I've been enjoying this month's rich discussion and pondering what we can do to channel some of its power beyond July. Building off of Erin's reminder that we focus on action this week, the Center has decided to devote August's Step by Step action to a green consumer topic and use this final week as a forum to help pinpoint which action that should be. My spin would be that we are looking for an action that doesn't seem dramatic or complicated for us to undertake in each of our individual daily lives, but, when taken collectively by 11,000 people, could have a dramatic impact on the environment. Next time you are looking to buy clothing or another cotton product, stop and consider that roughly a third of all pesticides used in the U.S. are applied to cotton crops. Then try to find a similar product made from organic cotton, hemp or another alternative to conventionally-grown cotton.
Plastics bear heavy costs to the environment.
They are generally manufactured from oil, often designed to be disposable, and usually difficult to recycle. PVC is widely used to make building materials, pipes, furniture, components of automobiles, and packaging. It is also among the largest single sources of dioxin in garbage incineration. The world s forests are falling rapidly due to unsustainable demand for wood and paper. By weight, paper products also comprise nearly one-third of all waste going into American landfills.