April 28, 2009
As part of Toronto's Earth Day 20-Minute Makeover, last Friday, Toronto Organics rolled up their sleeves, donned latex gloves and set upon the filthy streets to do our part for the environment.
The task was small but the results were astonishing, after 20 minutes the team had collected more than 10 garbage bags full of junk! When I asked about the most memorable findings, here is a sampling of what I heard: "Starbucks coffee cups by the handful"; "Some homeless dude asked for my number..."; "An old rotting bicycle tire"; "A resume..."; "waaaaay too many cigarette butts"; "A Wool Sweater and a sock"; "a full size Scanner--right next to a dumpster lol"; "BONES... Gross!!!"; and the most festive... "An empty vodka bottle and Christmas tree! (happy holidays)".
This exercise begs the question or at the very least, a passing thought, Why the heck are people so lazy? Come on... WHY??? We don't have to be a counterculture eco terrorist, zero foot print, hemp wearin' tree hugger to do our part. BUT, we have to think consciously about the impact of our actions and make a contribution every day, however small that may be.
10 VERY EASY things we can all do:
1. Put garbage in the garbage can, recycling in the blue box
2. Turn off lights when you leave a room
3. Don't buy bottled water
4. Buy and use only recycled paper (definitely toilet paper)
5. Support local Farmer's Markets
6. Use cold water to wash your clothes and hang on a line to dry
7. Buy bulk
8. Stop using plastic grocery bags
9. Ride your bike or carpool to work
10. Educate yourself and your children on sustainability
Earth Day was a fun way to get together with colleagues and look at the environment around us. Much of what we found was gross, unnecessary and sometimes comical. I leave you with an example of how the exercise carried forward into green goodwill and social responsibility... ;)
Email between a certain person in this office and me:
(Name withheld to protect identify) "I didn't find anything too exciting when we did the 20-minute makeover, just a gazillion cigarette buts, but on the weekend I saw an empty Viagra pack on the sidewalk in Little Italy."
Me: "Ok - the question that had to be asked... Did you pick it up?!"
(Name still withheld to protect identify) "Just to see that it was empty. "
</end of environmental rant, much peace, love and even Viagra to all.>
Nicole Russell
Toronto 20-Minute Makeover for Earth Day
As part of Toronto's Earth Day 20-Minute Makeover, last Friday, Toronto Organics rolled up their sleeves, donned latex gloves and set upon the filthy streets to do our part for the environment.
The task was small but the results were astonishing, after 20 minutes the team had collected more than 10 garbage bags full of junk! When I asked about the most memorable findings, here is a sampling of what I heard: "Starbucks coffee cups by the handful"; "Some homeless dude asked for my number..."; "An old rotting bicycle tire"; "A resume..."; "waaaaay too many cigarette butts"; "A Wool Sweater and a sock"; "a full size Scanner--right next to a dumpster lol"; "BONES... Gross!!!"; and the most festive... "An empty vodka bottle and Christmas tree! (happy holidays)".
This exercise begs the question or at the very least, a passing thought, Why the heck are people so lazy? Come on... WHY??? We don't have to be a counterculture eco terrorist, zero foot print, hemp wearin' tree hugger to do our part. BUT, we have to think consciously about the impact of our actions and make a contribution every day, however small that may be.
10 VERY EASY things we can all do:
1. Put garbage in the garbage can, recycling in the blue box
2. Turn off lights when you leave a room
3. Don't buy bottled water
4. Buy and use only recycled paper (definitely toilet paper)
5. Support local Farmer's Markets
6. Use cold water to wash your clothes and hang on a line to dry
7. Buy bulk
8. Stop using plastic grocery bags
9. Ride your bike or carpool to work
10. Educate yourself and your children on sustainability
Earth Day was a fun way to get together with colleagues and look at the environment around us. Much of what we found was gross, unnecessary and sometimes comical. I leave you with an example of how the exercise carried forward into green goodwill and social responsibility... ;)
Email between a certain person in this office and me:
(Name withheld to protect identify) "I didn't find anything too exciting when we did the 20-minute makeover, just a gazillion cigarette buts, but on the weekend I saw an empty Viagra pack on the sidewalk in Little Italy."
Me: "Ok - the question that had to be asked... Did you pick it up?!"
(Name still withheld to protect identify) "Just to see that it was empty. "
</end of environmental rant, much peace, love and even Viagra to all.>
Nicole Russell
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Good post, is it okay if I copy a link on my website to this page?
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Thanks for great post. Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off NOW!
I notice that when I specifically invite comments that people leave them in higher numbers than when I don’t.
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Don’t ask me why, but I love this guy. I had no prior knowledge of him until I saw this figure on the back of the Blue Beetle card. I’d go as far as to say he motivated me to pick up wave 7 and start collecting DCUC (!). Mine did come with a messed up emblem, though. It’s missing a small section on one of the outer loops. Kind of depressing because it was the only Aquaman figure I had come across at that point and I really wanted to complete AS. Of course I saw another Aquaman at Wal-mart last and almost bought him just to switch out the torso and return him, but decided against it because the rest of the torso had sloppy paint. It would just be an endless cycle. I determined it would be easier to fix the logo myself.
When all else fails manipulate the data