I Don’t Like Being Plastic
Even without seeing Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth, I’ve always had Mother Nature in the back of my mind. I’m no hardcore tree-hugger (not that there’s anything wrong with that. But I’m not the type who would throw red paint onto a fur-clad Naomi Campbell, for example), but each day, I think about using the hand dryer vs. paper towels (fossil fuel emissions vs. chopped-down trees and landfill waste), the carbon monoxide emission of a cab ride to Megamall vs. the pain of hoofing it in heels, and other little dilemmas. I’d like to think that whatever little I do helps the environment somehow.
I’ve started carrying around a canvas bag for my purchases, and even gave them as presents last Christmas—plastic has always been something that worried me. I think about how it lies in landfills, perfectly preserved; how innocent turtles unwittingly feed on floating bags and die. But I also realize that plastic is an incredibly convenient and durable material—with some versions even sturdy enough to make furniture, and not just the Monoblock kind (the iconic Panton chair comes to mind). A few days ago, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if someone came up with biodegradable plastic?” What an awesome creation that would be: convenient and environmentally friendly! Sa’n ka pa?
And then, amazingly, I came across the article “33 Things You Should Have Thought Up” in the latest issue of Reader’s Digest. The entry under Australia reads:
“A new material called Plantic offers an earth-friendly alternative to the petrochemical plastic used in food packaging. Plantic looks and feels like its synthetic cousin, only it’s made from starch, so you can toss it into the compost bin or bury it in the garden. Want to get rid of it even quicker? Pour water on it and watch it dissolve.”
Woohoo!
Not a good option for outdoor furniture just yet, but it is definitely a start!
Seemingly simple acts like what you do can make a big difference. Part of the factors that cause global warming is lifestyle. Remember hairsprays decades ago?
Comment by Lady in Red — January 8, 2008 @ 7:52 am
Every little thing we do makes a difference. At home, I put a basin under every faucet to collect water during hand- and dish-washing. When full, I pour into a pail beside it and when latter is full, use it to water plants and even flush toilets. I also decided to go back using the good ol’ urinola so I don’t keep flushing the toilet often. Water is cheap in my part of the world but if I can save it so that others may use it, why not? Of course, giant bins to catch rainwater is such a blessing! Rainwater is great for washing hair and clothes.
Comment by kala2chi — January 8, 2008 @ 10:31 am
Lady in Red (I am so loving that name by the way. Fiery!), Aqua Net is any dancer’s no. 1 choice for keeping hair in place during a performance! But it’s been phased out, right? And yeah, I guess if everyone did these little acts, Mother Earth would be a whole lot healthier.
Kala2chi, hats off to your water-saving efforts!:)
Comment by Tisha — January 8, 2008 @ 2:46 pm