As I spend my Thursday, off from work, staying in from the rain and wind, I see my Google Calendar reminder that it’s Blog Action Day ‘09.
Climate change is happening, maybe as it’s always happened, maybe because the human race has become lazy, wasteful, and inconsiderate of the other living things on our little planet.
I propose, that instead of debating whether global warming or climate change is real, we all begin to do our part to correct it before it’s too late. I’m not doing anything extreme, but the simple steps I’ve taken should all be achievable by anyone. For example:
If you start with those, and build from there, you’ll be on the right track. Let’s start living simple, and environmentally conscious.
It’s been about 2 months since I’ve had my new ride, so I took it into Guy’s Bicycles for it’s “new bike checkup”. Lee, who also sold me on this particular model, did the checkup, tuning up the breaks and front derailleur, and then a thorough “once-over” to check for any other problems.
The bike is in tip-top shape, and after dinner, I’ll be going for a short ride.
Since August 22nd, I’ve been trying to bike more, drive less, especially when it comes to my 3.5 mile (each way) commute.
Going to and from work is simple, and my managers and coworkers at Staples are awesome about it.
But lately, I’ve been trying to do more “utility cycling” (groceries, trips to the bank, library, etc), and I’ve been running into problems when it comes to securing my ride while I’m indoors. In Philadelphia, there are bike racks everywhere, bike lanes, and a cycling culture like no other. In my suburbs, I’m lucky if I can find a pole or railing to lock up to. Even in the shopping center I work in, the only bike rack available is placed right outside Sports Authority (which makes sense, being a sports equipment that also sells bikes).
Without doing the research myself, what would bike racks cost to install in front of convenience stores, in strip malls, etc? Also, is there any reason why shops would not want them?
WALL-E and the Bean.
When you buy a wedding dress, you try it on before the big day, right?
When you rent your tuxes, you make sure everything fits before showing up to the event, right?
You double-check your slide presentation before presenting it to the members or the board, right?
Assuming you answer “yes” to all of those (and if you didn’t, why not?),
If you had a job typed up, printed, and cut for you at a local copy center (instead of bringing it print-ready as you’re supposed to), why would you not look them over before spending $300 on postage? You mean to tell me, that you relied on your clients/customers to proofread your postcards after you’ve sent them out?
I’m sure you feel like an idiot now, so you’re looking to place blame. Sure, blame them for creating the typo, but seriously, you’re not to blame at all, right?
I know I’m just ranting, but it most-often takes a second set of eyes to find typos and grammar errors. Why, then, would you assume everything’s perfect after placing it in someone else’s hands to complete for you?
…an ounce of prevention…
Many of us will be viewing fireworks displays this weekend, and the treehugger in me has to cringe a little bit. Fireworks use dangerous chemicals and contribute to smog which can pollute our ground, air, and water. But it’s not all bad. Even Treehugger blog gives us “permission” to enjoy the fireworks once a year. So here are my “green” tips for having a guilt-free conscience while enjoying a little Independence Day pyrotechnics.
photo credit: Chrislrmo
Go to the Big Ones: Instead of everyone contributing to the pollution (and possibly breaking state laws), go to the big displays that are put on by the cities, theme parks, etc. It’s safer, alot more fun, and it’s better for the environment.
Carpool: Anyone who has tried getting out of the parking lot immediately following a fireworks show should know that carpooling, or better yet, walking/cycling, is the way to go. Many “pay/donation” style shows offer a price per car so take advantage of it! Also, while you’re waiting to get out of that crowded parking lot, don’t sit idling for an hour! Keep the car off (or use accessory to enjoy the radio). Patience and non-idling cars will make your Fourth more enjoyable and greener.
Take your trash with you: Many “lawn-seating” style shows allow you to bring food/beverages (sometimes even beer!), but often don’t have the waste management to handle all the trash and recyclables people bring. If you don’t see proper garbage receptacles, take it with you. Bring a garbage bag with you, even. The less money the city, park, etc has to spend cleaning up after us, the more money they can use towards bigger, better, greener (yup!) fireworks shows in the future.
So, this weekend, get there safe (with a full carload), enjoy the big ones, and leave the place better than you found it! Take tons of pictures, and feel good knowing that you did your part in making this Independence Day a little more environmentally friendly.
While I was thinking about photography, creating some plans for tomorrow, and struggling over my need for a new avatar photo, I decided to poke around on Flickr for pictures with “orange” in the title or tags.
I “favorited” this one, along with a dozen others.
I also joined a couple orange-themed groups, and now have some ideas for photographs tomorrow.
Ironically, as much as I love the color orange, I’m not a huge fan of the fruit. I was always intrigued by how the Spanish language (and others) differentiates between orange, the color (anaranjado), and orange, the fruit (naranja).
Orange often suggests change, stimulation, and warmth. In the next few days, I’ll hopefully be changing my avatar image, stimulating curiosity and interest in my endeavors, and maybe even supplying some “warm fuzzies” to my friends and family.
I stopped at the Warminster Bikeline today, just to ask some questions and get an idea what I’m looking at in order to start commuting 6 miles/day to work.
Here’s the breakdown (from the mouths of an employee):
Bike: Trek 7.3 FX $579, but will be on sale in a few weeks for $499
Helmet, lock, etc: He said they can work some deals out, but estimate another $100
Service plan: (after the first year of purchase) $70 for unlimited service for 5 years.
Total…(pre-tax)
~$700 bucks
I’m going into this looking only at that. Whatever I save in fuel, car service, etc, will be just that; savings.
Hooray for brother’s who are mechanics! It’s just an oil change and tire rotation, but when I know he can fit it in, it’s piece of mind.
It costs $10 to upgrade my iTouch to 3.0, right? How important is it that I do it?