Happy New Year! Dave and I started reducing our use of plastic, especially the single-use stuff. Here are some notes that I've updated sporadically since September.
* Not everything is up to date.
* Some items are left hanging, like responses I haven't received.
* Some of the URLs might go out of date soon, so you can always Google if you're interested in something here but the URL doesn't work.
Sorry for the low-tech data dump of the file's contents. It's a Word file, but I'm not the most tech-savvy and couldn't figure out how to set up a link to a file with pretty fonts and cross-references.... Maybe the Table of Contents listing can serve as a summary, and you can go to any topics that might interest you.
In the meantime, I hope you find some things here that are helpful to you!
Start date: September
12, 2015.
Table of Contents
Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles and Plastic Grocery Bags................................. 3
TP.......................................................................................................................................... 3
Plastic From Stuff That’s Shipped (like the paper
towels & TP)............................... 4
Paper Towels and Cloths............................................................................................ 4
Ziplocks...................................................................................................................... 6
Kefir............................................................................................................................ 6
Vitamins..................................................................................................................... 7
Alacer (the Emergen C Company… Now Part of Pfizer)......................................... 7
VitaBulk.................................................................................................................... 8
Mouthwash.............................................................................................................. 10
Chewing Gum.......................................................................................................... 11
Wax Paper, Parchment Paper, Butcher Paper...................................................... 12
Butter Wrappers: Coated With Plastic?...................................................................................................................... 12
Freezing Fruit........................................................................................................... 13
Some Thornier Food Problems................................................................................................................... 13
Cheese....................................................................................................................... 13
Jarlsberg Cheese.......................................................................................... 14
Feta Cheese................................................................................................. 15
Corn/Tortilla Chips................................................................................................... 15
Drinking Water........................................................................................................ 15
Filtered Water............................................................................................................ 15
Bread......................................................................................................................... 16
Cereal........................................................................................................................ 17
Coffee........................................................................................................................ 17
Plastic-Free Coffee Filter Cones............................................................................... 20
Organic Milk in Glass Bottles....................................................................................................................... 20
Plastic Caps.............................................................................................................. 20
Laundry.................................................................................................................... 21
Homemade Lavender Dryer Bags............................................................................. 21
Body Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner, etc. … and the “No
‘Poo Method”............ 22
Bar Shampoos........................................................................................................... 22
Moisturizing Lotion.................................................................................................. 23
Essential Oils, Such As Patchouli............................................................................. 24
Magazines, Catalogs, Glossy Fliers.......................................................................... 25
Clothing.................................................................................................. 25
Polar Fleece Is Plastic!............................................................................................... 25
…by many accounts. See also Can I Recycle … <Your Plastic Doodad Here>?.... 25
Polyester..................................................................................................................... 26
Cleaners............................................................................. 26
Batteries................................................................................... 27
What About Our Budget???................................................................ 27
Can I Recycle … <Your
Plastic Doodad Here>?...................................................................................... 27
What the “Recycle Numbers” Mean.................................................... 28
GreenTeam:
Our New Waste Center and Recycling Center “Go-Between”................. 28
Other Recycling Centers.................................................................................................. 29
Restaurants and Take-Out...................................................................... 29
Drinking Straws................................................................................................ 29
Microwaving Sponges, Cloths, and Scrubbers to Kill
Germs....................... 30
Traveling............................................................................. 30
Some Helpful Notes From Jenny Ugale 9/16/2015.............................................. 31
Some Pointers From Men’s Life Magazine (from an
article about BPA)................. 31
Wish List:
Want to Have...................................................... 32
How to reduce our
use of plastic….
Also see
·
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/recycling-you-may-be-doing-it-wrong-180951192/?no-ist an article from 2014 that
looks interesting
·
http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/ (Dave Chameides’s
site)
Some good tips: http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/2008/03/junk-your-junk-mail.html
https://amelialake.wordpress.com/category/plastic-free-2/
Some good tips: http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/2008/03/junk-your-junk-mail.html
https://amelialake.wordpress.com/category/plastic-free-2/
·
http://action.greenamerica.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7731&tag=adwords&gclid=CNmu2uDFhsgCFQZafgodQHUB2w
(“12 things you should never buy again”)
(“12 things you should never buy again”)
Update on how much of our “recycling” China takes in: In 2014, China started what they call
the “Green Fence.” Some of our
stuff was too dirty, so China has raised the bar on what they accept.
Cereplast was a bioplastics company run by CEO Frederic
Scheer, who was interviewed for the BagIt movie. It filed for Chapter 11 in 2014 and was acquired by a
company called Trellis Earth.
