#11 Making Contact

I was at a dinner gathering last month when a friend started talking about plastic packaging. She objected to the widespread use of plastic pouches..

#10 Garbage is an Idea

It can seem like quite the debilitating a cycle we’ve gotten ourselves into. But as with all our cycles, it’s just a concept. Garbage is...

#9 To Tip or Not To Tip

There is no doubt that good service demands a tip. Even in those situations when we’re not sure if the tip is included or if...

#8 Bamboozled by Bags

It’s taken a long time to come to the point of realizing that we don’t really need quite so many single use plastic shopping bags....

#7 The Long Game

When things have out-lived their present use, I consider re-use as the first option. I’ve come to routinely resist the garbage pail or even the recycling sorting area. Can I use it for something else or can someone else do so? If I can see it in a new light, …

#6 Mining Metal

One area of the Transfer Station (TS) that is not like the others is the metal pile. Old white appliances are near-by and some reclaimable items are placed on the side but by and large the metal pile is not sorted. It’s a large jumble of all types of metal …

#5 Contamination

Is it going to matter that the staple is in with the tea bag? Should I detach the nylon tie from the cardboard label that was in the new jeans pocket? Does the aluminum wrap on the neck of the wine bottle cause a big problem? Should paper come off …

#4 Buying Value

It’s starting to happen. I’m in the store, holding a product that I desire and I’m weighing a bunch of different considerations. Quality. Is this the product that I think it is? Does it look well made? Well-designed? Price. Is it worth the price? Is there a warranty, a rebate, …

#3 Single Use

It’s durable, pliable, waterproof, lightweight, often transparent, formable, buoyant, strong, recyclable, and pretty cheap to make. It’s everywhere. It’s products. It’s packaging. Plastic is fantastic! – Wait a minute. Suddenly, it’s garbage. And it’s a lot of garbage. It’s a lot of problem garbage. For all the benefits of a …

#2 Habits

Sometimes, I can’t get over the complexity of manufacturing. Technology is one thing: cars, electronics, robots, rockets – yeah ok, a lot of material streams have to be worked out there. But even small household products that don’t run on electricity involve a production plan. They probably come with 3 …

#1 Here we are

This valley is special. It has steep cliffs and undulating hills; forest groves and open fields; birds, wildlife, waterways, and back-country trails. It’s where we enjoy a rural life among many homesteads. But, there’s a subtle tug towards a certain activity in one small East-side enclave. Cars, trucks and people …