ecoFAIL

Trying to be green is not as easy as it sounds, nor is it as black/white as it appears. Everything has trade-offs and it makes my head spin trying to sort through all the mess. I've spent countless hours on google just trying to figure out how to properly dispose of something; and I mean REALLY dispose of it, not repurpose it or make it into something else, I mean make it go away. I barely have time to sort through my mail and take up my knitting without worrying about how to repurpose an old pair of pumps into a stylish doorstop or new necklace holder. I'm all for reuse but sometimes you just don't want to reuse it (either because it's too much effort/time or you just don't the reused thing); so what the hell do you do with it then?

This depressing yet revealing chart has been floating around the interwebs for a few weeks now. Original source (along with a great report on the farm bill) is from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

I am all for people or companies going green and taking up green practices. The thing that really bothers me is when companies disguise their decisions to make cut backs as going green. About a month ago we got an email from our company saying they were getting on the green bandwagon by taking away our plastic wear and cups. Then we got another email saying that our supplies were going to be delivered less frequently to help our carbon footprint.

So why do we still have paper towels in the bathrooms? Why do we still get our paystubs in the mail? Why do I have to print out a form and fax it to get reimbursed for my FSA? If my company REALLY wanted to be green don't you think they would take these steps as well?

We all know the economy sucks right now. If you have to make cut backs say it like it is. Don't pretend that cutting corners is trying to be green. Stop being a green poser!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/03/MNJ916RJ4B.DTL

Meanwhile, the maintenance crew in our apartment building cleans the tennis courts and outdoor entryways each week by spraying it all down with massive amounts of water. WTF people...

It seems like everything I interact with uses a battery. My clocks, my phones, my computers, my camera, everything. For those electronics that don't have some weird cord or battery and use the old style AA's, I've been trying to switch to rechargeables. Sounds like an excellent plan until it is actually put into action.

The other day the batteries in my keyboard died. My wireless keyboard takes three batteries. I pulled out the charger, stuck them in, and wandered to find something else to occupy my time. A few hours later I return to check on them. The green light (which I learned means it is still charging NOT that it has finished, but that is a completely separate topic that should go to some interaction design blog) was still on! I fished out the instructions (because yes, I am one of those people who keep everything) and learned that I was not allowed to charge three batteries at one time. I could do four and I could do two, but definitely not three. I further learned that it would take up to SEVEN hours for them the charge!

I went off to Matt to beg him for some batteries so that I could use my computer. After scavenging batteries from remotes I found the three I needed and tossed two of the three rechargeables into the charger. The next morning I took out the two fully recharged and got ready to put in the single, last battery needed when I realized that the charger doesn't charge one battery!! Arrrgghh.

At this point I gave up and just stuck all three back in the keyboard to see what would happen. Amazingly, the keyboard functioned.

The next night, the batteries in my mouse AND keyboard died (I'm sure it was the single one that I didn't charge but I didn't know which one it was). Since I only had one rechargeable in my mouse I just stuck all four back in the charger overnight and thus far they seem to be lasting.

I think I might buy some disposable AA's as backup, this is too much of a headache...

The continuation and conclusion of the composting saga...

In November (and just for reference I started all this in August), I attended the Green Festival. There I ran into a representative from the people that manage the bins. I unloaded all my woes and problems I had encountered trying to get a simple green bin into my complex. They took my number and said they would be more than happy to help me convince my building manager to get a green bin into the trash room. I felt empowered! I long ago gave up on trying to do this myself, but now I could have a professional help me! Someone who knew what the rebuttals would be and how to refute them. Someone who had experience with resistance. At last we would finally get the bin.

Or not, well not really. After going back and forth giving them the apartment building name, the name and number of the manager, and all kinds of other information, I realized that to convince the manager to give us a green bin he had to be reached. They never got a hold of him and he never returned their phone calls. It’s too bad I have no idea where he is located or I would go bang on his door and talk to him face to face.

In the end they gave us our mini household bin to put our scraps in and suggested when just throw it in a neighbors bin. So every once in awhile one of us can be seen in the early or late hours of the day hastily running across the street and quickly tossing in our small green bag into someone else’s bin before darting off up the street. I am just waiting for the day when some angry face appears in the door or yells down from the window wanting to know exactly what I’m up to.

All of this just so I don’t feel guilty. I never thought that in a city with their own composting program it would be so hard to actually compost.