October 23, 2020

by drplasticpicker

I finally called Aerobin 400 company headquarters and had a really great conversation with Lorraine at extension 701. She wasn’t able to talk to the VP of Marketing who had approved my discount for a single unit for the Costco Price at $224. But I read off his email and sheepishly told her about my off the cuff email and my blogging life as a litter-picker. The economy may be tanking, but the Aerobin 400 composter business is booming. They only had 2 left on their dock in Austin. She said she had put a post-it on it for me, but someone else came out and said that unit had been sold already. I could wait until first week of November, or they actually had returned units that were always practically new. They clean them and sell them at a discount. Lorraine said that they had never had a problem with any of those resold units, and that I could get one for $149. She said she had been hesitant to offer me the resold one since I was a blogger. I exclaimed, “Of course! I would love that one. That is the whole point of my blog, finding the fundamental value of things and reusing and repurposing things!” Plus in the back of my mind, I got it for a even better price at $149! Since the same unit is still sold out at Costco and Amazon has it selling for $428 – I know I am one lucky plastic picking pediatrician. I placed my order and they included shipping cost, which is usually $80, so I am so so so excited that our aerobin 400 is on it’s way to the Plastic Picker home.

Thinking about resold composting bins, personal finance, making trash art and still checking on my home-made vinegar which is progressing nicely, always makes me think about the fundamental essence of things or people. That is the power of financial freedom, and it’s the mental freedom to judge the value of something and someone. It’s the freedom to give value to what one does. I have decided that what I do is valuable and laudable, and worth talking about. Having trust in my own judgement and my own moral compass has been a great strength this last year, as I’ve tried to chart my own path.

I sat at the AAP-CA3 chapter commitee meeting yesterday and it was somewhat useful. My fun commitee co-chair person was hiking so I did not have her support. Someone was giving a talk on human traficking which I think captivated everyone. AAP is light-years ahead of other organizations on climate, but the commitee leadership does not reflect the pediatricians in the community. I think the high dues that are required to be part of the AAP is partially why. $700 can be a lot for a young family. That is a lot of beans and bananas. But I sat there as folks talked about chapter business and it was somewhat interesting, but when I reached out for interest in being part of moving state climate legislation forward – I got support but no enthusiastic folks to jump on board. So it will be my co-chair and I moving forward which is fine, with our 30 friends in tow trying to help move state legislation along with the other climate change and health leaders.

Sometimes I feel like I’m just running around the blogsphere and the actual world saying “Help me! Help me! Help Us!” I literally feeling like a squawking chicken about climate change. I was kind of quietly squawking at the AAP chapter meeting yesterday, and I felt I got only a little bit of attention. No barriers or pushback, but not the enthusiastic outpouring of love for the earth that I hope for. Someone did mention there was an upcoming tobacco bill coming up at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and the American Lung Association was going to take a stance. I offered to support and help, and at least I have the contact of the person at the American Lung Association now.

If you are a reader on this blog, you know me. I am not your standard emailer. I like to try to get people’s attention. I sent the American Lung Association contact an email “

It is so nice to meet you.  My name is XXX, and I am the Assistant Chief of Pediatrics at XXX – but I just wanted to offer any help as a private citizen if you thought you needed any pediatric or environmental advocacy for the meeting.

I am particularly passionate about anti-vaping and anti-smoking measures, as I am part of a litter-picking Instagram community and I actually make anti-vaping trash art.  I am part of our HMO’s regional anti-vaping tobacco cessation team.  There are three of us in San Diego and either myself or we have two younger charismatic pediatricians that could speak as private citizens.  

Or if you wanted us instead to but in electronic comments, I could have our group do that as well.  I am Co-Founder of San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air and the AAP-CA3 Climate Change and Health Committee and there are about 30 of us who are friends who try to work together on climate and pollution solutions.  There is also a student advocacy group that I am in contact with through Instagram “Students Against Vaping” so I’m not sure if you needed their help?  I can put you in contact with them.  They do trash art as well with vape pens. 

Thank you.  Again, just wanted to lend any support you thought would be helpful.  I am speaking with a student climate group at the University of Virginia on Tuesday from 9-10am but otherwise am available as I work virtually from home on Tuesdays.  
All the bests

Back in February, the Instagram litterpicking community had this challenge called #febuttrary. We all picked up cigarette butts and we counted them. It was led by a Portugese family that is on instagram as @globaltribe. I learend alot during that month and now whenever I walk by cigarette butts I pick them up. I learend that 1 cigarette butt in a liter of water kills all the fish in it. Then I started noticing vaping pens around and began making anti-vaping trash art. I need to fix my Vaping CEO Man who is hanging in my office. He’s an epic trash art piece.

Actually this blog is helpful, because I was reminded I need to mail to above piece to my friend Dr. Craig Canapari but I didn’t have his address. I just sent him a Facebook message for it and can mail it off his weekend.

That’s it. Just me Dr. Plastic Picker trying to make some noise. I updated my Doximity profile to include all the climate work publications, my new leadership positions and Climate Reality Training as on par with my NIH Fellowship https://www.doximity.com/profiles/b422decd-fb53-4d33-a9d4-6750d9922724. I think it’s important to put climate work front and center and take pride in what we do as climate leaders.

Our premed interns are making some great noise, going about their climate change and health projects. Dr. Sally Kaufman and Dr. Sabrina Perrino are making great climate noise in their work. I’m cheering them on. And I’m making noise soon next week at the University of Virginia, and speaking with the Pharmacy students at Sustainable Healthcare Project. I’m really looking forward to being part of their lunchtime series, and will prepare somewhat worthwhile for thme this weekend.

It’s 650AM and time to go to work. It’s going to be a busy day in clinic today. I have the two UCSD 3rd year pediatric residents. All my friends are out of clinic today. I usually don’t mentor the residents. I kind of stopped focusing on resident teaching and more on management and quality , and now climate. But I do enjoy working with them. I think I need to go over to work in the other hallway today?

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. I can’t wait until we get our Aerobin 400!!!!!! What a steal at $149! I think I could make about 30K a year off this blog, but it would take the fun out of it. Plus I’d have to pay taxes on it. I’d rather get a great discount on a resold AEROBIN 400!!!!!!! Will post pictures as soon as I get it!