Trellis Earth also makes bioplastics.
So are we now actually able to recycle single-use plastic
bottles, as opposed to only downcycling them? From http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-02-18/chinas-green-fence-cleaning-americas-dirty-recycling:
“CarbonLITE Ceo Leon Farahnik holds bags of plastic pellets
made from old bottles. CarbonLITE sells these pellets to bottle manufacturers.”
http://www.carbonliterecycling.com/
says “CarbonLITE’s 220,000-square-foot
bottle-to-bottle PET recycling plant processes more than two billion plastic
bottles annually.”
Looks like the polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
bottles can be remade into bottles again, but the non-PET bottles are
downcycled (http://www.carbonliterecycling.com/process/;
see the “bottle sorting stage” page).
CarbonLite can only recycle a portion of the PET bottles, but at least
it’s something. From http://www.carbonliterecycling.com/facts/: “The
US accounts for 5.35 billion pounds of PET a year. Less than one third is recycled.”
Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles and Plastic Grocery Bags
Eliminating these was the easy part for us, so I can
recommend this step as An Easy Way to Start™.
We bring our own bottles of water when we go out, and we
take (except for two recent bummer occasions when I forgot to grab them!) our
own ceramic-lined steel beer and wine cups to restaurants that serve drinks in
plastic cups.
TP
TP in a cardboard case. “Envision embossed bathroom tissue.” Claim is that it’s soft….
AMS uses Scott, and I know it’s pretty good…. J
9/17/2015:
Ordered the Scott TP. 80 rolls,
506 X 80 = 40,480 squares, 4,509 sq. ft., $39.99 (usu. $59.99; somehow got
a $20 discount!)
Compare with TJ’s TP:
TJ’s is 12 rolls, 250 X 12 = 3,000 squares, 350 sq. ft., $4.99.
The Scott TP at either 0.89 cents/sq. ft. (w/discount) or
1.33 cents/sq. ft (without discount) is a better deal than TJ’s at 1.43
cents/sq. ft.
Each TP roll is wrapped in paper marked “FSC Mix Paper from
responsible sources.” I Googled
that. http://welcome.fsc.org/understanding-the-fsc-labels.27.htm
says
FSC MIX
for products containing material from:
FSC certified forests and recycled material
FSC certified forests and controlled sources
FSC certified forests, recycled material and controlled sources
Recycled material and controlled sources
Label title – MIX
Label text – From responsible sources
Optional elements: Moebius (Möbius) loop [aka Möbius strip or Möbius band;
Wikipedia says “An example of a Möbius strip can be created by taking a paper strip
and giving it a half-twist, and then joining the ends of the strip together to form a loop.”
FSC certified forests and recycled material
FSC certified forests and controlled sources
FSC certified forests, recycled material and controlled sources
Recycled material and controlled sources
Label title – MIX
Label text – From responsible sources
Optional elements: Moebius (Möbius) loop [aka Möbius strip or Möbius band;
Wikipedia says “An example of a Möbius strip can be created by taking a paper strip
and giving it a half-twist, and then joining the ends of the strip together to form a loop.”
FSC stands for “Forest Stewardship Council.” Hopefully not too much propaganda. For example, what is “controlled
sources,” and why is “recycled material and controlled sources” listed twice?
The “Who We Are” page off https://us.fsc.org/
says the FSC is “an independent non-profit organization that protects forests
for future generations.” FSC US,
based in Minneapolis, is part of FSC International (FSC IC), which is in Bonn,
Germany.
Update 1/1/2016: We still have more than half of the 80
rolls of Scott TP….
Plastic From Stuff That’s Shipped (like the paper towels & TP)
The cardboard box that the Scott paper towels came in was
taped up with plastic.
The TP packaging, on the other hand, was pretty cool! No tape; just some kind of adhesive to
hold the box flaps together. It was
strong but still easy to pop open so I could put it in the recycle bin. And no sign of it; nothing I could pull or peel off the cardboard.
Nice, because we won’t buy any more paper towels or TP for
quite some time.
Paper Towels and Cloths
·
Use washable thin cotton cloths instead. Bought some Skoy cloths 9/20/2015; see
below under Skoy cloths.
·
Also, buy cloth napkins, as noted just below
under the paper-towel price comparison notes.
9/17/2015:
Ordered the Scott paper towels (along with the Scott TP) from Staples. To be picked up at the Newhall (of
Coleman Ave.) store.
