Eco Etiquette: Roommate Recycling Woes; Guests vs. Mosquitoes

Dear Eco Etiquette:

I have a roommate who insists on buying bottled water. I've sent her various statistics and pictures about how harmful the production and improper disposal of plastic water bottles is on the environment, but they don't seem to matter to her. I work for a national environmental nonprofit and we live in the Bay Area in California, a place where the tap water is great and she has no reason to be buying bottled water. To make things worse, she throws the plastic water bottles in the regular garbage (which I then have to retrieve and put in recycling)! How can I convince her that buying less to no bottled water is the right move?

-Suzanne

Bad, bad roommate! This is an eco dilemma I encounter every day, thanks in part to the public perception that bottled water is the safer and healthier choice--despite studies showing that in many cases, what you gulp from the bottle is nothing more than tap water with a pretty label, and may even be more polluted, since it's not subject to the same regulation as municipal water supplies. But you already know this; the question is, how do you convince your roommate?

You may not like this answer, but unfortunately, there's nothing you can do at present to convince her to stop guzzling that Evian. You've tried the scare tactics, and they haven't worked. That's because in my experience, people don't respond well to lecturing; 10 bucks says your roommate hits the delete button on those "Plastic bottles destroying our wildlife!" emails the second they pop up in her inbox--at this point probably out of sheer resentment.

There is something you can do, however, about the fact that she is not recycling those bottles, since by tossing them in the trash, she may now actually be breaking the law and subjecting you to fines, to boot. Last month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed new recycling rules: Garbage collectors who notice those plastic bottles in your trash bin will let you off the hook the first time with a warning; after that, it's up to a $100 penalty for single-family homes and up to $1,000 for multiunit buildings.

Sit down with your roommate and calmly explain that while you'll no longer be on her case to get off the bottle, she's now legally obligated to learn the difference between the black bin and the blue one--and that any fines incurred as a result of her recycling habits (or lack thereof) will be her responsibility. The pollution pictures you sent may have failed to motivate her, but the prospect of a thinner wallet will.

Dear Eco Etiquette:

I love to entertain outdoors, but sunset does bring on the mosquitoes. Fogging the area or burning mosquito coils are easy but toxic options. On the other hand, not everyone likes to spray up--even with a non-DEET repellent. That also feels like I'm imposing my views at the discomfort of my family and friends. What suggestions do you have for when my eco-sensitive desires clash with my good-hostess duties?

-Marcia

It's great to hear that you're so considerate of your guests' health and well-being; I'd certainly rather walk into a gathering where someone handed me a bottle of all-natural bug spray then a recently fogged backyard where I had no choice but to grin and inhale a cocktail of noxious chemicals. That being said, I think it's possible to make your outdoor area party-friendly and naturally mosquito-free without burdening your guests. Scatter citronella candles around the area, don't bring dessert out until the very last minute (those pests love sweets), and try placing a fan near the table (mosquitoes are evidently dissuaded by a breeze). A graceful green hostess should never have to mention how she made the soiree so fabulous. (Although if your guests inquire as to how you bid those bugs begone, feel free to divulge all your eco secrets.)

Send all your eco-inquiries to Jennifer Grayson at [e-mail]. Questions may be edited for length and clarity.

Comments

[RTIII]

My advice is:

1) get a new roommate. And,

2) There are some GREAT mosquito ki//er devices available these days. The better ones use five different methods to attract them - and none of the methods are eco-unfriendly - and once attracted, they fly into a trap from which they cannot escape. They work very well and you can make your yard (and likely all your neighbor's yards) mosquito free for very low cost. I got a unit from Canada for my sister as a house warming gift for her Katrina-replacement home we built for her in Mississippi and she loves it!
.

[Marcia Iacobucci]

Thanks for the advice. The link for the mosquitoes/breeze information also provided some other helpful tips and products. Who knew that you could use potted rosemary plants to keep mosquitoes at bay?

[dlbu1987]

This is a great article. I'm starting a furniture recycling center in Chicago and if you like this article you should check out my blog. Comment if you'd like to be added to the mailing list.

http://chicagofurniturerecyclingcenter.blogspot.com/

Best

[justforthehalibut]

Your advice about the mosquitos was great; we've been dealing with the same problems this summer and did not know about the fan, even though we have been using those new little clip-on devices that have mini fans to circulate small amounts of repellent--just enough to keep the mosquitos off your person. (We clip them onto the backs of our chairs while we eat outside.) Don't know how "green" they are, however (just better than fogging and coughing). But it IS important to know that mosquitos are drawn by dampness and standing water, so before you head outside for your picnic, make sure everything near your eating area is nice and dry, and if you know you'll be having friends over for an outdoor supper, make sure any watering is done the day before, your birdbath is drained, and your fountain is turned off. Makes a HUGE difference.

[Saidas]

Instead of putting the plastics bottles into the recycle bin from the trash, try putting them in her bed!