I was at a dinner gathering last month when a friend started talking about plastic packaging. She objected to the widespread use of plastic pouches and bags, in which food is sold. Many of these don’t indicate if they are recyclable. Some bags have triangles on them with a number …
It can seem like quite the debilitating a cycle we’ve gotten ourselves into. But as with all our cycles, it’s just a concept. Garbage is a state of mind. It’s not a real “thing”. Ok, garbage piles are definitely real things – I don’t mean that. I mean that the …
There is no doubt that good service demands a tip. Even in those situations when we’re not sure if the tip is included or if we should go 10%, 15%, 18% or even higher, there’s wisdom in tipping and tipping fairly, if not well. Even if we get it wrong, …
It’s taken a long time to come to the point of realizing that we don’t really need quite so many single use plastic shopping bags. Now, Yukon is moving towards charging a fee for them. I think this is better than absolute elimination because I see that sometimes they are …
When things have out-lived their present use, I consider re-use as the first option. I’ve come to routinely resist the garbage pail or even the recycling sorting area. Can I use it for something else or can someone else do so? If I can see it in a new light, …
One area of the Transfer Station (TS) that is not like the others is the metal pile. Old white appliances are near-by and some reclaimable items are placed on the side but by and large the metal pile is not sorted. It’s a large jumble of all types of metal …
Is it going to matter that the staple is in with the tea bag? Should I detach the nylon tie from the cardboard label that was in the new jeans pocket? Does the aluminum wrap on the neck of the wine bottle cause a big problem? Should paper come off …
It’s starting to happen. I’m in the store, holding a product that I desire and I’m weighing a bunch of different considerations. Quality. Is this the product that I think it is? Does it look well made? Well-designed? Price. Is it worth the price? Is there a warranty, a rebate, …
It’s durable, pliable, waterproof, lightweight, often transparent, formable, buoyant, strong, recyclable, and pretty cheap to make. It’s everywhere. It’s products. It’s packaging. Plastic is fantastic! – Wait a minute. Suddenly, it’s garbage. And it’s a lot of garbage. It’s a lot of problem garbage. For all the benefits of a …
Sometimes, I can’t get over the complexity of manufacturing. Technology is one thing: cars, electronics, robots, rockets – yeah ok, a lot of material streams have to be worked out there. But even small household products that don’t run on electricity involve a production plan. They probably come with 3 …
