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RESOURCE MINIMIZATION PLEDGE IDEAS
Click on a pledge to find out more information about what it means to make a pledge and the impact it will have

(Think – what if EVERYONE in the WORLD switched to one of these more sustainable practices?)

Anywhere/Every Day Necessities
  1. Bring your own tupperware to a restaurant for left-overs as often as possible
  2. Try not to go grocery shopping without your own bags
  3. Use a handkerchief/towel instead of tissues/paper towels
  4. Air dry your hands
  5. Buy re-used - find your local reuse stores, purchase from garage sales and yard sales/craigslist
  6. Buy local products whenever you can
  7. Avoid plastics whenever possible (glass/metal are cleaner to recycle and have longer recycle lives)
  8. Never throw out anything in the wrong place
  9. Try bringing your own mug for tea/coffee/drink (most places give a discount for this too)
  10. Carry your own cutlery with you (use no plastic utensils)
  11. Never let food spoil (eat it first!)
  12. Plan your errand route better so you drive less
Food/Drink
  1. Reduce your intake of red meat from diet
  2. Buy sustainable seafood as often as possible
  3. Become vegetarian
  4. Become vegan
  5. Buy local/organic food as much as possible (try a farmer’s market)
  6. Avoid purchasing food with lots of packaging waste
  7. Carry your own water (nalgene) instead of buying bottled water
  8. Eliminate fast food from your diet
  9. Buy fresh fruits/veggies instead of frozen (freezing takes 10 times more energy)

Financial

  1. Switch some of your stocks/mutual funds to SRI (socially responsible investing) funds
  2. Avoid investing in mutual funds/companies that do damage to the environment
  3. Start your own EPP plan (environmentally preferred purchasing)
Transportation
  1. Ride your bike/walk as often as possible
  2. Use public transportation as much as possible
  3. Sell your car and buy an efficient, low emission vehicle
  4. Use carpool or other commuter programs
  5. Properly inflate your tires, and maintain your car
  6. Try telecommuting from home
  7. Fly less
Household
  1. Start a compost bin for yourself/house and try to never throw out compostable food scraps
  2. Switch as many light bulbs as possible to CFLs (each bulb saves 60% more energy)
  3. Take quick showers and turn water off while soaping
  4. Turn off water while brushing teeth/shaving
  5. Air dry your clothes
  6. Install low flow toilets and low flow showerheads in your house, or put a water saving device in your toilet tank.
  7. Fix leaks in plumbing, AC, or around doors and windows
  8. Save jars from the kitchen and make your own spice rack
  9. Switch to biodegradble/organic soaps/shampoos/toothpaste
  10. Use eco-friendly cleaners where possible
  11. Add solar to your house
  12. Switch to an on demand water heater
  13. Use passive solar heating to preheat your water
  14. Upgrade to more energy efficient appliances (the savings are probably worth the cost)
  15. Unplug chargers/tv/stereo equipment when not in use
  16. Get rid of that old 'beer fridge'
  17. If it's yellow, let it mellow.  If it's brown, flush it down.
  18. Remove yourself from Junk mail lists
  19. Set your thermosat 2 degrees cooler in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer
  20. Install a programmable thermostat (can save up to $100 a year on energy bill)
  21. Insulate your water heater
  22. Turn the temperature on your water heater as low as possible
  23. Only run your dishwasher when it is full
  24. Recycle at home
  25. Buy recylcled products (paper, toilet paper, paper towels)
  26. Purchase green power from your utility company if possible
  27. Get a home energy audit (www.energystar.gov)
Home/Office
  1. Reuse paper on the backside
  2. Make sure old electronic equipment/computers get recycled
  3. Print only when necessary, and do it duplex or N-up (multiple pages on 1 page)
  4. Buy only recycled content paper products; the more the better
  5. Don't leave your computer/ computer monitor on for extended periods of time
  6. Start can/bottle recycling in your building
  7. Start an OSC bin for yourself/your office to re-use paper (OSC paper stands for one-side clean paper)
  8. Never leave a light on in a room you leave empty
  9. Turn your monitor off when not in use

Create your own, or:

  1. Encourage friends to make a pledge - email this site to them now!



(Images from www.climatecrisis.net)

By signing below, I am pledging to make one change to my life to make my habits more sustainable and help to minimize my impact on the planet.

Note - Your pledge should not be something you are already doing.

(optional)

Type the verfication code above for spam-bot control:


Currently, most of us lead lives that utilize resources above a sustainable limit. This means if everyone on the planet were to consume as many resources as the average North American, we would need five planets to support our lifestyles.

This page is intended to help us lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Change can only arise if everyone contributes, but it starts with ONE person. Knowing that you aren't the only one committed to making a difference, and that it isn't hard to make a difference in your own consumption is the first step.

On this page are several ideas for anyone looking to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Click on a pledge to see what type of impact it will have on the planet, as well as what to expect to change in your life if you make this pledge.

If everyone minimizes their demand for resources in this world, we have a chance of regaining equilibrium and maintaining a healthy balance.  It's easy to make a difference, so get started!



Example Pledges:

Pledge: I pledge to never go shopping without a grocery bag.

Impact if one person does it: Save ~ 523 bags per year. Energy to make one bag = 0.174kw/h (plastic) and 0.73kW/h (paper). Total savings in one year = 382kWh, 0.73trees, 0.89 barrels of oil, in addition to many other things such as a reduction in the death of marine animals killed, reduction of bags going to landfill, etc.

If everyone in the world brings their own bag, this means there is ZERO demand for disposable bags. No plastic grocery bags would save ~12,000,000 barrels of oil per year. No paper grocery bag save about 14 million trees per year.

What does this entail:

This would require planning ahead. Keep multiple canvas bags (or other bags you have from previous trips) in your car incase of unplanned stop, or bring your knapsack and canvas bags when you do go shopping. Re-use existing bags you have instead of getting new ones. If you forgot your bags try waiting another day, or load your groceries into your car from the basket and put them in a bag when you get home.

Bonuses: Most grocery stores give a 5c discount per bag. This can really add up! (10 bags per trip, four trips per month = $24/year!)



 

Earth

 Why Bother?

Why should I be concerned about the 'Green-ness' of the planet?



If everyone minimizes their demand for resources in this world, we have a chance of regaining equilibrium and maintaining a healthy balance.  It's easy to make a difference, so get started!





Pledges to date: 76
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Students for a Greener Berkeley (c) 2008