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Sam
I'm trying to be more natural and eco-friendly any tips?
Answer
There are a gazillion things to do.
I've really been trying to cut electrical use over the last year. We've replaced every bulb in our house with Compact Fluorescent or regular fluorescent bulbs. We've planted trees near windows, installed room darkening shades, weatherstripping, and window tint to keep rooms from heating up so the AC doesn't run as often. We bought a 7 day programmable thermostat so we can have the AC adjust throughout the day automatically so we're not needlessly cooling when no one is home. We're diligent about turning off the computer every night, turning off lights, keeping doors and windows open during nice weather, and turning off fans when no one is in the room (fans don't make the room cooler, they just make it feel cooler - a sort of wind chill factor).
We bought a remote control power controller called Bye-Bye Standby from Amazon. With a click of the remote you can kill the phantom power used by your electronics. I can turn off all my electronics and then kill the power with this thing and hear the electronics really turn off. Of course this uses batteries, but our outlets are not reachable behind our freecycled entertainment center, but I guess you can't win 'em all.
Prior to doing all these things, our previous low on our electric bill was right about $100. We've since had electric bills in $60-$70 range, and once even hit $50 right on the head. So, obviously we're using less electricity. Most all these changes don't cost a whole lot and actually pay for themselves in the long run.
I mentioned Freecycle before. Search for a Freecycle group in your area. This is a recycle program in which people give away stuff to each other for free, no strings attached. Our local Freecycle is actually run through a Yahoo group. We've given away old pots/pans, clothes, baby stuff, a computer monitor, etc. and have gotten stuff like a lamp and a basketball hoop. So, instead of this stuff ending up in the landfill, it's still being used and it was all free.
Also, go to the library to get videos and books, rather than buying them or renting them online. Because you are borrowing from the local library fewer of the videos and books need to be produced so less paper or less plastic is used and it saves on transportation costs. Our library is about 2 miles away. Netflix, Amazon, etc. are several states away so to get something from them requires a lot more fuel to get the same thing to me. Best of all, the library is free.
Shop at a local fruit and vegetable stand if possible. We go to one that is about 6 miles round-trip out of my way. However, the prices are cheaper than the local grocery store and most of the produce is local, unlike the grocery store which is more international. So I'm saving money and it's better for the environment because the products don't have to be shipped as far prior to consumption.
Complete the recycle circle. When possible, buy 100% post-consumer paper, or paper-packaging. Buy things made out of recycled plastic like plastic "wood" boards rather than pressure treated/chemical treated wood.
Buy things made out of bamboo, which is a fast growing, rigid grass that can be used like wood and in place of wood, so fewer slow growing trees need to be chopped down.
There are a gazillion things to do.
I've really been trying to cut electrical use over the last year. We've replaced every bulb in our house with Compact Fluorescent or regular fluorescent bulbs. We've planted trees near windows, installed room darkening shades, weatherstripping, and window tint to keep rooms from heating up so the AC doesn't run as often. We bought a 7 day programmable thermostat so we can have the AC adjust throughout the day automatically so we're not needlessly cooling when no one is home. We're diligent about turning off the computer every night, turning off lights, keeping doors and windows open during nice weather, and turning off fans when no one is in the room (fans don't make the room cooler, they just make it feel cooler - a sort of wind chill factor).
We bought a remote control power controller called Bye-Bye Standby from Amazon. With a click of the remote you can kill the phantom power used by your electronics. I can turn off all my electronics and then kill the power with this thing and hear the electronics really turn off. Of course this uses batteries, but our outlets are not reachable behind our freecycled entertainment center, but I guess you can't win 'em all.
Prior to doing all these things, our previous low on our electric bill was right about $100. We've since had electric bills in $60-$70 range, and once even hit $50 right on the head. So, obviously we're using less electricity. Most all these changes don't cost a whole lot and actually pay for themselves in the long run.
