Admittedly, this issue may not feel terribly optimistic. The Delta variant of COVID-19 is a real problem - for everyone, not just the unvaccinated. So, consider this issue a “save for later” type of thing. A hopeful mentality for continued safe and healthy hangouts. Until then, if you’re wondering how your county is doing, this article includes a helpful map by the county that shares the current status of risk.
Making A Difference
One of the main reasons I started Choosing Eco was a desire to simplify the mental hurdles of making smarter, and easier, eco-friendly choices. Years ago when my wife and I took a more active approach to our environmental lives and choices, we felt overwhelmed in many ways.
How to start, where to start, did we need to go gung-ho right away? When I thought about all the areas that I could make changes, I felt overwhelmed. So, we started small.
When I read this article in the New York Times recently, “In Fighting Climate Change, What’s an Individual to Do?” it hit close to home.
Sometimes, and in many ways, the eco-friendly choice, is the simplest one to make. For example, investing in a reusable straw at home is fairly inexpensive. MightyNest, which I wrote about in a previous issue, offers stainless steel, bamboo, and silicone options, all under $10.
Now let’s say you’re at a drive-thru and getting a drink. Skip the plastic straw that has to be thrown away, and switch to your reusable one.
It may not be a huge impact, but you do make a small one and in the battle for the planet, every single positive action is a good one.
When you’ve got 5 minutes to spare, give that NYT article a quick read and see if there are other ideas in it you can translate to your life.
“Pandemic garbage boom ignites debate over waste as energy”
(AP News)
How much do you really know about where your trash goes? As you probably can guess, the majority likely goes to a landfill, but an increasing amount for many municipalities is going to a waste-to-energy facility.
Here in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities, our landfills are overflowing. Waste-to-energy has been a significant portion of the disposal process here, and it’s growing nationwide.
The debate over waste disposal is growing too, as well as concerns that while we’re turning waste into energy, that we’re also creating as many air and pollution problems while we try to fix a waste problem. It certainly feels like a catch-22.
“The Climate Change Link To More And Bigger Wildfires”
(NPR)
If you’ve got 7-minutes to spare, this story is worth a listen. As hazy skies have plagued Minnesota recently, we’ve felt the effects of fires in Canada and the west. Shocker: smokey air is not good for you.
So is climate change making wildfire seasons worse? Yes. Listen to the NPR story to learn more.
Here at last! The optimistic section of this issue. Let’s hang out with friends! Ok, that was easy. But, how do we hang out and make sustainable and low waste choices? (Note: I say low waste because zero waste is a great end goal, but let’s start small, ok?)
American culture has a significant single-use mentality. We buy what we want, many times not what we need. So, how do we shift our brains to consider what we want for a party versus what we need?
What to eat one and eat with
The simplest place to start is dishes and utensils. Just use what you have already! Single-use plastic is devastating for our trash problems (see above). If you have fragile or sentimental dishware you’d rather not share for parties, consider branching out and hunting down homey-feeling vintage plates from secondhand stores. Use your existing silverware in your house and reduce the plastic utensils.
If you want to buy new, melamine is a popular type that’s resilient and many times sustainably made. If you don’t want to store those, consider going with paper products that can be commercially composted or recycled (if they’re not heavily soiled). There are bamboo and sugar cane plates now that are much kinder to our planet.
Messy meal and sticky fingers? Use cloth napkins for your guests too!
Disposal plan
Ok, you’ve got the plate and silverware dialed in. Now to get rid of leftover food on plates and cans.
Make it easy on your guests and label bins of where items should go. Compost, recycle, and trash. If you are able, even make visual labels with images of the type of material that goes in each.
And finally, let your guests know that if they don’t know what to do with something - ask you! You’re the final stop.
Additional Ideas
Ready for even more ideas? This article, “How to throw a party that’s easy on the Earth” offers further ideas on decorations (a no-no on balloons even though they’re fun) and party favors.
Last but not least, have fun! While we all relish the reconnections with friends and families, we can use this time to make small changes in our homes that do have an impact on your community. Not to mention, we are so often influenced by others that if you make these types of efforts, it may certainly inspire your guests for changes in their habits too. Win-win!
Like what you read? Consider sharing it with others and help us grow our reach. Thank you in advance!