Take A Little Time To Clean Your Recyclables

Seriously

In what America considers to be, and uses as her own personal dumpsters, live people who spend their days cleaning out or recyclables.

We are definitely not the only ones who ship our recycling off to other countries, but from what I have recently experienced we are the only ones that dispose of our recyclables without cleaning them.

I spent a couple of years living in France and a couple in Germany and in both places, three things always took place with respect to recyclables: (1) they were placed into individual bins (i.e.: white glass, aluminum, paper, packaging, etc.); (2) the recyclables were not placed inside of bags that were of a different makeup (i.e.: putting plastic bottles inside of a paper bag); and (3) recyclables with perishable items were always cleaned prior to disposal. I asked over and over again, “Why is this necessary? We never do this in the U.S.,” this was always the response that I received.

Modern technology is still not able to clean and sort our recyclables one hundred percent. This is why people are required in order to take out recyclables out of packaging that may not be recycled the same way (if at all) and must empty out massive amounts of remains by hand prior to recycling the products. As Americans, we believe there is the magical place where garbage goes, never to return again. If you do not recycle, you need to start today. If you do recycle, take a little time to rinse out or completely use up whatever is inside of your recyclable materials.

Seriously.

...because balance is the key.

Let's balance the state of the economy, the environment and everything else…

Speak out for the environment. Even though we are told that actions speak louder than words, we continue to ignore the intense cries shooting out of the pores of mother earth, in order to indulge in our short-term conveniences.

Reuse. Reduce. Recycle. Just like your body holds the story of your life, mother earth holds the history of our actions and each person should defend, protect and nurture his/her temple as often as possible.

With regards to global warming, stop talking and heed the impassioned warnings flowing continuously out of the mouth of Al Gore, which all bog down to one thing…. Stop Talking and Do Something!

We are running out of time and when we are all drowning, burning, starving or any other number of slow torturous deaths that will be our rewards as a result of our actions, we will have no reason to complain and no one to blame but ourselves.

This piece of artwork is one of a series from my collection of the future of our environment. In our throw away society, I see the world filled with trees and other shrubbery made from garbage because we will not have any where else to put it. And “You don’t me” is one of many slogans that I painted onto my creation made out of other people’s garbage.

If you are rich enough to follow through with my next idea, than just do it: (1) create and organization and have the appropriate permits and what not so this is executed on excellent terms; (2) collect donations from your friends, I don’ care how, but just get it done (via parties and what not). (3) Then during a press conference, offer it to the U.S, economy as a gi-normous (combination of enormous and gigantic) donation to be used only to pay off the debt. Not money to bail out businesses that are stuck in the past. Not to continue raising the salaries of the CEOs and those two steps behind them. Not for anything else that sounds stupid. Only use these funds as a donation towards an immediate improvement in a shitty situation. And if you and your friends are still feeling generous, then donate to your hometown, city, and state. You should know what’s needed where you live.

Speaking of money in your hometowns, one great way to help out is to get involved in local grocers and make an abundance of healthy foods available to people in low income neighborhoods. Continue to talk about our obesity epidemic is the reason that it hasn’t changed.

Children, hell, people need to exercise daily. They need to have healthy eating lifestyles and they need to eat healthy foods. And every time that the economy goes in the crapper or more people find themselves on the lower end of the economic stick, they eat what fills them up. And in poor neighborhoods, frozen meals and fast foods are always affordable.

Say no to the Food Modernization and Safety Act of 2009. It not only targets organic farmers, but also makes it illegal to grow produce in your own backyard for the purpose of consumption.

Let's balance the state of the economy, the environment and everything else…