Gulf Coast Oil Leak Black (NOT Green)

I've never titled a post black until today. I hope I never have to again.

The BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is a glaring reminder of our constant consumption of petroleum products. While the blame scatters in different directions, depending which spin doctor or party is trying to explain, the fact remains, if petroleum were not consumed at the current rate, the need for risky methods of retrieval would evaporate.

Today, instead of asking who is to blame and why they aren't acting rapidly enough, let's make a list of ways WE can change our lives that may make a small, yet meaningful impact.

I've listed 25 small changes you can make today or tomorrow, and the day after... changes that will lessen our dependence on oil/petroleum products. The orange links are different ways I've written about "green" living and a deeper explanation of the reasons for making such choices past the bullet point.

1. Hang a load of laundry outside
2. Walk to an errand that you'd normally drive
3. Rinse out and reuse a zipper seal bag
4. Refill a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water
5. Open the windows and turn off the air
6. Eat a salad for dinner (no heat to cook!)
7. Turn off the shower water when lathering up
8. Invite someone to carpool
9. Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent
10. Unplug an extra refrigerator and condense everything to one. Pack it full. A full refrigerator cools just as much as a half empty one.
11. Rediscover the old fashioned broom. Sweep instead of hose or blow off the sidewalk
12. Carry reusable bags to the grocery store
13. Don't forget them at the pharmacy or mall, either
14. Look for an item for resale before purchasing new
15. Borrow infrequently used items instead of buying new
16. Separate your trash
17. Invest in rechargeable batteries
18. Turn off the lights in empty rooms
19. Combine errands to reduce trips
20. Add one more meatless meal to your weekly diet
21. Don't buy single serve foods. Buy in bulk and divide into reusable containers.
22. Buy locally grown food instead of food shipped from across the nation or world
23. Buy local merchandise, no gasoline used to ship it to the consumer
24. Vacuum the coils on your single refrigerator
25. Promise to start learning about alternative fuels and energy sources.

Please add to this list, how many ways CAN we reduce our use of petroleum products, either directly or indirectly.

This diagram and video are appropriately sobering. Let's stop being victims and take charge of the change we can control. Who's in?

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