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Removing the Wrap!

General, Products

I made some personal changes recently since my last blog about recycling; I’ve noticed, with so much home time for so many of us right now, that there seems to be a lot more trash! Besides doing more takeout, it also means leftovers… at least to me. Though so much has been changed in my family household to be more sustainable over the years, one thing we’ve been slow to change has been the non-recyclable plastic we’ve been using for our food leftovers! The cling-wrap plastic and zip-top bags we’ve been using because of convenience has been more and more in my face.

Last year, when we moved to a new house, we took a look at the plastic storage containers we had accumulated over the years and realized they weren’t in good shape. In disposing of a vast majority of them, we looked at some healthier and more environmentally friendly options, and chose to go with the glass containers with silicon lids. They’re solid and store well; we like them a lot, and know they will last for a long time!

But that wasn’t enough. With all of this additional need for leftover food storage in the fridge recently, I started looking more closely at options to try to replace plastic wrap and zip-top bags.

Plastic wrap accounts for 6 percent of all packaging, 33 percent of plastic packaging and 19 percent of all plastic in the waste stream. Over half of the world’s plastic thrown out in 2015 was plastic packaging. That’s over 141 million metric tons. Takeout orders account for around 269,000 US tons of plastic waste that has entered the oceans. The average family goes through close to 1,000 plastic bags and 24 rolls of plastic wrap per year. Two boxes of plastic wrap, ranging from three to five dollars each, per month adds up to around nearly $90 per year. Then throw in plastic bags, which cost anywhere from $5 – 8 per box, and you are spending over $200 per year on something that you throw in the trash! (All of this and more can be found by a simple Internet search for “plastic wrap facts in the US”)

Some claim that using plastic zip top bags is “Earth-friendly,” and that their reusability and recyclability make them a good choice. However, it’s estimated that only around 11% of the population that uses these bags actually wash and reuse them more than once. From personal experience, I’ll add that after a few times (sometimes less), the zipping part of the bag – regardless of the type of “zip” – stops working. Also, to actually recycle the (clean and dried) bag, it has to be taken to the bins at the grocery store for single use plastic bags. A vast majority of the population who uses them simply put them in the trash after a single use, figuratively throwing money in the trash. Landfills are full of them, and the oceans have land masses of waste containing these plastic products, which leach into the water and are toxic to the fish and entire ecosystem. Oh yeah… the bags are petroleum-based and contain harmful chemicals… which are known to leach into your food, particularly with microwave use. (You can read more at….. Recycle Nation)

 

The Buzz on Beeswax Food Wrap

On a trip to Trader Joe’s one day for groceries, we purchased a roll of the beeswax cloth as an effort to try it out as a viable replacement for plastic wrap. I thought this was a clever and natural alternative. I had been looking into it, watched a few YouTube videos on using it, and it seemed easy and slick. So, we decided to give it a try.

It’s packaged as a large, rolled up single sheet that is to be cut it to size. Okay, so similar to plastic wrap, but to re-use it, there will be multiple different sizes of wax cloth to fit to containers that don’t have an airtight lid. I also need to find a place to store the pieces once they’re washed. However, here’s what made it tough for me out of the gate: We’d made brownies, and the square pan we have has rounded corners. We got rid of the lid years ago because of several cracks that made it no longer airtight. We thought this would be a good first use for the beeswax cloth; however, the rounded corners made it difficult for the cloth to shape to the pan, and it wouldn’t stay in place because it was kind of stiff. I went and looked at several more videos on using it and found out that the cloth needs to be much larger; the pan essentially needs to be wrapped like a present. I also learned that you need to hold your hand on the cloth to “melt” the wax to give it the seal that is needed. Also, it has special cleaning steps you need to follow to keep the reusability/sustainability intact. If not, you’ve bought expensive cloth that ends up in the trash, anyway.

Overall, my experience with the beeswax paper didn’t make me a fan. I’m not giving up on it yet – we’re committed, at least to the roll we purchased, so we’ll continue to play with it. – maybe we’ll try a few other brands/manufacturers and watch a few more videos! It has a lot of potential, but the extra effort and the clunkiness of using it – at least of the roll we bought – didn’t make it useful to me.  I’ll keep you posted… in the meantime, if you’ve used the beeswax food wrap successfully, please share in the Comments section!

Current overall grade based on my use of this product: C

Environmentally: A. Beeswax use will eventually lead to more bee colonies need and maybe the problems that bees are facing will be addressed. More bees also mean more pollinators out there. The cloth is plant-based as well. This is another environmental plus. The product is recyclable when it reaches end of life making it a very good alternative to plastic wrap.

