October 14, 2020

by drplasticpicker

The Aerobin 400 composter is still out of stock at Costco! It retails on other sites for $370, but at Costco it is $299. There is currently a coupon for $75 but it is out of stock. I’m checking every day and I’d rather get it for $225. But I think after the rebate expires, I’ll be able to get it for $299. If I have patience, I’ll save $75 at least. I almost bought it for $325 on amazon yesterday, but Dr. Young-Ho Yoon told me to check the costco site again. The aerobin 400 was available for a hot second, and then the “OUT OF STOCK” image came back on. Anyway, I’ll keep on checking back. It’s providing me some amusement as I want to snag it for a good price. I want to compost but I also know that it’s not good to waste $75 just being impatient. Amazon is a really tricky platform. It made me think I needed $15 compost starter and also a $20 snazy kitchen compost container that looked so eco-cool and stores about 1L of food scraps. So it would have been almost $400. But Young-Ho told me he didn’t get the compost starter and we have plenty of plastic tubs that can hold a days worth of food scraps, so I don’t need that kitchen scrap compost container. This is why I don’t like shopping on amazon. They always make me think I need things that I don’t!

As of today, we have 20 days until the Presidential Election. Our household voted. We voted Biden/Harris which is not surprising. One of my pediatrician real friends considered voting Kayne West. He is a funny pediatrician friend. I am anxious about the election as is everyone, on either side of the political aisle. I hope it comes out in favor of the earth. But the last four years and especially this last year as Dr. Plastic Picker has reminded me the importance of self-reliance. We are in this state of climate emergency due to both Republican and Democratic administrations. Everyone is complicit. I was complicit as previously I felt that I was doing enough just by voting and doing things like installing solar panels. Now I realize that politicians are not going to fix this, concerned and engaged citizens will fix it. My hope is my conservative friends who represent the values that I was raised in, also start participating in trying to save our earth. Neither side has the answer. We cannot save the earth with just a simple majority, we need a super majority and a melding of ideas from both sides.

I had contacted some fellow middle-managers in our HMO about an idea to negotiate a special rate for the Aerobin 400 with the company, so that other MDs could compost. It would not cost us anything and I offered to negotiate for our 600+ physician group a discount. My idea was that I am similar to other MDs and having a discount on a super cool composter would increase physician wellness, and at the same time help the earth. No one answered. But this is the way the world is moving. Even if we elect Biden/Harris, the federal government can’t fix it all. We have to fix it. I am going to get an Aerobin 400 composter like Dr. Young-Ho Yoon. This will recycle our food scraps and decrease the landfill space. We already have dramatically reduced our food waste by eating #imperfectlyvegan and planning our meals around vegetables and fruits that we have. We will need the compost as we are planting more in our container garden up on our bunny balcony and our roof deck. I’m trying to change the micro-climate up there. I’m really excited to perhaps have compost to bring over to my mom’s house too!

Maybe about the time of the election results the Aerobin 400 will be back in stock at Costco.