$73.99 for a case of 6 large rolls. More per sheet than the Signature, but
they’re easier to get to, a bit heavier-duty, and you don’t need a dispenser:
700 sheets per roll, 6 rolls per box. That’s 4,200 8” X 12” sheets, 2,814 square ft., for
$73.99. Compare with 3 rolls of
TJ’s paper towels, 240 squares, 202 sq. ft., for $3.99.
Scott is 13.93 times the paper but 18.54 times the cost….
à Cut back
on the paper towels by using the Skoy cloths instead; only use the paper towels
to wipe oil off of pans and to clean up nasty messes.
à Buy cloth
napkins!
Convenient Dispensing
Because Scott Roll Control paper towels pull out from the center and are individually perforated, it's simple to get a single towel without accidentally pulling out extras. The entire roll stands on its own and can be set on any convenient flat surface, so there is no need for complicated roll holders or wall dispensers.
Because Scott Roll Control paper towels pull out from the center and are individually perforated, it's simple to get a single towel without accidentally pulling out extras. The entire roll stands on its own and can be set on any convenient flat surface, so there is no need for complicated roll holders or wall dispensers.
Environmentally Responsible
These Scott Roll Control paper towels use a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer waste, so they keep paper out of the landfill and reduce the need for virgin wood. These towels meet EPA standards and serve as a valuable addition to your ecoconscious workplace.
Large Case
Each case of Scott Roll Control paper towels contains six rolls, so you can place them around your facility to provide instant access whenever employees encounter a spill. Each roll has 700 sheets, so you can use as many as needed for the job without having to worry about running out quickly.
These Scott Roll Control paper towels use a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer waste, so they keep paper out of the landfill and reduce the need for virgin wood. These towels meet EPA standards and serve as a valuable addition to your ecoconscious workplace.
Large Case
Each case of Scott Roll Control paper towels contains six rolls, so you can place them around your facility to provide instant access whenever employees encounter a spill. Each roll has 700 sheets, so you can use as many as needed for the job without having to worry about running out quickly.
Estimates of pricing, to put it in perspective:
Bounty in plastic: 1,260 sheets for
$25.99. 3,780 for $78.00
Signature brand paper towels in a cardboard box: 2,000 sheets for $23.99.
6,000 sheets for $72.00
Scott Roll Control Center Pull Paper Towels, 8" x 12", case of 6; 700 sheets per roll, in a cardboard
box. 4,200 sheets for $73.99
9/20/2015: Bought 2 4-packs
of the color-coded Skoy cloths ($17 incl. shipping):
http://skoycloth.com/where-to-buy/retailers/ says that the Container Store on Stevens Creek is listed as a
retailer that carries them.
Skoy sells them online from their
site. $6.99 for a pack of 4. This pack seems like a good idea:
4-pack:
Mixed colors with word-cloud print
4 Skoy cloths in a different colors and different
word-cloud prints. Each color has a word-cloud print that is
focused on an typical area of use in your house so there is no confusion
which Skoy cloth goes where:
1) Kitchen (apple-green),
2) Dusting (soft-white),
3) Bathroom (orange) and
4) Outdoor/Garage (purple).
2) Dusting (soft-white),
3) Bathroom (orange) and
4) Outdoor/Garage (purple).
Each Skoy cloth is approximately 7″x7″.
Beth
Terry recommends Skoy cloths on p. 253 of her book; she says they last a long
time and are very absorbent.
Update 1/1/2016: We’re still on the first of the six
rolls of Scott paper towels.
Ziplocks
Use reusable plastic containers instead. For travel, ONLY AFTER my Ziplocks fall
apart — use them as long as they last, which should be a long time, maybe with
a little tape or a rubber band! — use clear vinyl travel bags.
Kefir
Looks like I can’t buy it in glass bottles. Might need to try making my own again:
This page suggests making the kefir in 32-oz. Mason jars.
Vitamins
See if VitaBulk will let me visit the Scotts Valley facility
and, if they can dispense the pills into a container that I bring, get the
vitamins that way. If not, I can
buy each type of vitamin in a large bag.
We definitely need to stop
using the Daily Packs; too much waste!
In the meantime, as of September
2015, we have
·
a whole unopened bottle of 100 Beta-Carotene capsules we can use up,
instead of getting the Vitamin A/D capsules for awhile.
We can buy some Vitamin D to take until the Beta‑Carotene capsules are all gone.
We can buy some Vitamin D to take until the Beta‑Carotene capsules are all gone.
·
a bottle of 100 400-IU Vitamin E capsules. We
can take 2 Vitamin E capsules/day (same as the Daily Pack dose) until they’re
gone, then get more E from VitaBulk.
