How Green Are CPers?

[Ford Prefect]

There seems to be a lot of debate about the environment right now, particularly issues related to our water supply and global warming. Most of the discussions seem to be based on what governments and big business should do to fix our environmental problems, if these problems even exist in the first place.

But what are we as individuals doing, if anything? I read an article in the Herald today about motorists on the autobahn being opposed to a speed limit being implemented to reduce green house gas emissions because it would impede on their right to drive like a bat out of hell. This strikes me as being a rather selfish attitude, but it got me wondering whether this is the prevailing attitude amongst the general public.

In our household, we've been recycling and composting for over 10 years, we've installed low-volume flush systems in our toilets, increased our insulation, stopped heating our garage, installed energy efficient windows, purchased energy efficient applicances, installed a programmable thermostat to better manage our heating gas consumption and we buy ogranic food when available and affordable. We haven't done anything special with regards to autos because I work at home and my wife has a 5 minute commute, so auto gas consumption isn't a big issue with us. Many of the things we've done have not only yielded environmental benefits, but also lowered our utility bills. I haven't done an analysis to determine whether the cost of implementing these measures is too great to ever be offset by consumption savings though.

I'm curious what others on CP are doing or think about this. What green measures have CPers implemented in their homes? Or do most people think environmental problems are either not real, or they should be solved by governments and big business?

[SpitFire40]

I don't litter... That's about the extent of it.

I'm not very green, then again i'm also pretty selfish. I admit it.

I mean, if I were to be out hiking and I saw a ton of trash left at a camp site, I wouldn't hesitate to clean it up.

But as far as recycling... none. I do take transit opposed to driving downtown but that's because it's just more convenient. I don't pat myself on the back for opting to mass transit because it'll save the world or anything like that.

[Nufy]

Energy Eff Windows Check
Low Flow Pissers Check
Energy Eff Appliances Ongoing (New W&D)
Detached garage no heat Check
Water Meter Check
Auto's Full Size PU and SUV ( No Check)
Compost Check
Recycle CHeck
Programmable T-Stat Check
30 YR Old Furnace No Check
Low Flow Shower Heads Check


Not bad I guess............

Anyone else ???????????

[Bertuzzied]

Not sure if the City of Calgary still does it or not but i got back like $75 per toilet for all the new efficient ones I installed. I bought them from Totem and there was a list of ones that qualify for the refund.

I also installed new windows but they are flipping expensive. I even got a huge discount and it still cost me $14k!

I recycle everything execept for steel cans. I don't know why but i just like throwing them out. I don't eat much canned stuff though.

I will invest in those new windmills they are building for residential use. I live on the top of a hill and it's as windy as hell. I feel dutch.

I have a hybrid. Not really recommeneded in really cold places.

[Bill Bumface]

-Greenmax
-Drive a car that pulls about 9.5L/100km, but drive way too much. About 22,000km/year... so probably average out there.
-Live in a small place so power and gas consumption are very low
-As bulbs burn out I'm moving to CFL
-Recycle some things, don't have the storage to do it all though

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

I have a hybrid. Not really recommeneded in really cold places.

Why is that? Is it older with crappy batteries that don't like the cold?

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Why is that? Is it older with crappy batteries that don't like the cold?

Not really. It's a 2006 civic. Anything colder than -30c and it turns off the electric motor. The first time it happened scared the crap out of me. All these lights starting flashing and stuff. It started fine so I drove it anyways though. hehe. booting around in 76 horsepower civic! Wanna race?

I'm trying to go for a new record 5.0litres/100 km's. It gives you real time stats on how much gas you are using, but people behind me hate it. Sure I start off slow but eventually i get to the speed limit. Hold your horses!!

[JiriHrdina]

I live in a house built in 1931 that is pretty much as energy inefficient as you can get. No insultation, just storm windows, bad plumbing system, and a monster of a furnance in the basement (one of those old Octopus style ones).

I do recycle but that's about it. I'm not very green. And I can't really offer any reason why I don't do more other than to say I guess I'm not willing to make the required changes to my life. I guess similar to Jordan I'm selfish that way.

[albertGQ]

I'll be very green this Saturday, but that's about it

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I live in a house built in 1931 that is pretty much as energy inefficient as you can get. No insultation, just storm windows, bad plumbing system, and a monster of a furnance in the basement (one of those old Octopus style ones).

I do recycle but that's about it. I'm not very green. And I can't really offer any reason why I don't do more other than to say I guess I'm not willing to make the required changes to my life. I guess similar to Jordan I'm selfish that way.

