I know most of my posts are about my kids but lately I have had this question on my mind...
Why do we buy so much plastic STUFF? And why do we throw so much stuff away? It really turns my stomach when I walk into a store and see all the disposable plastic junk that will break after 3 uses (or less) and be tossed into a landfill.
I know plastics do have some great uses. Some medical advances would not be possible without plastic.
But the production of plastics and our dependency on them only increases our dependence on oil. As China and India grow and develop they will want more oil....the price is only going to go up.
So here are some things I have been doing for awhile or just started to try to reduce my dependence on plastics and oil.
1) cloth diapers and cloth wipes ( they are really not as hard as everyone thinks)
2) reuse plastic wrap and plastic bags (bread bags, bread sacks, etc.)
3) Use tupperware type containers or reuse sour cream and yogurt containers instead of ziploc/plastic wrap
4) reusable waterbottles
5) bring your own cloth bag when shopping (although I do reuse plastic bags as my trash bags)
6) buy used toys, wood toys, LESS toys
7) no individually wrapped snacks - buy in bulk
8) use beauty/hygiene products made without petroleum products (this is hard--most of the brands have it)
9) compost kitchen and yard waste so I don't have to buy fertilizers (made from fossil fuels)
10) drive less (another hard one, but by making meal plans and planning errand trips it can be done)
11) use less electricity (sweep instead of vacuum, turn out lights not in use, only run full laundry loads, air dry clothes, wear a sweater instead of heating the house to 70*)
I'm not perfect but every little bit of effort helps.
Any other suggestions???
9 comments:
i also have noticed how much trash we always have. we reuse our grocery bags and try to only do large loads, and try not to drive so much. but i know i can do more. i always say i need to get a recycle can and recycle our bottles and cans, but because its so much extra work, i don't. i need to push myself to do better. especially since there is a recycle center right doen the street from the office.
Did you see the article in the National Geographic about how so much of our trash is "recycled" in third world countries? (I think it was last month's issue) It was appalling to see how our junk ends up in their backyard where the valuable or usable parts are gleaned but most often through unsafe means...i.e. children surrounded by black lethal smoke while burning plastic coatings off copper wire so they can sell the copper. They have oceans of computers and TVs that we have discarded.
Yes, I did see that Natn'l Geo article...It was depressing, just like almost every other National Geographic article about third world countries.
Sarah- recycling is really no extra work. You throw trash into a trash can...just throw recycling into a recycle bag. Doesn't the city pick up recycling at the curb with the trash?
our apartment doesn't have a recycle bin. just a huge dumpster that we throw our trash into. maybe we could talk to the HOA about getting one.
In Newport Beach the city sorts recycling from the trash for their residents.
How much do you pay for your garbage collection?
Well, I guess I should have said I don't live in Newport Beach, so my city doesn't sort for us. And since I live in an apartment, I'm not sure how much trash service is.
Good ideas Ashley...you're doing a lot better than I am! I've only just started with the reusable grocery bags.
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