Tonight's dinner was a little off the topic like most are, but still we had a great conversation over some yummy food. Our first topic was overpopulation and the effects it may have on the earth, which lead into many other things such as green chilies and tamarisk trees. Back to overpopulation, we discussed how consumerism is part of the cause of overpopulation. You have to have children hoping for one of each sex and buy them loads of things to keep them happy. If you have two boys maybe that next one will be a girl? Kelly said, "people are having children because they are bored of each other." I think that is true in many cases, people think it will make the relationship better, when really it puts more stress on it. Back in the 1950's when more people relied on their families to run the business, they had large families-more hands-more money-better life. Now those kids are having their families and so on, creating more people than the earth can handle.
As for the effects on the earth, we talked about the recent earthquakes all over the world- the rise of natural disasters. Could it be that the Earth has a disease and to get healthy it must go through these steps of natural disasters? Earthquakes= fever shakes, warming of the earth as a whole= fever, hurricanes= sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, and so on. Could it be that the Earth is trying to get rid of us to overcome a sickness? Are we the sickness?
The last topic we briefly talked about was an event that is happening in July here in Durango called Sustainable Durango Week. Stand for something is going to be helping with different events throughout the week, stay tuned for more details.
Until next time...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2010's 1st Dinner Party
Hello All,
Sorry it's been so long since our last dinner party. March 10, 2010 at 7pm, I will be hosting the next stand for something dinner party. We will be discussing overpopulation and the affects on the environment, how to become a better consumer, and what kind of local projects we can do for our community. If you have any other ideas or questions please post! Hope to see you all there. Thanks,
Ashleigh
Sorry it's been so long since our last dinner party. March 10, 2010 at 7pm, I will be hosting the next stand for something dinner party. We will be discussing overpopulation and the affects on the environment, how to become a better consumer, and what kind of local projects we can do for our community. If you have any other ideas or questions please post! Hope to see you all there. Thanks,
Ashleigh
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Stand For Somthing Movie Night
Monday November 16, 2009, Stand for Something will be hosting a different dinner party. We will still be eating local organic food, but now we will also be watching a movie called, Food Inc. It is a documentary film about our food industry. Please go to their website, www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php to learn more about the film and also watch the trailer. Hope you all can join in on the fun and learning. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Friday, November 6, 2009
2nd Dinner Party Summary
On Monday November 2, 2009, Stand for Something hosted it's second dinner party and it was a success. We discussed the questions from the previous dinner party. Here are the answers.
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
The EPA has come up with a "Designed for the Environment" label that looks at chemicals in the cleaning products. There is a list of "better" products http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm
Seventh Generation is not on the list because they go above and beyond the DFE label.
- Are there any local cleaning products?
I couldn't find any, so if you know of one let me know.
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
Durango recycling is trying to open a bigger facility, but was just denied 4 grants. I asked what they did with their recycling (glass, plastic, cardboard) and the only thing they replied to me about was the glass. The glass is used for different things around town, mainly glass mulch.
Durango Natural Foods is recycling #5 plastics, which the city does not. They charge .5 cents because they are shipping the plastic to Preserve in NY that uses #5 plastic and makes it into tooth brushes, razors, and dishes.
If you are interested in taking a tour of the recycle plant here in Durango and getting more information out of them as to what they do with the plastics and cardboards their tours are M-F 8am-3pm, call me I'll go.
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
Most of the time when plastics are recycled they stay the same number because the resins in the plastic don't mix very well.
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
#7 Other. That means that each plastic is put into the jug to make it. The plastic is called polycarbonate and has been known to leach harsh chemicals, such as, BPA and Phthalate's, into your water.
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
PEX has become a common tubing for water pipes in houses. It has however been tested and leaches two harmful chemicals, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene. MTBE is a potential human carcinogen, where as benzene is a known carcinogen according to the EPA. It is still being used for piping, except in California where they have higher standards (http://www.plumbingengineer.com/june_07/domestic_water_systems.php).
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
Sustainable condoms still made of latex, but they are fair trade condoms. Most of the fair trade condoms are coming from India, with a company called, The French Letter Condom Company. "Our motto is ‘Fairplay’ - so we’re saying have fun, be ethical, be safe and do it with style." (http://bradyswenson.greenoptions.com/2007/09/10/safe-sustainable-and-supportive-sex/). The other type of material for condoms, is natural rubber latex from a rubber tree. This type of condom has become popular with the people who are allergic to synthetic latex.
The alternative right now to latex that are synthetic are made from polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, and vinyl and these petroleum based products are also potential carcinogens (http://www.mdtmag.com/scripts/ShowPR.asp?PUBCODE=046&ACCT=0008231&ISSUE=0910&RELTYPE=fe&PRODCODE=3140&PRODLETT=A&CommonCount=0).
