From: red_trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: talk.environment
Subject: Short Environmental Tips
Date: 15 Oct 92 16:35:15 -0500
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

This file has been revised since the last time it was posted.

    [This file is provided as a free service to those who are
    interested in saving the Earth.  Most of the information contained 
    within is compiled from "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the
    Earth."  A few ideas were borrowed from "The Next Step:
    50 More Things You Can Do to Save the Earth" and a few
    were the author's own, or suggested by other individuals.  This file 
    may be freely copied, redistributed or crossposted throughout the 
    net as long as this notice remains intact.  This file may be
    published in whole or in part in any publication, provided the 
    information within is attributed to "50 Simple Things . . . "  I 
    would appreciate, but do not require, notification of any crosspostings 
    or publication of this list to: Red_Trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu ]


                        SHORT ENVIRONMENTAL TIPS
                         ------------------------

    Ridiculously Simple Things
    --------------------------
 
    Wildlife can strangle to death in those plastic six-pack
    holders.  Cut all the circles before you throw them out.

    Use less laundry detergent.  Chances are, the directions
    on the box suggest more detergent than you really need.

    Reduce use of foil and plastic in the kitchen.  Use
    reusable containers to store food instead.

    Heating water uses a lot of energy.  Most clothes don't
    need to be washed in hot water or rinsed in warm:  a
    warm-cold cycle should generally work just as well.
    (Remember, the rinse is just to get the soap out--the
    temperature of the water used for rinsing doesn't
    affect cleanliness.)

    The litter you leave behind at the beach kills over
    a million seabirds and other animals every year.  Don't
    litter.  If you're feeling ambitious, bring a trash bag
    with you next time, and spend a few minutes picking up
    litter.

    Next time you're waiting for the bus, pick up any litter you
    find near the bus stop.

    Next time you go out for a walk, try to pick up one piece
    of litter and throw it away in the appropriate place.

    Save up to nine gallons of water a day:  turn off your water
    faucet when you brush your teeth.  It takes energy to clean
    and treat the water that comes to your home, so, yes,
    conserving water is important to the environment.  It is NOT
    just something you do during a drought.

    Making ice takes energy:  take only as much as you _need_.

    Don't waste resources.  Next time you get food at a fast food
    stand or a cafeteria, take only as many paper napkins as you
    will actually use.  Pocket leftover napkins (and condiments)
    for later use.

    Balloons endanger wildlife--especially those that live in
    the ocean.  (e.g. balloons can look like jellyfish underwater,
    which attracts the whales)  Even if you live in the midwest,
    your balloon could get to the coast in as little as two days.
    Don't release your helium balloon.


    Good for the Environment
    Good for Your Pocketbook
    -------------------------

    Turn your water heater down to 130o Farenheight -- hot enough
    to kill bacteria (120o is inadequate) and still save energy.
    or put it on an "energy conservation" setting.  If you have a
    dishwasher without a backup heater, you may have to stay with
    140o.

    Go to the hardware store and get a pre-fab "blanket" to
    insulate your water heater -- but if it's a gas heater,
    be sure not to block off the air vents.

    Save gas.  Rotate your tires every 6-8,000 miles.

    Also:  keep your car tuned up.

    And:  clean your car's fuel filters.

    Extra weight uses extra fuel.  Take only what you _need_
    when you go out for a drive.

    Air conditioners add weight to your car and leak CFC's
    (bad for ozone layer) even when you don't switch it on.
    Only buy a car with an air conditioner if you really feel
    you need it.

    Here's a way to waste energy:  switch your air conditioner
    to a setting lower than your target when you turn it on.
    Your room (or car) won't get cold any faster, so this is
    futile, wastes energy, AND wastes money.

    Save some work for the poor fan in your air conditioner
    (and some money on your energy bill):  clean or replace the
    filters at least once a month.

    Tune up your gas furnance every two years.

    Tune up your oil furnance annually.

    Fill a bag or bottle with water, or buy a toilet dam, and install
    it in your toilet tank.  Experiment to find what size will
    reduce water use while maintaining adequate pressure for your
    toilet to flush.

    If your light fixture takes three bulbs, try using two.  Put
    a burned out bulb in the last socket (it's safer).

    Buy products in economy-size whenver possible -- the bigger
    the better.  It saves you money AND helps the environment:
    one big package uses proportioanlly less packaging material
    than many small ones.

    The production of livestock meat uses three times the fuel
    energy, twenty times the land, and many times the water it
    takes to produce a vegetarian diet.  Also, meat is more
    expensive.  Maybe you don't want to become a pure vegetarian.
    That's okay:  your eating habits are a personal decision only
    YOU can make.  But just one, two or more "meatless" meals 
    every week could make a big difference for the environment.  
    Buy a vegetarian cookbook and experiment with a few dishes.  
    You might discover some new favorites.

    Buy fuel-efficient tires.

    Buy a low-flow showerhead.

    Keep your refrigerator between 38o and 42o farenheight, and
    your freezer between 0o and 5o.  Any colder and you waste
    unnecessary energy.

    Disposible batteries are toxic.  Buy rechargeable batteries and a
    battery recharger:  your batteries will last much longer that way,
    so you'll save money and help the environment at the same time.

    Good for the Environment
    Good for your Health
    -------------------------

    It would take you forty-five days of turning off the water
    faucet while brushing your teeth to save the same amount
    of water you'd save by passing up one serving of chicken.
    But eating less meat is not just good for the environment
    or your pocketbook, it's better for your health.  Eating
    meat, dairies (milk, cheese, butter) and eggs can significantly
    increase your risk of heart attack, certain kinds of cancer,
    and other health problems, especially when they are part
    of a high-cholestrol, high-saturated fat and high-protein
    diet.  Also, many meats are full of antibiotics, as is much
    of the milk you drink.  (Note:  you can get all the "complete"
    protein you need by combining beans [legumes] and grains--
    you don't need to rely on animal products for protein.  For
    more information, consult a recently published vegetarian
    cookbook, or drop by the rec.food.veg newsgroup.)

