The Monitor Environmental Forum Blog

A response to “The Monitor Environmental Forum: Open Your Damn Eyes, Not Your Wallet” found Vol. 15, Iss. 4, P. 5.  This is featured on P. 4 of Vol. 15, Iss. 5 of The Monitor.

You hit it right on the nose, man. Just wanted to let you know that I agree with you completely. Until recently, I worked at the Truman Recycling Center for about 5 years. You can’t believe the volume of stuff people bring in, and that is only a small percentage of what is tossed out. I was interviewed in the past about our recycling operation in conjunction with the national competition among colleges. I was asked if I recycle, and of course I do, but I just wanted to say to everyone that before you recycle, you should reduce and reuse! If you don’t buy the crap in the first place, there is nothing to recycle.
As you probably agree, bottled water is one of the worst. When I ride (I also exclusively bike for transportation) by the dorms and see someone with bottled water, I have to restrain myself from going apeshit on that person. I sometimes get physically sick when visiting stores, especially like Walmart. I prefer to do my shopping, if I ever do, at the thrift store, and you can’t believe the food you can get out of the trash. I go to the Aldi’s dumpster for bread and produce, and the dumpster by West Campus Suites has some good day-old baked goods and pizza from the C-store over there. Granted, my behavior is first motivated by the desire to save money, but it accomplishes the same goal in the end. Just wanted to say thanks for getting our point of view out there.
– Jason Hull

I appreciate your comments, Jason.  I would say I agree with you wholly.  The drum you beat is in line with most working at the Recycling Center or with any group that seeks to change this norm; this tendency of buying bottled water or individually wrapped burgers, accumulating massive amounts of waste mindlessly is certainly out of control.  I hope this entry further serves as proof that we need to be more responsive, conscious consumers.  We not only need to do this for ourselves, but for those unsympathetic to these ideals.  It requires, however, restraint from “going apeshit,” as you say, and in fact we need to undertake the task resolutely, emphatically, and, most importantly, compassionately.  Uninformed, uninterested, or apathetic people will not respond to confrontational criticisms.  Hopefully that is not something that is provoked by this column.
Additionally, I hope this column encourages more people who remain frustrated and alienated by these ideas to speak up!  This column does not demand for you to alter your lifestyle; it merely asks you to question it.  Challenge the ideas you find disagreeable, or else both sides will continue to be misunderstood.  Please submit your comments to my blog: http://monitorenvironment.wordpress.com or to the email address.  Lastly, Jason, dumpster diving is not something I will endorse in print, however I will admit that Christmas comes more than once a year: just look at the residential housing dumpsters, holding the glowing, lightly-used prizes resting on top, at the end of each semester.  Thanks again.  I look forward to your comments.