Help me be environmentally friendly!?

Question

Im 16 and I live at home with my mom.I tell her about the environment all the time, but some of the stuff is a bit pricey and we dont have big bucks to spend on new this and that. We have toliets that flush 1.6 gallons. No runs or leaks.Lights are off when you're not in a room. TVs off at night(except mine because Im up at all hours).My computers off unless I'm going back and forth on it.We don't recycle because there is one hear us I think,but all there is is a sign and the city doesn't pick up recycling.I refuse to let someone put fallen leaves into a garbage bag,I put all of my fruit peelings on the ground (compost) I turn off the water when I brush my teeth and my showers could be a bit shorter.In the daytime I rarely turn on lights but I'll just open the blinds and use the sun I will turn on the AC in my room at night only if needed.I live in Cleveland and it was 80-90F two or three nights and I turned it on and off throughout the night, but I used a fan for the rest that week.

Answer 1

you sound like youre already doing your part.

maybe try to replace some lightbulbs in your house (those that are on 20+ minutes at a time) with flourescent lightbulbs. they use less energy and lower your electricity bill.

but be aware, if you break one, you need to evacuate the room immediatly so you dont inhale mercury. after 15 minutes, its okay to breathe in the room and to dispose properly of it.

Answer 2

very

Answer 3

Check out unscrewamerica.org

Answer 4

You seem like you're doing good to me.

50waystohelp.com is a great place to go.

one of them says pee while in the shower,

1. no use of toilet paper. 2. no use of that flush.

it is very helpful, yet people would never do it.

Answer 5

Jump of a very very very high bridge =)

Answer 6

Well it sounds like you are already doing a lot to help the environment, but here are a few tips to help the environment in your home:

1. Unplug things that you have plugged into the wall when not in use.

2. Don't drink out of plastic water bottles. They can take up to one thousand years to decompose! Instead buy a reusable water bottle.

3. Switch your light bulbs to fluorescent bulbs. They may seem more expensive when you're comparing prices at the grocery store, but in the long run it will not only save the environment, but your money too! They last longer so you don't have to buy as many replacements.

4. Use solar power to dry your clothes. It may seem old fashioned, but it will save electricity and when there is no sun out, don't feel guilty about using your dryer!

5. Improve your means of transportation! There are so many ways to do it and with the rising gas prices you're going to want to. Ride your bike, use public transportation, or carpool with friends!

6. Use your dishwasher!! It saves much more water than handwashing dishes. So instead of rinsing after meals just scrape off your food and load them in! Try to only wash when you have a full load!

7. It's hard if your city doesn't pick up recycling and they really should. Try and use recyclable materials in innovative ways. Even if your city doesn't recycle you can in your own home. If you feel really strongly about your city not recycling and you really do care, you can put together a petition for the government to pick up your recycling.

8. When buying hand soap get rid of the plastic bottle and use the traditional bar of soap. It works just the same and will save that plastic!

9. Get rid of your screensaver. It takes more to run those than have your computer on on low power mode!!!

10.  When driving don't accelerate. Also when on the highway, go ten miles per hour slower. It will take more time, but you will get more gallons per mile, so you will save more trips to the gas station and have more money in your pocket!

http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm

^Here is a site with even more ways to help the environment in your home!

Answer 7

First off let me say WAY TO GO! It's great to see people that want to try & do things for the Earth. Do you guys have power saving "coil" /incandecent bulbs? They seem a little pricey, but they help a great deal in energy conservation, & will help cut down on your electric bill. http://www.catalogchoice.org/#welcome is a website that lets you get rid of all the pesky "junk mail", reducing paper wastes. Simple things also like making sure your tires on the car are well inflated...keeping your tires properly inflated you save a little gas, but more importantly you reduce the wear on your tires. You’ll leave less rubber on the road and your tires will last longer. Cloth shopping bags instead of plastic when you go shopping are also a plus...buy stuff that doesn’t use a lot of packaging and try to buy open goods like grains or fruits and vegetables that aren’t packaged. You can reuse the plastic bags you had from the last time you bought stuff to repack it again until you absolutely HAVE to get new ones. You can also use plastic bags you already have for trash bags in the cans in your house to recycle and reduce plastic use. By replacing standard 4.5-gallon-per-minute showerheads with 2.5-gallon-per-minute heads, a family of four can save approximately 20,000 gallons of water per year. There's lots of little everyday things that don't cost a lot like these, but it sounds like you're already on the right track! ^_^