Blog Action Day 2009
My good bloggy friend Jen has her blogging fingers in many blog pies, including the blog Eco Women: Protectors of the Planet!. Aside from challenging myself to using the word "blog" in as many different ways as I could, I agreed to take part in Blog Action Day 2009 on climate change.
I know some people aren't certain about climate change. They say that humans are nothing more than fleas on a dog, that this is part of a natural cycle and nothing we mere mortals do will amount to more than a flea bite. I do know that if you get enough fleas on a dog, however, you will kill the dog. Put another way - let's say I have a problem with my brain, so I ask 100 neurologists what's wrong and how to fix it. 99 of them tell me it's serious and I need to take some action NOW but 1 tells me it's nothing to worry about. Who am I going to listen to? I'm not an expert on the inner workings of the grey matter betwixt my ears, nor am I an expert on the climate. If a majority of those who are experts tell me their opinion of the problem, I should take their word for it and not the minority who tell me not to worry.
But it can all so overwhelming. Today I'm going to give you two very simple tips on how you can do just a bit to help. And like killing the fleas on the dog, a lot of people doing a little bit can make a difference. Even if you're still not convinced that humans are having a negative effect on our environment, these two tips can work for you as they will save you some coin. And who doesn't like saving some money?
Tip 1: Google the phrase "solar power clothes dryer" (or just click the link) and check out the first result - that's right, that'd be Yours Truly. Or at least it is off my Google... anyway, I did that post back in 2007 as part of my ongoing quest to bring my new Australian lifestyles to friends and family back in the States. It is very common here in my corner of Australia (that'd be Brisbane, in Southeast Queensland) for people to hang their washing outside to dry. The matching washer/dryer set that are ubiquitous in the US is virtually unheard of here. Since I did my original post, The Hermit has installed another washing line so I can hang up oodles of washing - and 70+ metres is still not enough sometimes. Stop making excuses why you can't hang your washing up. Homeowners Association won't let you, or you live in a cold climate? String some lines in your laundry room, or your basement, or even your bathroom. Invest in a mobile drying rack or two so you can hang stuff up inside. Afraid your neighbours will talk? Be a trailblazer and loudly proclaim you're being eco-friendly and just what are they doing to reduce their carbon footprint? If you don't want them seeing your knickers, hang them up inside. Not only does hanging your clothes reduce your greenhouse gas emissions - dryers can emit more than 3 kilograms (that's over 6 1/2 pounds) of greenhouse gases PER LOAD - but your clothes will last longer and you will deny the electric company part of your hard earned paycheck. How can that be bad?
Tip 2: Brisbane has just come out of a severe drought. How severe? Our combined dam levels dipped as low at 16.72% in August 2007 for a population of over 1.6 million. While our dams have now recovered - we are currently at 74% - many, if not all, households underwent a major rethink on how we used water. You can upgrade all your appliances to newer, water efficient ones but not everyone has that kind of money. Low-flow shower heads are inexpensive and easy to install, but there's a way to make them even more efficient. Limit your shower to 4 minutes. And the easiest way to do this is to find a shower song. Find a song that is roughly 4 minutes long and play it as you shower. This is one of my personal favourites:
There are a few other tricks I'd recommend to keep under your 4 minute limit. No shaving in the shower, or toothbrushing, or anything other than hair and body washing. If you use a conditioner, put it in, wash your body and then rinse your hair and body at the same time. And it's okay to put on a few dance moves while showering to your tunes, although I wouldn't recommend dancing like Simon LeBon - you may dislocate something on the slippery tile. Not only do you not waste a precious resource, you save money on your water bill.
These tips cost you nothing but a little thought and time and they help not only the environment but your hip pocket. Embrace the great Australian tradition of having a go at something new, and then come back and tell me your shower song.
And while you're here - why not leave a comment on my 4th Blogiversary post? If you do you'll go into the draw for a prize yet to be determined, but I swear it'll be good. Leave a comment there by 9pm Friday Brisbane time to be eligible.
5 Witty Remarks:
I thought Ride of the Valkyres was a good shower song. You can really get a good scrub going, in time with Wagnerian music. It gets all the dead skin off quickly, and maybe a little live skin, too. That provides a little credit toward the next shower, eh?
LOVE that song!!!
Good idea to hang clothes up to dry. I put a line inside my laundry closet and use it with every load. I don't line dry everything, but I hang quite a bit up each time.
As for the shower thing, I've cut back my time, but I'm not down to 4 minutes yet. We also have low-flow showerheads, which help a lot too.
Hmmm - I have a washer-dryer combination thingie, but rarely use the dryer bit - I hang things over the folding rack in the spare bedroom so that works for me!
I just don't get why people don't hang out their washing? It doesn't take long and the clothes are so fresh. Hang your undies in the middle if you're embarrassed!
I also don't get why you need more than 4 minutes in a shower. How dirty are you really, when you think about, unless you work outdoors you really should only need a freshen up.
Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth. Why watch water going down the plug hole? Put a bucket in your shower. I use this to rinse the dust out of the bath each day as we rarely use the bath. You can also use it to water your pot plants.
Put a hose on your washing machine waste water hose. Our grass is green outside our laundry, and to think that water would have just been wasted.
This list goes on....
Mr Mumfies and I grew up on tank water so we really don't find water saving to be an issue.
Have a go ya mug!
New Mexico is a very dry State. I don't take long showers and never had. But hanging out wash here would be a problem. With the slightest wind there is dust blowing around. Somehow gritty underwear, socks and shirts does not appeal to me. However, I did buy energy efficient appliances. We only do laundry once a week, so I don't think my impact is too big.
We did install a drip system for the few plants in our eco-friendly yard. It is on a timer and since it is fall, it runs only two days a week for an hour or so before sunrise. We decided against putting in grass for two reasons; one it is not eco-friendly. We live in a desert for crying out loud. And two, I hate yard work.
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