Which is better in the long run environmentally?

Question

Or are they neutral?

1. Letting water run down the drain while I wait for hot water to get to the tap OR using electricity to heat cold water on the stove (say I'm going to cook pasta)? (Actually usually I "capture" the running water for the garden, but some people do let it just go down the drain.)

2. Bottled beverages OR canned? Both are recycleable, but I was wondering if one or the other is generally worse for the environment (even recycling has waste products)?

3. Composting/burning paper waste (mail, office paper, etc.) OR putting it into the recycling bin?

Thanks, you may help solve some family debates.

Answer 1

1. Not sure which is best.

2. I think recycling metal is more efficient. I know that extracting aluminum from ore is costly in power and it is much cheap to recycle used aluminum.

3. Compost paper might be okay but burning it is not. Putting it into the recycle bin helps keep trees from being cut down. Also many charitable organizations (including schools and churches) have paper recycling containers located on thier parking lots. Putting the paper in there helps them raise money.

Answer 2

1. your idea of catching the water is excellent but I do agree that a lot of people just let it go to waste.

If one is heating it on the stove, as long as the lid is put on it will heat quicker.

2. hard to say, both are wasteful in production

3.composting is better if compostable. or recycling bin. Burning is not good at all

Answer 3

1. I think catching it for the garden, because  you're reusing it.

2. No idea, sorry!

3. I think recyling, because it's being reused. But still compost like banana peels and stuff like that.

Answer 4

1.  kind of depends on how much water you have to run.  stove heating is WAY less efficient than hot water tank.  unless it's a long run, then you're probably doing right.  we have to run 2-3-4 gallons -- the tank is way at the other end of the house.  it really is an  "ify" question.

2. canned is better.  aluminum is completely recyclable.

3. recycle is probably better.  burning doesn't return a lot of heat.  but it's good for starters.  composting varies, depending on the paper.  some still has chemicals in it that you may not want in your garden.

pardon me while i back up.  i don't want to get in the way while you  de-bate  the issue.  ;-)

Answer 5

None. Get a life.

Answer 6

1:

You should use cold water out of the tap and heat it on the stove. The reason? Hot water leaches more impurities from things it comes into contact with. Most pipes today are copper which are soldered together or PVC, which leach lead and phthalates (& other chemicals) respectively. Older homes may even have lead pipes., so the colder the water running through the pipes, the less toxins you will ingest.

Also, depending on what source of energy you use to heat your water, it may or may not make a difference in energy usage. If you have an electric water heater, it really won't make an energy difference.

In the event that you are going to use hot water out of the tap (for a shower or to wash your hands), and don't want to waste the water that comes out until you get to the hot water, there is a great little device called a chillipepper. It pushes the water back through the cold pipe to the heater and circulates until the temperature at the faucet reaches 90 degrees, or will shut off after 3 minutes if the water does not get hot. It requires almost no plumbing skills to install (goes right under the sink) and will save water and heating energy as you are sending room-temperature water to be heated instead of ground temperature water. It does use electricity to pump the water back, but the amount is miniscule. There may be other similar products like this, but this is the first one of it's kind that I've seen.

2. I am not sure about the energy usage for recycling and the waste products produced, but consider this: Aluminum is a naturally occurring element that can be recycled endlessly. Plastic is man-made with harsh chemicals and glues that break down over time during recycling. Remember above? Plastic contains phthalates- aluminum does not. Even glass is a better option- it is endlessly recyclable and made from natural materials (mainly sand).

After aluminum has been recycled it can be used in everything from engines to ovens to another can. Recycled plastic only gets used in a handful of ways compared to aluminum, mainly because it is generally poorer in quality after it has been reprocessed. More chemicals and glues have to be added in order to make recycled plastic better in quality. Aluminum is recycled by being heated to a liquid state and burning off impurities. There is no loss of quality.

As for the waste from the processes I am not sure, but I do believe the actual process of recycling aluminum uses more energy, just the process of recycling plastic uses less energy, but the process to make the glues and chemicals to add to the recycled plastic is often not counted in the amount of energy needed to recycle plastic, which may make up for the difference.

HTH!

Answer 7

1. capture cold water to use in garden

2.canned is worse.

3.composting burning is best