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10 Effective Tips for Lazy Environmentalists to Save The Planet!
lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk — Being greener really all comes down to just one thing - using less energy. And it could even save you money, too. Here are 10 simple things we can all do - without even leaving the house...
1carmen- 738 diggs
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- FameMoney, on 10/12/2007, -4/+21If they are lazy I'm sure that they don't have enough patience to read this article.
- fober, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25I agree.
Though I only read the first 6 words of your sentence before the lazy took over. - RossTizma, on 10/12/2007, -9/+0I'm pretty sure an elementary schooler could have come up with all of these...
- shewasjustagrl, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13"8. Eat less meat"
Say wha?
As much as I try to do everything else, I'm a carnivore at heart. It's too hard to give up those porterback steaks :( - kylesellers, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Or lazy environmentalists can take a queue from Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, etc. and buy carbon offsets. Why actually do anything when you can pay some money and pretend that you're doing something good?
- j37hr0, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6What in the hell is a porterback steak? I've heard of a New York, T-bone, porterhouse, tenderloin, sirloin, but never a porterback.
You wouldn't do well on "Know Your Cuts of Meat" - shewasjustagrl, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Haha damn. I haven't been sleeping enough. Well I hope you get what I mean ^.^"
- mrmcbastard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@j37hr0:
New York steak? Out here in the midwest, we call it a Kansas City strip steak. - jeffeb3, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I need a more lazy list. Becoming a vegetarian takes more work than installing solar power.
- harrier666, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@shewasjustagrl,
Will you settle for hybrid cows?
- fober, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25I agree.
- magicjava, on 10/12/2007, -58/+8SHORT ATTENTION SPAN VERSION: DO NOT BUY COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS
I feel it's very important to warn people these "green" bulbs contain mercury which will end up in landfills throughout the country if we make the switch to them. In addition to filling our landfills with mercury, if the bulbs break you will be exposed to the mercury they contain.
HEALTH EFFECTS OF MERCURY
---------------------------------------------------
Here is a quote from a report by the National Institute of Health on the effects of Mercury:
Quote - "Exposures to very small amounts of these compounds can result in devastating neurological damage and death. For fetuses, infants and children, the primary health effects of mercury are on neurological development. Even low levels of mercury exposure such as result from mother's consumption methylmercury in dietary sources can adversely affect the brain and nervous system. Impacts on memory, attention, language and other skills have been found in children exposed to moderate levels in the womb."
Source : - http://orf.od.nih.gov/Environmental+Protection/Mercury+Free/MercuryHealthHazards.htm
Here are some of the problems we're having with mercury now. Switching to CFLs will only make it worse.
* 32% of lakes and 20% of rivers do not meet water quality standards
* 48 states have fish health advisories
* 1 in 6 women of childbearing age have unsafe levels
* 300,000 – 600,000 children born each year with neurological problems
Source: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mpaenvironment/pages/projects/sum2005/MercuryPresentation8-15.pdf
Also, putting mercury into landfills actually makes the mercury even worse and compounds the problem even more. For info on this see: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20010707/fob1.asp
MERCURY AND POWER GENERATION
-----------------------------------------------------------
Some folks will make the claim that using normal bulbs produces more mercury than these bulbs containing mercury. This claim is based on the assumption that all power comes from coal, which is not true, as shown in this quote from the EPA:
Quote - "Please note that a major limitation of EPA’s estimate of mercury emissions
savings is that we assume a direct relationship between energy saved from using T8 lamps and a reduction
in coal-fired electricity for all types of utility boilers; that is, the Agency assumes that, as the demand for
energy decreases, there would be a corresponding decrease in coal-fired electricity for all utilities and
regions of the country. Yet, lamp manufacturers and utilities have indicated that, for many parts of the
country, the marginal demand for electricity during business hours would be satisfied by gas and oil units,
not necessarily coal-fired units. For such regions, a decrease in energy demand would not necessarily result
in a decrease in coal-fired electricity. This issue has not been resolved in the analysis."
Source: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/merc-emi/merc-pgs/emmrpt.pdf
Also note that the EPA's Clean Air Mercury Rule will reduce mercury emissions from coal power plants by 70% by the year 2018. This is a much better solution than the "green" idea of dumping mercury into landfills all over the country.
