Paper or Plastic or...

One of the first changes I made in order to live a greener life was to cut back on my use of plastic bags and containers. I mean, degrading plastic bags result in fish malnutrition*! Who wants an ocean full of malnourished fish, looking at us with big sad eyes, small tears rolling down their scales**. And what about the North Pacific gyre? While "gyre" super-cool, sci-fi style word***, it's a super-gross concept - a floating continent of plastic waste swirling in the Pacific Ocean. And what about the trees? Do you think the Giving Tree would have felt so giving if she had a bunch of plastic bags stuck between her branches?****


Produce was always a wrench in the reusable-bag system. Some items you can just toss in the cart without a bag - like an avocado. But it seems rude to make the kid at the check-out ring up 10 limes individually ... although since the kids at my neighborhood store aren't very friendly, maybe it would teach them a lesson about the value of hard work and customer service.


I tried reusing produce bags; I tried finding some net ones; I even thought about making my own, but my sewing skills haven't advanced to the "I-can-sew-net" level. Luckily, it's hip to be green, and I don't care if people are green poseurs or green hipsters or green rock stars, as long as green behavior results from the trends. Reusable bags are de rigeur these days, and green produce bags are becoming readily available.


I got mine at Kroger. When the check-out guy at Whole Foods (they are extremely friendly there, unlike at my other neighborhood store which shall not be named except I named it one sentence ago) asked where I got my cool net produce bags, he looked pretty chagrined to hear that it was at another grocery store.


If you can't find any at your grocery store, there are Etsy sellers who can also hook you up. Make the other hipsters jealous and get some today.


*How do fish get malnutrition? I'm glad you asked.
But I didn't ...
Shh... Let me tell you. The sun breaks down the plastic bags into little plastic crumbs. Fish - because, let's face it, their brains aren't huge - think that the pieces of plastic are food, so they eat them. Then their tummies become all full of plastic and they don't eat the nutritious sea vermin that they are supposed to. It's pretty much exactly what happened in The Lorax, only underwater.
** Except you can't see the tears, because fish are already underwater.
*** Can't you just hear The Doctor saying "Power up the TARDIS, we're headed for the Gyre!"
****The answer is: Probably. But the Giving Tree was a masochist.

The Squirrel and the Mockingbird

Three Short Stories with Interpretation

Since last weekend, when I wrote the Tell Me a Story post (if you haven't read that one yet, you may want to before this one), I've been thinking a lot about what else I wanted to say on the subject of story-telling and living green. Note, I usually try not to be too preachy or too long-winded, but this might be a little of both. Luckily, I've got stories to go along with the philosophizing!

Story 1

Ethics

When I was twenty or so, I took a brief sojourn into community college, after some hasty decisions left me without college money for a year. I loved community college, and there I took the hardest two classes of my life, taught by Dr. C.

One of those classes was Ethics. All quarter, we learned about different theories trying to explain why some actions are considered right and others wrong. We hung out with the Stoics, pondered with Alyosha from Karamazov, took leaps of faith with Kierkegaard, and took dutiful walks with Kant. We considered ethics of utility (Mill) and the ethics of fellow feeling (Hume). The class was difficult, and by the end I think only about six of us showed up regularly. The final day, we were scheduled to have our finals returned, and Dr. C. told us we could ask him whatever we wanted about ethics, even ask him which philosophy he believed in. He passed out the finals, and then asked if we had any questions. We did -- oh... I'm sure we did. We all wanted to know what the dry-humored Dr. C. realy believed. But all six of us were mute with anxiety. Why? I have no idea. After a long silence, Dr. C. said that if we didn't have any questions, we could go. He picked up his things. Just before he hit the door, he turned to us and said: "It's Hume, by the way."

And he walked out.

If you were to ask me what I believe about why some things are right and some are wrong, I would say -- I believe in stories. As I wrote about in my previous post, we seem to be primed (by nature or nurture, I don't know) to favor stories that fit a sort of universal structure -- known as a story grammar by researchers. I think we determine right and wrong by whether we can fit actions into a story grammar.

