Five ways you’re not being as green as you think
And what to do instead
In my experience, most Americans attitudes toward recycling and green living falls somewhere between disinterest and recycling aluminum cans (most of the time). There are the passionate few on both ends of the spectrum: the zero-wasters and the aggressive consumerists. The instructor in my county’s Master Recycler/Composter class related an anecdote about a friend who refused to recycle glass beer bottles because “the world isn’t running out of sand” (actually it is, but that’s a different post).
Some of our (not so) green habits can merely be unhelpful, while others can actually be counterproductive or harmful to the planet.
Wherever you fall on this spectrum, your intentions are probably good. But recycling and it’s sustainability friends can be confusing; here are some suggestions:
- Bringing your own straw
I once saw this referred to as the “thoughts and prayers” of climate change. Bringing your own straw to reduce ocean-bound plastic is great, but bringing your own beverage container is even better. Refuse the straw where practical, otherwise try to use a paper straw, or your own reusable straw.
2. Wishcycling
