The other day as I was sprinkling the last of this shredded cheese over my salad, and about to absentmindedly toss the bag in the recycle box, I stopped short in my tracks. Ok, let me back up and be completely truthful about this scenario. I was actually scarfing down the last of that shredded cheese, bag poised strategically over my mouth like a bag of chips, head tilted back at just the precise angle to savor (er inhale), in oh so savage a manor, every last shred of that cheese. Wew, that piece of humbling truthfulness is out. I’m a slothful savage, I admit, when it comes to getting the last morsel out of a container. But that’s not what I’m posting about here.
I stopped mid-toss to the recycle box because I realized, for the first time, that this resealable ziploc inspired plastic bag just might have a little more life in it. Why, in my efforts to reuse, reduce, recycle, do I think it a travesty to throw away sandwich bags or freezer bags I’ve purchased after one use (as long as there hasn’t been anything really yucky in them) , but never thought about reusing the countless bags that come into the house already containing purchased foodstuffs? I’ve already become my mother in that I’ve started saving bread bags. I can’t remember my mother ever actually reusing those saved bread bags, but like her, I’ve got enough stocked up that in case of a nuclear holocaust, we at least have bags to get us through. No non-perishable food, but lots of bread bags. And don’t get me started on aluminum foil… Got enough of that, meticulously washed and folded, to transmit to Mars.
So, did I have an epiphany? Is this a “going green” breakthrough? Or am I taking things a little too far? You might say, why are you still using plastic anyway? Well, I am cutting down. Baby steps, you know. I did use one of those bread bags in my husband’s lunch the other day, much to his chagrin (“are we that poor now we need to save bread bags?”). No dear, we’re supposed to be reducing, reusing & recycling. The “that poor” part can be debated, though. Men are sometimes slow to “get” these socially/environmentally responsible things.
One disclaimer on reusing these types of bags: Only reuse those bags that you are certain you can get absolutely clean. Wash in really hot sudsy water. Turning them inside out helps to get in the nooks and crannies. Make sure they are left out to thoroughly dry, again inside AND out, before storing. We want no salmonella, e-coli or other yucky yucks entering into the mix. Getting yourself or your family sick just wouldn’t be worth the reuse would it?
The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns, with a special focus on the United States. All the stuff in our lives, beginning from the extraction of the resources to make it, through its production, sale, use and disposal, affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues and calls for all of us to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something. It’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
Written by Leonard, the film was produced by Free Range Studios the makers of other socially-minded, web-based films such as “The Meatrix” and “Grocery Store Wars.” Funding for the project came from The Sustainability Funders and Tides Foundation.
Although a little dated, August 24, 2007, I think this article on telegraph.co.uk brings up some of the same questions I’ve raised in regards to this whole ethical living, eco-friendly, green movement. It’s worth noting that the comments to the article are as interesting as the article itself, so jump over to Do you practise ‘ethical living’? and check them out. People are very opinionated on this topic.
From the article:
‘Ethical living’ is the latest way to keep up with the Joneses, a survey has claimed, though more Britons are concerned with being seen to be green than actually changing their behaviour.
Although more than half of the people questioned consider unethical living as much of a social taboo as drink driving, nine in ten admit they tell “little green lies” to exaggerate their commitment to saving the planet.
Ok, let’s ask ourselves, are we really that jaded and egocentric that even when “doing good” our underlying motivations are centered around how it makes us look in the eyes of others? Now at first blush, of course we’ll all deny this. But think for a minute. Have you ever felt just a little sanctimonious requesting your groceries be packed in “paper instead of plastic” (at least until that got politically incorrect)? And of course, now that bringing our own reusable cloth bags is the more “correct” thing, don’t we feel, if only for a moment, like the haughty cool kids? I do not mean to sound cynical. I do admit to feeling just a wee bit superior walking out of a Whole Foods with those in-your-face paper shopping bags whose art work changes with the seasons. Ok, generally it’s only one shopping bag, because as everyone knows, Whole Foods literally translates to “Whole Check.” But I digress, and don’t shop at WF anymore due to budgetary constraints and the feeling of getting just a tad ripped off.
