Blog Archives

Sustainability in shared homes

11/26/2022

I recently saw a post asking about how to live more sustainably if you live with your parents or in a shared space with roommates, if your family or roommates do not share your interest in living more sustainably. Learn as much as you can about sustainability and think about how you can apply what you learn (my blog has lots of small ideas to consider). I spent some time thinking of specific ideas, including things you can do outside the home.

Be gentle about your desire to change your lifestyle. If your family or housemates are not interested in sustainability, arguments won’t convince them. Quietly do what you can, and gently request small changes when appropriate. They may follow your lead or agree to changes later if you don’t make it an uncomfortable issue.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator in public buildings if it is safe to do so.
If you wash your own clothing, use the cold-water setting, avoid “extra” chemicals such as dryer sheets, and experiment with hanging some clothing to air dry if you have space. Use the “low” setting on the dryer, because a longer cycle on low heat still uses less energy than running the dryer on the high setting. Keep lint filters clean because heavy lint reduces the efficiency of the dryer.
If recycling services are available, check the rules for what the service will accept and recycle what you can. Others may begin using the recycle bin if it’s convenient.
Avoid single-use plastics, buy a good reusable water bottle instead of disposable bottled water, and take your own coffee mug to the coffee shop if you can. Take your own reusable container to restaurants for leftovers.
At fast-food restaurants with drive-through service, unless you have a specific reason why you must use the drive-through, park outside and walk in so your car is not idling while you wait in line.
Don’t waste food. Organic matter (such as food and paper) generates methane (a very powerful greenhouse gas) when disposed of in a landfill.
Get a power strip for your electronics such as the TV, game console, and computer so you can completely shut off the power to these items when you are not using them. Even if they are sleeping or turned off, most still consume small amounts of electricity when plugged in. Unplug phone or laptop chargers when they are not in use, because they also use small amounts of electricity even if nothing is connected to them.

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Holiday meals

11/20/2022

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Holidays are frequently celebrated with large meals shared with friends and family. You can enjoy these occasions while incorporating some sustainable ideas into the celebration.

Coordinate the menu with others who will bring food so that you can plan amounts appropriate for the number of guests. Resist the temptation to keep adding menu items once you have provided enough food for all of your guests.
Planning how you will use the leftovers is as important as planning the meal. Food disposed in landfills creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it decomposes. Provide reusable containers and send leftovers home with your guests. Plan meals for the next few days to use the leftovers and put some of the leftovers in your freezer.
Keep hot items hot and cold items chilled so that you don’t have to throw spoiled food away (and so the food is safe to eat).
While you may have many cherished traditional menu items that you will want to enjoy, you may want to experiment with some new sustainable food choices alongside the old favorites.
Consider sustainability when choosing decorations. Reusable decorations can create new traditions for the future.
Choose reusable plates and utensils, and recycle appropriate items.

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Flying vs driving

11/13/2022

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There is a lot of discussion on which is less impactful for the environment: flying or driving a car. This is the best article I’ve seen because it describes both the sources of data and the methods used to calculate the comparisons. And it provides enough detail that you can compare your individual situation to the information provided in the article. It doesn’t try to provide a “single” answer, but shows that which alternative is best depends on multiple factors.

https://earth911.com/travel-living/driving-vs-flying

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