April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!!

My home is 82 years old and I have lived in it for 7. Originally it had no dryer just a clothesline out back. Out of necessity I dried my clothes on that clothesline. Within 2 months of moving in I had my dryer. But do you know what? I still use that clothesline for almost all of my drying and can do it almost the entire year!

I needed to buy new car last year. I really, REALLY wanted to buy the “green” standard Prius hybrid. I bought a Honda Fit instead. I am 6’4” so it is a bit funny being the tall guy in a small ride, but I don’t care. I had saved up enough money to buy the Fit out right. A loan would have been needed for the Prius and I didn’t want a car payment. Most of my friends may not understand my choice, but I think my future children and grandchildren will.

It has been reported that the combined air pollution from cows and other animals raised for meat is greater than the combined air pollution from automobiles. I may not be able to afford a hybrid and I cannot quite make the vegetarian commitment, but I can definitely eat less meat and more grains, rice, nuts, fruits and vegetables. What a great way to help the environment and be healthier as well! Since I am eating more fruits and vegetables I decided to start composting and to expand my garden this year.

Now that I am composting I have less garbage. Therefore I only need to put my garbage and recyclable receptacles out every 2-3 weeks. The waste trucks stop less at my house so there is less idling. This does not sound like much, but if my neighbor did this, and my street did this, and my neighborhood...

Last summer at the Salvation Army Yard Sale I purchased a Reel Mower (like the old-fashioned kind.) I now mow my yard with it. It’s great and does a good job! It is not perfect and I still have to use my power mower and weed eater about once a month, but I am OK with that.

Someday I’ll have a hybrid car. It will probably be a clean diesel that gets 60 mpg.

Someday I’ll have solar panels and maybe a wind turbine.

But for now I’ll keep doing what I can. From improving my weather stripping, to installing a programmable thermostat, to having my ducts sealed, to using my ceiling fans, I try to keep my home as energy efficient as possible. When I go to the store I’ll save the world one plastic bag at a time by using my reusable shopping bags. Each year I hope to use less energy and keep the air cleaner.

Why? It’s time to stop thinking about just ourselves and start thinking about several generations from now.