Lighter Impact

Getting ready to light some birthday candles, or having a romantic candle-lit dinner for two?

Instead of reaching for a lighter, think about using cardboard matches instead. Lighters tend to be made with plastic and butane fuel, both of which are derived from petroleum, but those cardboard matches are made from recycled paper!

Receive these Tips in your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here.

Comments

[Sara B., Norfolk]

I had never thought about this! Plus...free matchbooks are frequently found in restaurants and bars!

[Stephen Perkins]

I have a special 'fondness' for 'disposable' lighters.
On my weekly beach strolls/jogs just north of the main Marina del Rey, CA jetty, the flotsam washed ashore regularly offered spent lighters, cigarette filters, styrofoam, straws and plastic shopping bags. It HAS gotten better recently. They've been cracking down on trash dumped from pleasure boats.

[Margie Campaigne]

Interesting little tidbit. I noticed lighting a cigarette wasn't mentioned. Have all those trying to be green already quit? Let's hope so. I read about the TONS of cigarette butts that wash up on our shores, litter our roadsides, etc.

[Dennis]

Please bear in mind we have very few BIG opportunities as individuals to significantly change the health of the planet; but let's focus on identifying them and acting prudently. Lighters are a much smaller piece of the Big Picture yet I trust that more little things addressed may also favorably reshape the ecology of planet earth and build a climate of earth syewardship in the process.

[rob]

What about the chemicals used for the match HEAD? I'm not sure what they are or how they are made, but they're certainly more than just recycled paper.

[natural colon cleanse]

nothing much to worry on chemical on match head. The tip contains a mixture of phosphorus sesquisulfide and potassium chlorate. Phosphorus sesquisulfide is a highly reactive, non-toxic chemical used in place of white phosphorus. It is easily ignited by the heat of friction against a rough surface. The potassium chlorate supplies the oxygen needed for combustion. The tip also contains powdered glass and other inert filler material to increase the friction and control the burning rate.

So, let us leave lighters...
thanks for green lighting up!!

[Dar]

Why not use long wooden matches instead of the lighter extensions encased in plastic? Not long enough? Use your pliers on that leatherman to extend the reach! I agree we all don't have the opportunity to make BIG changes, (I would love a hybrid car) but phasing out the small everyday items made with petro will have a big impact if we all do it. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

[Gloria]

Shouldn't we all have quit smoking by now anyway? Tobacco is very distructive to soil.

[Brookie]

What about a refillable butane lighter? I bought a cool Primus survival lighter from Sierra Trading Post for less than $25. I use it for around the house and camping.

[michele]

Save the "stick end" of insence, and when lighting candles, light one candle, then use the leftover insence ends to light the rest instead of using new matches....your're using something you'd normally throw away!!

[carol]

Just curious what you all use matches for these days besides candles, and the occasional stove?

Back in the day I used matches or lighters all the time for starting fireplaces and campfires, burning brush and trash, starting barbeques and gas stoves, burning incense, lighting fireworks etc. But given the present state of the planet these things are now harmful. Other than candles and the rare summer barbeque, I rarely have a reason to use them.

[Andrew K]

Great Post. I never really thought about that until I found your post. I've included it in my mega list for consumers who want to Go Green and Save Money. www.greenmywallet.com

Cheers!

[Austin]

I use matches to light the stove, because I turn off the pilot light when the weather warms up (in Austin, Texas, that is pretty much all year)I tried using a lighter, but it was not refillable (discovered that after I got it home) Is there a good refillable lighter, and impact-wise, is it really better than using matches?

[Laura]

I agree that this is a great tip. In January I had the great fortune to spend 10 days on Midway Atoll in the middle of the Pacific through a course I took in graduate school. Though we were on an island in the middle of nowhere with a population of 70 people, there were large amounts of marine debris on the beaches, coming from around the Pacific. Plastic lighters were a common piece of debris found on the beaches, and many were also found in the stomachs of dead albatross, which ingest plastics that float on the surface of the Pacific, mistaking it for food. If you're interested in reading the blog entry from our class about marine debris and what we saw, it is at http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/blog/hawaii/more-on-debris-with-great-power-comes-great-responsibility/. Lets all do our part to keep plastic debris like disposable lighters out of landfills and the oceans.

[wholesale jewelry]

Nice post,good website.