'Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.' - Aristotle Okay, Aristotle, I'm not so sure that excellence is a habit, but I can tell you hands-down that paper towel use is! That's because I was using something like a roll of paper towels every couple days and stopped, cold turkey, on April 6 when I made that exhaustive list of things I wanted to change. And this photo, my friends, is the remaining paper towels from that very roll of Marcal recycled paper towels that I started that day. (It is a very nice, strong paper towel, by the way, that has worked perfectly, if you are looking for a recycled paper towel recommendation.) (And speaking of product recommendations, I'm killing the blog Ecomomical. I just don't love enough products to make that sustainable!)
So, does it matter, this paper towel thing? Well, considering that something like 70% of all garbage in landfills is paper, I would say it does. And considering that the United States is shipping tons of its "garbage" paper to China, where it is then recycled into mostly cardboard boxes (but I recently saw "eco stationery" at Target that was made from recycled paper--and made in China; Real eco, huh? Shipped around the world
twice ), then my little paper towel habit starts to really add up.
But where I think it matters most is in the realization that habits can change. I read this great quote in an article titled
Trying to Build a Greener Britain, Home by Home :
"We didn't start out to reduce our carbon footprint--we've staggered from one awareness to another."
And I guess that's what I'm doing. Staggering from one awareness to another. And being blown away at the staggering difference little changes can make.
Nurturing sustainability close to home and around the world. (And other food for thought!)
'Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.' - Aristotle
Okay, Aristotle, I'm not so sure that excellence is a habit, but I can tell you hands-down that paper towel use is! That's because I was using something like a roll of paper towels every couple days and stopped, cold turkey, on April 6 when I made that exhaustive list of things I wanted to change. And this photo, my friends, is the remaining paper towels from that very roll of Marcal recycled paper towels that I started that day. (It is a very nice, strong paper towel, by the way, that has worked perfectly, if you are looking for a recycled paper towel recommendation.) (And speaking of product recommendations, I'm killing the blog Ecomomical. I just don't love enough products to make that sustainable!)
So, does it matter, this paper towel thing? Well, considering that something like 70% of all garbage in landfills is paper, I would say it does. And considering that the United States is shipping tons of its "garbage" paper to China, where it is then recycled into mostly cardboard boxes (but I recently saw "eco stationery" at Target that was made from recycled paper--and made in China; Real eco, huh? Shipped around the world twice ), then my little paper towel habit starts to really add up.
But where I think it matters most is in the realization that habits can change. I read this great quote in an article titled Trying to Build a Greener Britain, Home by Home :
And I guess that's what I'm doing. Staggering from one awareness to another. And being blown away at the staggering difference little changes can make.