Usability: D. There is a learning curve and the product doesn’t seem to be too forgiving when used. If it isn’t the correct size, then you might as well not use it at all.

I give usability a bigger weight in my evaluation, because no matter how environmentally friendly it is, people aren’t going to use it if there are issues. Currently plastic wrap is “easy” and convenient to use. I would consider this an advanced change and not something to use as a transitional tool. I think that it would turn people off from transitioning out of plastics and spoil the effort.

Though I will continue to try this while I have the roll, I’ll also continue to look for other alternatives.

 

Closing in on Reusable Zip-Top Bags

On to the next area we wanted to try out: zip-top storage bags. After looking at multiple options, we purchased this set of reusable silicon sealable storage bags and lids.

The package came with a set of bags of a few different sizes along with a set of stretchy silicon round covers. The bags are sturdy, work as expected, and are just like any other zip-top bag that you have used before (but a bit thicker). These use a slide on clip to hold the bag closed. I really felt that the clip held the bag closed better. Another design problem I have with the plastic bags is that sometimes the bag will tear along the seam by the seal, allowing it to leak or become trash. The silicon bags don’t seem to have this design issue. These bags can go in the refrigerator, freezer, microwave and dishwasher. Very good all around in that you don’t have to worry where you can use them!

For the most part, I would say these are a great replacement to the standard every day plastic bags. The silicon bags/covers are more spendy when initially purchasing them in comparison to plastic bags; however, if you consider it spread out over the life of the bag, you end up way ahead on the deal! Please – the ultimate goal – there will be far less plastic trash going out the door and into landfills.

Recently there was a large movement to try to eliminate plastic containers from use because of BPA. Most forget that plastic bags and plastic straws, while they don’t contain BPA, do contain substances that are just as harmful to you! Switching to non-plastic bags can do a lot for you both health-wise and environmentally.

Overall, I really like the reusable zip-top bags when comparing them to the standard plastic ones. The top feels more secure, the solid design will withstand wear and tear better than plastic zip-top bags. I can see using these for a long time. Though they cost more up front, I can see purchasing a few more just to have multiple numbers of various sizes. I highly recommend; give them a shot!

Current overall grade based on my use of this product: A

Environmentally: A. Lack of plastic and reusability make this product the go to for changing to a more environmentally friendly device. Reusability also makes this a great switch. These bags can be used many times over without any issues.

Usability: A. These bags are just as easy to use as the regular plastic bags. They don’t require any special use or care with makes them a dream to use. I also believe that since the bags are thicker, they are easier to use because you can put things in them, especially liquids or sauces, because they don’t flop around much with you hold them.

 

Remember, all effort to reduce plastic is a good one. Not everything is created equal, and there are most certainly some better ideas out there. Keep trying new things find something that works for you while making the effort to remove plastic from your life. While it may be nearly impossible to eliminate all plastic from your life right now, you most certainly can reduce what you use. There are more and more Earth- and people-friendly options being created every day; let’s continue to explore them and put them to use!

 

Join Me on This Quest!

Let’s all do this together! If you find something on the quest for living with a more positive impact on the environment, please share with me, either in the comments below, or via email at scott@greencoloredglasses.com!  I would love to hear from you about the different products you’ve used or found that would be great alternatives to what we have today.

Here are a few more I’m looking to try; stay tuned for the lowdown:

  • Soap and cleaner tablets: I’ve discovered a healthy, natural, and eco-friendly soap and cleaner company that sends a bottle (use your own if you like) with a bunch of tablets; the tablets are actually the product, you add water, and voila… you have soaps and cleaners!
  • Tubeless toothpaste
  • Laundry soap sheets

Until next time…  ?

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The Dirt on Recycling!

Concepts, General

Recycling has become so commonplace that we often don’t think about it anymore. In general, many who recycle take what they think can be recycled and place it in a bin; then the recycling service comes and picks up what’s in the bin to be processed… and that’s the end of “thinking about it.”

What happens to recyclables after they have been taken away? Do you know, or have you ever investigated it? Have you ever asked if you are recycling correctly?  Do you really know what properly goes in to the recycling bin?

I checked with a few recycling services in my area, including the one that comes and picks up my recyclables; both had some good information on what can and cannot be recycled. I actually learned a few things!

