What does “Being Green” mean?

[Danee]

If you think that Recycling cans, plastic, and paper makes you green, you are sorely mistaken. Most recycled plastic and paper is thrown away at the recycling facility. If you think your vote for Obama or a Democrat helps the being green movement your wrong again.  You still have done nothing to help. 
 Everyone seems to think that if you buy a Prius, recycle, buy compostable silverware, and shop at Whole Foods, you are the model citizen.   WRONG Again. 


Do you remember the Three(3) “R“‘s?  REDUCE, REUSE, Recycle.  Almost everyone forgets the first two Reduce and Reuse.  These two have much more of an impact on the environment that Recycle does.

For Example: The Energy used to create, distribute, package, and sell a Compostable fork is nearly 100 times the energy equivalent of REUSING a silverware fork every day and washing it. Imagine the energy consumed by this process only to throw something away.  Using a metal fork over and over REDUCES overall energy consumed. (Also a study on the Compostable silverware has shown that it does not break down in an industrial composter after 30 days.)

Do You Really want to help our environment? You can be the Greenest person you know this summer?  Here is the fastest way to save 50% of your electrical and water bill this summer and still watch your Plasma:   Live Naked! You don’t have to be a nudist, your friends don’t even need to know.  REDUCE the amount of Laundry Detergent that you pump out of your house daily by 50%. REDUCE the electrical consumption of your Washer, Dryer, and Air conditioning up to 70%.  Reduce your Water consumption of your Washer by 50%  You can set your home thermometer between 75 and 80 degrees and not get hot.

Fact: There is no such thing as an Energy Star Clothes Dryer - It is impossible to build one. Fact: Did you know that your body has the most advanced cooling system of any animal.
Side Benefit: You’ll gain a healthy attitude about being naked and body image, and feel good about doing the right thing for Mother Earth.

Also have you ever thought about the Energy consumed to make clothes?  The amount of Waste, Distribution, Marketing, Packaging, and shipping of clothes?  Most clothes are made in China, Vietnam, India, Turkey or Mexico and shipped to the US only to be re-shipped many more times to distribution centers and then retail.  All so you can wear a pair of pajamas and socks over a Snuggie at home on a day where the temperature is 75. 

So lets all, REDUCE, REUSE, Recycle, and Live Naked.  Let’s all save Mother Earth together. 

One more thing: Forget The Nudist Colony Jokes your not in 7th grade anymore, this is real science that can help us all.  Get over Nudity, it is not sexual unless YOU think of it that way.  Mature Adults and families can live together naked and do so every single day without any sexual overtones.


From: http://edunaras.tumblr.com/post/506589423/what-does-being-green-mean

[Ace001]

That was such an awesome article! It even had references. The academic in me is in love

[ailsaman]

Interesting article and valid points even in the UK. There were surveys recently and often recycling would still get dumped in landfill or incinerated.

Recycling is not necessarily the answer, certainly reduce and reuse are equally important. Perversely the more you reduce and reuse the less there is to recycle.

we try and reduce and reuse where possible but still end up with stuff that can't be recycled. Disposable plates are a good example, ok it saves washing up but whether they are polystyrene or paper, once they've had food on them they can't be recycled so end up in landfill. Clearing up after christmas party, realised we nearly filled two bags just with plates and stuff, not to mention all the left over food which was also thrown out.

Everything seems to be a disposable commodity nowadays, electrical goods for example - our neighbours recently threw out a perfectly good TV just because they'd got a new LCD thingy, if it's not wanted at least stick on ebay or something, get a couple of quid for it and it is reused rather than simply ending up being crushed up.

On that point though, our Hi-fi broke a while ago - took it to the shop and was told it couldn't be repaired so it ended up getting dumped. Our new one came in a large box full of polystyrene, hardly recycleable!

Perhaps naturism is "green" I mean less clothes to wash etc..

[Nude_not_rude]

hey that's a brilliant article Danee!! Thank you for posting it. :)

[Hamish]

Great article Danee, I'm surprised I had not read it before, considering how long I've been part of IYNO for now.

I am into recycling where possible but I'm also conscious that this waste doesn't always get to be recycled as it should. I think it is still the very minimum that everyone should be doing to contribute to attempt to reducing the accelerating consumption of the planets limited resources.

"Most clothes are made in China, Vietnam, India, Turkey or Mexico and shipped to the US only to be re-shipped many more times to distribution centers and then retail."

It is our insatiable demand for low priced products which feeds this inefficient conveyor of goods which criss crosses the world.

"... the more you reduce and reuse the less there is to recycle."

Societies across the world are becoming more and more energy and resource hungry which is counteracting the positive steps to reducing pollution.

I think that being green means to think globally and act locally. Reducing everyones energy consumption by not wearing clothes in doors is obviously a very good start, as long as it doesn't mean that the heating has to be maxed out at the same time 

[Bobbert]

Be green!

[chrisw91]

hey that's a brilliant article Danee!! Thank you for posting it. :)

I agree! I shall be forwarding this to a friend I am attempting to 'convert' when I get the chance.

[Riley_Gautier]

guess i never thought of it like that! I love the way you put stuff danee xxx

[Zeraf242]

This should be read aloud to the people of the world.

[Advent]

Don't forget that being green also varies regionally.

Recycling here is really no greener than just throwing something away, since we have a dump here and the nearest recycling center is 1000 miles away. However, our dump has limited space so recycling means we'll be able to use the dump longer, and if it's being hauled away it should go to a recycling center (I consider this a wash but I feel better recycling).

I remember a thing last year where somebody was lecturing us on lowering our carbon footprint and one of the things focused on was using a microwave instead of the stove. The speaker did not like my pointing out that since we do not have natural gas everone has electric stoves, and since all of our electricity is hydro that means the carbon footprint is identical.

The Coast Guard installed a windmill at their base, which sounds great until you realize this is a major area for bird migrations. I'm really curious what their bird impact rate is, since if it's low I could see doing something similar.