Why is it that we recycle during the week, but at a party, everything gets tossed into one big garbage bag? Is it that we fear inconveniencing our guests, don't want to seem too earthy, or just don’t think twice in the rush of things? I bet many hosts would welcome recycling help with all the other tasks they need to tend to at party time. So if I see the pile of plastic and/or glass mounding high among the rest of the trash, I often offer to help separate them quickly. I find my small efforts are usually very much appreciated. I don’t want to imply that you should start washing your host’s plastic plates for reuse if he or she says, "Oh, just throw it all in there." Just offer your help initially to plant the seed, and then leave it alone if the response is not favorable.
But yes, it's in these situations that we especially need to separate plastic, paper, aluminum, glass and so on. This is the time when consumption is higher than normal, and therefore lots of recyclables are mindlessly discarded. The environment will benefit just as much as our children from the consistency of our actions. Better yet, how about forgoing the recycling bin altogether at party time by using the “real stuff” that can be washed and reused? What a fabulous party setting it would be with fabric tablecloths and napkins, and real dishes, flatware and glasswear; it could be stunning!
Okay, I know… talk about inconvenient. But if we don’t make a change now, we will most definitely be inconvenienced in the long run. It’s time to dust off the glasswear and china. And if you still opt for plastic all around, why not throw it in the sink, wash it up and have it available for your next party? So before your next celebration, ask yourself what your party plan will be and follow through. Your guests may appreciate it more than you know!
I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the NJ Global Green Expo at Liberty State Park last weekend. Despite the rain on Sunday, the turnout was good for its inaugural year. I met so many resourceful and dedicated people over the course of the three days. I both laughed and was brought to tears by the presentations, but the best part was learning about the environment from top naturalists, doctors and activists, including Dr. Sylvia Earle, Ted Danson, Jeff Corwin and Ed Begley Jr. to name a few. I got the chance to connect with leaders in the New Jersey alternative energy industries and learned that innovation is rapidly evolving and will present many exciting projects that are just around the corner.
However, the research and findings about our current green situation is not good, no matter how you slice it. The following are a few facts that left an impression on me:
- As a result of over-fishing and lack of regulation, one third of our fish have been eliminated from our seas.
- Swordfish continues to be a threatening source of toxic mercury in our diets, but it is not the only fish we need to be wary of.
- According to the EPA, one out of every six women of childbearing age in the United States may have blood mercury concentrations high enough to damage a developing fetus.
- If, as Americans, we continue at our current rate of daily product and resource consumption, we will need three more worlds of resources to fulfill the demand.
I left the Global Green Expo with this: I need to buy less, conserve more and leave some for others who need it. I am committed to living a simpler and more sustainable life today. I hope you will join me!
For more information, please do as I have and check out the Oceana Web site (protecting the world’s oceans) at Oceana.org.
Like any movement, you have to expect a few unusual, out-of-the-box ideas to pop up from time to time. Well, here's one from Electrical Contractor Magazine (www.ecmag.com) that I thought was innovative and inspirational enough to share.
It doesn’t surprise me that there is growing interest in capturing kinetic energy to generate alternative power for other needs. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion (from moving muscle for example), and it makes sense in this day and age of "green." So the researchers at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, have done just that—they can capture energy from the movement of a person's knee! Max Donelan, head researcher on the project, is developing the technology for the common market. One minute of walking will generate 10 minutes of cell phone power or could power GPS locators, motorize prosthetic joints or an implanted drug pump. Their first use, however, is for producing power for artificial limbs. It's being compared similarly to hybrid cars, which can produce electricity from braking.
Personally, I am very happy to hear about this story. For a few years now I have been saying to my spin class instructors and gym owners that all of us in spin class should have our bikes hooked up to a grid that would collect all of our hard work, effort and tremendous energy output in order to run the lights, hot tubs and juice bar throughout the day at the gym. Just imagine how much money could be saved! If gyms were set up with a “Gymenergy” © system, everyone taking part in the capture of kinetic energy could potentially benefit from reduced-cost memberships, day passes or other perks depending on how many minutes were logged on a treadmill or step machine or in a spin classes per week. Not to mention the potential for the gym to actually make money on the energy it creates by selling the electricity back to the electric company.
It definitely could put a new twist on one's workout, that's for sure! Innovative times indeed.
This weekend, my 6-year-old daughter and her 7-year-old best buddy decided they wanted to support Earth Day by honoring their 4th grade friends who founded G.R.E.E.N. (Get Ready for Green Education Now) with an iced tea and lemonade fundraiser. I was quite happy to accommodate them since there was no way around their infectious giddiness to help out and get involved. Their pursuit to raise money on a spring break weekend while many of their friends were out of town impressed me. They were out to do good and thrilled to do so.
After making their signs out of brown paper bags, arranging the fruit bowls, preparing the lemonade and honey-sweetened peppermint tea, setting up their table and umbrella, and encouraging each car to stop, I was stunned at how few passersby actually did. The girls looked at one another in disgust while car after car flew by without stopping, and they began shout even louder. Thankfully several local police officers, a few really nice bikers, and a couple of cars ladened with kids cheering for lemonade all patronized the stand. With smiles and abounding energy, each took turns explaining where the proceeds were headed; the innocent patrons didn’t know who they were dealing with! As each used cup went into the makeshift brown paper bag garbage pail, one of girls would immediately add that tips were welcome (despite a reprimand from me!), all of which would also go to G.R.E.E.N. Now who could resist that?!
After 1 1/2 hours, the gals made an impressive amount and had me directly drive them to their friend's home to present the donation. I have never seen my daughter so diligently approach a task like this and was very impressed with the determination of both of them. Neither of them gave up when at the beginning no one wanted to be bothered. Rule of thumb: Always stop to support and encourage a child selling lemonade, and you may just witness their joy in supporting a worthy cause. Don’t get caught up with the minutia—just keep it simple and joyful!
Hand-me-downs can be a fantastic way to recycle gently used clothes. Let's be honest: A current wardrobe can be costly, and do we really need all of that "stuff"? Don’t get me wrong, I go shopping all the time to check out the current trends in color, styling and even new technology with fabrics, but I’m finally somewhat past wanting (or needing) to have the absolute latest look found on the rack. It finally sunk in that too many of those fantastic hot items that I couldn’t live without are still in my closet a year later, tags in tact. And I know I’m not alone on this one.
For me, shopping has become something I look forward to when I have something specific I want to find. But for other times, I am very flexible and creative. That's when opening a bag of hand-me-downs is actually fun! You really never know what you will find. From time to time, a treasured goodie even prompts us to ask the donor, "Are you sure you want to part with this?" But typically the old adage is true: One person’s trash is another’s gold… And often most rewarding is the glee on the face of someone to whom I’ve returned the favor by offering a bag of goodies that have been plucked from my closet.
Just think about hand-me-downs as a win-win: Besides the fun of giving and receiving new treasures, cleaning out closets and passing along garments can mean savings in our pockets—and also less of a drain on energy production and resources, smaller carbon imprints and less waste. More women, men and children being clothed through little effort and simple acts of kindness—how awesome is that? With the change of seasons right now, why not clean out your closet and organize a swap with your friends? Or make a donation to one of the many reputable charities that clothe needy families?
Now that’s recycling at its best!
