Photo by Andreas Christen, Flickr
Letting your car’s engine idle for 10 seconds uses more gasoline than turning the engine off and restarting it. That’s a powerful argument for turning the engine off when waiting to pick up passengers or stopping at the grocery store. A study by the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory examined the effects of idling, in terms of both fuel consumption and emission of pollutants. The study noted that cars warm up faster in cold weather by being driven than they do sitting idle.
Photo by Andreas Christen, Flickr The advocacy non-profit America Walks notes that one quarter of all trips taken in the US are 1 mile or less, suggesting that walking could help to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and the need for road maintenance. But walking has distinct benefits for the walker, too, ranging from improved cardiovascular and metabolic health to greater cognitive function, better mood, and even increased longevity. The benefits of walking and tips for optimizing them were summarized in a 2019 Consumer Reports article. Compared to other forms of exercise, walking doesn’t require investment in specialized equipment and can be done close to home. Photo by Paul Shultz, Flickr Commons The U.S. Department of Energy reports that sales of electric vehicles surged between 2011 and 2018, and the selection of electric vehicles available for purchase is now greater than ever. So why not consider an EV when purchasing a new car? The Union of Concerned Scientists tracks greenhouse gas emissions associated with electric cars, based on how electricity is produced throughout the country and on the efficiency of the vehicles themselves. As electricity production has trended cleaner in recent years, electric vehicles are looking better than ever for the environment. An average electric car being charged and driven in Pennsylvania in 2009 would have “emitted” as much carbon dioxide as a gas-powered car getting 64 miles per gallon. By 2016, that figure had risen to 79 MPG. In New York State, where electricity generation is less dependent on coal, the comparable figure was 191 MPG. You can use UCS’s online tool to determine the emissions equivalent for a specific EV model in a specific part of the country (by zip code). Electric vehicles are significantly cheaper to operate and maintain than gas-powered cars, and purchase prices are falling as the market for e vehicles grows. In 2018, 80% of electric cars sold in the US had a base retail price under $50,000. Photo by Robert Couse-Baker, Flickr Commons When planning your vacation, consider that cruise ships emit even more carbon than airplanes.6/27/2019
The mode of transportation that you choose for your vacation has an impact on your carbon footprint. While airplanes are known to burn a large amount of fuel per trip, they are far outpaced by cruise ships in their effect on the environment. According to Credo Energy blog writer Indigo Wilmann, "the average cruise ship releases as much particulate matter into the air in one day as 1 million cars."* Indigo also points out that cruise ships dump large amounts of pollutants directly into the ocean: "The average cruise ship, with 3,000 passengers and crew, produces 21,000 gallons of raw sewage daily, along with over 450,000 gallons of gray water, 4,000 gallons of oily bilge water, and up 19 tons of solid waste."* *Indigo Wilmann, July 31 2018, Tuesday Tip: How to make sure your ecotravel is actually green and ethical, Credo Energy blog, https://www.credoenergy.com/blog/2018/07/31/ecotravel-actually-green-and-ethical/?aid=&utm_source=energy_em&utm_medium=acq_email&utm_campaign=acqe_engage&utm_content=emeng_jun19_0nn Photo by Robert Easton, Flickr The Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ National Household Travel Survey (2009) found that Americans took 1.1 billion trips a day, and that over 83% of those took place in personal vehicles (cars, vans, light trucks). The EPA attributes 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the US to transportation, and the Department of Transportation reports that car transportation is by far the largest source of household carbon emissions, accounting for an estimated 47% of the carbon footprint for a typical American family with two cars. This means that reducing our use of cars is one of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions in our day-to-day lives. The health benefits of walking, in particular, are well documented. It’s not just good for the planet – it’s good for your physical and mental wellbeing, too! Happy Thanksgiving from aFewSteps!
This past Saturday, aFewSteps asked shoppers at the Swarthmore Farmers’ Market to share their tips for making the Thanksgiving feast more sustainable. Here are their ideas. We enjoyed a lot of great conversations, and many of you wrote down your ideas for us to share with the community. We summarize them here, and hope you’ll be as inspired as we are to enjoy a green Thanksgiving. 1. Buy local! From cheese to honey to the apples for your pie, the farmers’ market is the place to find delicious local foods for your holiday meal. “Buy a local turkey” and “Shop at the Co-op” appeared on our message board, and one of you suggested, “Buy local beer and recycle the bottles.” Local foods are fresh, transported over the shortest possible distances; and, when you buy local, you support a balanced economy in our region. 2. Ride your bike One Swarthmorean added an extra twist to buying local: “Shop only at places where you can ride your bike!” 3. Eat more veggies “How about letting turkeys live and using an alternative?” asked one neighbor. Another pointed out that even shifting toward a higher proportion of vegetables and less meat would make for a more sustainable feast, since meat production is more energy- and resource-intensive than growing vegetables. 3. Use real dishes and cloth napkins Many of you advised against disposable paper and plastic on the Thanksgiving table. Eliminating drinking straws is an easy way to reduce waste. And almost any meal – not just Thanksgiving dinner – tastes better eaten from “real” dishes, with “real” table linens. What about pesky grease stains on cloth napkins? Use patterned napkins, and no one will notice. 3. Choose natural or reusable decorations In late autumn, gardens and woods provide natural beauty for your tabletop. Or save family favorite decorations to use again next year. 4. Serve filtered tap water Most bottled water is actually just tap water from somewhere else. Because water is heavy, transporting it uses up lots of fossil fuels. Serving tap instead of bottled water is the sustainable choice. 5. Make stock Most vegetable scraps and the turkey carcass can be used to make soup stock. Had enough cooking for one weekend? You can freeze vegetable and turkey scraps to use later. 6. Compost Vegetable and fruit scraps that don’t make the grade for soup stock are ideal for composting. If you don’t have a compost bin, perhaps you have a neighbor who does. 7. BYOB – Bring your own bags What’s Thanksgiving without leftovers? Several of you suggested taking your own bags and reusable plastic containers to Thanksgiving dinner, to bring home the food without a lot of wasteful packaging. 8. Travel smart Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel time of the year. Some of you recommended reducing both stress and energy use by staying close to home or taking public transportation. 9. Give thanks One neighbor said she’ll be giving thanks this year for the new rooftop solar system that has dramatically reduced her family’s electric bill. We at aFewSteps would like to thank all of YOU for taking an interest in our project and for sharing your terrific ideas. Happy Thanksgiving! The National Retail Federation expects back-to-school and back-to-college spending in the United States to total $83.6 billion this year – an increase of more than 10% over the 2016 level. Families with children in elementary through high school expect to spend an average of $687.72, while those with college students estimate they’ll spend $969.88.
To avoid unnecessary costs and wasteful purchases, start by taking inventory of school supplies you already have at home. When you do go shopping, consider the following green alternatives:
|
Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|