Send all your eco-inquiries to Jennifer Grayson at eco.etiquette@gmail.com. Questions may be edited for length and clarity.
Seeing what's happening with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico makes me feel so helpless. I desperately believe this country needs to get off oil, but like a lot of Americans, I can't afford to buy a hybrid car. What else can I do?
-Karla
I'm not a religious person, but I can't look at the horrific images of the Deepwater Horizon engulfed in flames at the onset of what may be known as the worst oil disaster in American history without thinking, this is biblical. And I'm not talking the apocalypse; in fact, a very different fiery allegory comes to mind, and that is of Moses and the burning bush.
In the Old Testament, God used the burning bush as a way to capture Moses' attention and convince him that it was time to take action to free the Israelites from slavery; now, the message from the oil slick–fueled inferno in the Gulf of Mexico is Enough already! It's time for America to liberate herself from a devastating dependence on fossil fuels.
Kill baby, kill. How many more lives need to be lost -- our soldiers protecting our fuel interests in the Middle East, the 11 workers on that ill-fated oil rig, the untold thousands of marine creatures that live in the Gulf -- before we come to terms with the fact that our relationship with oil is not sustainable?
For you and many people I've spoken with in the days since the spill, the answer to that question is: no more lives; not a single one. Much as Hurricane Katrina may have been the tipping point for the Bush administration, this recent disaster -- following so closely on the heels of the calamity at West Virginia's Massey coal mine -- may help spur a final farewell to fossil fuels.
At least perceptually. The Obama administration is now reconsidering its plans for new domestic offshore drilling; on Monday, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support for a drilling project off the California coast. Sadly though, the climate bill may ultimately be stalled now that offshore oil appears to be off the table.
But don't get overwhelmed by politics as usual. There's plenty you can do to help reduce our country's reliance on oil -- our oil footprint, if you will -- and it doesn't have to involve buying a Tesla and plugging it into your solar home-charging station. (Though if you have the means to do so, please, go ahead.)
Here, my top 10 tips for a reduced oil diet:
Over 200 years ago, a bunch of scrappy would-be Americans stood up to the seemingly almighty British empire; by adopting these tips, we can send a message to British Petroleum -- and our oil companies here at home -- that we will not stand for dirty oil business as usual. Let the Tea Party Patriots get behind that.
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Anyone can get 25% better mileage by coasting up to red lights, not idling while parked in front of a store, not driving 10-30 mph over the speed limit, and accelerating modestly from a stop sign or light. Not big sacrifice just a little care and consideration go a long way. Avoiding the wind drag and extra weight of a "support our troops" sticker also help if only to not give a mixed message as you tool around in your larger car or truck.
Thanks!!
Sooze
In my view, the first thing we collectively have to do it reduce the size of the space that we heat and cool every day. That means that all those wealthy people like Al Gore who would like us to change our lightbulbs and buy expensive solar panels for our houses need to set an example and TEAR DOWN THEIR MANSIONS. Once we accept that we cannot continue to heat and cool such huge spaces and at the same time reduce our oil and coal burning, then there will be fewer tons of the leftover gunk, and using water bottles when necessary and taking our own when possible will happen on it's own.
My parents raised 6 kids in about 1700 sq ft. We're all happy, healthy and successful. Living in smaller houses and spending more time outdoors is not only possible, but from my own experience, it's pleasurable. Connects one to the land, and if we can reconnect, maybe we'll develop some respect.
http://storyofstuff.org/bottledwater/
You still stank. Your co-workers were polite.
i worked at a florida university -- hope you are stuck at the same one. ucf is a neo-con induced nightmare.
I also get constant compliments on my lovely (and very safe) Mercedes!
I simply refused to buy another car that needed petroleum. If more of us did so they'd make different cars. You can do this NOW.
http://biodiesel-coop.org/
http://contemplativehiking.com/2010/05/03/the-ecopsychology-of-the-gulf-oil-spill/
One other big way to reduce one's oil footprint--eat lower on the food chain. Beyond the cow/methane conundrum, it takes about a gallon of gas to produce a pound of edible beef once you factor in the water, the feed crops, the antibiotics, the transport to the abattoir and the preparation of the beef (not to mention all the refrigeration needed to keep the meat edible). Pigs and chickens are only slightly better (turkeys are most efficient in terms of transfer of feed to edible flesh), and game fish such as tuna and salmon are an ecological disaster.
And as long as food is the subject, people should also eat things grown close to home--the era of the 5,000 mile caesar salad is coming to an end. It's a truism that Americans 'consume' nine calories of fossil fuel for every calorie of food they eat (the rest taken up in processing, shipping and packaging).
I feel like I've been denigrating your work here. But I spent some time with the greenie socialists in Europe last decade, and their energy activists are ardently anti-meat (they see the issue as a human justice issue--there would be a lot more food available for all if the West wasn't busy using lots of grain to fatten up cows and pigs).
I agree we will do well to use Solar cells made in the United States.
There are a few concerns to check out prior to choosing who you buy from.
The industry is quickly improving safety in manufacturing but please read this so you can buy from companies that are striving to make our environmental footprint small.
Please read the bad and the good on this blog:
http://www.renewableenergygeek.ca/solar-power/solar-panels-health-warning-hazzard/