Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Green Choices Wednesday










   
      




                      This..............or This?

Here's another paper vs cloth choice.

Paper napkins are technically a "renewable resource."  However, the production and the distribution chains for paper products expend irreplaceable fossil fuel and create greenhouse gases and other pollutants.  It is true that paper products are biodegradable, so they don't stay in the landfill forever.  My point is that disposable products still turn resources into garbage after a single use, wasting fuel and generating pollution in the process.

Production of cloth napkins also consumes resources, but cloth napkins are used over and over, and may be recyled into rags when worn.  They are commonly available in cotton or linen, and the DIY'er will find "Sew your own cloth napkins" directions widely available on the web.

My family is continuing to look for ways to eliminate "disposable" items from our lives. We've recently started using cloth napkins at our meals instead of paper napkins. 

Consider ways to eliminate "disposable" products from your life!

Think Green and live Green!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great blog and tip Vern. Alex from DM (dailymile.com/people/takefive). Equally as bad are these "new and advanced" throw away mops like the Swiffer. Such irresponsibility :(

Vern said...

Thanks, Alex-- that's another great example! I'm on a crusade against "disposable" products!

We've allowed commercial interests to sell us on some perceived benefit to using things and throwing them away.

At one time, Earth's precious resources were converted into durable goods that were used over and over.

With the advent of disposable products, we have based an entire economy on converting resources into garbage!