Using less resources
Posted by Mystery Book on September 6, 2008
With the ever increasing population comes a demand for more resources and a strain on the infrastructure. Using less resources without having to compromise the quality of life we are accustomed to may help stretch those resources longer and possibly make it more economical for others. Let’s take some few examples of what we can do:
1. Go to bed early and rise early. This will help reduce the amount of electricity we use for lighting our houses and we might even get some health benefits out of it.
2. Use a shower (with a low-flow shower head) instead of a tub and use the clock to keep the bath to within 10 minutes. Better yet, use a bucket to take the bath. The advantage is that we use up considerably less water.
3. Tasks like laundry, ironing, cooking vegetables etc. can be completed in large batches e.g. for the week. This will cut down on the amount of energy used doing the tasks in small batches and also save us time.
4. Carpool or use public transportation to work if available. Better yet, work one or more days a week from home. Some companies will even allow you to work four 10 hour days instead of five 8 hour days. The benefit might be that you also get to spend more time with family or doing things you really want to do. Walk/Bike/skate to the local store instead of using the car.
5. Keep printing anything to a minimum, avoid writing and mailing letters, documents & bills. Also whenever possible opt out of the mailings, newspapers, samples etc. Many of these same tasks can now be done on a computer and using the Internet. This will help save some trees.
6. Recycle everything you can. Separating paper, metal, glass, plastic etc. is just the first step. Think of things like composting, reusing the back side of blank papers, donating books to local libraries and schools, selling on sites like eBay and craiglist or even giving to charities.
7. Collecting rain water for use in gardens and lawns. Using timers to water the lawns and sensors to avoid watering on days when not needed. Better yet, convert some of the lawn area to hardscapes and use hardy grass types to minimize the need for watering or fertilizing.
8. Switch off electrical appliances when not in use. Use sensors where safety is a concern e.g. lighting the garage or driveway at night.
9. Watch a little less TV, or surf a little less on the Internet, talk a little less on the phone. Instead look to spending quality time with family and friends.
10. Share with others. e.g. tools, books, pool, toys, lawn movers etc.
11. Educate and encourage others.
Some things that you can do but at a cost:
1. Use free & renewable alternate energy sources like solar electricity, solar water heating, wind turbines. Initial cost is still a major factor when trying to implement these technologies but they usually pay for themselves over the long run. Also the federal and state governments have incentives and several sites are dedicated to providing expert advice on solutions available and even installation instructions.
2. Invest in the local infrastructure. Look to invest some of your savings in local municipal bonds that help improve the local infrastructure. They are usually safer and might even save you some money in taxes.
3. Plant trees. Look for barren public lands and ask your township if you can plant trees there.
There is so much each of us can do without having to compromise on the quality of our life.
