do little things to help save/conserve the environment

Since joining the HOA board, I have implemented a recycling program in our building. It grew so fast that we needed a second bin. Everyone is onboard although we need some further education because evidently some people are not sure what they can/not recycle.

I have become more conscious than ever about the environment. I not have 4 grocery bags that I take with me so I don’t have to use plastic or paper. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our building- looking into solar panels and photovoltaic paint.

So a lot has happened since I last posted an entry! :) Hopefully, more people will catch on and we’ll help the earth out a bit!

I went to South America a couple weeks ago for vacation. It was amazing. But it also made me realize some sad realities about our world. First, no matter where you go, no matter how remote, people are moving there and they’re building up. Numerous places I went on the trip I heard about how forests were being chopped down or bogs being ripped up or wildlife becoming a nuisance! It is really sad! I mean, went up to Iguazu and realized Brazil chopped down all but 7% of the Atlantic Forest! I didn’t spend a lot of time in Brazil but immediately it was evident they did not care for the environment at all and that is really sad! At least while in Argentina I had a little satisfaction that they appreciated nature and made efforts to preserve it. I still try to do little thing here in the states but after seeing how much more Arg does than the US in recycling, I wonder why we all are not doing more? Everything is melting, everything is being cleared away, weather patterns are changing and until the Virgin, Inc CEO donated money, I was wondering if anyone was really noticing or doing anything about it! It seems like it’s always the powerless people who want to act! Can’t wait for a new administration that might actually give a damn!

I am not sure if most people are aware you can and should recycle your computer, monitor, cell phone etc. I dropped off my old computer today. I forgot to do an entry about recycling the cell phone a couple weeks back. I guess you could sell it, too. But as long as you don’t throw it away, you’re doing your part to help the environment. BTW- Goodwill takes monitors and supposedly computers but when I went there they rejected me (although they confirmed on the phone). In any case, if you go to local yahoo, you should find facilities that provide these services.

One of my pet peeves is when people abuse the environment by wasting precious resources because they think they can! Living in the city, it was not much of an issue. Being in So Cal, people buy these behemoths of vehicles guzzling gas as if it were water. And if they ran on water, we’d have a shortage of that, too! Of all places in this world, So Cal is pretty close to the last place you need anything more than a Civic. Yet people have their power trips and think they’re the kings of the roads or something.

But it goes beyond just gas. It’s disappointing that many places in this country, including where I live now, do not have recycling programs. We try to do the little things to conserve what we can- taking one napkin at the restaurant, only using one towel in the bathroom, recycling the glass, paper, and plastic (even though it’s a pain in the ass)! People who are laughing right now probably are too ignorant to see how little things go a long way! For what it’s worth, I try to do the little painless things to help out where I can.