Living greener

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

I think Alex meant conventional nuclear power. In many ways it is cleaner than other power plants.

Conventional nuclear power or fusion, the same argment applies. It's too much a big busines enterprise.

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

But I'm with you on the personal solar power thing. At least in places like sunny CA, it's become a real alternative.

Note: What I'm looking for is not solar power. It's fuel cell power that just uses sunlight to separate out the hydrogen. It is much more efficient than direct solar and thus is (or will hopefully be) practical in a much wider swath of the planet.

[Alex]

Personally, I think fuel cells are the pipe dream that has derailed sensible discussion into alternative fuels.

And I don't care about big business providing the power I'd just prefer we move from sources of power that destroy the environment by design to a source of power that only does significant damage to the environment by accident.

There's a guy in New Jersey that uses solar power to provide all of the electricity he needs for his home. He then uses the excess solar power for electrolysis to power fuel cells that run his home and car through the long winter when sunshine is rare and its energy reduced. To store enough hydrogen to power his fuel cells for 3 1/2 months required 10 1,000 gallon tanks. Fortunately he has 12 acres of land on which to put all of these solar panels and gas tanks.

In most urban and suburban areas this simply wouldn't work without massive infrastructural redesigns. For example, in my apartment complex the buildings and landscaping have been designed to minimize solar exposure so as to minimize the need to use air conditioning during the hot summers. The roofs are pretty steeply sloped so that at any time less than half has sun exposure. The property is dotted with tall leafy trees that further block the sun. To get much use out of solar panels all of the buildings would have to be reroofed and a lot of trees would have to be cut down.

Yes, fuel cell technology will probably become more efficient but we're orders of magnitude away from where the average person in any but the most perpetually sunny environments can easily become completely self sufficient as an energy producer. Nor would most be willing to take the time and trouble of installation and maintenance (solar panels require constant cleaning and large gas tanks exist in a rather onerous regulatory environment).

Asking everybody to become responsible for producing their own electricity is kind of like asking everybody to grow their own corn. It may be a good idea in principle but it simply isn't going to happen. Better then, in my opinion, to focus on converting the existing electrical grid into something that isn't designed to pump tons of particulate into the air every day.

That's not to say I don't support individual use of solar energy and fuel cells. I just don't seem them as a panacea to the structural problems in our we actually supply electricty.

[Not Afraid]

Our house is a eco-nightmare. Built in 1927, it has only a few things that make it even slightly green. I recently got a front loading washer and dryer and our fridge is evergy complient. We do use compact flourescents.

I drive to places for a living. Granted, I stay local, but I make an abundance of short trips. I have thought about getting a Vespa for work, but the thought of driving around "naked" scares me.

Next go around with cars, we will be considering a smart car or a hybrid, but I'm stuck for 2 more years in a lease.

We do recycle regularly but we don't compost (something I'd like to start doing). I always snip my 6-pack holders.

I use vinegar to clean quite a bit. I buy it by the gallon jugs and go through it pretty quickly. I, too, hate the sudden sanitize hysteria and refuse to buy products to support that craze and waste.

I'm now using pine cat litter.

Two good linkd for more tips:

One

Two

[Ghoulish Delight]

We're going to plant the giant sequoia cone that my parents brought back from Yosemite* in the back patio of our condo





* No, they did not take one from the park, which would be illegal. They purchased it in a gift shop

[Alex]

We went to Tahoe a couple weekends ago for the day (gas wasteful, we drove 300 miles total for about 5 hours of entertainment) but because the trip back is mostly downhill (after the initial climb) we did get from South Lake Tahoe to Sacramento (about 90 miles) on 1.1 gallons of gas. And the whole 150 miles drive home we got 62 miles per gallon.

So, another tip: buy a hybrid and then only drive downhill.

[Alex]

When it comes to energy efficient appliances check into discount and refund programs offered by your local electric company. They frequently subsidize them either directly with the retailer or as rebates to the consumer.

[Not Afraid]

Yes! We got some nice discounts when we bought our new W/D.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I saw this on Unrwapped last night. Biota is a bottled spring water whose botle is made from corn not crude oil which will (under the right conditions) biodrgrade in ~12 weeks. I haven't tried it, but it sounds nifty.

[flippyshark]

Lisa, be glad that this is not your cat:

Environmentally Unconscientious Cat

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

...Until that happens we are just using umbrellas to ward off a hurricane.

Living green is about more than fossil fuels. I'm sure you are right, that none of the small changes we make are going to make an immediate significant impact on the planet, but I'm concerned with more than fuel. For one thing, waste production is huge in America. Everything is disposable or so cheaply made that it has to be replaced right away anyways. We're dumping loads of pesticides into the ground, and into our bodies, and our farming practices are such that the soil gets depleted and has to be fertilized. Etc.

The reason I try to live "greener" is simply because I think we need a paradigm shift. Put forth a bit more effort, buy some things used, recycle what you don't need, be more conscientious in general. Americans are the ultimate consumers. We use use use use use because we seem to feel like it's our god given right or something. I'm not sure why.

I'm going to serial post now because there's lots I want to respond to and this post will get too long.