It's Blog Action Day!

Today is blog action day. Today's topic? The Environment.

I took this quiz to see how I rate so far in my attempt to reduce carbon emissions: http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/#

My favorite blog about energy conservation is by far this one:

This blog is also one of my all-time favorites. I like to read blogs while I blow dry my hair. One day I stumbled upon (literally, I found it with StumbleUpon) the above blog, blow dryer in hand, and began to read. Piquing my interest is difficult since I have ADHD but this blog truly captivated my attention. It told me what I need to know: How Much Energy Costs.

I think people tend to ignore the environment and other global concerns until they show up at their own doorstep. This blog helped me because I do have global concerns but I am a pragmatist. To buy into an idea I have to know the how and the why. When we talk about a global concern like "Global Warming" or "The Environment" I tend to think 'Way too big and I'm too small to make a difference."

I am into science so I have loved learning varying viewpoints about such topics but I have never really believed I could create a change I would see. Well this blog motivated me to do just that. It broke it down into numbers. Numbers that showed up at my doorstep. Numbers that were going to determine how much my NSTAR bill would be this month.

I immediately went to COSTCO and purchased economy packs of 100 W replacement bulbs and 60 W replacement bulbs... I kinda - err - broke a dimmer light thinking I could just put a non-dimming replacement bulb in it... but aside from that my entire apartment glows with energy efficient light bulbs... except my dimmer light... which, in fairness, I must say - I only use it to do my makeup if I am getting ready to go out. Which is actually only once a week or once every 2 weeks... ok, no one cares (hehe).

In terms of my car, well I have been wanting to sell it before the warranty runs out at 50K miles so I've actually been driving as little as possible anyway. I have always gone with a 4 cylinder. I recently read that if you drive mainly in stop and go traffic hybrids aren't going to do much for you in terms of conservation. Well, this is what I (unfortunately) drive in and I can't afford a hybrid on my current paycheck. Here is where I read about gaging what kind of car to get based on how you drive and why you need a car: Although the dude who wrote it did seem kind of biased toward cars in general (if that makes any sense, it might make sense if you check out the page) he did know his stuff inside and out. I like things broken down by numbers. Numbers that affect me.

I want to say "oh I'm not selfish, I care about the earth before my own interests" but come on, think about it; to get others (including yourself) to care enough about the earth to change your light bulbs, consider a hybrid car, check the wattage on your fridge (or in my case, my blow-dryer (which I now use during non-peak hours only), your A/C and so on - People Need To See How Their Energy Usage Directly Impacts Their Wallet.

Throw numbers at people like 20,000 tons of Carbon emissions (which is how much my single occupant household/my self produces in 1 year)... what you will find is that many have no clue if that is bad or good. Compare it to other households in the same category and look at the average (27,000 tons/yr) and then you think.... "cool..."

Perhaps look at your before rate (ie - before you started to care a little) and maybe you will think... "ok... cool"

But break it down by the cost for you, that shows up regularly in your mailbox and you will think "WOW"

That impact might have another effect (as it did for me)... Maybe you will think "hey, I made a difference in my energy bill, now I should let others know what I read in that blog and perhaps I should gift some of these bulbs I bought at COSTCO cause Lord knows I won't need more for another 10 years"

Then maybe you will think (as I did) hmmm... why don't I recycle... and stuff... or at least separate my cans and bottles so the Can Man will take them (ie - city-dwelling old men and old ladies who travel about with a shopping cart on trash day and pick bottles out of dumpsters to bring to the redemption center for cash. I hope recycling will become more easy in Massachusetts soon... my blog about recycling Mercury bulbs is below. My research on where to bring them was dismaying because there kind of is nowhere to officially bring them yet... unless you pay. No thanks, I'll hold on to my old compact fluorescent bulbs for now).

Maybe you will keep your A/C off when you don't need it. Maybe you won't run your coffee maker and dishwasher at the same time. Perhaps you will think before throwing one item in your laundry machine (and fill it like I do... although, I also pay 5 quarters just to run it... so don't give me kudos for this one)

This blog was so ADD with all the tangents in parentheses... I am sorry. I would edit but I seriously want to go outside and walk to the gym and exercise... Sitting in front of the computer makes me feel like a rotting apple... I have no clue why that just came to mind. But if there is a rotting apple next to your computer, please consider composting it... somewhere... whatever that means... (I believe it means giving it back to nature instead of sending it to the landfill....)

Whatever, I love you all, yay for Blog Action Day (which is, essentially, a paradox because blogging is quite a sedentary, inactive thing to do...)

BYE!