Green Pursuits

So... Sometimes I take the time to evaluate my level of commitment to the ecology. Reverence for nature is a central aspect of Wicca, and I take it pretty seriously. But I think there is always room for improvement.

• Things I do right:

I recycle bottles, cans, and cardboard. Doug and I both drive very fuel efficient vehicles (his car gets 32 MPG and mine gets 51 MPG). I walk to the grocery store, pharmacy, and post office instead of driving. I only have lights on in rooms I am using. Our computers are laptops instead of desktops (18 watts vs 200 watts). In summer, we only have AC on in rooms we are using. In winter, we set the heat in the 59-62 degree range. We use CFL bulbs for illumination (12w vs 75w). At work, I developed a printing method that consumes 2/3 less paper. Doug carpools to work with a coworker (which essentially doubles his effective gas mileage since only one car is being used instead of two).

• Things I am not doing but would like to do:

I'd love to have solar panels on the house, but they are $20,000 and there's no way Doug and I could afford it. I can do better at remembering to bring reusable grocery bags when shopping (instead of the throwaway flimsy plastic bags). I could do a better job remembering to completely unplug seldom-used appliances (so as to avoid the "vampire" effect in which unused gadgets continue to draw power even when not turned on). I spend way too much time in the shower in the morning (I have this irrational fear about smelling bad but I don't think I ever actually smell bad. I just fear such a thing.)