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/control_emissions/index.htm
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/pollutioncontrols/overview_mercurycontrols.html
Summing it up, here are the numbers on mercury for CFLs and normal bulbs:
Based on 100% Coal (used by the EPA)
CFLs: 6.4 milligrams of mercury
Incandescent: 10 milligrams of mercury
Based on 50% Coal (what America actually has)
CFLs: 5.2 milligrams of mercury
Incandescent: 5 milligrams of mercury
Based on 50% Coal w/mercury scrubbers (scrubbers being added this year)
CFLs: 4.8 milligrams of mercury
Incandescent: 1.5 milligrams of mercury
Source: http://www.nema.org/lamprecycle/epafactsheet-cfl.pdf
Source: http://www.pbs.org/now/science/coal.html
ALTERNATIVES
------------------------
If you want to reduce the amount of energy you consume from light bulbs then please follow these steps:
1) Use natural light to its fullest effect, including scheduling your tasks to take advantage of natural light.
2) Buy smaller wattage bulbs.
3) Use candles.
4) Buy LED bulbs. They do not contain mercury.
Please do not buy these mercury bulbs. We are just now reaching the point where we've cleaned up the mercury in landfills. We don't need to turn around and put it back now.
IF I CAN'T CONVINCE YOU
-----------------------------------------
Compact fluorescent bulbs are listed by the government as hazardous items. For those folks who I cannot convince to not use these bulbs, here are the procedures for properly disposing of them, taken from the GE website:
• Like paint, batteries, thermostats, and other hazardous household items, CFLs should be disposed of properly. Do not throw CFLs away in your household garbage if better disposal options exist. To find out what to do first check www.earth911.org (where you can find disposal options by using your zip code) or call 1-877-EARTH911 for local disposal options. Another option is to check directly with your local waste management agency for recycling options and disposal guidelines in your community. Additional information is available at www.lamprecycle.org. Finally, IKEA stores take back used CFLs, and other retailers are currently exploring take back programs.
• If your local waste management agency offers no other disposal options except your household garbage, place the CFL in a plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the trash. If your waste agency incinerates its garbage, you should search a wider geographic area for proper disposal options. Never send a CFL or other mercury containing product to an incinerator.
Source: http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/ask_us/faq_compact.htm#disposal
If you break one of these bulbs _do not vacuum up the mess_. Follow these steps:
• Get people out of the spill area immediately. Keep uninvolved people and pets away until the spill is completely cleaned up. Blow fresh air into the area to dilute the mercury’s invisible, odorless, harmful vapors.
• Try to determine how much mercury was spilled. Contact one or all of the following:
• Poison Control Center
• local fire department HAZMAT team
• Department of Health and Family Services’ 24-hour answering service
Small spills are those involving less than a dime-sized puddle of mercury metal. These small spills can be
scooped up using a small, disposable dustpan or sucked up using a syringe or an eye dropper, but this method
doesn’t deal with the vapor problem. Safety equipment, if available, should include disposable liquid-proof
gloves and eye protection.
The most effective way to clean up mercury spills is to first spread sand, clay or sawdust in a circle around the
spill to stop the mercury from spreading. Then add an “amalgamating” powder to the spill to make the
mercury solid and reduce evaporation. Mercury clean up kits containing amalgamating powders are available
through safety supply companies and from some local health departments. Once the mercury spill turns into a
solid amalgam (a few minutes), the vapor hazard is reduced and the material can be easily picked up and put
in a sealed plastic bag.
Source: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/HAZEXCEPTIONS/merclean.pdf
RELATED LINKS
-------------------------
Woman breaks light bulb, turns house into hazmat zone: http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7446&Itemid=31
Mercury in energy-saving bulbs worries scientists: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_47218.html- spect3r, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13Dude, spare us the education
- Mahalo, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1That's enough out of you, mister...
- hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2I knew Magicjava would chime in here.
You see, his daddy works for an incandescent light bulb manufacturer. He is sacred.
