Category: environment

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Easy and clean

car tailpipeIt’s very easy – and clean – to turn off your vehicle when you’re parked.

If you do not let your vehicle’s engine idle when you are parked, you will win for all these reasons:

– Your engine will last longer.

– You won’t send pollution into the lungs of the bicycle rider or pedestrian who might be near.

– You will save money.

– You will prevent the environmental impact of transporting that extra fuel to your local gas station.

If you want to run your vehicle’s heater or air conditioner, consider instead going into the nearest building. It will probably be climate controlled. Your friend can meet you there.

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Sadness about competition

Curbside trasn canThere are too many trash companies in Denver. In the old days, the city would have picked up our trash. These days, there are about ten companies to choose from. The upside is that it keeps the cost down for those who have to pay for the service, such as myself. But there are many downsides:

– There is way more needed infrastructure. Every company needs its own fleet of trucks. Every company needs their own offices.

– There is way more pollution. Each of the ten trash companies that makes a pass through my neighborhood has ten trucks that drive by each week. There used to be one.

– There are five days of noise, rather than one.

– There are cans at the curb five days a week, rather than one.

– “Having so many trash companies provides more jobs.” That is true in the same way that having ten people on a road crew so that six can stand by and watch four work provides more jobs.

We changed trash services recently over two issues, even though we had used the same company for at least five years:

1. We care for humans. Our old company did not have trucks that could empty the cans; the guys had to lift them up to empty them. I always felt bad for their backs. So now, at least there is one less set of cans for them to empty.

2. Price. Yes, we are paying less now – due to competition.

Finally, please understand that I am not saying competition is bad in every case. It’s just bad in this case and situations similar to this.

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The Paperless Universe Progress Report

a long receiptThis is a guest post by my brother Bill.

In the early ’90s, I worked with a guy who predicted we would be working in “The Paperless Office” within a couple of decades. (My colleague was also a Mac advocate, if that tells you anything.) Applying his prediction more widely to American society in general, the paperless revolution is well underway in some areas — online banking replacing paper statements, direct deposit replacing paper paychecks, etc.

However, in other areas we have achieved mixed results at best, or we are even losing ground. Some merchants will now email your receipts to you (Office Max, for example), but they often still print the paper receipt too! If you tell them you don’t need a receipt, they wad it up and throw it away. Paper still wasted. Then there are the “toilet paper roll” receipts from places such as Best Buy and CVS, long scrolls which come with surveys and/or coupons along with the receipt. How much of that paper goes straight into the recycling?

Among the worst offenders I’ve encountered, though, has been my car dealership. This morning I took my vehicle in for MINOR service. When I was finished paying, I walked out with a six-page stapled document that included a wheel alignment sheet (showing my wheels are properly aligned), a checklist showing all the systems they had checked, and my credit card receipt on a full 8.5×11 sheet from their printer. I could see a number of areas where they could save paper. Perhaps I will give them feedback. What has your experience been with our transition to being Paperless People?

(This receipt was Paul’s – for just three items.)

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Starbucks should be ashamed

Starbucks plastic wasteI took this photo outside a local Starbucks. Why don’t they offer a recycling bin for just the plastic cups?

“Garbage and recycling bins, water filtration systems, shipping pallets, sheeting and automotive battery casings are just a few of the products that can be made out of recycled polypropylene.” (Source.)

Starbucks has said they are committed to the environment. But they are not committed to recycling – at least in my part of Colorado. C’mon, big guys – step up and do this – all over the USA, at least.

And here’s the beauty of feedback… I linked to this post on Facebook, and a friend reminded me of a great action in response to Starbucks’ failing. We can help them. Bring your own mug or cup!

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Investing in cash register tape

My next investment will be in a company that produces cash register tape. Their profits must be growing as fast as the length of tape I get with each new purchase. Print may be dying, but not in that area of the paper marketplace.

I am glad that many store sales people ask whether I want a receipt. I love it when they ask before printing one out.

