- Would you like to live in a community like Greenbridge? Why or why not?
- Ron Sims, among other things, is the official of a municipality that encompasses a Starbucks headquarters. I think it's safe to say that any Starbucks in that municipality would have recycling bins. Starbucks in Beverly on Enon Street doesn't have a recycling bin or any sort of recycling system. Suppose you are Sims, how would you address this problem?
- For King County to become more sustainable Sims proposed initiatives that would increase the net supply of water. He did this mainly by suggesting the reuse of wastewater, rather than asking people to shower for a shorter period of time. This is just one example of Sims choosing to use technological advancement, over an attempt at conservation. Do you believe the key to making water systems more sustainable lies in scientific advancement or conservation? Both? Why?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Chapter 4: Ask the Climate Question
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1. After visiting the Green House last year, I would love to live in a community like Greenbridge. I feel like it would be so convenient (considering it is designed so you can walk everywhere) and just plain cool. Also, I feel like I would feel so much better living in a community that is catered to being environmentally friendly and just plain healthy.
ReplyDelete2. Are you sure that Starbucks doesn't have a recycling program? I know some Starbucks, even though they only have 1 hole for trash, actually separate their trash later into recycling and trash. If not, I would strongly recommend that Starbucks start a recycling program. Make two holes, I am sure it wouldn't be too difficult.
3. I believe that Sims' proposal to reuse the water was a great idea although I do think that it would be better for people to simply use less. However, there are always those people out there who refuse to face the facts and remain ignorant about climate change. Sims' proposal sounds like a great way to handle that kind of situation.
1.I really like the idea of being able to walk to places, and after living in Brooklyn, where we didn't even own a car, my husband and I choose to live in a neighborhood where we can walk to things. Although my neighborhood is not environmentally perfect, I like the challenge and diversity of it.
ReplyDelete2. I like the recycling program in some towns where you earn points for recycling that you can use in businesses, etc. I would try to devise such a program to inspire more recycling.
3. Reusing water, especially for irrigation, the number one use of water in America, is a fantastic idea. We need to capture more "gently-used" water and use it. In the Boston area, for instance, storm water and treated waste water goes into the ocean. both could be captured and used in a beneficial way.
1) I really enjoy walking when I can. We live about a mile from the center of Salem which is a nice 20 minute walk. But we have to drive to the grocery store. I could bike to work (if I had a working bike and a husband who wasn't deathly afraid that I'd get run over, a worry that I think is just plain silly but I do have to live with the guy.)
ReplyDelete2) To get Starbucks to initiate a recycling program, I think I'd start up a local petition and get customer signatures. If the owner/manager sees that the customers want it, it would provide incentive to do it. What's the old saying? "The customer is always right?"
3)Both. As water becomes less available/less consistently reliable conservation alone will not be enough. Technological innovations and adaptations will be needed to close the gap, but those technologies take time to get in place. I think getting the technologies up and running is of prime importance right now so that they will be operational when water becomes really limited. Public education campaigns can be ongoing to change habits and behaviors.