We attend so many classes and most of the time, I don't feel as if I leave the class more knowledgeable than when the semester began. That is not the case with this class. I have learned so many things from this class. Not only about our environment, but I also learned more about myself and my impact on the world we live in.
:: Are You a Good Advocate? ::
During the last seven weeks, we again covered a variety of topics. Being an advocate for change was one of the biggest topics we worked on. While this was not my favorite (as is evident by my lack of post for the advocacy project), it was insightful to learn what goes into advocating for change. The bill I found to support using THOMAS fit with my Eco-Chic Lifestyle change from the first half of the semester. The bill, H.R. 1628 : Trash Reduction Act of 2011, puts a surcharge on plastic bags and starts a fund for businesses that start a plastic bag recycling program. As I dug deeper into the issue of plastic bag usage to create my fact sheet, I wasn't completely convinced that this was as great a bill as I first thought. Truthfully, putting a tax on plastic bags puts a higher burden on those who are already strapped for cash. To some people, $0.05 per bag could make the difference when purchasing a necessary grocery item. Some people, who just go through life on auto-pilot, don't seem to care what happens to that plastic bag after they hurried get home to put the groceries (or other stuff) away. Plastic bags are simply a matter of convenience.
One of my biggest struggles is the fact that I can see so many sides to each issue. I can fight for either side on this issue. However, my heart feels that the one solution to the plastic bag issue is to completely stop producing them. As long as plastic bags are available to us, people will continue to use them. Even as we educate consumers as to why they are such a hazard, it won't be enough to stop people from using them.
My method of advocacy is changing a bit. I've discovered that i have a bigger challenge in my own household. I've been telling my children about how we can make a difference in our environment and the changes we need to make as a family…and have met with some resistance (twice this week my oldest has come home with a fist full of plastic bags). She fights with me that a reusable bag costs her precious dollars. I counter with how that plastic bag she HAS to use, because she's too cheap to purchase a reusable one, is costing her much more. I've informed her that plastic bags are made out of non-renewable resources, that they are not bio-degradable, and that when they do break down, they spread toxins into our soils. I guess my advocacy needs to start in my own house. I will continue to talk about the benefits of using reusable bags until my kids finally understand my view. From there, I can hope that my children will be role models to their friends and encourage their friends to do the same.
I realize that many of the things we did in this class were individual projects. I would have loved to take our advocacy project to a different level. Perhaps as a class, we could have picked one or two topics we all agreed on and made a difference as a collective whole.
:: Goodwill Industries ::
Learning about Goodwill Industries was an eye opening experience. To tour their facility was amazing. I didn't truly comprehend the amount of items they recycle until our tour. I'm so glad there are companies out there that are so concerned about our environment. Just thinking of the number of mattresses that are laying in land fills around the world is scary. It was astounding to see how an items so large can be recycled so many different ways (those little bales of springs were amazing). It was also great to hear that some of the items that don't have a home here in the states are sold to other countries. I can only hope that when those items have exceeded their usefulness in their new "home," that there are resources for recycling.
:: Water Rights ::
As the years proceed, I'll be keeping an eye on the water debate and who owns the water. The videos we watched (not just Tapped and Thirst, but all the videos we watched over the course of the semester), have certainly changed my opinion of certain companies and our governmental leaders. Water is a precious commodity that we ALL must have to survive. Water belongs to all of us. Companies should not come in and take ownership of that resource and expect people to pay more for the privilege of using it. I'm thankful at the moment that I have a well and am not dependent on a municipality for my water. If the issue of privatizing water comes to our area, you can bet I will be supporting the rights we all have to free water.
My view of the water debate goes beyond the water as well. The making of the plastic bottles really has me rethinking my shopping habits when I go into a store. Lately, whenever I go into the gas station to get something to drink, I look at all those coolers of bottles and think about the number of lives that have been lost because of the production of that bottle. In the end, I end up walking out of the store without anything to drink. I cannot support needless deaths for the production of a bottle or plastic container. I realize that I will not be perfect in not purchasing items in plastic bottles or containers, but I'm working hard at watching what I do purchase. Seeing how people live in cancer alleys, that are located near petroleum factories, was heartbreaking. I will always have thoughts of how plastics affect more than just our environment. They effect our animals, our citizens, our air and our planet.
:: Junking Project ::
I had a blast with my junking project. I'm certainly glad that my dad saved a bunch of what I would have considered "crap" before this class. Who would have thought with a little imagination, some old deck wood and a tractor seat, you could have a chair to sit on around the camp fire. I'm lucky to know people who are handy when it comes to woodworking, as i would have cut my fingers off. LOL! I have five more seats and I think I will ask my handy woodworker to create a bench that I can put two or more seats on. I may change up the colors as I'm not sure I'm quite a fan of the John Deere colors…some would say they are Packer colors too. =) The junking project certainly makes a person stretch their imagination and see beyond the original use of the item into what it could be. Above you can see two pictures of my stool. Now….would summer come back so I can sit around the camp fire and roast marshmellows. YUMMY!!!
:: Conclusions ::
The lessons from this class will stay with me for the rest of my life. I hope that I can set a positive example to others with my newly found environmental friendly habits (using reusable bags, purchasing all natural or organic, recycling more items, not purchasing plastic bottles). If I can talk the talk and walk the walk, then others will hear why these things are important to not just me…but our planet. We're in this together. Our planet needs us to make health choices for it.
We all need to do our part; we need to do our best for our world. I'm learning to truly appreciate the things I do have. I hope you have learned to appreciate your things too. Now let's go out and make a difference in the world. Even the littlest of change can make a huge impact.
