LickMyGreenBalls

Disposable items are generally not considered "green" or good for the environment. For example, the styrofoam cup, plastic bags, and bottled water. Some cities have banned them.

So... what about condoms? Cars? Old TVs and VCRs?

When I look around my cozy cave, it may seem that most of the items I own are not readily reusable or fixable.

Can two people have a different opinion about what is disposable versus reusable? Of course. But for the majority of people around the world, the difference should be obvious.

Or is it?

Let's study disposable items:

"Green fact": Plastic bags are not reusable and definitely not biodegradable.
Reality check: Are they honestly recycleable? Okay, it turns out I was wrong and plastic bags can be reused. Made into home craft projects and roofs. But what about after that? I've read that it takes centuries for the bags to break down, most get landfilled, and that marine life eat them. That's reason enough to ban 'em! So based on people's behavior and despite life extension by social creatives, this is definitely in the disposable camp.

"Green fact": I hear lots of people, myself included, complaining about fast food trash that urban youth leave behind during their daytime recesses from classroom jails. What are people tossing onto the public commons? McDonalds and Wendy's waxed burger paper wrappers, waxed paper drink cups, plastic drink cup tops and plastic straws. I usually throw the paper items into a compost or green bin, and plastic in the trash. But, could you recycle a plastic straw? Well, I didn't find any proof of recycling, but you can definitely reuse plastic straws.

My old CRT computer monitor (the fat heavy kind) is not reusable by me if I acquire a laptop or flat screen instead. Can it be fixed or can its parts be reused? Well, apparently, yes, and in the United States to boot!

Old car tires: well, these have been recycled for ages for industrial uses, pavement, and shoe soles.

Condoms: Well, read Umbra's column and reader responses. I'm not the first to think about this. Ask Alice has some thoughts. Seems like a big conundrum!

Makeup and deodorant containers: these are plastic. What the hell do you do with an empty deodorant container? Toms of Maine takes back deodorant containers if you mail them to their factory. Other manufacturers don't, such as Colgate.

Twist-ties: Wires wrapped in plastic or paper for easier handling. Hand twisted by your working class poor peers in Asia onto your new electronic device's power cables. They keep wires and cabling neat and tidy, like the fantasy images you see on the packaging. (Manufacturers don't even include wires in most packaging photos.)

Floss: somebody research this!

12/6 update: check out Annie Leonard's story of stuff

This is a great holiday movie. Free download available at above site if no theaters in your area are showing it -- or the film What Would Jesus Buy.