Dateline Dayton — As a followup to last week’s essay regarding gun control: According to a report I read, gun sales soared on Monday, Jan. 10. Sales in Ohio rose by about 65 percent, and nationwide they increased 5 percent. They rose 60 percent in Arizona.

Since these figures are known, that would indicate the number of guns that were purchased from dealers reporting sales. How many other guns were purchased and not reported? More importantly, in whose hands did they end up? The casual gun sale is an area, I believe, that must undergo some change.

Have you gone green? No, I don’t mean with envy or to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

You hear a lot today about “going green,” “recycling” and other concepts that are supposed to indicate that a company, its products and packaging are environmentally friendly.

Look Who Is on a Roll?

Have you looked at your toilet paper lately? The rolls are getting smaller. What used to be a regular size roll now has a new name, giant or something like that.

Then there is this small roll, an absolute waste. It probably was the regular roll that has been downsized. I’m constantly changing the rolls at our house, making sure that the “full” roll is always in the guest bathroom.

To help the environment, manufacturers are talking about eliminating the core. Big deal! Is that what they call going green? In order to have an ample supply on the holder, we are now purchasing the mega roll.

Why do we need the option of three different sizes?

Manufacturers are not “going green” or helping the environment with this wasteful packaging.

Is there some reason why there can’t just be one size? The paper is going to get used. It will not spoil because we’ve taken the roll out of its packaging. Paper towels are the same way. How did we survive before paper towels? I guess we used napkins, but they were cloth!

Now let’s examine printer ink. My printer is constantly running out of ink. The manufacturer says there is a hi-yield cartridge, but try and find one. I’ve checked with two major suppliers. They don’t carry that cartridge.

Why?

For that matter, why does the manufacturer even produce two? I need ink for my printer, so don’t give me a choice; just make me purchase the one with the most ink.

I do recycle my cartridges, but how much plastic could be saved by only producing one? The same situation is true for printers using toner cartridges. This list could go on and on — soap, cleaning liquids, toothpaste.

Here Is the Size of It

Now here’s a real ringer; two smalls might equal one large in size, however the larger package could costs you more. Please explain that one to me? One time I reported that situation to our State’s Consumer Protection Agency. I believe they told me they weren’t interested.

Now there are some areas where I would like to see smaller packaging, such as bread. Being that normally if there is such a thing there are only two of us. We don’t use a lot of bread. We could use a half loaf. Of course, it would come down to a cost issue. When you’re able to buy a full loaf for about the same price, you might as well, and use the leftover to feed the birds.

Long ago I was told that life might not be easy, but do manufacturers need to make it difficult and environmentally unfriendly?

Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net