Apr. 5: Plinky ~ the environment

Today’s Plinky prompt:

What are you doing to help the environment? Explain your level of concern for the environment and how well you think you're helping.

I care about the environment and I know that each of us can make a difference, but honestly? I don’t live the perfect example of an environmentally-friendly life. Please don’t tell Al Gore.

Recycling

• This has gotten convenient for us since our trash pickup service recently added a more extensive recycle service. Nowadays recycling is so easy, I think you’d have to be lazy as hell not to do it.
• I recycle every scrap of paper I can; I keep a paper bag next to my desk in which I toss mostly junk mail, magazine and catalogs, and newspaper. The kids bring tons of papers home from school that go in there too.
• Victor takes care of glass and plastic recyclables. Cardboard too.
• We’ve got several empty helium tanks in our garage that our trash service won’t take. I still don’t know what we’re supposed to do with those. Same with electronics, baby gear, and other stuff that donation centers can’t accept.

Livestock

• We have chosen not to raise cows in our backyard, because we know their farts make holes in the ozone layer. I know, I know… such sacrifices.
• Our dogs fertilize the lawn in their own special way.

Automobiles

• We drive vehicles that are no larger than we need; we don’t have a boat or anything that necessitates a larger vehicle for towing, so that pretty much took care of itself. I’d like to get a hybrid.
• I wish we could walk or ride bikes in place of driving, but it’s difficult out here in suburbia.
• Public transit is not a viable option out here either, but with MAX coming in soon it may be someday.

Products

• I still use aerosol hair spray and glass cleaner, but I think every other spray product in our house is non-aerosol.
• Those fluorescent light bulbs? I can’t stand ‘em. My mom uses them in her ceiling fixtures and they make the rooms grey and dim, so when I start thinking about being more energy-conscious all it takes is a visit to her house to be reminded that I just can’t do the light bulbs.
• I try to re-use shopping bags but most of the time I forget them in my car when I go in the store. Every few months I gather all our plastic bags and put them in the recycling box at the grocery store.
• I re-use when possible. I cut up old towels for rags, I re-use paper in the printer that’s blank on one side, I donate the kids’ outgrown clothing, etc.
• I do not recycle water. I’m sorry; that’s where I draw the line.

We could and should do a lot more than we do, but compared to 20 years ago, we are much more environmentally conscious. Baby steps…