A Question For Those That Have Seen "An Inconvenient Truth"

[DistressedAmerican]

Have you changed your behavior in anyway since seeing it?

If so, how.

Myself...

- Bought all new bulbs (cost 4 times as much. but uses 20% the electricity and lasts 10 times as long).
- Policing my lights like a mad man.
- AC down.
- Posted several informational threads over the past several days.

You?

[ourbluenation]

1. Riding my bike more - which in this heat ain't pretty!

[flowomo]

2. I bought one of those cool things you ride up to the ceiling!

just kidding. :)

[DistressedAmerican]

3. Hybrid Cherrypicker!

:rofl:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. it's a 'lift'

and I learned to drive them today. Very fun, lemme tell ya. Operates with a joystick and buttons, just like a video game. :)

[flowomo]

7. they build 'em right down the road from here...

JLG Industries in Shippensburg, PA.

[DistressedAmerican]

10. Lived ln Shippensburg when I was between about 3 and 5.

Barely remember it. Just a few odd and disconnected tidbits.

[flowomo]

12. that's an amazing coincidence, DA...

we live a few miles east, near Carlisle

[DistressedAmerican]

15. Dad used to work for Ankersol Rand (sp?)

Spent a lot more years near the ohio border in Oil City.

[flowomo]

16. Ingersoll Rand

[DistressedAmerican]

19. There you go.

Long time ago...

[Maat]

5. I bought my new Prius,

I'm making a major effort to recycle, and have replaced the lightbulbs in the house with the new energy-efficient ones (boy, those lights are bright - can't complain there - I've gone down to the 3w ones that are equivalent to the 60-watt regular bulb).

Raised the temp. in the house, but, since we work out of the house, our bill is quite high (on the other hand, we are not wasting energy in a business building).

Pool always has been heated via solar energy.

We are in the process of buying a smaller house on more land so that we can plan a very environmentally-friendly house.

[Donnachaidh]

6. a few things

changed light bulbs

went and unplugged electronics that aren't being used

started pre-planning shopping trips to do them all in one day rather than pop into the car to *pick up* a few things

changed the settings on hot water heater up a few degrees, to save on electric

changed shower heads to low flow.

got the bikes out for the run to the corner store things

[DistressedAmerican]

13. Welcome To DU Donnachaidh

:toast:

[evlbstrd]

8. Replaced all of my bulbs two years ago.

Saved big on my light bil. I've insulated, replaced storm windows, cut out AC completely, depending instead on a whole house attic fan and small fans where needed. I got through the heat wave last week that way. We've finally gotten a break here.

[Misskittycat]

9. Use less electricity; unplug computers; driving less. n/t

[man4allcats]

11. Well, there's little I could do that I haven't already done.

I have no money (I did see the movie - matinee - it was cheaper then). Thanks to Bushco, I'm out of work. That's what comes of being a scientist/technician. To answer the question, I don't burn much electricity because I can't afford to. I am poor. Thank you, GWB, you son of a bitch!

[peacetalksforall]

14. I delay errands so that I can cluster them geographically. I try to figure

out how long I can go without something to avoid driving. Examining and analyzing my habits.

[Pale Blue Dot]

17. I'm asking for "Green Tags" for Christmas.

I want to make myself CO2 nuetral for 2006.

http://www.nativeenergy.com/WB_ClimateCrisis.html?ClimateCrisis#

[DistressedAmerican]

20. Great Info. Thanks.

Went all green electric through my power company a couple of years back. Similar concept.

[longship]

18. Similar behavior.

Unfortunately, my office--separate from the house--has a window AC unit which has had to run all the time. In this heat, I have to protect my network.

[Betsy Ross]

21. Can't say that I have

Already use compact flourescent light bulbs
Compost kitchen waste
Recycle like crazy
Shop at farmers' market for local grown produce
Don't have air conditioning
Have a miserable 12-year old car but try to take care of multiple things when we use it and offer rides to folks when we can. Would love to have a hybrid, SmartCar, or something similar.
Husband uses public transportation to work.
Feel guilty about water usage so I don't water the yard/veggie garden as much as it needs. Removed the lawn years ago.
In the winter we keep the house at about 63, heating only one room higher.
We recycle household items, clothing, furniture to those who can use such things.
We couldn't use environmentally friendly paint on the house because of its age (1918) and could only afford to have double-glazed windows installed in our bedroom.
Although we have about a half cord of wood, we rarely use the fireplace. Saving firewood for emergencies here in earthquake country.
We use cloth napkins.
Have an efficient front loading washing machine. No dishwasher.

Not bragging, but just mentioning things that were so easy to incorporate into our daily lives.

[DistressedAmerican]

22. All great ideas!

Thanks for sharing them.

[unhappycamper]

23. I went the CFL route for light bulbs.

Costco is having a sale on them:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x60639

Morning, DA!

[DistressedAmerican]

24. Morning My Environmentally Conscious Friend!

How've ya been?

Got a fun new flash if you have not seen it yet:
http://itshardwork.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

I think you'll dig it.

I talked to Kieth yesterday. It was good finally speaking to him.

[MountainLaurel]

25. Rode my bike to work

Before the DC humidity kicked in full throttle and it became too hard to breathe and ride at the same time. But my husband and I take the scooter (65 mpg) whenever we can in town.

[Booster]

26. Turned down Sears to install a/c for $10,000 (that wasn't really

that hard). Changed light bulbs. On the a/c issue, does anyone know anything about a whole-house fan system? Do they work or is that just a waste of time and money?

[Lisa]

27. lobbied a political party here in Canada to make its conventions

... carbon-neutral. (I managed to talk to NDP leader Jack Layton when he was in town earlier this month. He was actually rather encouraging -- he's up north now, visiting aboriginal leaders and discussing climate change, among other issues -- the trip has been in the works for some time, so I can't take credit for it!)

A friend of mine who works for the national parks agency was in town for a meeting, and I took her to see Gore's movie. She's now working on inviting him to give a talk in their community, near Alaska -- the area is definitely going to be affected by rising sea levels.

I don't own a car, and haven't been on an airplane since 2000 -- have decided to put off the car as long as possible, and am looking around for a local source of offsets, in case I do take a flight this fall.