Having just returned from the western United States, I have noticed that they are much more energy conscious than we are here in the Midwest. Public waste cans are segmented into trash and recycling sections, not just where you might think they should be, but everywhere. I noticed this at the airports especially, something I have never seen at O'Hare. They don't serve water in restaurants unless you ask for it. We are blessed with the largest supply of fresh water anywhere since we live on the shores of the Great Lakes and they get their water mostly from the spring run off in the Rocky Mountains.
Acres and acres of solar panels can be seen when flying over the desert lands in the west. When was the last time you saw a solar panel in Chicago? Being energy efficient is part of their DNA, and it really hasn't taken over our being here in Illinois to the same great extent.
They have a shortage of water and their summers are blistering hot. We have no shortage of water, but we have really cold winters and really hot summers (albeit not as many over 100 degree days as they do in the desert.)
We should take a cue from the west's sensibilities, if not their penchant for recycling, then their desire for energy conservation of all kinds. We can, and should, pay more attention to the places we live and the places we work in terms of energy efficiency and making sure that we not only save money on our utility bills, but also keep our homes and workplaces tighter in terms of insulation. Wastefulness is bad in any situation, but we can help ourselves if we stop wasting our resources and start conserving for the next generation.
Acres and acres of solar panels can be seen when flying over the desert lands in the west. When was the last time you saw a solar panel in Chicago? Being energy efficient is part of their DNA, and it really hasn't taken over our being here in Illinois to the same great extent.
They have a shortage of water and their summers are blistering hot. We have no shortage of water, but we have really cold winters and really hot summers (albeit not as many over 100 degree days as they do in the desert.)
We should take a cue from the west's sensibilities, if not their penchant for recycling, then their desire for energy conservation of all kinds. We can, and should, pay more attention to the places we live and the places we work in terms of energy efficiency and making sure that we not only save money on our utility bills, but also keep our homes and workplaces tighter in terms of insulation. Wastefulness is bad in any situation, but we can help ourselves if we stop wasting our resources and start conserving for the next generation.