California Conservation
Before I leave San Francisco on the blog, I wanted to point out something quite prominent in the city (although I don’t really know whether it’s the same across the US). California’s Yosemite was the second national park in the States, and was first defended by John Muir (he made this pledge from Inspiration Point), who is highly commemorated here as a pioneer of conservationism in SF area.
While returning from Yosemite or generally arriving into Oakland and the Bay Area from the east, drivers encounter hill after hill of windmills
, spinning to help produce a little power. Here at SFO International Airport, a spare escalator was stopped and fenced, citing “to conserve energy”. In the airport toilets, hand-paper dispensers request that patrons take only as much as they need (and you can’t just pull out a long strip, because you need to yank a lever for every few inches). Elsewhere the same dispensers suggested that to save the environment, using the hand-drier would be better.
I’ve actually often wondered about that: which is worse for the environment? Wasting paper, or wasting electricity to dry one’s hands? (I’ve also wondered which is better bacterially: does the heat help germs thrive, or kill them?) Actually, Column 8 had something on this in it the other day—which reminds me, I need to catch up a couple of days: they were asking whether it’s worth wasting water to rinse bottles and jars out in order that they can be recycled…
And then there were the “Spare the Air” days last week where people took joy-rides on public transport because it wouldn’t cost them anything—while I ignorantly wandered around town. In general, there is an attitude antithetical to Los Angeles that says “you don’t need to drive to get there” that leaves a city on bikes, buses, trains, “trolleys”, and of course legs.
The point is that even just a few small stickers are able to move issues to the forefront of the population’s mind while going about their everyday life, and San Francisco seems to be doing it well.
Hi,
Re: paper towels vs electric hand dryers: I agree - waste of trees and power - use cloth towels to dry hands.
Re: public campaigns: interesting feedback about the stickers. But of course it depends on the complexity of the issue. You may notice in the SMH news that the move to recycled drinking water was squashed by referendum last week, in Toowoomba. Drinking water is a very complex issue in public education - the less people know of an issue the more they distrust it. Never mind the fact that recycled water can be purer than the pristine reservoir water. It is not only just preaching “the facts”, the campaign must also battle a lifetime of prejudices against “idea” of drinking recycled water. (Piece of trivia: water in London is drunk ~7 times).
Back to air - so is the air in SF clearer, fresher, less smoggy than Sydney?
Comment by Natalie — 1 August, 2006 @ 10:54 am
No, definitely not cleaner and less smoggy… Not really so sure why.
Comment by Joel — 1 August, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
Hi Joel,
I’m on Jem’s computer, tried to access my email to see if you’d sent legible poscode for Cote St-Luc, but couldn’t sort that. So I read some blog.
Dr Karl did an item in the Sat SMH about a year ago abt the bacteriology (not economy) blow drier v/s paper. Said the original studies on blow driers were done in pristine lab conditions and showed it was a pristine method… But recent study in real public bathroom showed an increase in bacterial count on the hands after using blow drier. Because the driers were colonised inside by bacteria (asisted by the warm air).
But studies also show that the essential part of hand-washing is getting them really dry, otherwise the bugs get passed on. So using only just as much paper as you “need” may not lead to good hygeine.
Is this boring crap?
Found Katrina Katyushka (which I read b4 this) very moving.
Love Mum
Comment by mum — 3 August, 2006 @ 8:41 am
Wow. Your mum can type… And can use the internet *waves flag for her* (my mum struggles greatly…)
I’ve always thought cloth towel driers were a bit gross… I used blow driers to dry my hands when I was away… But that was mainly to warm up my hands after washing them in freezing water…
Comment by Alicia — 3 August, 2006 @ 3:39 pm