So, what can I put into that bin? With so many services out there, it can be hard to tell what can be sent via the recycling bin. Speaking with others over time, I’ve heard multiple opposing opinions on what can and cannot be tossed into the recycling container. If you haven’t checked recently, do so! Since the recycling industry is continually evolving and changing, check with your service annually to clarify what and how you can recycle. In checking with mine, I realized that I can now recycle almost all my household’s junk mail, which used to not be allowed!

Guidelines change because services are added, new technology is developed, there are changes in the industry, and other various elements shift, so more of what would have formerly gone into the trash bin is now recyclable.

One major recent change in the industry has to do with where we were sending trash. Prior to 2018, most of the world’s recycling went to China for processing. Whatever you placed in the bin was separated into metal, plastic, glass, and other. Then it was baled up and shipped to China for further processing.  In 2018, China closed its doors and stopped accepting trash for recycling. This obviously caused some changes in our recycling practices. For more information on this, you can delve into the articles below:

To add to the confusion, recycling can be difficult to navigate. Often what and how you recycle often changes from region to region and service to service. If you’re not sure about recycling a particular item, then instead of relying on friends or family, call your service or look it up on their Website; many recycling services post lists of what is and is not acceptable from their customers. You may be surprised that you have been tossing things in the wrong bin for ages and didn’t know!

What Can I Recycle… and Why Is It Important?
Materials that can be recycled can either be reused to make something that they already were, like cans into cans, or take on a new form altogether. For example, plastic can turn into many different forms. That plastic bottle could become the carpet in that car you had your eye on, or you could be putting it on the next time you go and do a workout.

This is what happens to many materials and why recycling them is good for us and the planet:

Paper
Glass
Textiles
Plastic
Cans and Metal
Cardboard
Electrical Items

Paper
Paper is pulped and used to make new paper materials including newspapers and magazines. It can recycle into fresh new paper in just 7 days!

  • Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, and 2 barrels of oil.
  • Every ton of paper recycled can save the energy equivalent of 165 gallons of gasoline.
  • 17 trees can absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year. Burning that same ton of paper would create 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
  • The process of recycling paper instead of making it from new materials generates 74% less air pollution and uses 50% less water.
  • Manufacturing recycled paper uses only 60% of the energy needed to make paper from new materials.
  • The construction costs of a paper mill designed to use recycled paper is 50% to 80% less than the cost of a mill using new pulp.

Glass
Glass is sorted into different colors, washed and crushed into small pieces. It is then melted to make new glass bottles and jars.

  • The cost savings of recycling is in the use of energy. Compared to making glass from raw materials for the first time, cullet melts at a lower temperature. So we can save on energy needed to melt the glass.
  • Glass produced from recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%.
  • Recycling glass reduces the space in landfills that would otherwise be taken up by used bottles and jars.

 

Textiles
Good quality textiles are reused and sent to various markets, and lower quality textiles are turned into rags and cloths for cleaning. Learn to love your clothes! This article, The Importance of Recycling Textiles, has a lot of information that expanded my understanding of this area.

 

Plastic
Plastic is one that I have found that people have the most problem with. Not all plastic is the same. Check the container; you’ll see that there is recycled symbol with a number. Many believe that this relates to recyclability. Nope! The number is what the plastic is made of. That make up determines how it can be recycled.

Plastic bags that you get at the grocery store, convenience store, or take out are not recyclable in general plastic recycling (check out one of my previous blogs).

  • Plastic is sorted into different grades and then sent to the recycling facility where it is turned into new plastic items such as bottles, fleeces, clothes, food containers, and auto carpet.86% of plastic bottles in the U.S. end up in a landfill or incinerator. That averages to around 60 million plastic bottles ending up in landfills and incinerators every day.
  • Exactly What Every Plastic Recycling Symbol Actually Means
  • Recycling symbols explained

Cans and Metal
Cans and metal are melted in a furnace and then used to make new metal products such as tins and more cans.

  • Recycling steel and tin cans takes 94% less energy used to make them from raw materials.
  • A used aluminum can is recycled and back in use as a new can in as little as 60 days.
  • Used aluminum cans are the most recycled item in the U.S. Other types of aluminum, such as siding, gutters, car components, storm window frames and lawn furniture can also be recycled.
  • There is no limit to the amount of times aluminum can be recycled.
  • A steel mill using recycled scrap reduces water pollution, air pollution, and mining waste by about 70%.
  • Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours or saves the equivalent of half a gallon of gasoline.
  • Every three months, Americans throw enough aluminum in landfills to build our nation’s entire commercial air fleet

Cardboard
Cardboard is pulped and then reprocessed into corrugated card or cardboard boxes.