Alacer (the Emergen C Company… Now Part of Pfizer)
9/24/2015: I sent
in an online form asking what the Emergen C packets are made of. Got an email from “Pfizer Consumer
Healthcare” a short time later (Pfizer acquired Alacer); here’s what the
attached letter said (I did the boldfacing):
September 24, 2015
Dear Ms. Bartholomew:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts
concerning Emergen-C®.
Envelopes are aluminum with a film lining (no aluminum comes in contact
w/ the product). This packaging prevents clumping/hardening of the product.
Behind every Emergen-C® product is
our desire to provide you with exceptional quality and service. If you have any
further questions, you may visit our website at www.emergenc.com or call us at
1-888-425-2362 between 9 AM and 5 PM EST Monday through Friday. Don’t forget to
like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Sincerely,
Alacer Team
CUS15-054713
I emailed the Pfizer email address and asked what the “film
lining” is made of. Here’s the
reply that I got on October 1, 2015 (I did the boldfacing):
October 1, 2015
Dear Ms. Bartholomew:
Thank you for contacting us about
Emergen-C® products.
Unfortunately, that is proprietary information that we do not provide.
Behind every Emergen-C® product is
our desire to provide you with exceptional quality and service. If you have any
further questions, you may visit our website at www.emergenc.com or call us at
1-888-425-2362 between 9 AM and 5 PM EST Monday through Friday. Don’t forget to
like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Sincerely,
Alacer Team
CUS15-054713
VitaBulk
We bought some “Daily Health Kit” vitamin packets from
VitaBulk a few months ago, before we started working to reduce our plastic
consumption.
11/23/2015: I wrote to VitaBulk (they have an
office in Scotts Valley) to see if I could buy more directly from them and cut
out the plastic packaging. Here’s
the email thread; not the answer I’d hoped for, but I really appreciated their same-day
responsiveness and their time:
Hello. We love
your vitamins and have bought a couple bags of the Daily Health Kits.
We're reducing the amount of plastic wrappers that we throw
away. I see on your site that I
can order large bags of most or all types of the vitamins in the Health Kit,
which would help.
But I'm wondering if I could take it a step further and buy
the capsules directly from you, and put them in my own reusable
containers. I live in San
Jose. Does the Scotts Valley
location package the vitamins, and if so, could I come there to buy the
vitamins and put them in my own containers?
Thank you!
Lynne Bartholomew
= = = = =
Hello Lynne,
Let me state that I admire your dedication to reducing your
carbon footprint. This is exactly why we chose to go with foil packaging.
Ultimately one of our bags, and I’m talking about our standard bags, has less
PET material than the plastic cap of competitors bottles. While our packaging
does downcycle to a landfill our lay flat packaging takes up less room in these
burdened facilities. There are even a couple of recycling plants in the US that
will accept Mylar foil but they are, alas, rare and often difficult to locate.
Now, let me address your question. At this time it is not
possible to purchase our vitamins in bulk by weight. However, this exactly
how VitalBulk started – clean
and affordable bulk dietary supplements distributed through hassle free bulk
bins. When we started to sell online we couldn’t keep up with both sections of
the business and had to step back from the initial conception. We have managed
to tackle the high interest in our product and have a streamlined system so we
are back to the grindstone. We are even developing our third-generation bulk
bins and we intend to roll them out to local markets in the first fiscal
quarter of 2016. This is essentially what you are looking for, if I read your
message correctly.
All of that being said, I think you might find purchasing
1,000 count bags to be the best choice at this time. These items are ready to ship
and are the only viable alternative I have right now. I know that the price can
seem daunting but if you are looking to go down this route we can certainly
help you with pricing. Please let me know your thoughts so we can best assist
you!
Kind regards,
Justin Cardoza
Communications Exec
P: 855-885-2855
E: justin@vitalbulk.com
= = = = =
Hi, Justin.
Thank you very much for the quick reply and the background info.!
Yes, buying from bulk bins at a local market would be
ideal! Am very happy to hear the
good news that VitaBulk is working to provide these bins next year. In the meantime, I will need to go on
the conservative side for now and buy bags of 250 (the cost of buying bags of
1,000 is daunting at this time!
Might be doable later....).
I could probably find a way to "repurpose" the
bags after transferring the vitamins to a glass container.
And I'll keep fingers crossed that a nearby store will have
your bulk bins sometime in the first half of 2016!
Thanks again for your responsiveness and willingness to work
with me on this!
Best,
Lynne
Mouthwash
Looks like nobody’s selling it in glass bottles. You can make your own, though.
