Not much has been going on in my life. The bossman and I have been crocheting like obsessed old ladies. I don’t have as much time as he does to do it, so I haven’t finished that many projects, but I had all these new ideas and it makes me crazy that I can’t get started on them all yet. I also need to dedicate more time to finish up my studying and getting my license… which is what I will be doing all day Saturday. I should be able to finish this class I’m in now on Saturday, then have the next one finished by the 8th, and then take my test somewhere around the 17th.
I did not make any new years resolutions, as I never do, but this month I have decided on some goals for the year.
1. Stop reading www.perezhilton.com because he is a horrible person and I really can’t stand him. He’s totally fake, biased, and hideously unattractive. It really bothers me that he spends so much time trashing other people and yet he is beyond ugly. There are plenty of gossip sites that are less hateful and more interesting to read.
2. Get my Real Estate license… which I should have in the next month or so.
3. Lose weight. Duh, isn’t this almost everyone’s goal every year.
4. Stop using plastic bags. They are a huge waste of materials and they create horrible pollution problems. I was very good about recycling my bags when I used them, but now I’ve decided to just stop using them all together. At HEB (our grocery store) you can buy a reusable bag for $0.99. Target and Wal-Mart sell reusable bags now too for about the same price. The Target bags are by far the best because they have a small one that zips itself up into a cute little pouch. I’m not sure if Target and Wal-Mart sell these bags in all markets though. SORRY. I have my bags in my vehicle so that every time I got shopping I can take one with me and use it instead. This includes mall shopping and grocery shopping. NO PLASTIC or PAPER bags!
Here is some good info taken from http://reusablebags.com/ about why you shouldn’t use plastic.
Phase 1: Production Costs
* The production of plastic bags requires petroleum and often natural gas, both non-renewable resources that increase our dependency on foreign suppliers. Additionally, prospecting and drilling for these resources contributes to the destruction of fragile habitats and ecosystems around the world.
* The toxic chemical ingredients needed to make plastic produces pollution during the manufacturing process.
* The energy needed to manufacture and transport disposable bags eats up more resources and creates global warming emissions.
Phase 2: Consumption Costs
* Annual cost to US retailers alone is estimated at $4 billion.
* When retailers give away free bags, their costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Phase 3: Disposal and Litter Costs
* Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food. Turtles think the bags are jellyfish, their primary food source. Once swallowed, plastic bags choke animals or block their intestines, leading to an agonizing death.
* On land, many cows, goats and other animals suffer a similar fate to marine life when they accidentally ingest plastic bags while foraging for food.
* In a landfill, plastic bags take up to 1,000 years to degrade. As litter, they breakdown into tiny bits, contaminating our soil and water.
* When plastic bags breakdown, small plastic particles can pose threats to marine life and contaminate the food web. A 2001 paper by Japanese researchers reported that plastic debris acts like a sponge for toxic chemicals, soaking up a million fold greater concentration of such deadly compounds as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of the notorious insecticide DDT), than the surrounding seawater. These turn into toxic gut bombs for marine animals which frequently mistake these bits for food.
* Collection, hauling and disposal of plastic bag waste create an additional environmental impact. An estimated 8 billion pounds of plastic bags, wraps and sacks enter the waste stream every year in the US alone, putting an unnecessary burden on our diminishing landfill space and causing air pollution if incinerated.
* Recycling requires energy for the collection, processing, etc. and doesn’t address the above issues. To learn more visit Recycling Can Fix This, Right?
I agree… go green! We sell large tote bags at World Market and people love them. I saw the one’s at Wal-Mart and they were a little small. I will join you in your “No Paper or Plastic Please” campaign.
Left by Jennifer on February 22nd, 2008