  • Recycling cardboard (a very helpful article)
  • Recycling cardboard only takes 75% of the energy need to make new cardboard
  • Recycling 1 ton of cardboard saves 46 gallons of oil
  • Over 90% of all products shipped in the United States are shipped in corrugated boxes, which totals more than 400 billion square feet of cardboard

Electrical Items

Electrical items are stripped down to their component materials, e.g. plastics and metals. These are then reprocessed into new items depending on the grade of material. Typical items include traffic cones, new steel products, or even new circuit boards.

  • Electrical items contain a range of materials that can be separated for recycling and used in new products, such as plastics and precious metals including gold and copper.
  • All this saves resources and energy.
  • Many old electronic devices contain toxic substances that include lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and chromium. When e-waste is tossed into landfills, these chemicals leach into the soil, polluting the ground water as well as the air.
  • For every million cell phones we recycle, 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.

So, recycle away! Hopefully, I’ve helped to shed some light on current recycling practices. This was a great topic for me to cover because it pushed me to bring my understanding around recycling current, too!

Here are a few articles with additional reference material:

 

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What Shade is Your Green? Shifting Our Eco-Focus to Zero Impact

Concepts, General, Policies, Products

“Going green” is great! In so many ways, it’s fantastic that “eco-friendly” has become mainstream; there’s quite a growing industry focusing on green products and services. However,  the next thing we need to ask ourselves is, are we really being green, all the way from manufacturing to delivery and use?

Of course, every bit helps… but most often, we focus on the product at the end of the process, and forget about some of the peripherals, which are ultimately just as important in the bigger picture! Manufacturing processes, packaging, and delivery are a few of the many.

I’ve been looking at toothpaste as an example of a product that’s been “greening up,” better, healthier ingredients are being used… and yet the “standard” packaging – which has been used for a very long time – tends to be used, which is very wasteful to the environment. One product in this realm that caught my eye recently actually did a great job at green delivery of a product from start to finish, including the packaging. The company sets up the customer’s initial purchase of the product in a reusable container; then all subsequent purchases – refills – are sent in an environmentally reusable or recyclable package. The customer keeps the initial container and reuses it so there is far less waste; from beginning to end, the customer and the company end up being greener than “traditional” use of toothpaste. But that’s a blog for another day (stay tuned!)…

There are a multitude of ”green” products out there that might look “green” on the surface – particularly the product itself  – but most often, there is at least one aspect of it that isn’t, such as packaging or sourcing materials. Human nature plays a role in this too; the habit is to not solve a known potential problem until that problem presents itself, and there’s no choice but to react.

A common example of this kind of human habit is how culturally, we do a lot of things that are abusive and/or unhealthy to our bodies, – like poor eating and bad, self-destructive life habits – knowing full well that at some point we are potentially going to have repercussions from this behavior. Then one day, our bodies start to feel bad, we start to have limitations, we get sick… and that’s when we decide to do something about it. We get in shape, eat better, and/or quit the bad habits. Why? We think that since it isn’t a problem today, why worry about it? We will deal with that later when we have to.

This translates into how we tend to do things on the large scale. Consumer and industrial markets are full of examples like this… and unfortunately, this also includes eco-friendly products and the need for sustainable practices. We might find a green or better solution to today’s problem… even if we have the knowledge that  something in the process can present a future related issue that isn’t so environmentally friendly. However, we often write it off to “We’ll figure it out later…” Sure, it’s great to be fixing that problem today, such as employing green energy… even if there are some challenges we don’t yet have the answer to. However, the problem is, once we have that market or product, we tend to write off the future problem…and conveniently forget about it because it’s not a currently pressing issue.

When politics and finances become the primary deciding factors on issues, usually we all lose on the deal. It usually comes down to the question, “How can we manage with the least cost and only fix the immediate issue of today, right now, with the least amount of effort?” That solution then becomes the accepted standard, and then trying to get additional funding for further research or better, proactive fixes is difficult. Why? Well, the habit is to say, “We already have a solution for right now… we’ll get to that later, when it’s more pertinent…” Getting money to fix a future problem today or further improve the current solution often isn’t a good selling point to someone who holds the money… until it becomes debilitating in some way.

Green power is no exception to this. One of the areas where there’s a white elephant in the room has to do with lithium ion batteries.

Lead/acid batteries – traditional batteries – are an environmental nightmare.  Before lead becomes a battery, it must be mined, and has potential to be an environmental disaster and poses health concerns for the worker and surrounding areas. However, today, most people are familiar with the lithium ion battery.  This battery technology has advanced greatly in the last couple of decades, making it the go-to battery for the green industry.

