What are you doing to help the environment?

I take the bus for the daily commute, never idle my car, support environmentally-friendly politics (let's go Kyoto), recycle, etc. However, there is one problem: I am a huge motorsports nut. Speed, exhaust, burning rubber... yummy. F1, MotoGP, WRC. I love it all. This doesn't fit with my attitude towards the environment. So I drive a Civic Hatchback to be responsible, and a Suzuki SVS(sportbike) to be irresponsible.
 
lexico said:
1. alert the driver if the car seems to be on idle for any extened period
Just the other week, I took this principle one step further and actually timed a parked jeep that was on idle. After the 3-min upper limit after which the law here requires there be a hefty fine, I started looking for the driver who was not to be found. I hesitated whether I should just let myself in and turn the engine off, but didn't as it would be technically considered a break-in into another's private property. So I started taking down the number plate for reporting at which point the driver appeared. I gave her my civil warning and the fact that I shall report again if she repeats offense. I think (hope) she got the seriousness of my message.

As for how I am going to deal with the huge number of taxi drivers' casually idling away as they burn natural gas, puffing out CO2 into the atmosphere, I still have to think real hard how to keep myself from burning out repeating the same verbal message to a seemingly infitite number of violators. :(

On meat consumption: I take every chance I get to point out the negativity of meat which consumes at least 5 times the amount of vegetable protein to have the meat on the table. Although the impact is less great, fish consumption works the same not to mention the toxic waste that permeates into the flesh of fish. The bigger, older the fish, the greater the concentration of toxic elements and chemicals per bite. Eating less fish is far safer. I foresee a number of generations of fish having to die out without being eaten; after several generations of fish and plankton precipitates to the botton of the ocean in some calcium deposit and locked away chemically, we may gradually see cleaner fish to eat. Right now, pregnant women are warned not to eat more than one serving of tuna, swordfish, sharks, or whales.

What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish
US EPA/FDA Warning said:
What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

3. "Is there methylmercury in all fish and shellfish ?"

Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury. However, larger fish that have lived longer have the highest levels of methylmercury because they've had more time to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the greatest risk. Other types of fish and shellfish may be eaten in the amounts recommended by FDA and EPA.
Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish
FDA Consumer:Mercury In Fish:Cause For Concern ?
NRDC: Mercury contamination in fish
 
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acquiredtarget said:
Michael Crichton's new book is supposed to discuss the ennvironment. Anyone read it yet? I've heard good reviews about it.
link

Michael Crichton's book has been largely rejected by the scientific community, let alone environmentalists. No wonder, as he disputes the claims of global warming and depicts environmentalists as a hapless bunch.
 
Have any of you picked up Lester Brown's book called Plan B? It is a pretty good read and definitely serves as an eye opener!
 
I bought it when he was a guest lecturer at my college, but haven't gotten around to reading it. I only glanced through the first few pages, but from what I've seen, it is pretty nice.

I also enjoyed Paul and Anne Ehlich's One With Nineveh when I was first starting learning about environmental issues. And EO Wilson's The Diversity of Life was also good.
 
I will admit it: as a single individual, I'm not doing quite that much. I make every effort to use the car as little as possible, turn off the engine at road construction waits, and known-to-be-long signals. I never burn the cut grass and weeds, as so many of these country farmers do. I do recycle, and am conscious of the need of trying to cut back on things that have PCBs in their construction--but that's a hard one. And, I am keeping up, as best I can, when I can, on what's happening, and what can be done about it. I don't eat so much meat, as compared to when I lived in the USA, but I can't give it up altogether, either. I'll keep trying. :)
 
I segregate, recycle and conserve water. We even recycle water. As much as possible, we don't use our refrigerator, only using it during the holidays or times when we cook a lot of food. I don't have a car. I prefer to commute, walk or ride my bike.
I don't waste much resources myself, but few things are intriguing here.
You must be eating only vegetarian food picked up and cooked daily, or eat out all the time. If you consume lots of meat and dairy, refrigerator is a must.
Do you really suffer lack of water in Philippines? I thought it rains there all the time.
 
We don't lack water but isn't it better to conserve?
Using less is one thing, if possible without sacrificing hygiene and food growth. Recycling is the other for of saving water. Recycling is however energy intensive process and can transfer some diseases too. In this case using rainwater is more "green".


As for the refrigerator, the market and grocery are very near us so we almost always only buy and cook what we need. And I'm not vegetarian LOL. Where's the fun in that?
Right. I guess, we in the West, hate doing grocery shopping every day. ;)
 

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