be exercising again. I'm so glad I found an inhaler that works; it's hard to believe that a little over a month ago I couldn't even make it up the stairs to my apartment.
I think I'll have to stretch week one into two or more weeks, though, because I am so out of shape now that you'd cry if you saw me in action.
2. Buy some fluorescent light bulbs once I run out of incandescents.
I'd like to add a number 3, "buy more locally-grown food" to this list, but for the fact that there is some sort of Tucsonian conspiracy going on where the only farmers' markets in this town run while I'm at work. All farmers' markets in Tucson: Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday, between nine and five. My work schedule: Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, between nine and five. What the fuck. Conspiracy.
So far, since moving out in August, I've done the following Green-ish things...
1. Found a local recycling center, since there's no recycling pick up at my apartment complex, and started taking all my goods there every week or so. Now that I've met some of the neighbors, maybe I'll offer to bring their stuff to the center as well? I can foresee this ending badly, though: "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT RECYCLE USED TISSUES? CAN'T YOU READ? YOU ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!"
2. Got some canvas bags at Trader Joe's to use when I shop, even when it's not at Trader Joe's. The difficult part is remembering to bring the damn bags WITH me, but I've gotten much better at it. I think I remember about 90% of the time now.
3. This one always sounds a bit lame to my ears, but oh well: I've started reusing the plastic beverage fountain cups from various convenience stores. Take them home, wash them, use them again next time I have a long drive ahead of me and need a drink. Most of those cups aren't recyclable, and those motherfuckers don't biodegrade at a reasonable speed. I do the same thing with water bottles, but those are at least recyclable (even if they don't recycle particularly well). I've ALSO been cutting down on the amount of plastic material I buy, which is much easier for some food products than for others, and sometimes downright impossible.
That's about it, really, besides being very frugal with my goods and electricity and water. Waste not want not and all that. Hopefully I can keep doing more.
HAPPY EARTH DAY. Remember: the planet will long outlive anything we do to it, but that doesn't mean that we can't kill OURSELVES in a horribly grotesque fashion. Maybe if we keep pushing it we can look just like Venus in a couple hundred years. Mmm, scorched descendants.
1. Get into better shape so that I can ride my bike to more places. I think I'm going to follow this "couch-to-5k" running plan. I started yesterday, and man, it felt great to be exercising again. I'm so glad I found an inhaler that works; it's hard to believe that a little over a month ago I couldn't even make it up the stairs to my apartment.
I think I'll have to stretch week one into two or more weeks, though, because I am so out of shape now that you'd cry if you saw me in action.
2. Buy some fluorescent light bulbs once I run out of incandescents.
I'd like to add a number 3, "buy more locally-grown food" to this list, but for the fact that there is some sort of Tucsonian conspiracy going on where the only farmers' markets in this town run while I'm at work. All farmers' markets in Tucson: Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday, between nine and five. My work schedule: Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, between nine and five. What the fuck. Conspiracy.
So far, since moving out in August, I've done the following Green-ish things...
1. Found a local recycling center, since there's no recycling pick up at my apartment complex, and started taking all my goods there every week or so. Now that I've met some of the neighbors, maybe I'll offer to bring their stuff to the center as well? I can foresee this ending badly, though: "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT RECYCLE USED TISSUES? CAN'T YOU READ? YOU ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!"
2. Got some canvas bags at Trader Joe's to use when I shop, even when it's not at Trader Joe's. The difficult part is remembering to bring the damn bags WITH me, but I've gotten much better at it. I think I remember about 90% of the time now.
3. This one always sounds a bit lame to my ears, but oh well: I've started reusing the plastic beverage fountain cups from various convenience stores. Take them home, wash them, use them again next time I have a long drive ahead of me and need a drink. Most of those cups aren't recyclable, and those motherfuckers don't biodegrade at a reasonable speed. I do the same thing with water bottles, but those are at least recyclable (even if they don't recycle particularly well). I've ALSO been cutting down on the amount of plastic material I buy, which is much easier for some food products than for others, and sometimes downright impossible.
That's about it, really, besides being very frugal with my goods and electricity and water. Waste not want not and all that. Hopefully I can keep doing more.
HAPPY EARTH DAY. Remember: the planet will long outlive anything we do to it, but that doesn't mean that we can't kill OURSELVES in a horribly grotesque fashion. Maybe if we keep pushing it we can look just like Venus in a couple hundred years. Mmm, scorched descendants.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-23 04:54 am (UTC)I also bought a reuseable bag and you're right - it's so hard to train yourself into bringing it along. XD
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-23 02:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-24 08:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-25 12:09 pm (UTC)I have almost all-fluorescent lighting in my apartment for the most part, installed by my complex. I like that it lasts longer, although it has a different quality to it.
The Atlanta Toilet Police won't let you get an old house unless it has low-flow toilets. Heaven forbid you should water the plants....
I guess the Establishment has taken care of a lot of this for me.