Going Green - Need Help!

Here's a big one.. The next time you need a car, don't go out and buy a shiny new Prius, buy a beat-up old dodge. I think when chasing the goals of the green trends, people forget how terribly wasteful and damaging manufacturing is.

Okay, this is off topic a bit but 700 gallons for a cheeseburger seems like one of the 62.8% of statistics which are made up.

Assuming I got valid data, from municipal water sources in large quantities like a farm would buy, 700 gallons would be $.25. A quarter pounder at McDs costs $1 (I think...I only see the ads, can't eat their junk), so I gotta think that something is wrong here.

Municipal water isn't really a free market economy, but I think its fair to say the cost is somewhere in line with the supply and demand. The statement of the water consumption for the production of a cheeseburger would lead me to believe supply was short, which would lead to higher prices...but cheap cheeseburgers lead me to believe otherwise.

If anything I'd think more valid concerns would be feed quality, antibiotic use, growth hormones, waste runoff, methane output, etc. But these are all addressable...if the US is ready to kiss off the dollar menu.

Having said all that...I'd rather have a buffalo burger anyway!

As for my green suggestions:

Sign up for Green Power, PSE's program lets you buy part or all Green Power. It costs me about $6 more a month for 100% Green Power and unlike most green things you can do, there's no big up-front infrastructure cost. (I know Brianna is in Tulsa, consider this a Seattle-Metro tip)

(http://www.pse.com/solutions/foryourhome/Pages/home_greenPower.aspx)

Buy a Kill-A-Watt and find what consumes excess power in your house.

Upgrade computers with an Earthwatts power supply - this can easily cut 20-80 watts of power.

On matters of waste: Buy bar soap instead of liquid soap or body wash. Bars last longer and don't need bottles or pumps and are more efficient to ship. They cost less too.

Skip the one use cleaning wipes, toilet cleaners, etc. They're ridiculously expensive and wasteful.

Use cloth napkins. Serious, if a bachelor like me can do it, you can give up the paper ones.

Keep a reusable coffee cup in your car. I don't get how everyone around here can drink so much coffee yet not bring themselves to get a cup. They keep the drink warmer longer too!

Take packing peanuts back to the UPS Store - they reuse them!

Actually, water is by far the most mismanaged resource in America. 700 gallons of water might be low. My understanding is that in optimal conditions you need a ratio of 2 grazing acres per cow (if not raising in a feed lot). In more common conditions it's between 25 and 30 acress. Feed lots are far more efficient than free-range operations. I'm willing to bet that the mcdonalds hamburger grown in a feed lot uses far less resources than a gourmet free-range oranic burger.. Of course you're not paying for resource efficiency, you're paying for quality. This is just another micro view of the truth: The rich world consumes more resources.

Having grown up in an agricultural region, water was on everybody's mind. Every time a block got consolidated into a large farm, the straing on the l ocal water table increased, and was noticable for about a 10 mile radius.

My parents have had to drill deeper and deeper wells 4 times in the past 20 years. It cost the farmers nothing, but costs my parents $15k-$20k for every new well.. So yeah, the costs get covered somewhere. Agricultural and manufacturing interests really do not pay more than a pittance for water. Our water supply is terribly mismanaged. At best it's corrupt the way agriculture and manufacturing are given free reign over water supplies.

Manufacturing is even worse. You should tour a steel plant sometime. A ton of raw steel requires about 70,000 gallons of water beginning with mining and ending with raw ingots.

Put a datacenter into perspective. A large datacenter campus might use 10MW of continuous load. The average single family home uses about 1.5KW of continuous load. One large datacenter = 6,667 homes. Running two wires, and installing some beefy transformers to a single campus is far, far, far cheaper than maintaining the infrastructure required to deliver power to 6,667 homes.

The true per-unit power cost for businesses is incredibly inexpensive once everything is taken into account, including administrative overhead, distribution, and customer service.

Utilities aren't pushing Green because they want to save the world. They just want to minimize their losses on consumers while maximmizing their profits on large business. Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo can all pay the utilities $0.018/kwh compared to our $0.08/kwh and be 10x more profitable per unit than we are.

