August 2022: Short-Term Eco-Etiquette

Hello, potatoey people of the world!!!!!!!!!! Happy August!

We hope you have taken a few minutes to complete the goals in the last email!! (Have you????? 🤨 We shall never know [unless you tell us].) Now we come to the next part of our recap — things to do over a small amount of time. They may take a few days to begin or complete, but once you do, they are always good learning opportunities and are eco-friendly! 🌿 Hopefully, these will lead you to be more mindful, and regardless of which ones you’re able to complete, you’ll discover new ways to reduce your carbon and trash footprint. Please do them!!!!!! And come back next month for the finale of this season’s eco-etiquette challenges!

As always, we understand that these may not always be attainable (due to money, time, housing, etc.), and we hope that you do what you can and find your own solutions!

📝 Write to companies and legislators

🍴 Bring reusable straws, cups, napkins, silverware, and takeout containers with you

🛍 Bring reusable grocery bags (you can bring back paper or plastic bags from the checkout instead of buying bags), produce bags, and bulk-food containers to stores (BYOC Co. is a store in downtown Ann Arbor where you can refill your own containers with things like soap!!!); also, you can look for options that use less packaging, like bulk sections in stores

🧴 Invest in biodegradable alternatives of things you use (glitter, shampoo, etc.) — though biodegradable things still aren’t perfect, and things that don’t have harmful chemicals in the first place are ideal

🧾 Learn what you can recycle, compost, etc., and find places to donate specific things (for example, you may be able to give packing supplies to a post office)

🧁 Use reusables like silicone baking supplies

👚 If you can, invest in better quality things that will last longer rather than having to replace things many times

💡 Use solar batteries and lights

🩸 If you have periods, use reusable period products

🩲 If you are a baby/baby’s caretaker, use reusable cloth diapers

🪑 Attend item swaps, donate, and buy secondhand

📣 Go to protests for the environment

🪛 Learn to repair things

📖 Read articles, listen to podcasts, etc. about the environment

🥙 Keep a meal plan or list of what needs to be used up, and freeze things you know can’t be used before they go bad

💻 Subscribe to email lists for environmental groups (😈) and/or follow them on social media

🧦 Hang your clothes up to dry instead of using a dryer

🟢 Set your appliances to economy mode/water-saving mode/settings that reduce water and electricity consumption

🥔 As always, be a potato!!!

Action potato #1: The Michigan Public Services Commission is taking public comment on Enbridge’s Line 5, which threatens everyone in this area with potential oil spills. Enbridge has a history of unsafe pipeline operation and disregarding Indigenous land rights. Here is an email campaign, though people can also email mpscedockets@gmail.com with the subject line “Comments on Case U-20763.”

Action potato #2: Michigan’s primary election is tomorrow! Please vote for potatoey people!

We hope your life is a potatoooooo! 🌻🌿😃

With hope and thanks,

Potato Squad 🥔

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