Comments on: My February Zero Waste Challenge http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/ Make Everyday Earth Day Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:02:55 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: patriciab http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-10927 patriciab Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:02:33 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/#comment-10927 Laurel 77, You're right, learning to avoid grab-and-run purchasing takes time and effort. And time is something many of us don't have much of - because we are working long hours to be able to afford "goody bags, tons of plastic, paper and disposable cartoon character things, juice boxes…etc" Finding the time can get easier as you begin to see that larger trade-offs may be possible. And letting kids learn that having fun does not require lots of plastic goodies is worth its weight in gold. Laurel 77,
You’re right, learning to avoid grab-and-run purchasing takes time and effort. And time is something many of us don’t have much of – because we are working long hours to be able to afford “goody bags, tons of plastic, paper and disposable cartoon character things, juice boxes…etc” Finding the time can get easier as you begin to see that larger trade-offs may be possible. And letting kids learn that having fun does not require lots of plastic goodies is worth its weight in gold.

]]> By: laurel77 http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-10920 laurel77 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:59:25 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/#comment-10920 Great watching your progress as I'm right behind you! Keep going. I have found that the no-trash idea is more of a mindset that requires a bit of planning, or preparing, testing and time. I have been raised to just do, and now I must think ahead a bit. For instance, I have kids and birthday parties have become insane; goody bags, tons of plastic, paper and disposable cartoon character things, juice boxes...etc. So, this time, no goody bag, I gave out Jibbets and placed them right on the kid's Croc, have comm'l silverware and plastic plates, I just put in dishwasher, juice poured from a recyclable bottle into little plastic cups that I washed, tablecloth was brown paper that the kids decorated, homemade cake, no balloons, water party in the yard--it was fun. And we didn't have a huge black trash bag for our efforts! We wrap gifts with decorated 100% post recycled brown paper and recycled ribbons--no one cares or notices. But, here's what bums me out, it takes time and that is something I think our society seems to be losing because we do so much with our time and have little "open" time. So we grab the water bottle, the wrapped goody, buy the junk--it's just faster and in the end not very eco-friendly. I'll stay optimistic. Great watching your progress as I’m right behind you! Keep going. I have found that the no-trash idea is more of a mindset that requires a bit of planning, or preparing, testing and time.
I have been raised to just do, and now I must think ahead a bit.

For instance, I have kids and birthday parties have become insane; goody bags, tons of plastic, paper and disposable cartoon character things, juice boxes…etc. So, this time, no goody bag, I gave out Jibbets and placed them right on the kid’s Croc, have comm’l silverware and plastic plates, I just put in dishwasher, juice poured from a recyclable bottle into little plastic cups that I washed, tablecloth was brown paper that the kids decorated, homemade cake, no balloons, water party in the yard–it was fun. And we didn’t have a huge black trash bag for our efforts! We wrap gifts with decorated 100% post recycled brown paper and recycled ribbons–no one cares or notices.

But, here’s what bums me out, it takes time and that is something I think our society seems to be losing because we do so much with our time and have little “open” time. So we grab the water bottle, the wrapped goody, buy the junk–it’s just faster and in the end not very eco-friendly. I’ll stay optimistic.

]]> By: Wikipedia » My February Zero Waste Challenge http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-10003 Wikipedia » My February Zero Waste Challenge Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:20:34 +0000 http://earth911.com/blog/2008/02/04/my-february-zero-waste-challenge/#comment-10003 [...] China expat and traveller community blog | Lost Laowai China Blog wrote an interesting post today on My February Zero Waste ChallengeHere’s a quick excerptCuriously Green [1] is an exclusive Earth 911 series showcasing the adventures of individuals attempting to go green. [...] [...] China expat and traveller community blog | Lost Laowai China Blog wrote an interesting post today on My February Zero Waste ChallengeHere’s a quick excerptCuriously Green [1] is an exclusive Earth 911 series showcasing the adventures of individuals attempting to go green. [...]

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