3 Gifts Challenge

Our new environment minister, Peter Garrett, is floating a proposal to ban plastic shopping bags in Australia by the end of the year. I think this is a great idea. Not only do these bags pollute every corner of the earth, they also kill a large number of marine creatures.

Australians use 4 billion plastic bags each year; in China 3 billion bags are used per day; in the United States 380 billion disposable plastic bags are used each year and only 1 percent are recycled.

I borrowed this from Rhonda Jean at Down to Earth:
It got me thinking about other commonly used items that we might be able to give up that would be a great help to the planet. In the midst of this there was an interesting segment on morning TV on the five most damaging personal waste items. They are, and this is a cut and paste from this link:

• Polystyrene foam: Take away cups of coffee are made from expanded polystyrene foam, a product that does not break down over time. Polystyrene cups simply create landfill that releases toxic chemicals into the air. Alternative: Bring your own mug or take away cup to your favourite cafe.
• Cooking oil: Cooking oil is often disposed of in ways that hurt the environment. Simply pouring oil down the sink not only damages the plumbing, but it also means the oil ends up in waterways. In the same way that oceans can't deal with oil spills from large tankers, small waterways can't deal with oil that is put down the sink. Alternative: Store used oil in a sealable container or jar and ask your council how to dispose of it correctly.
• AA batteries: The batteries that power your remotes control contain around one percent mercury and when this leaks it can cause environmental damage. Batteries use less energy than they cost the environment to produce. Alternative: Rechargeable batteries.
• Disposable nappies: Nappies are convenient but they can create landfill that takes years and years to break down. It's estimated that the average baby creates around 700 kilograms of solid waste in nappies alone. Alternative: Cloth nappies.
• Cigarette butts: Smoking is more than a health hazard, the 32 billion cigarette butts thrown away in Australia each year damage the environment. It can take years for each butt to break down as each cigarette contains poisonous chemical compounds. Alternative: Quit smoking or make sure any cigarette butt is disposed of properly.
  

I decided to challenge myself to give up or modify three environmentally damaging things I do. I think it’s a really good way to remind myself that I can’t afford to sit back and think I am doing enough.

It is not enough.

It's the small things that I could easily change, with just a bit of thought and action, that will make a difference. It occurred to me that it would be a good challenge for everyone here. If we all got involved, and if you wrote about the challenge on your blog or talked with your friends about it, maybe there would be a ripple effect that would really make a difference in our own communities.

So my challenge to you is to choose three items or actions that you currently have in your life that you’ll modify or give up completely. It doesn't have to be on the list here, it can be anything that you do that you know is harmful and are prepared to change. We can do something important here. If we all do this, tell our friends and neighbours what we are doing and why, and ask that they join, we could make an impact in our local areas.

I think it’s important to continue working towards reducing consumption of just about everything we use, but this will be extra. It will be our three gifts to the world. I want everyone to join me in doing something positive for our grandchildren and their grandchildren. It looks like they will pay the price for what we are doing now.

This is what I will do:
PLASTIC BAGS
I will never accept a plastic bag again. I have a number of cloth bags for grocery shopping and I WILL use them religiously!

PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES
I will never buy water in a plastic bottle again. We have many many reusable water bottles I will fill up each night and store in the fridge (or half full in the freezer)

CIGARETTE BUTTS
I don’t smoke but my Partner does. I will make sure he uses the astray outside all the time and not flick his butts into the sand (where he has ripped up the patio)

Those will be my three gifts.

Will you do this with me and make a positive change?

You can then put the badge in the side bar of your blog to show that you’re part of the challenge. Let see how far we can spread this, let’s see how many people we can motivate to give three gifts. If you have no blog, print the badge out and stick it on the fridge, and tell your family and friends about the challenge. Seeing the badge will remind us of our commitment and that we can be part of a global solution instead of continuing on regardless.