textfiles-politics/politicalTextFiles/habits.txt

CHAOS' NOTE:  THIS WAS DOWNLOADED FROM GREENPEACE BBS, AND HAS BEEN 
EDITED SOMEWHAT TO MAKE IT CLEARER AND EASIER TO READ.  IF YOU WANT 
THE ORIGINAL LET ME KNOW.
         CHAOS

I've compiled the following list of small, everyday things ordinary 
people can do to lessen environmental damage. 

I've tried to keep it to simple, uncontroversial suggestions that you 
can quickly implement in your life.  Some of them are not that simple, 
so I've included a "compromise" suggestion that you can do initially. 
Some of them are not that uncontroversial either.  For example, I've 
followed the debate here on disposable vs cloth diapers and made the 
suggestion that I consider to be best. 

No, I don't practice all of the practices on this list, but I'm 
getting there.  I'm not an environmental expert, and I'm receptive to 
corrections, additions, and other comments on this list. 
----------------------------------------------------------------

Suggestions for living in a manner that is respectful of the 
environment. 

     -    Think globally, act locally.

     -    Don't buy products from or invest in businesses that harm 
          the environment.  Explain to them why. 

     -    Don't buy cosmetics from companies that abuse animals. 

     -    Recycle.  Start with newspapers, glass, clear plastic, and 
          aluminum cans. 

     -    Use recycled products.  Buy greeting cards made from   
          recycled paper. 

     -    Purchase drinks in glass or cans instead of plastic    
          containers.  Glass and aluminum are easier to recycle. 

     -    Ask for paper instead of plastic bags at the supermarket.  
          Ask that your frozen foods not be wrapped in plastic wrap.  
          Don't use a bag when you can easily carry your purchase by 
          hand. 

     -    Refill drinking water instead of buying a new plastic  
          container each time. 

     -    Cut up the plastic rings that hold together 6-packs so that 
          there are no loops.  (Birds get caught on them.) 

     -    Cut up plastic bags you dispose of, especially clear   ones.  
          (Sea turtles mistake them for jellyfish and die from 
          ingesting them.) 

     -    Purchase items in bulk packaging. 

     -    Avoid aerosol cans. 

     -    Buy organic produce. 

     -    Avoid clothes that need dry cleaning. 

     -    Use cloth diapers.  Compromise:  use disposables on 
          vacation.  Use disposables at night. 

     -    Use a laundry detergent that is low in phosphorus. 

     -    Use a clothes line. 

     -    Avoid products packaged in plastic. E.g. buy margarine in 
          paper/wax wrappers instead of the plastic tubs.     Reuse 
          the plastic containers you do buy. 

     -    Wash your dishes by hand. 

     -    Don't let the water run when you brush your teeth. 

     -    Limit offspring.  Consider adoption.  Compromise:  make the 
          first, adopt the rest. 

     -    Teach your children the importance of the environment. 

     -    Dress according to the weather, and set the thermostat 
          appropriately. 

     -    Live close enough to work that you can walk or bicycle 
          there.  Compromise:  Carpool.  Use public transit. 

     -    Carpool.  Use public transit.  Compromise:  buy a fuel-
          efficient car. 

     -    Don't buy a car air conditioner. 

     -    If it's within walking distance, walk to it. 

     -    Don't flood your house/yard with insecticide, chemical 
          fertilizers, etc. 

     -    Dispose of toxics properly (paint [thinner], motor oil, 
          ...). 

     -    Have only as much lawn as you're willing to cut with a push 
          mower. 

     -    Water your yard at night. 

     -    Plant trees.  Garden; use your garbage as compost. 

     -    Shop by mail. 

     -    Avoid products made of animal parts (ivory, leather    
          wallets and belts, snake skin boots, etc, etc). 

     -    Donate to environmental groups. 

          Environmental Defense Fund:  Dept P, 257 Park Av       
          South, NY NY 10010. 
          
          Environmental Action Foundation:  1525 New Hampshire Avenue, 
          NW, Washington, DC 20036. 

          Sierra Club:  730 Polk St, SF CA 94109. 

          Conservation Foundation:  1250 24th St NW, Suite 500,  
          Washington DC, 20037. 

     -    Encourage the easing of world tensions, so as to       
          increase the opportunity for arms reductions. 

     -    (Publicly) congratulate and encourage reformed         
          polluters and those with good environmental records. 

     -    Support measures that will mitigate population         
          pressure. 

     -    Encourage your town/city to start a curbside recycling 
          program. 

     -    Discourage the attitude that the Earth and the life forms on 
          it exist to be plundered and shaped for the pleasure of 
          humans. 

     -    Discourage the attitude that the future is destined, --that 
          events are beyond our influence, that we can not  solve the 
          problems we have created. 

     -    Encourage the viewpoint that it is immoral to future   
          generations for us to not move the human race toward a 
          sustainable lifestyle. 

     -    Discourage over reliance on technological fixes. 

     -    Emphasize that much of the problem is due to everyday  
          activities of ordinary people. 


SOME COMMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO THE ABOVE FROM REPLIES ON ENVIRONET.
         CHAOS

>   - Ask for paper instead of plastic bags at the supermarket.

Bring your own sturdy, reusable bag(s) (backpacks work very well). 
(Note:  this is the norm in Europe, from what my German teacher said.) 

Actually asking for paper bags at the supermarket is not really the 
answer.  The brown paper bags are composed of paper with the longest 
fibers which only come from fresh trees.  Bags like this are not made 
of recycled paper, but they can be recycled.  The newest plastic ones 
(with cornstarch) do degrade faster in the environment than the old 
ones, however, the above suggestion is the best. 
         Chaos

>   - Carpool.  Use public transit.
>     Compromise:  buy a fuel-efficient car.

Compromise: buy a motorcycle, scooter, or moped.  They're generally 
far more fuel-efficient, from what little I've seen. (Best of all, 
walk or bicycle, but that was mentioned in a suggestion I clipped. . . 

>   - Avoid clothes that need dry cleaning.

Don't buy synthetics -- cotton is generally more comfortable, anyway. 

>   - Discourage over reliance on technological fixes.

Depends on what the "technological fix" is.  Wind power is a TF,
as is the bicycle.  Also houses/apartments, telephones, mail-
order shopping. . . .
(i.e. Think about the technology you use, not all technology is 
environmentally damaging.)

>Avoid products made of animal parts (ivory, leather wallets and 
belts, snake skin boots, etc, etc). 

While I (mostly) agree, this has more to do with being kind to animals 
than helping the environment.  Leather, after all, is a durable and 
non-environmentally-harmful material (as opposed to, say, nylon or 
rayon).  The leather belt I'm wearing has been in daily use for about 
the past fifteen (15) years, and is still in good condition;  it may 
well last five more.  On the other hand, if a company is doing animal 
testing, chances are their product isn't exactly what one would call 
environmentally safe. Cosmetics, Drano. . . .  Yeesh.