Companies are fooling themselves in thinking many people will read cash register tape marketing messages. Today’s marketplace is so crowded with information that it’s good to be as strategic as possible in where you put your messages. This throw-away item is not one of the best marketing message channels.

By the way, this receipt – over 18″ long – was for just one item. And to set your mind at ease, I won’t put my money in cash register company stock.

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Ocean plastic

Japanese mouthwash on a beach in KenyaMethod came out with new soap that comes in a bottle made from ocean plastic. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Texas-sized swirl of plastic in the middle of the ocean. Method decided to make a difference and produce bottles made from ocean plastic.

Problem: Fast Company revealed that just 10% of each bottle is made from ocean plastic. I could not see that fact anywhere in the Method site.

In all fairness to Method, having 100% of the bottle made from ocean plastic would probably result in a bottle that cost $20.

If you really want to make a difference with your environmentalism, buy a large plastic pump bottle and repeatedly fill it with bulk dish soap from your local natural foods supermarket.

Photo: I took a picture of a Japanese mouthwash bottle that washed up on the beach in Kenya, Africa. Sometimes ocean plastic travels a long way.

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How do you decide?

Polish cerealAlmost every situation where we make a decision involves some compromise.

Breakfast cereal … I love non-standard less-sweet varieties that can’t be found in the Kellogg’s or Post sections of the supermarket. So my search for interesting cereals brought me to Big Lots. (I’m a Big Fan of Big Lots.)

I found a tropical fruits cereal there, from Poland, of all places! Then, I noticed that Big Lots imported it from Poland. There aren’t many tropical fruits in Poland. So the fruits were grown in Africa, flown to Poland, and then the end product was flown to some warehouse in Columbus, Ohio. Then they were transported to Denver. And trucked from the local Big Lots warehouse to my local suburban store.

That’s a lot of carbon footprint.

But how do we avoid that? It’s not easy. Tropical fruits aren’t grown in Denver either. But I like them.

How do you decide which products you buy?

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Way to save

fuel gaugeIf you fill up your fuel tank when it’s only half empty, here are some good reasons to wait till it’s nearly empty:

1. You will cut down the number of your trips to the gas station. That will save you time and money. It will help save you money for two reasons – you will do fewer impulse purchases at the checkout counter (if you pay there) by paying for the fuel fewer times. You will save the fuel that it takes to stop and start your car or driving to the station, if you made a special trip.

2. You will pollute the atmosphere less. If people idle their vehicles behind you when you’re fueling, you’ll prevent some of their emissions from entering the atmosphere.

The only positive reasons I’ve heard to fill up sooner are that there may be sediment in the bottom of your tank that could get stirred up if the fuel level goes too low. But modern engines have sophisticated fuel filtration systems, so that shouldn’t really be a problem.

And yes, you are smart enough to fill up early enough that your tank won’t go empty.

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Something you can do for Earth Day

Choose to walk

This is a re-post. I thought you might enjoy this little idea that originally appeared on October 7, 2011.

You know you need to exercise. I know that I do. You know that you need to run lots of errands each week.

Why not combine the two?

Riding your bicycle or walking to that place will take you more time. But you have to go there anyway! Why drive to the gym and run on a treadmill when in the same time it would take you to do both, you could save fuel, help the environment and enjoy being outside?

Disclaimer: I realize this only works if you live in a town that’s laid out where you can do your errands close to home.

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Small choices add up to big differences

Automatic or manual entrance doors?Most Americans are faced with a choice when they enter a big retail store… go through the automatic doors or the push-open doors?

If you are in a wheelchair, there’s not much of a choice. But for the rest of us, I’d urge you to choose the manual side, because:

1. You will get some additional exercise that would not otherwise be part of your life.

2. You will save the energy that it would take to open the doors.

3. You will save the store the cost of the electricity it would take to open the doors.

If you make this choice enough times, you will make a difference. If everyone you know makes this choice, we’ll all make a significant difference.

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