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mountainlion
Trad climber
California
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 25, 2013 - 09:05am PT
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The climate change thread is about the science of climate change. Maybe it would be helpful to have a more positive discussion with people giving examples of what THEY are doing and how the rest of us could easily also do what they are doing.
I've already posted most of what I have/am doing on the climate change thread.
Let's keep this one POSITIVE!!!
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Reeotch
Trad climber
4 Corners Area
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May 25, 2013 - 09:12am PT
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I ride my bike to work every day.
This week I'm putting in a garden.
When I worked at an environmental science camp we used to play a little thought game called "what if?" What if everyone were to engage in the activity you are discussing? What would that look like?
If everybody would just do the above 2 things, I think it would make a noticable difference.
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mountainlion
Trad climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 25, 2013 - 09:47am PT
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Good idea REEOTCH!! I like the bike to work thing.
On gardening if you have enough space make sure to plant Camote (sweet potatoes) they grow quickly and you can eat the leaves in a salad prior to the potatoes being harvested (the leaves are full of nutrients). It takes 90-100 days for the Camote to produce the potatoes ( I had really good luck once the soil had been fertilized well--my first batch didn't turn out as well since I hadn't had time to compost well but after that compost HO MAN!!).
Totally agree if we all did a little bit we could make a HUGE difference!!
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patrick compton
Trad climber
van
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May 25, 2013 - 10:02am PT
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I don't have kids.
Fewer consumer is the ONLY way real change is going happen. Do it ourselves, or the planet will take us out through disease, drought, famine.
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tooth
Trad climber
B.C.
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May 25, 2013 - 10:10am PT
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Not eating animals or fish. No need to cut down the rainforest for grazing land for me. Or dairy.
I buy and eat local. If I eat out, it is usually a local restaurant that uses locally-produced food. At home we can hundreds of jars of food and freeze 1+ freezers of food for the year.
Don't eat GMO.
Plant and cultivate healthy trees on my acreage. Don't fence out the wildlife, don't mow the 1 acre lawn so that the deer and moose can graze (built a pond where water flows anyway).
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bobinc
Trad climber
Portland, Or
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May 25, 2013 - 10:18am PT
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Starting/continuing discussions with friends and others on the need for meaningful carbon taxes on both transportation and site energy fuels. Riding my bike and recycling make me feel a little better but price signals are the only way I see to cause big changes on a short time horizon.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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May 25, 2013 - 11:05am PT
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Here's how I'm making a difference.
I used to ride my bike all the time. Now, it's just once in a while. So my respiration is at a normal level all day long, instead of being elevated for several hours while I'm on the bike. Therefore, I'm blowing way less co2 into the atmosphere than before.
All you people should do the same, if you care about our future.
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orle
climber
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May 25, 2013 - 11:24am PT
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Sounds like a solid plan, Chaz. Seems like you are also asking less of the planet in terms of food consumption now that you burn less calories.
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mountainlion
Trad climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 25, 2013 - 11:28am PT
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Let's keep it positive DMT
Here is what I am doing and have done to help combat climate change.
1)Pumping my own water from a deep well for my garden, showers, dishwashing, food preparation and drinking daily and have for the past year. It does take a little time but it also gives me exercise.
2)Planted a garden of hot peppers, chile peppers, camote (sweet potatoes), ampalaya, sayote, gabi (taro) and basil. When I ran out of garden space I went and dug up dirt from a local farm (took it home about a mile using a dolly)and made a small planter about 4 inches deep 6 foot wide and 10 feet long that I placed on concrete--filled masonary bags with dirt and planted camote in the bags so they could spread out on the planter, also planted chile peppers in bags.
3)I walk everywhere regardless of how much the grocery bags weigh or the distance (under 5 miles). I even hiked a wooden table 4 foot by 4 foot (made of cocoa lumber weighs about 90 lbs including the 2 by 4 legs about 3 miles home, I take the bus to my climbing area of Cantabaco wich is a 20 minute bus ride but would take me all day to hike and is unsafe to bike (IMO).
4)I have helped the locals to use cardboard boxes, black spray paint, and aluminum foil to make solar ovens that can be used for heating food and water instead of lighting a fire (does take more time but once you know how to use it is convenient).
5)I compost all trash that can be composted. I recycle the trash that can be recycled.
6)Things I have done in the past but don't do everyday--- shopped and donated clothing and other items to Goodwill.
7)I like to have productive conversations in person regarding climate change and other sciences. I am good at doing experiments with whatever we may have at the campground to back up my points. For example using two containers, ice, and water you can illustrate the difference of what happens when continental ice melts as opposed to sea ice melt in terms of sea level---hard for a climate denier to run thier mouth around the campfire when we all see what happens in the experiment.
8)I read scientific articles daily (and always have--I love science).
9)My wife and I stopped eating chicken, fish, and meat daily--now we eat chicken or fish twice a week---vegetarian the rest of the week. It helped me lose weight and I feel great!
