Need to Want Less is a series of illustrations by “a lazy gal that’s trying not to be“ Erin Hanson. Quirky, simple and well, true, her entire gallery is worth checking out. See some more here..
This is fantastic. Definitely worth looking at the rest of her gallery.
* Drum roll * The month’s over with, and the results are in. For the entire month of August, my plastic consumption totaled 64 items. I’m not proud of that number, but I am proud of the little changes I’ve made so far to reduce my consumption.
All this might seem like a “duh” point to the choir of environmentally conscious, but I was surprised how uncanny plastic can trick-le in unnoticed. Until we assert changes in our buying process, plastic will remain inevitable. There are items I couldn’t find ways around buying with plastic. Quite frankly, it became frustrating the more I took this competition seriously. Especially with sentiment of peers being that the little plastic I was refusing wasn’t significant, or I was being tedious.
I’ve gained a good amount of discipline in this month long exercise. While small, It’s made life closer to how I want it. That being said, I predict I’ll half my monthly plastic use in the next few months. Wish me luck.
Moss garden at the Giouji Temple in Kyoto.
Now that’s a yard!
Bytes > Atoms
The whole idea of having one device that can access all of my textbooks and lab manuals would’ve made me a happier student. I’m excited anxious to see how technology evolves the way students buy and utilize their textbooks. First company to make their reader smell like an old book wins.
Bad news
What free, disposable product uses 38 million barrels of oil and costs the US $20 billion a year? Plastic bags.
Good news
Mexico City bans free plastic bags in stores
Hygroelectric Power - Lightning harvested for energy
Cleveland begins fining those not recycling properly
GE experiments with dramatic reductions (~70% less) in home energy use in select cities
California approves a large-scale (250 MW) solar thermal plant
Blockbuster planning bankruptcy, Netflix launches iPhone app
I couldn’t help overhear my co-worker say “Seems counterintuitive that Quizno’s would remind me more than 4 times on 4 separate pieces of packaging on the way to my sub to “Be Green, Do Your Part”.”
A clever choice of words for their slogan “Eat Toasty, Be Green, Do Your Part.” The language seems to hint at their green-ness, but alleviates any possible criticism of their practices because they are telling us, the consumer, to be green.
The only thing you get about the “Green movement” is that it can monetized without making any changes to a business model. Worst of all, people will believe every inch of their “Green” stamped packaging.
Hypocrisy.
So, it’s been a week and a day since I began monitoring my plastic consumption. So far, I’ve noticed the following:
A few friends have already shown embarrassment over their current tally of items, but have found it enlightening yet troublesome to avoid. I share this sentiment. I look forward to analyzing this further.
6. Less environmental impact. A smaller home requires less resources to build and less resources to maintain. And that benefits all of us.
“Home improvement” tips via Becoming Minimalist
Also, staying on-topic… watch this video on how a tiny apartment transforms into 24 rooms. Yeah, very cool.
