Sustainability by George Hernandez

Exploring sustainability, the environment, conservation, etc.. Sustainability does not have to mean a loss of jobs --it can actually mean a net gain of jobs. It is inevitable that we will eventually adopt conservation methods. EG: Oil will run out. My hope is that we can adopt sustainable methods before we absolutely have to, i.e. before we lose species forever, cause severe system imbalances, damage irreplaceable archaeological site, etc. Earth is a remarkable highly complex, self-ordering, self-sustaining system but we can be responsible for our own impact. We don't have to repeat what happened on Easter Island.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Apply principles on scales big and small.
Multiple parallel redundant solutions/alternatives provide resilience, the ability to adapt and avoid single-points of failure.
Do your duty but have joy and love too.

Tips

Air
- Instead of driving solo, try walking, biking, public transportation, car pooling, etc.
- Have more plants. The provide more oxygen and clean the air.
- Use a push mower. It's cleaner, cheaper, and good exercise.
Energy
- Turn off lights, appliances, etc. when you're not using them.
- Open the fridge door as briefly as possible.
- Use low energy light bulbs. Multiplied by many lights, this is pays for itself.
- Use solar and wind power whenever possible.
Fauna
- Human impact on species diversity is as great as an epoch ending disaster.
- Visit and support tourism in nature preserve areas.
- Explore but minimize your environmental impact when visiting. Take your trash with you.
Flora
- Avoid chemical fertilizers. Feed the soil instead of the plants. Different plants can feed each other and the soil too. Organic methods are more natural.
- Avoid chemical pesticides. Plants and bugs can act as pesticides. EG: Garlic and onions can deter bugs.
- Compost.
Water
- Take shorter showers.
- Give your excess drinking water to your plants.
- Water your lawn/garden in low or no sunlight so the water won't evaporate as much.
Miscellany
- Use both sides of papers. Save old paper to use the back side as scrap paper.
- Support your locality. This saves you time and gas. This also means that the goods probably had less shipping and packaging.
- Vote.
- Re-wear your clothes if they're still clean. For style, you don't have to wear them two days in a row.
- Use fewer highly processed chemicals. Try more elbow grease. Try these versatile, low footprint materials:
  - Hydrogen Peroxide (aka H₂O₂, oxygen bleach)
  - Mineral Oil
  - Petroleum Jelly
  - Water
  - White Vinegar
  - Bleach (aka Chlorine Bleach, sodium hypochlorite)
  - Ammonia (aka NH₃).
- If you've been pack-ratting, then you need to reduce and acquire less.
- [To self: Think about fertilizer, N, P, and K.

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-10-29 22:41:39Z) (Auto noted: 2010-12-24 22:59:25Z)