Where I’m At: A little List-making
It’s depressingly clear that we are not going to simply reduce, reuse and recycle ourselves out of this mess, that some much more fundamental and widespread changes are going to have to be instituted (by government regulation, not just voluntarily) to make a real difference. But taking small, everyday steps towards a less wasteful lifestyle is not futile. Even if all the little things you do to save resources are effectively canceled out by stepping on a plane and flying halfway across the country once a year (as I do)[1], there is still great value in broadening the scope of your everyday considerations.
Lists of little creative ways of “going green,” will not save the world on their own. In fact, all the books popping up with bubbly titles like “It’s Easy Being Green,” “Green Chic” and “Go Green, Live Rich” may have the opposite of their intended effect if they distract people from the need for a massive environmental overhaul of our civilization with fun and practical eco-tips.
However, I like to think that when I make small changes in my daily behavior, I am methodically unlearning the dangerous view of resources as something to be exploited and of human actions as disconnected from the natural world. To start a revolution, we have to start living as if our actions matter.
So here is the first part of my list, of things I actually do, not of things that would be good to do in theory. Ignore the prescriptive tense (which seemed like the most natural way to phrase it); I really wrote this to share ideas and generate thought.
Part 1: Eschewing Disposables
1. Don’t replace your cell phone just because you’re eligible for a free upgrade. Likewise, use all electronics as long as possible, even when they become embarrassingly retro[2]
2. Use cloth napkins & cloth shopping bags
3. Cut old worn-out shirts into rags and use them instead of paper towels
4. Save plastic bread and produce bags and use them instead of buying Ziplocs and sandwich bags
5. Use a menstrual cup and washable cloth pads
6. Use loose tea leaves and a tea ball rather than disposable tea bags; use a reusable coffee filter
7. Save and reuse envelopes, cardboard boxes, packing peanuts, glass jars and plastic containers
[1] Besides, there is a flaw in this type of thinking that George Monbiot points out in his book, Heat. Rather than looking at the massive amount of carbon emissions produced by flying in an airplane as canceling out small lifestyle changes, or conversely paying a carbon offset company to plant a tree to cancel out your concert experience (I kid you not), keep in mind that all the abstract addition and subtraction in the world doesn’t matter to the atmosphere. All that matters is total carbon emissions. Furthermore, while rampant carbon emissions spell the most imminent doom for the planet, and should thus be the first consideration, they are not the only one. In other words, cut carbon emissions, use of harmful chemicals, and unnecessary waste of resources wherever and whenever possible.
[2] The EPA estimates that as many as 150 million cell phones are taken out of service each year
Lauren Warfield said,
February 12, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Wow this is really cool! and very Lisa!
(Oh did you want useful intellegent comments or does banal cheerleading count?)
I miss you!
basilbias said,
February 12, 2009 at 4:41 pm
no i’ll take blind adulation anytime! i miss you too!
JJ said,
February 13, 2009 at 12:22 am
I like to reuse your newspaper bags for doggie poopie bags. -thanks
http://www.americancellphonedrive.org/ will donate your old cell phone to people who are at risk (any cell phone will call 911 with a plan or not). Do it!
JJ said,
February 13, 2009 at 12:25 am
http://www.americancellphonedrive.org/ will donate unwanted cell phones to at risk people (any cell phone will call 911 with or without a plan). Do it!
JJ said,
February 13, 2009 at 12:27 am
I need to update my internal electronics, as I posted the same comment twice. Do it!
basilbias said,
February 13, 2009 at 11:59 am
thanks for the info jj (and thank lou for taking my newspaper bags)! while many stores like best buy now collect cell phones for ‘recycling,’ if your phone still works it’s much better to donate it to someone who could use it. if you really must get a new one, that is!