GreenThinker DC

Disney Killed All the Mermaids

I think Disney murdered all the mermaids. We just returned from a three-day Disneyland vacation located in sunny California. It was crazy the amount plastic I saw there, such as balloons, souvenirs, and food packaging. I think it was enough to kill Ariel and all of her sea creature friends! It was also very difficult to refill our reusable water bottles. Water fountains were hard to find and the restaurants and refreshment stands refused to refill them. This made me appreciate Dutch Wonderland, a small theme park in Lansing, Pennsylvania, where it was always easy to refill your water bottle.

Another Man’s Trash

Hey, Sara here! Rini has let me take over today’s blog post.

Five years ago I told my sister I found a birthday present for her in the trash. She responded as many would, with concern and confusion. Upon receiving it she was pleasantly surprised.

Do Not Recycle

GreenThinker DC’s mission is to de-normalize the overuse of plastic. When I tell people that I am starting an organization that will help fight plastic pollution, about 90% think I give talks on how to recycle. We at GreenThinker DC think plastic recycling is a failure. If it was a good idea every city, town, and municipality would be doing it. As of right now only mid-size and big cities that can take on the loss of recycling can afford to have recycling centers. That’s right – recycling operates on a loss.

The New Normal is Abnormal

Customs and societal norms are handed down to us from previous generations, but they can also change over time. We continue to challenge racism, sexism, and other ‘isms’ in the US, leading to positive changes in what is normal and legal in our society. However if left unexamined or unquestioned we can pass down harmful customs and traditions. We accept single-use plastic as the norm. Why?

The Butterfly Effect

Since I have discovered the Zero/Low Waste Movement, I have come to appreciate the number 0. How many straws do I need? Zero. How many plastic bags do I need? Zero. How many balloons do I need? Zero. If they banned straws, plastic bags and balloons tomorrow, it would not make an ounce of difference in my life. My kids would still be able to achieve their dreams if they were to ban these 3 items. Nothing in the human world, would seemingly change if these 3 items were banned.

Breaking the Cycle

Thank y’all for those who came to my last Zero Waste Shopping Event at MOMs Organic College Park, MD. MOMs Organic College Park, MD – you can bring your own container to refill on many food items, like flour, and olive oil, but you can also fill up on detergent and Dishwasher soap !!