The Better World Project: Week 2 Actions
9/19/05: When shopping today, I made a point to use reusable canvas bags instead of accepting plastic shopping bags. This is something I have tried to do ever since AmeriCorps, when I realized the ridiculous amount of plastic bags that a small group of people goes through. Although there is debate about exactly how harmful plastic bags are and what we should do about it, it is at least undeniable that (1) plastic bags represent a huge amount of waste, (2) they contaminate the soil with toxins when they break down, and (3) oil is used to produce them.
>> Read an interesting article about what other nations are doing to solve this problem
>> Learn more about the "true cost" of plastic bags, and the basic issues involved in the paper vs. plastic debate
Comment by Larry M. (paper industry professional): "The paper vs. plastic link (see above) had a lot of distorted information. Most of the trees that are harvested for use in lumber and paper mills are grown by landowners who want to make money from their timber, just as farmers make money from their crops. They replant immediately, because empty land isn't making them any money. The young trees use carbon dioxide much faster than mature trees, and of course mature trees eventually die and decompose and put all that carbon dioxide back into the air. From an environmental point of view, it's better to store the carbon in wood for houses and in paper than to let the wood rot. Also, forests that are managed almost never have forest fires or insect infestations, whereas unmanaged forests are periodically devastated by fires or by insect attacks. Obviously, a fire adds all that carbon dioxide back into the air that was stored in the wood, contributing to global warming."
9/20/05: I bought a copy of the "Street Sense" newspaper in Washington, D.C., a monthly paper that discusses issues related to poverty and homelessness. Selling the paper at busy intersections helps its homeless vendors to break out of poverty, and since many of the articles are by homeless and formerly homeless people, it also gives a forum to those who often feel they have no voice. (The articles, by the way, were actually quite insightful and well-written.)
9/21/05: After doing some research about Network Solutions, the company that acts as the registrar and service-provider for one of my domains, I decided that they were engaging in a deceptive practice. (Specifically, customers such as myself were unknowingly paying for a certain service but deliberately not being told that we had access to this service.) Instead of holding my tongue and letting big business continue this practice unchecked, I wrote e-mails to the company and explained my complaint in detail to a customer support representative over the phone. She promised to pass my comments along, which can result in changes when enough informed individuals take the time to complain.
9/22/05: I donated money to support Reform Ohio Now's grassroots campaign to enact governmental reform through the passage of four amendments to the Ohio constitution. Last month, my parents and I provided three of the 520,000 signatures gathered by RON to support these amendments being added to the November ballot. I believe that the work they are doing is fundamental to creating positive reform and ending corruption in Ohio's government. MoveOn accurately summarizes: "These amendments will take big money out of Ohio campaigns, remove self-interested politicians from the process of drawing their own districts, allow Ohioans to vote by mail, and set up an impartial, bipartisan board to oversee elections."
>> Learn more about Reform Ohio Now
>> Sign up to receive RON's newsletter
9/23/05: Every year, one of my close friends participates in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to assist in the fight against breast cancer and to honor the passage of her mother. While I could not be there to walk with her, my donation to the New York City Race will help to fund outreach and awareness programs to underserved communities as well as national breast cancer research.
>> Find a race near you
>> Donate to support my friend Jamie
9/24/05: Instead of just focusing on recycling the printer paper that I use, I created a pile of printer paper that has only been used on one side. I load my printer with the used paper any time I'm printing something that's just for me. Paper, by the way, is the number one material in the solid waste stream, and it's important to focus on reusing it as well as recycling it.
>> Learn more about paper recycling
9/25/05: Usually when I come across something in my house that I no longer use, I just donate it to Goodwill and hope that they are able to sell it and make money to support their programs. But when I decided to get rid of my old Palm Pilot, I wanted to make sure that it got into the hands of someone who could make good use of it, and I didn't want them to have to pay for it. The Freecycle Network provided the perfect solution, because they connect up millions of people (using Yahoo! Groups and e-mail lists) who want to give and receive all kinds of items for free in their local communities. I joined the "Eastern Cincinnati" Freecycle group, posted a listing for their 2000 members, and received about 40 requests by the next day. I picked out the most compelling request, met the guy to give him the Palm Pilot, and showed him how to use it. It was simple, effective, rewarding, and completely free!