Do you do more for the planet, less for the planet, or about average, compared to your peers?
We posed a series of poll questions just last month, trying to help you determine how environmentally friendly you are.
We asked about whether you do things like avoid single-use plastics, try to limit your driving or if you’ve ever volunteered in a way that benefitted the planet.
Results are now in. We received about 600 votes on most of our reader polls (again, you can see the numbers more closely once you scroll down on this page), and it was interesting to view the breakdown in percentages.
We also asked two key questions in an open-ended form, the first being:
What environmentally friendly steps are you taking, personally? What do you wonder about, that you’d like for us to dig into?
We’ll highlight some responses from the form, as well:
- “For water quality, you might ask about picking up pet waste. (We’re also) refraining from flushing disposable wipes and putting grease down the drain.” -- Annalisa
- “(I use) the neighborhood recycle bins daily.” -- Ben
- “I buy used or repair clothes and items in the home before buying new, and repurpose old T-shirts for cleaning rags. (Also I) give consumable gifts, like food!” -- Heather
- “We plant native plants and keep the thermostat low and turn off lights in rooms not being used.” -- Meg
- “I’m photo-documenting plastic trash everywhere. Brackenridge Park is now a dump. We need a big education program. Texas is a major polluter.” -- Roland
- “I dry my laundry in the sun with a laundry rack. In Bexar County, Texas, most days, the sun can dry clothes faster than some electric dryers.” -- Ryan
- “I’m vegan, drive an electric car, and am looking into installing solar panels on my home.” -- Shane
- “I ride an electric bike and an electric scooter to and from work so I don’t have to drive a car, and I use electricity sparingly.” -- Anonymous
- “I donate to the Duval Audubon Society, the North Florida Land Trust, and the Nature Conservancy to support their efforts to preserve our lands.” -- Franco
And ... what are you concerned about that will impact your life or your family when it comes to climate change?
- “We must reverse the huge amount of plastic trash -- most of it (is) single-use. Disposable plastic bags are a big part of this.” -- Roland
- “One person’s impact is minimal. We need to create thousands of single-issue voters to elect government officials (who) can create real change.” -- Shane
- “I’m most concerned about the impact of rising sea levels on our ecosystems. Florida has so much natural beauty and biodiversity to protect.” -- Franco
- “(I’m) driving less and trying to use less single-use plastic products.” -- Steve
If you’d like to answer these questions, we’re still very interested in even more responses. You can find those forms by clicking or tapping here.
And as for those poll results, here’s what you told us:
To learn more about the environment, climate change, your carbon footprint and more, watch this latest eposide of “Solutionaries,” our new show dedicated to solutions-based journalism.