Better than Plastic
|
If we look around, despite all the talk about Climate Change and pledges to change things, the world hasn’t made a single meaningful change yet.
It's like there is a pool and it's super refreshing, but for the last 50 years, we have just been dipping our big toe on it, instead of jumping right in. AND WE ARE ON FIRE. WE NEED TO JUMP IN. For instance, to get away from plastic (99% of plastics is created from fossil fuels, after all), many groceries have been switching to paper bags. |
|
Some of it is recycled, but recycling itself still requires use of paper, which comes from trees. And using trees in this day and age is in itself a problem.
Recycling paper is hard to do -- first of all, soiled paper is not easily recyclable, and secondly, the process of recycling also costs a lot of energy. A LOT.
There are many environmentally friendly alternatives to using trees. Using bamboo products, for instance, as bamboo is an easily renewable resource that keeps growing and rebuilding itself, is a better option.
But better even would be to do something like this grocery store in the Netherlands, Pieter Pot, where people are encouraged to bring their glass containers and have their food filled that way. Their goal is a zero-waste grocery store.
If more stores did the same, everywhere in the world, just think of the amount of energy, trees and resources we could spare!
Besides, people grocery shopping in places that still use plastic to wrap food are estimated to use 20 kilos of plastic per year, per person... so this solution makes sense!
Recycling paper is hard to do -- first of all, soiled paper is not easily recyclable, and secondly, the process of recycling also costs a lot of energy. A LOT.
There are many environmentally friendly alternatives to using trees. Using bamboo products, for instance, as bamboo is an easily renewable resource that keeps growing and rebuilding itself, is a better option.
But better even would be to do something like this grocery store in the Netherlands, Pieter Pot, where people are encouraged to bring their glass containers and have their food filled that way. Their goal is a zero-waste grocery store.
If more stores did the same, everywhere in the world, just think of the amount of energy, trees and resources we could spare!
Besides, people grocery shopping in places that still use plastic to wrap food are estimated to use 20 kilos of plastic per year, per person... so this solution makes sense!
Look at their pots and bags -- burlap lasts a very long time and is better for the environment.
We hate other single-use plastics, too.
You know what other things also use a lot of plastic AND paper? Printers.
Printer cartridges are a thing that bugged us for a long time, so manufacturers "developed" solutions that supposedly "help" us lower our printing cost and carbon footprints. They lure us in with cheaper upfront costs, only to have a few environmental "gotcha" moments.
Refilling your own ink cartridge has much lower carbon footprint than buying a new, original ink cartridge because it keeps the ink cartridge going, rather than shredding it all to manufacture it all over again. As a lot of energy is used to transport the used cartridge, take them apart, shred them, send them overseas, melt them down and manufacture them, refilling cartridges to keep the money and products local can reduce waste and energy used.
Printer cartridges are a thing that bugged us for a long time, so manufacturers "developed" solutions that supposedly "help" us lower our printing cost and carbon footprints. They lure us in with cheaper upfront costs, only to have a few environmental "gotcha" moments.
Refilling your own ink cartridge has much lower carbon footprint than buying a new, original ink cartridge because it keeps the ink cartridge going, rather than shredding it all to manufacture it all over again. As a lot of energy is used to transport the used cartridge, take them apart, shred them, send them overseas, melt them down and manufacture them, refilling cartridges to keep the money and products local can reduce waste and energy used.
Imagine if you are shopping for printers...
Woah! $60 for a printer, and it comes with 9 months of ink!
This is a steal!
And I have forestry-first printing tacked on for free when I activate the free ink! That's perfect!
Wait a second...so I have to give up any reasonable privacy and liberty, a more substainable way to print, have to create an account and maintain internet connection and give them a complete monopoly? Where did they get their guts?
And... of course to market the product as environmentally friendly, they lied.
And, did I mention their "free ink" comes with even more strings attached? The following is quoted from an article from The Verge.
