May 18, 2008 by traveler.

Reduce Reuse Recycle. Words for any environmentalist to live by. When I think reduce, I don’t envision purchasing overpriced silicone wristbands. Yet that is one of the many ‘green’ products being sold these days.

I am all for true ‘green’ products, but I define them as products you would generally use that have a reduced enviromental impact. Buying junk you don’t need and will probably end up throwing out isn’t on my ‘green’ list. Seeing environmental awareness wristbands for sale was the last straw.

First off, I am not one for these wristbands to begin with. They seem to be marketed to someone who puts more effort into projecting that they care about [insert cause here] than actually supporting that cause. On top of that, how ‘green’ are these products exactly? The ones I’ve seen list all the profits that will go to whatever charity, but they don’t explain how the manufacturing of the silicone/plastic wristband itself actually has a positive environmental impact.

Check out these various wristbands for sale:
Earth Day Everyday
Wildlife Warrior
Save Our Earth
Save Your Rainforest

These wristbands all seem to support good causes. I suppose we can’t fault these organizations for developing a popular fundraising tool. However, be a smart consumer. If you want to support these organizations, make a donation. You will still be supporting their cause without consuming another trinket that will end up in a landfill. If you really want to contribute, donate something even more precious- your time.

Posted in Environment | 2 Comments »

May 18, 2008 by traveler.

The current generation of US space shuttles is scheduled to retire in 2010. No problem- the next generation of shuttles will be ready in…oh wait…2014? Oops. And delays may push the date even further back? Crap.

I’m no space expert, but that seems like a big gap. Almost a half-decade without any space shuttles? Stark Industries better get on top of that. With their rocket technology and Tony Stark’s power suit designs, I’m sure they could build a space shuttle in record time. =P

Posted in Tech, Old News | No Comments »