Sometimes we can change the sustainability aspects of our daily activities just by scheduling when they occur. Some examples:
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I was reading an article the other day about organizations that are putting satellites into orbit with sensors that can locate large sources of methane leaking into the atmosphere. The organizations hope to use this research to identify large sources of methane pollution that can be eliminated. This is important because methane is a very powerful greenhouse gas (about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide) that contributes significantly to global warming and climate change. One type of large methane source is leakage from ordinary municipal landfills – the places we send our garbage. Methane is created inside of a landfill when organic matter decomposes in an oxygen-free environment. Organic matter is anything that used to be alive – food, paper, cardboard, wood, lawn clippings, and cotton and linen fabric. Some large, new landfills have methane collection systems that move the methane to a power-producing plant, but most landfills still vent the methane to the atmosphere. If we reduce the amount of organic matter going to the landfill, we can reduce the amount of methane produced by the landfill. Here are a few alternatives to sending organic matter to the landfill:
Many people spend a lot of time, money, and water maintaining their lawn. Some of this lawn care uses more resources (water, fertilizer, power for the lawnmower, weedkilling chemicals) than are necessary. Many lawns are over-watered, with the excess water running into the storm gutters. In arid or semi-arid areas, water is precious and should be conserved whenever possible. In addition, energy is required to transport and treat the water, so reducing water use also reduces energy use. In areas with plenty of rainfall, is still important to manage your lawn care to minimize use of resources. The article at the link below discusses some lawncare myths and more-sustainable ways to care for your lawn.
Some additional ideas:
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