I have always loved to get together with friends, relax, and play some fun games. Recently, I had a couple roommates who are really big fans of the game of beer pong. I was totally happy to hear this because I have actually been a fan of the game for a very long time. They go through hundreds of beers and beer cans per week, usually hosting at least 3 "king of the table" nights per week. The game of beer pong is very simple. All you have to do is throw a ping pong from your side of a ping-pong table into one of the cups filled with beer on the opposite side. When your opponent drains a ball into a cup on your side of the table, you have to drink the beer in that cup and remove the cup from the table. The team who makes a ball in all of their opponent's cups first is the winner. This great game is fun and challenging, and you also go through SO MUCH beer.
Probably due to the hassle and the upfront money necessary for kegs, most people who play beer pong get beer by the cans, typically in packs of 30. There is obviously a lot of "aluminum can consumption" involved with beer pong, which for a long time is something I had not considered enough. I always made an effort in my life to recycle aluminum cans, I remember going down to the local aluminum recycling company and getting paid cash for cans when I was a kid. But if I am to be really honest, I definitely missed out on some opportunities in recent years to make sure I am being eco friendly.
Therefore, I was truly impressed to see my roommate's Chris and John striving so hard to make sure that every single can we use at our house gets recycled. To recycle hundreds of cans per week is not an easy task, and you might be surprised at the kind of effort it takes to maintain that green practice. Let alone, how many people do you know that will take responsibility to recycle on behalf of everyone else's usage? But recycling at this volume and rate is not necessarily easy or convenient. As time goes on, a massive pile of cans can accumulate quickly. Can crunching "sessions" can be pretty fun, especially if you round up some volunteers and put on some good tunes. The thing that really inspires me about my roommates is that they just don't stop with cans. They honestly look to recycle everything they can possibly recycle in the house. Whether it be using rechargeable batteries or recycling glass and paper, they will find the most "green" way of doing something. They do this in a community that really doesn't offer much in terms recycling options and encouraging people to go green, or making it easy to recycle.
My roommates are a great example of what it takes to live an Eco-Friendly lifestyle, and how people (like me) take notice and are inspired by their efforts to make a difference. The actuality is, it takes substantial efforts to be a true friend to this planet. This is not a game where you can sit in the stands and watch; you can't just "support" the green movement, you must live it daily and be committed. One example is the issue of the recycling center, where it is located, and how to get whatever you are recycling to it. Do we have a fuel efficient vehicle to transport the cans or are we going to use a gas hogging truck? Another thing to think about is the containers we use to transport the aluminum cans. If large plastic trash bags or a bunch of grocery bags are thrown away in the process of trying to get the cans recycled, aren't we negating some of our eco-friendly progress? Fuel-efficient cars and trucks, along with reusable eco shopping bags and reusable stainless steel water bottles are a few solutions that greatly improve our opportunity to really make a positive overall impact.
When it comes to the success of the green movement, there is no other way it will prosper than consistent daily action of genuine people like me and you. Chris and John's courage to do the right thing is a perfect example of the consistent and habitual actions required to motivate others and make positive changes in our lives and the world. And with Beer Pong, which has become something of a "phenomena" among the world's youth, think of all the cans that can be saved by good samaritans like Chris and John. If recycling is the "cool" thing to do among the youth, everyone, including the older and very young future generations will take notice. In the world of beer pong, we love to play, we love to watch, and now if we can all just remember to recycle every can, the difference we can make is astonishing. Take the lead among your friends and make a difference today!
Albert Jefferson is a journalist discussing environmentally friendly and reusable concepts and pushing companies to utilize green reusable shopping bags to display both their trademark and commitment to help solve this world's environmental crisis.
