Eco Totes

Photo from www.lovethissite.com

Plastic or paper? Say 'neither'!

What if, for a moment, I'd tell you to close your eyes and imagine nothing except for one thing- Mother Earth now. What flashed through your mind? It's not the same good 'ol Blue Planet that has thick, dense forests; blue, alive bodies of water; singing birds; busy crickets; and clean, you-can-feel-it-to-the-bones-cool, refreshing air. Instead, it is a gray, almost-dead planet in the solar system with Her little voice, sobbing and asking for help. Ironic isn't it?

Due to Her call for help- that is the symptoms of climate change and global warming that's haunting us, humanity responded. He responded by having eco-friendly activities, awareness campaigns and promoting the "green trend". Another response made was the substitution of non-biodegradable plastic bags to biodegradable plastic bags and paper bags lead by big malls in the country (although not all).

But last Wednesday, while I was on my way home from a mall, with the headband I purchased inside the paper bag in my right hand, I realized that either way- biodegradable or paper bags- they still contribute to earth's worsening conditions. Like, the fuel burned to make them and the cutting of trees to make paper bags still make Her sick.

Although, one of the most important pros of having the biodegradable and paper bags is easier decomposition compared to non-biodegradable, the cons are still creeping in. As I said earlier, the biodegradable plastic bags are still plastic bags. That means to say, energy are consumed in making them that causes to burn fuel and releases carbon dioxide. And the production of paper bags strongly requires the cutting of a number of trees that should have been a great help in lessening the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. And they still end up in the dump sites though if not recycled.

Photo from www.cafepress.com

But we shouldn't be worried- that much- because the green trend is here. And green trend, that refers to fashion pieces that are super earth-friendly slash earth-saver. Such example is the reusable bags (or totes that have earth-related prints). 

Unlike the biodegradable and paper bags, these totes got heavier pros than its cons. The cons: fuel is still burned to make them and okay, you have to purchase them first before you got one. The pros: you don't have to buy them the next time you shop because they are reusable. You don't have to use any kind of bag for the items you purchase every time you shop as long as the tote's in condition. Thus, lessening then not recycled garbage ending in dump sites (or worst, in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch!!!).

Photo from hosted.verticalresponse.com

Personally, whenever I buy something, I don't use plastic bags but instead, I directly put it inside my backpack after paying. Well, my other family members uses totes. But I've noticed only very few  uses totes whenever they shop. And it saddens me. A lot.

Ending this blog entry for today, I hope we implant the idea in our brains that the things we choose to use now will mark an impact to us someday and that Mother Earth will forever be grateful for our little actions to help Her. And the next time you are being asked whether plastic bags or paper bags, I believe you know the answer. And do something- even little actions- that earth will thank you for. Then after, take a moment to close your eyes and imagine Earth, healing- thanks to you!

Thrifty and Eco-Friendly

Photo from www.getacoder.com

On the red corner, things that are commonly found in the surpluses, things that have not-so-known brands and things that cost a few peso only. On the blue corner, things that are basically found in a fancy store, things that are of known brands and things that cost more than enough. Which one will you buy to save more and more importantly, to help nature? The bell rings and the fight begins. Round one!

When you decide to buy the things under the red corner, it won't leave your wallet frowning. Obviously because you still got an extra money for some other things. However, often times, these cheaper things are associated to low quality ones. Still, many patronize these surplus goods. Take a cue from my mum, who, according to her is a practical way.

And those things falling under the blue corner are associated to things with more pleasing qualities. Like it'll take a long time before it breaks. But not a lot can afford these things. They don't sound so thrifty, at least for me.

Now, whether you can save more on this than that, I'd say that it depends on how you use it. Like our cabinet. It has been used since I was at kindergarten until I'm already a freshman in college. Things would still be functional and useful after a long time if they are used properly, accordingly and with care no matter how much they cost. And same goes as to which of the two is earth-friendly.

If things would have a longer lifespan, then you don't have to buy again and again. So, the energy to fuel machines that creates them are conserved, lessening the harmful gas release in the atmosphere. In a bigger picture, not buying new things (because your old things are still usable) is also good for the nature because you help keep our landfills from being crowded and überfull. Now that's übercool!

Photo from www.mycutegraphics.com

Knock out! Game over! In a bigger sense, the price of things don't really matter. It depends on how they are used. And if they stay long (hooray!) you don't have to buy some replacement, saving money and you help in avoiding dumps to be full, so earth-friendly!

Cure the Plastic World

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Photo from www.happysimpleliving.com. 

I was in third year when I read about Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). According to the magazine, it is a floating mass commonly made up of plastic bottles, bags, spoons and forks and candy wrappers. Its size is so big that you have to multiply Texas by two. Yikes! It's not a material world but a plastic world, afterall.

One thing we can do to stop the growing size of the GPGP is to recycle the plastic litters. When I was at fifth grade, we made a bag out of plastic juice pouches. And when I was a freshman in high school, we made clutches, coin purse and bag out of different types of plastic and tarpaulin. That same school year, our Science teacher hosted a fashion show wherein the models wore dresses out of the same materials. And I really can't forget that I and my classmates actually picked those stuffs from the trash (I mean the real dirty trash).

Not using straws is actually good. Which is what actually my family practices when we eat in restaurants and in parties. Doing so can reduce plastic litters that might end up in the GPGP, the biggest dump in the world. It's a one-time-big-time type of thing. After using one straw, it'll end up in trash and how many do you think use straws all over the world in a day?

And next time, bring your own plastic bottles that will store water so you won't have to buy one. This may sound so old-fashioned (that's what my cousin called me after finding out that I still carry water bottles for refill) but the plastic bottles you buy every time you feel thirsty will still be present when you have kids of your own. This may sound so childish but will you exchange earth's conditions to your dirty, little secrets (a.k.a not disposing properly and not recycling)? 

Issues on recycling, nowadays, are so on mainstream. So hackneyed. But we need to do things like as simple as bringing our own water refills and not so into using straws. Tend to forget being earth-friendly? Think of those cute, little turtles (and Spongebob and Patrick and the Bikini Bottom) under the North Pacific waters.

Food or nah? Plastics confuse turtles for food. This might cause death on them. Photo from inhabitat.com

Introduction

I am a UPnian freshman, a frustrated guitarist, a bookworm, an environment activist by heart; I am Ma. Jardisha. And basically, this is my blog about things and alternatives and stuffs I find helpful to Mother Earth. This may just be another environment-oriented blog, but I believe that every single one of them is important and that it would make Mother Earth smile from ear to ear. I have a question: Why Not Save Earth? Read my entries because being green never gets out of style.