February 9, 2010.

Our regional recycling program has a mission—to allow no more plastics in the landfill site. That’s a tall order, considering that so much of what we buy comes wrapped in plastic, like bread and milk. I try to cut back, including the use of the plastic wrap to store food in the refrigerator, so I’ve bought containers with resealable lids.  Sigh. Many of them are plastic too, but at least they last a long time.

Here’s an interesting fact that I learned yesterday— it takes 15 years for the plastic milk bags to break down in a landfill site.  Some creative person has come up with a better use for those bags, one that considers its long life and washable qualities and that does some good for people.

A friend of mine said that she collects milk bags for a special project. She cuts the bag into strips, connects those loops, then crochets the lengths of plastic like yarn to make the mats.  I dropped off some bags last week that I’d been collecting for her. I don’t remember where they go, only that they are useful to people in Third World countries.

This week a fellow writer from The Word Guild sent a message to our listserv yesterday that she’s collecting the bags too, and asked if fellow members would save them for her. She is involved in a mission that makes mats for people in Haiti.

A mission to keep plastic out of landfill sites connects with another mission.

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission Canada has been helping Canada recycle while providing sanitary and comfortable sleeping mats for Haitians.

People in Haiti must travel great distances for medical attention. Having those mats means that patients have a sanitary mat to rest on while they wait, and insects that would normally nest in the natural palm leaves do not like the plastic.

These mats have travelled far into the mountains of Haiti with those who have received healing for their bodies at the Mission.

These mats may also be of use in the earthquake district of Port-au-Prince. I wonder if anyone has thought of that. Granted the people there need much more than mats. They need shelter, food, water, and hope for a better future. Read more about the mats4Haiti here .

Perhaps you’ll be the next one collecting bags or making the mats.