What small thing did you do today to reduce your environmental impact? (2024)

[LifeHappens]

DH and I went to a demonstration opposing commercial development in our state parks. It was a good turnout that got attention from local media and the Associated Press.

[Loretta]

I dropped off some usable bric a brac to Goodwill!

[tygertygertyger]

My partner and I attended our first meeting of a local org that's pushing our community to become more sustainable.

This one's not me, but my partner was spotted at a local store on his e-bike by one of the other members of the org. A photo of him will be posted on social media! (The person who spotted him was embarrassed that she had driven to the store...)

One low hanging fruit that we might suggest via the group to the mayor is adding more bike racks!! Any bike racks that do exist around town are always full...

[crocheted_stache]

My partner and I attended our first meeting of a local org that's pushing our community to become more sustainable.

This one's not me, but my partner was spotted at a local store on his e-bike by one of the other members of the org. A photo of him will be posted on social media! (The person who spotted him was embarrassed that she had driven to the store...)

One low hanging fruit that we might suggest via the group to the mayor is adding more bike racks!! Any bike racks that do exist around town are always full...

A basic bike rack costs around $1000 to install, depending on site specifics. At least here, one parking space for a car can easily cost $50,000 and up, especially if it's in a parking structure or underground. Bikes also take up far less space than cars. Businesses often resist removing or charging for on-street car parking, but usually find that business if anything gets better when more people can walk and bike.

With other volunteers, we're planning a Saturday morning social bike ride with one of our council members. We've already succeeded in getting one of them out on a bike who didn't even have a bike before. People who drive everywhere have no idea, either how hard it makes biking to have cars and car stuff everywhere, or what a wonderful experience they're missing.

[tygertygertyger]

That is great information to have. I think we're going to do a bike tour around town so at the next meeting we can propose obvious sites that either 1) don't have any bike racks or 2) clearly need more.

The group said at the meeting that the mayor is "very open" to our ideas. While I'm a bit skeptical of that "very", it's awesome to have an organization to push newer, better ideas.

[crocheted_stache]

Our mayor, alas, is pretty reluctant when it comes to upgrading anything for bikes.

Today: walked a partial bottle of spray cleaner over to a Buy Nothing neighbor who can use it, saving both the disposal of the cleaner and the likely car trip to pick up.

[lifeisshort123]

bought a Tesla....

[lcmac32]

Took fewer breathes than usual, today.

[crocheted_stache]

Biked to and from where I was going. Ate leftovers. Drank tap water.

[lcmac32]

Isn't the very idea of being a mustachian reduce one's impact on the environment.    I would think that we all do this everyday to a greater degree than most.  Of course, I do admit that I get ideas from the group, so there is that.

[Poundwise]

Took fewer breathes than usual, today.

You can think a little bigger than that! :)  Yes, we are sharing ideas.

I reached out to some neighbors who have children the same age as our kids, and we're trying to arrange for the kids to walk to and from school together.  This will save each family two extra car trips a day, as well as a lot of time. I actually already walk with my kids, but the neighbors drive.

[crocheted_stache]

Biked to pick up a Buy Nothing sourced copy of All We Can Save.

Spoke at a public meeting in favor of major improvements to local car-free transportation options.

[Loretta]

I’m filling up a garbage bag of still usable household items to donate at my local thrift store tomorrow.  A fleece blanket that has been well loved and would be good for a dog’s sofa, for example. 

[nereo]

I’m filling up a garbage bag of still usable household items to donate at my local thrift store tomorrow.  A fleece blanket that has been well loved and would be good for a dog’s sofa, for example.

Just a tip - we’ve found that animal shelters will take old towels and blankets even after they are far too damaged and threadbare for the thrift shop.

[BECABECA]

Over the last month I have reconfigured my partner’s old uncomfortably large framed bike so that she now has a pain free bike commute to work. Every couple of days she’d have more feedback on what didn’t feel comfortable and I’d make another tweak, and today she said it’s the most comfortable fit she’s ever had. It has already saved her a month of car commute, and looks like it will continue to be her preferred method of transport.

