Dependence on oil must stop!
Posted by Ethan on Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Under: Say "no" to plastics!
Hey Neergs--
When I first started this blog, I wanted to tell you how your plastic waste was growing the Pacific Garbage Patch (Trash Vortex) in the North Pacific Gyre. Plastic stuff is made from petroleum and almost everything we use these days has plastic in it. The bad news is we do a crummy job recycling. About 80 percent of the plastic in the Pacific Garbage Patch comes from land-based sources according to our friends at Project Kaisei in San Francisco. And worse yet, another trash vortex was discovered this past April in the Atlantic. Common sense tells you this undoubtedly works it's way into our food chain. Animals mistakenly feed off small plastic debris that photodegrades in the oceans under the hot sun! They eat the plastic and we eat the animals--get it?
So, now we have at least two known trash vortexes and a huge environmental catastrophe in the Gulf--all due to our dependence on oil. This is where we kids need to use our heads and make changes everyday. My friends and I are going to summer camp right now. We are making an effort to minimize our plastic consumption. No juice boxes or plastic containers for us! I have a stainless eco thermos. I clean it out and fill it up everyday--no waste! My Dad is packing my lunch in an old lunchbox we've had around the house for years--no need to buy a new plastic container. And while we're at it, we are conserving paper too. I use a cloth napkin everday and just wash it when it needs it. Any plastic container used comes home to be recycled or washed. It's just not that hard Neergs! And while you're at it, talk your Mom and Dad into some summer camp carpooling--Mom and Dad might meet some new friends too. Better yet, bike to camp! If we all managed to do just a few of these things, just think what an impact it cold make. I don't know about you, but all that plastic debris in the ocean and oil spilling onto the beaches makes me wonder what's going to be left when we grow up. We're not powerless. Let's do this thing! Join the forum or send us a note at admin@greenkidsrock.com. We need your help. Peace Out-Ethan
When I first started this blog, I wanted to tell you how your plastic waste was growing the Pacific Garbage Patch (Trash Vortex) in the North Pacific Gyre. Plastic stuff is made from petroleum and almost everything we use these days has plastic in it. The bad news is we do a crummy job recycling. About 80 percent of the plastic in the Pacific Garbage Patch comes from land-based sources according to our friends at Project Kaisei in San Francisco. And worse yet, another trash vortex was discovered this past April in the Atlantic. Common sense tells you this undoubtedly works it's way into our food chain. Animals mistakenly feed off small plastic debris that photodegrades in the oceans under the hot sun! They eat the plastic and we eat the animals--get it?
So, now we have at least two known trash vortexes and a huge environmental catastrophe in the Gulf--all due to our dependence on oil. This is where we kids need to use our heads and make changes everyday. My friends and I are going to summer camp right now. We are making an effort to minimize our plastic consumption. No juice boxes or plastic containers for us! I have a stainless eco thermos. I clean it out and fill it up everyday--no waste! My Dad is packing my lunch in an old lunchbox we've had around the house for years--no need to buy a new plastic container. And while we're at it, we are conserving paper too. I use a cloth napkin everday and just wash it when it needs it. Any plastic container used comes home to be recycled or washed. It's just not that hard Neergs! And while you're at it, talk your Mom and Dad into some summer camp carpooling--Mom and Dad might meet some new friends too. Better yet, bike to camp! If we all managed to do just a few of these things, just think what an impact it cold make. I don't know about you, but all that plastic debris in the ocean and oil spilling onto the beaches makes me wonder what's going to be left when we grow up. We're not powerless. Let's do this thing! Join the forum or send us a note at admin@greenkidsrock.com. We need your help. Peace Out-Ethan