Natural and antibacterial homemade mouthwash
We strive to create recipes that are easy to make,
inexpensive, and effective – this mouthwash is all that and even has
antibacterial and antifungal properties to help keep bad breath at bay. Here’s
all you need to make mouthwash:
- A container (a small Mason jar is good)
- ½ cup filtered or distilled water
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 drops tea tree essential oil (find 100% pure essential oils here)
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
Baking
soda will settle to the bottom of the jar when not in use, so be sure to shake
mouthwash before each use. Swish about 2–3
teaspoons of this homemade formula in your mouth for a minute or two. As with any mouthwash, try to avoid swallowing this while gargling.
Make in small batches only; since it’s natural, big batches would
alter over time.
Chewing Gum
How to avoid the plastic packaging?
This packaging from Epic for their Xylitol gum doesn’t eliminate
plastic, but it sure reduces it. I
wrote to Epic via an online form to ask about the packaging, and Jennifer
Lindsey wrote back to let me know that the gum pieces are loose in the
bag. So I ordered one of these in
November 2015.
12/26/2015: Read on http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm#gum
that “gum base” might contain “petroleum, lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene,
polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic acid, and latex.” That sounds pretty gross. So I wrote to Epic Dental and asked
them what their gum base is made of.
I used their online interface.
Pasted the list from http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm#gum,
and said that I love their product but do not want to continue to offer it to
my grandchildren if their gum base contains these ingredients (petroleum,
lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic
acid, and latex). They may not
want to divulge….) (Wrote to Epic
after seeing the list on
http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/01/chewing-on-plastic-yum/.)
There’s also Green Tree gum; Beth Terry mentions them. Might try them, too. See http://myplasticfreelife.com/2015/07/giveaway-new-plastic-free-and-sugar-free-green-tree-chewing-gum/.
Wax Paper, Parchment Paper, Butcher Paper
Most wax paper is
paraffin-based
(in other words, petroleum-based).
An alternative is soybean-based paper
(ifyoucare.com has it). But then
the question of the soybeans being Monsanto
comes up….
Parchment paper has a coating of silicon
(also kinda weird). We have Beyond
Gourmet™ Unbleached parchment paper in our drawer. The packaging says “Product of Sweden”
and “Imported by A.V. Olsson Trading Co., Inc., Stamford, CT 06902.”
http://www.beyondgourmetcookingandbaking.com/products.html says in the Parchment Paper
description that the paper is “Silicone-coated; Quilon-free.”
Butcher paper is “kraft” paper. The waxed variety is coated with polyethylene!
Butter Wrappers: Coated With Plastic?
This is interesting:
Portland Press Herald (http://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/19/green-plate-special-15-ways-to-reuse-the-butter-wrapper/)
says they’re vegetable paper:
[But Wikipedia says “wrapped in waxed or foiled paper”]
Butter first got wrapped with paraffin paper for sale in the
1880s, and the folds for modern butter wrappers were patented by the National
Carton Company in 1921. Today, most
wrappers are made of grease- and water-resistant vegetable paper. An online
debate rages in green circles over whether the wrappers are compostable. But
you can’t dispute the merits of reusing them.
If your
cake batter calls for a stick of butter, use the wrapper to grease the pan. A
frosted cake will slice cleanly if you first grease the knife by running a
wrapper along its sides. If you bake yeast breads and dinner rolls and the
recipe calls for a final brush of butter, lay a wrapper on top of the freshly
baked bread for a moment and let the butter melt in. If toast is the extent of
your baking skills, lay a wrapper on top to butter it lightly.
Spent wrappers folded in half – buttery sides
facing inwards – and stored in the freezer can be pulled out to lubricate
skillets in place of cooking spray, serve as separators for raw hamburger
patties and cooked pancakes headed for the freezer, folded into
muffin liners, trimmed to double as homemade caramel wrappers, and called into
action to help press down sticky Rice Krispies treats or to butter corn on the
cob.
… And after you’ve tried all these tricks, don’t throw the
wrappers away. Use them under kindling to help light a fire.
Freezing Fruit
Did a Google when I wondered about how to buy my beloved
organic raspberries….
**** Please buy organic whenever you can -- especially strawberries! ****
**** Please buy organic whenever you can -- especially strawberries! ****
From http://www.driscolls.com/faq:
Can I freeze my fresh berries?
Yes, fresh berries can be easily frozen and enjoyed until
you are ready to use them. Here are some helpful tips about freezing berries.
Summary:
Strawberries and blueberries are a lot easier to prep. for freezing than
raspberries.
