waste diversion in public spaces

I frequent Downtown Ventura a few times a week.

And each trip home, I stop at the same light, stare at the same advertisement for Hollywood Fitness, think about how I should really get my derriere to the gym and ponder the need for such a boxy structure to display this mini-billboard.

This was my thought process; for weeks.

Until one day...

While conducting research for a super secret project, I came in contact with a woman from Keep California Beautiful. In short, I learned her organization had partnered with Creative Outdoor Advertising, which in turn began contracting with communities in California to include recycling bins as part of their streetscaping infrastructure.

Ventura was one of those communities.

I pulled over to take a look at the Hollywood Fitness billboard thing. And sure enough, on the other side, were two openings;

One for trash.

And one for recycling.

Wonder how long it would’ve taken, had I not connected with the KCB lady, for me to realize we had all of these new waste separation containers lining Main Street, encouraging passersby to become more mindful, consciously considering where they dispose of what. 

Apparently over 1000 recycling units have been installed across 200 communities.

We’ve got 20.

Have to say I’m a little disappointed it took this series of events to become aware of the little changes happening in my city; the ones that can potentially have a huge impact if enough are more attentive than I.

Curious. Is it just me? Have you noticed them? Used them? Like them? Feel indifferent about them? Want to see more of them?

Must say, it’s nice to know I’ll never need to shove bottles in my purse for recycling at home… When I’m wandering around downtown anyway.  

harnessing the power of the sun; is it really that hard to go solar?

It’s difficult to write about creating sustainable habits (and go about day-to-day-life for that matter) when the world is grieving for lost lives in the wake of a horrendous natural disaster, scrambling to pick up broken pieces at the source as well as waiting in anticipation for the worse that may still be yet to come.

I’m talking earthquake, tsunami… and the threat of nuclear meltdown.

Then I came upon this little FB post from a fan page I follow:

Energy tip: it's not "clean" if it gives you cancer.

Which made me think, ‘Yeah, you're right, it can’t be clean if it gives your cancer; so why are we ok with fueling our lives using stuff that gives us cancer?’

Though we’re not all scientists, engineers and physicists, we are still some mighty powerful people that share this place we call earth. And until we start demanding – I mean really making a fuss for – truly clean, renewable, sustainable energy, we will continue to face an eventual need to pop iodine pills and pull out that nuclear suit gathering dust in the hall closet.

One of the most tangible and fairly immediate ways, I believe, to begin removing ourselves from the grasp of filthy fuels is to go:

Solar.

But it’s expensive. Involved. Complicated. Confusing. Overwhelming. Unattractive. Slow to return.

Yeah, maybe. But it beats cancer.

If you’re in the market for solar, (hell, if you’re just thinking about considering being in the market for solar) you might take a look at these guys…

One Block Off the Grid leverages the power in numbers to negotiate solar group discounts for interested homeowners. Advisers help explain the process and guide you along the way.

Wait a minute. I’m not the expert here. I’ll let them do the explaining.

Note: Think solar’s boring? Does anticipation of technical terms to come drive you to dreamland? Well this video isn’t short on humor and it won’t make you sleepy. Take five minutes to learn something new and giggle along the way. You deserve it.   

volunteering conundrum

I admit this post is just a tad off topic... But needed to get this out there. Somewhere.

Attended an event over the weekend, hosted by a local environmental non-profit and overheard a fellow attendee make an interesting statement that went something like this:

You know, there are a lot of people out there loosing their jobs right now and they just need something to keep them busy, keep them from gettin' depressed. What better way than to volunteer, to help people.

Volunteering.

Do you do it?

If so, why do you volunteer?

Because you're unemployed? Because it makes you feel better about yourself? Because it benefits society?

I'll go first.

Yes, I do it; volunteer. For a few local organizations.

I volunteer because I currently have the time and the resources and the support system to do so.

I am also one of those people currently out of work. When I'm not revising resumes, screening job listings and harassing hiring managers, I've got a little time to spare. But I look at volunteering as more than a way to fill it and more than a way to give back to the community that's helped raise me. Rather, I see it as an immediate and impactful opportunity to make connections with leaders and individuals in my field of interest. They say you should associate with those you wish to emulate.

Wonder sometimes if that reason alone is too self-serving. Or is it acceptable if volunteering is helping others while helping ourselves? Does it achieve the same good in the end?

Ok, your turn.

Why do you volunteer?

