Two new public health things I have become more interested in are waste reduction and decreasing what I'm calling my "suffering footprint" meaning how much of a toll what I am eating or buying took on other populations or the environment. We'll talk about the suffering footprint in another blog post. Today is about waste reduction.
So, recycling is obviously a much better option than trashing, when applicable. I used to think recycling was a completely waste-free, energy efficient process, but this video about "stuff" informed me otherwise. Ignorance is certainly bliss, and without that bliss... even recycling my cups from the coffee I purchase a few times per week was tainted. Correction - is tainted.
I was trying to reuse my cups as many times as possible before they cracked, or the supply of them in our dish drainer perturbed my wonderful roommate, who would ask, "What are you planning to do with all of these cups?!" in a lovingly annoyed tone. You know the one.
I had no logical answer... there was no plan for all of those cups, quickly taking up an unacceptable percentage of our small kitchen, until I would eventually surrender and recycle them. But if nothing else, letting them pile up in the dish drainer made me realize how many I was using. And I am only one person. And I don't even buy coffee every day.
I had a reusable cup with a straw but the lid leaks and it holds 36 ounces. Do you have any idea what 36 ounces of black ice coffee does to someone?! "Puts them on the express", as my Dad would say, who purposely orders "Expresso" whenever the opportunity arises. I think it just makes people jittery and encourages consumption of enormous portions.
Finally, I have resolved all of these problems with one reasonably sized, 16 ounce cup that has a reliable lid, survives washing, and obviously doesn't take up much room. Reuse for the Earth: 1. Bye-bye one use cups!
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| Summer. Love. |
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