- Strawberries: Wash your strawberries carefully in cold water and pat dry. Remove the stems and any soft spots. Pack the berries into freezable containers or freeze them on a cookie sheet and then pack them into containers as soon as they are frozen. Seal the container and keep frozen until you are ready to use them.
- Raspberries & Blackberries: Raspberries and blackberries are very fragile and very sensitive to freeze damage. To freeze raspberries and blackberries rinse them gently in cool water then allow them to dry in a colander or on paper towels. Place a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet [can I use a shallow glass container instead? Or maybe parchment paper? The silicon doesn’t seem “quite” so evil….] then place the berries in the freezer. After the berries are frozen, pack them into sealed containers until you’re ready to use them. By freezing the berries this way, they won’t stick to each other and allows you to easily measure out just what you need when you’re ready to use them.
- Blueberries: If you plan to freeze your blueberries, don’t wash them before freezing, which can make their skins tough. Instead, pack your blueberries into freezable containers or freeze them on a cookie sheet and then pack them into containers as soon as they are frozen. Seal the container and keep frozen until you’re ready to use them. Be sure to wash the thawed blueberries prior to use.
Some Thornier Food Problems
Cheese
Hard to find
cheese that’s not wrapped in plastic!
Seems that getting cheese without plastic is challenging by all
accounts. Excerpts from the
page: “So what are you to do
when it comes to buying cheese plastic free? Here’s what I’ve discovered. … The
best way to buy cheese is either to buy it wrapped in paper or buy whole wheels
of it. Cowgirl Creamery wraps some of its cheeses in
cheese paper, which is what I buy some of the time. Cheese wrapped in paper is
a good option, but its difficult
to find. The only brand of cheese I’ve found near me that’s wrapped in paper is
Cowgirl Creamery cheese.
Update 8/25/12: Cheese paper is lined with plastic. I asked Cowgirl Creamery about their cheese paper a while ago and it turns out the paper is lined with plastic. I also got a brick of cheese cut to order at Whole Foods once and the cheese paper was lined with plastic. I’m sorry I didn’t clarify this earlier. Turns out making your own cheese when possible and buying cheese in whole wheels when that isn’t an option is the way to go. The only problem with wheels is that some of them are way too big for one person to buy. This option is somewhat limiting, but there are still many delicious cheeses to choose from. If you want a larger wheel, consider buying one with your friends. That way you can split the wheel … At Whole Foods you get a 10% discount for buying whole wheels of cheese. Although whole wheels are expensive initially, they’ll save you money over time. Here’s the wheel I bought: [the Bellwether Farms Carmody that Beth Terry bought!]”
Update 8/25/12: Cheese paper is lined with plastic. I asked Cowgirl Creamery about their cheese paper a while ago and it turns out the paper is lined with plastic. I also got a brick of cheese cut to order at Whole Foods once and the cheese paper was lined with plastic. I’m sorry I didn’t clarify this earlier. Turns out making your own cheese when possible and buying cheese in whole wheels when that isn’t an option is the way to go. The only problem with wheels is that some of them are way too big for one person to buy. This option is somewhat limiting, but there are still many delicious cheeses to choose from. If you want a larger wheel, consider buying one with your friends. That way you can split the wheel … At Whole Foods you get a 10% discount for buying whole wheels of cheese. Although whole wheels are expensive initially, they’ll save you money over time. Here’s the wheel I bought: [the Bellwether Farms Carmody that Beth Terry bought!]”
Beth Terry lives
in Oakland. This would be a haul
for us, though!
Sounds like the
store is RockRidge Market Hall: http://rockridgemarkethall.com/pasta-shop/cheese-counter
And I don’t know
how good “Carmody” cheese is…. http://www.cheese.com/carmody/ says “styled on the lines of the Italian Gorgonzola” (bleccchhh!) and
“Flavour: buttery, caramel,
sweet.” …???...
https://amelialake.wordpress.com/category/plastic-free-2/ mentions “Sim’s Hill veg box, a deli for plastic free cheese,”
but Sim’s Hill is in the UK (http://simshill.co.uk/)!
Jarlsberg Cheese
Less
than $6 per pound at Costco, and the cheese wedges are larger. We’ve started buying the Jarlsberg at
Costco.
Jarlsberg is $7.49 per pound at Trader Joe’s as
of October 2015, but the wedges are only about 0.7 pounds, so that’s using a
lot of plastic.
http://www.italydepot.com/jarlsberg-wheel-23-lb/ sells 23-pound wheels of Jarlsberg for $169.99. That works out to $7.39 a pound — sounds awesome,
but lest I get too excited, (1) we could get hammered by shipping costs, and
(2) their Contact Us page says they’re closed due to the blizzard (late
January). I emailed them
10/25/2015 asking if they’re still in business.
