Join The List
Want to hear from us occasionally? Subscribe to our newsletter
Janis Selby Jones
- Vista, California, US
- @janisselbyjones
On a scale of plastic, how are you doing today?
Unaltered plastic debris found on North County San Diego beaches.
In March, all work-related meetings moved online, and facilitators had to find new ways to gauge the comfort and interest levels of participants. I have been in several Zoom calls that began with “On a scale of a cat, how are you feeling?” memes. These humorous check-ins can relax the audience while allowing the presenter to acknowledge that some people might be feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
So now, I sincerely want to know how you are doing. Please check in by choosing the plastic face that expresses how you are feeling. Then add the corresponding number to the comments and explain why you picked it.
By sharing our current states of being along with what makes us happy and gives us hope, and by expressing our deepest fears and things that make us angry, we can lift each other up and support one another during these uncertain times—and beyond.
2020
- Janis Selby Jones
Litter in the Time of Coronavirus
Digital photograph - digital collage
Most of the beaches in San Diego County closed at the beginning of April, and instead of my walks at the coast, I have been venturing through my neighborhood to the quaint Main Street area of town. Every time I go out, I see gloves and masks that have been abandoned in parking lots, tossed on sidewalks, or jettisoned in gutters—and I am not alone. People across the country and around the world are witnessing the same thing, and it is completely unnecessary.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend gloves for the general public, citing that they give people a false sense of security and “failing to change them often is the same thing as failing to wash your hands.” People who wear latex gloves make the mistake of leaving them on for extended periods of time and end up touching lots of things, which can spread the virus. Sadly, underpaid sanitation workers, grocery store employees, and gas station attendants are most likely the ones who will have to pick up these potential biohazards.
In addition, littered masks and gloves that go unnoticed can become environmental hazards. In fact, I often found gloves at the beach prior to the coronavirus crisis, and I am quite sure that it won’t be too long before even more start washing up. Out of respect for our essential workers, and for the sake of the natural environment, single-use masks and gloves must be discarded appropriately. Ultimately, we can all help keep the unsung heroes in our communities out of harm’s way, while also protecting our oceans and sea life.
2020
- Janis Selby Jones