Anyone else remember the ads in the 70s and 80s promoting bottled water and plastic cups? "Use plastic and stop wasting water!" All the statistics pouring out of everywhere about how using disposable cups saved millions of gallons of water and jillions of kilowatts of power by not forcing us to run the dishwasher sanitizing those nasty glasses (which were probably dangerous anyway because if you dropped them, they'd shatter).
Then in the 80s and 90s, it was all the studies talking about how plastic bottles of water were the way to go because they were soooooo much more sanitary than plastic glasses. All the ads showing the convenience of using disposable plastic bottles and recycling them in the lovely green barrels located along any bike or walking path rather than hauling around thermoses or reusable bottles that had to be dishwashed.
And now I'm watching ads for water filters featuring slogans like, "40 minutes on an exercise bike, forever in a landfill." Huh. Thought those bottles were supposed to be recyclable? Earth friendly. Time savers.
It makes me wonder what they're going to try to be selling me tomorrow.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
History circles around again--does anyone notice?
The latest thing here in the greater D.C. area is that the city government just passed a law charging five cents "tax" for using a plastic bag. My response? First, don't shop in the city unless its critical, and second, make sure I always get something small enough to just carry out.
I remember as a child watching my grandmothers rummage through their huge purses for their net grocery bags. Heavy-duty macrame'd bags that collapsed down into nothing to store in a purse or pocket. One of my grandmothers had a large canvas bag she kept in the car. Honestly, we thought it was a little weird and old fashioned--what was next, us girls getting pretty wicker baskets to tote to market? Sorry--that's a little too Little Red Riding Hood or Little House on the Prairie for us. We just chuckled about how all these years after the Depression, they were still trapped in that mentality and never even realized that all the stores had paper bags readily available.
And then came the late 70s and 80s. The advent of that marvelous invention, the PLASTIC grocery bag. At first, they were too flimsy. "No one" would trust their groceries--especially eggs--to a plastic bag! What were people thinking??!! But, soon, sturdiness caught up with efficiency, and suddenly only evil tree killers were still using old fashioned PAPER bags! Ha! Billions of trees were dying for every bit of brown paper bag, while plastic bags were The Only Answer. They were 100% man made--no natural resources destroyed! Not only that, they were recyclable! Not only could you reuse them around the house for transporting wet swimsuits, lining the cat box, or whatever, when you were done with reusing them a few times, you could toss them in the recycler (soon to be standard everywhere) and they'd be melted down and reformed into brand new clean plastic bags...or toys!...or part of your new car!! Suddenly, doing kid craft projects like building puppets out of bags were passe, because no one wanted to be caught using a tree-wasting paper bag.
Now, plastic is evil--and not so recyclable as we were told twenty years ago--and apparently plastic bags are wandering off on their own to go on murderous sprees destroying local wildlife or something. So...its back to paper, or even better--bring your own canvas bag (complete with the 21st century twist--or we'll tax you more!). Huh. I think my grandmothers might be laughing at us right about now.
I remember as a child watching my grandmothers rummage through their huge purses for their net grocery bags. Heavy-duty macrame'd bags that collapsed down into nothing to store in a purse or pocket. One of my grandmothers had a large canvas bag she kept in the car. Honestly, we thought it was a little weird and old fashioned--what was next, us girls getting pretty wicker baskets to tote to market? Sorry--that's a little too Little Red Riding Hood or Little House on the Prairie for us. We just chuckled about how all these years after the Depression, they were still trapped in that mentality and never even realized that all the stores had paper bags readily available.
And then came the late 70s and 80s. The advent of that marvelous invention, the PLASTIC grocery bag. At first, they were too flimsy. "No one" would trust their groceries--especially eggs--to a plastic bag! What were people thinking??!! But, soon, sturdiness caught up with efficiency, and suddenly only evil tree killers were still using old fashioned PAPER bags! Ha! Billions of trees were dying for every bit of brown paper bag, while plastic bags were The Only Answer. They were 100% man made--no natural resources destroyed! Not only that, they were recyclable! Not only could you reuse them around the house for transporting wet swimsuits, lining the cat box, or whatever, when you were done with reusing them a few times, you could toss them in the recycler (soon to be standard everywhere) and they'd be melted down and reformed into brand new clean plastic bags...or toys!...or part of your new car!! Suddenly, doing kid craft projects like building puppets out of bags were passe, because no one wanted to be caught using a tree-wasting paper bag.
Now, plastic is evil--and not so recyclable as we were told twenty years ago--and apparently plastic bags are wandering off on their own to go on murderous sprees destroying local wildlife or something. So...its back to paper, or even better--bring your own canvas bag (complete with the 21st century twist--or we'll tax you more!). Huh. I think my grandmothers might be laughing at us right about now.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Time travelling on the morning commute
I looked around me on the metro this morning, and wondered when I had flashed back to the 80s. People around me were all engrossed in their reading materials--Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (okay, that's 60s, but everyone I knew was reading it the 80s); Ride a Pale Horse by Helen MacInnes; and another one I'm blanking on at the moment but was a classic of the era. [When I think of it, I'll edit it in.]
