Gavilan College
Ridgemark
DERMATOLOGY - Dr Visoth Chhiap MD
Nov. 20, 2008
   News Poll
 
If city or school district layoffs are coming, should pay cuts be considered
Layoffs
Paycuts
Past Polls
   Top News
 
   Opinion
 

 Letters: Now is not the time to extend Santa Teresa Boulevard
Nov 18, 2008
 
 Questions linger, challenges ahead
Nov 18, 2008
 
  More Opinion...

NEWS > LOCAL


On a carbon dioxide diet
Sep 26, 2008
 By Natalie Everett

Carbon Diet Club Goal: Reduce carbon dioxide emissions per household by 5,000 pounds a year

Savings in pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year per household or person



Living Room:

Unplugging appliances when not in use: 600 pounds



Kitchen:

Using less hot water: 125 pounds

One vegetarian meal per week: 700 pounds



Bathroom:

5 min or less shower: 300 pounds per person

Low-flow showerhead: 250 pounds



Laundry Room:

Using dryer one less time per week: 260 pounds

Switching one load from hot to cold water per week: 100 pounds



Bedroom:

Adjusting thermostats: 1,400 pounds



Garage:

Recycling all recyclable waste: 1,300 pounds

Cutting back driving by 20 percent of an average 10,000/m per year: Ranges from 666 to 2,666 pounds, depending on a car's fuel efficiency.
MORGAN HILL

Morgan Hill environmental evangelist Rebecca Fotu says it's the easiest diet you'll ever go on - losing two and a half tons in a year.

That's the goal of the city's Carbon Diet Club, led by environmental programs coordinator Fotu. In just 30 days, the 10 club members have committed to dropping 5,000 carbon dioxide pounds each in 30 days by tweaking their lifestyle. The diet kicked off at a meeting Sept. 18.

"People see global warming as this huge thing, and they think, 'Well, I'm just one person, how can I make a difference?' " Fotu said. "This program helps them to take responsibility and shows them quantifiable results."

For example, adjusting thermostats so they're set to 68 degrees in the winter and 78 in the summer eliminates 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide polluting our environment a year, recycling all recyclables translates to 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide savings and switching from a meat meal to vegetarian fare one night a week adds up to 700 pounds of carbon dioxide saved, according to the Low Carbon Diet workbook that the group is following. Portland resident David Gershon created the book.

Carbon dioxide is considered the primary cause of global warming, Gershon said. The gas is emitted into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels including gasoline, coal, oil and natural gas.

The typical American household generates 55,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to Gershon. By contrast, the typical German household generates 27,000 pounds of the world-warmer yearly while an average Swedish household creates just 15,000 pounds. The American lifestyle is a more wasteful one, then, Gershon said.

Local carbon dieters first went to the city's personalized carbon calculator at old.morganhill.ca.gov/html/tools/, answered the lifestyle questions, and received a number representing an estimated amount of carbon dioxide they produce in a year.

The lower this number, the better for the climate, environmentalists say. A commuter who eats the typical American diet on the go will score high; a vegetarian, bicycling commuter who packs a locally produced lunch will score low.

Fotu would like to eventually get 35 percent of Morgan Hill residents - some 4,400 people - to at least try out life in the latter category. These first 10 people are the focus group for what she hopes will be a large-scale program. Morgan Hill is among a handful of cities to take the efforts to a citywide level, she said.

Fotu said the city's first batch of dieters are generally environmentally aware, so the usual "recycle, turn down the thermostat" song-and-dance won't work for them. They've got to focus a little bit harder, she said.

Club member Jim Carrillo recently renovated his home and made it more energy efficient including strategically placed windows. He and his family are focusing on unplugging appliances that use energy even when they're not in use. Unplugging these so-called "energy vampires" saves about 600 pounds per year.

"When I tell people I'm doing this, they think, 'Oh, you're becoming one of those tree huggers, you're going to do all this stuff... ' " Carrillo said. "But this is cake. We can pull this off, no problem. It doesn't have to affect the way you live. It's really easy, simple."

His wife Christine Carrillo said it was their two children, Emily and Megan, who inspired them to become more green.

"I can't wash my car in the driveway anymore," she said, laughing. "One day Megan came home and told me that everything that goes down the storm drain ends up in the ocean."

Since it was the kids' big idea, they've been a major part of reducing the household's emissions, the Carrillos said. They're competing to see who can take the shortest shower - five minutes or less is the goal - and have been riding their bikes to school.

Lisa Wiederholt, another group member, said she and her family have used reusable bags and recycled since the '90s. Still, they are finding wasteful habits they've overlooked, she said.

"It's very easy to leave (electronics) on," she said. Saving money isn't a concern of her family's, making it "almost harder" for them to find the motivation to change.

Still, Wiederholt said she joined the club for her children.

"I want to instill in them these values," she said. "This affects my lifetime, but especially theirs."

The Wiederholts have been focusing their efforts on bicycling more and combining car trips.

"And, we're looking into going native in our front yard," referring to a trend using species native to Northern California as a way to save water.

What especially surprised Wiederholt was the amount of carbon created by a plane trip.

"It just wasn't something I ever thought about," she said. Her family of four typically flies twice a year to see relatives, she said. One round-trip flight to the Midwest for her family totals 20,000 pounds. That's the same amount created by all their other emissions combined, she said.


Natalie Everett
Natalie Everett covers education and city issues for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Although the Morgan Hill Times does not have any obligation to monitor this board, the Morgan Hill Times reserves the right at all times to check this board and to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to the Morgan Hill Times in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. The Morgan Hill Times also reserves the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Submission of any comments will be considered permission to use online or in print.

© Copyright 2008 MainStreet Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of MainStreet Media, LLC. is expressly prohibited.

Add to Google Add to My Yahoo!  Email This Article  Print
Vietasia Restaurant
 News: Local
Community workers protest small raise despite economy
Nov 18, 2008
 
Illegal laundry workers seek unpaid wages
Nov 17, 2008
 
Jasper's a hit with artists, movie-goers
Nov 17, 2008
 
District examines expenses
Nov 17, 2008
 
 News: Santa Clara County
Water district directors solicit public input on term limits
Nov 7, 2008
 
San Martin residents get excited about upcoming incorporation vote
Nov 4, 2008
 
Coyote Valley property sale not a sign of changing market
Oct 31, 2008
 
Updated: Water district directors give themselves pay increase
Oct 28, 2008
 
 News: National and World
Dow falls below 8,000, S&P at 5-year low
Nov 19, 2008
 
Yahoo's Yang decides he's no longer the right CEO
Nov 18, 2008
 
Residents return to devastated LA mobile home park
Nov 17, 2008
 
Fire destroys 100 homes
Nov 14, 2008
 
More Local... More Santa Clara County... More National and World...
 
Subscribe to FREE
breaking news updates
First Name: 
Last Name: 
Email: 


   
Quick Job Search
Enter Keyword(s):
Enter a City:  

Select a State:

Select a Category:


  - Advanced Job Search
  - Search by Category
 
Gavilan College