Go Green Wilmette & Wilmette Public Library Pair for Two Great Programs – Part II

Those who attended the first in a new series at the Wilmette Public Library on Oct. 2nd would, I believe, pronounce the event a resounding success. Current issues are presented in short videos by TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), a nonprofit devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading."

This approach was the “brain child” of two Go Green Wilmette members who hoped to start the group “o the same page”. This proved to be an effective means of stimulating discussions on green issues.  Often, in the Green Books discussion, many did not have time to read the books.

The program began with "Tough Truths About Plastic", which raises the issue of plastic pollution in our lives.  Nancy Wagner, the librarian in charge of green events, began the program with the film.  The video introduces the notion of adding a 4th “R” to  REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, that is, REFUSE-  to buy what you don’t need and what will harm the planet, and avoid creating refuse.

An enthusiastic discussion followed with many useful observations and suggestions including some of the following:

Follow Highland Park’s example and try to set up a program with Jewel and other large stores where a charge of five cents for a bag would go to school environmental programs.

Keep a diary of times one refuses to accept plastic/paper bags offered.

Attempt to severely limit single use plastic.

John Lyman told the group that he has started a website: rejectplastic.com.  He has been encouraging people to use glass straws instead of the throwaway plastic ones and has supplied a number of people with the reusable glass straws.

When our discussion moved in the direction of what can be done with discarded plastic, Librarian Nancy Wagner located and showed another TED Talk about creating plastic items from recycled plastics instead of beginning with petroleum.  There are no recycling laws in US as opposed to Europe. Currently, only ten percent of plastics are recycled. Europe is way ahead of us with their regulations. 

You can find the two TED talks at 

http://www.ted.com/talks/dianna_cohen_tough_truths_about_plastic_pollution.html  

and

http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_biddle.html.  

The next TED talks are scheduled for November 20 at 1 pm at the Wilmette Public Library when “ Less stuff, more happiness” and “Why I'm a weekday vegetarian?.“ will be shown.  These are both by Graham Hill.