Unplugged

As I calculated my Carbon Footprint, I pondered how much I actually do in order to help the environment. I never litter, I pick up garbage that is on the floor when I walk by, recycle when there is a bin available, eat organically, because its both good and good for you, eat everything on my plate, use the stairs instead of the elevator in Pardee (because I realize I do not exercise otherwise), reuse and refill plastic bottles of water, never ask for a receipt when I purchase something (Mom usually is not happy with that one), and additionally I am an avid proponent of not having to get out of bed…maybe working from home is a more politically correct way to put that. So I think I faired out pretty well…or so I thought.

I am dumbfounded. I calculated the Carbon Footprint that my family is accountable for and the numbers are quite astonishing. As a family of 5, we are responsible for roughly 140 tons of Carbon Dioxide pollution annually. From a waste and recycling standpoint, the Chazen’s were a solid 1.9% under the national average. That is something that we have always been active about. Organic, locally grown foods are the master ingredients in my Mama’s always-delectible dinners. We always recycle plastics and food never goes to waste, thanks to Jaxon Chazen, the puppy who has quite a palette for caviar and cream of corn & crab soup. So where does our primary issue lie? According to the calculations, we are roughly 12% higher than the mean in the United States for flying and car emissions. I can blame that on my parents. Empty nesters with me finally moved out, they will have to halt their jet-setting to the Caribbean or I will take matters into my own hands and sabotage their Delta Sky Miles! On a serious note, it is something I can bring up to them, as my mom is actively involved in our community at home, being green.

While here at school, I found a more feasible and impact-possible solution to assisting the world with the quandary at hand. Already, whenever I leave the room, the lights are turned off. A new measure I can take and will begin is to unplug and switch off everything that runs on electricity in my room. It’s fairly easy because there are three surge strips in my room that everything runs off of and all it takes is a switch on each, and BOOM, back to the good ole times before Thomas Edison. By doing this, I will be able to lower my emissions by 3.5-4% in terms of home energy. More steps to follow…

Jesse Chazen