The idea of purchasing new technology towards the ideals of a a Green utopia are even greyer. Let's face it, computers were fast enough for 99% of all consumer applications 7 years ago.

In Seattle, 20-80 watts, or rather a range of 14.4kwh/month to 57.6kwh/month means a savings of between $1.15/month and $4.60/month, or $13.80/year to $55.20/year. I'm willing to bet your existing computer will last you another 3 years. Purchasing new technology in order to become Green may very well be negative progress in the grander scheme of things when manufacturing waste is accounted for.

If you want to reduce your ecological footprint, then remember these two slogans:

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
2. Buy Locally

Specifically, remember the Reuse part of the 3 R's, and buy locally grown produce because it helps your community's businesses, and profits are far more efficient than guilt.

As for single-use wipes.. MRSA is a nasty problem, and enough people aren't conscientious enough to wash their hands for the CDC recommendation; 15 seconds of vigorous rubbing. Do you want to touch equipment that has been sweated on by a stranger whose bacterial exposure is unknown? Alcohol wipes are a good thing.

Hey Brianna,

I guess the following link should be useful to you, (http://www.ayurvedahc.com/articlelive/articles/263/1/9-Tips-How-YOU-Can-Help-Save-the-World/Page1.html)

reduce, reuse & recycle...hmmm, have we not all heard this one before...

My kids have been introduced to our recycling bin vs. the trash bin early on. They enjoy telling us what is trash and what is to be recycled.

They also enjoy flavored water. To avoid purchasing plastic bottled water, such as propel, we installed a brita filter with flavor packets that make it tasty for them.

I work from home; thus, we don't have a dry cleaning need.

We walk everywhere, whenever possible and we too use cloth napkins, and cleaning cloths we wash.

Buy local and organic whenever possible. Both have reduced overall footprints. You can also collect rainwater for watering your lawn and other non-potable needs. If you do buy a used car, you could buy a diesel and then use post-consumer vegetable oil as fuel. And don't forget the carbon fluorescent light bulbs!

You might find this helpful too: [http://www.environmentalleader.com/]

As an professional organizer I would say whenever possible, eliminate having paper coming into your home.

Cancel all subscriptions that you do not read and stop all catalogs that you do not want or have not requested.

Go to the library or used book store and recycle your finished books to these places.

Recycle your printer/toner cartridges

Always reuse file folders and manila envelopes if you can. I cut them down to flash card size when they get worn out or your kids can use as scrap paper.

Everything is reusable within reason. It's typically your imagination that prevents us from thinking smart.

Michael, This is a little off topic, but as someone who writes about the energy industry, I want to correct some misconceptions on your energy post above

Green power programs are offered because A)customers want them and B) in many jurisdictions, they are required to offer them. Also, some utilities are starting to realize that wind, solar and other alternatives are a better risk-cost proposition as we finally come close to charging power plants (and others) for carbon emissions. Soon enough, wind power will cost less than gas and, hopefully, coal.

Next, on the issue of a data center, it is very NOT inexpensive for utilities to supply power to them. Data centers are huge suckers of energy and do not exist in a vacuum that requires two wires and some beefy transformers. They are connected to the grid just like the rest of us which means that the utilities must balance the aggregate demand of all our computers as well as the data centers and all the other load on the grid every two seconds. And when I say must, I mean must: If supply and demand go out of balance, physics demands that the grid go down and that's a big problem.

Data centers (which, as I recall, demand much more than 10 MW in the aggregrate) are a huge issue for the utility industry and one that is being looked at through a variety of programs including making them more efficient (by wiring them to run on DC power rather than AC which forces a loss of voltage and is inefficient) and setting them up to be their own generators using waste heat from their own machines or putting solar panels on the roofs of their buildings.

Brianna, One of the things I do is reuse paper in my printer. My wife and i haven't bought a new package of paper in years because we keep printing on the back of old sheets whenever possible. If you are printing something for your own use, do you really need a new sheet?

Also, compost your kitchen scraps. In Seattle we can throw them into our yard waste bins so even those in apartment buildings/condos can do this. In Tulsa, you may have to be creative, but might be able to find a company that makes mulch that would take it (if you don't have a yard and can't have a worm bin).