Notice how none of the mercury dangers links talk about CFLs. And how it talks about the assumption that all energy comes from coal, but doesn't talk about how his "facts" are assuming that 100% of CFLs are dicarded to landfills. - onemindonly, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Compact fluorescent lights are not the end of the world. Have you not seen the long white tube lights used in almost every building except houses? Same thing but not compact. They have been around a long time. They are perfectly recyclable and there have been places to take them for years.
If you don't want them in a landfill, don't put them there.
If you break one, don't inhale it like you do your regular bulbs. - hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Wow. Even funnier...I checked out his PDF about how horrible mercury is. Just to see if there was ANY mention of CFLs. Of course there wasn't. But even better. It talks about small sized spills and how they are not as bad. But here is the funniest part. A small sized spill is defined by this page as a dime sized one. SEVERAL times more than what would "spill" out if there is a broken CFL in the house which is the tiniest of drops.
magicboy...I buy a new 10 pack of CFLs and distribute them to friends every time you post your silliness. - hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I also love how that in the year 2018, there will be scrubbers that will reduce mercury emissions from coal plants. (And apparnetly we will be far less dependent on coal plants too.) And thereof,re we should not use CFLs now, even though for the next 10 years, they will be responsible for FAR less mercury leaked into the environemnt than incandecents.
I have a deal for your magicjava...I will stop using CFLs in 2018. Fair enough? But for now, since my energy is supplied 100% by a coal power plant (as is the vast majority of the country), and those scrubbers are years away, CFLs are the way to go.
But just for you, I will switched to LEDs by 2018. Deal? - shewasjustagrl, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5@magicjava
It's ironic how your "SHORT ATTENTION SPAN VERSION" requires at least a ten times greater attention span than that required to read the article. - magicjava, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2hdtvdust, I generally don't care about mindless comments like yours, but please don't misrepresent what I've said.
Work on adding mercury scrubbers has been going on in tests for about 10 years. This year work begins to add live (not test) scrubbers to coal systems throughout the country. By 2018 these scrubbers will remove 70% of mercury from coal generated electricity.
CFLs _already_ put more mercury into the environment than normal bulbs. Today work is beginning that will lower the amount normal bulbs put out even more. It will continue to drop until 2018 at which time 70% of the mercury will be removed from coal generated electricity.
- Holyfool19, on 10/12/2007, -10/+2I am very very lazy, somebody stole our recycling bin like 4 years ago, and I didn't even try to get a new one for free from the city. I love the earth, I love being surrounded by nature and trees and other wonderful things, but I'm still more afraid of the demons and rapists lurking in the dark of my garage than to waste a little electricity. No there is no point to that comment.
- maoru, on 10/12/2007, -8/+45They overlooked the number one easiest way to save the planet. Don't have children.
You can live like an *****, and not have children, and have less of an impact than a hippie family of 4.
Not only do you not have to do anything, but you don't have to spend all your energy raising a kid.- ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4I am surprised you aren't getting dugg down! Usually the truth doesn't make it far on Digg. Recycle this, turn off that...overpopulation is the real problem.
- With, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Absolutely. And if that biological alarm clock keeps ringing, one can always adopt. But good luck convincing the average jerk that his/her genes are not, in fact, so special that they'll result in the most cutest-smartest-wonderfulest kid ever. I hope to start seeing more mainstream discussion of population issues, now that awareness of "living green" is on the rise. Right now it's still so taboo: http://vhemt.org/ versus "Go forth and multiply"...
- edgecurve, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding..."
- dkeck14, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1over-population ideas are very old, and usually very incorrect.
I would suggest checking this out: http://www.overpopulation.com/faq/People/julian_simon.html - bizchris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"They overlooked the number one easiest way to save the planet. Don't have children.
You can live like an *****, and not have children, and have less of an impact than a hippie family of 4."
That's how Idiocracy started out - great visualization of the devolution of a society. The well-educated couple thought they were approaching it right, as their family tree whittle down to 1 compared to the huge family tree from the moronic masses...
- mattyoung456, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8none of these ideas seem to be made for someone who isn't proactive. i would think examples such as "make someone from your work drive you there too" would make more sense as a lazy green move.
- ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4How about work from home? Telecommuting is way more energy efficient than commuting to work.
- mutatron, on 10/12/2007, -9/+8Cutting down trees for paper doesn't contribute to climate change. Every tree that's cut down for paper is replaced by a sapling that will absorb CO2 as it grows. There are other reasons for using less paper, but this isn't one of them.
- zzhiwen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Thank you for saying this. Too many people seem to think rain forests and redwoods are cut down to make paper and that's absolutely ridiculous.
- hdtvdust, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Less paper use would actually HURT the environment, becuase anyone who knows businesses knows that the land currently used to grow trees used to make paper would not be allowed to just grow in forests. It would be used for OTHER purposes, most likely ones that hurt the environment far worse.
- esquilax, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5actually, old growth Canadian boreal forests are being cut down to make paper. And when forests are clearcut, it's not just the trees that are being cut down, but the whole ecosystem that relied on those trees. So simply planting new trees doesn't quite counteract the damage.
not that i think people should wipe their ass with their hand or anything, but the issue is more complex than it appears superficially. conserving paper is probably a good idea. - mutatron, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Damn, that sucks. But for the most part, paper is a crop grown on land that has already been raped a long time ago.
- SmackMyMac, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8I've been laying in bed all day with nothing but my TV, Computer and a fan on.
Happy to do my part.- hockey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Turn off the fan you wasteful pig!!!
/sarcasm
- hockey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Turn off the fan you wasteful pig!!!
- redlantern64, on 10/12/2007, -5/+18Tip #1. Stop being lazy. The world is not going to be saved by lazy people.
- vokiel, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7The world does not need saving, period. It'll live long after mankind is extinct.
- mywhitenoise, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9when he says the world, I think he means all inhabitants of Earth, not the planet itself.
- nathanwalker, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Gotta save the cheerleader first.
Oh, wrong thread.
- nathanwalker, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18Slackers unite!
Tomorrow...- chrispen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Can I get a rain check for tomorrow? I probably wont make it.
- ultrastooge, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7Ah yeah... How about the simplest solution? Get off your lazy ass and ride a bicycle at least 2x a week or carpool. Start getting used to not having cheap gas to pump into your oversized SUVs.
- compu486, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4here is another way if you want to be a little more proactive.
http://inventgeek.com/Projects/photo-bio-reactor/overview.aspx - compu486, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2here is another way if you want to be a little more proactive.
http://inventgeek.com/Projects/photo-bio-reactor/overview.aspx- compu486, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2sorry for the second post....
- Mier, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Top 10 ways for jackass environmentalists to try to ruin a modern world with backwards thinking.
- vokiel, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Top 10 environmentalist spam of the day.
- JangoFett, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11So I shouldn't be printing steak recipes with my high-powered printer on non-recycled paper in a brightly lit room while the hot water tap is running in the other room?
- bristevens, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3People really need to think about the saving of paper in relation to the environment.
I am all for using MORE paper.
1) Paper is one of the closest resource to a renewable resource that we have. We should shift to using it more than most other resources.
2) The more that we use paper, the more demand that we create, thus the quantity of trees will increase. This means that there will be more of a need for trees. And as we all know, trees help take carbon out of the air that as it has been theorized to create a greenhouse effect on the world. To make sure that there are more trees on earth, make sure that you use more paper everyday!- Robubie, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4also most of the paper trees are grown in farms so they wouldn't even be there if it weren't for paper.and there are 3 times as many forests now then in the 1920's so we arnt losing any forests we are gaining them.
- harrier666, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Does this mean I can start using more than one square in the bathroom agaiiiiin? Sorry, key stuck, hands are sticky... don't know why.
- ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2We were all brainwashed at a young age to think that we are running out of trees. The paper/construction lumber industry is self sustaining and recycling is BS. When I tell people that, they think I am crazy but sometimes the truth sounds a little crazy.
- mutatron, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5There's more to paper than just trees.
http://www.cwac.net/paper_industry/
Damage Caused by the Paper Industry
Contaminated Sediments, Fish & Ducks...
Continuing Toxic Pollution...
Conventional Air Pollution...
Energy Consumption...
Water Consumption...
Solid Waste...