With technology advancing, so is the need for the resources. Obtaining lithium is actually pretty hard on the environment. Very rarely we do we speak of that aspect of these batteries… yet they power everything from video games to hybrid and electric cars. Have you ever thought about where and how the raw materials are obtained? What are we doing about all of these batteries at the end of their life?

Here are some good articles around the lithium ion battery issue, and what we’re facing in their long-term use:

While we look to the future for our energy needs, we also must be wary of what that vision brings with it. For every solution, it’s vital that we look at the real cost of that solution, from the higher perspective, manufacturing from beginning to end. If the solution has environmental impacts on either end, then it isn’t the best solution, or we still have some issues to work out. Simply saying that trading a greater evil for a lesser one isn’t good enough. Though we’re taking great strides in creating more and more Earth-friendly solutions, it’s quite important for us to refine our focus so from end to end we have almost zero impact. “Zero Waste” is a great slogan… and even better one is ”Zero Impact.” We need to prioritize funding and finding the best solutions to tomorrow’s problems that result from today’s discoveries and methods… and continue evaluating and developing better solutions. Writing things off isn’t good enough anymore. Demand better of our leaders, demand better of companies… and commit to it ourselves.

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The Cartoon of Conflicting (and Paradoxical) Information

Concepts, General, Policies

In doing research for this blog, I was actually surprised to find that the cartoon “Non Sequitur” is still running in newspapers, as I would enjoy its snarky commentary when I would still look at a physical newspaper! (It’s somewhat surprising that there are still a LOT of printed newspapers… but that’s a blog for another day…)

Non sequitur: noun

A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement. “This cat has a long tail; therefore, blueberries are healthy.”

The beauty of Non Sequitur as I knew it is that it was a beautifully encapsulated representation of the things we are experiencing around us – institutionally, politically, and culturally – by showing us visually the non sequitur – and paradoxes – in which we often lose perspective in everyday life.

Paradox:  noun

A self-contradictory statement that at first seems true. Ex: “Nobody goes to that restaurant; it’s too crowded.”

When considering sustainability and renewable energy, there is an abundance of non-sequiturs and paradoxes used as the argument both for and against either/both.  However, these arguments really don’t show how they support one over the other until you take a much closer look at the details included in each argument.

For example, one of the continuing debates has to do with the land mass needed for renewable energy when compared to conventional energy production landmass.

I came across these studies:

The first two studies in the list talk about how much land mass in the United States would be required to produce the equivalent amount of energy comparing renewable to current fossil fuels. It is quite clearly stating that renewable energy would take up a good amount of land when compared to the current methods of fossil fuels. However, the study report really doesn’t discuss the amount of land used for mining drilling or rail, so it’s actually incomplete in its information. The third one was really the eye opener for me; it at least admits that there are studies that only measure the specific portion needed for generation.

The paradox (note the notation symbols… deemed to make something accurate by many):

“Renewable energy will save land^#” and “Current methods will save land*+”

Discussions for fossil fuel look at only the amount of land the generation of electrical power takes, even though renewable energy discussions looked at the total land use.

The third study places it in perspective to something people can understand, and states that they account for generally all parts needed to use fossil fuels. For example, to power 100% of the needed energy estimated by 2050, today with today’s current technology it would require about 1,550 -4,250 square miles of solar panel fields. The author states that one third of that land space needed is what we already devote to golf courses alone, AND – as with golf courses – all of that doesn’t have to be in one place. We can spread it out in land that isn’t already developed or is generally considered undevelopable, such as deserts. On the contrary, roughly 13,000 square miles of land are used for coal mining.  In employing renewable energy instead, we would recapture that land for better use, and gain back the land used for coal, oil and gas.

Budgets and money are another paradox when it comes to sustainability, which of course easily gets  a lot of attention. Because it is such a hot topic and hits close to home, cost is also one of the easiest areas to manipulate so the public sees it a certain way. A good portion of talking heads assume that the public will take their word at face value and not dig into the details… which in many cases, is true.

The paradoxes here:

“Renewable energy will save money^#” and “Current methods will save money*+”
“Renewable energy will be too big of price tag^#” and “Current methods will be too big of price tag*+”

Be careful with this one! The argument against sustainability is often talked about via a 10-20 year period, and the total dollars for that timeframe is used from the perspective of today’s cost; however, what is NOT typically discussed is that the estimated cost is over the total time frame, accounting for all factors.  For conventional energy, the dollar figure used often excludes many factors or discusses only a portion of the time frame. While not an outright lie, the public presentation gets skewed, and most of the public doesn’t dig for the details. The belief is, “It has notations; therefore, it must be true#$%^&!” Legally, the presenter of the information is just fine because in the actual speech notes or paper, there are notations! Belief is that it isn’t the presenter’s issue if those present to receive the information don’t dig into that reference and see for themselves the details that have been excluded or glossed over.

