So I was at Half-Price Books with my sister, and went to pay for my $1 clearance book. I see on the counter a sign: In celebration of Earth Day, with every $25 purchase, you get a free, reusable plastic bottle. Granted, it said it was biodegradable and made from recycled plastic ... but ... um ... A PLASTIC bottle to celebrate Mother Earth? How about 10% off instead?
Because the reality is that if the plastic bottle ends up in a landfill, it could be made of tissue paper and it's NOT going to degrade any time soon. Decomposition requires sunlight, rain, air. Landfills are packed as tightly as possible because, well, we need more room to shove more in. It's estimated, though of course it can't be conclusively proven, yet, that plastic bags last up to 1,000 years in a landfill!
More: Sunday, I'd gone into Target for some toddler items, and, once again, there was a celebrate Earth Day giveaway. This time, it was reusable shopping bags. These weren't the same ones Target has been stocking for a while now. They were a brand new design.
One thing that just KILLS me is this new industry dedicated to "reusable, Earth-saving tote bags." HOW MUCH ENERGY has been wasted making these things? I mean, SERIOUSLY? We'd be better off reusing the damn plastic bags!! And when the handles break, there are about 4,000 patterns online about reusing plastic bags ... including making new shopping bags out of 'em.
sigh
I've no doubt this is a well traversed subject, the commercialization of this conservation holiday. And I've no doubt others have made less obvious conclusions and suggestions. But I bet none of them have this photo, which I took at a grocery/other stuff store -- also today. Seems apt, hunh, for this modern world?
And hey! Buy one, get one half-off!
Crafty stuff ahead!! A friend's birthday's coming right up, and I made a couple of projects I plan to share. But in case she reads this, I can't post 'em yet:)
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