St. Francis Episcopal Church is observing Earth Day early this week with a Monday night covered dish dinner and distribution of reusable bags.
Outreach Chairman Harriet Pegram said attendees will receive one of 100 reusable bags donated by Wal-Mart to take to the churches in their community. The church already has distributed bags donated by earlier this year.
Mrs. Pegram said the project is part of the 15-year Millennium Development Project developed by world leaders in 2000 to reduce poverty and boost renewable energy. One of the eight goals developed was to ensure environmental sustainability.
I recycle, and I use ‘reusable’ bags … when I remember to put them in my car. All noble goals.
One should note, just as a curious aside, that at the first Earth Day observance, the focus was on the possibility of a coming Ice Age.
Except that most recycling uses more resources than just producing new materials. What’s the objective here?
Except for aluminum. Recycling aluminum cans is the most productive of all recycling techniquies. For paper and plastic, you are correct. In fact, recycling paper may actually harm the environment more than helping, since the print has to be bleached out, and trees are a renewable resource, which can also be produced from wood waste from furniture production, mulching, etc.
But since Waste Management picks up paper, plastic and aluminum at the house on garbage day, I’ll contribute rather than throwing it in the landfill-bound trash. In this case, no harm, no foul.
Now if I had to take it to a recycling center MYSELF, I would not be so willing.