Six Degrees of Separation: Eco-Steps Style

Just as in "six degrees of separation" we are generally only six people away from just about everyone on the planet (including Kevin Bacon).  That means that the little things (or eco-steps, even) we say and do have the potential to influence, well, everyone.  Taking it one step further, think about Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and all of the other social media out there.  We are all "friends" of friends, of friends of someone.  Arguably, we are more interconnected now than in any other time in history and that this "togetherness" brings us all more power than we realize.  I must say that I've gone back and forth on this whole social media concept.  I've loved it, I've hated it, I have activated, deactivated, then reactivated accounts just to stay "in touch" or at least semi-tethered to modern society.   Say or feel what you want about it, social media is here and becoming more entrenched in our way of life, which brings about the power and responsibility aspect.  Since we are all interconnected (one way or another) we can use these social media tools to help share ideas and raise awareness about important issues.  That's where Eco-Steps come in.  Let's look at some examples.

Repost: Everything I Ever Wanted to Know About Plastics, But was Afraid to Ask

A repost from EnviroMom

I recently finished reading the book, Plastic, A Toxic Love Story, by Susan Freinkel. It was an eye opener for me. Plastic is something I've just not wanted to get into. Over the past few years, don't get me wrong, I've worked hard to eliminate many plastics from our lives. But its ubiquitousness can be exhausting. You find out on a regular basis how many far-fetched things have plastic in them. Metal food cans. Chewing gum, for crying out loud!

Plastic, A Toxic Love Story examines seven common plastic items: plastic lawn chair, comb, disposable lighter, grocery bag, IV bag, water bottle and Frisbee. And through that lens, taught me everything I want to know about plastics. I learned about the various resins, and why what works for a yogurt cup won't work for a fizzy-pop bottle. I learned that most credit and gift cards are made of PVC (boo! hiss! evil PVC!). As are IV bags. Gulp (note to self: try not to be hospitalized). I gained a grudging acceptance of the future of bioplastics. Quite simply, this book tells the interesting and engaging stories behind the lifecycles of these common plastic items, and the sometimes surprising ways humans and other animals interact with them. And accidentally become 'a little bit plastic.'

If you are like me, and don't know much about plastics, and glaze over when talk of the chemical building blocks of plastics come up, this is the book for you. Do I sound like I'm doing a third grade book report speech? I hope so. One gripe: in the chapter on the plastic 'monobloc' chair I would have liked some pictures of the earlier plastic chairs designed by Panton and Starck (Louis Ghost). They were easy enough to Google, but still. Except for the cover, this book has no pictures. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it if you're just getting started on your understanding of the complex business of plastics.

Wanna Have More? Use Less!

In the spirit of eco-steps-- taking small steps toward conservation, being healthier, saving money and all that, I've been on somewhat of a minimalist kick of late.   I've been contemplating the notion that by using less of everything, that we can actually have more!  And if we apply that principle to just about every aspect of our lives, there will be more of everything to go around.  Here's where I am coming from:

Another Good Reason to Step On Outta Those Hose!

Be nice to the planet and ditch those panty hose. Nylons are made out of petroleum.  Yep.   Even if you've ditched your gas-guzzling SUV and are now driving a hybrid or biking to work... you can still do just a little more to help the planet.  Here are some other things that are made out of petroleum.  You may be surprised...

Chewing gum:  It lasts as long as it does for a reason—just about all brands on store shelves today use petroleum-based polymers. According to my friends at Planet Green, Goodyear, the tire and rubber company, supplies Wrigley's with much of its gum base. Yummy!   

More from Planet Green: 

• Hair dye: As if the toxic chemicals in hair dye weren't enough reason to avoid coloring your hair. Try finding more natural alternatives, or just go au naturale.

• Asphalt : Also known as bitumen, the material used to resurface roads (as well as in roofing materials) is an oil-based hydrocarbon. Meaning—if you noticed that road construction slowed down in your area at all in the last year, rising oil costs may well have been the reason. 

   Crayons: The main ingredient is paraffin wax, a petroleum product also used in most candles.

  Ink: Ever wonder why so many companies with an eco-conscience tout their use of soy-based ink?

  Pantyhose: ...and all other nylon products. All petroleum-based.
  

  And there's more...

  Heart Valves. Pillows. Aspirin. Ammonia. Toothpaste. Toothbrushes. Guitar strings. Shoe polish. Tape. Rubbing Alcohol. Vitamin capsules. Solvents. Caulking. Insecticides. Deodorant. Glue.
  The wax layer of the packaging your frozen food comes in. (And, of course, the fertilizers that farmers used to grow much of that food.)
  
  Given the ubiquity of oil, it's not an easy thing to get away from, no matter how much bike-riding and food-growing we do for ourselves. (Though both of things are a great start—keep 'em up!) But, like other addictions, we got ourselves hooked, and with serious effort and dedication, we can get ourselves unhooked.

Happy Birthday, Earth Day!

Since this blog is dedicated to all of the little things or eco-steps we can take to make this world a better and healthier place for us, I would be remiss if I did not at least acknowledge that today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, along with the 91,100,000 other sites that Google returned when I typed in "Earth Day."  I feel somewhat of a kindred spirit with Earth Day since I am also turning 40 this year (gasp!).  40 seems like a good age to look back and reflect upon one's life and experiences, and then to look forward to the good that is yet to come.  It is somewhat of a milestone.  In the last 40 years, we have learned a lot about the environment and our impact on it.