Welcome to Gaia! ::

The most important thing we have that we can actually call ours is the Earth. It gave birth to us, it shelters us, and feeds us and gives us all of the essential materials we need. It nourishes the plants that give us food and oxygen. But throughout history, be it our human nature, or our stubborn ignorance, we've been destroying her beauty and our own health is at risk.

The past few years have produced a boom of 'green' in response to climate change and the holes in the ozone. It's sparked intersts of companies to use more recyclable material, and to be more fuel efficient with clean coal technologies being produced, bio electric cars, and sustainable energy. Wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, wave. But is it really enough?

It's up to every one of us to change the way we live, not just the big companies who we all look up to and lean of for support. It's up to all of us to do our part. So I want to know. What are you doing to go green?

good good. As do I. I've also purchased a reusable water container so as not to waste plastic bottles. when i get my own place i plan to make a compost for my garden from table scraps. I turn off lights when not in use. i open windows and let the sun and wind heat and cool my home. But one of the most important things i have is my bike which i use to run errands around town.

I could likely be a lot more energy conscious than I am now, but I make some efforts.

I use a lot of water bottles, but I don't just throw them in the trash when they're empty. I always put them in the recycle bin. If there isn't one about, I'll keep it on me until I get home, where we have recycle bins. At this point in my life, I feel as awkward when putting recyclables in the trash as I do when I can't wash my hands with soap and water after using the restroom. It's such a deeply ingrained habit that it's hard not to do it.

I know I take longer showers than I need. ;_; I can't help it; the water feels so good. All warm and evil and distracting.

Where I live (NY), winters are really cold, but instead of jacking up the heat, normally my family has a fire going, and I have a lot of blankets on my bed.

How much energy do bed heaters use? I have one of those that I use in the later fall and winter months. I can't imagine that it's as bad as trying to heat two floors, a basement and an attic, though. Especially considering that we don't normally use all of our space on a daily basis. We have a guest room, a linen closet, bedroom and storage area that doesn't get used that much. And my bathroom, but that's mine only. I can deal with being cold for a few minutes while I go potty.

So yeah, I could do better, but I try. ;_;

Most of the "going green" stuff is nonsense. So many of the things marketed as "green" are barely better for the environment than the alternatives. In some cases, it isn't better at all. Currently there is a great deal of recycling going on which doesn't help the environment at all (recycling certain types of products). Solar panels provide such a minor source of power in most cases that there would be no benefit to the environment (and indeed, even some harm) for years and years. If they can develop solar power sufficiently fast, buying solar panels now could actually be bad for the environment in the long run.

Most of the "going green" is done mindlessly, without actually considering how much of an effect it would have. The single most effective way of lowering carbon emissions, as well as pretty much all other pollutants, would be for people to move away from this commercialized world. Buying less, reducing the size of corporate mass-production, and living a more simplified type of life is the most effective way to help the environment.

If you truly want to help save the environment, go live as a bum. Of course, most "saving the environment" is trendy, not effective.

I do not know about any solar panel technology using plant material, so I cannot say anything about that.

That aside, solar panels are simply too inefficient to be worthwhile for most people. The process of making them will contribute to emissions, and in most cases the increased cost of implementing them will outweigh the benefits.

In some cases solar panels are truly effective, and they can pay back your investment in a reasonable amount of time. For most people, this is not the case. The startup cost for installing solar panels (and the necessary components such as an inverter) is too high for it to be a good solution in most cases. This is especially true due to the general low efficiency of solar panels.

As solar technology improves, it will become a better option. It has a lot of room to grow. The key to it, like all other ways of "going green," is to make sure you are doing it because it will help, not just because it sounds good.