Lorna Williams Carbon Footprint Calculations/Project
Carbon Footprint Calculations
My carbon footprint numbers ranged from 16 to 24. The amount of energy I use in heating and cooling was drastically higher in comparison to the use of my truck, lights and household/studio appliances. I believe that this is due to my living in a warehouse with 4 to 5 other folks who all use space heaters despite our gas fueled heating system. The warehouse is a wide-open space with many big windows and brick walls. The vents are all at the top of the very high ceilings, preventing us from even feeling the heat, for it rises up to the loft space above. We all pay about $200 to BGE during the winter months due to the extra use of space heaters and the constant blasting of the 70 degree wasted heat. During the summer we each pay about $30 to $40.
We are all very good about recycling and not making many purchases of plastics and packaged foods/goods. My roommates and I are all vegan/vegetarian. Some of us go to the farmer’s market or to Whole Foods to buy groceries. I personally, buy vegetables and fruits locally and buy packaged goods and snacks at Ok Natural or Whole Foods.
Only one of my roommates and I drive vehicles, but I am the one who drives my truck the most. Everyone else walks or rides the bus or their bikes based upon the weather. I depend upon my truck more during the winter and while in school, due to my always having to bring a great deal of materials to class. During the spring/summer I drive less and ride my bike more.
My Approach to Reducing my co2 Output
I insulated the windows with plastic and begged everyone to either turn off their space heaters or turn the heat off, proposing that we instead layer up with more clothing. We decided to layer up more, refrain from using our space heaters and to only turn the heat on at night. I also asked everyone to unplug every appliance while not in use or to invest in power strips, keeping them turned off when not needed. We all agreed and also became more aware in our turning off lights when leaving our rooms. Our individual BGE bills dropped to $124 this month. It’s a start, but I feel that it could be lower.
I would like to start growing my own food and composting. It bothers me that we all throw away so much scrap foods and when we juice, all of the meat and flesh of our fruits and vegetables gets thrown out. I am beginning to do research on composting and my roommates and I are interested in planting a garden on the roof this summer.
I am apart of a creative alliance group and I approached them with ideas of lowering our Carbon Dioxide output individually and collectively. We are making plans to start a vegetable garden this summer. We are going to give the food away to people in our neighborhoods and reach out to kids and encourage them to come and learn how to maintain a garden and the importance of developing a relationship with nature. We have been brainstorming ways to approach folks in our communities to become more health conscious and aware of ways that they can be eco-friendly in their consummation of household appliances and trash output.
Some of the ideas we came up with so far:
-Offering free workshops where folks can come and learn about the importance
of buying foods locally and recycling, how to start and maintain community
gardens and teaching ways of living more energy and cost efficient.
-Development of community sidewalk free stores, establishing bartering/trade
systems of skill/service and clothing and old appliance exchange amongst one
another within their communities and neighborhoods.
-Coming up with creative projects to do with kids, using recycled plastics and
other materials. Teaching them different ways of approaching art and at the
same time teaching them about how they can take part in preserving the planet.
As an artist, I have been thinking of ways to express my concerns with the state of our planet and the direction we are headed towards due to the way we live. I desire to visually send out messages that encourage folks to become more aware and responsible in their preservation of the earth. I feel that is important to start with learning about the materials I use: wood, paper and glue. I have decided to stop buying wood panels from Home Depot and rely solely on working on/with found wood/objects. I am now searching on Craigslist for materials to use in my art. I would also like to figure out how I can create my own archival glue and learn how to make papers. I am now consciously going to the wood shops and fiber classrooms to collect scrap materials.
I personally believe that there is a spiritual approach that can be taken in the healing of our earth. By consciously sending out love, thanks and praises to the earth for all of its beauty and natural resources, we can heal the earth. When we begin to apply creative visualizations of a healthy and abundant earth we can collectively and energetically bring forth healing. There are earth mantras and chants that I listen to and eternalize during my meditations that have been very helpful in my maintaining a positive outlook on the shifts that are taking place on earth. I have been listening to artist and healer, Jennifer Berezan, a great deal. Her album, Praises For The World, is a collaborative project produced with the intention of sending out love and healing energy to the earth. While listening, I think about how the earth functions naturally, sending thanks to the earth. I also visualize some of the many powerful and resourceful elements, thinking of how important they are and as a collective people using them properly and respectfully. I find it very inspirational, for it helps me maintain a healthy relationship with the earth spiritually. I have made copies for my friends, encouraging them to share it with others along with the knowledge of living in accordance with the earth and its needs, of which we are all continuously acquiring and applying daily.
Each one teach one…
