In my blog, I plan to share information about living sustainably. Some of it will be information that I research, and some will be ideas and things I come upon on my own, or learn about in an Eco-rep class I have at college. I'm all about finding little things I can change in my habits towards more environmentally friendly ways, and if you think it's something that you're willing to try too - go for it - that's the goal! This will be a sort of log of my self-improvement through more sustainable habit changes.
I personally started small - by vowing to turn off the power strip in my room when I'm not using it and when I sleep. Ever heard of vampire power? Despite the fact that the term sounds cool, it's actually the sucking of energy into cords and gadgets plugged into outlets, even when they're done charging or not being used. In Nathan Chandler's article, "How Smart Power Strips Work," he mentions that on average, power strips cause between 5 and 10 percent of the energy consumption in households! As long as they're turned on, they are drawing energy, and sending that lovely electric bill up higher.
So my phone charger, coffee maker, and desk lamp which seem so innocent sitting on my desk have been stealthily sucking power all this time...
Forming new habits takes conscious effort, but after a week of pivoting at the door to run back and turn off my power strip, it's started to come naturally. It feels accomplishing to make small changes. And my life isn't being inconvenienced in any way by pressing a button right before leaving my room or going to sleep.
So what goals would you set for yourself?
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