Our whole legal system is based on this idea. Two opposing sides tell stories, and the one who tells the story that best conforms to certain principles is the one that's judged "true." As a society, we don't really seem to believe in absolutes. I mean, we say we do. We say that killing is bad, that stealing is wrong. But if I can tell you a story that makes sense ("I stole the bread because my babies are starving") I'm likely to be forgiven. If my story doesn't make sense ("I stole the bread because I was making a bread sculpture"), I get the book thrown at me.

OK, Catfish, I bet you're thinking. This little lecture from you scholarly days is all well and good. But what about living green?

That brings us to ...

Story 2

The Lorax and the Truax

Once upon a time, a beloved children's author wrote a book called The Lorax. The lorax is about a magical creature who tries to save a forest from devastation, and he speaks the unforgettable words "I am the Lorax I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues." Children loved the book, but when some folks in the timber industry realized the book had an environmental message, they became incensed with the suggestion that clear-cutting and over-consumption might be bad. The book was banned in libraries in some timber communities.

But they realized that just keeping the story of the Lorax from the children was not enough. The only way to fight the truth of a story is to provide a counter-story. So several timber industry groups got together to fund that story. It's called The Truax. In it, a wise logger tells a foolish creature named Guardbark about all of the good that logging can do. Now teachers have an alternative to share with students who might be swayed by the Lorax's call to stop over-consumption!

The Truax is not a good book (it's also implicitly racist in its caricature of Guardbark, but that's a matter for another time.) And I don't think it will ever outsell Dr. Seuss's read-aloud classic, The Lorax, especially since it's free. However, it represents something that I think anti-environmentalists do much better than we do: control the narrative.

The Lorax makes narrative sense. It is simple and clear. Any kid, reading it, would think - hey, cutting down all the trees is bad. We should not do that. I used to read it to my students, and they usually got the message of the story without much prompting. That's the power of narratives that fit the story grammar embedded between our ears. We hear the messages, loud and clear.

The people who wrote The Truax knew that, and so they set about attempting to control the narrative. In the case of Lorax v. Truax, it's one simple story against another. However, much of the time, anti-environmentalists are telling simple, clear stories with obvious messages (Scientists who study global warming are liars who falsify data, thus they cannot be trusted; Protecting America is the most important thing and for that we need oil, even if oil rigs sometimes blow up; environmentalists hate America and want you to be deprived of your right to consume whatever you want) -- they're telling a children's story. On the other side, we, the greenies, are trying to tell a story that's more like a Quentin Tarantino movie. We're presenting evidence from multiple sources, projected timelines, using historical data, and asking you to radically change your ways while excusing the fact that there might have been some shady emailing going on in East Anglia. While I think a story of subtlety and nuance better represents the world we live in, it doesn't have the feeling of "rightness" that a simpler story, with clear cause-and-effect, does.

Story 3

The Squirrel and the Mockingbird, or

Zen in the City

So yesterday, I went for a walk and heard a commotion above me. I saw a squirrel running along a wire. And then I realized that the squirrel was being chased by a mockingbird. The mockingbird was flying loopy-de-loops, like Snoopy the World War I flying ace, dodging over and under the squirrel, chirrupping and pecking away. The squirrel leaped for a tree and for a moment I lost sight of them in the leaves, which shook as the mockingbird continued to dive bomb. A moment later, the squirrel emerged from the tree on another wire. He kept running. The mockingbird continue to lay chase.

So, who's the squirrel? Who's the mockingbird? And is it better to be a squirrel or a mockingbird?

So, we're the squirrel. We know what we want. We just want to run on the wire and get where we're going (protect the earth. Avoid global catastrophe). But there's a damn mockingbird pecking at us. It's making us veer off course. We're doing dumb stuff, like agreeing to more offshore drilling as part of a "comprehensive" energy plan. We look like jerks, because we suggest that the oil spill might be good because it's a wake up call. We confuse people, because we don't answer simple questions, like, "Paper or plastic?" without a lot of hemming and hawing and jargon. And it's happening because we're refusing to control the narrative. We just keep running, but we never really get anywhere.

