sooo lazy

I have been very unmotivated to post.  Actually I have been very unmotivated to "live sustainably" and too buys to even try and accomplish any my goals.  Fortunately, without any real effort or energy spent on my part I have noticed myself doing things a little differently.  

I have become almost obsessive about turning the lights off in my house and at work.  Pretty much anytime I walk past the women's restroom on the 4th floor of the building I work in, I check to see if the lights are on in the bathroom ... and if they are I turn them off!!  Of course today someone was in the bathroom when I turned off the lights ... and I don't think that she was very happy.  

Also, I've been going to the Trailhead (a local bar) quite frequently to play darts with friends. (I have recently become a big fan of darts, and was very happy when a crazy old guy finally taught me how to throw a little better.)  Going to the Trailhead itself is not an act of sustainable living (as far as I know they are not very green), but they do have these water jugs with plastic cups conveniently placed at each end of the bar.  I am sure they have set this whole thing up so that the bartenders don't have to be annoyed with people like me who like drink a glass of water for every beer they consume (it is freaking dry in colorado and I don't like to be hungover).   So being the new "green" me, I have taken the extra effort to ask for a reusable glass glass instead of using the wasteful plastic cups offered next to the watering hole.  yay for me!!! 

Ok, ok my efforts so far have been rather minimal ... but sustainable living is always on my mind and I know that slowly but surely I will be making major changes!

Food for thought

From the Working Group 3 Summary for Policy Makers of the 4th Assessment report of the IPCC - 

"Lifestyle changes can reduce GHG emissions.  Changes in lifestyle and consumption patters that emphasize resource conservation can contribute to developing a low-carbon economy that is both equitable and sustainable" 

A road not yet taken (by me that is)

It's time for me to stop making excuses!!! Since moving to Colorado I been telling myself, Rachel you need to take an active role in trying to reduce your impact on the Environment. I often think ... you study Climate Change ... you need to set a better example!!!
Everyday (well almost everyday) I try to convince myself that I should ride my bike to work, but by the time I get up, shower and eat...I am already running at least an hour behind schedule so I decide "tomorrow I'll ride my bike to work" and I hop in my car and get on my way. The really sad part is...I only live 1.5 miles away from my department and people who live miles and miles away ride into work everyday (even when its way below freezing and snowing heavily). I've also been telling myself to buy a reusable travel mug so that I can take it with me to coffee shops and stop being wasteful by getting a paper cup almost every single day (yes, I have a coffee shop addiction!).
So finally, with a little encouragement from my friend Anna I decided to start this blog and try to motivate myself to finally make some changes in my life that will hopefully benefit the environment. I thought I could start with a list of things that I want to try and accomplish over the next few months (at least to start). I would like to:

1. Ride my bike to work more ... even when its below 40ºF.

2. Change all of the lights in my apartment to compact fluorescent bulbs.

3. Eat less meat ... especially beef (this is going to be hard!).

4. Buy local, buy local, buy local!

5. Ask myself, "Do I really need this???" before I buy something new. Right now I think "ooo pretty I want, I want."

6. Start to compost in my apartment.
7. Insulate our water heater
8. Buy a reusable travel mug and get a new thermos.
9. Write on the back sides of paper.
10. Recycle more and try to "close the loop" by buying products made from recycled goods.
11. Limit how many paper towels I use in the kitchen.
12. Stop letting the water run while I clean dishes.
13. Go dumpster diving with Christine to get furniture for my new apartment in August.
14. Make sure that I obsessively turn off lights when i leave rooms.
15. Stop using plastic bags.


I feel like this list could be much much longer, but I have a good jumping off point and that's a good start. If you have any ideas, please don't hesitate to pass them along!