Deforestation...
Corruption of Democracy... - dkeck14, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Corruption of Democracy...christ thats retarded. This applies to any industry that has lobbyists, which includes the recycling industry.
As stated earlier, the amount of forest land in the US has tripled since 1920, and this is primarily due to the logging industry. In a time when we could use trees to help global warming, it would not hurt to support planting trees, rather then more recycling factories. - ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think it is a good idea to reduce paper usage and when you do need to use paper, use new paper. When you are done, throw the paper away or reuse it. I don't understand how having a third large truck (after the garbage and yard waste trucks) drive up and down my street each tuesday to pick up a couple pieces of paper is good for the environment.
- mywhitenoise, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Any environmentalists, lazy or not, should already know this *****. EVERYONE should! This is common sense, "use less heat, recycle paper"...no *****, tell me something I don't already know.
- ghostborg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I wonder sometimes?
I pay extra for recycling, rinse out the gooey stuff (using water) and watch a recycling truck, separate from the regular truck, pick up my recyclables.
Anyone know how to stop junk mail ? I am told its a freedom of speech issue.
I see energy being wasted all around me and wonder why I should pay the expense and effort when Store A is using the energy of hundreds of green people.
Of course I will, since every bit helps, I guess.
Rant:
The talking heads on CNBC talk about going green all the time , big business. I question companies motivations.
They will get us all to switch over at our expense (fixtures,equipment etc) and the jack the rates up. Just like natural gas. Every time the world farts my rates go up but never down, even when the cost of natural gas has gone down.
After Katrina it seemed like people where trying to figure out ways to generate their own energy, a good way to get your insurance company to drop you or find out your not covered because you hooked up some rig job to your house.- ssam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2when they send you an pre paid envelope stick it to a brick and post it back to them
- ricksite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What I hope people are starting to realize is that recycling is a joke. Why do we have all of this trash in the first place? Junk mail, phone books, 8-layer plastic packaging, etc... Reducing waste is a no-brainer. Recycling takes a lot of energy and it creates pollution. Reducing waste does not take energy and doesn't pollute. It just isn't as exciting as "Recycling".
- laservisor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0More tips here from Mayer Hillman: http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1974
- laservisor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0More tips are available in the Suicidal Planet: How to Prevent Global Climate Catastrophe (St. Martins Press, 2007)
- Kmack928, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0OMG TEH ENVIRONMENT IS FINE!! THE MEDIA IS TRYING TO SCARE YOU!! GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AS USUAL.
- Arramol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Well you know I was going to take all those scientific organizations with their methodical studies seriously, but since a random Digg user told me in all caps to ignore them, I guess I'll do that.
- Kmack928, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0THE MEDIA IS SCARING YOU!!!!! AMERICA WILL HAVE TO PAY ALL THE WORLDS TAXES! WE CANT AFFORD TO SAVE OURSELVES FROM A PROBLEM THAT SCIENTIST LIBERALS ARE TRYING TO INVENT!!!!
- Irfit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"And if you're really in to high tech solutions, you can try the Intelliplug which automatically powers off your computer peripherals (monitor, speakers etc) when you switch off your PC."
I dont get this "switch off your pc" thing - tomrh3, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1ill eat as much meat as i please
- fight4yourright, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1My Global Warming guilt levels may have reached critical mass...I either pay a shrink $100 an hour to unload my feelings or pay some unknown "company" a $100 dollars a month to offset my carbon footprint...or maybe I'll just continue with life and worry about real things...
- GenuineAid, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1These are really good 10 things to support our planet's life, I wish everyone would be smart like that...
- mauriziopetrone, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Want to do more than these 10?
Check out http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html
there are presented other 40 tips (50 total) that will help us in the fight against that Climate Change - Error601, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Riding the bus easily beats all those put together. #1 is really nonsense since there's X amount of power used for Y sources no matter what you click on a web site. I'd change out my light bulbs except there's no good choice at the moment. I can't really justify the landfill contamination of more fluorescents when I could more easily just make sure I turn them off. LEDs are going to be the next generation of home lighting.
I am blowing about 10 grand on a new HVAC system that should cut my power use a lot.
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