I was thinking the other day...

[sabo_tabby]

About what I was willing to do for the environment.

I mean, the recycling, the getting-rid-of-the-car, the locavore thing...we all do that. We all should do that. My neighbors don't (still have car, still go to supermarket) and that frustrates me - there oughtta be a law.

But that's for another day.

It's funny how for me, the easiest thing was the vasectomy. No kids means my carbon footprint ends with me.

But the hardest thing (I'm still having a hard time with it) is going into the shower before I turn the water on. I mean, once you're under it for a while you get used to cold water but that first shock is still a first shock.

[murielm99]

1. I am trying to figure out

who is recommending this ridiculous post.

[sabo_tabby]

2. I'm just saying it's the little things, is all...

Getting fixed was one day. I was back at work and it was like it never happened.

And it's a bigger piece of my carbon footprint I was able to take care of with this thing.

But the little thing like not wasting water in the shower - that's sometimes tough. It'd be nice once in a while to let the water run and get all warm but that's not good for the environment, so I don't do it. But it's harder - it feels like more of a sacrifice. It'd be easy to give into the temptation to say "Ahh, just this once."

I mean, maybe you're more used to it than I am but for me it still - after all this time - is uncomfortable.

Just sayin' is all.

[stuntcat]

8. getting fixed

Not making another 1st-worlder makes an exponential difference, don't freeze yourself!

This makes me think of how it feels if I'm out at night and see big office buildings with half their lights on, probably computers running and the air on all night. Then I still separate my trash so carefully-taking packages apart, make sure everything is turned off, the shower compromise :D
Personal things make a difference but big societal habits screw us all up. Like concentration camps- there were Germans who didn't want to kill all the people right? But as a mass the people there all F'ed up.
There will be 10 billion people before we all agree there's something worth saving, before the fat old women stop pressuring their kids to give a baby the next 90 years.

[LuvNewcastle]

3. Are you for real?

You got a vasectomy just so you could reduce your carbon footprint? I'm going to start telling people that the reason I'm gay is because I want to keep my carbon footprint low.:D

[madokie]

7. And I chose to not have kids of my own because there is so many fatherless kids out there

that could use a dad. I hadn't thought about this angle before, thanks.
The wisdom that comes with the early morning coffee sometimes just floors me. :-) :hi:

[sabo_tabby]

9. Not the only factor, but definitely went into the thinking/nt

[Tunkamerica]

4. And so ends a brilliant career.

[GliderGuider]

5. Our actions are proportional to our perception of the threat.

But it's always balanced against our pre-existing needs. For example, someone who wakes up to the threat of carbon dioxide after they've had their third child is pretty much stuck

I made a decision to remain child-free when I was about 13, and after reading "The Population Bomb" at 18 I knew I'd made the right choice. Everything I've learned since about human activity and our impact on the planet has reinforced that decision.

The shower thing is more psychological than real, but one device I've used is a low-flow shower head with a lever-driven internal valve that shuts off the flow when I don't need it. Overall, though, I try not to sweat the small stuff. I still use incandescent bulbs in about half my fixtures, for example. I have gone veg for both ecological and health reasons, but I still drive. We each make the choices that we feel are necessary, possible and appropriate.

[madokie]

6. I hope you don't bruise that brain by using it like that

Just kid'n. :hi:
actually I'm just being a smart ass this morning, forgive me :-)

[silverweb]

10. Definitely agree re the shower!

:D

Serendipity provided me an opportunity for huge water savings. I've got an older propane hot water heater and turned it up from the pilot setting only when needed. Then it developed a problem such that the pilot light wouldn't stay lit at all.

I didn't want the landlord to come fix it because I have more cats than I'm allowed, so I had to innovate. Treehugger's article about the Japanese style of showering convinced me to give it a try. Getting clean is pleasant enough with a small pail of hot water generated by my electric kettle (or, on sunny days, from the hot water in the garden hose) ... and rinsing off with the cold shower would wake any sleepyhead up! But hey, people pay for the privilege of a steam bath followed by a cold plunge in health clubs and I've got one at home that's practically free.

The hot water heater is still shut off and I don't need propane anymore.

The next water guzzler to go was the toilet. The gaskets in the bottom of the tank corroded and developed slow leaks of about 1 gal/day. I put containers under the slow drips and used the water for my plants, but then decided to shut that source off completely. Now I rotate 2 buckets between the kitchen and the bathroom, using dirty dish/floor-washing water to flush.

The biggest water use now is from the washer, but that goes to the garden and for flushing, too.

The water bill has become almost negligible.

On edit: Forgive my manners, but I just noticed that you're pretty new -- so welcome to DU! :hi:

[silverweb]

11. Speaking of cold showers...

Here's someone who's thoroughly enjoying one! :D



Sorry... I just couldn't resist this smile-inducing picture. :P

[stuntcat]

12. :D

needed smiles this mornin thanks :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[silverweb]

13. Glad to oblige.

I'm sorry today started out rough for you, so here's a little something to go with the smile... :pals: