My Earth Day Resolutions

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
I don’t know if Earth Day Resolutions are a thing like New Year’s Resolution, but I’m going to give it a try. Hopefully my environmental wish list will last longer than my personal one.

• I knew a lot of plastic was not being recycled, but I never knew about the Resin Identification Code system on the bottom of plastic (yes, pretty lame of me). Knowing now that in most cases, only No. 1 and No. 2 are being recycled, I will now look for those numbers when shopping.

• I’m the recycler police in the house, but if the regional sorting station is wasting time pulling out the plastic that’s not being recycled, I will stop tossing it in the recycle bin. While my City is telling me to recycle it, I fear that’s so they can fulfill some state initiative, and not to actually do good.

• I’m a yogurt eater, which comes in No. 5 plastic containers, and often I’m buying the smaller, snack-size. That stops now – only big tubs going forward which come with covers, and can be re-used for left over meals. Same goes for other examples.

• There’s a drive-thru Mexican restaurant near my house, and like all take-out orders in my City, they use recyclable packaging. I already say no to plastic cutlery, but now I will say no to the little plastic containers of hot sauce. I have hot sauce at home in a big container.

My 26-year old son reminded me of the quote, “How you do anything is the way you’ll do everything.” While I already have pretty good habits, I’m curious how much longer this list will get.

What are your Earth Day Resolutions? Send them to editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com.