How do you balance your environmentalism and your using natural resources?

We all use resources. Some are man made and in the end they all affect natural resources. Some natural resources are consumed such as wood and water. Some are replenishable some are not. Some people think of the size of their carbon footprint, some don't even know how to figure out their shoe size in this. Cars are made from parts from all over the world and if we buy them here there is the cost of fuel to get them here and to build the ships that get them here. Sure solar panels are great but think about the chemical processes it takes to build them and how environmentally friendly they really are. Trees are carbon in, carbon out, so buying the wooden hairbrush isn't using petroleum product to make plastic but the wood will break down and release the carbon back into the environment as well. How do you balance your use of resources and your sense of environmentalism?

How do you balance your environmentalism and your using natural resources?
All things have their down side so far as what they are made of causing pollution, however, trees dying naturally will release carbon back into the environment as well. The only way to stop putting carbon back into the environment is for all life on earth to go into stasis. That's not possible, but by using cleaner fuels, recycling, and common sense conservation, we can go a long way towards repairing the damage already done.





I grow my own organic veggies, drive as little as possible, and conserve water whenever possible. We have a passive solar water heater, use flourescent bulbs and keep our thermostat at 75 in summer and 65 in winter. I use cloth grocery bags that I made out of old trousers and recycle all the plastic, paper, glass and metal that I can. Unfortunately, our local recycle center doesn't recycle styrofoam or certain types of plastic. I save my egg cartons and donate them to the local school where they use them for various projects. I try to buy things that are in less packaging or recyclable packaging and things that aren't recyclable, I use for something else when they are empty.





It's not perfect, but I do what I can. If everyone did just a few little things, it would add up to something really worth while.





Nothing is going to be the perfect solution, but just getting the corporations and national governments to start doing somethng positive is the real problem. Perhaps if enough individuals do their part and contact their representatives, maybe the big guys will get the message.



Nanny