Jarlsberg is over $12 a pound at Gene’s Grocery
(aka Gene-Gene the Grocery Machine™); maybe $12.50 a pound? Way too much, even for getting a big
hunk at once. Never mind….
Amazon sells “approximately 22 pounds” of
Jarlsberg (a wheel) for $258.26.
That’s about $11.73 a pound.
Feta Cheese
Costco has a “sheep feta” that’s pretty good,
and we get a block that’s about twice the size of what you see at Trader’s or
Whole Foods. So we’re getting our
feta at Costco now.
Corn/Tortilla Chips
Google searches don’t yield any specifics — just pages
describing how to make your own (which sounds good, but first you have to find
tortillas that aren’t packaged in plastic!) and pages that just say “buy
tortilla chips in paper bags.”
October 2015:
We started buying 2.5-pound bags of organic GF chips at Costco. Still going through plastic, but not so
much, and these chips are cheaper per pound than the Trader Joe’s chips.
Maybe once in awhile we could buy bags from Aqui Restaurant. We could transfer them to a large glass
bottle or a large plastic container (like the one I got for cookies, that I
hardly ever use).
Drinking Water
9/13/2015: Went to REI and got two wide-mouth
Nalgene BPA-free plastic bottles for Dave and me, to use for getting water from
dispensers when we’re out at places like the Poor House or Falafel. Unfortunately….
I failed to look for bottles that weren’t marked with the REI logo. Oh, well; I guess that indirectly endorsing REI isn’t too
awful…. Also got Dave and me a
16-ounce ceramic-on-steel pint glass (for Dave’s beer) and an 8-ounce
ceramic-on-steel cup (for my wine, or whatever).
Even worse, it turns out that the replacement for BPA might
be as bad as, or worse than, BPA.
So in December 2015
I ordered stainless steel bottles from Kleen Kanteen. A bit pricey, but they’re a good investment.
I’ve also made a couple trips to Beverly’s Crafts; bought several
32-ounce Mason jars and one 16‑ounce jar.
I only buy as many separate bottles at a time as will fit into my purple
cloth bag, because if you buy them by the case, the cases are…. wrapped in
plastic.
Filtered Water
We can get away from the Brita system and the plastic in
several ways. Here’s one:
You can buy charcoal sticks. They’re blackened carbon. Some are called “Binchotan charcoal.” You put them in your glass pitcher or
bottle and let them sit awhile.
(Like the Britas, you need to do a couple preliminary soaks to get rid
of the charcoal-y taste.)
“WellnessMama” uses activated charcoal for all sorts of
things: http://wellnessmama.com/247/activated-charcoal/
On a “side page,” WellnessMama talks about the Berkey
carbon-block filters.
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/?a_aid=538a5cb8c8907&a_bid=91332cde
and http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/systems/
. Expensive up front, but might be
worth it.
Bread
Imagine It Bakery 1920 Lafayette
Street, Santa Clara, CA http://www.iibakery.com/
I ordered some ImagineIt bread mid-Sept. 2015
and picked it up at the Campbell Farmers Market on Sept. 20. The bread wasn’t too exciting; not sure
if that’s typical, so might try it one more time. I think the guy at the booth is the same guy that runs
Cosmic Coffee (see below). He said
that the bakers would probably be really happy to keep the bread out of the
plastic if I arrange that with them by going to the bakery and picking it up
with my own packaging.
10/20/2015:
Checked their site today hoping to order more bread, but they’re “out of
stock” on several items, including the bread! Not a good sign….
Gluten Free Gourmet, LLC 14510 Big Basin Way #8, Saratoga, CA 95070
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10:00 AM–6:00
PM,
Friday 10:00 AM–7:00 PM, Saturdays 9 AM–7 PM (closed
Sundays and Mondays).
10/24/2015: Dave and I checked them out. Not impressed; only bread is
the baguettes, and everything is in plastic. They have GF pizza crust, but it’s in plastic that can’t be
reused.
= = = = =
As for avoiding the plastic, Beth Terry has
some good tips. She picks up the
bread in her own cloth container and then stores it in an old tin she got from
her Dad. Thrift stores might have
some tins, but the lid needs to fit well.
See http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/02/bread-buy-it-store-it-keep-it-fresh-without-plastic/.
Cereal
See also the note about cereal and our budget
under What About
Our Budget???
