Sunday, April 25, 2010
Posted in
Environment
|
I sell jewelry components on the internet, most of which go out in bubble mailers sealed with plastic tape. I was feeling bad about the amount of plastic that I was putting into the environment, so I did some searching and found biodegradable bubble mailers (they are made with a special plastic film which breaks down in the presence of water). To go along with the new bubble mailers, I looked for biodegradable packing tape. I discovered that this special plastic film is not yet being used for packing tape. However, I did find cellulose tape (a clear tape made from wood) which is a perfect substitute for normal plastic tape. I was very pleased with myself! But then, without thinking, I purchased a big, heavy desktop tape dispenser made from a big block of plastic, and I also bought a hand-held tape dispenser made from plastic. The amount of plastic in these items must be equivalent to 40 rolls of tape! How stupid was that? I don't entirely blame myself, since desktop dispensers made of metal probably don't exist; but I still could have exercised better judgement. It just goes to show you how easy it is to screw up when you are trying to do the right thing.
Soon I'll publish an article on the biodegradable mailers and tape, and I'll tell you where to get them.
Soon I'll publish an article on the biodegradable mailers and tape, and I'll tell you where to get them.
1 comments:
Congratulations are due to you for trying! But I, without putting my notions to the test, find it impossible to extricate my activities and their impact from society and its areas of impact on the individual. Everything, including the water subsidy that enables us to consume more water than we can pay for, so the cost is subsumed by other participants in the production of potable water, involves us in both the advantages, and disadvantages, of our social matrix. If that is taken to be an excuse for opting out of the struggle to live greenly, it is, I fear---but it should also be taken as a wake-up call (terrible cliche) for each of us to be aware, and when possible, act.
Post a Comment