Realistic Conservationism
by Dawn St John
You don't have to throw yourself head-first into the conservation movement in order to make a difference. If your car is not run on biodiesel and your home not a self-contained solar-powered building, this does not make you evil. If you can do these things, great! More power to you! Not everyone can. Here are some things you might be able to do to help the Earth. Even changing one routine to a more eco-friendly approach makes a difference.
1. Use the 3 R's:
Reduce. We are a throw-away culture. These days everything comes in a disposable variety, from diapers to cleaning products. Sure, they're convenient, but convenience comes with a price, and not just monetarily. Instead of glass-wipes, buy window cleaner (ideally in a recyclable bottle) and use household rags to clean those glass surfaces. Old socks or pillowcases make great cleaning rags, and if you start saving them, you'll soon have more than you know what to do with!
Reuse. Use plastic shopping bags as trash-can liners. Instead of buying new storage containers for your leftovers, use those yogurt and margarine/butter containers so many areas won't recycle. If it can be used again, save it!
Recycle. Check with your local waste management company to find out what items are or are not recyclable in your area, and sort these items out every week when you take out the trash.
2. Curb your usage.
When washing your hands, turn off the water while you lather. Switch off lights when you leave a room, and turn off televisions, stereos, computers, and other electric devices before leaving the house or retiring for the night. Put on a sweater in favor of turning the heat up those extra couple of degrees in the winter, and turn the furnace down at night when you're bundled up under blankets.
3. Drive a fuel-efficient car.
Hybrids are relatively new to the market, and as such still rather pricey. Nevertheless, the 25-35 MPG of most sedans these days is a damn-sight better than the 10-15 MPG offered by many of today's SUVs, trucks, and vans. If you don't need a vehicle that large (and who really needs a Hummer?), go for something smaller and more efficient.
4. Take steps to improve your gas mileage and use less fuel.
Run your errands on your way home from work and try to run them all at once, so you aren't making extraneous trips. Use public transit (or your own feet) where possible. Turn off electrical items before the engine so the car does not have to fuel them when you turn it on again. Remember that most cars' optimal speed is 60 MPH, so driving beyond that speed means expending extra gasoline. Set up car-pools to out-of-town events, or grab a friend to go grocery shopping with you.