Recycling Plastic Again - Where Does it all COME From!?

Education is a great thing, but sometimes opening our eyes to an issue makes us more aware of it than ever. Such is the case with plastic.

The project:
Recycle our plastic bags n' bottles.

Time:
Negligible - we pick it up here and there, and drop it on our way by the recycling center (bottles) and grocery store (bags).

Why bother?
While we've been recycling for, well, forever, now we seem to be finding more opportunities to recycle plastic. We pick it up blowing down the street, rolled in parking lot corners, in gutters on our walks. I'm not certain we were recycling the newspaper bags (they're recyclable plastic, but they'd been going who knows where before), and with daily delivery (and double wrapping) they add up quickly.

On a side note: if you don't want to use plastic bottles for your water, you're not sure about the safety of various metal bottles, and you only plan to use it at, say, your desk, consider this option. Then again, if we're at our desks, why can't we use this one?

Worth it?
Absolutely.

Pajama Party Planning

The project:
Spend some time brainstorming and planning for a PJ Party for the Pajama Project.

Time:
30 minutes

Why bother?
This project caught my attention. We've enjoyed Project Linus and will, most likely, continue with it. But I thought we'd help give the Pajama Project a boost as it kicks off in our area. I'll post updates as they become available.

Worth it?
Too early to tell.

Praising an Employee, in Writing

The project: Write a letter of kudos to a city employee's supervisors

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
While researching in Santa Barbara, I met Cathy, a very helpful, gregarious, knowledgeable employee of the city's parks department. Sure, I thanked her for the information she'd provided me, but there's nothing like a little good news for supervisors about their employee's performance. Plus, in these belt-tightening times, you never know who an employer will let go. If a quick note like this can help someone who provides GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE stay on board, then that's an added bonus.

Worth it?
Yes.

Photo courtesy banlon1964 under Creative Commons License