[tygertygertyger]

Over the last month I have reconfigured my partner’s old uncomfortably large framed bike so that she now has a pain free bike commute to work. Every couple of days she’d have more feedback on what didn’t feel comfortable and I’d make another tweak, and today she said it’s the most comfortable fit she’s ever had. It has already saved her a month of car commute, and looks like it will continue to be her preferred method of transport.

This is awesome!

[LifeHappens]

I volunteered at an organic farm yesterday. As a thank you, they sent me home with a bag full of produce. Win-win!

[lcmac32]

Took fewer breathes than usual, today.

You can think a little bigger than that! :)  Yes, we are sharing ideas.

I reached out to some neighbors who have children the same age as our kids, and we're trying to arrange for the kids to walk to and from school together.  This will save each family two extra car trips a day, as well as a lot of time. I actually already walk with my kids, but the neighbors drive.

I hope that you enjoyed that deadpan humor at least close to as much as I did typing it.  I am all for reducing waste, I just don't go to strong.  Walking to and from school is great and created exercise.  I like two for one wins like that.

[crocheted_stache]

I just urged the roommate who usually does laundry on Monday nights to wait until after 9pm to put stuff in the tumble dryer. He's a night owl, anyway, so this isn't a huge ask. By then, the area will have cooled off, and the power grid should have a little easier time keeping up with everybody's air conditioners.

We're not on the version of utility billing that charges drastically more for electricity between 3pm and 9pm, but that plan exists as an incentive to get people to take it easy on the electricity during peak demand periods.

DH and I hang dry our laundry, but we put it off this week because we have enough for a few more days in the drawer, and I really didn't want to have windows open during the days, because we're keeping the place cool by opening up at nights. The coming days should be milder temperatures.

[Poundwise]

I had a small errand to do that is 3 miles away.  For health, I have been working on trying to run about 3 miles a day.  Instead of just uselessly running around, I ran there, did my errand, and walked back!

[Chaplin]

2024 has been a good year for our efforts to reduce our environmental impact:

Driving:
As of early October: our two cars have driven a total of 4080km (two drivers), while I have biked 10,400km. If you subtract out the 4400 that was a bike trip, I've still done 6000km in town which exceeds that car distance. One car is pretty much mothballed: only insured it for months so far. We're keeping it mostly because we have a fifteen year-old who might use it to learn. I would like us to replace it with a car-share membership. Our local car-share has a spot an easy walk from here, and allows new drivers to use them as well as long as their account is tied to fully licensed driver's account. My wife isn't sold on going to zero cars, but going to one, and keeping the km low is a good step.

Work
Although I FIRE'd over three years ago, I'm working <gasp> at a bike shop that is heavily focused commuter and utility cycling rather than high-end stuff (I like my own high-end bikes, but I ride my commuter bikes even more). This feels like supporting what I believe it, allows me to help friends with their bikes, gives me an excuse to ride all over town to get to work, and keeps my bike costs way down (discounted parts and I can do all the work myself in a good shop).

Food
As a family we've cut out 90% of dairy, which I think is good overall on many levels. Of course, it would have been better if we had simply chosen to go that direction, but food allergies forced the issue. Due to some other food allergies cutting out a lot of options we still eat more meat than we would otherwise, but it's probably still way below a North American average. Our garden has also started to produce serious amounts of food. Last year and this year have been amazing! So much zucchini! We've offset many months of grocery store vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, beans, lettuce, onions, kale, hot peppers, and squash. So many tomatoes that we have had homemade tomato sauce for months, and have at least a month's worth in the freezer.

Flying
For the last few years, helped by the pandemic admittedly, we've averaged about one round-trip per year. That might bump up to two per year for next few years as we would like to take a few vacations to more remote destinations while also having elderly parents across the country to visit as often as possible. We'll try to combine a vacation and a visit soon. Mostly we've been able to vacation close by, and why shouldn't we - we live in paradise. I desperately wish we had better (or any) viable train service, but that seems unlikely in my lifetime. We'll still use what we have when we can, but rather it being the default, easiest choice, we really have to work at it to make it work.