One non sequitur that has been recently prominent is

“Renewable energy (wind) kills wildlife” and “Save the birds, don’t use wind power”

Let’s talk about this for a minute…

How many birds a year are killed with oil slicks, and other fossil fuel pollution? Where is that statistic when this argument is used? Sure, oil spills don’t happen all the time, but the amount of wildlife hurt or damaged when they do is quite significant.

(On a side note: One of the most incredible paradoxes out there right now is the mass marketing – and propaganda – of a certain major brand dish soap that has been capitalizing on “helping to save animals via cleaning them up from the oil spills.” What’s the paradox? That the product is, in fact, petroleum based… and contributes to the continued mass use of petroleum… which is the reason the oil spills exist in the first place! I can’t tell you how many I’ve known who’ve actually said they use the product because of that marketing manipulation… without realizing ALL of the information! But, again, that’s a blog for another day…)

Even if you spread that damage over years, the wildlife death via conventional energy numbers is quite staggering compared to the long-term use of renewable energy.  Also, many don’t take into account what we’ve done in our population expansion altogether. How about skyscrapers? How many birds hit the windows annually? Also, when skyscrapers were first built, birds had similar issues with migration and avoidance. Now they have adjusted and work around them, but still many are killed, even by cars on the congested roads or flying into buildings. It’s the same with wind energy. Wind generators are “new” to the landscape; birds will adjust in a relatively short time, and the number of deaths will be mitigated. The argument against sustainable energy and wildlife assumes that the number of deaths at the introduction of the wind generators will continue to be the same and renewable energy will only add to the death toll that currently happens, until there are no more birds. What isn’t discussed is how with renewable energy, the scales will quickly balance, because the pollution toll will be far less, and more wildlife will actually be able to propagate and thrive. Eventually, the scales balance to be better with renewable energy. Sure, it will be several years before that happens, but it will be better long term.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Though I don’t particularly care for the use of the word enemy in this quote, I agree with where it comes from. If we don’t use the literal meaning and use it in the context of opposing thought/position, we can see that knowing both sides and understanding the details of what all the outcomes could be from both points of view is most beneficial. In doing so, we can  accept some adjustment periods where we might take some losses in a cause because the outcome is much more beneficial in longer term and bigger picture – the health and vitality of the planet and its organism – than what we’ve been doing to today.

The success of false or failed logic, paradoxes and non-sequitur, is proportionally based on the self-imposed ignorance of the masses. Those who are most invested on one side of an argument or the other – those who stand to profit or loose on the outcome – rely mostly on the assumption that a vast majority of people will not care to look too closely at the facts. This creates the paradox and allows it to thrive and propagate, sometimes even growing to the point that it is assumed to be factual… and the notation eventually gets lost altogether. How much folklore and urban mythology do we accept to be true and perpetuate every day that isn’t based on any factual data?  (Here’s a simple one that so many parents still use today: “Waiting an hour after eating before you go swimming; otherwise, you might drown!”) Think of all the things that we once believed to be true that today we can’t conceive of ever believing them in the first place.

In conclusion, it is great to be passionate about any topic! My only ask is to be open to both sides, look at all the data… even (especially) if it doesn’t support your thoughts and biases. I don’t mean look at that data and try to find ways to counter that information… I mean, open the mind to all sides of the matter before making a final decision on your favored preferences. Look at the details; look at the bigger picture and make sure in comparing one thing to another that it’s not apples vs. oranges, which is most often the case! Look for the notations and dig further and look at that information as well. All too often a writer can find a reference from a reliable source (to give credence to the piece) find one comment in it that reference material that supports their point of view (even though the rest of the reference debunks it) and use it to support their point of view.

If we don’t allow ourselves to be lied to, we won’t be the sheep that some leaders hope we will be. Ask the questions! When confronted with full facts, many paradoxes fall apart. Though, unfortunately, the snarky cartoons will have to cease… we can then move forward together, committing to perceive from the bigger picture, as the one organism we are.

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Turn and Face the Strange: Ch-Ch-Changes…

Concepts, General

In many discussions I’ve had and in articles that I’ve read, it seems that there is one common theme about change – particularly regarding sustainability: The belief that “it’s  too hard.”

