Why Use Them?

Well I have been really thinking about why people use paper/Styrofoam plates and cups. We used to use them all them time, I finally put my foot down, and said I wasn't buying anymore. I realized that we were only using them because the dishes either weren't done, or just plain laziness. I do have to admit we really need to start taking refill cups with us when we stop at the convenience store, and that is a hard habit for us to break but we will eventually. I do understand that when you have a family, church or other gatherings its just makes it easy but why not have each member bring all their own plates, cups, and utensils, and if there is extra food they can make plates to take home with when they leave. I remember being in 4-H as a kid, we would have our family picnic and local achievement night, would had to bring all of this stuff plus our covered dish. Worked out well no dishes and not very much trash, yes dishes at home but none at the gathering.

I go on my bus route every day and see all the liter on back roads, mostly paper, glass, aluminum but there is one stretch that has all kind of cups, plastic bags and such all over it, the farmers just let it sit there. So sad, I told my hubby the other night I want to walk my route one Saturday and pick up all the cans that are everywhere. Taking the cans in would give us extra money for our emergency fund (yes were are doing the Dave Ramsey Program), or even pay off a small bill with it. He looked at me kinda funny but then he thought about it and said I was right. The other thing about picking them up is I am helping the environment, getting exercise while I am at it LOL! You can't beat that, I told him once a month we could and make it a family thing, why not!

When this blows around eventually the pollutants blow around and end up in creeks, streams, rivers, and eventually end up in the oceans. This causes a huge problem when it reaches the ocean, marine animals are harmed by this. This site SeaPics.com shows the effects on the life in the ocean, take a look and see what happens when an animal in the sea gets ahold of something we throw out. I think it will make you think before you toss or at least it should. They have tracked a large floating trash heap in the pacific ocean and some say it is as large as a small continent. It is just floating there catch every piece of trah that it can from boats, ships, harbors, plattforms and more. I could not find the pic of this little (well not so little) floating trash heap I know there are some just looking through hundreds of pic to find it is the thing.

So do our planet a favor, stop the plastic, styrofoam, and whatever else littering. When we stop our oceans, lakes, rivers, and even Yellowstone will thrive once again.