Low Impact Week

Guest post by Juliette Beck of North Davis as part of Low Impact Week. If you would like to submit your own blog post or video diary on the Low Impact Challenge, please email jemoores AT aol.com

Hopefully you saw the No Impact Man movie. Colin, his wife Michelle and their toddler cut drastically back on their consumption for a year and discover they can live better with less stuff, and more local food, biking and quality time with family.

What did you think of the experiment? Was it effective? What could you do without or change that might actually yield positive benefits?

One attendee of last night’s film – a woman from Spain that now lives in Davis– thought that going without electricity for a year was extreme. “I love watching movies. We don’t have a TV but Netflix is like a hobby.” She wasn’t so keen on composting either, but she is perfectly content living in a small condo. “In Barcelona, everyone has small apartments. It’s what we are used to.”

I cringed a bit, thinking about my recent move to a three bedroom house that probably requires a lot more energy to heat and cool. As a product of the suburbs, the house is “what I am used to.”  It made me realize that so much of what we do is habit – done without thinking or taking time to explore and try out new options.

This week’s Low Impact Challenge aims to bust up a few, old habits and encourage folks to prioritize some climate-friendly alternatives in dealing with their trash, energy use, transportation, water, and food.

Today being all about trash, perhaps you can help me with a predicament. My old landlord wants me to get rid of my compost pile even though it’s not done composting. I’m very proud (and rather attached) to my compost pile – it’s the one thing I grow well.  My new landlord is not so keen on compost but agreed to a worm bin. What should I do with my cherished, quasi-composted compost pile?

Thanks!

Saving water can help prevent and adapt to climate change

These are tips from Low Impact Week, which was held in February 2011 but can be done anytime!

In today’s world where water is growing scarce, every flush and shower counts.  With water becoming more precious and rates rising, everybody wins by conserving.

Today we invite you to use less water. Try one or more of these steps:

• Limit your shower to 4-5 minutes, and leave the daydreaming to while you dry yourself off.
• Run the dishwasher only when full and use the no-heat wash, rinse and dry cycles. It is simple, easy and costs nothing to implement this plan.
• Wear your clothing more than once before putting it in the laundry.

Conserving water reduces your “water print” which is essential in the central valley with its long dry season and increasing water shortages.  Additionally, using water requires energy to treat it, pump it to your home and then again to treat the wastewater before releasing it back into the environment. As much as 50% of a city’s annual energy bill goes to pumping water to homes and business  and then treating the waste water produced by its use (according to consumerenergycenter.org).

Conserving water reduces your carbon footprint and saves water for fish and animal habitat or farm use.  For example, cutting shower time, by half, such as from 10 minutes to 5 minutes, saves water and can reduce carbon emissions by over 1,500 lbs/year for the average family (UC Davis Center for Water-Energy Efficiency).

Running the dishwasher only when full and on a low heat or air dry cycle can save from 15% to 50% of the average dishwasher’s energy consumption, (Consumerenergy.org). Wearing the same clothes for a few days in most cases (well, maybe not if your kids really like dirt!), saves both water  and energy, plus clothes last longer.

This is the last day of the  Cool Davis Low Impact Challenge.  It is time to have fun and celebrate!  Whether you tried all or none of the Low Impact Challenge steps, you are welcome at the celebratory CDI potluck dinner on March 3 at the United Methodist Church of Davis, 1620 Anderson Rd. The dinner will start at 6:30 PM followed by discussions of the “No Impact Man” film, the Low Impact Challenge and additional programs to reduce your carbon footprint. Please bring a veggie dish, salad or dessert to share.

Using Davis' bountiful sun power can save on bills and reduce your carbon footprint

These are tips from Low Impact Week, which was held in February 2011 but can be done anytime!

When it comes to energy, the first step before building new power plants or adding solar panels is always conservation. Today, we invite you to use less energy and save money.

With simple changes in habits, we reduce our need for energy without causing hardship. Try some of the following:

• Wash your clothes in cold water.
• Hang your clothes up to dry, and avoid the energy-guzzling dryer.
• Turn off any electrical devices not in immediate use.
• If you haven’t done so already, install energy efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs everywhere.

Washing clothes in cold water saves the cost of heating water. With modern soaps, they get just as clean. Clothing that is machine washed but dried on a clothesline uses 1.87 pounds of CO2 per week compared with 6.55 pounds per week for laundry that is machine washed and tumble dried.

