Reduce my ecological footprint

I’m not sure how long I will last, but it feels like the right thing to do for now. Aside from being the healthierst option, it’s also the best for the environment.

Starting off as a vegan, eating no animal bi-products, but just for now. Later i’ll start eating dairy again, and gradually maybe seafood. Who knows how long i’ll last.

Since I grew up on tank water I knew how important water was from a young age, but there’s always more I could be doing to save water…

• Fill the toilet tank with a pet bottle filled with rocks
• Take shorter showers
• Rarely take baths

I don’t use much paper, but I could use less. These are some ways i’ve found I can reduce my paper consumption, so i’ll give this a go first…

• Use less toilet paper
• Re-use work fax sheets for personal notes and lesson plans
• Re-use envelopes
• Sign up for electronic bank statements
• Use an electronic diary
• Record memos on your cell phone
• Read Metropolis online, instead of taking the magazine

If everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle we would need: 2.56 earths. Total footprint 40.21... which for Japan was lower an all scales except carbons, because I fly so often. I should buy carbon offsets but it’s hard enough finding the cash for the flights, let alone the offsets.

It’s hard to reduce packaging in Japan since everything is wrapped a million times, but i’ll find ways to reduce it.

I need to find out about recycling in our area. This will be the easiest part of reducing my footprint, and will also have the biggest impact I think.

I’ve made a valiant effort of using my own totes at the grocery store for several years now, but one thing I have struggled with is reducing my personal trash, which has mainly come from grocery and personal item packaging. I recycle which packages that I can, but I still feel awful when I am at a loss at re-purposing certain things (i.e. random tiny candle holders, skin care jars and pumps, etc.).

To make matters worse, my new step-mom (who, to her credit, for all other things is awesome and I love her to bits) has this chronic problem of throwing everything – including things that are totally recyclable- away. She’s created a culture around the house of using paper plates when you just don’t feel like dirtying any ceramic ones, buying tons of readymade/chef’s case foods that come in plastic cases, etc. I feel like saying something, but I don’t know how without sounding eco-bitchy.

In reading an article about this, Good Magazine featured an artist that actually archived her own weekly waste. It kind of gives you a visual of your own personal waste.

Your footprint is 16.64 tonnes per year
The average footprint for people in United States is 20.40 tonnes
The average for the industrial nations is about 11 tonnes
The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes
The worldwide target to combat climate change is 2 tonnes

I need to calculate my footprint- 1st step. Then I need to find ways to reduce it.

After pondering water bottles for some time, I finally decided on a Nagalene. It is BPA free and made in the USA. I was going to get a Kleen Kanteen or something like it because it was stainless steel instead of plastic. However they are made in China. Given that the plastic is well made and free of toxins, I choose to support our country over China any day.