Imagine the world without anger, without greed. We have the power, the tools, the skills and the resources right now to build a peaceful world, where people live in harmony with the Earth and each other. This blog explores ways we are doing just that, one post, one change, one day at a time. Join me. Tell your stories. Ask for help. Spread your ideas for making the vision real and, well, ordinary.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Zero waste challenge: Rappin' plastic

It's extra tough to avoid plastic this time of year. We were in a toy store (Inhale the polyethylene!) shopping for a birthday gift for our granddaughter the other day. What's not made of plastic, wrapped in plastic, or has plastic bits attached? Not one item. Yes, we succumbed. We bought a gift we knew she would enjoy, plastic up the yin yang. It doesn't help much that it was the least offensive of all the items we considered.

In the crush at the checkout counter, I forgot to tell the clerk I had my own bag. He dropped our purchase into a plastic one and grimaced when I gently returned it to him, apologizing for the trouble. Perhaps he would have enjoyed this video with rapper AshEL Eldridge and singer Jenni Perez. I hope you do.



Did you notice they mentioned that even Mother's milk is contaminated? All my grandchildren, as my own children, were breastfed. Of course, what's in the ultra-high-heat-pasteurized milk they drink now is even worse, but that's another story. One small action at a time. Two steps forward, one and a half back. Will we get there in time?
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We make peace in a million small ways every day.
All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.

5 comments:

Wanda said...

I so admire your efforts. I haven't even been able to get beyond trying to remember my shopping bags so I don't take a plastic one. I guess we do what we can.

graceonline said...

Wanda, yes, we each do what we can, and I know you are doing your part in other ways--growing a CSA garden, for example, and building cold frames from scrap so you can grow your own vegetables during the winter months, for just two examples.

Hayden said...

Recently at a supermarket the clerk didn't pass my bag to the bagging guy before he'd already tossed everything in plastic. No problem. He picked up the plastic bag and put it in the cloth bag I brought. Stunning.

graceonline said...

Hayden, All I can do is laugh. Thanks for the chuckle.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Haha, that happens here too, they put the bought items in a plastic bag then give it to me to put in my basket. I usually give it back and make a joke or something.

It's hard for people to change but if the women of Ladakh can do it, we can.

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