I mentioned Freecycle before. Search for a Freecycle group in your area. This is a recycle program in which people give away stuff to each other for free, no strings attached. Our local Freecycle is actually run through a Yahoo group. We've given away old pots/pans, clothes, baby stuff, a computer monitor, etc. and have gotten stuff like a lamp and a basketball hoop. So, instead of this stuff ending up in the landfill, it's still being used and it was all free.
Also, go to the library to get videos and books, rather than buying them or renting them online. Because you are borrowing from the local library fewer of the videos and books need to be produced so less paper or less plastic is used and it saves on transportation costs. Our library is about 2 miles away. Netflix, Amazon, etc. are several states away so to get something from them requires a lot more fuel to get the same thing to me. Best of all, the library is free.
Shop at a local fruit and vegetable stand if possible. We go to one that is about 6 miles round-trip out of my way. However, the prices are cheaper than the local grocery store and most of the produce is local, unlike the grocery store which is more international. So I'm saving money and it's better for the environment because the products don't have to be shipped as far prior to consumption.
Complete the recycle circle. When possible, buy 100% post-consumer paper, or paper-packaging. Buy things made out of recycled plastic like plastic "wood" boards rather than pressure treated/chemical treated wood.
Buy things made out of bamboo, which is a fast growing, rigid grass that can be used like wood and in place of wood, so fewer slow growing trees need to be chopped down.
Have illicit drug addiction/usage rates increased or decreased over the years?
Q. I am having trouble finding comprehensive statistics regarding drug use that go back a number of years. Any sources of information would be greatly appreciated.
Answer
The two surveys that cover this are Monitoring the Future and the Household Survey on Drug Abuse. An internet search will turn up various links to them. You will probably not find extensive stats that predate the Internet age.
Before you look for them, you should understand that there are a number of problems with the surveys.
The first is that people are not likely to answer a question honestly when someone asks them if they have recently engaged in criminal activity.
The second is that it depends on what you mean by increased or decreased. Drug use goes through various cycles and use of one drug may go up while another goes down.
The third is the time frame in which you ask. Again, drug use goes in cycles so you can expect to see rises in the use of some drugs for a while, with later falls in the same use. Depending on which years you pick, you would get an entirely different answer.
You should also note that when people attempt to answer this question it is often because they have a political agenda so they will pick whatever numbers suit their political point. If the numbers don't suit their political point, then government officials are prone to just make up numbers to suit them.
If you look at the really long term there is an interesting picture. Prior to 1914, all of these drugs were legal and sold over the counter in the US without restrictions. Kids could buy the drugs as easily as they buy aspirin today and heroin was even included in baby colic remedies. Even under those conditions the rates of addiction were not substantially different than they are today.
If you want to understand the subject, the best place to start is the Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cumenu.htm This book details the history of the laws and describes the biggest single cause of drug epidemics. It is the one book to read it you read only one.
The two surveys that cover this are Monitoring the Future and the Household Survey on Drug Abuse. An internet search will turn up various links to them. You will probably not find extensive stats that predate the Internet age.
Before you look for them, you should understand that there are a number of problems with the surveys.
The first is that people are not likely to answer a question honestly when someone asks them if they have recently engaged in criminal activity.
The second is that it depends on what you mean by increased or decreased. Drug use goes through various cycles and use of one drug may go up while another goes down.
The third is the time frame in which you ask. Again, drug use goes in cycles so you can expect to see rises in the use of some drugs for a while, with later falls in the same use. Depending on which years you pick, you would get an entirely different answer.
You should also note that when people attempt to answer this question it is often because they have a political agenda so they will pick whatever numbers suit their political point. If the numbers don't suit their political point, then government officials are prone to just make up numbers to suit them.
If you look at the really long term there is an interesting picture. Prior to 1914, all of these drugs were legal and sold over the counter in the US without restrictions. Kids could buy the drugs as easily as they buy aspirin today and heroin was even included in baby colic remedies. Even under those conditions the rates of addiction were not substantially different than they are today.
If you want to understand the subject, the best place to start is the Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cumenu.htm This book details the history of the laws and describes the biggest single cause of drug epidemics. It is the one book to read it you read only one.
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Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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