City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel was caught by KTLA's news crew with a take out lunch in hand full of plastic and styrofoam - just after L.A. City Council has discussed the issue of banning such materials in an effort to curb excess waste and promote eco-friendly products. She was like a deer caught in headlights, but like any savvy politician, she blamed it on the lack of resources in place to promote eco-friendly alternatives. Really? Ever heard of bringing lunch from home in Pyrex or tupperware, Ms. Greuel?
Faithful blog readers will remember some months back when I "caught" Greuel speeding away from a Valley neighborhood council meeting in an SUV gas guzzler. Public transportation? Eco-friendly alternatives? Until politicans put in action what they preach, why should anyone else follow suit?
There is a serious chasm between eco-friendly lifestyles and styrofoam, plastic, private cars and other self-promoting tools by which we have grown accustomed to as a culture of personal convenience. I hear lots of eco-talk, but when I go to Peet's Coffee or Coffee Bean, I still see people buying coffee with disposable cups, rather than bringing their own reusable cups or thermos. Are people just too cheap to spend the $19.95 on a designer coffee cup?
Once politicans, celebrity "do-gooders" (cough, cough) and others start bridging the hole between what is convenient for them and what is sound for the community, we can not reconcile eco-friendly actions into our lifestyles.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
This is an interesting article and it point to the heart of the issue. Who in their right mind would keep tupperware or a pyrex dish in their car/office in case they want takeout food? Be realistic. Also, if you take into account EVERYTHING involved in using a pyrex dish and washing it after use, the single use foam PS food packaging is more eco-friendly. The fact that this council woman was "Caught" only signifies that this is a "political" issue that is not based on "facts". People should be afforded the entire picture because as a society we will be worse off if we don't.
Thanks for your comment. Just to clarify for you, the fact is that Greuel WAS videotaped by KTLA news cameras holding a huge plastic bag filled with styrofoam take out. The camera crew then found mounds of plastic, used paper cups and other non bio-degradable waste materials lying in the trash cans nearby city buildings.
Greuel was indeed caught - the look on her face and her attempt to reason her actions were priceless. This is especially true since the Council had just discussed the issue of plastic-dependence and the need to addresses this enormous pollutant and energy-waster.
Also, your comment about food packaging reveals our culture's inability to think beyond our own personal convenience. It is more eco-friendly to bring food from home in reusable Tupperware. It is more eco-friendly to use your own reusable cup for your morning coffee. It is more eco-friendly to wash a cup than to create a plastic cup. You should do some research into the amount of oil, wasted energy and water it takes to make that one little plastic bottle that's in your hand.
The fact is that if politicians are going to spout eco-friendly measures, they need to put their own personal convenience on hold and think about the welfare of the community, and the planet.
Post a Comment