Comments on: Why I’m Done Feeling Helpless About the Gulf Spill – Using Less Oil & Plastic

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:27:30 +0000

Great, inspiring post! Of course the last words I read are the ones that stick – this extensive list of yours is a GREAT brainstorming starting point! I actually realized there’s a whole lot I can tick off of your list. The first thing that comes to mind is – you don’t need deodorant. I make my own out of vodka and essential oils, and it works amazingly. Also, who needs pantyhose? You can donate those to help clean up the oil spill, actually. They fill them with donated human and pet hair and make these oil-soaker-upper things. Let’s see what else… I can’t see any positive use for petroleum jelly. Easy to live without that! Glycerin can be obtained from vegetable sources, and lotions, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, and cold cream can be made without petroleum products. I just replaced my old curtains with bamboo blinds – very cool! Even insect repellent can be made fairly effectively with plant-based ingredients. I’ve written extensively on my blog about eliminating plastic adhesive tape, especially as it relates to shipping packages, but I’ve found that even for household purposes, there’s little that can’t be done without plastic tape. I’ve found it easy to eliminate balloons, plastic drinking straws, nail polish, hair curlers, and shoe polish (I have a beeswax concoction that does just fine). Just the other day I bought a hair comb made by indigenous people out of bone. I’m totally psyched about it! But skis… I don’t think I am ready at all to tackle that one! How about the fact that all of my gear is hand-me-down? (-;

Great post – loved it!

By: Debra

Debra — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:06:08 +0000

I planted a small garden and am tearing up part of my yard to plant a larger one. I buy local and seasonal food. I buy used clothes and use the library. I was horrified when I took a carbon footprint quiz. I am making changes. I hadn’t thought about canceling the gym.
Have you seen No Impact Man? He has a challenge coming up in August.

By: Erin aka Conscious Shopper

Erin aka Conscious Shopper — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:15:12 +0000

In addition to the personal changes you’ve suggested, we shouldn’t forget to flex our political muscles as well – call or email your senator and let him know your concerns, and call President Obama to encourage him to stop the development of more offshore drilling.

By: Dave Doctor

Dave Doctor — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:57:13 +0000

Inspiring post. I can’t think of additional ways to avoid plastic. Maybe stop using charge cards? At nearby health food store sells steel lunch cases as an alternative to tupper ware and also steel (or aluminum?) water containers. Check out Think Sport water bottles. I have one and the lid seal tightly. http://www.thinksportbottles.com/

By: heather

heather — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:52:13 +0000

Matt,

It’s a good point; I’m sure the oil in some of these items is incremental versus the oil used for, say, taking a road trip. But like I said, I’ve gone over and over my options. I have to do SOMETHING, and honestly this was all I could come up with. Drive less, use less plastic, and try to make my footprint smaller.

It may not make a big difference in the scheme of things. But I couldn’t just sit back and continue my normal course of actions after this, knowing that my consumption was, in part, responsible for the spill.

I do recycle all my plastics, but reducing consumption is far greener than recycling in the first place. So that’s what I’m going to try to do.

By: Double Dip

Double Dip — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:38:15 +0000

[...] wanted to highlight an article I enjoyed by heather at her weblog The Greenest Dollar. Â I liked it for two [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:53:08 +0000

Are the little bits of oil that are incorporated into everyday products worth trying to eliminate, especially when a lot of it appears in forms that you’re going to recycle? Are your alternatives – even if they use less oil in the product itself – truly greener?

The answer could easily be “yes” for some things… but I’m betting not for all things.