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February 21, 2020

Mardi Gras Trash

Reduce your food waste or give up single-use plastic for Lent, for your home, for the planet, for good.

Mardi Gras season and Fat Tuesday celebrations are now ubiquitous. Most folks don't know the origins of the holiday, and they aren't partying in anticipation of giving something up for Lent. Unfortunately, it has morphed into quite a trash-producing time of year in the last several decades.

Did you know that 25 million pounds of plastic beads are produced for just one season of Mardi Gras parades and events?

The Toxic Truth Behind Mardi Gras Beads
[Smithsonian Magazine, March 2017]


For those of you who have never, not once in your life participated in Mardi-Gras-related trash production, this information may not inspire anything other than disappointment (at best). However, we think it's a perfect time for a more pro-active response.

Take the opportunity this Mardi Gras weekend to celebrate the planet. Evaluate your current habits and make one change this month. Here are two — just two! — super-easy suggestions.

1. Never use another plastic straw.
Plastic straws are not necessary, or helpful. It seems like such a "little" thing, but for anyone who is trying to do better by nature and the environment, choosing to buy and throw away plastic straws makes no sense when there are loads of other sustainable options from glass to stainless steel to paper. Just say no when eating out, and share these resources with your favorite restaurant or your employer.

Swap your Straw Resources
[The Last Plastic Straw]

2. Eat "ugly" fruits and vegetables.
According to Project Drawdown, reducing food waste comes in at #3 on the list of most viable solutions to climate change. Start simply by choosing to purchase healthy produce, regardless of whether it's "pretty" or meets grocery-store level standards of shape, size or color. You might even save yourself some cash!

Could Ugly Vegetables Help You Save Money and Reduce Food Waste?
[The Penny Hoarder]

These actions may not change the world, but you'll be taking another step in the right direction, and putting your actions where your heart is when it comes to caring for the environment!


tiger look

EoP Biodiversity Process

The next global, EoP Biodiversity Process is in one week — on Sunday, March 1st. Are you ready? Do you have your Essence of Perelandra (EoP)? Are you planning to share the process with a friend, and if so do you have enough EoP for both of you? If you need more, order now and add to the strength of this process.

 

plastic island

At the end, we want to be able to say to ourselves and our children: We were on the right side of history. We took responsibility for changing our patterns and rhythms which resulted in a life that added balance to the larger picture rather than perpetuating the problem. — Be a Change Maker with Nature, Your Partner in Life's Garden


The Environment Series