Archive for the ‘Green Life’ Category

Posted on October 15, 2009 - by Lindsey

Blog Action Day 2009 – Climate Change

Today is Blog Action Day 2009, and we’re talking about climate change!

There are a couple of things that I try to do to help in little ways.  Now that I live in Atlanta, I have MARTA available to me, and I try to use it as often as I can.  For the first 2 months I was working in Midtown (about 45 minutes from my house) I rode MARTA to work every day.  Then I had a minor setback about a month ago (that’s a whole other post), so I really need to start taking MARTA on a daily basis again.  I also use MARTA to get to the airport.  Not only is that one less car on the road, but then I don’t have to pay exorbitant airport parking fees!

Another thing that I do it try to reduce my paper waste.  This actually helps with preventing climate change a lot.  From the EPA’s website:

How can certain waste management strategies reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Waste prevention and recycling—jointly referred to as waste reduction—help us better manage the solid waste we generate. But preventing waste and recycling also are potent strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Together, waste prevention and recycling:

• Reduce methane emissions from landfills. Waste prevention and recycling (including composting) divert organic wastes from landfills, thereby reducing the methane released when these materials decompose.
• Reduce emissions from incinerators. Recycling and waste prevention allow some materials to be diverted from incinerators and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of waste.
• Reduce emissions from energy consumption. Recycling saves energy. Manufacturing goods from recycled materials typically requires less energy than producing goods from virgin materials. Waste prevention is even more effective at saving energy. When people reuse things or when products are made with less material, less energy is needed to extract, transport, and process raw materials and to manufacture products. The payoff? When energy demand decreases, fewer fossil fuels are burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere.
• Increase storage of carbon in trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in wood, in a process called “carbon sequestration.” Waste prevention and recycling of paper products allow more trees to remain standing in the forest, where they can continue to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

One of my favorite ways to reduce paper waste is something that I’ve adopted at work, and I’ve actually had another co-worker start doing this as well!  We have SO MUCH paper waste that comes off the copier, and while a lot of it does go into the recycling bin, I’ve come up with a better use for this paper.

I take the paper, cut it in half, and then create a notebook from the paper!  I use a binder clip to hold everything together which works fantastically – not only does it keep things together better than a paper clip, but then I can remove sheets individually as if I were tearing them off of a pad (something I couldn’t do if I used a stapler).

It’s so simple, and I’ve had co-workers bring me their scrap paper to “refill” my notebook (hence the large stack of loose paper on my desk).  This is SO SIMPLE, but it really does make a difference.  My goal is to create a trend and get everyone on board with this idea.  It would sure save us some cost in office supplies if we didn’t need to by note pads!

There are so many fantastic ways to make small changes in your everyday life that will help us to keep our air clear, our ozone in tact, and our planet healthy.  I’m so glad that Blog Action Day 2009 is focused on this vital issue, and I hope that as bloggers we can make a difference in the world by our posts today.

What small things are you doing to help our environment?  I’d love to hear your ideas to give them a try!

Posted on March 2, 2008 - by Lindsey

101 in 1001 updates!

So I was reminded by Karen’s post that I haven’t updated my 101 in 1001 in a while. Honestly, it’s because working 2 jobs and being in grad school is VERY time consuming, so I haven’t had a whole lot of time to work on it. I’m also a little sad, because there are several things on my list that I don’t think I’ll be able to do by September. I console myself with the fact that I made this in college with no idea of where I would be in two years, so I had no way of knowing that I would only see my parents for a weekend here or there every four months or so (so how can I possibly #8 “go to concerts with Daddy?”) or that once I left Wake I would lose a lot of my ties to the school (I need the library to #25 “make the Parables DVDs,” but I have to have a current student with me to do that, and most of the people I know have graduated).

All things to keep in mind when I make my new 101 in September (yes, even if I don’t finish this one, I still intend to make a new one, and you may see me revamp some of the current items for the next time). Just because I don’t get finished by the deadline doesn’t mean that a lot of these things aren’t still important to me. And honestly, many of these goals were stretch goals to begin with (see me rationalizing?).

Anyways, back the (very) few that I have completed now!

#34 (Get a pet)- I have two of the most adorable little kittens ever sitting on my bed snuggling with each other. This one is done

(Photo take 5 minutes ago.)

#62 (Switch all lightbulbs to CFLs)- I actually did this when I moved into my new apartment in July
#66 (No more plastic grocery bags – only canvas) – I started doing this last year and actually made a habit of it around New Year’s. Every once and a while I forget to bring my bags in, but not usually.
#91 (Organize recipes) – My recipes are very much more organized now, though I can tell this will be an ongoing effort for me . . .
#95 (Attend 5 year high school reunion) – I wanted to go to my 5 year high school reunion, but I couldn’t go back to FL because of school and work. This made me sad, cause I haven’t even spoken with a lot of my high school friends in YEARS. So . . . I guess I’ll try for the 10 year?

So now I’m more than halfway finished – woo hoo!!! I’ll be honest, I’ve done a lot more than I thought I would! Here’s hoping that I can achieve the rest!

Posted on October 15, 2007 - by Lindsey

Today is Blog Action Day!

The day is almost over and I have STILL not posted for Blog Action Day. I meant for this post to be way better than it is – I intended to put some real time and thought into it, but some real life circumstances have come up this past weekend that prevent me from doing that. If I get a chance, I will post about that tomorrow.

But today is Blog Action Day, and that means that bloggers around the world are all blogging about the environment. I’ve got a few tips/thoughts/links to share.

There’s a GREAT list of ways to get started over on Blog Action Day website, so make sure that you check out the 50 Quick, Painless Ways You Can Help the Environment Today.

Some simple things that I’ve done to help are reducing the amount of paper I use when printing by using the amazing software GreenPrint, making the switch to compact fluorescent lightbulbs in my apartment (now available at Wal-Mart, Costco, and the grocery store – this one is too easy), and getting rid of all that junk mail (which wastes paper, ink, gas for the trucks, and energy) by utilizing GreenDimes. You can read more about my posts regarding green living here on my blog.

I’ve also got some great green links on the sidebar. One in particular that I want to point out is TreeHugger – this is an AMAZING resource, and contains great information and links to get you really started on a greener lifestyle.

It’s awesome to do something like install solar panels, buy an energy efficient car, or offset your carbon emissions. But in all honesty, we can’t all afford to do those things (though it is important to note that these things are becoming more affordable every day – it’s quite remarkable actually). But all the little things add up. By each little contribution you make, not matter how insignificant or easy it may seem, it will help.

What ways have you found to help our environment – I’m always on the lookout for great green tips and resources!

Posted on August 31, 2007 - by Lindsey

Blog Action Day

“On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind – the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.”

I’m going to be joining in with Blog Action Day – green living is something that I’m currently working on, so this is right up my alley! Join us and let all our voices be heard!