"Here are a few choice quotes from the terms and conditions for [redacted]’s ink service that I think you’ll appreciate (bolding mine):
You expressly allow [redacted] to remotely change, patch, update or otherwise modify Your printer’s software, firmware or programming remotely, without notice to You, in order to provide the Service to You or to comply with applicable laws
Remote monitoring may include provision to [redacted] of one or more of: page counts, types of documents printed (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, pdf, jpeg, etc.), types of devices that initiated print jobs, printer serial number, cartridge information (e.g. [redacted] original cartridge status, and whether the cartridge was new or used at the time of its last insertion into the printer), and other similar types of metrics related to your Service as may be added by [redacted] from time to time
You agree to maintain connectivity of Your Printer to the Internet and to not remove or disable any remote monitoring software or functionality on Your Printer
If Your printer is not connected to the Internet, then the Subscription Cartridges (as defined in section d. below) will be disabled, and You will not be able to use them to print; however, You will continue to be charged for the Service as described in Section 7 (“Paying for Your Service”). In order to reactivate disabled cartridges, You will need to reconnect Your printer to the Internet and keep it connected
[redacted] may increase or otherwise change the Service Plan Fee and Overage Fee, and add additional fees, for any Service Plan, or otherwise change or add Service Plans at any time in [redacted]’s sole discretion with prior notice to You"
---The Verge
You expressly allow [redacted] to remotely change, patch, update or otherwise modify Your printer’s software, firmware or programming remotely, without notice to You, in order to provide the Service to You or to comply with applicable laws
Remote monitoring may include provision to [redacted] of one or more of: page counts, types of documents printed (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, pdf, jpeg, etc.), types of devices that initiated print jobs, printer serial number, cartridge information (e.g. [redacted] original cartridge status, and whether the cartridge was new or used at the time of its last insertion into the printer), and other similar types of metrics related to your Service as may be added by [redacted] from time to time
You agree to maintain connectivity of Your Printer to the Internet and to not remove or disable any remote monitoring software or functionality on Your Printer
If Your printer is not connected to the Internet, then the Subscription Cartridges (as defined in section d. below) will be disabled, and You will not be able to use them to print; however, You will continue to be charged for the Service as described in Section 7 (“Paying for Your Service”). In order to reactivate disabled cartridges, You will need to reconnect Your printer to the Internet and keep it connected
[redacted] may increase or otherwise change the Service Plan Fee and Overage Fee, and add additional fees, for any Service Plan, or otherwise change or add Service Plans at any time in [redacted]’s sole discretion with prior notice to You"
---The Verge
And, of course, the company could always pull out of the free ink, like what the VERY SAME COMPANY tried in the past.
That's right, a company that is selling printers and computers and brag about sustainability is constantly greenwashing. Not only do they downcycle likely reusable plastic bottles to single-use cartridges, they also prevent you from doing something better for the planet, because apparently:
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Disposable, single-use, printing cartridge and preventing you from doing anything else is always the best and only option for you and the planet.
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Disposable, single-use, printing cartridge and preventing you from doing anything else is always the best and only option for you and the planet.
What can I do?
Well, the second best option is to get a supertank (e.g. Smart Tank, MegaTank, EcoTank) or a fairly refillable laser (e.g. Neverstop, LaserJet Tank) where the actual disposable component is minimized. The best option is to simply refill your own ink cartridges. You could get a set of "refillable cartridge" on sites like aliexpress, with a transparent tank/top, for anywhere between $15-50 dollars, to make your life easier. And ink costs as little as $15 per kit, less than the price of one single standard-fill cartridges(in this example, I'm using HP65), but it can refill both cartridge about 20x in the "High Yield" fill. And buy second-hand printers, especially really old laser printers that predates most teenagers, as they won't decide to just lock their owners out.
If you think this is a good idea, then write your local grocery store and ask for this option!
When many people show an interest in something, then things can change.
The change can start with you!
When many people show an interest in something, then things can change.
The change can start with you!
