The largest Swiss Army knife in the world is made by Wenger, crafters of genuine Swiss Army knives since 1893, and it holds the Guinness World Record for "The Most Multifunctional Penknife" with 87 precision-engineered tools spanning 112 functions. According to the manufacturer, it has seven blades, three types of pliers, three golf tools, 25 screwdrivers, saws, wrenches, a bicycle chain rivet setter, signal whistle, 12/20-gauge shotgun choke tube tool, combination fish scaler, hook disgorger, and line guide tool, cigar-cutting scissors, laser pointer, tire-tread gauge, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring.
But my question is- how do you hold the thing? And why do the Swiss need an army anyway? Are they only armed with complex knives?
Sometimes the environmental to-do list may seem as long and complicated as a Swiss Army Knife. Climate change, carbon, habitat, energy, ozone, pesticides, organic foods, soil conservation, oil spills, overconsumption, plastic oceanic garbage patches, save the whales/dolphins/bluefin tuna/seals/snail darters/spotted owl/orangutan/your name here. Help!
Oh yes, and recycling. Here’s where we can help. Keep it simple, do a few things well rather than everything poorly, and add on as you can. Recycle all your #1 PET and #2 HDPE plastics, your aluminum, your glass and paper. Compost your food scraps and yard waste. That takes care of a big chunk.
Only buy what you need, save your money and the planet’s resources for important, meaningful stuff. Reuse whatever you can or give it to someone who can. Everything you reduce, reuse, and recycle saves energy, carbon, materials, habitat, and helps keep our nation secure and our troops out of harm’s way.
So don’t try to do it all- do what you can, where you can, right here, right now. Keep it simple enough to "git her done" day in and day out. Planting an acorn a day reforests the land. One simple knife can do a lot of work.
Share your simplest green tips below.
