Tips, tips, tips… they’re everywhere on the green web. Of course, we’ve contributed a hefty share of them ourselves at GO Media, but when we launched the blog network, we decided to put them on hiatus. Why? Well, as I said, they’re everywhere… and you often find the same ones at multiple sites, over and over…
Now, I’m not criticizing the use of practical snippets that can help almost anyone green up their lifestyle, as they’re one of the best ways to reach out to people who still need a little guidance on this whole “green living” thing. But in addition to their ubiquity, the tips most of us publish often lack an explanation of their rationale. Why does changing your light bulbs, or taking a cloth bag to the grocery store, help the environment?
The folks at The Nature Conservancy are answering those kinds of questions with the launch of “Everyday Environmentalist,” which features tips from TNC scientists, and a handful of green bloggers (including Hank Green of EcoGeek, Victoria Everman of our own Crafting a Green World, and, yes, me). The idea behind “Everyday Environmentalist” isn’t to just provide a action, but to also explain the science behind it. So when, for instance, TNC marketing manager Dave Connell explains some ways to make better use of the energy expended by leaving your computer on all the time, he notes the carbon footprint created by doing this in the first place: “In fact, if you leave your computer on 24 hours a day, it could be responsible for releasing up to 1,500 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. The flying-toaster screen saver is cool…but is it that cool?”
Some of the beefed-up tips you’ll find at “Everyday Environmentalist”:
In addition, TNC wants to hear your tips. If you’ve got them (and we know you do), send them along!
Thanks to the folks at the Nature Conservancy for kicking green tips up a notch…
Image source: The Nature Conservancy
Will
While I heartily endorse posting reasoning rather than just tips, the example you gave seems particularly bad at that. The excerpt you use links to a document that doesn’t say anything about the amount of CO2 produced by leaving a computer on 24 hours. I’m also disappointed that the author didn’t mention the difference between desktops and laptops. While the advice is reasonable for desktops, it makes little sense for laptops which usually scale their wattage based on usage.