Jan 26, 2008

How would YOU like to save the world?


Just a little interesting tidbit of information for you to munch on first. Well maybe more like CHOKE on because it's rather shocking: Captain Charles Moore has recently discovered 3 million tons of plastic and garbage, an area larger than the state of Texas in the ocean about 800 miles north of Hawaii. This 'eastern garbage patch' is growing very quickly, and animals are being killed by the thousands, ..found strangled by the plastic or found dead with plastic in their bellies. The reason it's all collected in one place is because of the ocean currents.. They've found drums of hazardous chemicals, volleyballs, plastic coat hangers, parts of electronics, tires, plastic, glass, bleach bottles, tangled net lines made of polypropylene. The worst part of it all, is that plastic is designed to defeat natural recycling. It takes centuries and centuries to break down.

Another problem is that plastic is photodegradable.. which means it doesn't break down completely, rather breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces of "microplastic". Sunlight makes plastic brittle and causes it to break,.. fish mistake these pieces of plastic or plankton and ingest it. the ocean is turning into plastic soup basically. And when we eat fish, we eat plastic! Yummy...
Scientists say that the amount of plastic in the ocean has increased three times over the last 10 years.

I'm going to put a challenge out there to all of you.. For the next month do not buy any plastic that isn't labelled with a "1" or a "2" inside the recycling arrows. Even if the bottle says it's recyclable, the truth is, only 3-5% of all plastics are recycled. Only #1 (polyethylene terephthalate ..used in soda bottles) and # 2 (high-density polyethylene, used in milk jugs) are commonly recyclable. The rest of the plastic you buy ends up in the landfill..or in the ocean.
This may mean you're not going to be able to buy your regular shampoo/conditioners.. or maybe you won't be able to buy some sort of packaged food that you like.. use your judgment. Dont buy shit you don't need, ESPECIALLY if it's plastic.

Do you want to be responsible for the picture above??



There's a really good video on Youtube to watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbOXUza9ZeE\

To sum it up::

Basically we're facing a MASS EXTINCTION.. an Environmental crisis. it's a critical moment in history people.. we 2 options. We either wake up or we Die. Most of us are concerned about it, but we behave as though it's not happening.

Our population has jumped from 2 billion to 6 billion people in one century. We share the planet with about 10 million other species. It is estimated that in THIS century that we're living in, about half of those species will be wiped out.. the crucial time period is thought to be in the next 35-50 years. How would you like to grow older and witness this happening.. KNOWING that you COULD have done something about it. Imagine having such regret..the guilt of 5 million species of life on your conscience? People who say "it's too late to make a difference" are selfish and lazy, simply put. Remember the little engine that could?...

Imagine the nightmare we will face if we don't try to do something about it. it's not just about saving the cheetahs or the frogs or the bees or other species that are in trouble. It's about saving our own human race. The idea that our intelligence has made us successful needs to be taken to a different level. Our success has made us greedy and lazy. We need to take our intelligence and save our own kind...by saving our Earth. That is the definition of success for me. To restore the balance and connection with nature. Billions of humans will die because we depend on a variety of ecosytems...and if those ecosystems are irreversibly wiped out because of our selfish wastefulness and laziness, it will cause profound consequences for human beings.


I know this entry is a little 'soap box' style.. but I'm not preaching religion at you. I'm trying to save our lives. All of our lives.

So I'm going to make a pact to all of you that for the next month I'm not going to buy any plastic that doesn't have a 1 or 2 in the recycling arrows. Would you accept the challenge and do the same?

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing, because he could do only a little." Edmund Burke

5 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

I saw a tv show about the garbage patch, its terrifying how quickly its growing and how much wildlife its harming. I make a real effort not to buy stuff packaged in plastic. Retqailers and food packaging companies really need to start finding alternatives too

Anonymous said...

hi..i'm from singapore and im doing an essay on tennagers' concern on wild animals being endangered so i found your blog and may i ask to use some material? i am also a vegetarian and indeed very concered about global warming and animal rights..they have feelings! anyways ? are u a singaporean and a teenager?..kudos..kumarr from sji singapore

naturebunny said...

Hey
No,I'm not from Singapore, although I have a really good friend from there, I'm actually from Canada, and I'm actually 24 :)
But I think it's great that you're doing this and feel free to use whatever quotes you want.

Anonymous said...

oh wow thanks alot..:) carry on blogging ur blog rocks..

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