Environment… no, not getenv()!

I’m in bed with a bad flu, so rather than an usual blog post.. taking up from Planet Debian

1. Copy the list below to your own journal and Bold the actions you are already taking Underline the actions you plan to start taking Italicize the actions that don’t apply to you
2. Add one (or more) suggested action(s) of your own
3. Leave a comment there, so that she can track the meme to your journal, and copy your suggested action(s) back to her master list.

• Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs – they also have a better light IMHO
• Choose energy efficient appliances – always do, when it’s me to buy the appliances of course..
• Wash clothes in cold(er) water
• Turn the thermostat of your hot water tank down to 50°C (125°F) – we have a firewood boiler, can’t go over that temperature or it breaks
• Install a programmable thermostat (or turn the heat down over night and when you’re out of the house) – again, firewood boiler, means that if we’re sleeping or we’re not at home, it has to be turned off
• Register with the Canadian Marketing Association’s Do Not Contact Service to reduce the amount of junk mail delivered to your house. – If there was something like this here… I can only try to limit the agreement to use my address with services.
• Eat less meat (particularly feedlot beef) – I only eat ham, and cutlet, and both quite rarely
• Walk, bike, carpool or take public transit as often as possible – if I had public transports… I don’t go around in car alone though, I don’t have a driving license anyway
• Make sure you know what can be recycled in your area, and try to recycle as much household waste as possible – There aren’t many recycling facilities where I live, but it should change soon…
• Compost using an outdoor compost bin or an indoor vermicomposter – compost in the garden, it’s quite useful
• Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
• Buy local, organic or fair trade food where possible
• Reduce air travel – I’m scared of planes, so…
• Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
• Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible – no dryer here, to begin with, it’s not cost-effective either
• Plant a tree – we have a garden, plenty of trees
• Buy fresh foods instead of frozen (Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce) – would like to, it’s difficult as we don’t have fresh food shops around here
• Keep your car tuned up and your tires inflated to their optimal pressure
• Use biodegradable dishwashing liquid, laundry soap powder, etc.
• Drink tap water (filtered if necessary) rather than buying bottled water – Should really filter it, but I’m not really sure if I would trust the filters they sell here..
• Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth
• Unplug seldom-used appliances and chargers for phones, cameras, etc., when you’re not using them – I do it already for stuff that is easily reachable, I’m trying to add switches where the plugs are difficult to reach, compatibly with the power cabling
• Plug air leaks and drafts around doors and windows with weatherstripping
• Switch from disposable to reusable products: food and beverage containers, cups, plates, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, shopping bags, etc. – I’m a fountain pen lover, does this say enough?
• Consider garage sales, Freecycle, eBay, or borrowing from friends/family before buying a new tool or appliance
• Try to buy stuff with smart packaging, recycled paper instead of polystyrene, cardboard rather than plastic – Apple, albeit still using polystyrene, at least does not have the huge and wasteful packaging I’ve seen from other manufacturers; unfortunately most of the stuff you buy in Italy has very stupid packaging 🙁