[Dollar Slice]

Lots of good effort there, Chaplin!

I'm back in physical therapy for another 12 sessions, and I found an office that is close enough to walk there instead of having to take the bus. Presumably the savings is small since buses are efficient, but there would have to be some fuel savings if I'm not being carted a couple of miles to another location by a vehicle with an internal combustion engine twice a week.

[crocheted_stache]

I was the only person in a rather long line at the store to bring my reusable bag today. I wonder if any of the people who accepted plastic bags got charged for them, per state law, and who's checking. I'm not too impressed with my neighbors.

Of course, DH and I also biked to one store and walked to the other.

[Loretta]

I charged my car in the AM during the slightly reduced charging hours and did not go into any business at the shopping center while I charged!

[Poundwise]

My latest win has been to wash plastic takeout tubs and sneak them into our church kitchen. People usually take home leftovers from our coffee hours and events in ziplock bags, but since I've started my stealth campaign, they've started using the takeout tubs, which also saves the church a little money. 

So I noticed that other church members have started to bring in THEIR takeout tubs, which is good that we're reusing them, but unfortunately this means that it's harder to sneak mine in...  I wish there were a socially and Dept of Health approved way to bring in containers to be refilled at restaurants.

[Poundwise]

@Chaplin I am impressed by your bike mileage! 
I'm inspired... it's time to get my bike out of storage and see if the tires will hold air.

[crocheted_stache]

Biked what transportation I did today and packed a waste-free sandwich in containers I've had a long time, with homemade bread and some of the last homegrown tomatoes and basil of the season.

[Chaplin]

@Chaplin I am impressed by your bike mileage! 
I'm inspired... it's time to get my bike out of storage and see if the tires will hold air.

Thanks! In 2023 it was only about 5000km, and 2022 about 2500km, despite being FIRE'd and riding around town for pretty much everything I do (plus commuting to my fun "job" at a bike shop). This year the only way I got the mileage up to over 11,000km (might hit 12,000 by the end of the year) were two big projects: I decided to ride all the streets in my metro area and I did the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (4400km) with another forum member. Without those two projects my mileage wouldn't have been anywhere near the total, despite doing pretty much everything by bike on a day-to-day basis.

[crocheted_stache]

Packed my lunch without disposable containers or utensils, brought home my apple core to compost, and biked my commute, as (almost) always. Tomorrow's lunch is ready to travel.

[crocheted_stache]

I'm washing two loads of laundry in cold water and running a dishwasher load before noon, while electricity demand is relatively low and solar supply is relatively high. (Peak demand according to the California Independent Systems Operator starts around 3pm and lasts into the afternoon/evening per https://www.caiso.com/todays-outlook.)  It's the cool part of the year in California, so the sheets and towels will get a few minutes in the dryer before I hang everything indoors. It's warm enough out today to open a window and turn off the furnace, so I'm doing that.

One of the things in the wash today is the bag that my sheet set came in. It's made out of the same fabric as the sheets. It's been occupying shelf space, but I'll be cutting it up to mend a tear in the fitted sheet. It's a dramatically different color after years of washing and using the sheets and not the bag, but it's going in the bottom corner where my feet don't reach, and it will be covered up. I can extend the life of the old set a while longer this way. The next set is on the shelf after finding them on special some time ago, and it stay there a bit longer. I try to buy all cotton sheets and use them for as long as possible. No material is great for the environment, but I figure microfiber = microplastics, so I try to avoid that.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I'm washing two loads of laundry in cold water and running a dishwasher load before noon, while electricity demand is relatively low and solar supply is relatively high. (Peak demand according to the California Independent Systems Operator starts around 3pm and lasts into the afternoon/evening per https://www.caiso.com/todays-outlook.)  It's the cool part of the year in California, so the sheets and towels will get a few minutes in the dryer before I hang everything indoors. It's warm enough out today to open a window and turn off the furnace, so I'm doing that.

