Kiet Chuc

I've been keeping track of my purchase, and I notice something. I had some periods of not spending at all, and then at some periods I would buy things here and there. I do notice how wasteful company deal with packaging. It's great that Amazon would offer option to receive everything in one package one day, but it results in a longer delay in the other items if it weren't available at the warehouse. Sometimes, this option is not available, and they end up sending out different oversized packaging for such a small item. Worst is that there is no way to opt for a smaller packaging for smaller items. And oversize packaging is also a problem, as it is a waste of plastic and paper for a small item inside it. 
That was the reason why I bought most of my items in same order, so I would only receive less packaging and all the items on the same day so I don't have to wait for each of them to arrive. I usually put an amount of budget when I buy an item, and I won't spend more if I don't have to. I think I've been doing some smart shopping for the past years. However, this still does not prevent trash in my room because of some packaging send out earlier or later regardless of the same-day option listed. I did not buy anything except for my project, and I also don't buy things because it's a hassle to wait for delivery anyway.

This week, I decided to walk, use the public transport and pick up litter. Believe it or not, I have not use public transportation ever since Covid hits. I remember the feeling of waiting for the bus to come, sit on the bus and then get off the correct stop. Walking + Bus and Max are my main methods of going back to campus, and I did not even feel tired after not doing it for a while. Bus and Max are the main transportation for me to explore some places in Portland, and I even take advantage of some to get to a much further place without a car.
I tried to pick up litter for 2 days. But no one seems to come and join me. It's hard work picking them up and sorting them out. Still, It's a small thing I did to keep my neighborhood clean. I end up giving the cans to some of the homeless people. I also pick up a lot of water bottles and milk cartons. This is not a campsite or anything like that. But I guess some people just throw trash randomly if there is no trash can available nearby. 

I was lucky enough to be gifted so many reusable shopping bags from one of our neighbors. These are bigger than the plastic bags the shops  give us, and it is easy to carry around. And the best thing is we never have to waste 5 cent for a disposable bag we throw away after. I think this should be a requirement for shopping nowadays. Because some places still have plastic bags to give out to customers, and that is not contribute to eliminating plastic bags, as reduce and recycle are just not enough. Some plastic bags even have insulated layer inside to keep the cold products which is something plastic bags do not possess.
I went to California once, and almost all fast food restaurants I went to all use paper straws. They may not work as well when submerge in liquid too long, but I think that's a  great idea. I think there is a way to reduce plastic straw use here in Oregon. I think it's possible to ask for a metal straw through mail, but I don't remember where to send the mail from. And the simplest way to not use a plastic straw is just don't ask for one or refuse to get one. At least that is what I do when I bought any drinks. Some reusable cups comes with hard plastic straws that can be washed inside and outside. And that is what I've been using. I've not used any plastic straws in my house as I did not even think about buying one. I don't buy a drink from outside that much and I usually make my coffee in a ceramic cups / glass cups. I never mind about drinking it directly as long as I kept washing them everyday and make sure it's my personal cup that share with no one, I can always use them. There is no need of using a plastic straw 

I watched "No Impact Man" this week for the Wednesday reflection paper. I think it can count towards the "watch one documentary" category. I love how committed Colin is to reduce and reuse certain items around him. However, I can not stop constantly thinking that it is too extreme because he's passionate. However, I think that is the strongest point of the movie. He is willing to give up his current possession and life style to save the Earth. I also think that his wife was struggling because she could not get used to his idea. She admitted that it is good for her spending habit and health, but she was constantly questioning why. Colin is knowledgeable about what he was doing, but I felt that he struggle to understand his wife's feelings. His goals were on-point, and pin point the necessary actions. He was also aware of how people criticize his life, but he still stays strong and believe in a no-impact effort. From his experiment, he said he can have fun with his family and friends without relying on technologies. Colin was understanding that his experiment is not easy to do, but he still got his family involved. And the result was that his wife is not happy with some choices. I think he could have just done it himself no problem, but he wants his family to see the benefit firsthand.
I think there's a lot of things to learn about this documentaries. Colin has a lot of good idea that we can easily jot-down and follow. The difficulty when attempt this experiment is to know what resources are available, such as a farmers' market / local market location, how to make one's own cleaning supply and giving up on daily routine and die we got familiar to. The benefit when follow Colin's example would be a healthier life with eating fresh and local, using no electricity means less energy generation which reduce potential fossil fuels usage. It can also allow for more creative activities indoors or outdoors. However, it is not hard to follow Colin's example. We can reduce electricity usage by not plugging in televisions or computers, or rather just use them in a limited amount. It is not hard to make compost out of food waste, but gardening may prove some challenges, especially when it comes to spacing. Shopping locally and using reusable bags and plastic cups are relative simple task to perform. In fact, most of us already did.