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We asked, you answered. The result was nearly 100 sustainable tips for living lightly on the land. Thank you to all who responded to our Earth Day email poll. It turns out that SCA alumni go above and beyond most to conserve resources.
Water Usage
- I turn off the water when brushing my teeth and while soaping, shampooing, and conditioning my hair when in the shower.
- I shower once a week.
- I use low flow shower heads.
- I consciously conserve water on a daily basis.
- I take short and efficient showers.
- I turn off the water while soaping up my hands when washing.
- I use less water while washing dishes.
- I turn off the water when I brush my teeth, wash my hands and face, and, yes even when I shower- most folks can't believe that!
- The city where I live offers a $50 rebate to use a low-flow toilet, so there are two of them in my house. My mom just reminded me that there is also a low- flow showerhead. I don't have a lawn (I've never had one), so there's no reason to water it.
- I do not purchase bottled water. I use a filter at home.
- I conserve resources on a daily basis by always making sure the faucets aren't dripping, which can waste gallons of water per day.
- I conserve water with low-volume tap nozzles.
- I try to conserve water by reusing dishes, especially drinking water out of a Nalgene rather than a new glass every time.
- I drink filtered rather than bottled water.
- I don't flush every time.
- I use earth friendly washing products.
- I have a water saving washing machine.
- I use my extra bath water to water my plants.
- I water plants with leftover drinking water.
- I save water from boiled items and use in vegetable stock, etc.
Alternative Transportation
- We both walk to the post office, library, bank, and stores in our town of Southwest Harbor.
- We certainly try to drive less.
- I bike to work.
- I don’t drive cars OR ATVs!!!
- I walk everywhere barefoot.
- My family owns one car and we all live and work in our small town. We basically don't have a commute.
- I carpool when possible, bike where routes are safe, and walk a lot.
- I carpool when possible.
- I take a regional rail line into work in Philadelphia everyday. I save gas by walking 1/2 a mile to the train stop.
- For 6 years now we only have 1 car between me and my wife
- I bike instead of drive, carpool, explore and enjoy the area nearby as much as possible rather than drive to the faraway trailhead, and I live close to work.
- I try to avoid using my truck by biking whenever possible.
- My husband and I bought a Prius.
- I have a car with good gas mileage and I try to walk and bike to get places I need to go.
- I bike instead of drive to help conserve natural resources, and reduce emissions.
- I leave my car at home and bike.
- I bike to work when possible.
- I carpool with friends to events.
- I drive conservatively.
- I keep my vehicle in good shape.
- I walk everywhere.
- I bike to work (even on rainy days).
- I bike when I can, instead of driving.
- Most of the time I ride my bicycle to work.
- I bike to work and class everyday to cut back on gasoline use.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- We recycle at our house.
- I take my own bags whenever I'm out and about for groceries or anything else.
- I let my hands air dry instead of using paper towels.
- I recycle what I can’t re-use.
- I use a conservative amount of toothpaste.
- I bring my own bags to the grocery store and my own mug to coffee shops.
- I pack my lunch in a cloth bag with my food in re-used yogurt containers and some glass containers. I bring my own water in a washable plastic bottle. If I drink tea, I have a re-usable mug.
- My baby uses cloth diapers, washable diaper covers, and washable cloth wipes. He eats organic baby food- most of which I try to make from local organic gardeners.
- Around the kitchen we use cloth napkins and sponges. No paper plates, paper napkins, and paper towels being thrown away every day.
- I try and conserve natural resources by recycling those old grocery store bags and using them for other things, not just immediately chunking them into the trash.
- I recycle (not curbside, we have to drop off our stuff once a week at a mobile unit that comes to the nearby town).
- I avoid buying anything I don't really need, and fix stuff instead of replacing it. I drive a 17-year-old Volvo, for example.
- I recycle everything that I can, like paper, aluminum, plastic and steel.
- I recycle on a regular basis.
- For grocery shopping, I always make sure I use canvas bags.
- We recycle and reuse everything possible (.....hmm, how can I use this again....)
- I save unused pre-addressed envelopes that come in the mail from organizations and cover the address to use.
- I save cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and envelopes to reuse for mailing/shipping.
- I shop at thrift stores.
- I bring paper sacks to the grocery store to prevent excess plastic bag waste.
- If I don't need a plastic bag at the grocery store, I tell them so.
- I use the back-sides of paper like nobody's business.
- The bottom line is that we try to be careful consumers and try to avoid filling the house with unnecessary plastic items and gadgets. We cherish furniture passed down through the family and reupholster and refinish rather than buy new if we can.
- Most of the time we look for what will save us money in the long run such as low maintenance, long-lasting carpet that camouflages dirt and wear--but sometimes we spend the extra amount, as we did for the Prius, in a vote for the sustainable, environmentally friendly, economy.
- I recycle paper and reuse plastic water bottles to transport my drinking water.
- I reduce the amount of garbage I end up having and then of course have to dispose of. I do this through recycling and buying things from co-op/health food store bulk containers to reduce my package waste.
