Quick Background
This blog post parallels Dominique‘s posts about minimalism and recycling. This post is about energy usage and how we can individually make small changes with the goal of slowing down our global climate change.
Whats the Problem Doc?
The issue at hand is not that the climate is changing, it is the speed at which our climate is changing. Our climate will always be changing and animals are able to adapt over time, however the current rate that our climate is changing is faster than most species can keep up. When I say that they can’t keep up what is mean is that animals are dying at an alarming rate. The main contribution to our rapidly changing climate is CO2 production but another way to think about this is simply just energy use [or abuse].
Crap, so now what?
Mankind’s most intelligent guys and gals are working on this and all kinds of solutions have been proposed, even radical ideas such as blocking the sun have been considered! One thing is for certain though, we all need to make changes in our lives to help reduce our individual energy usage. The best way to reduce your individual energy usage is to change your mindset. What do I mean by that? Well, start small and simple. For example I like to rank the changes I’ve made by commitment level:
Basic Changes:
Low – Make sure that when you leave a room the lights are off.
Moderate – Follow Dominiques minimalism guide and ideas.
High – Grow your own food.
Transportation:
Low – Check that your tire pressures are at the max recommended for your car to get higher fuel economy.
Moderate – Don’t idle through drive-throughs, just turn your car off and walk inside.
High – Plan your commutes to avoid stop and go traffic and use public transportation when possible.
Home:
Low – Use natural gas over electricity whenever possible especially for heat
Moderate – If you find yourself doing a task often, such as heating a cup of tea in the microwave every morning, invest in a kettle to make the job more efficient.
High – Buy an energy monitor (like this one) to measure electricity usage and start making your own adjustments.
Mindset:
The goal of this article is to facilitate an efficiency mindset by thinking about the things that any person interacts with during the day. Would you like a plastic fork or wooden chopsticks with your to-go order? (I always go with the wooden chop sticks). When you buy a coffee, what is being wasted? (Where did it come from and where is it going? How much energy did it take to have that coffee made for you?). When you start to add up the energy cost of everything you interact with during the day it can get a bit overwhelming and it starts to feel hopeless. But that’s the point of this exercise, most of us don’t realize how much energy we use during day and start to take it for granted. Anyone who adapts this mindset and begins making changes will notice that reducing your energy usage saves you money too. The more energy you save, the more money you save!
Ending Note:
I highly recommend picking up one of these energy monitors to start checking your different appliances. Its a great way to start looking at energy usage and you may find some startling results!
I love these suggestions! From something as simple as remembering to turn off the lights before you leave the room to growing your own food. There is nothing sweeter than sustainable foods and energy conservation while you’re doing so.