Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Recycling Dilemma

I woke with fresh coffee and a soy yogurt. When I was finished I rinsed the container and, doing my best to be a responsible recycler, examined the number on the bottom of the container to find the number 6 inside a recycling symbol. Prior to researching what numbers on the bottom of plastic containers meant, I would have just tossed it in the recycling bin, unknowingly sending it to the landfill while my ego remained intact.

Fortunately, I now sort my plastics. Why, you may ask? Because here in San Diego curbside recycling only extend to plastics 1-3, while 4-7 is sorted out to the landfills. As plastic is recycled the quality degrades making it hard and harder to recycle, so a 2 becomes a 6, a 1 becomes a 5, and 3 becomes a 7. By placing plastics 4-7 aside, the responsibility of recycling the plastic now lies on me driving to the nearest recycling center.

In Northern California some markets, such as Whole Foods, offer number 5 recycling programs. This makes it a bit easier to set aside # 5 and take them along to the market the next time you have a bit of grocery shopping to do. The debate about whether to start the program up here in Southern California and other states is in discussion, so mentioning that you support this program can help with the decision to implement such programs locally. So when you get a chance send an email over to your local market to request the need for these services immediately.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/contact_submit.php

As an individual I make a fair effort to recycle as much as possible, but unfortunately we all can’t and won’t do that because the market for higher number plastics is slim. The best alternative one could offer is shop wisely when purchesing plastics:

*Buy in bulk so there is less container usage

* Avoid buying colored plastics no matter what number they are, as colored plastics are NEVER recyclable due to chemical compounds

*Check the number on your plastics before purchasing and, if possible, look for an alternative product with a lower number if possible

* Reuse the plastic containers–they make for great take-out containers!

If you think that you may have an addiction to plastic, add Plastic Anonymous on Facebook for a little extra help with the consumer battle on plastic. While it is intended to be somewhat humorous it is important to realize that plastic itself has become a nationwide addiction, as the use of plastics continues to rise while our planet suffers.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Broken words, fearful birds, quiet minds rest no more

I hear them speak softly
as if a plea for mercey
night after night
when the time comes to shut my eyes
let me be weary of restful passion

"why do you hide me?, as if a shameful secret" she speaks softly
"why do you still find it so hard to fight for the love
we shared once, before our minds became torn and worn.
Speak of me as the smooth round pebble washed up from the trembles of the tide then cast away so carelessly."


"SO DIVED" she screams in my most terrible secret of dream,
with eyes that haunting and glem the color of the sunset somber as the dry desert sea.
What is gone when one delves into a land with more than a mystery?
at what cost do you let your gamble take you...
an eye for an eye with what other costs?

Where does entitlement change? How to learn from learn the same fearful fingertips that haunt my waking moments...

I tremble, just tremble
Where did I go wrong?
She somberly whispers to me in the dream
"I'm gone here left tomorrow yet nothing ever seems to change,
I should have you to blame, but it wouldn't be the same"

Monday, March 28, 2011

When the last poet is dead.

I have a question to ask thee
where would one take me
if forever came never
and we were constantly in a time trip?

Would you dare capture me there
make me what you want
instead of what I dream of being
where would we go to escape the questions of reality?

I challenge thee to this day
for if you were to remember
it is my 5th of may that I do save.

I would try to burn
but I lost that gamble once
so would the world believe
in something so quietly
as strength in numbers
of ones who can believe of
taking down a bridge in our sleep
trying to make up for the things we tore
but still losing, we are ignored.
why?

Wednesday, March 2, 2011