Sustainable Living Stack Exchange
Sustainable Living Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
19
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3 answers

How to choose the most sustainable battery for small portable devices?

There are lots of different battery types available, and different brands. I remember back in the 80's I think the first batteries came out that didn't contain mercury. Now, I have no idea how likely it is for common AA to D sized batteries to…
Highly Irregular
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Domestic flywheel energy storage: how close are we?

I've done some web searches, but I don't see anything very current on how close we are to having a home energy storage flywheel system that's comparable in price and performance to a battery system. Also, as a bonus, what is the current state of a…
paultamalunas
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Is buying online more sustainable than in local shop next door?

I was planning to buy a toy. I can buy it online and in local shop next door. Price is (including shipping in case of online shop) more or less the same. Is one more sustainable than the other?
Marian Paździoch
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6 answers

Pros and cons of bamboo clothing compared to cotton?

I've read that clothes made from bamboo fibers require about 1/3 the amount of water compared to cotton. Also bamboo grows much faster than cotton and it requires little or no herbicides or fertilizer. This suggests that bamboo has a much lower…
THelper
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3 answers

Are Tetra Pak tomatoes more sustainable than tinned?

Lots of UK supermarkets have recently started selling chopped tomatoes in Tetra Paks, rather than the tins they were always in. My first thought was that this was environmentally bad - given recycling facilities for Tetra Paks are much harder to…
Chris
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Why does the cost of planting trees vary so much across different websites?

I am actively looking to donate to organisations that plant trees and, as far as I know, there are several websites that allow you to do that. Some offer the possibility to follow the tree's life through pictures, to gift trees, to know the location…
gabt
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18
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3 answers

Does waste in public recycle bins (almost) always get recycled?

Dumping recyclable cups (when you forgot your own, or it's dirty) in the public recycle bins seems like an easy decision. But, I've noticed that the recycle bins at places like Starbucks are absolutely stocked with normal trash. I watch people dump…
Nate
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18
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4 answers

How to recognize products with neonicotinoid pesticides in them?

Recently, the EU has temporarily banned neonicotinoid pesticides because there are strong indications that these pesticides are responsible for the decline in bee populations. I've heard that this pesticide is not only used in bug sprays, but also…
THelper
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4 answers

Which refrigerant is used in today's refrigerators and how harmful is it?

I'm curious about which and how much of a refrigerant is commonly used in modern refrigerators (say, produced from 2000 onwards). How harmful is it for the environment? What is the ozone depletion potential. I found this little paragraph on…
Stockfisch
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What kind of nuts are eco-friendly?

I'm vegetarian but I need a high-protein diet. I was eating a lot of beans but they're not so great for my digestion. My belly really prefers nuts instead. I know a lot of veggies eat cashews, but after being in Costa Rica and seeing how they are…
user439
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5 answers

Large-scale reuse of glass bottles

Reading some comments on the question comparing various materials from which bottles are made, the thought arose: indeed, what prevents large scale collection and reuse of glass tare? When I was growing up in the Soviet Union, there was a standard…
theUg
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4 answers

Storing food without refrigerator during the winter

I am unplugging my refrigerator for the winter months, I live in the northern United States so the temperature is sub freezing most of the time during winter. I have a semi-insulated garage that is about 40 degrees F and am placing refrigerator…
grayQuant
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Are rechargeable batteries better for the environment than disposables even if the batteries are recycled?

I try to use NiMH rechargeables in place of regular disposables. The obvious benefit of rechargeables is that not as many wind up in a landfill, but what if you recycle all your batteries anyway? Are there other environmental benefits to…
John Meinken
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18
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2 answers

Where can I recycle #81 composite materials?

I noticed my pet food bag has a recycling symbol with a new number in it - #81: The only resource I've found about this symbol is the Wikipedia page on recycling codes, which describes it as Paper/Plastic composite material. Can this material be…
drs
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5 answers

What's the most sustainable way of hosting a domain?

After reading about the environmental impact of server farms I wonder what are the alternatives for someone who needs to host a website. Is there a sustainable choice when it comes to hosting a domain? Is hosting a website at home on a computer…
0ana
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