And if circumstances keep you from doing it, why would you?

reusable cup both recycled and recyclable? sold!

Found it.

The sixteen ounce Transform Recycled & Recyclable Mug in Fern (read ‘funky lime green’) from Aladdin’s Sustain line.

Spent $9.99 at Target® last week for this snazzy mug. Truth be told, I haven’t put it down since.

Here’s why I like it… and no, I won’t be bashful about the fact that I’m a buyer attracted to color and cause-related marketing…

It’s bold.

I chose a vibrant green, but Target® had a few in ‘bubble-gumball blue’ (please don’t try asking anyone in a red shirt and khaki pants for a reusable coffee mug in this color - that’s just what it looked like to me) and one in brown, perfect for hiding proof you used your mug a few days prior and failed to wash it out.  

It’s recycled and recyclable.

            Yup, this is what did it.

‘Use it. Love it. Recycle it. Begin again.’ The mug is made with eCycle®, Aladdin’s proprietary mix of recycled plastics. Ninety-seven percent recycled food grade polypropylene containing twenty-five percent post consumer content makes this mug (sans lid) recyclable where number five plastic is collected.

Car-cup friendly.

            Tried it. It’s true.

Dishwasher safe.

            Sounds awesome.

Microwave safe.

Neat idea. Not sure how it holds up though; the insulation has kept my drinks hot for well over an hour or until they’re gone.

Leak-proof.

So far anyway. Have yet to turn the thing full of liquid on its head. If you want me to though, I will.

Because the above factors were all I needed to positively influence my purchasing decision (and I would allow them to again and again) I could care a little bit less about the one and only teeny-tiny little nuance in functionality that I realized recently was noticed by another user / reviewer. Thought it was just me. It doesn't deter me from my mug. Not a stitch. But I got a good laugh. You might too.

In the end, for ten bucks and not a whole lot of research on a quick buy, I’d say I made out pretty well…

first few uses of the reusable cup

On Saturday, I hit up Palermo’s on my way to Farmers’ Market downtown (getting a head-start on a future sustainable habit!) and stood behind a woman with my same tumbler in the ‘gumball blue.’ So interesting how we start ‘seeing’ the things we were never ‘seeing’ before they gained importance in our lives, for one reason or another.

Forgot to remove my lid but the woman behind the counter surprisingly did it for me. No big deal.

Palermo doesn’t offer a discount when you bring in your own cup, but that wouldn’t keep me from returning with it. I felt so proud taking this one small step; walking out with my Americano, knowing I’d be leaving nothing physical of it behind.

Walked around Farmers’ for a good forty-five. Drove home. Watered mom’s plants. Coffee was still surprisingly hot.

Sunday I stopped at Barnes and Noble to work on a massive homework assignment. Took my tumbler up to the Starbucks counter; remembered this time to remove my own lid. The cup was clean from the day before, but what do you know! The barista offered to rinse it out. Like magic.

And ten cents off my tea made it taste that much sweeter. 

Alright. I think I’ve dug the introduction of this reusable coffee cup habit deep into the ground, so it’s time to move on. I’ll return to the topic every now and then… When I slip up, am having some difficulty maintaining the habit or when something incredibly hilarious happens.

Habit number two to come very soon. And this one may be a little something for just the ladies...   

breaking the bad paper-coffee-cup-on-the-go habit

Why put myself through the perceived difficulties of bringing my own tumbler everywhere I go?

(If you want to skip my rambling, check out this quick video for a few compelling reasons…)

Discovered via Sustainability is Sexy

The answer’s plain and simple: a majority of paper cups can’t be recycled.

The ones from most coffee shops, that is.

I’ll use Starbucks as an example, only because it’s the mammoth leader, the monstrous giant, the one company known the whole world round for coffee.

Currently, Starbucks paper cups are made from 10% post-consumer recycled fiber. That, however, does NOT mean the cup can be recycled. Yet. There apparently are plans to introduce a cup by 2015 that will be 100% reusable. But until then, off to the landfill they go.    

True, there are some chains, like Tully’s, that offer 100% compostable paper cups. Trouble is, they should actually be composted to be broken down most effectively. Otherwise, these cups are off to the landfill as well.

Here’s a really great resource on all things related to (in the blogger’s words) ‘eco-friendly coffee drinking’: Sustainability is Sexy. This linked article delves way deeper than I ever could into the current state of the paper coffee cup. Check it out… I mean, how could you not? Just the blog title’s enticing.

