New Environmental Conservation sub-forum

[Toruk Makto]

  By the excellent suggestion of LearnNavi member Rain, a new forum has been created for topics related to ecology, conservation and how we can help preserve our world. It is called Environmental Conservation and located in the General Discussion section.

 LearnNavi.org just keeps getting better all the time!

- Txep Siyuyä

[Technowraith]

Well, i've mentioned it before:

But i advocate solar power and recycling quite a bit. Solar power is ideal for lowering your electric bill and even making the utility give money to you if your panels generate enough power.

Recycling is a given. Make that bin accessible and it will be filled.

Conservation is a big plus for me. I've switched all the light bulbs to those high efficiency ones, and turned on the timers for the porch and door lamps outside. (Mom and Dad used to leave them on all the time). I also installed low-flo shower heads in the bathrooms for mom and dad.

At work, I've started saving the bubble wrap from the boxes that come in so that it can be used to help provide stuffing for customers who request it. Not as much gets thrown out. I've asked my boss to inquire about the company recycling incentive. If the store can complete the requirements of the company's GO GREEN program, every associate and manager in the store gets a bonus. And there's a small recycling bonus if the store completes the weekly recycling program requirements.

[kharvilak]

I've been doing as much as I can as well.  Can't go solar yet, as I'm in a rental apartment for now, but maybe very soon will have my own place.  When that happens, gonna see what it takes to go solar.  All lights in my current place are CFLs (not good because of the mercury, but good on energy, though I do properly dispose of them at a recycling center), next step is a low-flo shower head.  I recycle EVERYTHING, reuse a lot of what I can, and reduce by using less.  I also don't use lights in rooms I'm not in, never use the outside lights, and turn off everything electric until I need it (I even unplug the microwave when it's not currently in use).  During warmer months, I walk or bike just about everywhere I go... work, grocery store, short runs around town, and even just for exercise.  There are times during the summer when my car doesn't get started for a week.  Haven't done anything really long distance yet, my max is about 35 miles.  Always working up to longer rides though, but it's not as easy with a mountain bike vs. a road bike.  For a while, I thought about buying a scooter that gets 100 miles per gallon of gas, but I figured anywhere I can ride it in town, I could bike instead.
At work, we recycle cans, cardboard, and paper.  I've even talked my boss into letting me purchase all new printers for the company that go on powersave after 5 minutes, and force duplex printing whenever possible to save paper.  I've been working closely on my own with our EHS officer (Environmental Health and Safety) to come up with good ways to cut down on resources, which in the long run also saves the company money (double hit for this one ).  Our Shipping and Receiving department even reuses boxes and packing materials whenever possible.  I've been working to try to get people to shutdown their computers when they leave for the day, or at least turn off the monitor/s.  All office lights are on motion activated timers, so when there's no movement in the room for 5 minutes, the lights turn off.
I also volunteer a lot at my wife's work, a Unitarian Universalists church.  I've been working on getting them to a "Green Sanctuary" status, and I'm a key member of the Green Sanctuary Committee there.  It involves a lot of recycling ideas, energy conservation, and even buying regular products such as toiletries and cleaning supplies that are Earth friendly (biodegradable, no harmful chemicals, natural ingredients, made with recycled material, etc).  Next summer, we are redoing the parking lot, so I've proposed either permeable pavement, or even better, a drivable grass lot, complete with storm water management.