It’s also worthwhile to check your existing equipment and appliances for energy-saving efficiency.  For example, if you replace ordinary light bulbs with CFL bulbs, they pay for themselves within a year.  Buying a smart power strip is a convenient way to turn off all the extra electronic equipment that is often connected to a computer or entertainment center. The “phantom charge” these appliances generate even when not in use is one of the fastest growing areas of electricity use.

Do you have a good idea to share with your neighbors? Add your comment to our blog below.

Bikes at UC Davis Bus Stop

These are tips from Low Impact Week, which was held in February 2011 but can be done anytime!

The single largest contributor to Davis carbon emissions is our driving. Today, we ask that you use your travel time to get healthier, save money, and enjoy the scenery, too.

Davis is making strides to make biking, carpooling and public transit viable alternatives.

Try one or more of the following:

• Got errands in town? Dress in layers and use a bike.
• Plan your day so that you have time to take a walk or bike ride just for fun.
• If you travel to work or school, use Unitrans, Yolobus or the Amtrak Capital Corridor Train.

Walking, hiking, and biking are all great ways to get in shape and stay healthy while minimizing your carbon footprint. For information on biking, check out:  www.davisbicycles.org, http://cityofdavis.org/bicycles/maps.cfm,  www.davisbikeclub.org/ and www.davisbikecollective.org.   Try Bike Forth (intersection of 4th and L) to get free bike repair help or attend an Open Shop workshop on Monday nights.  If you need places to hike, see www.yolohiker.org.

“I used to bike only when it was warm and sunny. But then I found a used winter parka, some gloves and waterproof pants.  Now biking in the winter is comfortable and refreshing!” said Davis resident Juliette Beck.

Maria Tebbutt explains, “ By using our bikes more, my family found out that we needed only one car.  We got rid of our second car and spend less on transportation now.”

Do you have a good idea to share with your neighbors? Add your comment to the blog below!

Food from local Davis market [Credit: rikkeller.com

The average mouthful of food travels an estimated 1,500 miles to reach us, requiring a staggering amount of fossil fuel.  Every time we eat food locally grown or produced, we reduce the need for these transportation costs.

Today we invite you to think about the food you eat and its relationship to your health. Try one or more of these steps:

• Try to eat no meat today: be kind to your heart and try some great vegetarian dishes.
• Buy groceries from the Davis Farmers Market, Davis Food Coop, or grocery stores that offer locally grown food and lower your carbon “food-print.”
• Eat organically grown foods and keep both you and our planet healthier.

The real costs of eating meat are much greater than the price tag. Vast swaths of forest are being cleared for pastures, robbing the planet of trees, which absorb carbon dioxide. Cattle and sheep also release huge amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. A recent United Nations study found that meat production is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions – more than the entire transportation sector.

The advantages of buying local food are many:  you receive fresh, delicious, nutritious food, the farmers stand a better chance of earning a decent living, and family farms are preserved.  If you need recipes: check out www.vegetariantimes.com

With regard to eating organic, you are reasonably assured that harmful substances will not get into the soil, food crops, and your body.   For community supported agriculture programs and farms in Yolo County, see: www.yolocounty.org/Index.aspx?page=1901.

Do you have a good idea to share with your neighbors? Add your comment below and update us on how the Challenge is going!

Trash creates landfills, and contributes to carbon emissions

These are tips from Low Impact Week, which was held in February 2011 but can be done anytime!

On a per capita basis, Americans generate more waste than the rest of the world, about 4.6 pounds per person per day, partly because of wasteful and unnecessary packaging and partly because of excessive consumption.

You may have heard horror stories of barges laden with garbage in the ocean or overflowing landfills.  Fortunately, repairing, reusing, and recycling can cut down on waste significantly, but better yet, you can avoid buying throwaway items in the first place.

Today, we invite you to generate less throwaway trash by trying one or more of these ideas:

• Use cloth bags (not plastic or paper) to bring home groceries or other purchases.
• Give up bottled water; tap water has a lower carbon footprint, and will save you money.
• Carry your own cup or thermos to use throughout the day; avoid disposable cups.
• Recycle any and all plastic, paper, and metal you use today.

Do you have a good idea to share with your neighbors? Add your comment below this blog!