Recycle Electronics, Eh?
Posted: June 10, 2011 Filed under: Eco-conciousness, environment | Tags: cell phone, electronics, recycle Leave a comment »“How long have you had that phone?” my cousin asked me.
“Since 7th grade,” I replied.
My family seemingly screeched to a halt and looked at me for a good second.
“Why haven’t you gotten a new phone?” the 13 year old asked inquisitively.
“Mmmm, I haven’t needed a new phone. I actually really like this phone — it’s battery lasts a long time,” I answered.
“Not everyone can afford whatever they want, when they want like you can,” my aunt teased.
This would imply that I want a new phone. There have been many chances to upgrade in the past, but why? It works well and fine, there’s no need to get a new phone for the sake of it.
“…this phone is back from when alltell was still a company.”
It wasn’t really a joke but they laughed and laughed at that.
3 years. We consider that a long life for an electronic. Imagine the e-waste. Newest, latest, and greatest versions are always coming out. I’ve also done my fair share of salivating over new shiny toys…
Companies often make it imperative to get the newest version so it’ll work with the upgraded software. Remember the Gameboy SP? After the DS came out, they no longer sold games for the SP, making it obsolete.
Be sure to donate, resell, or recycle your electronics. Check and see if the company takes in their old products like Apple and Motorola. Here’s a comprehensive list for recycling electronics.
What is more important? Environmental Edition
Posted: February 23, 2011 Filed under: Eco-conciousness, environment | Tags: plastic 2 Comments »A short lived perk me up from a cup of coffee — or the styrofoam that will take 1 million + years to decompose?
Negligent convenience or a simple no-straw please?
that's my mascot --suffering!
$1 for a cheaply made, hazardous, soon-to-be-discarded product made in China or high quality goods handmade from artisans?
The ‘economy’ or our health?
What is more important?
Deconstructing Toothpaste: The Dangers of Mainstream Dental Advice
Posted: February 14, 2011 Filed under: Eco-conciousness, environment, Food | Tags: aluminum, sodium sarcharrin, toothpaste 4 Comments »
Fluoride is touted as a teeth saving substance and poured into our municipal water systems. It isn’t already present but purposely poured. Recall!
Fluoride is a poison!
Fluoride is from Florida phosphate fertilizer smokestacks and also an impure industrial waste product. It is an essential component of atomic bomb production and half a tube of fluoride toothpaste can kill a child. Fluoride is also suspected of being a causing factor of Alzheimer’s along with aluminum. Think about it, the whole reason The Notebook went down could’ve been because of fluoride.
A 1998 study on the effects of aluminum-fluoride and sodium fluoride in the drinking water of rats concluded: “Chronic administration of aluminum-fluoride and sodium-fluoride in the drinking water of rats resulted in distinct morphological alterations of the brain, including the effects on neurons and cerebrovasculature.” In layman’s terms, it looked like fluoride and aluminum could cause Alzheimer’s.
Besides toothpaste, fluoride can also be found in vitamins, glass-etching/chrome cleaning agents, insecticides, and rodenticides, processed foods, and beverages.
“In a sweetheart deal these phosphate companies are spared the expense of disposing of this ‘fluosilicic acid’ in a toxic waste dump. Instead, the acid is sold to municipalities, shipped in rubber-lined tanker trucks to reservoirs across North America and injected into drinking water for the reduction of cavities in children. (So toxic are the contents of the fluoride trucks that, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, authorities were alerted to keep a watchful eye on road shipments of the children’s tooth-decay reducer.)”
-Christopher Bryson
Besides fluoride, we also have another deal breaker in our toothpaste:
Sodium Saccharine
It’s 500 times sweeter than sugar and causes bladder tumors in the urinary tract of rats in high dosages. It is also used as a low calorie sweetener in foods and should be avoided if pregnant.
Why would the government allow this?
…Why do you still trust the government?
Don’t take what any authority figure says at face value simply because they are an authority figure. I think it’s obvious from looking at our food system and toxties in our products that there is something wrong here. But most people haven’t waken up and realized it!