The author goes on to ask these thought provoking questions:
Do you practise ‘ethical living’? If so, are you motivated by the desire to save the planet or to impress your neighbours? How would you actually define ‘ethical living’?
Do you think we lead more or less ‘ethical lives’ now than we did a generation ago? Since when have ethics been synonymous with a concern for the environment rather than tied up with moral or religious matters?
Does green living make a difference? Or is this interpretation of ethics simply another example of – in the classic phrase – “political correctness gone mad”?
As usual, I don’t have the answers. I’m looking for you to chime in with your opinions. But, at the end of the day, if this ethical living thing is nothing more than a fad whose practices render us a ticket into the latest lifestyle/social club (dare I say cult), can it be all that bad? Isn’t it ok that we get a two-for — do good, feel good? We’ve certainly all followed trends with much less social/environmental impact — remember leg warmers, jelly sandels, 1980′s hair (ok, that one had to have an environmental impact what with all the mouse and hairspray required). But you get my drift, right?
So what have YOU got to say about all this? Inquiring minds really would like to know. Go ahead, have at it!
Found this cute cartoon on YouTube from oxfam.org.uk
I’m beginning to think the UK is farther along with this ethical consciousness/consumption than the US. This is purely from my Google results. Have an opinion on this? Is the UK doing more for ethical consumer awareness than the US? What might be the reasons? Would love to hear from you.
Here’s what Oxfam has to say:
Our crazy consumption is getting out of hand and proving to be just a little bit devastating. Every day in the UK, we throw out enough stuff to fill the Royal Albert Hall every two hours. It’s consumption gone crazy, and the more we carry on like this the bigger the strain we’re putting on our planet. There are plenty more perfect ways to consume and together we can make a beautiful difference. We can change the way we consume to reduce the strain we’re putting on our planet. Watch our video and let Mr Whistle inspire you to find your ethical rhythm…
This morning as I scanned the Sunday paper, I noticed a headline that hinted at smaller houses becoming the norm. Of course, I googled to verify. It’s official – American builders are offering smaller houses, due partly to the continuing economic crisis, and partly because of consumer preferences (the dominant demographic groups for the next decade include the baby boomers who are empty-nesting and the echo boomers, or gen y’s, who are first-time buying). Both these groups have more modest home buying needs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, for the first time in nearly 14 years the median size of a new single-family home decreased in 2008 to 2,215 square feet. That’s down from 2,277 in 2007. Still, in my humble opinion, quite a sizable home to raise 2.3 kids, a dog, a cat and a gerbil or two. Some builders are dubbing their smaller homes “eco friendly”, “green” or “sustainable” in keeping with the new ecologically conscious trend (or is that a movement? I keep confusing trends, fads and movements lately). As we’ve witnessed, houses started their ginormous rise in the early 90′s, now being called the boom times. Hmm, so that’s what they’re calling the 90′s now? The 80′s had disco, the 90′s got saddled with bloat. And I guess it didn’t just stop at houses did it? Ah, hind site. It’s 20/20, isn’t it?
So have we made a permanent shift in how we feel about our material accouterments? Is less truly more now? Are we prepared to focus more humbly on what’s really important in life? Or is it just a fad till the good times roll around again?
… nothing lasts forever, except perhaps human nature, which is why I suspect that when the recession ends, and today’s first-time buyers are ready to move up, they’ll want a home just like the one they grew up in. In other words, a McMansion.
The other day as I was sprinkling the last of this shredded cheese over my salad, and about to absentmindedly toss the bag in the recycle box, I stopped short in my tracks. Ok, let me back up and be completely truthful about this scenario. I was actually scarfing down the last of that shredded cheese, bag poised strategically over my mouth like a bag of chips, head tilted back at just the precise angle to savor (er inhale), in oh so savage a manor, every last shred of that cheese. Wew, that piece of humbling truthfulness is out. I’m a slothful savage, I admit, when it comes to getting the last morsel out of a container. But that’s not what I’m posting about here.
Although a little dated, August 24, 2007, I think this article on 