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mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
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May 25, 2013 - 11:38am PT
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Nice ml.
Most recently I have made a pledge to myself to use human power to get to climbing areas for at least 1/2 of my climbing days. It may not sound like much, but it is usually the only reason I fire up my petroleum eater. I am working on a 30 boulder problem circuit along a nice 6 mile bike loop. Did about half of it the other day with a bouldering pad in high winds... great workout.
I will also be riding my bike 15 miles round trip EVERYDAY for my next job starting in about a month. I turned down 3 jobs this year because of the commute. The gf already rides to work 3-4 days a week... gotta keep up!
On that same note, I will be volunteering for some trail restoration and wetland restoration.
Food production and transportation is a HUGE consumer of petroleum. I recently put in ~150 square feet of cold frames for our vegetable garden, all watered with an artesian well I installed. On the food note, we have a bunch of bunnies living around here who will no doubt multiply rapidly at the expense of our garden. When their numbers increase, some may be eaten.
We live in a house designed for passive solar heating. We try to use wood (carbon neutral) as our main heat source, which is only on cloudy days. Since October we used just under 1/3 cord. What few lights we use are CFL or LED to conserve electricity.
It is all about reducing consumption of the 3 big CO2 producers...
https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/
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mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
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May 25, 2013 - 12:02pm PT
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Yes Randisi, food in the US is usually shipped huge distances. Many people don't realize how much petroleum goes into getting food on their table.
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Lambone
Big Wall climber
Ashland, Or
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May 25, 2013 - 12:16pm PT
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We just put solar panels on our roof. Last month it provided for 70% of our electrical consumption.
Was a big investment (close to 20 grand), but our city subsidizes it with credits. Also it adds value to the home in the long run.
I feel a bit better about running errands in my oversized V8 suv that gets 15mpgs
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mountainlion
Trad climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 25, 2013 - 12:42pm PT
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I like the point about buying from local vendors to cut down on the amount of petroleum used to ship produce...eveybody could be doing that and help their local farmers out!!
Good for you Lambone...I have always wanted to get into solar power and expected it to be a mainstream energy source after reading about it in "ranger rick" and "boys life" as a kid. Whatever happened to it...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 25, 2013 - 01:02pm PT
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I'm not gonna get a new F150 for a while - this one is running too well.
How do you get 8 sheets of plywood in a Prius?
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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May 25, 2013 - 01:13pm PT
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no kids.
shop local, organic.
eat less animal
bike or walk any distance less than 5 miles
drive cars from the 20th century
grow edible stuff.
vermiculture
upcycle.
recycle
small recycling business- http://alohashirtrescue.com/ -Wall shirts anyone?
wear a hat and a sweater instead of bumping the thermostat.
exercise consumer awareness
laundry less often
greywater into the garden
low/no water use landscaping
doesn't seem like nearly enough.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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May 25, 2013 - 02:23pm PT
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Bike or bus to work every day, then blow my karma by driving to the mountains on days off.
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mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
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May 25, 2013 - 02:34pm PT
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wear a hat and a sweater instead of bumping the thermostat
Yes! Bugs the sh#t out of me when people reach for the thermostat rather than a jacket. A nice pair of slippers, a nice hat, and a nice house coat are the bomb dizzle!
greywater into the garden
Working on that, but can't get a straight answer from the regulators around here. At the very least, I should have the shower hooked up to the toilet soon. That way the tank will get filled while waiting for the shower to get warm. We only flush a couple times a day... if it's yellow be mellow, if it's brown flush it down.
low/no water use landscaping
Unfortunately I know people who spend hundreds of dollars using municipal water to water their huge lawns. Sucks when people move somewhere (desert, mountains, etc) and opt for the cookie cutter lawn/yard rather than integrating their existence with their surroundings.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
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May 25, 2013 - 04:15pm PT
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5 years ago I started riding scooters. That has been interesting. THAT can include a dangerous learning curve. First accident was on an unmaked curve at night in the mist. I also have an electric bicycle that compliments my bicycle stable. The old Honda CH80 scooter does about 90 MPG and the Aprilia Atlantic 200 does about 70 MPG.
My Partner put quite a few solar panels on her roof that feed the grid. There are too many trees around me to do that or I would in a heartbeat.
I love to hyper-mile all the vehicles to get the most mileage. Most recently I purchased new tires for my Chevy Aveo and decided to splurge on the high pressure / high mile tires that TOYO makes. Right out of the chute it's obvious they will pay for the extra cost and more. Those things roll forever - it's very cool and fun. If you see old farts driving slow, it's not because they are old, they are hyper-miling!
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mechrist
Gym climber
South of Heaven
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May 25, 2013 - 04:22pm PT
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That reminds me...
Anyone have an old fairing they want me to reuse? Any size, I'm pretty sure I could make it fit.
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