August 2013

Our W2O intern, Phoebe Racine gives us some “cool” to consider before she heads back to Dartmouth next week:

If you’ve been to downtown Boston lately you may have noticed a series of decorated earths on the Tremont side of the Boston Common, near Park St. Station and at Copley Square. Some are wrapped in knit, others you can climb inside of and one is covered in plastic debris. These sculptures are part of a campaign called, Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet. The purpose of the #CoolGlobes is to raise awareness about environmental issues and challenges us to consider our human influence on climate change. Boston is the 14th city worldwide to hold the exhibit.

Of particular interest is the globe titled “Reduce” by Israel artist Yair Engel. We see a globe covered in brightly colored plastic, plastic that holds our laundry detergent, cereal, hair products, and all of our everyday items. The “Reduce” globe reminds us just how dependent we’ve become on disposable goods. In Engel’s message at the bottom he writes that “within the past 35 years, the amount of trash each person generates has almost doubled from 2.7 lbs to 4.4 lbs everyday.” Ultimately he asks, “How can you slim down your trash can?”

If you would like to see Engel’s globe in person it stands one block south of the Park Street Station. Or you can view globes like his online by visiting the Cool Globes The exhibit is serious yet fun-the perfect outing for the whole family. Have you ever climbed inside a giant earth statue?

One of our W2O members recently enjoyed the guide I linked to on a previous post that helped decipher how to store vegetables without using plastic bags and wrap. She was intrigued at the idea of not using the plastic to store in the fridge but was still confused about how to transport the local produce and non packaged veggies home from the market. So, intern Phoebe and I decided to go on a shopping outing to see if we could give you a pictorial version of some simple tricks for avoiding single use plastic from the supermarket to your fridge.

Plastic is everywhere. If you are in tune to that fact, you will be overwhelmed with the amount in our supermarkets.  Even the organic markets and the Whole Foods of the world are struggling with how to avoid plastic packaging. Sometimes, even with best intentions, you can’t avoid it. Yogurts, breads, meats, some pastas, rice..well the list goes on-plastic is all around us.  Sometimes you have to just do the best you can. Here are some practical ideas that you can try to reduce the amount of plastic you take home.

• Don’t be afraid of “the belt.”  Produce changes hands many times and lands on several surfaces before making it to your home. No need to wrap that tiny pepper (or lettuce or whatever) in a huge plastic bag, just make sure you wash your produce well before you use it.  
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•  Choose local fruits and veggies and not wrapped in plastic.  Sometimes I know this is impossible, but if you look around you will find the corn in season to husk at home and the carrots that are not in the plastic wrap. Farmers markets are more and more popular but when they disappear in the off seasons, buying is more challenging.
• Avoid those little container and opt for a larger one that you can spoon into a reusable lidded bowl. Bring a non plastic spoon to work!
  

  Phoebe weighing the choices.

   

No Thanks!

Yes, Please!

• Of course, carry your own bags, but for the bulky bigger stuff, just throw it in the carriage and then in the back of the car.  I keep an old milk carton in my trunk to contain bulk items like cereal and cleaning products.
• Store produce in a damp towel (the guide above will help you) or buy a reusable produce bag.
• Invest in a set of UFO or similar brand covers that are air tight, microwave safe silicon.

• And finally remember, you probably won’t avoid plastic completely.  Even the smallest efforts will increase your awareness. Good for your health and good for our beautiful oceans.

Clint Richmond was instrumental in the creation and passing of the Brookline Plastic Bag Ban. He is also a member of the Green Caucus, an interest group within Brookline Town Meeting and the lead supporter of the ban. W2O intern, Phoebe Racine, interviewed Clint on July 25th.

Q. Why did you pushed for the Brookline Plastic Bag Ban?

A. There are 100 billion non degradable plastic bags used in this country every year. Plastic Bags create serious problems for aquatic life. Plastic bags from Brookline  can make their way into the Atlantic Ocean via the Charles and Muddy rivers. Our bylaw was modeled after a State Bill that has beed stalled for years, and passing it here not only puts Brookline on a sustainable path but demonstrates support for the Bill. This Brookline bylaw is simply an attempt to apply this proposed law at the local level. We also hoped it would inspire similar action across the state.

Q. How do you feel about the proposed Massachusetts Statewide Plastic Bag Ban?  Is this a law you would like to have passed?

A. Yes, I see the ban against polystyrene food packaging that we passed at the same time as equally important. Both have generated interest across the state. For example, Great Barrington and Manchester by the Sea have just passed similar bag bans.  Though, it’s important to remember that we weren’t the first town to pass a plastic bag ban.  In 1998, Nantucket passed a much more comprehensive packaging bylaw. Nantucket created a powerful model for others to follow.

Q. Do you think Brookline’s Ban will effect the current bill (H3438)?

A. Yes, because of Brookline and other towns, there is a lot more momentum than last year. Last year was good. Last year was the first time is got out of the Environment Committee.  With the media coverage and the three new towns that have passed similar bans, we have much more hope that it will pass this legislative session.