Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
By Bryan Hayes
There is much debate regarding the legitimacy of global warming. The same can be said for climate change in general. Everyone has their opinion and entitled to such.
When it comes to “Living Green,” I was having a conversation the other day and thought it was appropriate to share. I was asked what it means to be “Living Green.” I think it is a very fair question and one that I can only speak for myself.
To me, as I explained to him, I go back to when I was just a kid. Everything was rather simple. If there was something that I was using and could use it again, then I would do it. If I could find another use for it, I would do that too. If I made a mess, I was expected to pick up after myself. Trash belonged in the trash can, and was not left out in the yard or anywhere else where it did not belong.
Those same principles I hold true now and have expanded on them too. Instead of everything going into the trash, I recycle. Why? To me, it is all about practicality. Why not get more use out of something? Why let something go to waste when it can still be used?
My mother was way ahead of her time when it came to re-using. She reused everything it seemed. A jar of jam bought at the store once finished would then become a storage container; a wooden box would be used for just about everything including my favorite play toy; and, my mom even transformed used beer cans into a wearable hat – (that one may be more than you wanted to know).
The point is that for me it is all about keeping it straightforward. I am not a scientist. My Biology grades will attest to that fact. What I am though is someone who looks at life and says, “Ok, that makes sense.”
When I go to the beach, which is often, I will inevitably see plastic bottles as well as plastic bags floating in the water and a beach that is littered with this and that. As I watch a bottle float away I think to myself that it can’t be good. There is an equal and/or opposite reaction to everything. (Maybe I did listen in Science class).
I asked the same person where he thinks the garbage goes when it gets into the water. He said that he never really thought about it before. Thought that was a pretty honest answer on his part. I know there are a lot of things that I am not familiar with that I do not really know when it may be pretty self-explanatory to others.
Without having to go into great detail I just said that it has to go somewhere, and while the ocean is incredibly vast it also includes an equally vast number of animal and plant life. When sea creatures are eating, or getting caught in whatever may be artificially lurking in the water, it can be anything from toxic to deadly.
When it comes to “in and around the house,” I try to use natural ingredients whenever possible. As you may recall, honey is not merely just for eating, for example. There are so many more uses. Another item I use extensively is vinegar. Instead of using harsh chemicals, vinegar works wonders as a cleaning product.
Outside, I try and use as many natural fertilizers and insecticides on my lawn. When going outside I also use natural insect repellents, such as geranium oil for use against mosquitoes. This and the other more natural alternatives I use because they have been around forever.
The same can be said about my diet. I do not follow strict guidelines but rather have a philosophy of more natural and less processed. Again, it is for a rather rudimentary reason. If it has worked for years and years, then it works for me.
On the flip side, what I have come to see as a trend is how so many commercials say that a particular drug is such an amazingly new product. Then, there are other commercials saying if someone has taken a particular drug that had been on the market several years ago, then you can sue for damages.
The point being that if there is a natural alternative that has been around “forever,” then I’ll choose that instead of a product that only been on the market for a few years. I suggest you do the same!