these people are brills. I mean, charging for plastic bags? yes! I was pretty excited two days ago when I got points for bringing my own bag--and these points eventually add up to pennies--but I would SO rather have people have to pay for their bags.
for reals people, if you don't have reusable bags please please consider getting some. here. or here. or at the checkout line. you know that whole we didn't inherit the earth, we're borrowing it?
it's true.
also, I was looking up something I'd seen a while ago--lights out america. (and if you want to read the perspective of someone who doesn't care about the long-term impact of his existence here, go read this. ps, nuclear energy? not that scary. solar energy? 100% the thing we should do. anyway.) turns out they've decided to support the earth hour instead.
in any case, it's an hour that they ask you to turn out any nonessential lights. to save energy, to be aware, to make a point. 7pm eastern on a Saturday night. I think I'll be with Matt in Myrtle Beach, so I'm hoping we can cook dinner that night and eat by candle light. :)
and, I am the first person in the entire city of morrisville to sign up. please join me?
I am bummed that the circus has already left town. Matt was going to take me for valentine's day, as it was a fun-but-not-romantic thing to do (because, y'know, I hate valentine's day), but he had the dates mixed up. I am sure we will have fun no matter what, but I was looking forward to seeing lions and tigers and elephants--oh my!
oh, and a little boo hiss for the february, since my watch fell plumb off my wrist yesterday and the face fell off. yeesh. I need a new watch. maybe I'll be visiting fossil when I go to the mall tonight. maybe.
oh and? I forgot to tell you, but saturday before last I got to see the international space station go across the sky. it was pretty neato, gotta tell you.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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3 comments:
jake and i went to dublin last year for st. patrick's day, and ireland is freaking amazing in their environmentally-friendly endeavors. for example, we drove all over the country and i did not find paper towels in one single bathroom - blowers only. and by the time we left, i didn't even miss the paper towels anymore.
now riddle me this - and i was seriously thinking about this the other day when i was cooking dinner and i thought that you'd be just the person to ask - which is more environmentally friendly: wasting the cold tap water while you wait for it to get hot, or using the energy to heat a pot of water from cold to boiling? that is, better to start off a pot of water from cold or to go ahead and get the hot tap water so that it's most of the way heated already?
i'll join you in light's out - everything is much more fun by candlelight!
yaaay ariel--now I'm not alone!
melissa...well, that question is a toughie. I am no expert, and there are A LOT of factors...it depends on how your water is heated (oil? gas? electricity? solar?) and what the temperature is when it's freezing anyway.
also, running the tap wastes perfectly good water. HOWEVER. if you're, say, capturing that water and using it to water plants, it's not such a waste. of if you're going to wash dishes with that now-warm water, also reasonable, as you would've had to heat it up anyway.
and, for where I am? we're in a drought. wasting electricity is better than wasting water (though many forms of electricity generation require water, but not as clean as is coming out of the tap, but still)...but overall it's better for me to heat it all.
you're in a flooded-of-sorts area so the water isn't so crucial.
plus, some say hot tap water is bad for you as it may remove impurities from the pipes and then you'll ingest them.
bottom line:if your water heater is solar (or perhaps on demand?) it isn't a terrible idea. and if you're doing it in conjunction with something else, also not bad.
personally, I always cook with whatever water comes out of the tap first (unless, of course, I'm doing the dishes beforehand). I haven't ever nuked it but I might try doing that then boiling since a microwave--it might take longer, but it'll do the initial heating with less energy.
long story short: I say use cold water unless your water heater is very efficient, and if you want to be extra efficient a good choice is microwaving it first.
except whatever you microwave it in? let it dry and put it back in the cupboard or use it again or it's another source of waste.
damn, that's a long answer. but I'm glad you asked--it made me think! :)
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