A sign on campus brought my attention that only 5% of the things we buy are still in use six months after their purchase. With everyone turning “green,” this statistic seems a little far-fetched.
On further review, however, it began to make sense.
Most of the things that college students (the target demographic for the sign) would buy would not be in use all that long. We only use textbooks for one semester; once a notebook or pen is used up, we simply throw it out; and we purchase so many things on a whim that we only plan to use once.
Looking even further, it can be said that all of the clothes we buy can work with this statistic. Theoretically you wouldn’t wear short shorts in the winter, or Ugg boots in the summer (yet the sorority girls at TCU don’t seem to follow this norm). It does not take into account that you would use it again twelve months later. Yes, it is not currently in use at that six month mark, but with enough time it would be pulled back out of the drawer to be used again.
Yes, I believe that we should work to sustain the world that we live in. In an ideal world we could go back to living the way the indigenous people in the Amazon live; they use slash-and-burn farming yet it enables their environment to recreate itself over and over again. That is the epitome of sustainability. We are far passed that point.
We need (to quote Mao Tse Tung) a permanent revolution. I believe that we can sustain our current ways of living and sustain the world in which we live. Let us all pick three things that we will do to help sustain our world. Three small things by each person could make a world of difference.
My three things:
- Use my entire notbooks. This includes writing on both sides of each paper and if need be, use the same notebook for multiple classes and semesters.
- Recycle all of my bottles. There are plenty of recycling bins on campus, I generally just throw my bottle away in the first trashcan I see. I will carry my empty bottles until I see a recycle bin, and recycle instead of throwing it in the trash.
- Turn off the AC. I will not touch the thermostat upstairs. This will help me burn less fossil fuels, and it will save my mother money on her electric bill. A double win.
1 comments:
CJ, you are SO right. You hit on so many excellent points. I completely agree with you. I'm trying to make several little changes in my life just like this to be more sustainable. For instance, my roommate and I pretty much NEVER turn on the overhead light in our room and only use our energy-efficient desk lamps. I try to do as much laundry as possible in one load. I've sworn off buying bottled water completely and instead use a reusable metal container filled with tap water. Thanks so much for sharing, it's so good to hear that others are thinking about these things too!
P.S. You are dead on with the Ugg boots... sorority girls do that here too. I just don't get it.
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