These days, I find myself unable to discard/dispose of garbage (i.e. plastics, cans, paper) indiscriminately.

In the days before, I used to just toss these things into the trash without a second thought. Now, with the knowledge I have regarding where our trash ultimately ends up and the amount of trash we humans generate, I think twice about WHAT trash I dispose of and HOW I do it.

Today, so many consumer products come in smaller packaging for convenience. For example, candies and junk food are now packaged individually so that people can just pick up a packet and finish it with ease, instead of having to deal with a large packet and then having to find some place to store the remaining. While I do think this type of packaging is convenient, it generates tons more trash because now you have all these little packets of plastic to dispose of in addition to the large packaging which these little packets come packaged in. So I try to avoid buying food/consumer products which come individually packed whenever possible so as to have less packaging to discard.

Another thing I try to do diligently is to separate my trash — paper, plastic, aluminium/cans. I find it difficult to just toss plastic or cans into the general trash like I used to because ultimately they end up in landfills and take years to decompose, and leak toxins into the earth and waterways, which ultimately lead back to us. The hubs probably thinks I’m crazy but I regularly rinse out soda bottles/cans and wash oily plastic bags (when I pack food) before I put them in the recycling bin, more for the hygiene factor because I don’t know how long it takes for these things to get processed at the recycling plant so if they remain soiled, they would most likely be tossed by the time it gets there.

Honestly, I don’t know if ALL the trash I send for recycling actually gets recycled (e.g. I understand that some types of plastic cannot be recycled) but I just do every little bit I can to help the environment. Hey, every little effort counts, right?

Now to figure out about composting…

I realize that I have no patience to be tactful when people refuse to admit that there’s a problem even when the facts are presented to their faces AND they refuse to take extra effort to amend these problems even though some solutions are available.

This afternoon during lunch, we started a conversation on recycling and what we do to be more environmentally friendly.
Note : Our table had 3 guys and 3 women.

Jenn commented that in general, men care less about the environment than women and would not take the extra effort to be more environmentally friendly. She proceeded to ask the guys whether they separated their trash and recycle. The guys looked a bit dumbfounded.

The conversation then proceeded to the use of plastic bags and how it’s good that some effort is being taken by the govt to reduce the use of plastic bags by making Saturdays bag-less days. The guys then proceeded to ask, don’t we use plastic bags to throw our thrash. So we (Jenn, Mich, and I) shared that we buy biodegradable bags for this purpose. You should have seen the guys faces! They had that “Are you crazy, you buy plastic bags?!” look on their faces. And JY remarked that he would not stop using the regular plastic bags for his trash simply because he thinks that in order for people to stop using plastic bags, people need to be more educated and more awareness must be done.

At this point, I was getting rather annoyed because here we are, trying to give options on how to reduce the usage of plastic bags and this guy refuses to acknowledge that buying biodegradable bags is even an option. Thankfully, Jenn was level-headed enough to explain to him that, change must start from ourselves. If we want to start to mae an impact, we must start by changing ourselves because if each of us resigns to the fact that “Oh, it’s just one of me doing this, it wouldn’t make a difference”, there will never be changes.

So I’m really thankful that Jenn came in with a logical explanation on why we need to put in a little more effort to make a difference. JY couldn’t rebutt after that because what JC said made complete sense.

I really need to learn to be more patient with people who are ignorant and explain to them what may be painfully obvious to me even though all I want to do is smack some sense into their heads.

I always wonder why people are people so selfish and don’t care to take a little bit of extra effort to help our planet. Do they not want the earth to be at its utmost peak for their future generations? Are people that short-termed in their thinking and only care about taking all they can for themselves now? This attitude really saddens and angers me. Because what we choose to do or not to do today, will impact not only my kids (if I have any). It will also impact my nieces / nephews, and my friends’ children.

Why can’t people be more responsible and take accountability for their actions?

Today I won 2000 bucks

And I’m finally convinced that visualization of an outcome that I desire really works.

There was a quiz at work to create awareness on the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, specifically the green initiatives. We were given links the day before to read up on the info in preparation for the quiz.

Since this was up my alley, green initatives and all that, I was quite enthusiastic about it and tried to read up as much as I could (there were really LOADS to read) the day before.

The night before, I visualized myself winning the prize (there was only one prize) and kept that thought with me throughout the day right up till quiz time.

As a result, I won by answering 50% of the questions and not answering the remaining 50% (by letting my opponent answer incorrectly — 2 out of the 3 questions answered were incorrect).

I was so shocked that I’d actually won because it was something I didn’t expect! Sure, I visualized myself winning but when it actually happened, I was totally blown away!

So yes, I am now a believer in the Law of Attraction

And I learned a few more things about being green in the process, hehe… such as :
- Refrigerators with the freezer at the top is more energy efficient than other models.
- If you keep the ice tray in the freezer full, it saves energy.
- Turn down the A/C thermostat to 24-25 degrees Celsius as each degree cooler will increase energy use by 6-8%.
- Optimal refrigerator temperature is 26–35F (2 – 3C) while freezer to 0-5F (-18 to 15C).

Learn more about DiGi’s green initiatives here.

One of the things that I’ve observed of my current workplace and which I like is that they seem to “walk the talk”.

Aside from the usual revenue generation and customer service goals like many other organizations, one distinguishing initiative that this organization embarks on is their Deep Green initiative.

