michael works about a mile from our apartment, so last week he bought a new bike to commute with instead of driving. i don't know why we didn't think of him commuting by bike before, (it's such a pointless waste of gas to drive unless it's raining) since he works so close and really enjoys riding bikes anyway. so, it's healhier, more fun and helps the environment.
growing up in oregon, i really didn't think much of helping the environment. when you're surrounded by green trees and rivers, gobal warming isn't that obvious. but now i see the amount of deforestation and pollution that i somehow missed before. since living in southern california, i realize how much we depend on cars. californians love their cars. and we have a thick brown layer of smog to prove it!
i was watching the Today Show this morning and they did a segment about the pacific garbage patch. basically it's a floating garbage dump the size of texas, mostly made up of plastics, sitting in the middle of the pacific ocean. practically every piece of plastic thrown in the rivers and waterways in the pacific rim makes it's way to the pacific garbage patch by ocean currents. people, with the intention of making life easier and more productive, have reduced the world's ability to repair itself. plastic was made to last forever, and unfortunately, that's proving all to true.
links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pacific_Gyre
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Moore-Trashed-PacificNov03.htm
1 comment:
I'm weary of the disposable life. Making green changes has been much easier than I expected. And cheaper. It's win-win. Go Mr. Baker on the new bike!
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