So far today has not gone as planned. Its OK though, I've accomplished more than I anticipated. And, as soon as I finish this post, I'm going out for a run. But first, I have something important to share.
I set outside this morning to pick up a piece of trash that washed in on our freshly picked up beach. As I went to retrieve it, I looked to my right and saw that there was enough trash that had washed in on nearby lots for me to want to grab a trash bag, change my shoes and do what I though would be a quick task. It wasn't.
As I got involved, I noticed that there was, for some reason not known to me, a lot of tiny pieces of plastic mixed into the wrack line. Plastic is killing our sea, our land and all that lives on it. So, I began picking up hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic that I couldn't even see until I was almost literally upon them. It took a long time, and I started to become frustrated. I began thinking.
What I was thinking of was the need for all of us to do more than we are already doing to help reduce pollution. And, as I was thinking of this, words came into my head that one might ask "but what I can do?" about this trash problem. Here's my thoughts, and a couple ideas.
When you go shopping, ANY kind of shopping, bring your own bag. Also think about the reusable bags you buy before purchase. A good washable canvas bag will last years, and can be laundered over and over without damage really. Many "reusable" bags that are sold at registers don't have a long shelf life, and aren't washable. They'll end up in landfills too soon themselves.
When you go shopping, buy in bulk. When you look at an item, really think about the packaging it comes in. Is it recyclable plastic? Do you really need that item in the plastic baggie? Is there a better way for you to acquire that item? Take for example tomatoes. If you bring your own small string bag, you can buy loose tomatoes, put them in your own sack, and the cashier can remove them to weigh them, then put them back in your own string sack. This, as opposed to the pre-packaged tomatoes that come on a Styrofoam tray, wrapped in cellophane. Those loose tomatoes are nicer anyway, you can inspect the whole fruit, whereas packaged items you can't see what its being hidden by the tray. Just a thought.
How about juices for the kids? This is a sore subject for me. You can buy juice in bulk, or better yet some of you make your own juices. But, many people understandably need convenience so they choose something called a juice box. Now, they are not all created equal. Where I live, juice boxes, soy milk boxes, and things like that are recyclable, hooray! What's not recyclable are those horrible foil lined pouches juices come in. I'm going to call them "Capri Sun" pouches. Why? Because Capri Sun is the brand that I literally find most often on the beaches down here washed up as trash. I hate Capri Sun for this. Those pouches are probably cheaper and more convenient for the manufacturer, but they are totally bad news for the environment. So, call your local town recycling center, and see if juice boxes are recyclable by you, and if so, begin recycling them, and quit buying those nasty pouches.
I think recycling and such begins before we even make our purchase; before we spend our money. Let's put our money where our mouth is. Look at what you are buying, and think about it. Can you buy beverages in cans instead of glass? If so, consider that. Why? Aluminum is recyclable, and has cash value for haulers, while glass is usually either not recyclable, or only "down-cyclable" meaning it can be crushed and used for things like roads, but it cannot be remelted and used again for another bottle. Instead, a recycled can will be used over and over and over countless times for the same thing.... another fresh can.
When dining out, bring your own packaging from home for leftovers. You don't really need that foam container the pizza place is going to put your leftover slice of pizza in. Leave a stash of clean containers in your car so you have them on demand whenever you want.
And, lastly do not buy beverages in plastic. Ever. Usually they are made with BPA (bad, banned in some countries already) and when they are exposed to heat (like during shipping) chemicals will leach into the product. And, after you've enjoyed that nasty bottle of heated and cooled water, you dump it and most likely it will wash up on a beach somewhere, despite your best efforts and intentions. Instead, get a nice metal bottle, or a BPA-free plastic bottle that you can wash and use over hundreds of times. Bottled water is not a status symbol any longer, it is a sign of ignorance.
So, there it is. Without even setting foot on a beach 2000 miles from where you live, you can have a positive impact on helping that slice of sea and land, and all creatures that depend on them. You can do it, I know you can. Give it a try, won't you? Thanks!!
No comments:
Post a Comment