One of the things in the wash today is the bag that my sheet set came in. It's made out of the same fabric as the sheets. It's been occupying shelf space, but I'll be cutting it up to mend a tear in the fitted sheet. It's a dramatically different color after years of washing and using the sheets and not the bag, but it's going in the bottom corner where my feet don't reach, and it will be covered up. I can extend the life of the old set a while longer this way. The next set is on the shelf after finding them on special some time ago, and it stay there a bit longer. I try to buy all cotton sheets and use them for as long as possible. No material is great for the environment, but I figure microfiber = microplastics, so I try to avoid that.

Oooh, next time I buy sheets the bag is coming in the scrap bin instead of the trash.

I was shopping Black Friday sales when I stopped in the middle of looking at shoes and bought lightly used ones from Poshmark instead.

[Loretta]

Slowly charging my car tonight before embarking on a long trip with lots of holiday traffic tomorrow.

[Poundwise]

Pedestrian wins:
Now that I've persuaded my neighbor to let her child walk home from school with mine, that will cut down at least 100 car trips this year (she still drives her child to school because they're a late riser.) One less car on the road, a half hour more time for each parent every day, lower stress!

I joined a little gym that is only 5 blocks away from my home, and instead of driving there, I run.  Also, I've started shopping at a couple of the little Latino businesses that are on the way.

We also continue to make the walking route across our yard pleasant. Sometimes there are downsides because people assume that it's public land because we leave the leaves (raked neatly into a long garden bed), so they dump trash or litter there, or try to take our planters. Many a time I've thought about planting shrubs to block people, but I still want to encourage the walkers. Also, our security cameras have shown a couple of things:
1.  most of the bulk trash is being dumped by some annoying neighbors who live across the street and own a landscaping company
2.  the litter is being dropped out of car windows by people with sparkling clean cars

[NorCal]

We're planning a trip to see family for Christmas.  It's a trip from Denver to the SF Bay Area with our family of 4.  I had a good idea of how I plan to travel already, but I wanted to measure both the cost difference and emissions difference from flying. 

We are taking some detours on this trip, so it is not the most economically or emissions efficient route.  We are departing after the kids get out of school on Friday, which adds a hotel night.  We are also taking them to Circus Circus (which I may regret), and doing a couple hundred mile detour through Death Valley to see the sights.  The drive is as much a part of the experience as the destination.

Flying
Costs: Estimated $1,650 for the flight, and another $1,200 for a rental car for a total of $2,850.
Emissions: 2.14 metric tons per my preferred calculator (https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator)

Driving by Gas Car (this is a hypothetical, as I don't own a gas car)
Costs: $920 assumed for hotel stays (3 days each direction; we may cut it to a single night on return, which would cut this dramatically).  We would spend about $420 on gas assuming 25mpg and $3.75/gallon average.  This gives us a total cost of $1,295.
Emissions: emissions from gasoline are 18.73lbs/gallon, creating 0.95 metric tons of emissions.  Driving a gas car is more than a 50% savings over flying, although the math would be very different with one plane ticket instead of 4x.

Driving our EV
Costs:  We have the same $920 assumption for hotels.  I'm assuming roughly 1,050kWh added from DC Fast chargers (1,330kWh total usage including residential charging and hotel charging) at an average rate of $0.45/kWh.  This works out to $475 in charging expenses.  So total costs will be around $1,395, which is slightly above that of a 25mpg car.
Emissions:  Using the US average rate of 823lbs/kWh and 1,330kWh total, that works out to about 0.5 metric ton.  In technical emissions accounting, this would actually be 0, as the major EV charging networks have renewal PPA's in place.  But I think the actual average emissions is more useful for this purpose.

In summary, taking an EV for this trip is roughly 75% lower emissions than flying and costs roughly half as much.  And we get to see a new national park along the way.  With average household emissions in the US being around 15 tons, saving ~1.6 tons for a single trip is a meaningful reduction.