GMO (genetically modified) salmon is not healthy friends!! Oh, you think it’s fine since we have GMO vegetables and fruits? Those aren’t having adverse effects? Look around sistah, they actually are. Low infertility, impaired mental functioning, and weight gain. Of course, no one advertises these effects, why would they? It doesn’t help their propaganda, they only hire biased scientists who say “We have researched this component and have not found any cause for alarm, it appears safe.” YO that’s BS!
*Ok, that very last tidbit is a rant that I would like to tell a close friend.
I personally use some sort of Native American tooth powder but an easy and quick alternative is aluminum free baking soda (no, not Arm & Hammer).
Resources – Truth about Fluoride, Toxity, Flouride, Dangers of fluoride, Where does Fluoride come from?, Alzheimer’s in America, Sodium Saccharin
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Yum, Plastic Tastes so Good; How does LOA work?
Posted: November 7, 2010 Filed under: Eco-conciousness, environment, Life 4 Comments »There have been major changes to my physical appearance in the past week or so. First, I cut some stylin bangs onto my forehead. Second, I got my braces removed.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
I now wear a retainer instead and have myself a newly acquired lisp. That’s right. A lisp. I actually find it quite entertaining though. My close friends in marketing told me I sound like a retard and they couldn’t take me seriously upon hearing my “accent.” Thanks friends, you really boost my confidence and raise my pride.
“I think I shound shexy with a lishp.” You guys should hear me say that in person. I sound even sexier.
The retainer is unfortunately made out of plastic. I’ve been thinking a lot about plastic consumption lately. How could you not when this disposable son of a gun produces results like this:
For more plasticky reading check out my entry How We’re Killing the Planet: The Ultimate Guide to Plastic or Beth Terry’s Fakeplasticfish. She’s pretty awesome and actually keeps all of the plastic she’s ever used since 2006!! If I did that…. I don’t even want to imagine what my house would look like.
I bought a smargendosh of raw food and I expect the shipment to come in soon! Once I’ve eaten it and felt some effects, I’ll definitely post about it.
The Law of Attraction Works!
In LOA the point of thinking good thoughts is the accompaniment of good feelings. My friend recently entered in a drawing for winning a flatscreen television at our school. She is the only other friend who knows of LOA (that I know of).
Whenever she spoke about the contest, she spoke as if she had already won. It was quite amusing especially people’s reactions.
“How do you know you’re going to win??”
“I just know.”
“No you don’t. You’re not going to win!”
Despite any comments she got, she still spoke confidently about the contest as if she knew it was a sure thing.
On the day of the drawing, she came into fourth period with a look of despair on her face.
“Now they say I have to kick a field goal. I can’t kick a field goal! This isn’t fair… they didn’t tell me about this.”
With baited breath, the class tentatively waited for them to announce the two finalists.
*drumroll*
My friend was chosen!
Our other comrades at the table had looks of aghast asking, “How the heck did she know she was going to win????”
I high fived her and said, “Alriggght. I was the only one who believed in you.”
So, in the end, my friend won a camcorder. She made a deal with the other finalist that she would take the camcorder and they could have the 36″ flat screen. She traded because the other finalist was quite confident that they could make the field goal.
This is a great example of how our beliefs actually create the world we live in. If you believe you have _____, then it will come to you simply because you feel it. Personally I think if she hadn’t thought those feelings of worry in the end, she could have gotten the TV. But her pull was strong enough that she still got a camcorder. This is just my speculation. It’s understandable though, she’s never seriously kicked any sports balls before.
*Update*
She totally had the flat screen in the bag! She was drawn as 1st to win the flat screen and traded with the 2nd place winner when she found she had to kick a field goal at the football game. It turns out she just had to kick it, she didn’t actually have to make it in. The “2nd” place winner kicked the football, missed, and is now enjoying a nice 36″ flat screen in the comforts of her home. My friend is peeved.
Swimming in my Driveway?!
