This post is going to be short and not too sweet. I’ve added a new category. It’s called “What are we doing to ourselves?” I hope to add another one, called “What were we thinking?” Go HERE to see something eye-opening and worth knowing about plastic bags. They’re everywhere and piling up, and they are really, seriously making a mess not only for the environment, our landfills, oceans and animal life, but also for ourselves and our future. Really, this is no joke. Look at that poor turtle. Think about plastic bags for a while, then mull over two words and memorize them: “Never Again.” Then, decide to do something worth doing. I am.
About
Writer, editor, photojournalist, cartoonist, Beverly Spicer is the E-Bits columnst at The Digital Journalist, a video and photojournalism webzine at http://digitaljournalist. org. She is a diarist and author of two books. Her undergraduate degree is in physiological psychology and biological sciences, and she has a interdisciplinary Master of Science in architectural studies combining architecture, neuroscience, and Middle Eastern studies. .
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Thanks for adding this category “What are we doing to ourselves?”. I am pretty interested in what can we do little things to improve the environment. I have devised a small iron furnance which is powered by a small fan with 12 volts d.c. electrict supply which supply limited air. As an alternative to today’s hike in the oil and gas prices, I use small pieces of wood, papers of no use, plastics pieces, other materials around me which catches fire, and (perhaps plastic bags) as fuel for cooking my food from tea to rice to boiling water. I am little bit worried by the fact that “Do this process release carbon dioxide to my surrounding and harm environment?” . I am sure the benefit is higher than the release of co2. As my experience, a modest large plastic bag is sufficient to boil two cup of tea. So plastic bags which come to my home, are all consumed as fuel substitute. So Dear Beverly, Please comment on this.
Dear Raj,
Although I can understand your rationale, I strongly advise you not to burn plastic for fuel or any other reason. The CO2 is not the problem, but outgasing and release of PVCs (polyvinyl chloride) and other harmful chemicals can cause toxic inhalants and make you very sick indeed. If you would like to find out a little about PVCs, their prevalence of use in baby bottles, soft plastics used for water and soda bottles and containers, liners for metal cans and milk cartons, housing materials, and I.V. lines, there is a very interesting documentary called “Blue Vinyl” on the subject. Rent it! And don’t burn plastic!
Beverly
Wow this article may be short but its powerful, it makes my heart sad knowing how much these plastic bags are affecting our earth and animals with it. Plastic bags need to be replaced in my opinion with perhaps cloth bags we can continue to reuse. Would probably create a nice positive effect on our environment. Thank you for this read.
Right on Beverly
Right idea, Raj, just don’t burn plastic. But plastic bags can be woven into a fabric in a mesh-like pattern. A friend of mine has a purse made out of them… the colors even coordinate into a pattern! Add some beads and maybe you could sell them, give as gifts, or use around the hut!?? Thanks for caring 