Friday, July 22, 2005

MADE WITH 100% VIRGIN PULP

The Japanese revere nature as being beautiful. However, since humans are a part of nature, anything produced by humans is also beautiful. This includes the rusty car I drive and the lego land house I live in. A twisted upside down romanticism.

I nearly got irate with the checkout chick this morning. I wander into the local supermarket to purchase some juice and a slab of watermelon for my breakfast. As always I refuse the proffered carrier bag. She then tries to put my glad wrapped watermelon into one of those bags you get in the fruit and veggie section. No, I kindly but firmly thank her. Then she starts getting all insistent about how I need a plastic bag to keep my watermelon separate from my juice. Or something along those lines. My Japanese is still based largely on gestures, smiles, and when absolutely necessary, frowns. I finally escape sans bags into the scorching 10am sun.
Back home I’m enjoying my cold and juicy breakfast, laughing at Japanese foibles; I reach for a tissue and notice the side of the pack.


180 2PLY TISSUES ELLLEAIR “WHITE” MADE WITH 100% VIRGIN PULP

Huh! My brain is confused. That’s an odd way to refer to recycling. I’m trying to figure out how that relates to post-consumer recycling and whether the Japanese have such a concept. Virgin – hang on, that’s original forest. Original Pulp! They surely can’t be advertising that they’ve chopped down beautiful virgin forest for you to wipe your snotty nose on.
Bastards.

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