Friday, July 9, 2010

my little part to help our planet

trying to do my little part...in my little world...for the good of all. 
i've always hated it when i see people using the 'earth' as their own personal garbage can. i can't count the number of  times i've seen cigarette butts being flicked out car windows! or worse...a pile of dumped ash & butts in a parking lot! or someone unwrapping a candy and tossing the wrapper on the ground...all the empty soda cans...bottles...fast food bags...styrofoam cups & plates...that litter the roadways! even in the field across the street...some people obviously see this field full of wild and native growing plants as a quicker and more convenient place to throw their trash  than driving the 3 extra miles to the dump! and in the state parks...sam and i have been to dozens of state parks in florida, georgia, north & south carolina...have walked all their trails...and you'd be amazed at all the trash we see there too! butts, empty water bottles, wrappers! why would someone, who obviously likes to BE a part of nature (they're on the trail, right?)...why would they throw their butt or wrapper on the ground rather than put it in their pocket? sam and i have these cool little clips which i picked up at the store...for a buck...attaches to your belt loop on one end and the other end has a clasp that fits around the neck of the water bottle. before that we used bandanas! usually we have a small backpack anyway, especially if we're planning a long hike...so we can add snacks, tissue, water...and an empty bag to collect the garbage we find along the way! growing up (in NY) if my dad saw someone throwing trash on the ground, he'd go out of his way to either ask...no, TELL them to pick it up...or he'd pick it up himself. i guess that's where it started for me! i'm continuing with the clean-up! 
anyway...as usual...i'm rambling...i wanted to post a list of how long it takes for certain things to decompose...so next time you see something on the ground...you'll know if you leave it there...it just might be there 'til the end of days...2012, right?? no, no...just kidding...some things will still be there way longer than that!!
DECOMPOSITION OF LITTER!
(keep this in mind next time you see trash on the ground)
                
         Cigarette butts                     1-5 years
         Glass bottles                        1,000,000 years
         Leather                                50 years
         Milk cartons                        5 years
         Nylon fabric                        30-40 years
         Orange/banana peels           6 months
         Paper                                  2-5 months
         Plastic film containers           20-30 years
         Plastic bags                          10-20 years
         Rubber boot sole                 50-80 years
         Styrofoam                            NEVER
         Wool socks                          1-5 years 
                Aluminum                           80-100 years 
ok, so with all that said...i'm proud to say i'm starting to try to be a little more energy aware at home. i've always been good about not turning on the lights during the day. in fact i've spent most of my life following others around and turning the lights off when they leave a room. i like it on the darker side anyway. >bright lights! bright lights!< i must have some gremlin in me! we have a skylight in the kitchen. and if you stand under it in the heat of the day...MAN!! you'd think you were standing outside. i was thinking of getting some kind of tint for it...but decided on something a little less permanent for now. i picked up a flannel backed kitchen table cloth...CHEAP!!...cut it to fit...2 pieces...flannel side up...and tacked it up over the window! what a difference!! i can almost feel my electric bill dropping...  and it looks pretty cool with the light behind the rooster print!!  
i have a collection of glass jars! i just can't throw 'em out...or recycle them...i clean them out and save 'em 'cause i know i'll need them for something. 
a couple of weeks ago i got rid of all my plastic/tupperware containers...and now i have room to spread out my glass...into a nice big bare cupboard! i think i'll do that later today!
i'm not buying any more bottled water. we have a house filter...i was buying the water because it was convenient. no more. today i'm looking for a few stainless water bottles...and sam's gonna change the house filter on a more regular schedule! little by little...day by day...if we can all do our own little something...it'll help in a big way! OH yeah...and check out the link to Fake Plastic Fish for living life with less plastic!  :)


5 comments:

  1. We all need to have more respect for mother earth, and not throw our mess all over her.
    There is a video on Fake Plastic Fish of a dead baby bird whose stomach was full to the brim with pieces of plastic. Some plastic will stay in the environment for centuries.

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  2. I do recycle, even at the salon I have a big container for it and all our plastic and aluminum goes in there. Same for the lights, off they go!another resource-saving hint I picked up from a client was on saving water....
    "if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown flush it down"
    hahahahaha ( I do it too!)

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  3. ha! joanne...i do that mellow yellow thing too...it DOES save water!! :)

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  4. It's scary isn't it Laura just how much trash is dumped...
    I found the waste in food too horrified me when I waitressed. Could never understand why someone would pay for a meal and then leave a heap on the plate which would end up in the bin.

    Then of course there is the waste in all food selling stores... for the quantity on the shelves to the amount that is bought... there is far more that ends up in the bin than ever is sold in most instances.

    Western Civilization is so consumer driven that so much is based on throw away, short life, with dumps overfilling, and landfill becoming more about finding sufficient soil to cope with the quantity.

    How we reached this point is I'll decide a bit confusing, but it is so good when individuals makes an effort to change their ways to make a dent in the lessening of mass waste and mass overuse of resources.

    Wonderful info you've given about time it takes for something to disintegrate, while also in some cases spreading toxics and pollutants.
    I watched (on purpose) a supposed eco-friendly plastic shopping bag that arrived from somewhere and became ensnared on a Tree's branch near me take almost a year to break down.
    Held itself intact for most of the Seasons before finally giving in and breaking up to then make a mess by spreading its crumbling self about the paddock.
    Was full of rain water too for much of the time.
    Sad.

    But as we learn, become informed, we can make conscious decisions to not support all those out there that once did, and still do, encourage us everyday folk to believe they knew/know what they were and are advising us to use and do was/is good.

    hugs to you Laura... do like your linked within... discover things I've not noticed even in my Reader
    xxx

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