Why?

Just think of all the cultural and societal changes that have occurred over the last 40, 50, 75, or 100 years! Clothing is one of the most obvious examples: There are many things that we accept today were scandalous yesteryear.

It’s too hard (not really) or I don’t want (or shouldn’t have) to (translation: ”I’d rather stay comfortably here…”) is the crux of the issue of change. Computer operating system updates and developments are a great example of this. I remember when a new computer OS was released a couple of years ago. There were a good number of individuals I knew that claimed it was the worst thing ever. According to them, the old one was good enough and there wasn’t a single redeeming thing of the new OS.  Now, several years later, after everyone was “forced” to change to that one, a new OS is released. Now every one of those same individuals claim that the one they hated before is far superior to anything ever released and the new one is junk.

So, why is that?

Simply put, ego and fear. Fear of being different, fear of “making a mistake,” fear of having to put in extra effort to facilitate a change/difference, and the basic ego of, “What I think is right for me is right for everyone else.” However, once change occurs, everyone grows accustomed to how things are…they get pushed into taking the time to get used to the difference. And, a vast majority of the time, the world doesn’t end. Eventually the new becomes the norm, it becomes embraced into our comfort zone (by the ego), and we can’t believe we ever thought the way we did.

This seems to be particularly true with sustainability.

Switching to sustainable methods or products can initially be uncomfortable and scary. It’s different, new, and there are often “what if“ doubts because of the unknown. It also starts to incorporate an entirely new and different way of thinking and living. Also, often a major but to sustainable things is typically boiled down to someone not wanting to be that person on the block or in the office or be viewed as weird or different.

In today’s world of consumerism, we spend money on all kinds of things, because we believe those things empower us, or make us feel better than or equal to our friends and neighbors. We’re conditioned for it by media, family, peers, and society. Who has bigger/nicer houses, latest fashions, better cars, better gadgets? What are the celebrities we admire using/promoting? If one is motivated in this respect, they will generally change to meet that need and feel better about themselves.

However, when someone changes something in their lives that is different from the “norm,” others around them often judge it at every turn. Not because it is “bad” or because it is harmful, but because it is different. For example, put a generator on your house and you’re the cool person on your block, because you’ll have power during an outage. However, put a solar-powered power backup on your house, and suddenly you’re the gossip of the block. Some will think/say, “Why couldn’t he/she put a “normal” generator on their house? He/she must be one of “those people…” Yet at the end of the day, it’s the exact same thing; it just achieves the result it in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way.

(By the way… when that emergency happens, and the power on the block is out, you can bet the neighbors won’t be laughing so much anymore!)

Before getting all defensive about why/how getting that standard generator is “good enough,” providing a dozen reasons why “it’s wrong” to have something like this in your neighborhood (there are even neighborhood HOAs that have very strict rules and all kinds of limits on solar equipment) and begin the claims that sustainable methods or products are inferior, clunky, “unsightful,” or don’t measure up…take the ego and fear of change out, and really look at what you truly need and why you believe what you believe. In this example of the generator, you might’ve gotten a generator almost big enough to power the entire block. Did you really need one that substantial? Did you actually buy it to power the entire block? Likely answer, no you didn’t. Often, we get something far bigger than is needed because let’s be honest: If something that just does the job is really good, we believe something bigger must be better, right? Especially if we “get a good deal on it”! Also, sometimes there’s the almost subconscious factor of now having the mega-version… and bragging rights to that. To go to the core need, the solar-powered one will last longer and cover what is needed at your house, which is really why you wanted it in the first place. Why not have the bragging rights to being an Earth steward and leading the way?

Keep in mind, there is also the other side of the coin: Implementing change for the sake of changing. That typically stems from political or financial interests of a company or institution; excessive marketing and media is put out there influence consumers to “get the latest gadget” to “be the coolest kid on the block” and “in the know” (I know, it sounds sort of ridiculous, but as a society, we ARE influenced by it every day)! One arena where this is prevalent is cell phones and computers. I’ve definitely been guilty of that one! In this area, we have such a throwaway society for “what’s new and improved” that we’re often convinced to spend $600-800 on a new phone (more on computers and computer accessories) when the one we have is often still quite up-to-date  Not only is it wasteful of our personal expenditures… it’s bad for the environment, too.  Personally, I love new tech gadgets; however, I’m now following my own advice, and striving to purchase new components only when my device is broken or truly not realistically functional in areas I need it to be.

