Team-BHP - Everyday tips for an Environment Friendly Lifestyle

Mods: I hope this thread is acceptable under "Shifting Gears". If not, kindly do the needful.

As we know, today is the World Environment Day. Although, we should do our bit everyday to minimise the damage to our environment, wouldn't it be nice if we have a pool to collate the relevant ideas, suggestions and slogans?

It will help us know new / different ways to support the cause. Even if we adopt few of these collected here in our day to day life, it will go a long way.

So, please chip in and let all of us know how do you help mother earth survive a little longer.

To start with:

* I have replaced the float valve in toilet cistern with a new one that allows it to be filled only 60% of its capacity.
* All rooms have CFLs. No incandescent bulbs!

Well, to start off:

1) We had four units of Solar panel powering 12V lights. The battery was 12Ah. This was back in early 1990's.
None of them are operational as the winds blew all the panels down from terrace in a span of 9 years.
Two of them are under repair.
Will be operational soon.
How can we use :
Each unit can power 2 12V bulbs for 4 hours and 1 bulb for 8 hours.

2) We had Solar Gizer installed at our place back in 2000. Recently it was replaced with a new one and the old one was sold off.

3) We have one more solar device, basically a parabola reflective dish and at the focus of parabola we keep the stuff we want to get heated like water. There was a special cooker that came with it.

4) All bulbs are now CFL.

5) The tubelights were replaced with entire units and the one without choke were installed.

6) When working on PC at night, there are 11W table lamps. So if one person in working on PC, the tube light need not be switched on. There are two PC that are operated at night ( one by me and other by dad ), so bought two table lamps. Max 22W instead of 40W.

7) Plan is there to buy two more units of solar lamp units.

8) We are pursuing our relatives who live in temple premises ( the temple is basically of their ownership or some other thing, it was more complex after independence as they were Rajwada and government took some part of land ) to have solar street lights installed.
They live in Saurashtra region, so they have ample sunlight and non reliable electricity supply.
They are planning to install 4 for them at their own cost and talking with the temple trust ( my relatives are trusties ) to install 10 solar street lights.

Hmmm the contributions of my family:

1) My granduncle had a huge role to play in the starting of World Environment Day.

2) We use all CFLs at home.

3) Use only those lights which you need.

4) I live alone for most of the time, so power consumption of 1 person in a big house is pretty low.

5) No CRT TVs or monitors at home. All LCDs or projection TVs.

6) I have started becoming more ICE conscious, and thus drive slower and at a more steady pace just enjoying my music. This has increased my FE considerably. So I'm saving fuel.

7) My family has started sharing cars instead of everyone just taking their cars with like 2 per car or something, we now pack 4-5 people in a car.

Although this thread was started mid last year, how come there are so few replies? My suggestion? Cut down on the use of plastic bags. This would really make a difference. Although most administrations in our country do not have the spine to implement a total ban, we can help by carrying our own bags. This is an auto forum right? Carry a few cloth bags and a couple of plastic bags (for frozen products) in your car. Stick them under the mat in the hatch/boot. Probably not a good idea to leave plastic bags in the seat pockets if you have young children in the car.

Stop buying bottled water, use your own tap water, carry your own water when you travel.
Start carry your own shopping bag, stop using plastic bags.
Discourage use of disposables such as plastic cups, use your own old-fashioned steel tumblers.
Use handkerchiefs, avoid wasting paper - such as tissue paper
Don't shave with the water running in the tap.
Check if you will save water by not using the shower.
Run AC at minimum comfort level.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerohit (Post 1706220)

Most Indians have habit of asking for polythene bag even if they are buying just 1 toothpaste or a chocolate.

Avoid it, it is unnecessary.

I am sure you can hold it in your hand or pocket, and reach home safely.

I would love to go back to the olden days when paper bags were in wide use. I mean the old newspaper bags.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rishab.k (Post 1705081)

All you need to do is put a bottle filled with water in the cistern & you will save that much water everytime you flush.

just make sure you calculate how much water your drainage system needs (end to end). your savings will probably warrant massive repairs if the system dries and gets clogged a few hundred feet from your house over time.

I stick to using reusable bags. using no AC/heat in car, (heat helps the engine by cooling it, but it's my idea of keeping my tolerance level up). At home wife's decision rule though. I use minimal water for shaving, brushing etc. I carry a steel water bottle with me everywhere (plastic is known to release chemicals in water). And by the way, never re-use a soft drinks bottle, it decays.

If you maintain a lawn, use fertilizers and weed/insect killers very very carefully. Ditto for insecticides (mosquito coils?) for any other purpose. They get washed into water stream and kill the ecosystem there.

read here about mutated fish frogs and crocs etc.

FRONTLINE: poisoned waters: introduction | PBS

EDIT: and all other chemials like face creams, moisturizers, tooth paste, shampoo/soap. BTW, I use a herbal toothpaste now because of a mint sensitivity and use only enough to cleanse and freshen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sachinj12 (Post 1706281)

I have stopped taking down notes dictated by lecturers, save pages, save trees. Save environment.:uncontrol:uncontrol

In my office, at work, I have no printouts, no files, except for the important contracts that I sign. I do not know when I last took a printout for official purposes. Even bills submitted to my clients (mainly foreign) are sent by email.