In the Reduce, Reuse Recycle mantra, the most important thing you can do is REDUCE. People use many more resources than they need. Reduce what you buy by reusing. Only as a last resort should something be recycled because recycling uses energy.

So buy in bulk when you can, take your own containers to the store (you can get the tare weight for them by placing the empty container on a scale and telling the checker who weighs it what the tare weight is). Take cloth bags to the store to bring things home (paper vs. plastic is not the question we should be asking). Ride your bike/bus/walk.

I always look for things I use that I can find a re-usable alternative for.

Oh, and on the green energy/datacenter tip: if you have a Web site, use a green host. I go with Dreamhost which buys wind power for all of its energy use.

c

Charles,

Do you honestly think "Green" Power initiatives would exist without subsidies?

As for the cost of supplying power to a datacenter, you clearly missed my point. It is far cheaper and easier to deliver high voltage power to one facility, than delivering the equivalent amount of power to over 6,000 residences. The costs to maintain a transmission infrastructure are staggering.

The power saved by throwing a few turbines on the roof of a datacenter, or turning a turbine with waste heat is pretty miniscule. It isn't enough to keep the lights on the datacenter floor on and the transformers buzzing.

As for solar panels, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry. Photovoltaics are the funniest joke I've heard since weapons of mass distraction.

One simple thing I've done is to not replace my pump-style soap dispensers. I still use them, but I refill them with about a half inch of dishwashing detergent and then fill the bottle the rest of the way with water. Saves a ton of money since the pumps last a long time. Just be sure to buy a bio-friendly brand of dish detergent!

Hi Briannan,

I applaud your efforts and that you are considering this in how you raise your 15 month old. As a teacher I realize that the way we raise and teach our children makes a huge impact now and on the future, for obvious reasons. We are already leaving them a planet in dire straights, so educating them to not add insult to injury is key. Show your daughter, by example, that ecologically-friendly living is a lifestyle and simply needs to be done b/c it’s just the right thing to do...and always has been. Walk to the library (if it's within walking distance) and check out the many kids books about green living. Read her those and as you go about your life, simply show her that all the suggestions above are the way we need to live. I am always amazed that people are not making changes and better choices simply because we are citizens of this planet and it was what we should have been doing all along.

Two adult books that I would recommend for you are Green Goddess and Quantum Wellness. Green Goddess is filled with easy tips to make a difference in every area from buying locally and organically to the health care and cleaning products we can use that are healthier, safer and have a lower environmental impact.

Quantum Wellness was written by one of my favorite authors of spirituality books and the last half of the book talks in great depth (but yet in a really accessible manner) about the environmental impact of our food choices, as Kevin wrote about above. Fast Food Nation gets into that, as well. You could likely easily get that book from the library, as it's a few years old. The other two were on Oprah a few months ago, so if you want to read them ASAP you may want to search for a used copy (recycling!) online.

Back to what we teach kids...my parents were raised dirt poor during the depression. By the time I came along, they had established a very comfortable middle class life, yet they were still wildly frugal. We reused everything and did not waste anything. I learned that's just the way it was supposed to be done. I have always lived my life that way, before it made national news. In this country, we tip-toed into that concept in the 70's with "Conservation" b/c of the "Energy Crisis". When I was a public school teacher in the early 90's the concept was labeled "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" and that was the focus of the Science classes I taught at that time. The kids loved it. They embraced the simple choices we can all make that add up. We even had a fundraiser and bought a portion of a rain forest to conserve and the kids were jazzed about making a difference on the planet. Now we call it "Eco-friendly” or “Green Living", our "Carbon Footprint", etc,. etc. It's always been an issue, no matter what we call it. It's something we should have all being paying attention to all along simply b/c it's the right thing to do for the planet...especially in this country of greedy consumers and a throw-away mentality. I am stepping off my (low suds, biodegradable) soapbox now, but I hope my suggestions have helped. ;0)