- I go through 2+ weeks and will not fill a bag the size of a plastic shopping bag with regular garbage. Even the amount of recyclables I have is very limited so I only need to make a trip to the transfer station probably once a month.
- Everyday I recycle paper, cardboard, aluminum, plastic, etc.
- I bring my own canvas bag to the grocery store and re-use it each time instead of using the bags at the store.
- I have suggested the idea of recycling at the school where I work and we now have a box in the copy room.
- I use paper from the recycling to write scratch notes.
- I always bring my own bags (be they canvas or reusing plastic) when buying food and if I forget then I balance everything just perfectly so I don't need a bag.
- I recycle glass, steel cans, plastic, and newspaper bring cotton bags to grocery stores instead of accumulating plastic or paper bags.
- I save glass bottles and store rice, spices, homemade mint tea, etc. in them.
- I have glass containers with glass tops to store leftovers in so I don't have to use tin foil or saran wrap. If I run out, I use bowls and cover them with tight-fitting plates.
- I bring my own bags to stores. I always have them with me
- I take my earth-related magazines and newsletters with me when I travel. When I am through reading them, I pass them on to a fellow traveler.
- I always bring canvas bags with me to the grocery store and everywhere else I shop so that I don't need to use plastic bags.
Pollution Control
- Because we live near a cove, we have stopped using fertilizer on our lawn.
- I pick up after my dog, so as not to create more trash.
Conservation in Action
- I plant trees (organized a community tree planting for my neighborhood yesterday).
- I am doing lots of botanical consulting, weed management plans, and native plant inventories, as well as volunteering at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden south of Ketchum, Idaho.
- I set a booth up at our Eco-Fair to promote awareness about backyard habitat, native plants, and birding as a recreational activity.
- When I'm walking my dog along roadways and I notice aluminum tabs from pop or beer cans that have been tossed away (without the can) I pick them up and when I've stockpiled a lot I take them to a local business that is collecting them for recycling with the proceeds going to provide kidney dialysis to people who need it and can't afford it. (I also pick up pop and beer cans and turn them in for their deposits for our 4-H club.)
- I am an ecologist for the WV Natural Heritage Program, which has a mandate to protect rare animals, plants, and natural communities.
- I volunteer - lead nature walks, give talks for community groups, and plant trees with local non-profits.
- Both my husband and I work for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, in the area of cleaning up of contaminated sites.
- We try to foster similar environmental respect and friendly values in our two boys.
- I teach outdoor leadership and caretaking skills to students of all different ages in hopes that future generations will strive to take care of the earth as well.
- I stay on the trails when I go hiking.
- I am an environmental educator. I teach the garden and farm class. I teach 5th graders how easy it is to compost.
- I try to live sustainably by living small. Small apartment, small car, small amount of possessions. I'm not always successful but in trying to have a more simple lifestyle, I feel I am moving the Earth in a positive direction.
- I work as an environmental educator to raise awareness and appreciation about ecological and cultural diversity, and hopefully inspire people to take action to create positive change.
- I recently moved to a cooperative home.
- I compost- we have citywide composting so I compost at home and at my work I am a teacher and I teach conservation issues, including action projects where kids make changes.
- Through daily role modeling, camping trips, day hikes, rafting trips and more I teach 5th-10th grade students (former and present) many ways where they can leave a smaller imprint on our planet, both in their present lives and future lives as adults.
- I presently work to reintroduce and sustain the population of the Kemp's ridley Sea Turtles that nest at Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX.
Sustainable Food
- I’m vegan.
- I make my own syrup.
- I use lids on top of pots, pans when cooking. This keeps heat inside the container (where it's needed) thus reducing cook time and using less energy.
- Bring your own doggie bag for leftovers when you go out to eat! That way you don't bring home a styrofoam box that you're going to pitch anyways.
- I garden - like many West Virginians, we "put up" (can and freeze) hundreds of quarts of our own produce.
- I buy local produce (saves fuel) and organic produce.
- I conserve natural resources by not eating animals or their products (eggs or milk), or using products made from animals. As plant foods require less use of water, fuel, and other natural resources, this lifestyle helps conserve resources.
- I compost kitchen wastes.
- We have, for over 20 years, been members of food buying clubs that specialize in organic food and are regular shoppers at the local farmers' markets where organic produce is available.
- I refuse to waste food.
- The food I choose to eat often comes unpackaged like vegetables and dry beans instead of canned. I make my own soup instead of buying it in a can. I am just starting now to compost.
- I compost all organic materials that can go in our organic compost site where we make soil for our garden.
- I compost.
- I get food/drink "for here" rather than to go.
- Eat vegetarian! (wastes less land, water, etc)
- I use a tea ball instead of tea bags.
- One way I have been contributing to the conservation natural resources is by sharing seeds from my garden. I am making seed packets and giving them to friends and youth that I work with so they can go home, plant their own seeds and feel the rewards of watching them grow
- I compost my food waste.
