So today was Earth Day and it got me thinking about about becoming more "green." Actually, it had me realize how un-environmentally conscious I am. I care about these things but I do nothing. And today, in honor of the earth I made two little changes.
1. I HATE plastic bags. They are abundant and annoying. According to www.reusablebags.com there are over ONE TRILLION plastic bags being used this year. On average each American uses 300-700 plastic bags each year! These bags end up as little, pollutants, require oil to produce, and are harmful to animals. So I decided to purchase a sustainable alternative to plastic bags. I chose Chico Bags just based on reviews and preference and I am excited for them to arrive and to stop contributing to the unnecessary waste!
2. Recently there has been coverage in the news about plastic and the fact that it is leaching BPA (bisphenol-A) into our water and food. This compound mimics estrogen in our bodies and can have detrimental effects ranging from cancer to problems with fertility and not to mention they are tetarogenic. Apparently plastics #2, 4, 5 are okay, #1 is okay for one time use, but our beloved nalgenes, #7 fall under the guilty culprit list for leaching BPA's. So I decided to purchase a SIGG water bottle which is BPA free. Ironically I did some research on this BPA thing and they have known for over a decade that this was occurring and the detrimental health effects, yet we keep producing this plastic, in baby bottles no less!
A special thank you to my friends who are WAY ahead of me in being environmentally conscious and for putting up with my small musings to make a difference.
1 comment:
For anyone wanting to do even more to avoid using non-reusable grocery bags:
http://www.morsbags.com/
And don't forget about evil plastic #3, PVC, the one that must be avoided. It doesn't have to do with leaching BPA, but has been shown to leach other chemical additives. Also, they are thought to be harmful for the environment, causing immune system suppression, reproductive disorders, and endometriosis. Needless to say, those aren't my favorite right now!
Post a Comment