I just find it odd that everyone with those books were all in the same metro car at the same time. I find those coincidences fascinating--the afternoon I saw three people with guide dogs, two on the same metro train. The day there were probably 8 or more people with broken arms in slings making their way around town...I've gone months without seeing a single cast on an arm or leg, then suddenly see 8? It just seems unlikely.
I just find it odd that everyone with those books were all in the same metro car at the same time. I find those coincidences fascinating--the afternoon I saw three people with guide dogs, two on the same metro train. The day there were probably 8 or more people with broken arms in slings making their way around town...I've gone months without seeing a single cast on an arm or leg, then suddenly see 8? It just seems unlikely.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Umbrellas and Amelia Earhart...the Mysterious workings of kids' brains
Its been raining here in Virginia for eons. 5-7 inches in the last three days. Any thoughts of getting some gardening done have slowly shifted to the logistics of building an ark. *sigh* Today, I finally gave in and sent my son to school with an umbrella. (He has the family sword fixation--previous attempts to allow him to take an umbrella anywhere have failed before reaching the car, as he immediately turned the umbrella into a weapon.)
Who knew proper umbrella usage wasn't instinctive? *sigh* I showed him how to push it all the way open so it wasn't folded around his head like a mushroom cap and the button to push to put it down, but it never occurred to me that he'd try to get in the car with it still open. Or try to open it in the car so "it would be ready" when he wanted to get out. I did "remind" him there would be NO umbrella-opening on the school bus, which I don't think was as unnecessary as I would have hoped.
Meanwhile, I discovered his sister's umbrella droops down on one side like a bent pie tin. I asked her what happened, and she cheerfully responded, "I have no idea. Its just like this now. That's okay." I checked, and two or three of the spokes are broken. This apparently happened magically at night with no human intervention.
***
With the new movie, Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian coming out, we re-learn the dangers of allowing pop culture to teach history as my daughter asks, "So, mommy--did Amelia Earhart really fly the Wright Flyer?" Since daddy works at the Wright Brothers National Monument at Kitty Hawk, this is the type of question that makes the blood run cold. I explained that she did NOT actually fly in the Wright Flyer, though she had known Wilber Wright. Next question: "Who was she, anyway?" I explained that she was one of the first women pilots, and she had disappeared back before World War II on a flight around the world and had never been heard from again. My daughter looked thoughtful. "You know what I think? I think she's probably dead." Considering Earhart would be 112 if she did turn up unexpectedly at this point, I agreed with my daughter's theory.
Who knew proper umbrella usage wasn't instinctive? *sigh* I showed him how to push it all the way open so it wasn't folded around his head like a mushroom cap and the button to push to put it down, but it never occurred to me that he'd try to get in the car with it still open. Or try to open it in the car so "it would be ready" when he wanted to get out. I did "remind" him there would be NO umbrella-opening on the school bus, which I don't think was as unnecessary as I would have hoped.
Meanwhile, I discovered his sister's umbrella droops down on one side like a bent pie tin. I asked her what happened, and she cheerfully responded, "I have no idea. Its just like this now. That's okay." I checked, and two or three of the spokes are broken. This apparently happened magically at night with no human intervention.
***
With the new movie, Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian coming out, we re-learn the dangers of allowing pop culture to teach history as my daughter asks, "So, mommy--did Amelia Earhart really fly the Wright Flyer?" Since daddy works at the Wright Brothers National Monument at Kitty Hawk, this is the type of question that makes the blood run cold. I explained that she did NOT actually fly in the Wright Flyer, though she had known Wilber Wright. Next question: "Who was she, anyway?" I explained that she was one of the first women pilots, and she had disappeared back before World War II on a flight around the world and had never been heard from again. My daughter looked thoughtful. "You know what I think? I think she's probably dead." Considering Earhart would be 112 if she did turn up unexpectedly at this point, I agreed with my daughter's theory.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Kid Recipes--Peanutbutter and jelly, the RIGHT way
This is an older story, but as I had to make sandwiches for lunches today, I was reminiscing.
A couple of years ago, my son came home from daycare raving about peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches. I was surprised, as I had never been able to get him to eat them. I figured tastes change as kids get older, and went out and bought peanutbutter and jelly.
No dice. "These don't taste right!"
Tried a different make of peanutbutter. A different type of jelly. Nope. "YUK! You're making them wrong!"
I surrendered, jokingly (okay, sarcastically) suggested he find out from daycare what I'm doing wrong, and forgot about it for a while.