How much do you pay in gas bills each month? I compared my bills from last year and in the winters i'm saving over $100/month. Of course my old kitchen window wouldn't even close all the way. hehe

You are much better than Jordan. At least you recycle. I wonder how many lbs of newspapers and cardboard Spitfire throws out??? Wake up man. It's not the 70's!! hehe

[SpitFire40]

I'd also get a Hybrid... but really if I thought about it, it'd be to save some money on gas in the long run...

but i'd rather die then to have a low flow shower, sometimes I do adjust my shower head to low flow but that's just so I can have a longer shower... again, selfish.

I guess they need to make "Green" things more self serving, Hybrid cars for example, alot of people drive them to save gas money, not to save the environment but that's the positive side effect.

Same goes for those twirly light bulbs, they last longer... No need to buy as many lightbulbs. Selfish but a positive side effect.

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

You are much better than Jordan. At least you recycle. I wonder how many lbs of newspapers and cardboard Spitfire throws out??? Wake up man. It's no the 70's!!

C'mon, leave this stuff out of the thread... it's not a Green pissing contest here.

If you do it to be better than someone else, that's self serving if anything...

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by SpitFire40

I'd also get a Hybrid... but really if I thought about it, it'd be to save some money on gas in the long run...

but i'd rather die then to have a low flow shower, sometimes I do adjust my shower head to low flow but that's just so I can have a longer shower... again, selfish.

I guess they need to make "Green" things more self serving, Hybrid cars for example, alot of people drive them to save gas money, not to save the environment but that's the positive side effect.

Same goes for those twirly light bulbs, they last longer... No need to buy as many lightbulbs. Selfish but a positive side effect.

I agree completely. Whether artificial (government imposed incentives) or not, you need it make it an economic/convenience choice for people. Not very many people will do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing.

Hell, I want an electric car now just because they can be bloody fast and super cheap to operate. The green part is a nice side effect.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by SpitFire40

C'mon, leave this stuff out of the thread... it's not a Green pissing contest here.

If you do it to be better than someone else, that's self serving if anything...

It's great that you clean up garbage and don't litter, but when you throw away newspaper and other stuff that can be reused isn't that sort of littering.

Well not to be a hypocrite but i guess i will start saving those cans for recycling starting today. hehe.

[RougeUnderoos]

I'm a friend of public transit and walking. I recycle, compost, have a low-flow toilet and a clothes rack. That's about it. One thing that I am trying to do is having shorter showers that aren't so hot. Very rarely am I dirty enough to need 150 litres of piping hot water to get me clean. But I am dirty so I like some time in there.

Speaking of, I was at "A&P Recycling" byt the farmer's market/Currie Barracks the other day. Holy crap. It's a big warehouse full of retrieved recyclables and there are a lot of them. There was a mountain two stories high of plastic bags full of plastic bags. To think that 95% of our stuff goes to a landfill, and that place didn't represent even 1% of it I'm sure. It's ridiculous.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by fotze

Think of the kinetic energy you save from not patting yourself on the back.

Oh yeah. i have a seiko watch too! hehe. i don't normally wear it so it kinda dies now and again. I started wearing it playing to wii just to keep up the charge.

oh and solar powered calculator. hahaha.

[Hemi-Cuda]

i only recycle cans and bottles as those are the only things i feel are worth it (both financially and for the environment), i drive a car that's not bad on gas but it's no hybrid, i turn off my computer at night and always turn lights/tv off when i leave a room but don't worry about what kind of bulbs i buy. so i guess i'm middle of the road, i think about it from time to time but it's never more than a background thought

[Burninator]

I just to try minimize my impact. I recycle the usual; newspapers, cans, juice and milk cartons. Unfortunately I don't have any say as to whether or not my house uses green max, energy star appliances, or CFL bulbs and things of that nature. But I do drive a four cylinder car and take the train to work most days. I would like to do more, or less whichever is better for the environment.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

For Arizona, we're pretty green. We have a "low e" house and are moving into an even more efficient dwelling as soon as construction is finished. There are things that we would like to improve upon (recycling, automobiles, etc.) but Arizona does not have any programs that allow for many of these things. We do what we can, but its hard to be a tree hugger when all your trees look like this.

[burn_baby_burn]

My vehicle gets 19L per 100km. But my dream is 5L per 100km, but I don't want to give up hp.

My house is new so it is pretty energy efficient. I would like to add a flash water heater someday.

I don't recycle anything. When I drank lots in my single days. I allways kept all the liquer bottles and beer cans. And some youth team would eventually come along on a bottle drive and collect them. But now that I actually have very little liquer consumed at my house. I just throw them in the garbage.

I guess I do recycle my electronics. And I don't pour paint or gas down the toilet.