To be honest, I thought to myself, 'hmm.... probably another tree-hugger email.'
But, since I don't have very much to do at work and currently don't have school to keep me busy, it could be an email entitled "How to fix a carburetor," and I would read it.
This was probably one of the best emails I have read in a long time. It was a little tree-huggerish, but maybe I was a little more receptive to it since I have been dating Rob for a while now. (He's VERY "green")
This is the slideshow that came in the email I received:
http://www.mobilebaynep.com/site/Forefront/TheDangersofPlasticBags.pdf
I would like everyone to be a little more observant of what we are doing to the Earth. Whether it be people throwing their cigarettes on the ground, using plastic bags from the grocery store, drinking out of water bottles, using sandwich baggies, saran wrap, driving when it is not necessary, mowing your lawn incessantly, wasting water, not conserving energy, and the list can go on and on....
After watching this little slideshow I decided to do 2 really, really simple things.
1. Reduce the number of plastic bags I use. To do this, I purchased for, I think $1, reusable grocery bags. One of them I got from Fresh & Easy marketplace and the other I picked up at Walmart.
I actually LOVE these bags more than plastic bags. I just keep it in my car, so I have it when I go to a grocery store. You can fit a ton of food in them and not have to worry about the bag breaking or have to make a million trips to and from your car to your kitchen. And, the majority of these bags are made out of recycled materials.
2. Reduce the number of water bottles I use. I drink A LOT of water throughout the day. And I usually just buy a bunch at the grocery store, or purchase them in the cafeteria at work. It would never even cross my mind when I would throw all these water bottles away everyday. So, what I do now is I have kept 4 waterbottles and just refill them every night. It doesn't matter that it isn't my favorite, SmartWater, it is JUST WATER!
Things like this are so incredibly easy to do. We just have to get out of the rut of having everything at our fingertips and so convenient.
The pictures and statistics in the email I received are disgusting. And WE are the sources for the problem.
God gave us a BEAUTIFUL Earth and WE are the ones that need to take care of it. I for one, don't want my posterity to have to live in filth.
Jenn, awesome blog! Everyone thinks you have to be a hippie freak to care about the environment, but you give evidence that that's not the case. You're right; simple things like reusing recycled bags for groceries can help out a ton. Think what the world would be like if everyone did this!! As far as bottled water goes though, I would recommend buying a Nalgene (sp?) rather than reusing plastic Arrowhead or Fry's bottled water bottles. They contain toxins that gradually release into whatever liquid resides in it, and can do more harm than good! So be careful. But it sounds like everything else you said is completely on point.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you know Travis?! He is so awesome, like one of my very best friends. He definitely inspires me to be all I can be all the time; he is one of those rare people who always gives life 110% and loves every minute of it!! We need more like him for sure. I'm stoked that you were blessed to meet him!
Yeah, you go girl! I absolutely agree with aimsterrr - you DO NOT have to be a fanatic to be justifiably, and responsibly concerned about the place where we live, raise our children, and hope to see our grandchildren thrive someday.
ReplyDeleteMy 12 year old granddaughter has just started her own business selling top-of-the line, reusable, insulated shopping bags that utilize NASA type technology so they are extremely compact, flat bottomed, and hold a ton of groceries or any other heat sensitive items which need to be protected from the heat.
And if your mapping out your errand route to save gas and the grocery store isn't the last stop - you don't have to worry if you have your Kool Bags with you.
I've used mine for 5 years now and I honestly don't know how anyone survives without them. I've even transported my potted plants in them!
You can check out her website at YouthBusiness.us
Her business is called "Kool Bags Sold by a Kool Kid."