Here are a last couple of tidbits...
In Ireland in 2002, a tax was instituted on plastic bag consumption. Consumption dropped by more than 90%! More than 12 countries tax or ban plastic bags.
In most cities, Starbucks' paper cups (2.3 billion annually!) are not recyclable (because they are coated with plastic so that they don't leak). However, more and more cities are able to recycle styrofoam cups.
Bowls, plates, cups and cutlery can be made from sugar cane, corn and/or potatoes. These products are biodegradable/compostable.
The average American generates 4.5 pounds of garbage daily. For a family of 4 that equals more than 6,500 pounds of trash in one year. Obviously, when you multiply that by the number of families in the US and calculate it over several years, the amount of garbage is staggering.
Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled (on average) 1,500 miles to reach your plate. That's a lot of gasoline at dinner!
Disposable diapers are the 3rd largest source of landfill waste. (This is one of my regrets...that I did not cloth diaper my boys.)
75% of the electricity used to power household appliances is still used when the electronics are turned off.
Composting is gaining enough popularity that our kids are learning about it on Curious George (PBS) and Toot & Puddle (Noggin).
40% of bottled water is tap water.
If everyone in America ate one meal a week made of completely locally and organically raised produce and meats, our country's oil consumption would drop by 1.1 million barrels a week.
Sun Chips uses solar energy to make some of their chips. Additionally, they hope to create a fully biodegradable/compostable bag by 2010.
In every ocean there is a floating garbage debris. The largest area is in the Pacific and it's surface size is equivalent to the size of Texas. In some places the trash is 90 feet deep. It's comprised primarily of plastic bags and bottles.
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If you want to learn about what you can do to help the environment, feel free to read some of my other posts from this week:
- Respect your mother...
- Special Delivery!
- Bags, farmers and worms...oh, my!
- Scooters, styrofoam and no-waste lunches...oh, my!
To win my 'get green starter kit,' enter my giveaway here.
Now I'm stepping down from my soap box (and taking it straight to the recycling bin). ;)
Carey..you really gave us some important info this week! I really appreciate that. It makes me think of ways we can change at our home!!!!
ReplyDeleteCarey, you're awesome!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion with us -- I've learned so much!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for informing us! It makes me think of where Dan's cousin was a missionary in India and they would just throw their trash in the street! The pictures were overwhelming and he said the smell was even more so! Let's hope it doesn't get to that here!
ReplyDeleteGREAT posts this week!!!
Love the posts for the entire week. I learnt so much from them.
ReplyDeletethanks again for all the great advice and ideas.. im not ganna preach too much my friends because i certainly dont want to be THAT girl.. buuuut I will send subliminal messages to try and encourage them to do more for the planet as well.. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all these great instpiring posts. I believe that we do need to help in anyway we can to take care of the Earth. You have lit a fire under me about being greener:)
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget New Belgium Brewery, the very green, very eco brewery!! They make the excellent brews, Fat Tire & Sunshine Wheat, among others. Very informative tour, if you're ever in their hometown of Fort Collins in northern CO... and tasty samples to boot! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's been a very informative week! Thanks for sharing all your tips!
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in Ireland two years ago we were hugely impressed with the no plastic bag laws - - you could get one at the grocery store but had to pay a big tax. Worked great! I've heard there are some municipalities in the U.S. who have adopted such a rule, but not many.
ReplyDeleteugh... those stats are making me sick to my stomach...especially the gasoline consumption in transporting food. I promise to make an effort to go to my local famer's market at least once a month this summer!
ReplyDeleteThis week had been very informative. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by my blog and your kind comment. Feel free to visit again.
Cheers!
Carey, What great ideas you have given us! You know what I noticed for the first time today? A recycle bin for plastic bags at Wal-mart. I think they probably always have it there, I just haven't paid attention. Now I am going to take whatever extra bags I have and drop um right in!
ReplyDeleteill letcha know how the book is.. ill hopefully get some good amount of reading done tomorrow.. she (jenna, the author) stopped me from going to Target, Home Depot and the Bagel shop today! LOL I was bored and was like, let me run to target, but then i thought about her self reliant ways and I thought "what if there was no target" so i didn't go waste money i don't have.. then i wanted to spruce up my yard (home depot) but instead used what i already had to make my yard look pretty snazzy.. and the whole bagel thing was just me thinking again "what if there was no bagel store" LOL but hey, whatever works!!
ReplyDeleteTap water?!?!? Egads! :)
ReplyDeleteJust kidding!
BTW - CONGRATS on winning the SITS Gruvy Wear!
over from SITS... interesting facts. Many I knew, some I did not. Rather appalled that the Starbucks cups are not recyclable. Not so sure that is enough to keep em away.
ReplyDeleteJust bought some Garden Salsa Sun Chips for the kids yesterday. We devoured almost the entire bag. Instead of feeling gross and bloated I will feel happy that I have contributed to eco-eating :)
Tap water... I'm wondering how I can cash in on that one!
In all seriousness... We definitely waste too much electricity, water, etc... but we are trying to change our ways. I have even managed to talk my husband into letting me start composting!
Fab blog btw... and excuse the typo above... "em" was supposed to be "me."
ReplyDeletejust stopped in really to congratulat you on winning the giveaway over at SITS, but this really is a great post.....as always.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, great facts we need to be aware of. I think a tax on plastic bags is a terrific thing!
ReplyDeletevisiting from sits.. really interesting info! thanks for posting it all.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think America should consider taxing plastic bags. That would probably also help me remember to bring all the cloth ones I own when I leave the house.
Thank you for such great posts. Really, it doesn't take too much effort to live a little more green friendly! I didn't know about the Starbucks cups, that's an eye opener.
ReplyDelete