October 15, 2020

by drplasticpicker

My father is an accountant. When I was growing up I used to count cash all the time, as we totalled things for the family business. I used to come home from college and roll quarters from the laundry machines at the rental properties for fun. I was taught to think of the world in terms of dollars and sense, and efficiency and hardwork and return for investments. I also went to protests for democratic and religious freedoms. I learned early on how to hold placards and march, and use my voice. I learned to love my native country and culture, as it has blended in with this chaotic beautiful country of ours. This is probably why I am who I am today, Dr. Plastic Picker – a pediatrician with some extra discretionary income because I’m fundamentally frugal who loves fighting for the side of righteousness through targeted effective donations. It all kind of makes sense now. We are all products of the unique circumstances of our upbringing. I had a gloriously enriching and stimulating one!

It’s mid-month already and I finally did our family’s monthly donations. The kids are very busy at school with their various projects and activities, so we did not discuss too mcuh at dinner time. They needed time to talk about their thoughts and projects, and Dr. Plastic Picker is my project – and not the focus of their lives. This is how it should be. They have other causes that they care about. They both volunteer with our Children’s Arts Council. But my son is starting to volunteer for a tutoring program for underserved youth on-line. It’s founded by one of his friends and he wants to support him, and he is learning important skills. Our tween daughter is emeshed in a new book series, and have five thick novels to get through. She is in high heaven. She is also in the middle school ASB and going to be responsible for weekly announcements soon, and she has been practicing her public speaking skills in her room. Mr. Plastic Picker is living in his middle-management more upper management now bubble. Dealing with somewhat interesting things but sometimes mundane things that are annoying, but he is happy. I always check in and see how he is doing. And then there is me, chugging away at what I think is important – stopping climate change.

We donate at least $100 sometimes $200, and rarely more than that a month. The whole point is to make environmentalism approachable and this is a reasonable amount for anyone who is middle class. I hate wasting money, and I almost wasting it being impatient for the Aerobin 400 Composter! It’s still out of stock at Costco and at other stores it would be $325-$375. So I am waiting.

“Can Dr. Plastic Picker Get a Discount?

Dear Aerobin
My name is XXX and I am a general pediatrician in XXX.   I am also an environmental activist and blog and am on instagram as @drplasticpicker
I would love to try your product and I have been waiting for it to come back in stock at Costco, as it was on sale recently.  

I actually am friends and organize several advocacy groups with physicians, and I think my friends would love an aerobin as well.  Would it be possible for me to get some sort of discount on the aerobin or trial the aerobin for free?  I can write a post about it or blog about it.  Or even if I could get a group discount for my pediatric environmental friends?  I am co-found of San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air and am a climate leader for the American Academy of Pediatrics Climate Change and Health Committee.  I donate a lot of money to different environmental causes which is why I am trying to get some sort of discount.

Thank you for considering!!!
XXX (aka Dr. Plastic Picker)

Wow. I did it! I have learned that if you do not ask, you shall not receive. So I asked. The company headquarters is in the United Arab Emirates yet the product was invented and designed in Australia? Interesting. I’ll let the blog’s readership know.

Otherwise this month my procrastination in doing our monthly donations did pay off. I try to get a good deal for the earth. This morning, Rainforest Trust had a matching donation offer 3 to 1 for a project in Columbia’s Rainforest. It’s pricier at $400 an acre, but since we donated $100 it became $400 and we saved an acre and about 300 mature rainforest trees. I did the calculations back at some point regarding trees per acre, and that is how I think of our donations now.

But the reason I got a deal for the earth, is that this area is a biodiversity hotspot. This area is critically endangered due to cattle-farming. The land will link already preserved areas. From the Rainforest Trust website, “Colombia’s Barbacoas wetlands and its nearby forests lie at the center of the highly fragmented Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV). These wetlands are one of the last remnants of the original MMV ecosystem and serve as a critical wintering habitat for migratory North American bird species such as the Prothonotary Warbler (LC), which migrates from breeding grounds in Canada and the United States to Central America and South America.” So our family did it’s part and preserved 1 acres of 4300 acre project that will help save the following species as listed on the website

SPECIES
Blue-billed Curassow (CR), Magdalena River Turtle (CR), Variegated Spider Monkey (CR), Barbudo (CR), Silvery-brown Tamarin (EN), Varied White-fronted Capuchin (EN)

(CR)=Critically Endangered, (EN)=Endangered, (VU)=Vulnerable https://www.rainforesttrust.org/projects/protect-colombias-middle-magdalena-valley/

And that is what I did this morning. I realized that $100 is a lot. Donated it to the Rainforest by trying to get a deal for the earth. I contacted Aerobin400 company to try to get a deal for myself and my friends (who have no idea that I asked) for an Aerobin 400. And I passed along an almost new Friends Lego Set that likely retails $30 to a wonderful little girl who will love it and cherish it, and later on pass it along to someone else. As long as it stays out of the landfill and in circulation that is the whole point.

What a beautiful world when we realize that $100 is a lot of money and a big responsibility of where it should go.