The PEEP-SHOW presents EYE CANDY (THIS + THAT) / The Art of Editing

photocourtesybetsybrowninc

Peeps,

This particular image (interior by the talented Betsy Brown, www.betsybrowninc.net) had been pinned to my inspiration board, removed, and then returned.  I admire this tightly-edited home where clutter has been banished, clarity and purpose reign, and objects of beauty prevail. Ms Brown has smartly varied textures by her bold mix of materials, and a limited color palette of browns, neutrals, and black + white combo contributes greatly to the aura of timelessness--while still projecting a very contemporary look.  Long ago I wished that I could have lived in an environ like this, but I've since admitted that I'm too much of a pack-rack; although, I do admire the efforts of other personality-types who choose to foster inner peace and tranquility, to maintain some semblance of control vis-a-vis their surroundings, to fully appreciate a few chosen objects carefully placed, and all the other reasons why some folks entertain (or maintain) the 'less is more' maxim.  Everywhere I look, the realized evidence of humankind's creativity beckons and without restraint I partake heartily.  Thus, Persian carpets and Japanese glass floats, also wool Indian blankets and Italian pottery, dried snake-skins and stacks of books have joined all the other collections that crowd every table-top, hard-surface, wall space, and cabinet-drawer.  Love it all, including the bits and pieces that seem to find their way into my coat-pockets whenever I venture outside.

On a more serious note, if all of us would buy a little more carefully, this would certainly decrease the amount of pollution and waste of which the United States produces daily.  One of the most crucial steps to reducing our shared carbon footprint is by taking a more critical look at packaging.  Individual states which have started to charge for plastic-bags at the grocery-stores is a step in the right direction, yet we need to go further.  Products that we unhesitatingly pull from the shelves, bins, and coolers are simultaneously over-packaged and ill-packaged to the detriment of both ourselves and the environment.  Petroleum-based components (or polymers) are used for processing and producing plastic bottles/cups/bowls/caps/lids/covers and wrapping and directly influence how we transport and stock products, as well as how we implement point-of-purchase options and subsequent disposal.  The complexity of the polymers dictate the different plastics which can be most easily and safely recycled/reused/repurposed, or if extensive levels of processing and lengthy time-periods of decomposition are required, will instead by directed to land fills where unless properly handled will become a problem for future generations 


Allen Hershkowitz of the National Resources Defense Council calls for new policies, starting at municipal and state levels, to be introduced and implemented, thereby transferring more of the cost of waste disposal to producers or manufacturers.  A new policy called producer responsibility, similar to several currently in place in many parts of Europe and Japan, would require consumer-products manufacturers to help pay for the infrastructure to collect the material and send it to a recycling facility.  He believes that this levy would motivate producers to take a smarter approach to packaging, particularly when they would incur the cost of getting the containers (that once held their product) transported back to recycling centers or manufacturing sites for reuse.  He advocates more glass and less plastic.  As well as a more comprehensive system to getting back discarded glass containers back into the supply system, and using less of it as well.  Great interview today on The Diane Rehm Show and certainly gave me much to think about, as our waste increases tenfold -- daily!


Thanks for being devoted blog readers.


Sincerely,
Shane