How do you determine environmental priorities?

Question

I am a minimalist who grows some of my own food, recycles like crazy, reuses everything I can, etc. But I am having problems finding the best answer to environmental priorities, such as if I want to buy in bulk to avoid extra packaging, I have to drive across town and use tons of gas or have things sent via mail with the shipping packages and transport.

Do I spend more money (and have to work more days which uses more gas - I can't get there on public transit and more of my time away from taking care of my veggies, etc) or buy locally things from companies with questionable practices - Target and the like)?

How do you choose between saving water or energy (example dishwasher versus handwashing)?

In addition to just the environmental impact, what about enjoying life, not with stuff, but having the time to do what I feel is important for myself and my family?

There are a million other cases, but I can't include them all.

Answer 1

do not drive yourself nutty trying to figure this out.  You are doing much much more than a lot of people are doing.  Sometimes there is no right or wrong answer.  Sometimes we do what we can and all we can and then we have to be satisfied with that.  Sometimes we can find one or two more things that people suggest we can do and we can incorporate that into our daily plan.  You're worried about using up a lot of gas but you're on the computer that wastes a lot of electricity....so there you go.  Have you put a white roof on your house or solar panels yet, or insulation or recycled your water or put up a windmill in your back yard and made your own electricity?

Answer 2

I know!! Do I sit here on Yahoo questions discussing how to go green, possibly making a difference to someone somewhere, or do I switch off my computer and pull out the plug and find a book to read?

Answer 3

I`ve been thinking about this one only today. I burn pallets to heat my house. It takes about 3 days a month  and 70 miles of travel to collect them, cut them up and store them. I could earn enough in 3 days to heat the house for 3 months. I take 4 or 5 hours to catch 20 to 100Lb of fish. I can buy fish for £10- for 14lb. The same with growing veg etc.

I guess that 1. it depends on how much the environment means to you.

2. How much more you enjoy these products than those that you can buy.  3. How much you enjoy being green than conventional consumerism. 4. how long you are likely to stay fit enough to do all of these things and 5. How many others eg spouse, kids are involved etc. etc.

Write them dowm, score them on a 1 to 5 scale. They will all bi different for each person.

Answers to these will vary according to age,etc.

I can`t think of any other way of working it out.

Answer 4

Think about how you can make the biggest impact with the least effort and costs (whatever they may be). Do these first then do the things you feel good about doing next.

I would concentrate of growing as much as my own food as possible. Look at what you are wanting to buy in bulk then ask your local suppliers if they would stock it for you. Some will get you items as special orders and many charge you less. Do you have any neighbours/friends who use the same item? What about forming a food coop and bulk purchasing together. It is a great way to get additional discounts and cutting your own transport down. If you have to travel make a list of all the things you need to do and make one journey.

Answer 5

Ahh......no truer words have been spoken! :)  I too struggle with this one regularly.

The best you can do, is the best you can do! Do what you can, what is within your means, and doesnt cause you to lose enough quality of life that it isn't acceptable anymore.

Because you know what? If you are doing all the things you say you are, I can garauntee you are doing much,much fore than probably 80-90% of the entire world!! (as individuals)

So, be proud that you are doing your bit, but dont be so driven by the guilt that it you lose sight of the fact you need to live too, just like all the other "living entities" you are trying to support. Good on you and god bless you.