Welcome to the Green Ravine
Welcome to the Green Ravine! The Green Ravine is moving to greener pastures. All new postings can be found on our new wordpress blog. During this time we have found some growing pains, so please hang in and we will be on track soon. Thanks for visiting, we think you will enjoy our new site and with it in the spirit of simplicity we are working on a new approach and some interesting ideas and projects.
The Green Ravine is a voice to demonstrate that it is easy being green and I'll show you how. Being green is not an anti-social, activist behaviour anymore. It just makes good sense. There are benefits to "greening your life", which coincidently, include saving money and the environment. This blog and the websites associated with it hope to demonstrate the power of simplicity - life has become far too complicated. Simple is beauty.
You may also want to look at Past Dues, a quick guide to taking care of out of control bills and debts. If you are interested in alternative power then have a look at Green Home Power for hundreds of articles and resources on green energy.
Thank you for visiting the Green Ravine. We hope you will visit frequently for insights and return to review new resources & comments we want to share with you along our journey.
Plastic Shopping Bags
For years now, I've been bringing my own bags when I go shopping, which by the way, I do try to keep to a minimum. The impact to the environment is phenomenal - a plastic bag takes over 1000 years to biodegrade, more if it has no oxygen, such as a landfill. Some quick stats from
reusable bags give you an idea of the devastation they may cause. This is one aspect of your life that is easy to change. It is not inconvenient to bring your own bags. I keep a few cloth bags in the car, and have a liquor store bag with compartments for bottles. When I shop my backpack comes along with me. There are some personal advantages too:
- I don't have a stockpile of plastic bags overflowing in my house
- The bags are more durable and carry my groceries better
- Easier on the hands to carry & grab
- Reduces the cost for the vendor
- They make great laundry bags
- They take up very little space
Changing this aspect of your life will not be as hard as you think. Try keeping a bag or two in your car and one on the front door of your house. Have a few extra in your backpack. Carry the a single or small item without a bag. Give it back to the vendor when they automatically pack it for you and mention something like "I'd rather save the environment - you should ask if I want a bag to do the same" or indicate the money they could save without bags. In 2002, Ireland introduced a bag tax at 15% and reduced the number of bags by 90%, quite a feat. Perhaps, Canada should follow suit, we are the perfect country to set an environmental example with all the resources we should be protecting.
Do your part - be smart.
Labels: environmental changes, environmental waste, garbage, garbage tax, plastic bags, reusable bags, shopping bags