For me, change and the incorporation of sustainability requires thought and long-term thinking, considering the bigger picture vs. the immediate fix. Can we be honest with ourselves? Can we look at what’s really important with honest, hard facts beyond what our ego believes will “make us look better/ more important,” which in turn is most often influenced by consumerist manipulation by individuals and companies who pad their pockets with your decisions?

Doing what’s purposeful rather than what is comfortable is something for us all to prioritize. That includes purchasing with a focus on sustainability… which is far more than the product itself. Do your homework. I mean, really do your homework. Don’t just look at things that conveniently bolster your preconceived notions in your comfort zone. You dig for all the details and reviews before you by that new appliance, and will even spend more on it just because it might have a rarely – if ever used – feature (that you can brag about having). Then why not spend a little more on a sustainable option? And instead of judging and condemning those around us for doing something different to make such strides… look at what THEY’RE doing, do some more research on whatever that is yourself, to see if it actually fits parameters of something you need.

If we all are willing to change, then changing to sustainable options will be easier and become the norm. Then we won’t judge or avoid being that person anymore, but instead embracing the idea of being the path-cutters and lead the effort!

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Scott Coulter

Don’t Be So Plastic! Longer-Term Thinking in Sustainability

General, Products

Long-term thinking…..one great example of something we didn’t think about over the big picture is plastic bags.  Yup, it’s something that today many can’t think to live without!  While they do have some pros, mostly the cons outweigh the good.

When I was growing up, paper bags were the only way you could carry purchases from a store; plastic bags were virtually nonexistent. The companies that started selling plastic bags launched a campaign that worked well by pointing out the problems with using paper bags, including deforestation and durability.  Durability was a no-brainer. A plastic bag is stronger than paper in terms of the mass that can be placed into it before tearing. True, paper can as well, but paper must be thick to support an equal amount of mass.  Plastic was supposedly able to be recycled or reused…but to be honest, how often do most reuse a plastic bag to get the full usability out of it?

As far as recycling, we all can see how that went.

My point on honesty and the change for the better goes to the deforestation portion of the campaign.  During that time, dwindling forests and natural habitat was a major concern talked about by everyone.  Plastic made sense in the easy and short term to save trees by using plastic instead of paper, use a plastic bag and save a tree.  However, the real problem was twofold:

  • One, paper companies were not investing in their futures by planting trees where they removed them to keep a healthy population of forests going. The thought was since the forests were so vast there isn’t a real reason to plant new trees. Simply put, cost to do that bit into the bottom line.
  • Second, recycling and recycled paper wasn’t utilized or widespread like it is today. Both solutions today would be considered sustainable living and sustainable practices and praised and even bragged about… and this is a reason why people are changing back to paper bags.

While I am not advocating for either (I personally use cloth reusable bags as often as possible), in our lives, some solutions do not consider the human factors of laziness and greed.  On paper (pun intended), some solutions work better than others… and when the people variable is involved, the “better” solution sometimes falls apart in implementation. Personally, the scuba diver in me screams loudly when I see plastic bags in use, because I have seen first hand where they end up.

But I digress…

Today’s topic isn’t about the GEW (Gross Environmental Weight) of one over the other.  Everything has a GEW, and one could make the argument that on the surface, plastic does have a lower GEW than paper. Today, it is about us as a society. If we are to be better today than yesterday, we must embrace change and not be afraid to change.  The adage, “It worked for me when I was growing up…” is failed logic.  In the bigger picture, if we stick to that, we would never progress, and we’d still be living in the Stone Age. Also, “It works for that country, but it won’t work in mine…” Well, if it works someplace else, why then wouldn’t it work where you are?  Just because it is different doesn’t make it bad.

When considering sustainable solutions, let’s work out the long term as well as the short term and make the changes in life quickly but with intelligence.  The most important and best solution is not as individuals, but as a society.  Just think of the short time that society switched from paper bags to plastic. In the United States, that change occurred over a span of less than 20 years. Now, I hope that we can change to something that is in the long term better for everyone and the planet in less time to help make a difference and clean up our home. By and large, the reason we “switched” was because companies decided for us to change and we went along with it.  We must do better and think for ourselves… and tell companies what we want and not the other way around. This is the economic basic of supply and demand! Sitting around waiting for someone to do it first is societal conditioning we’ve come to because we’re constantly barraged with corporate marketing that tries to dictate what is and is not good for us… most often with the ulterior motive of beefing up the company’s/industry’s bottom line.

Be open minded. Money is a short-sighted reason for not changing our habits; often, once the dollars and cents are worked out over the bigger picture, it actually does work out in our favor.  But that’s a blog for another day…

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