December 2, 2020

by drplasticpicker

Today I’ll reach my monthly goal of 20 bags of trash picked from either the street or the beach. Since I live just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean and concentrate on the storm drains, I know that 100% all that litter would eventually end up in the ocean. I arbitrarily extended November into a few days into December, because this is a virtual world with my made-up rules and I just do it to keep myself accountable to the earth. I just looked at my excel spreadsheet, and I’ve picked up now 340 bags of ocean plastic pollution! Wow! That is a lot. I’m really excited to get to 500 bags eventually. I once won first place in my elementary school Olympics jump roping contest and I think got to somewhere in the 300s. It’s all about consistentcy, pacing oneself and rhythm.

It’s Wednesday and I do want to get back into the rhythm of writing a monthly plastic picking totals post, monthly secondary environmental changes, a monthly MD interview and the weekly Hopeful Wednesday post. There was other pressing environmental work to do at the American Academy of Pediatrics and Public Health Advisory Council of Climate Actions Campaign, but this blogwork is important to me as well. We have fantastic individuals in all the organizations, and at some point I know that I’ll step down when others want to step up. I’ll always have work to do which is to pick up plastic. There is a lot of plastic out there! I am awed at the qualifications and passion of the environmental advocates I am working with, and I’m there just because I pick up trash. But I have to admit the truth is that this plantary crisis is so huge, that likely in some form or the other – Dr. Plastic Picker will always be needed. Nine more years to get this planet saved.

Then there is the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is not looking good for the adult population. Children are being affected as well but not to the extent of adults. We may run out of ICU beds. This is a scary thought. The vaccine is on it’s way. Biden/Harris are on their way. John Kerry our new climate czar is on his way. But this will take all of us to combat both COVID and the climate crisis. I know everyone out there is doing their part. There is an instagrammer who’s handle is #smalldeeds4theplanet and I love that name. All the good deeds we do for the planet are small, in comparison to how big this task is. And knowing that they are all small but consequential, makes them doable and approachable. If I see you in real life, please let me know what good deeds you have been doing or tell them to someone else in your life. It is so important to share, as it has ripple effects and likely encourages others to change.

Above is Mr. Plastic Picker’s small deed for the planet and for himself. He likes to spend money. Since he worked so much overtime over the holiday weekend, he splurged on a German manufactered hand coffee grinder. Lets just say he was very pleased with himself as he was showing it off to me yesterday. I think he can now get rid of the small Keurig we have after we finish the small coffee pods that we no longer buy new. We don’t want to waste though. Our house is decluttering as we are going to no or low-waste lifestyle.

Let’s do a traditional Hopeful Wednesday Post to help you and me get through this week, keep our mask one, and six feet away from other people. Other than work, we are just staying home. Not even going to go to the grocery store this week. It’s bad out there folks.

Five Reasons to Be Hopeful on 12-2-2020

1. Fig Tree Wood can be Used to Smoke Meat: This may seem weird since we should all be eating less meat, and certainly not smoking it. But I just think it is cool to know that fig wood is a desirable wood to smoke meat. There are some people who are going to consistently eat meat, no matter what. At least I can give them some of the wood we have it our back yard. My in-laws have lots of fig trees and I just Ecosia searched what to do with the wood. I sent my sister that message and she has not responded. My little brother said he might start smoking some meat, and I’ll offer him our fig wood since it’s organic and I can guarantee 100% free of pesticides.
2. Klamath Dam Historic Salmon Restoration Plan. I read this two weeks ago but didn’t get to report it out. I receive the notifications from Governor Newson’s office. The States of California and Oregon along with the tribal leaders of the Yurok and Karuk Tribes and Berkshire Hathaway announced additional resources provided by all these groups to “advance the most ambitious salmon restoration effort in history. The project, when completed, will address declines in fish populations, improve river health and renew Tribal communities and cultures.” The KHSA (Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement) sets the tersm for the removal of four Klamath River dams. We need to restore rivers and fisheries as they are huge carbon sequesters, and rewild their surrounding environment. It’s a beautiful cascading effect. If ever I’m let go from PHAC when they have too many doctors who want to advocate, I will go work on rewidling rivers. This is where my heart lies. There is a lot of plastic around rivers! Dr. River Cleaner. Dr. Plastic Picker River Edition.
3. San Diego City Council Approved Riverwalk! Another river story! I see a theme. This was on the San Diego River Park Foundation Facebook Feed. “City Council just voted to approve Riverwalk! . . . The largest element of the River Park vision in Mission Valley was just approved! It means a large public park, miles of trails and paths, a renewed river, and a new bridge for Fashion Valley Road.” Since we decided not to buy a condo in San Francisco. I am seriously worried about the entire Embarcadero area sliding into the pacific with the first earthquake, I may buy a condo in the hills above Mission Valley. I’ve been thinking of a purchase like that for years anyway. Mission Valley is looking good folks!
4. Jeff Bezos Donates $10 billion dollars to Climate Change. “Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos on Monday announced the first recipients of his $10 billion Earth Fund. The Earth Fund, launched in February, is designed to combat the effects of climate change by issuing grants to scientists, activists and other organizations in their efforts to “preserve and protect the natural world.” That’s a lot of money. “Bezos announced 16 initial recipients of the Earth Fund who will receive $791 million in donations. The top donations include The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, World Resources Institute and the World Wildlife Fund, which will each receive $100 million.” https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/16/jeff-bezos-names-first-recipients-of-his-10-billion-earth-fund.html San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air , we are looking for money to plant shade trees near schools and clinics with high asthma burden. I think we should apply to the Bezos Earth Fund. We just need a few thousand dollars. Why not? I’ll need to talk to our co-founders.
5. Our Family Has Entered The Circular Economy. I actually thought it would be hard to find five items today, but it wasn’t! I ordered 5 sets of Stashers, silicone replacement for ziplock bags for my extended family and 1 close friend. It was very expensive but I did get the Black Friday deal. Can you imagine how many plastic bags have been averted over the course of the next decade? Also everyone’s trash will be emptier and their fridgerators will be cleaner. I’m really really excited to see the cascading effects of five sets of Stashers in my family and friend network. I have 100% thicker hair now after switching to HiBar Bar Shampoo. My mom wants me to buy her some. So I will likely order some today along with some other products. Between her and myself and maybe my daughter, we will now have plastic free shampoo and thicker hair. The unexpected part is my bathroom is also less cluttered.

So with thoughts of the Stashers in my life, and the plastic-free bar shampoo HiBar that has now given me thicker hair – I have more hope in the world. Hopefully Bezos $10 billilon dollars will make a difference. I noticed be gave $5 million to Eden Reforestration Projects which is a very effective organization that our blog already preferentially donates to. I think he made a good decision with that one.

And with that, you dear readers always give me hope. It’s 643AM and not enough time to make muffins this morning. I’ll have some fruit and granola instead (home-made of course). Tonight I’m really going to try to make sure I either get a bag of trash or do some yoga. Last night I slept OK but not as well as when I do yoga at night.