A week or so later, he comes home saying he now knows the right way to make peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches, so on Saturday, we pull out the jars and bread and he directs:
"First, you need two slices of bread. Put the JELLY on this slice, and the PEANUTBUTTER on the other slice." (Good news--so far, I haven't failed cooking school...this really was how I made the other, failed sandwiches...) "NOW, you FOLD the peanutbutter slice in half--and give that part to Andy."
I stop. "Andy?"
"Yes. My friend Andy from daycare what likes peanutbutter."
"'Cuz you still DON'T actually like peanutbutter."
"Right. So I eat THIS part," he says cheerfully as he folds the jelly half of the sandwich and starts munching. "and its really tasty. I can take Andy his sandwich on Monday."
"Or...daddy can eat it." *sigh*
But I had to ask--"WHY didn't you just ask for a JELLY SANDWICH?"
"That just sounds stupid."
To this day, I serve him "peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches without the peanutbutter."
A couple of years ago, my son came home from daycare raving about peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches. I was surprised, as I had never been able to get him to eat them. I figured tastes change as kids get older, and went out and bought peanutbutter and jelly.
No dice. "These don't taste right!"
Tried a different make of peanutbutter. A different type of jelly. Nope. "YUK! You're making them wrong!"
I surrendered, jokingly (okay, sarcastically) suggested he find out from daycare what I'm doing wrong, and forgot about it for a while.
A week or so later, he comes home saying he now knows the right way to make peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches, so on Saturday, we pull out the jars and bread and he directs:
"First, you need two slices of bread. Put the JELLY on this slice, and the PEANUTBUTTER on the other slice." (Good news--so far, I haven't failed cooking school...this really was how I made the other, failed sandwiches...) "NOW, you FOLD the peanutbutter slice in half--and give that part to Andy."
I stop. "Andy?"
"Yes. My friend Andy from daycare what likes peanutbutter."
"'Cuz you still DON'T actually like peanutbutter."
"Right. So I eat THIS part," he says cheerfully as he folds the jelly half of the sandwich and starts munching. "and its really tasty. I can take Andy his sandwich on Monday."
"Or...daddy can eat it." *sigh*
But I had to ask--"WHY didn't you just ask for a JELLY SANDWICH?"
"That just sounds stupid."
To this day, I serve him "peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches without the peanutbutter."
Sun block whine
Welcome to summer. I've now come across TWO recent articles promoting the proper use of sun block. And frankly, I am now both annoyed and confused as a consumer and a mom.
1. "They" say to apply sunscreen at least ONE HOUR before going out into the sun--because it takes that long for it to "start working". Okay--theory, meet reality...with kids under 12, this doesn't happen. Ever. And yet, my kids don't get sunburned.
2. "They" say water resistant products should be reapplied every 40 minutes. Hm. See Number 1. This means it should be reapplied before ever leaving the house? If it doesn't start working for 60 minutes...reapplying it won't matter, will it?? Seems kinda stupid. Second point. This means "water resistant" sunscreen doesn't last from the top of the hour until the adult swim whistle blows or even through a one-hour jog. Maybe hard-core runners out can there answer the question: How many times do you stop and reapply sunscreen during your run??
3. Finally...some good news! Water proof products only need to be reapplied every 80 minutes. That's an hour and 10 minutes. For "waterproof". So...if you take the kids to the pool for two hours, you only have to apply sunscreen...three or four times?
I firmly believe they make this stuff up as they go along. This sounds to me like a marketer's scheme to have consumers use up a bottle of suntan lotion--ack! can't say that any more!!--sunscreen in a week.
Absurd.
1. "They" say to apply sunscreen at least ONE HOUR before going out into the sun--because it takes that long for it to "start working". Okay--theory, meet reality...with kids under 12, this doesn't happen. Ever. And yet, my kids don't get sunburned.
2. "They" say water resistant products should be reapplied every 40 minutes. Hm. See Number 1. This means it should be reapplied before ever leaving the house? If it doesn't start working for 60 minutes...reapplying it won't matter, will it?? Seems kinda stupid. Second point. This means "water resistant" sunscreen doesn't last from the top of the hour until the adult swim whistle blows or even through a one-hour jog. Maybe hard-core runners out can there answer the question: How many times do you stop and reapply sunscreen during your run??
3. Finally...some good news! Water proof products only need to be reapplied every 80 minutes. That's an hour and 10 minutes. For "waterproof". So...if you take the kids to the pool for two hours, you only have to apply sunscreen...three or four times?
I firmly believe they make this stuff up as they go along. This sounds to me like a marketer's scheme to have consumers use up a bottle of suntan lotion--ack! can't say that any more!!--sunscreen in a week.
Absurd.
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