Instead of continuing to run, it's time to turn around and punch that mockingbird in the face.

We need to buck up, and start telling our story. It's a good one, and if we tell it correctly, it fits the story grammar. It's a story that any kid can understand: Cause: Our lifestyle means chemicals, trash, manufacturing by-products and other sludge are filling the air, water, and land. We change the surface of the earth. Effect: Turtles are choking. Kids have asthma. World temperatures are rising. Polar bears are drowning. People are dying in floods, famines, and hurricanes. Solution: We have to change our lifestyle so that others don't die.

Until we're willing to come right out and say what's going on, no one's going to change. If my story is, I'm going to choose a plastic bag because it doesn't make much of a difference anyway... well, I won't do anything differently. But if my story is this: I chose a plastic bag and my plastic bag just choked a turtle -- well, why wouldn't I at least try to change? Unless I hated turtles. But come on. Turtles are cute.

Coming up: Whew! OK, now that I'm done with that, I'll be back to my usual fun-loving, DIYing, cooking self. Expect more meatless recipes, some macabre decor tips, and a green summer beverage round-up!

What the Little Plastic Bag Said to the Mama Plastic Bag

"When I grow up, I want to be upcycled into something both useful and attractive."

Mama said, "Don't get uppity. You're going to end up in the ocean like the rest of your family, and then you're going to choke a turtle to death."

But the Little Plastic Bag hoped and hoped with all his might. And one day ... he was turned into miraculous products like these ...

Sara sent me this picture of a bag crocheted from plastic bag "yarn", seen at the San Leandro Farmer's Market.

I love this idea! Handcrafted, upcycled, and sold at an alternative to the traditional marketplace. I have also seen rugs knitted from "yarn" that was made from old T-shirts.

But there are always larger market forces at work than the micro-versions at your local Farmer's Market, and one company that seems to be all over the place these days is Terracycle. They take waste and turn it into other stuff, like this pencil case made out of pretzel bags:

As fall approaches, and school supplies start popping up on the shelves of big box retailers, Terracycle's fun, upcycled binders, pens, pencils, and backpacks can be seen on the shelves next to High School Musical notebooks. To add to their charm, schools and individuals can make money collecting the waste that gets turned into their products.

And if you like your capitalism with a touch of old school revolution mixed in, check out their Eco-Capitalist Guidebook.

Snack Renovation

I love snacks! In fact, my entire diet is fairly snack-like, as I am a big fan of eating small meals/snacks every 2 hours or so. In my quest to eat fewer processed foods, however, my daily snacks needed to be renovated. It was time to say good-bye to 100-calorie packs and microwave popcorn, and try to say hello to nature's bounty. Here's what my lunch kit contained on a random day this week to satisfy my snacky cravings:

• An organic nectarine. Yum! The nectarines have been amazingly delicious this summer.
• A bag of snap peas - and yes, those plastic baggies have been washed and re-used. Unfortunately, the grocery store didn't have any organics.
• A bag of organic strawberries.
• Some Yoplait yogurt. While this is definitely a processed food, I perused the ingredients list. Those processed foods I do choose to eat (and of course, I eat many of them) I'm examining more carefully, and trying to reduce the numbers of things I eat that contain ingredients that are a) unprounounceable, b) unrecognizable, and c) unfoodlike. My Yoplait fit the bill. Also, I like Yoplait because I can recycle the packaging, whereas their competitor's packaging can't be recycled in Houston.

These snacks were delicious and my renovated diet has had a secondary benefit: I've lost 3.5 pounds without any effort at all!

