I'll start with a simple statement. I believe the Earth and all living things are sacred.
Following that premise, we have a responsibility to not destroy our home and to be considerate towards our animal neighbours. Here in North America we're particularly at fault; nonetheless, the modern lifestyle we've developed *is* a good thing. I don't suggest that we up and abandon it. However, I do believe that modern society has lost its sense of balance. We need to reevaluate our lifestyle, and make modifications as necessary in order for our lifestyle to become sustainable and low-impact. For most people, this will include a reevaluation of their core values.
Some of the ways I'm trying to do my part:
(Some small, some that took some planning and forethought [such as where I live]. I don't advocate an extremist lifestyle. Instead, I think we should all take stock and adopt some practical, reasonable, and sensible practices to reduce our environmental footprint. We may not make a huge impact individually, but collectively we can make a difference.)
I live in a condo apartment. My building has 48 units in 3 stories, and the entire property takes the space
of perhaps 10 individual houses. Higher-density development can be achieved quite comfortably. My condo is
a spacious 2 bedroom that cost far less than a comparable house. The condo fee includes all my utilities, my
property taxes are low, and I don't have to make repairs, cut grass, or shovel snow. I honestly don't know why
people buy houses at all. Long story short, if you live in an apartment, you're helping to reduce urban sprawl.
(The city I live in is the poster child for bad urban planning.)
I use compact fluorescent light bulbs in my home. Replacing 100W bulbs with 23W ones is a great way to make
a quick, painless reduction in your energy costs (especially since electricity has gotten so expensive). The cost
of compact fluorescents has really dropped. 3-packs for <= $10 Canadian can be purchased just about anywhere. Apart from
the energy savings, a nice bonus is that fluorescents last much longer than incandescents.
I live close (~3km) to where I work. I prefer to work close enough to where I live (and hopefully work somewhere that doesn't require me to travel) that I can walk, ride a bike, or moped to work each day (although I'll admit to using alternatives to the car far less often than I should).
I ride my bike for transportation when the weather permits. Canadian cold and snow are my excuse for the rest of the time. ;-)
I drive a reasonably fuel-efficient car (a Dodge Neon), and sometimes a moped. I keep it maintained.
I'd prefer to drive it less. I'd say that probably fewer than 10% of people with SUV's,
pickup trucks, and mini-vans can really justify a legitimate need for such a large
gas-guzzling vehicle. A mid-size car easily transports a typical family in comfort with
much greater fuel efficiency (and without blocking visibility on the roads).
I use Sunoco brand gas in my car. It's a 10% ethanol blend that reduces emissions,
and has the lowest sulphur count (by far) in Canadian gasoline. Actually, I hope electric
or electric hybrids will really take off soon. Apart from the emissions issue, can you imagine
how quiet and peaceful the world will be if we get rid of the noise of cars? No matter where
you are in a city, you can always hear cars...
I recycle. Paper, plastic, cans. If your municipality has a recycling program,
this is a no-brainer. If your workplace doesn't offer recycling, you can re-use paper
by tearing printouts into pieces and using the backs for telephone messages, and/or take
bags of paper home for your recycling box.
I use recycled products wherever I can find them. For instance, here in Canada,
the Loblaws (Loblaws, Zehrs, No Frills) chain offers 100% post-consumer recycled toilet paper
and paper towels. You can't tell the difference between these and their non-recycled varieties.
If we don't use these products, the above-mentioned recycling programs are a waste of time.
I try to avoid excessive packaging with items I buy, I turn down bags whenever possible, and
shop at stores where you supply your own bags.
I use a low-flow shower head. According to the packaging, it uses 60% less water. After two or three days you won't notice the difference.
I buy Canadian when I can. It supports our own economy, reduces the impact of
shipping, and reasonably assures me proper practices were used in production. I also try
to purchase from companies with an environmental conscience, such as
Mountain Equipment Co-Op.
I don't listen to the "more, more, more" mantra of our materialistic consumer
society. I have enough to be comfortable, and don't try to impress anyone with what
I have. Rather than acquire more stuff, my extra money goes into investments to acquire
more time, by hopefully retiring quite early.
I don't have children. If by some miracle I end up married some day, I won't
have more than two children (if any). There are already too many people in the world. Of course, I could take being childfree as license to consume resources with abandon (and I'd still probably be consuming less than all my potential descendants would), but I'm too conscientious to do that. ;-)
I live a simple life. I love to read; reading is a safe and inexpensive way to travel,
make friends, and have adventures. I like to get outside and go hiking, biking, climbing, and sailing.
I obviously spend a lot of time on the computer...
I get my news from television and the Internet. I honestly don't have the time to go through a novel-length newspaper every day, nor do I wish to waste all that paper. I also read books on my Palm handheld computer.
I own a sailboat, not a motorboat. Wind power is free, clean, and blissfully quiet. Not to mention that my
modest sailboat has far more cabin space than a comparably sized motorboat.
I purchase wind power certificates from Pembina.org. These ensure a particular amount of electricity is entered into the grid from a wind-power source.
I appreciate my own backyard (Ontario, Canada). I live in a beautiful piece of the
world, and I could spend my whole life trekking around Ontario without seeing it all. Given
the impact of travelling (airplanes, airplane terminals, etc.) I really don't see a need for it.
The world is beautiful where I am, and there are more people here than I'd probably ever be able to
meet.
I'm an informed voter. Each election I actually go to the web site of each party, and read their
platforms. The strongest influence on my vote is which party's platform best reflects my values and
philosophy. Previously I've consistently voted for the NDP, but I think I may vote Green next time. Voting for a party with a strong environmental agenda is the fastest way to make change occur (provided they get elected), as politicians set regulations, make legislation, and control a great deal of money that could be redirected to better use.
