The Three R's for the Earth

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle... How hard is that? Why are so many people resistent to the concept? And amidst all of this "awareness", just WHY are companies using so much more packaging for their products? I'm afraid I don't understand.

When I was young, I remember saving the plastic bags from bread and our used aluminum foil, washing them, then using them again. For us, it was a matter of economics. Not very sanitary, but a decent thought process. But today, we immediately throw everything away... And I do mean EVERYTHING.

Don't wear that shirt anymore? Into the garbage it goes. Tired of that worn-out chair? To hell with recovering it or donating it. Just push it to the curb as trash.

Go buy a part for your computer or a pack of cheese slices. Before you can use either, you must first unwrap... and unwrap... and unwrap. Ridiculous! And we never think twice about it! We've become a disposable society. How sad.

I have friends who find the idea of recycling exhausting. How can that be? We're provided with both a garbage container and a smaller one for those things that can be processed and remade. Put the nasties in one and the bottles, cans, and paper in the other. This is difficult, why? The trucks make runs and pick up the recyclables... We don't have to do a thing! Even members of my own family sometimes have a problem doing this although I have containers for recycling all over our home and property. I don't get it.

One thing I've seen a change in is that whenever I place an order online, it typically comes with these little inflated bags to protect the items from moving around during shipping. A huge improvement from the styrofoam "peanuts" that have been used in the past. Still, I'd rather see shipping houses make an arrangement with publishing houses to reuse outdated magazines and newspapers for that task. It's an change for the better nonetheless.

How about all of the crap that we buy on impulse that just sits until we throw it away? How about the excess in food we produce or buy that gets tossed? Hell, what's with that huge stack of napkins we just HAVE to get when we buy our Quarter Pounder??? Those are things we need to reduce as well.

We are so wasteful that it's pathetic. What's really sad is that we don't even notice. Why? The Industrial Revolution brought so much good to our lives, but it also brought apathy, indolence, and indulgence. Once things became more easily attained, we ceased to value them as much. What a shame.

In past generations, it was a source of pride that a parent could pass on to their child things that have "been in the family". Now, we all want the newest and fanciest... Case in point: computers and cell phones. There's a current article online about what we should repair and what we should simply replace. Guess what? Almost everything falls into the "replace" category. I remember calling repairmen for our tv or washer and taking appliances in to be fixed. Wonder what those guys are doing now?

Don't you just hate the newest trend in packaging store products... I don't even know what it's called... that plastic that requires superhero scissors and good medical insurance just to open? You know what I mean. What's with that? What happened to simply putting things in a cardboard box? Hell, forego even that and just shrinkwrap the sucker! Yea, I get that it helps discourage shoplifters... But, guys, get real. If people want to lift something, they'll find a way no matter what you do. We're talking about our PLANET here and we've only got the one!

Okay, here's an embarassing thing to admit... My own kids are clueless when it comes to mending a lot of things. I tried to teach them. Really I did! But our society deems that it's quite all right just to throw things away. Peer pressure still rules. Doesn't that well and truly suck?

After Katrina, the first and foremost donation that rolled in... then overcame in mountainous proportions... was clothes. It's a great thing to donate, but how in the HELL did we end up with so much in our closets? I understand changing sizes. I do that more and more as I age. I also understand trends in fashions, but being the hippy that I am that really doesn't affect me. And I'm probably guilty of having way more in my closet than I need. But the vast majority of our population can put me to shame in the wardrobe department. Let's not even discuss shoes! LOL Not mine! Just some ladies I love dearly.

So, maybe I've made you at least stop and think. That's a step in the right direction. We need to become more aware of what we use in our everyday lives.

Make or hire someone to make slipcovers. Refinish things in interesting new ways. Buy less and support those companies that embrace more efficient packaging. Donate what you no longer want. Most of all, use those damned recycling bins you've been provided with... PLEASE?

Mother Earth thanks you!