At Rocky Mountain we have been collecting ideas from our diners of how to reduce our carbon footprint while living and working in Vancouver.
It turned out to be a very resourceful activity and gave me many inspirational ideas on further simple actions I can personally take with my family as well as in our restaurant and I am hoping it may give others inspirational ideas too.
Join one billion people in 190 countries in taking further actions in your daily life to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and in the future. Happy Earth Day Everyone!
Here is the list of diners’ ideas to inspire you:
Ideas for the House!
ü You can recycle all plastics at multiple locations on the 3rd Saturday of the month. Pacificmobiledepot.com.
ü For the average four bedroom family home, if you use a low flow shower head you can pay back the investment for the shower head in as little as 2 months from the savings on water and electricity.
ü Switch from GOOGLE to BLACKLE (A black screen uses less energy.) blackle.com powered by google.
ü Reuse old envelopes for sorting and filing documents at home.
ü When shaving, turn off the water. Put enough water in the basin first to clean the razor.
ü Give clothing, household items no longer used to the Salvation Army on 4th and Cypress.
ü Install programmable thermostats in your home. Cutting power, bills and consumption by 55%.
ü Use cloth diapers, wash yourself and line dry. (when it’s not raining.) Plastic diapers take 1000 years to biodegrade in our land fills!
ü Have “no tech” or “low tech” days when you use no car, no phone and no computer.
ü Do all sunbathing at Wreck Beach – less laundry!
ü Hug a tree daily!!
ü Use face clothes instead of wipes for children’s meal messes.
ü Hang your laundry to dry! Dryers use far too much energy.
ü Unplugging all appliances when you go to bed and leave condo. You can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
ü Reuse your water bottles/ drink bottles.
Ideas for Shopping
ü Stop buying stuff.
ü Walking to Rocky Mountain Flatbread for local organic delicious dinner. Eat local!
ü Buy as local as possible – especially food.
ü Buy organic food only and support local farmers.
ü Use less plastic made products.
ü Be conscious of packaging your food from the grocery store comes in. Use cloth produce bags.
ü Use handmade fabric grocery bags that are washable, so you can reuse over and over and over.
Ideas for The Garden
ü Get a worm composter for your home apartment and or workplace. For info: visit City Farmer, 2150 Maple.
ü Fertilize your garden with crushed egg shells and coffee grinds.
ü Grow your own veggies!
ü For folks with no space but a balcony, start a wormery! Simple plastic storage box from Canadian Tire – order worms on-line and off you go.
ü Put tea leaves on your plants – particularly Rooibos on indoor plants.
ü Rain water collection for watering plants. (www.watertiger.net)
ü Join a CSA (Community supported agriculture): You will get the best, local produce; support organic food (which is 80% of carbon footprint of food) and save money!
ü Use garden stalks for mulch under your raspberries.
Ideas for Transport!
ü Stagger work schedules so that there’s time to walk kids to school most days.
ü Take a Staycation every year. Keep the money within the province. Save on air miles and diesel fumes.
ü Walk from the West End to Rocky Mountain Flatbread on 1st Avenue for the best pizza!
ü Stop idling.
ü Take public transit
ü Close major streets downtown to cars on weekends – Robson and Georgia – have people take transit or a bike
ü Commute via bicycle! Celebrate living in a city where it’s warm enough to bike year around!
ü Live where you work and play so you can just walk and or take public transit.
ü Carpool to work.
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