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to let me know! The next dinner is going to be movie night. We will be watching Food Inc. It's a documentary about our food system, I've heard it's really good. Watch the trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0&feature=fvst . Hope to see you at the next event:)
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
The EPA has come up with a "Designed for the Environment" label that looks at chemicals in the cleaning products. There is a list of "better" products http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm
Seventh Generation is not on the list because they go above and beyond the DFE label.
- Are there any local cleaning products?
I couldn't find any, so if you know of one let me know.
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
Durango recycling is trying to open a bigger facility, but was just denied 4 grants. I asked what they did with their recycling (glass, plastic, cardboard) and the only thing they replied to me about was the glass. The glass is used for different things around town, mainly glass mulch.
Durango Natural Foods is recycling #5 plastics, which the city does not. They charge .5 cents because they are shipping the plastic to Preserve in NY that uses #5 plastic and makes it into tooth brushes, razors, and dishes.
If you are interested in taking a tour of the recycle plant here in Durango and getting more information out of them as to what they do with the plastics and cardboards their tours are M-F 8am-3pm, call me I'll go.
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
Most of the time when plastics are recycled they stay the same number because the resins in the plastic don't mix very well.
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
#7 Other. That means that each plastic is put into the jug to make it. The plastic is called polycarbonate and has been known to leach harsh chemicals, such as, BPA and Phthalate's, into your water.
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
PEX has become a common tubing for water pipes in houses. It has however been tested and leaches two harmful chemicals, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene. MTBE is a potential human carcinogen, where as benzene is a known carcinogen according to the EPA. It is still being used for piping, except in California where they have higher standards (http://www.plumbingengineer.com/june_07/domestic_water_systems.php).
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
Sustainable condoms still made of latex, but they are fair trade condoms. Most of the fair trade condoms are coming from India, with a company called, The French Letter Condom Company. "Our motto is ‘Fairplay’ - so we’re saying have fun, be ethical, be safe and do it with style." (http://bradyswenson.greenoptions.com/2007/09/10/safe-sustainable-and-supportive-sex/). The other type of material for condoms, is natural rubber latex from a rubber tree. This type of condom has become popular with the people who are allergic to synthetic latex.
The alternative right now to latex that are synthetic are made from polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, and vinyl and these petroleum based products are also potential carcinogens (http://www.mdtmag.com/scripts/ShowPR.asp?PUBCODE=046&ACCT=0008231&ISSUE=0910&RELTYPE=fe&PRODCODE=3140&PRODLETT=A&CommonCount=0).
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to let me know! The next dinner is going to be movie night. We will be watching Food Inc. It's a documentary about our food system, I've heard it's really good. Watch the trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0&feature=fvst . Hope to see you at the next event:)
Monday, October 26, 2009
2nd Dinner Party Planned
Hello All,
The 2nd Stand for Something dinner party is going to be Monday November 2, 2009. The topics that will be discussing are listed below on the Blog. This dinner party is going to be a pasta pot luck. It will be at my house and I will provide the pasta. If there are any other topics you would like to discuss please let me know. Thanks and hope to see you all there!!
The 2nd Stand for Something dinner party is going to be Monday November 2, 2009. The topics that will be discussing are listed below on the Blog. This dinner party is going to be a pasta pot luck. It will be at my house and I will provide the pasta. If there are any other topics you would like to discuss please let me know. Thanks and hope to see you all there!!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Topics for next dinner party, TBA
From the conversations at our last dinner party these are the topics I will be researching and discussing at the next dinner party which is TBA. If any of these interest you or if you know the answer please share your knowledge.
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
- Are there any local (Durango, CO) cleaning products?
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
I will be researching these topics for the next dinner party. It will be in the next couple of weeks and I will let you know. If you have any other ideas or questions please post them. Thanks for all your help in changing our ways of living:)
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
- Are there any local (Durango, CO) cleaning products?
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
I will be researching these topics for the next dinner party. It will be in the next couple of weeks and I will let you know. If you have any other ideas or questions please post them. Thanks for all your help in changing our ways of living:)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sucessful Dinner Party!
Sorry for the slow post, last Monday, October 12th, 2009, Stand for Something hosted the first of many dinner parties. We ate a wonderful organic and local taco dinner. After dinner we sat around and talked about different topics such as, plastic and their additives, recycle numbers, trying to keep everything we buy local to support those around and in our community, and an introduction to what Stand for Something is about. We also discussed what the next dinner topics would be. Please feel free to ask question and comments. Thanks for all who joined Stand for Something and hope to see you at the next dinner party.
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