When I first saw an Earthship on the Discovery Channel in the ‘90s, I immediately wanted to live in one. While I now recognize that there are some cons in addition to the pros, I am still inspired by the radical and thoughtful design toward net zero energy use and waste. And I was delighted to stay in one recently and learn more about it first-hand.
Years of backyard composting has biased me toward aerobic compost, so when I had the opportunity to tour an anaerobic digester, I jumped at the chance. I knew very little about the process other than the fact that it created a lot of methane, which was a concern of mine. Fortunately, the team at Ecotone Renewables was patient with my multiple questions on the tour.
How much do you know about where your plastic goes after you put it in the recycle bin? Statistically, very little of our plastic gets recycled, but that doesn’t stop us from believing that it will. This persistent perception helps keep the plastic industry growing, despite the negative environmental and health consequences related to the production and degradation of their products.
Spring yard cleanup time is here, and I need to find the most effective and responsible way to deal with the weeds and brush that I’m pulling out of my yard. I was discouraged to learn that our municipality sends yard waste to the landfill (despite all the trappings of a closed-loop compost program), so I have to take matters into my own hands.
We deal with fast fashion on a regular basis in our lives, but nowhere do we see it more than at Halloween, when pop-up shops sell cheap costumes to be used a few times and thrown away. There are more sustainable alternatives that include making, thrifting, renting, or reusing costume components. Some of these options can be better for the environment, your pocketbook, or both.
Global plastics production is expected to quadruple by 2050, and that growth will require significantly more extraction of fossil fuels as feedstock. Doubling down on more fossil fuel extraction is the last thing that a warming, plastic-filled planet needs. Organizations across the world, from the United Nations to grassroots groups on the front lines are taking action to prevent the bad from getting worse.
The term “recycling” is a dangerous thing because of how it inaccurately shapes our perceptions around the plastic lifecycle. Most plastic put in the recycle bin doesn’t get recycled, but even the industrial process of “chemical recycling” doesn’t necessarily create a closed-loop plastic system. Instead, it can often fuel increased health risks for those living nearby, increasing global temperatures, and demand for additional plastic.
July has come once again, and with it a renewed commitment to limit single-use plastics through Plastic-Free July. The oil and gas industry has a renewed commitment to plastic as well, pushing harder for increased consumption of their product. With less than 10% of our plastic ever getting recycled, it becomes more apparent that plastic recycling was only ever a false promise and will not solve our problem.
Although we know that “Reduce” is the most important component of the Three R’s, it’s hard to advocate for reducing consumption during the biggest commercial holiday of the year. Examining our motivations during the holidays (to understand why we choose to spend our time and money the way we do) can help reduce our consumption and may help improve our mental health as well.
The first step in sustainable footwear decisions is reducing how much we consume. In order to do that, taking good care of our shoes is a necessity so they stay in good working order for a long time. There are also modifications we can make to ensure they are as comfortable as possible, fitting and supporting our unique feet, keeping us happy and healthy.