America's Least Wasteful Cities

Naglene, manufacturer of a variety of BPA-free reusable containers, has created an intriguing website rating major American cities on their wastefulness. Check it out: www.leastwastefulcities.com. Not surprisingly, San Francisco takes home the prize, however I was interested to learn that New York City came in 3rd. This would be even more encouraging, had they not ranked 2nd in 2009 which either indicates an uptrend in wastefulness of New York City residents or simply that Seattle stepped it up big time. See the stats on NYC here. Either way, it sounds like my hometown of 14 years is leading the way in sustainable practices, being a part of the solution, as effectively as an uber-metropolis with millions of people in a few square miles can.

Here's the real kicker, you can take a personal wastefulness test by answering a few simple questions and see how you rank among others in the nation. I surprisingly ranked LOWER than the national average in my reuse and recycling practices. What?!? My guess is that the country's most active and eco-conscious are those that are going to the website and taking the test, therefore the millions of average households aren't even accounted for. Phew - I feel better. Sort of.

What Ryder would do if he ran the world....

Last night at dinner, my little boy asked me what I would do to end pollution if I was in charge of the world. What a great question! I started in on my long list of missions including alternative energy, corporate responsibility, recycling laws, etc, but then my internal mothering voice prodded me to turn the question back on him. I guess my bagless quest has rubbed off, because his first answer was that he would ban plastic bags. Glowing, I asked him why he thought that was important. He said he doesn't want to see them in our ocean or stuck in tree branches anymore. Great question, great answer.

So we decided, in our sticky booth at the West End Pizzeria, to make a single-use plastic bag ban our mother-son mission, starting in our small oceanside city of Long Beach. Just because the most environmentally progressive state of California failed to legislate such a ban last year (for more details on this setback and why plastic bags are so awful, click here), we're not deterred from taking our best shot at a local effort. There's a pop song on the radio right now by Katy Perry in which the opening line refers to feeling like a plastic bag drifting in the breeze. Sadly, this is a common image and pretty much any listener can relate to the symbolism. In Dylan's era, it was the answers that were blowing in the wind, not toxic waste. So if I really were in charge of the world, plastic bags would be gone and Dylan would be back on the radio. We walked out of the pizzeria with a new mission and without a plastic bag for our leftovers.

Stay tuned for updates as we take our bagless mission to community level.

Global Recycling

The use of recycled or reclaimed materials in handcrafted goods is a timeworn tradition that spans every corner of the globe. With the ecological crisis mounting, it's never been a better time to support such creative re-use. And thanks to ecommerce, any of these home accessories can be the newest decorative focal point right in your own living room, no passport required.


India





Vibrant antique cotton saris take on new life as slipcovered cubes and placemats, both available through www.sundancecatalog.com.


South Africa



Hand-painted recycled tea bags form the intricate border of the 11" square Pya Mirror, available through www.bluedango.com.


Philippines



A common sight in many countries, discarded automobile tires are refashioned into unique and functional handled baskets, available in sets of 2 from www.atwestend.com.


Canada



Ontario-based artist, Hilary Cosgrove, repurposes old suit jackets into custom Alphabet Pillows, each one holding the whimsy and character of their former incarnation.


UK





Crafty designers in London are pushing the envelope in recycled home goods with objects like the RD4 Chair, comprised entirely of hand-woven 100% recycled plastic waste material, and this rustic Vintage Belt Floor Mat, both available from www.branchhome.com


USA





The EPA estimates that Americans produce 220 million tons of trash every year. Whoa. Fortunately for the planet, there are some truly creative artisans from coast to coast turning garbage into usable beauty like Portland-based Evotiv responsible for the reclaimed Hardwood Shelving Unit above and Brooklyn brand Domestic Aesthetic that salvages scraps from a window factory to make the beautiful Spice Block.