(no subject)

[vicarz]

Today's diesel sweeties was a real winner. If I may: I used to worry about my weight, then I found out that muscle is heavier than fat...and metal is heavier than both! \m/ \m/ Am I a metal stoner-bot or industrial?
(the one about denial totally applies to me right now)

I was thinking about what I do to help the world, and discovered it's actually more than I try to reduce my damage more than I try to help:

Things I do that benefit me not at all:
Recycle mixed paper & cardboard (I used to take these all the way to the recycle center, but now they changed our recycling so they pick them up here - saving me tons o' time)
recycle cans, glass, plastic #1 & 2
conserve water (I don't pay a water bill except through the condo, but I try not to waste water anyway)
throw kleenex into the toilet rather than the trash can (ew!)
conserve electricity at work (seriously, I walk around turning things off that would otherwise be left on for days at a time: printers, copiers, tvs, lights...the ones not set for low-use modes, or that would be left in low-use modes for days on end)
recycle other people's crap (I actually go into other people's trash to recycle large amounts of crap they are willing to throw into landfills)
encourage, but don't nag or force, co-workers to recycle (I give people little recycle bins for their desks but don't nag them about it)
compliment and nag my friends about their habits (with the intent of not bugging them but actually inspiring change - many of my "good" habits are ones I picked up from observing or speaking with friends)
Purchase organic products (food and otherwise)
Purchase goods made from recycled products (post-consumer where possible, not re-bleached or chemically raped where possible)
Purchase locally grown items (Jen got me into that after reading omnivore's dilemma)
Recycle things I get stuck with in other places - it's a whole new item when you carry cans, bottles, and other crap in your backpack or car until you recycle it, far more a pain than the easy to recycle things you use in the home/work
Donate $ to environmental groups
Vote for environmentally responsible candidates (where possible)

Things I do that benefit me as well:
Use fuel efficient car, and in it try not to take stupid trips, combine small trips when possible, drive reasonable and try not to accelerate or other things that burn more fuel than needed
Save electricity in the home (keep ac/heat use low as comfortable, turn off computer when not in use for more than 1-2 hours, turn off lights / tv when not in use for 5 mins, keep chargers etc out of plugs, insulate to prevent drafts, close curtains to keep out sun / open to let in sun)
Was veg for over ten years, now I try not to eat meat too much even though I like it (environment was one of the reasons)
Try to use things until they are seriously diminished rather than just buying things I don't need on whims.


See, I'm not really doing much to help the environment. Most of my things seem to fall into the category of "damage reduction." I'm not composting, cleaning up the bay, saving ecosystems, tearing down invasive vine species, buying land to preserve it, planting trees, or really doing stuff in a grand scale that actually does good. Is a double-negative a good-enough environmental lifestyle?

Question - possibly a meme if I use the stupid chain letter terms of "tag 7 other losers..." what do you do to help the environment? Might be too long for comments if you are detailed, but it's worth thinking about.