Greenfieldsite (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} greenfieldsite) wrote,@ 2006-12-31 23:08:00 |
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Environmental New Year Resolutions
I think I will divide these into resolutions that I will commit to making efforts to achieve and some more aspirational ideas.
Firm Aims
(1) Order a regular organic vegetable box from a local supplier. This should reduce the amount of packaging I consume and is a good way to encourage me to ...
(2) ... Reduce the meat in my diet. I recognise the merits of becoming vegetarian (one of the key advantages is reducing methane emissions from farmed livestock), but will find it a struggle while I enjoy meat. My goal instead for 2007 is to avoid meat completely on one day each week. If I can achieve this then I'll consider how I can take it forward from there.
(3) Use less gas when cooking. I believe I overcook food unnecessarily. I will conscientiously try to avoid this in 2007.
(4) Reduce my gas and electricity use. This will be fairly challenging as I feel I am relatively frugal already, but I recognise that there is still waste and the aim will be to try to eliminate as much of this as possible.
(5) Avoid flying if possible. To some extent this is an easy resolution as I will find it easy to avoid in my personal life. However, it extends to trying to avoid flying if I am asked to do so at work. If (as a result of any potential work reorganisation) I am offered a job where travelling would normally be expected my aim is to try to negotiate a working practice that keeps flying to the absolute minimum necessary. (If successful, I feel this is not a bad thing, because it sets an example of good working practice and if I weren't doing the job then someone else would be and flying more than I would.)
(6) Cut my carbon footprint at work. I feel that whereas I make several conscious efforts to try to avoid waste at home I do not yet have the same attitude at work. This is in part because of loyalty to my employer - for example, if I have to study a document, I do so more effectively if I have printed it out rather than reading it on the screen. However, I think there are small changes I can immediately make:
- always challenging myself as to whether printing out a document is necessary
- taking in a mug each day to use instead of using a plastic cup from the machine
(7) Enquiring at work about setting up an environmental committee. The remit of such a committee would be to consider ways in which the company could reduce its carbon footprint and make proposals to management. I feel that a group of motivated staff could reduce the company's carbon footprint and save the company money. I may have to wait until the organisational structure settles down, but I hope to have pursued this by the end of the year.
(8) Buy some environmentally-friendly clothing. I am not sure yet what this entails, but I am sure people I know will be able to make recommendations. I haven't spent much on clothing in 2007 and some is looking a bit shabby so the time is right for this.
(9) Recycle as much plastic as possible. This will depend on what facilities are provided in the area as the council develops its facilities. However, I will seek to avoid sending to landfill anything that can be recycled fairly easily, even if that means storing it in my sitting room for a few months. It may be a good thing to do so in that it will probably help me understand more about my eco-footprint to do so. I will also try to reduce plastic usage, although I haven't stated that as a resolution as it is more difficult to measure.
(10) Make a donation to buy some rainforest. This was an idea suggested by the Independent. One charity, that I will investigate further is Rainforest Concern.
Aspirations
I have listed the following as aspirations as I feel it may be difficult to achieve these.
(11) Buy a bike and learn to cycle. I am a fast walker, so I feel this is low priority. Do I have the time to put in to clear the shed, select the right bike, and learn to ride it with confidence? This probably wouldn't significantly affect my carbon footprint, but I recognise the advantage that it might buy me more time to pursue other activities.
(12) Arrange for a water meter to be installed. I feel this is unnecssary if I try to cut water use anyway. Probably a better resolution would be to try to default to taking an (uncomfortable) shower each day. (I don't actually have a shower, but can kneel in the bath and connect a rubber tube to the sink taps.) However, installing the water meter would allow me to measure progress and provide some incentive to cut water usage.
(13) Grow more vegetables and herbs in my back garden, and collect more apples from my tree. I meant to do this last year, but didn't have enough time. I shall try again ...
(14) Avoid using ant powder. I tried last year, but was eventually forced to in order to prevent an invasion. I have a plan this year though. I shall provide a sugar supply in the middle of my lawn and hope they take that rather than search for food in my house. Meanwhile I shall try to grow plants they don't like near to my house. I am not convinced that this is a long-term solution, but we shall see.