And they don’t just give lip service to being green, unlike my previous organization. So far, I have seen green initiatives being put in action throughout the office, such as :

1. Recycle bins are available within the office as well as in the parking lots.
2. The lights are switched off during lunch hour.
3. The cafeteria provides paper bags instead of plastic bags for people who wish to take away kuihs and such.
4. Staff who carpool are entitled to park their vehicles in the covered carpark, thus encouraging people to carpool.
5. Almost every week, there is a lunch screening of video(s) on a ‘green’ subject or on human impact to the earth.
6. The buildings (existing and in construction) have ’green’ components built-in.

Read more here.

Before I can consider bringing a child into this world, I feel that as potential parents, we need to do all we can to minimize our carbon footprint so that the planet that we leave them is in good shape for them to live their lives to their fullest.

Sadly, I don’t think this is happening. At least, not in the majority of people. I know of only one friend who is actively practicing earth-saving habits such as using cloth diapers for her child and recycling her trash. I know of people who have the mindset that if they don’t have to pay for a resource or only pay the nominal fee (such as water or gas), they are likely to use it indiscriminately and end up wasting more than they use.

As for me, I think there’s more that I can do aside from my usual recycling habits and usage of biodegradable products (household cleaners, detergent, personal care products, and such).

Until I can safely say that me and husband are doing everything in our capacity to preserve the earth (which we are currently not), I don’t wish to bring a child into this world becaue I can’t look my kid in the eye and tell them that Mom and Dad are giving her/him the best we can.

Oh yah… not forgetting my quest to go as green as I can too.

I managed to wean myself off using talcum powder, after years and years of using it

It wasn’t as difficult as I expected.

This morning while in the shower, I just thought I’d compare the 2 types of shampoo that’s currently in my bathroom :

1. Aubrey’s Glycogen Protein Balancing Shampoo
2. Wellson’s Art Shampoo for Long & Dry Hair

There are tons of articles out there surrounding the whole topic of going green — harmful effects of chemicals in household and personal care products, what is happening to the environment due to our daily actions, etc.

We just need to make the decision if we are ready and prepared to be informed about all this. It’s not going to be pretty and we can get confused at times, with some of the conflicting studies and reports.

But I personally believe that as long as we keep our ultimate goal in mind, i.e. why are we doing this, we should be able to make the appropriate decisions to cater for all of our different needs.

Obviously, there will be skeptics. And if I didn’t care about the environment, I couldn’t care less whether the person standing beside me in the train or at the supermarket cashier was making a ‘green’ effort.

But I do care about the environment. A lot. And I do care that the people I care about are safe from harmful toxins. Obviously I’m not saying that we should all just dump everything and go live in the jungle and catch our own food or something like that.

It’s a matter of being aware, learning and researching more about the subject, to equip ourselves with the proper tools to make sound decisions for ourselves and our loved ones because let’s face it, we are surrounded by all sorts of chemicals and pollutants these days. Living in denial is not going to make the problem go away. So, the most logical thing to do is to read, learn and research as much as we can to make informed decisions.

Here are only a few of the many synthetic chemicals found in household and consumer products and their effects (Sources : Gorgeously Green, EWG) :

Coal tar : Found in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams, it is a known carcinogen.

Triclosan :Used in almost all antibacterial products such as soap, toothpaste and cosmetics. Can weaken immune system, decrease fertility, and cause birth defects. An animal study indicates triclosan may be a potent disruptor of the thyroid system at low levels. This is extra important to me because of my thyroid problem. My problem is likely to be genetic but I don’t discard the fact that environmental factors such as this chemical could have exacerbated it.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) :  Commonly used in soaps, shampoos, detergents, and toothpaste as foaming agents. In its final report on the safety of SLS, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that this ingredient has a “degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties” and “high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration.” 

Phtalates : A group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics and as solvents, found in, among other things, toys, food packaging, hoses, raincoats, shower curtains, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, lubricants, adhesives, detergents, nail polish, hair spray and shampoo.  Have been found to disrupt the endocrine system. Several phthalate compounds have caused reduced sperm counts, testicular atrophy and structural abnormalities in the reproductive systems of male test animals, and some studies also link phthalates to liver cancer, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s 2005 National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.

I remember a couple of times I used one of the cleaning products to clean HIS bathroom, and the fumes were so overwhelming that I ended up getting a headache each time I used it. Gawd knows what toxins I inhaled!

Some information that I found while researching :

Here’s a lengthy study on the “Long Term Effects of Chemicals in the Environment“, carried out by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. I have not read the report in full yet, but I think it’s something useful to read when I have the time.

A study on Science Daily : “Antibacterial Chemical Disrupts Hormone Activities”

A report on the Environmental Working Group : “Toxic Chemicals Found in Kids’ Bath Products”

Going green by reducing/eliminating synthetic chemicals is not just about the impact to our health. By reducing/eliminating our use of chemicals, we can reduce/eliminate the chemical residue (from our showers, bath, washing, etc.) that will eventually end up in our rivers and oceans. In addition, some brands of ‘green’ products are committed to supporting fair trade and by purchasing these products, we are indirectly supporting as well.

Naturally, we can’t avoid every single synthetic chemical that’s out there. What is important is making an informed choice on what chemicals we can live with and what we should avoid.

Personally, I believe it is a choice we make. That is, we either choose to ignore the issue or we choose to empower ourselves by finding out more. It saddens me when my friends go “Oh no, not that environmental crap again”. Sure, it takes some effort to affect some change now but are they not concerned about the state of the planet for the sake of their children, grandchildren, and other future generations?

I, for one, choose to embrace the issue and learn as much as I can. I will not sit back and wait to be spoonfed with information that may or may not fall into my lap. At least, I will be living up to my own expectations of trying to live responsibly.