Of course, my favorite healthy, unprocessed snack is this:

Random Things

Hey! I'm vacationing in beautiful Oakland, California this weekend, but wanted to take a moment to pass along 4 Random Things (not 25, all Facebookers might expect). Here they are, in no particular order:

• Oakland is a really great city! Though much-maligned by the popular imagination, it has great old buildings, parks, and some cool vintage signage. Pictures should be following.
• Loyal reader Frances, aka: My Mom, sent in the following reports about some green products:
  • Green Works Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner by Clorox. Two thumbs way down. The product smears on glass and leaves streaks and a residue. And it smells awful -- kind of like sick Seven-Up.
  • Orange Plus Natural Orange All Purpose Everyday Cleaner by Earth Friendly Products. Safe and reasonably effective. Especially good for counter tops, stove top, lightly soiled floors and other surfaces. Not a powerhouse cleaner for really greasy or heavily dirty areas but good for, as they say, everyday. Fresh smell that doesn't linger.
• And finally, one more plastic bag solution for you parents out there, discovered on a Safeway trip with my friend Sara and her little guy, Desmond. The bottom of the stroller - the place where you might stash a jacket or purse, can also fit a small number of groceries. Not a solution for "big shopping" - as my mom called the weekly grocery trip- but for a quick, eco-friendly walk to the store it works great.

Tomorrow, DIY Friday: Knit or Die!

Plastic Bag Solutions

So, the other day I wrote about how bad plastic bags are. And granted, that was a bit preachy, and I try not to take anyone to church in this blog. It's supposed to be about solutions. So here are some solutions:

• Of course, the obvious one is this: bring your own bags to the store. (Upcoming will be a product review of the brand I like best).
• A lot of stores will give you a 5 cent discount for every bag of your own that you bring in and use. Target and Whole Foods are two chains that I know do this. (If you know of others, you could post them in the comments section). I also like how some stores (Borders comes to mind) ask if you want a bag at all. Carrying two books out of the store without a bag is not problem, which brings me to my next point ...
• If you're not buying much, why do you need a bag at all? If you carry your purchases out, however, I recommend holding your receipt like a flag, just in case anyone wonders why you're walking out of Safeway with your hands full of groceries.
• Granted, plastic bags can be handy for things like in-car trash bags and scooping cat litter. Re-using is definitely better than throwing away. My friend Sarah says you can get biodegradable bags for animal waste - I haven't looked into this yet, but as soon as I do, I'll let you know how it goes.
• Zip-loc type bags can be washed out and re-used. I had a friend who did this, and I thought she was crizazy. It seemed like going just a bit far with the whole save the world thing, right? But, I admit I've become a convert to this practice. Zip-locs are expensive, so re-using just seems to make sense (I resisted the urge to write "makes cents" there, but didn't resist it enough, apparently). Turn the bag inside out and wash it with dish soap and water. Then let it dry -- it will dry faster if you open it up and place the mouth over a glass to keep the bag open.

So go forth, and keep a sea turtle from choking to death on a drug store bag.

Coming up tomorrow: DIY Sunday

Paper, plastic, or neither?

This post is under a

p Preachiness Alert p

because I just may begin ranting ...

So, as part of my job, I sometimes have to write little stories for second and third graders. Yesterday, I was trying to think of a topic for a short expository piece, I hit National Geographic for Kids on the web. There were a bunch of videos about weird science topics. One video featured Edward Norton talking about plastic bags. Now, that sounded boring to me, and I didn't think any second or third graders would be interested in it, but Edward Norton has been one of my celebrity boyfriends for many years now, and so I decided to watch the video.

It turns out, plastic bags are both evil and fascinating. My colleague and I ended up writing our story about them, and here's what we learned:

• As you probably know, plastic grocery bags can kill marine animals that become tangled in them or choke on them.
• In some places, the ocean floor is completely covered with bags which have filled with water and sunk to the bottom.
• Plastic bags photodegrade into tiny toxic pieces. There are parts of the oceans where there are more of these toxic bits than food for marine life.
• Off the coast of California, a swirling mass of plastic bags has converged where several currents come together. This mass is TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS.
• In Africa, so many plastic bags are flying around in the wind that people "harvest" them and turn them into baskets and ... more bags (which at least recycles them!)

Now, those cute re-usable bags that have been popping up everywhere seem more urgent than before.

Coming up: Some other things you can do to reduce dependence on these "insidious tumbleweeds" (as Mr. Edward Norton referred to plastic garbage bags.) Also, a product review of the type of bag I use, guaranteed to put the chic back in "eco-chic" - if that's even a term. I'm not sure it is.