Every day is Earth Day. Let's talk about ways to make it better.

Meltdown99 said:

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

Meltdown99 said:

brianlux said:

Meltdown99 said:

Knock yourself out it you think it'll make a difference ... 

I imagine hospitals/restaurants/seniors homes will never switch due to the risk of improper sterilization...

OK, so you just want to deride my comments or argue.  Fine.  It looks like we are done here.  I am.  Adios.

Who's arguing ... the earth is overpopulated with mostly poor people.  Poor people will always choose the cheaper option.  Can you fix those problems?  Because unless those problems are solved, the earth is doomed.  

OK, so you say we're doomed.  Fine.

Look, I think this thread is worth saving not because I made it but because the Earth which feeds and sustains us deserves it. 

No, of course I cannot fix the problems that are harming the planet.  No ONE person can do that.  Saying we're doomed will not make it better either.  Anyone here can insist on being negative and pessimistic, that's their right.  But that is not the intent of this thread.  Maybe doomsdayers could create a "The World is Doomed" thread for those with that view who don't want to talk about solutions on this one. 

Don't worry about PJSOUL Brian. He is just very much a glass three-quarters empty kind of guy. I'm not sure what will please you on any level PJSOUL - I've yet to see it! You're the official forum naysayer I think, lol.
The straw ban is a great first step. There is also a Canada-wide ban on microbeads already, to take effect I think this year or next, can't quite remember (they gave time for companies to adjust). Obviously hospitals and the like will manage to adjust just fine.
I already ordered by set of stainless steel straws, they're on their way. I ordered a set for my mom too, since she has an essential tremour that goes kind of wild specifically when she raises a cup or glass to her mouth, so she sometimes needs a straw to avoid throwing her drink all over the place.

This is totally against forum rules. Plus it makes no sense.

Here is what I do on a daily bases to lower my impact on the environment. I am not saying everyone should do this or that I am amazing at being eco friendly, but I am trying. Maybe someone here can find inspiration or even give me practical tips:

- Bamboo tooth brushes instead of plastic
- reusable stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic single use
- reusable butterfly razor instead of plastic ones (and the result is so much better!)
- I usually have a reusable shopping bag on me (my favourite one, has retro Batman signs all over it!)
- Before buying new clothes I look in charity/goodwill shops, if they have what I am looking for
I buy about 80% of my food at the local farmers market - it's organic and rarely wrapped in plastic, the poultry ladies even take their used egg cartons back
- reusable bamboo cup for hot bavvies on the go
- instead of cling film/kitchen foil I use wax cloths (you can buy them on Amazon or make them yourself, if you can find bees wax)
- old t-shirts and leggins are being turned into fabric strips, with which I crochet rugs and baskets

There maybe even more stuff, I can't think of right now. But these are the wee changes that felt really easy when I implemented them.
As I said, I don't expect everyone to do the same, everyone is in a different situation and has a different budget. But if everyone does a little bit, it would help the planet quite a bit I believe (yep, call me naive, I honestly don't care).

I saw that some people here are interested in permaculture and gardening. Unfortunately my living conditions don't allow for a garden but one day I'll hopefully have enough money to buy some land (if I don't spend it all on PJ tours). In the mean time I am learning a lot from a guy called Justin Rhodes on Youtube. Check out his channel, I have learned so much and I don't even have a garden  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSGEokQQcdAVFuL_Aq8dlg

brianlux said:

Miss.Snowdrop said:

Here is what I do on a daily bases to lower my impact on the environment. I am not saying everyone should do this or that I am amazing at being eco friendly, but I am trying. Maybe someone here can find inspiration or even give me practical tips:

- Bamboo tooth brushes instead of plastic
- reusable stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic single use
- reusable butterfly razor instead of plastic ones (and the result is so much better!)
- I usually have a reusable shopping bag on me (my favourite one, has retro Batman signs all over it!)
- Before buying new clothes I look in charity/goodwill shops, if they have what I am looking for
I buy about 80% of my food at the local farmers market - it's organic and rarely wrapped in plastic, the poultry ladies even take their used egg cartons back
- reusable bamboo cup for hot bavvies on the go
- instead of cling film/kitchen foil I use wax cloths (you can buy them on Amazon or make them yourself, if you can find bees wax)
- old t-shirts and leggins are being turned into fabric strips, with which I crochet rugs and baskets

There maybe even more stuff, I can't think of right now. But these are the wee changes that felt really easy when I implemented them.
As I said, I don't expect everyone to do the same, everyone is in a different situation and has a different budget. But if everyone does a little bit, it would help the planet quite a bit I believe (yep, call me naive, I honestly don't care).

I saw that some people here are interested in permaculture and gardening. Unfortunately my living conditions don't allow for a garden but one day I'll hopefully have enough money to buy some land (if I don't spend it all on PJ tours). In the mean time I am learning a lot from a guy called Justin Rhodes on Youtube. Check out his channel, I have learned so much and I don't even have a garden  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSGEokQQcdAVFuL_Aq8dlg

Great ideas here, MissSnowdrops! 

We were talking about recycling today and I was mildly horrified and very disappointed to learn that there is no recycling in the city of Ketchikan, Alaska (we know people who live there).  The only consolation my wife could come up with was the reminder that "recycling" is the third "R".  It comes after "reduce" and "reuse".

And that's such an impirimpo point, because it really is the third biggest priority among them.  Something doesn't need recycled at all if you never use it.

brianlux said:

And again, not to preach but just to encourage, plastic bags can be rinsed and reused over and over.  We never buy them.  If someone gives us something in a plastic bag, it get rinsed or, if necessary, washed and reused over and over until absolutely unusable-- and then it gets recycled.  There is no reason 8 million tons of plastic should be being dumped in the ocean every year. 

and again to encourage...I have used the same ziplock bags for years.  Amazing to me how people could just toss them out.