reduce my environmental footprint

I’m now living closer to work, so I don’t use the car for commuting now. I also have switched to a laptop PC now too, which uses 60 watts at full peak. Where I’m living is also smaller and requires less heating. So my power bills are much lower too.

Let’s save the world, NOW.

I’ve ordered recylcing bins! I know it isn’t a huge step, but it’s still another thing done that will help in a huge way (even tho I don’t technically have them yet…).

has enabled me to get MUCH better gas mileage. My Civic has EPA estimates of 25/35, but when I follow this rule I get 45mpg on long trips.

I started a compost bin out back and I’ve been throwing some of the compostable waste from my kitchen in there. With a little baby in the house, I it’s not easy to get out to the compost bin right away, so that’s why I have a tupperware bowl in my kitchen where I can throw food waste to take out later. Eventually the compost will go to nourish the tomato plants I got from a friend to plant out back.

Some compostable stuff still goes in the garbage can, but it’s a good start.

After a couple weeks of using disposables while we got used to the whole new-parent thing, we started using cloth diapers. It’s actually not that hard, once you get used to it. It would be easier still if the spin cycle on our washing machine didn’t require supervision.

I’ve heard that the carbon footprint of using cloth diapers is comparable to that of disposables, when you factor in the energy required for manufacturing and washing them. But cloth diapers have the benefit of not clogging up landfills, so I think this counts as reducing my footprint.

Do we go to the next step of making and using cloth wipes? We shall see…

according to this website
http://www.wwf-footprint.be/nl/
i use 2,6 ha.
I want to make that 2,1 ha.
I think it will take a long time ;)

I started recycling paper a week ago, and I’m also makinng sure the lights are off if nobody’s in a room. I’m still working on unplugging stuff I’m not using. I’ve also become a vegetarian. When I have food that I don’t want (but it’s still good), I’ll put it
outside instead of throwing it away, so other animals can have something to eat in the winter.

I’ve done a lot of recycling things (cardboard, TVs, beer cans – can’t find where to recycle DVDs though) recently, but there are always environmental areas to improve. Our new property (rented) is very badly insulated and so even when wearing plenty of jumpers we have to keep the heating on a lot during the winter. I need to spend some time putting up draught excluders etc.

On a more positive note, I’ve just signed up to Friends of the Earth’s eco tip of the day, so hopefully this will provide inspiration for this goal.

I just started recycling.