non-rant....reduce consumption....

[mom'sfolly]

In response to the $5/gallon rant thread, I thought it might be fun to come up with fun, positive ideas for reducing petroleum consumption.

So instead of ranting, post your ideas.

Don't drink bottled water, use your tap water. The regulations for clean tap water in the US are much stricter than those for bottled water, so drink up.
Pack your lunch.
walk to school
park for fast food, don't do drive throughs

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Carpool when possible.
Use reusable shopping bags instead of plastic.
*Forgot to mention, many grocery stores give you a reimbursment for using your own bags. It's not much but it adds up over time.

 

[silkiechick236]

I wish I could ride my horse to work but don't think the boss would approve

 

[mom'sfolly]

Over Christmas I've turned a couple of those nice new plastic feed bags into shopping bags. I messed one up, made it upside down, but is sturdier than the cheap ones and much cheaper than the good ones. So that is reducing and reusing in one. One or more of our BYCers have posted on how to make them. My link has disappeared, but if you do a search it should show up.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Start planning the garden

Start shopping for a CSA

Start MAKING next years Christmas presents with American made materials of course

Install wood heat, or take steps toward that for next year.

Ask neighbors to pick up bread from the store if that is all you need, myneighbors do this for me, and I return the favor. Never underestimate the power of asking!! Lots of times folks actually say "YES!" Imagine that...

Learn to make your own bread if you don't already.

Do a "BLACKOUT" family game night with the kids and play board games for a few hours at the kitchen table by candlelight. (Actually done this...it is fun

kids eat it up, but it does require a couple candles

)

Spend more time organizing activities OUTSIDE, without electricity, with things you already have like sleds, basketballs, etc. whatever your climate can handle this time of year. Bonfires are nice too.

Crank up the grill or smoker and cook the main course of dinner, nothing better in the winter than a grilled burger IMO.



Yeah I know, I may be a bit insane, but I am almost NEVER boring

 

[cluckcluck42]

REUSE REUSE REUSE!

Not only does it save you money it saves the planet.

We make our own chicken feeders out of things that would be thrown away. We reuse all of our plastic containers (margarine, cottage cheese, etc), although I am trying to get off of plastic and only use glass wares. A big thing is to really think about what you are buying when at a store. Things with tons of plastic and packaging are so bad for the environment. We try to use things that will give us the least amount of garbage at the end.

Buy local. Buy local. Buy local. Our local Giant Tiger has a local farm that sells canned goods and meat. We buy lots of it and anytime in the summer there are fruit or corn stands on the side of the road I always try to stop and pick something up. Support your local economies! Start researching how much oil is wasted shipping lettuce across the continent when it can be found locally in season. It is crazy!

Since having chickens we never waste food either, which is such a relief to me. Our garbage bags have lasted a lot longer than when we didn't have chickens.

When going to the store, try to get as much done at once to save on gas for another trip.

NO BOTTLED WATER. Stupidest thing ever. Everytime I see people with bottled water I want to slap them. It is so wasteful it makes me sick. We have well water but if you are in the city, spend some cash on a water purifier and buy a container to carry your water in. Bottled water is one of my big pet peeves.

 

[elijahboy]

save gas..............get the junk out the trunk

the things in your trunk, backseat or bed can put some weight on your vehicle.

 

[elijahboy]

any rooms your not using close the vent and keep the door to that room closed and put a towel/rag at the bottom if there is a gap between the door and the floor


no use to heat a room that your not using

 

[Rozzie]

Remember:

The vast majority of what is in stores is completely unnecessary. Make do without it.
Consider carefully WHAT you are buying, and WHY. Then, most of the time, forget about it.
You really can buy almost everything you need in life at the grocery store, pharmacy, a feed store, and your local thrift shops. If you own a home, you'll need to toss in an occasional visit to a hardware store / lumber store, I'm sure. (Exception: you can't buy electronics at these items. Consider these purchases carefully & select the best source.)

Stay out of Walmart, Kmart, and Target. Heck, add Freds, Family Dollar, Dollar General, and the various $1 stores by any name to the list. Just say no. How much stuff in there do you NEED? A couple of rows in the grocery section, and a row or two in the pharmacy is just about it...see previous list of alternatives.

Everything you buy consumed petroleum at some point in its manufacture / transportation. Buying used eliminates the need to manufacture another item AND saves cash. Buy used LOCALLY, stopping at your secondhand resources when you are in that neighborhood anyway. Just don't buy things you don't need.

plan ahead in your 2ndhand purchases...will you need an item in six months? If it turns up used for a buck now, buy it instead of paying $10-20 for a new (more petroleum intensive) one later...

 

[Orchid]

Quote:
Unless it has some kind of water pipes that could freeze and break.