I think I will divide these into resolutions that I will commit to making efforts to achieve and some more aspirational ideas.
Firm Aims
(1) Order a regular organic vegetable box from a local supplier. This should reduce the amount of packaging I consume and is a good way to encourage me to ...
(2) ... Reduce the meat in my diet. I recognise the merits of becoming vegetarian (one of the key advantages is reducing methane emissions from farmed livestock), but will find it a struggle while I enjoy meat. My goal instead for 2007 is to avoid meat completely on one day each week. If I can achieve this then I'll consider how I can take it forward from there.
(3) Use less gas when cooking. I believe I overcook food unnecessarily. I will conscientiously try to avoid this in 2007.
(4) Reduce my gas and electricity use. This will be fairly challenging as I feel I am relatively frugal already, but I recognise that there is still waste and the aim will be to try to eliminate as much of this as possible.
(5) Avoid flying if possible. To some extent this is an easy resolution as I will find it easy to avoid in my personal life. However, it extends to trying to avoid flying if I am asked to do so at work. If (as a result of any potential work reorganisation) I am offered a job where travelling would normally be expected my aim is to try to negotiate a working practice that keeps flying to the absolute minimum necessary. (If successful, I feel this is not a bad thing, because it sets an example of good working practice and if I weren't doing the job then someone else would be and flying more than I would.)
(6) Cut my carbon footprint at work. I feel that whereas I make several conscious efforts to try to avoid waste at home I do not yet have the same attitude at work. This is in part because of loyalty to my employer - for example, if I have to study a document, I do so more effectively if I have printed it out rather than reading it on the screen. However, I think there are small changes I can immediately make:
- always challenging myself as to whether printing out a document is necessary
- taking in a mug each day to use instead of using a plastic cup from the machine
(7) Enquiring at work about setting up an environmental committee. The remit of such a committee would be to consider ways in which the company could reduce its carbon footprint and make proposals to management. I feel that a group of motivated staff could reduce the company's carbon footprint and save the company money. I may have to wait until the organisational structure settles down, but I hope to have pursued this by the end of the year.
(8) Buy some environmentally-friendly clothing. I am not sure yet what this entails, but I am sure people I know will be able to make recommendations. I haven't spent much on clothing in 2007 and some is looking a bit shabby so the time is right for this.
(9) Recycle as much plastic as possible. This will depend on what facilities are provided in the area as the council develops its facilities. However, I will seek to avoid sending to landfill anything that can be recycled fairly easily, even if that means storing it in my sitting room for a few months. It may be a good thing to do so in that it will probably help me understand more about my eco-footprint to do so. I will also try to reduce plastic usage, although I haven't stated that as a resolution as it is more difficult to measure.
(10) Make a donation to buy some rainforest. This was an idea suggested by the Independent. One charity, that I will investigate further is Rainforest Concern.
Aspirations
I have listed the following as aspirations as I feel it may be difficult to achieve these.
(11) Buy a bike and learn to cycle. I am a fast walker, so I feel this is low priority. Do I have the time to put in to clear the shed, select the right bike, and learn to ride it with confidence? This probably wouldn't significantly affect my carbon footprint, but I recognise the advantage that it might buy me more time to pursue other activities.
(12) Arrange for a water meter to be installed. I feel this is unnecssary if I try to cut water use anyway. Probably a better resolution would be to try to default to taking an (uncomfortable) shower each day. (I don't actually have a shower, but can kneel in the bath and connect a rubber tube to the sink taps.) However, installing the water meter would allow me to measure progress and provide some incentive to cut water usage.
(13) Grow more vegetables and herbs in my back garden, and collect more apples from my tree. I meant to do this last year, but didn't have enough time. I shall try again ...
(14) Avoid using ant powder. I tried last year, but was eventually forced to in order to prevent an invasion. I have a plan this year though. I shall provide a sugar supply in the middle of my lawn and hope they take that rather than search for food in my house. Meanwhile I shall try to grow plants they don't like near to my house. I am not convinced that this is a long-term solution, but we shall see.
