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! :)