So when it comes to paper cups, since recycling’s not an option and reusing just isn’t practical, reducing (eliminating actually) will be the way to go.

Bought a tumbler and am pretty darn excited to use it. Feature to come on the next blog post. And don’t you worry. I’ve stayed true to my promise and haven’t purchased coffee-to-go since announcing this commitment...

Home-brewing instead.

hot coffee cups on the go – paper or plastic?

Reusable coffee cups.

Starbucks, Peet’s, Coffee Bean, Palermo; they’ll all gladly pour coffee into one.

They create less waste and usually save a few nickels on each drink purchase…

So why has it been so hard for me to start?

Conserving finances keeps me from actually purchasing a reusable cup.

Pretty POSITIVE I’ll consistently forget it in the sink at home.

Could keep my cup in the car after each use, but think I’ll have a hard time giving a dirty one over to the barista behind the counter. Paranoia will have me reeling; wondering if she thinks I’m a nasty, unsanitary, slob of a coffee drinker.

And sometimes I car-hop. Which means I’d have to make that extra mental effort (do any of us really need more... stuff to remember?!?) to be sure I have my cup when I head out. Just in case.  

Alright. There you have it. Reasons I continue to buy coffee in (typically) non-recyclable, non-biodegradable, non-compostable paper cups.

            Stinginess.

            Absentmindedness.

            Fear of being judged.

            And just being plain lazy.

And here are reasons why I’ve decided to take steps toward my first sustainable habit: purchasing and consistently using a reusable coffee cup (or tumbler they’re sometimes called).  

We’re talking about a one-time purchase of ten-or-so dollars here. This really isn’t a bad investment; most coffee shops offer discounts to patrons who bring in their own cups. Though it’s usually only small change (Starbucks discounts something like ten cents), small change adds up! (Side note: Don’t do the math… You’d have to buy a ton of tall Americano’s just to break even on the money you save bringing in your own cup. But in theory, you’ll eventually get there!)

I’m 27 years old. It’s about time I got over giving a hoot about what others thought about me. I won’t forget my cup in the sink, because I’ll keep it in my car, hand it over the counter with pride and tip the barista the money I saved bringing in my own dishware as a ‘thank you’ for rinsing it out using the fancy upward-shooting-water-contraption-thing that makes washing the inside of coffee shop cups super easy.

And the car-hopping… So perhaps I’ll invest in two? Or maybe there’s some innovative cup model out there functional or collapsible enough to keep in my bag of a purse? 

The challenge seems a bit overwhelming.

This means ZERO paper coffee cups for me (hopefully for the rest of forever).

If I do forget my reusable one, misplace it or leave it at home; no coffee to-go. Making my cup a part of me, like my purse, will be essential.

But breaking this down into steps is slowly increasing confidence in feasibility.

Just have to focus on taking one small step a day.

First is to find the perfect tumbler. Next is to avoid buying coffee until I do.  

Coming up, I’ll share my purchase decision(s) with you. As well as what motivated me to make this change. That’s an eye-opening one. Don’t miss it. 

In the meantime, anybody out there already made this a habit? Any tips for those just starting out? Funny stories? Something to look forward to? Would love to hear!

eco-conscious habits: identifying, implementing and increasing daily acts of sustainability

here's to steps, big and small

It's possible you all are wondering how this is going to work out.

In all honesty, I'm wondering too.

But I’ve come to a simple resolution that I’m pretty confident will help make these challenges a reality: start small. 

The goal here is not necessarily to uproot my entire life and disrupt the daily routine by making a million behavioral changes in the name of going green.

Rather, the primary focus is to choose one eco-conscious habit I would like to adopt and take adopting it one step at a time.

I’ll identify a challenge on the blog and try to best explain why the issues surrounding it are so important – to me, to you and to our future existence. I’ll candidly explore what about my mindset or actions or previously held beliefs have prevented me from embracing the desired behavior thus far.  

Then, I’ll strategize ways to remove or work around the mental and physical obstacles which have plagued me in the past. 

Next, I’ll implement them; the strategies. Do one thing, each day toward making the ideal habit a more full-fledged part of me.

Once I feel I have an alright handle on things, once I’ve had a taste of success and have repeated those success-inducing-actions repeatedly… I’ll identify the next challenge, incorporating it in with the others.    

Manageability is the key. I want to avoid become so overwhelmed I give up before I even begin; there’s A LOT to be done.

So here’s to taking those first small steps… toward all goals. Whatever they may be!