Posted: September 29, 2010 Filed under: environment, inspiration, Life 12 Comments »It’s raining up a flood here. Quite literally. The rain has pounded upon our soiled earth for a while. It’s gotten so bad good that school was delayed earlier this week, we were released early today, and school is canceled tomorrow. Yipee! The other day I decided to play in the rain instead of cower from it. When you think about it, isn’t rain really amazing? It’s dewdrops falling right out of the sky!
I changed into some I-don’t-care-clothes and headed outside barefoot, traveling the vacant house next door (I think my neighbors got evicted and moved to Vegas). The house goes down a bit steeper resulting in a shallow, kiddie pooled driveway also lending itself into the grass.
Teehee! I ran through the flooded plains in the rain and laid down in the pool. I also developed a splashing technique to create the largest waves possible around me. It felt so fun and freeing! It’s only a pity that my younger brother couldn’t join me, calling me “crazy” (Dad also wouldn’t let him, not wanting him to get sick). A couple of cars slowed down and watched me while they passed by and the mail lady waved to me twice.
My brother caught a goldfish in our fish pond and I placed him in the neighbor’s driveway….. I followed the fishie around, keeping track of his movements. He settled down in the flooded grass and seemed to prefer this area. I then lifted him out and placed him in my lap where he hid under my loosely folded legs. Stroked him a bit. Such a cool and surreal experience. How many people can say they actually played with their goldfish, in the flesh scales?!
I’ve noticed the tendency in people to complain about the climate, whether hot or cold…. Instead of complaining about it, why don’t we just embrace it! I remember having one of these wet spells at school last year which resulted in one of the most magnificent sights my eyes have yet to behold. The building’s roof, which also doubles as mini-shelter for the sidewalk, filled with the pouring rain and created strong, glassy waterfalls all along the school’s edges. I looked at the continuous streams of water along all of the perimeters of the courtyard and it was just so… amazing. My friend, who had pulled me out of class to see, and I reveled in the beautiful and uniquely jaw-dropping scene.
I felt fresh and chilly after my shower. Felt nicceee.
How We're Killing the Planet: The Ultimate Guide to Plastic
Posted: July 20, 2010 Filed under: environment, Life, Minimalism 3 Comments »And How Minimalism is the Solution
Why should you simplify your life? Or even better, become a minimalist?
Quite obviously, for the environment. I’m quite sure you’ve heard of the BP oil spill. Yes, it is partly the government’s and BP’s fault for having terribly loose regulations. But, what most people don’t realize while playing the blame game and driving to work everyday after disposing of 1 pound of plastic is– it’s our faults too. We’re the ones who demand so much oil. The people, the citizens. Did you know that plastic never biodegrades? It only photodegrades meaning plastic is only able to emit toxic chemicals and turn into tinier and tinier pieces for the fishies and birdies to eat. Yum.
Things made out of Oil List:
- Plastic bags: 500 billion to One trillion bags (!) are used each year. That’s twelve 0′s!
Fact- Plastic enters the food chain and leeches toxic chemicals. Who ends up eating that plastic? US! Mmmm, plastic stew.
- Plastic for our food, i.e. Tupperware, packaging, disposable utensils (ugh!), food preservatives and mineral oil in our food (ewww), plastic covering, sandwich bags, Egg cartons, breadboxes, cake decorations, jars, milk jugs, wax paper, coffee pots, mops, ice trays, lunch boxes, Styrofoam, drinking straws, pudding and yogurt molds, refrigerators, detergent bottles
- Water Bottles (two million are used every 5 minutes in the USA), Canned Food, Baby Bottles
Fact- BPA, found in the above, is one of many man-made chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors, which alter the function of the endocrine system by mimicking the role of the body’s natural hormones. BPA is drastically released once exposed to heat. Don’t drink those old bottles in your car!
- Tires, cars, rugs, shower curtains, lamps, glue, DVD’s, dice, crayons
I definitely say this is where we should vacay for our next honeymoon.
Fact: There is a little Ginormous floating toxic garbage island twice the size of Texas to twice the size of the USA, it’s hard to measure. And Texas is big y’all. The government has been ignoring it since it’d take about 10 billion dollars to clean up. It is made up of 80% plastic and floating in between Hawaii and Japan. It is estimated to weigh around 100 million tons.