- I buy probably 80% of my food organic.
- I compost all (non-animal) kitchen scraps.
- I compost my vegetable refuse.
- I purchase my vegetables from an organic coop here in Montreal, Qc and I don't eat meat (besides game).
- When cooking rice or beans which normally take at least an hour to cook, soak overnight or for a couple hours, then put on stove for about 15-30 min, remove dish from burner and immediately wrap in towels, sweater, anything to keep the heat in. Leave for a few hours and then check back and should be all good to go. A fun little game to play with yourself is to see how little stove time you can get down too.
Energy Usage
- I use EnergyStar rated appliances.
- Non-renewable energy is conserved when heating our home.
- Another means of cutting down on the fuel bill is to become accustomed to living at temperatures in the 60s for at least part of the day as they do in Europe. With the use of winter underwear, long-sleeve cotton shirt, perhaps a jacket, and a stocking cap, that turned out not to be a problem.
- I turn off the lights when I'm not in a room.
- I keep the thermostat at 58 degrees in winter. I don't use the air conditioning in summer. Living near the devastation of mountaintop removal mining is a good way to remind yourself to conserve energy.
- I also really try to remember to turn off the lights, radio, computer, etc., when I leave the room. I use portable things like a cell phone and laptop that make use of re-chargable batteries, so I don't use as much electricity.
- I signed up for supplemented wind power through PECO for my Philadelphia row-home. The more people who sign up, the more wind power that is used, which is good for everyone. I also only use energy saving light bulbs through out my house which not only save on the electric bill, but use less energy so there is more to share!
- I air dry most of my clothing.
- I use flourescent and compact flourescent bulbs in most of the house.
- Our family installed solar panels on our roof and we are now reaping the benefits of little to no electric bills, plus cutting down on our global gas emission dept.
- We replaced our 40 year old furnace and hot water heater with more efficient units. This spring we replaced all of our upstairs windows with thermo-pane, low-emission glass windows (we did the basement windows 10 years ago).
- I conserve natural resources by conserving energy.
- I save electricity by turning off lights when I don't use them and use florescent bulbs to cut down on power usage.
- I dry my clothes out on a line instead of using a dryer.
- The first tip we offer is to set your thermostat for savings. Adjusting the temperature when you're away or sleeping (a 4-8 hour period or more) will show savings on your energy bill. Lower the temperature 5 degrees in winter, and raise the temperature 5 degrees in summer if you have central cooling. To avoid manually adjusting every day, invest in a 7-Day programmable thermostat. Unfortunately this applies less if you have a heat pump, which works most efficiently when only adjusted 1-2 degrees at a time.
- I use blankets instead of a heater.
- I turn off lights/equipment when not needed.
- I keep my thermostat at a lower level.
- I keep heat at 60 in the winter and wear an extra layer.
- When I use the oven, I bake/roast lots of things at once while it's on.
- I steam things in the steam produced by a boiling pot of something else.
- I work in an office with windows on 3 sides (6 large windows in total) I do not use artificial lights - even on cloudy days.
- When leaving a crowded event by car (like a concert, or fair) where there is a long line of cars waiting to leave the parking lot, I leave my engine turned off and wait until the other cars leave, instead of wasting gas sitting in line.
- When I leave a public restroom, I shake my hands (reasonably) dry without using the electric dryer or the paper towels. I figure this might save a few tree branches in my lifetime.
- Whenever possible, I point out that compared to the wasteful actions of large corporations who use incredible amounts of energy to make incredible amounts of useless products and toxic waste, whatever individual actions we take to conserve energy and resources are a drop in the bucket. Speaking of energy, I think all of our energy would be more efficiently spent reminding people of this instead of encouraging them to do little things like recycle, re-use. etc..
Landscaping
- I maintain the beautiful native plants in our yard.
- I try to give back a little to my neighborhood by planting native vegetation.
- I grow a huge garden (about 600 sq. ft.) with many veggies.
- I feed the birds, set up birdhouses, leave dead trees for the woodpeckers and thickets for the warblers. We mow a tiny area near our front entrance, and have a garden plot in the back. The rest of the yard (2 acres) is a wildlife sanctuary.
- About 85% of the rest of my landscaping is mulch or natives which do not need much water when compared to a lawn.
- At work, we grow many vegies and are installing a HUGE native plant garden.
- We use no chemical fertilizers or pesticides on our lawn or garden
Earth Friendly Products
- We use earth friendly cleaning products and laundry products. We don't use bleach, fabric softener, scented or dyed detergents, or antibacterial soaps.
- I use environmentally friendly dish soap.
- I am aware of my impact as a consumer by buying local, organic and fair-trade food whenever possible and buying products that have less of an impact on the environment (biodegradable soap, recycled paper etc.).
- I buy organic cotton often.
- My everyday thing is I use all-natural cleaning products. Biodegradable detergent and dish soap, and baking soda and/or ammonia for everything else.
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