For people trying to be eco friendly. What are some zany things you do to preserve Mother Earth's resources??

Question

Myself I stopped wear nylon stockings, stopped using disposalible razor to shave my legs, (I've been waxing since 1988) don't use any beauty products with petrolatum in them, also some other weird things I just never through about for a long time. Only asked because i wash my zipploc baggies out depending on what was in them to reuse. My neighbor thought it was weird. Why not? What if it only held crackers for the afternoon while in the park with my girls. It seem like such a waste to toss it out after one use. I do this because my Mother did the samething. Also go around to my neighbors and get item that can be recycled. There is recycling in my neighborhood, but not every one does it. Yet why should I let plastic/glass bottles just go to the land fill when it can be recycled. So what are somethings that makes you get the raised eyebrow look?

Answer 1

just be careful of using the plastic baggies again--same problem as the water bottles--chemicals leeching out!  I recommend using natural non bleached paper baggies.  You can get them at health food stores or co-ops and you can reccycle them when you are finished.

Answer 2

You want ZANY?! ok well you can build a windmill if u live somewhere it would be good and if u hav a GIANT YARD.  well or u can have solar panels. or keep heat OFF and down to 65 in the winter and AIR OFF maybe 80 in summer. or whatever u can handel. in the summer have LOTS OF water

Answer 3

You can also wash and re-use certain pieces of foil (aluminium wrap) before they're recycled.  I too have washed baggies for re-use.  I NEVER clean with paper towels; I keep a drawer of old cloths (towels, parts of t-shirts, old operating room hand towels, etc.) and use those for cleaning since they can be washed and used many more times.  Most of these things I learned from my mom or just hated buying so many paper towels when I was on a tight budget years ago.

Answer 4

I have a fetish for fountain drinks, and instead of going into a gas station/convenience store and grabbing a disposable cup, I carry a 64 ounce cup around with me which I refill. This avoids using plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper or Styrofoam cups, disposable plastic lids, plastic straws, and their paper wrappers.

Often I will see a TV or other electronic item thrown away. When I do, I stop and grab it, and take it home with me. at home, I tear it apart. The picture tube glass can be recycled right along with clear or brown glass bottles, the wires, degaussing coils, and yoke coils are copper, the screws are steel, there is often aluminum heat sinks also. Those heat sinks are high-grade aluminum for it's heat sinking properties. We don't have a place locally that handles them, so the circuit boards sadly I have to throw away. Most electronics have plastic cases, those are recyclable too. I also tear apart appliances and such. On average I make about $5 per TV, so though I do make money there are far better ways. I do it more to help the environment.

Answer 5

I am traveling back in time. In theory. I was my clothes in cold water and line dry them. I go to the farmers market for most of my food including meat from a local ranch. I am in the process of removing my lawn and planting more fruit trees and and extensive edible garden. I can things when in season. I am removing plastics from my life as much as possible, I use glass containers for food storage (ok, so the lids are plastic.) I have dramatically reduced prepared foods. I use natural soap, baking soda and vinegar for most of my cleaning. I use fans and open windows to cool my home most days. I use a pellet stove for heat in the winter.

Answer 6

I started eco- comm.fishing back in 1983 still active dong it but NY is covered in litter,I may loose the fight but fight on I do.

Answer 7

My family has stopped using plastic grocery bags. We switched to the cloth ones but often forget them in the car so leaving a store with a cart full of un-bagged groceries usually weirds people out. I also get made fun of at school for picking bottles and cans out of the  garbage and taking them home to be recycled. All the little kids call me "trash-picker" but, I don't let it bother me. I know I'm doing a good thing.

Answer 8

Whenever Al Gore comes on TV I turn it off to save electricity.

Answer 9

You should start with yourself at home by doing the followings.

1) Try to use the least energy of electricity and water.

2) The basic 3 R of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

3) Try to use the least plastic bags and the Reusable bag is most environmental friendly one to use.

4) Try to drive or replace a smaller engine car, hybrid one is ideal if you can afford it.

5) Try to car pool to work and back home after work if possible.

6) Try to take buses more frequently and workable trip by No. 11.

7) Try to use least cleaning detergent, soap, and chemical products for freshen the air etc. You have done quite good already.

8) Accumulate all recyclable bottles, newspapers, and other paper and plastic and glass products and bring to the recycle depot for the exchange of cash.

9 ) Donate the used furniture and text books and novels to the Value Village or similar outlet for sales as used products to keep the dump site less full.

10) Lobby your local authority to spend more money and manpower to keep your city clean.

11) Boycott any agents for distributing or selling any chemicals that damage our environment dangerously and harmful to our health. If it is necessary, try to sign a petition and submit to the local authority and close that outlet by law.

12) We should have a committment to boycott the government to stop the fossil fuel or coal-fired power generating station, diesel fuel for trucks, and bunker fuel used by ferry boats in Hong Kong. According to the HK magazine, May 16, 2008, an article submitted by John Robertson with title of " Green dreams for Hong Kong. And why they won't come true" indicating the 40% of Hong Kong yearly dark cloudy sky is caused by the above-noted polluted fuels used.

I rather concern for the Hong Kong pollution that ended up with 3,000 death toll last year of asthma, heart and lungs deseases in this polluted city of only 7 million population. What's more? The Hong Kong Apple Daily News (Chinese

edition) in May/June, 2008, reporting that there were 10 million clinical visits for the treatment of the air pollution caused chronicle diseases of asthma, hear and lungs in 2007.

http://www.edelman.com/speak_up/blog/arc...

Answer 10

People think I'm wierd, but I don't!!

if an article of clothing or other item is too worn or damaged to be reused or remade I remove all zippers, buttons, buckles, straps, etc. I save them for new or repair projects. (The zip pull on an unfixable backpak was exactly the size I was looking for to replace the lost one on my son's sleeping bag!) I also washed & repaired his backpack -- the seams had torn from being over stuffed so many times--it looks brand new!

The fabrics are saved for rags, or patches, or a new item for someone smaller. Make scarves/bandanas, shorts, skirts etc.

Cloth diapers, but I reuse old receiving blankets to make them also.

I save take-out containers-- usually from folks who stopped by and were ready to toss it in the garbage. (We don't eat out--  gas, excessive food waste, shipping, heat and air, land use, etc.)

Take-outs are re-used for people to take food home in after a BBQ at our place.

I save glass jars to tranfer food from cans for storage. Yes, I wash zip-locks. And I don't buy storage containers--I reuse the ones my groceries came in.

My favorite thing is refubishing shoes, clothes, and toys. I got a pair of VERY beat up Skeechers boots that fit a 9 year old. I colored in with permanent marker all the places where the "leather" was flaking off, then polished them twice with extra polish on the repair spots. Fixed the non-working zipper and buffed to a high shine. You have to look really close to tell they are used. I also fixed the chain that goes around the ankle.

I save broken electronic toys and repair them or use them for parts.

I made a child's belt from a worn out adult belt. (Cut off the worn part and made new holes.)

Old worn blankets or quilts can often be recycled as mattress covers.

And on, and on, and on...

FUN FUN FUN!!!

Answer 11

People think I'm crazy for using cloth diapers and reusable grocery bags.  Oh, and I make my own laundry detergent and line dry.  I don't think this stuff is zany, though.  And I'm not really an environmentalist.  I don't really know why I do these things.  

One of these days, Husband and I will build our dream house which is straw bale.  People think we're nuts for wanting a straw house.