- All Polyester clothing (flannel PJ’s, blouses, pants), all nylon clothing, ballet tights, pantyhose, plastic hangers, purses, flip flops, earrings, faux fur, raincoats, sneakers, umbrellas, boots
- Cosmetic packaging, deodorant, makeup, skincare products (in the form of mineral oil, propylene glycol), shampoos, conditioners, and body washes, shaving cream, wigs, nail polish, cologne, hair brushes, lipstick, curlers, perfume, hair color, mascara, toothbrushes
Fact: Since plastic can never biodegrade, all of the plastic we’ve ever manufactured, ever made, is still with us today. O.M.G. !!!!!
- Ball point pens, ink, computers, printers, copiers, wastebaskets, calculators, binders, erasers, rulers, tape, markers, telephones
Fact: 2 Million Pieces of plastic are thrown into the ocean every hour.
- Balloons, beach balls, fishing poles, hang gliders, footballs, frisbees, golf balls, golf bags, ear plugs, yarn, kites, tennis rackets, fabric dye, life jackets, volleyballs, plastic water guns, soccer balls, oil paints, parachutes, ear phones, photographs, goggles, poker chips, roller skate and skateboard wheels, guitar strings, rafts, tents, sleeping bags, helmets, sails, hot tub covers, tennis balls, boats
- Trash Bags, baby oil, laundry baskets, pacifiers, commercial bath soaps, bibs, rattles, disposable diapers, teething rings, dolls, stuffed animals, baby lotion
- Allergy medication, cotton swabs, inhalers, aspirin, first aid cream, band aids, latex gloves, bug spray, chapstick, Vaseline (aka gas by-products. It’s cheaper to sell this stuff than dispose of it.), hearing aids, laxatives, prescription glasses
- Pots and Pans. That kill Birds. Basically all of those “nonstick pans” aka Teflon, are coated in plastic. Teflon has been associated with severe birth defects in the children of workers who make the stuff. It can also come off of your pans in flakes. Imagine accidentally eating that. S$&t! While researching, I found out Microwave popcorn bags have teflon! It is toxic, makes humans sick, and can cause seizures. Not pretty.
AHHHHHHHHHH! I’m tired of naming stuff! This is obviously not all of the things we use made out of oil but I’m stopping here. Look at that list. You should find more than a few things that you use. We take oil, smear it on our faces, package our food in it, eat it, live in it, use it for our daily routines. Do you honestly think you could go a day without oil? Oil is the reason for our wars. Our wars take most of our taxes. They aren’t used for education or to make our nation a better place, they’re used for wars. The oil spill in the gulf of Mexico only grows larger every minute.
A bird that's coated in the oil spill 
(((((
How you can help:
The simplest advice: Consume Less.
Drive less, Eat less, Use less.
Everything you buy takes up a large amount of natural resources. From manufacturing, to packaging, to shipping it around the country. According the the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces 4.4 pounds of garbage a day, 29 pounds per week, and 1,600 pounds a year. Instead of buying say 1,000 things a year, lower it down to 50. Help fix the oil spill.
The little things we do everyday definitely add up. We, the people, hold the power to make a difference. Whining about the oil spill will never make a difference, our actions do. What we do matters. Together we can lead a revolution. A revolution that will make sure we don’t deplete the planet for the next generations to live in.
BE THE CHANGE. LIVE THE CHANGE.
Resources:
A MUST see: The Story of Stuff
Amazing Minimalism Blogs: Far Beyond the Stars, Mnmlist, Missminimalist, Environminimal, Unclutterer,
Sustainable things: Chagrinvalley Natural Soaps: They have extremely minimal packaging and offer the best cost per ounce soap. DBA Pens: Made out of non-toxic pronounceable ingredients and 98% biodegradable. Source Toothbrushes: Made from things like recycled dollar bills, recycled flax.
Get a still longer list of things made out of oil at PBS
Click on the links if you wish to find out more information or you just want to make sure I’m not a crazy hippie making this stuff up.
Have any sustainable products that you’re dying to share? Have any more facts you would like to share? How are you going to change the planet?
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