Nancy

Hop to Signaroo

Brianna,

A postscript somewhat off the topic but still related...you mentioned never wanting to eat a burger again b/c of the environmental impact. Fast Food Nation (as I mentioned above) and the subsequent similar books that followed do explore the environmental impact and health risks of our country’s dietary choices and our current agricultural methods. Also, these three animated shorts are definitely worth watching if you haven’t seen them yet: The Meatrix

Again, I wonder when this country is going to wake-up and see how interconnected all out unhealthy choices are. I think I am a throwback to the 50’s. I want a simpler life where it’s safe to let your kids roam the neighborhood unattended, you know all your neighbors, kids graduate from high school actually knowing how to read and write, the family eats together every night and no one is obsessively hooked into technology (my numerous posts on Biztalk attest to the fact that I need to work on this one)...and the country isn’t plagued with health issues b/c of our unhealthy lifestyle choices, our obesity and the chemicals we’re assaulted by on daily basis in our very own homes...and all this isn’t to the point that the medical and pharmaceutical companies are multi-gazillion dollar industries feeding off our unhealthy bodies. Many aspects of our culture and this country’s priorities are so out of wack and I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to see that it’s all interconnected. Wow, I am really getting my self depressed here. :(

Also, I had the title wrong on one of the books above. It's called Gorgeously Green, not Green Godess but the link is correct.

My newest green thing is green plastic bags for my kitchen garbage can. They are made out of corn products and decompose quickly.

And my next green thing is to do a worm compost bin. I'm still researching as I need it to be small enough for one person and easy to use. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Here's one idea. I'm not sure what the shops are like in your area or how many you have, but here in the greater Seattle area, the second hand stores, thrift stores and so forth actually stock some high quality, second hand merchandise for cheap. EBay and Craigslist is also good. Goodwill, Salvation Army, and others that support local charities with their profits. Something usually surprises me like packets of new office supplies (paper, folders, binders, pens, etc.) for dirt cheap. Also, it keeps that stuff out of the landfill by keeping the market for second hand merchandise going.

Some folks go to the extreme and pledge to buy nothing new for a period of time, like six months to a year, to push back on all the manufacturing. The concept is we have enough stuff in circulation. I haven't gone that far, but I've done enough bargain shopping with my om and grandma to see how it could be possible.

It all starts local. I believe the solution to all of our problems start at the local level. We can not power the USA on solar and wind alone but we can start local. Buy local and organic whenever possible.

My wife & I have started using bio-degradeable laundry & cleaning products with no phosphates.Changed-out all lights to green/enviro-friendly bulbs. I have even done this to Our cabin on the river that's powered by generator.Also use recycled paper whenever possible. Good luck in your green quest.

Best Wishes!

Scott Perry

I would suggest, if you can handle it, becoming either vegetarian or pescatarian (sp) Pescatarians only eat fish as a meat. By cutting down on your meat, you will be able to compost more of your table scraps. Go get a worm bin, if you can't afford one, build it. They are really easy to make, a tote from the department store will do the trick. Throw your table scraps in there with some worms and viola! good compost.

Avoid eating your leftovers from the restaurant in styrofoam. Sounds like a no brainer there, but alot of restaurants still use styrofoam. If they do not have plastic wrap, or paper to go boxes, ask for aluminum foil. Once done you can recycle the foil.

Support your local economy. Find a couple of local organic farmers and see if you can purchase some of their goodies from them. Or hit up the local farmers market. Cutting down on the amount of distance your food travels will help.

Cloth diapers are a big bonus. Granted they may be yucky, but once in the washer and dryer is way better than forever in a landfill.

Support fair trade and eco friendly businesses when you have to go outside of your community for something.

I think that is all I can think of for now, if I come up with some more I will repost for you.

Congrats on taking the first steps!

Recycle,Recycle,Recycle,

As far as up grading your windows, its a good place to start, however if you do not have the proper insulation in the rest of the house you will lose quite a bit of the added benefit of new windows. Check with a local Insulation Installer/provider about options in your area. I do not know about Oklahoma, but here in CA we have many options for recycled insulation products. FYI start with the ceilings,walls and then floors id budget constraints are an issue.

Another way is to try and purchase as much as possible locally to reduce the carbon foot print you create. Including Produce and building materials.