The "New" Vapor-Shield-Free Gas Nozzle

What's wrong with this picture?

Can you smell the gas just by looking at it?

Where's the vapor shield?  Aren't two (poison) recovery systems better than one?  Or is all about the money?  Thanks, EPA.

What do you think?

Peace,

Stacey

Do You Carbon Offset Your Travel?

As we wrap up the biggest travel week/weekend of the year in the U.S., it reminds me about what we do to "offset" the environmental costs of our travel.

We are very nontraditional in the way we do this.  We typically donate to a charity that plants trees like The Nature Conservancy's Plant A Billion Trees program or Heifer International's Trees Are A Treasure program.  The Plant A Billion Trees campaign is planting trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest in order to restore/preserve 30 million acres of rainforest in the next 2 years.  How awesome is that?!?  And The Trees Are A Treasure program often plants fruit trees not only to preserve topsoil but also give nutritious food to families providing for themselves.  (The vegetarian in me loves this part!)

If you'd like to go a more traditional route to offset greenhouse gases produced through travel, you may prefer The Conservation Fund.  It even provides a "Go Zero" calculator.  (Very eye-opening!)  Another one that I've heard great things about (but never used) is Carbon Fund.  I love that it has a whole section devoted to reducing our impacts listed before the offset section.

Which others am I missing?

Peace,

Stacey

31 Days of Green Little Things: Make Fewer Trips

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is my place to talk about the little things that I do to help the environment.

Now that we’ve all quit idling, we’re going back to the car for today’s green little thing.  I try to fit as many errands into one trip as I can.  The easiest way that I’ve found is to make a list and then map it out in my head.  I map it so I’m not retracing my tracks between all my stops.  I usually go to the place that’s furthest away first.  I like to do this because then I feel like I’m on my way home the whole time.   

This also helps save gas! Saving gas and time; what could be better?

Earlier this week I picked saving gas and time over comfort.  I was chaperoning a trip and ended up with an hour to kill before it started.  I could have driven home and spent some time writing this post but I wanted to be more efficient with my time and gas.  I would have only had about 25 minutes at home anyway.  

Before I left I gathered up all the things I thought I might like to have with me during that hour.  I made myself a drink, packed a book and my computer, changed purses (since mine needs repaired), and headed out the door.  A few miles from my house, I realized I’d forgotten my phone… and my drink!  I could have used that extra hour to drive home and get those forgotten things but I decided they weren’t important enough.  Other moms would have their phones if I needed one.  I can survive a few hours without my watered-down juice.  I would be fine, not completely comfortable, but fine.  And I was!

Do you think you can combine a couple trips this week? Hit the grocery store on your way home from the home improvement store.  It’s quicker than making two trips.  Another bonus that I've noticed is that I usually spend less money on impulse buys because I’m ready to be finished.

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.  Thanks for the motivation to join this year.
I started a Facebook page for my blog.  "Like" it if you're so inclined.

Be Idle Free

I live in a state where my car’s emissions system has be to be checked every couple years.  I had to have my car tested again this week.  (Yeah, I passed!)  And it re-energized my “no idling” ideal.

I’ve stopped idling.  Well, not completely.  It’s hard!  I turn off my car anytime I know I’ll be sitting for more than 30 seconds.  Waiting for a train: check.  Waiting for someone in a parking lot: check.  Having a “driveway moment”: check.   

But it’s tricky.  What if I’m dropping off someone?  How do I know how long we’ll talk?  Do I look presumptuous if I turn off my car?  What about the fact that I drive a hybrid, which rarely idles?  What if it’s cold?  AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

But it really is simple in theory.  Stop idling.  I stumbled upon this over-acted video today.  It addresses a lot of the common concerns:

If you ever think about what kind of gas mileage your car gets, remember that when you idle, it’s ZERO.  That one gets me every time.  I’m really gaining nothing while I’m emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  It uses more gasoline to idle for 10 seconds than it does to turn off and restart a car.  I use the 30 second rule because it factors in the wear and tear on the car, too.

That commercial got me thinking about how if I saw the pollution I was creating, it would be easier to curb it.  Since we can't (usually) see it, I just had to make turning off my car a habit over the past few years.

Many states, counties, and cities in the U.S. and around the world have anti-idling laws but few are enforced.  Find out here if you live in one that does.  I was surprised to learn that my area has one!

There were "no idling" signs in Wyoming with a picture of exhaust blowing right into the faces of animals like bison and moose.  (I can’t believe I didn’t take a picture of that!)  At first it made me laugh but then it made me think. Do it for the animals.  Do if for the kids.  Do it for yourself.  Just do it.

What about you?  How do you stay motivated to resist idling in your car?

Peace,

Stacey