    Toxic products and hazardous wastes are often as bad for
    your health as they are for the environment.  Educate
    yourself by purchasing a copy of "50 Simple Things You
    Can Do to Save the Earth," or by locating some other source
    for this information.

    Use latex paint, not oil-based paint.  Oil based paint is toxic.


    Good for the Environment
    And Cruelty Free Too
    ------------------------

    Not every one is "into" animal rights -- but whether you are
    or aren't, things good for one are often good for the other.
    You might want to consult the "Animal Rights Handbook:
    Everyday Ways to Save Animal Lives", available from Living
    Planet Press, 558 Rose Ave., Venice CA 90291 or in bookstores,
    for more information.

    Animal rights activists object to eating meat on the grounds
    that it is wrong to kill animals for food, and on the
    grounds that the livestock industry (as well as the egg
    and dairies industry) often inflicts suffering on animals while 
    they live, particularly in "factory" farming.  Animal rights 
    activists say they are not interested in sentimentalism,
    only in justice:  suffering is suffering (say the activists)
    whether its on the part of a defenseless infant or elderly
    person, or on the part of an equally defenseless animal.

    Don't buy ivory, tortoiseshell, coral, reptile skins,
    cat pelts, or other products from endangered animals.

    The pesticide on some flea collars can cause nerve damage,
    cancer, or other problems in your pet.  Order citrus-oil
    sprays instead, or add brewer's yeast and garlic to your
    pet's food, or look for products containing methoprene.


    Save the Environment
    With a Little More Effort
    -------------------------

    Use unbleached coffee filters or reusable cotton filters.
    Check your local supermarket, or contact Rockline Inc., PO
    Box 1007, Sheboygan, WI 53082.

    Use rags, not paper towels, on spills in the kitchen.  Wash
    and reuse the rags.

    Put sandwhiches in washable, reusable freezer bags.

    Buy various recycled products (including many kinds of paper)
    from Earth Care Co. Box 3335, Madison WI 53704, (608) 256-5522.
    For more information on where you can purchase recycled 
    and otherwise environmentally healthy products, use the internet
    to contact gaia@access.digex.com

    Buy various environmentally-healthy kitchen products, as well
    as mesh-string bags for grocery shopping, from Seventh
    Generation, 10 Farrell St., South Burlington, VT 05403.

    Clean your dryer's lint trap after every load to keep the
    air circulating efficiently.

    Contact local plumbing supply stores for information on
    buying an "ultra low-flush" toilet.

    Use e-mail, not snail mail, whenever feasible; print out
    only what urgently NEEDS to be printed out.  Before printing,
    reformat any files in such a way as to minimize paper usage;
    use smaller print, two-column mode, or print (or photcopy,
    for that matter) on both sides of the paper whenever possible.

    If you see a recycling bin for alumin, then for gosh sakes
    don't put your candy wrappers in there.  An excess of
    unrelated and unwanted materials in recycling bins can lead
    to the whole load being thrown out.  If your trash doesn't
    belong, then either redirect it to the appropriate recyling
    bin or find a general-purpose garbage can.

    Set aside a box in your home for newspapers, so they can
    be recycled.

    Set aside wastebaskets or other containers for various
    recyable materials.  A good place may be right next
    to regular wastebaskets, so recycling becomes a matter
    of depositing your trash a few inches to one side or the
    other.  Remember, not all your recycling containers have
    to be located in the same spot.

    Don't have a recycling center in your area, or curbside 
    pick up?  Does your office recycle materials you can't at
    home?  Bring those materials in!

    If you're buying just a little bit, why take a bag?  Save
    energy and landfills by using reusable bags (e.g. canvas or
    string mesh) whenver you can.

    Ask for paper plates and cups at fast food places, not styrofoam.
    Better yet, bring along reusable "silverware," creamic mugs,
    etc.--at least to work.

    Teach and encourage others to use e-mail.

    A good way to keep unwanted items out of your local landfill
    is to pass them on to other people via yardsales.  Go to
    yardsales/flea markets when you can, and hold a few of your
    own.

    Drive less.  If it's a mile or two, walk.  If it's a little
    further, see if you can use your bike.  Use public transportation 
    when you can.  When running errands, try to combine trips.  If
    you can't do any of the above to get to work, then carpool.

    Try to recycle tires.

    Check aerosol lables.  Don't buy stuff with CFC-11, 12, 113,
    114, or 115.

    Try to recycle oil.

    Buy flourescent light bulbs.

    Clean your lightbulbs:  dirt absorbs light, wasting energy.

    Plant a tree.

    Buy copies of "50 Simple Things" and give them to friends,
    families, and local libraries.  If you can, include other books
    such as "The Next Step: 50 More Things You Can Do to Save the 
    Earth," "The Recycler's Handbook," and "30 Simple Energy Things
    You Can Do to Save the Earth".  All of these books are available
    at bookstores, or by mail order from EarthWorks Press #25, 
    1400 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley CA 92409, United States of America.

    Distribute this list, or the information contained within,
    any way you can.  (E.g. by crossposting it, or passing it
    on to someone you know, on or off the net.  Conserve paper--
    please don't print this file unless absolutely neccessary,
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    tips as fillers in any publication you are responsible for.)