Bob’s Red Mill sells their gluten-free oatmeal
in 25-pound bags. That’s a lotta
GF oatmeal. Might try it once and
then figure out how best to store it all….
Coffee
October 2015 We checked out Orchard Valley Coffee in Campbell. They roast the coffee right there, and
they offer a couple organic choices, but they’re way too expensive for us at
$15 to $20 per pound….
Another local roaster is http://www.chromaticcoffee.com/. We checked them out
too. Also expensive at around $14
to $20 per pound, and I couldn’t find anything about whether or not their
coffee is organic.
Others
to check out. Ask about organic;
some don’t say anything about it:
·
Crema Coffee Roasting 950
The Alameda, San Jose, CA.
·
Big Mug Coffee Roaster
3014 El Camino Real (at Alpine Ave), Santa Clara, CA
·
Tico Coffee Roasters, 1334 Dell Ave., Campbell. A pic supposedly of Tico shows a burlap
bag that says “Café de Costa Rica … Organic Coffee … Santa Lucia Farm …
Minneapolis”
The Imagine It Bakery is “a subdivision of” Cosmic
Coffee (they’re physically close to each other; maybe next door; looks like
same building).
Cosmic offers organic coffee. They’re at the Campbell Farmer’s
Market. Would like to see how they
package their coffee. Maybe we can
get away from the plastic bags we buy the organic coffee from Costco in. UPDATE: They don’t package their coffee at this time; they’re
looking to open up an espresso bar or something.
9/20/2015: The Cosmic Coffee is expensive! We saw the booth at the Campbell
Farmer’s Market today. Too steep
for us at $15+ per pound.
So we’re still buying our organic coffee at
Costco. Three-pound plastic bags
for about $6 per pound, I think.
Not ideal packaging-wise, but I’m now saving the plastic bags for
repurposing (like using them for wet garbage or something, after we stop using
plastic garbage bags).
9/20/2015: Wrote to the people that distribute the
organic coffee we buy at Costco. http://www.rogersfamilyco.com/. Their Contact Us link steered me
to https://www.gourmet-coffee.com/help.php?section=contactus&mode=update, and I filled out & sent this question in:
The company rep. was responsive; got this
email from Emily Eaton. We can
hope that they will come up with better packaging sometime soon. As with pretty much everything else,
more pressure from their customer base will help:
Hello Lynne,
Thank you for contacting us and for your
concern. Unfortunately, our bags are not recyclable. Our bags are made of
several layers of plastic, some of which can be recycled, but as a whole it is
not. The layer that cannot be recycled is used to prevent oxygen contact with
the coffee. We are continuously working on a solution to maintain our
guaranteed freshness (our coffee has a 1 year shelf life) as well as find a
recyclable or biodegradable material that will work. We are currently in the
testing phase of another possibility and believe we are close.
Unfortunately, our coffee is bagged right off
of the production line and we are not able load the beans directly in a
container. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your concern
for our environment.
Kindest Regards,
Emily Eaton
Customer Service
San Francisco Bay Coffee
Plastic-Free Coffee Filter Cones
December 2015: We bought two German-made (Cilio brand)
coffee filter cones from Amazon, after using plastic cones for years. I didn’t like the idea of pouring hot
water over plastic every morning.
FYI that some people advise against getting a ceramic filter
that’s made in China, due to lack of regulations there.
Organic Milk in Glass Bottles
It’s more expensive, but we like it more than
the milk in plastic (and we don’t care if it’s some kind of “placebo”-type
effect), so we’ve been buying our organic milk in glass bottles since September
2015. Straus Organic “2%” milk is
$5.19 (as of September 2015) for half a gallon. When you buy it, Whole Foods rings up the $5.19 per bottle,
then $2.00 per bottle. Then you
get the $2.00 refund when you return the bottles.
Each
glass bottle has a $2.00 deposit [that
$2.00 charge at WF] that is refunded when
the rinsed bottle is returned to the store. The bottles are then returned
to the creamery, washed, sanitized and reused
an average of 4-6 times before re-entering the recycling stream. The
bottles themselves are made with up to 50% recycled glass.
Plastic Caps
Some Ways to Reuse Plastic Bottle Caps (page lists 15,
but some I would never do):
1.
Make your bars of soap last longer with a handmade plastic cap soap dish.
2.
Grab the kiddos and turn your old bottle caps into cute ladybug toys.
3.
Another kid-friendly project: turn old bottle caps into cute fridge magnets.
4.
If you’re feeling artsy, you can try recreating
these plastic cap ornaments from Michele Made.
5.
String your plastic caps up on twine or fishing
line to create a beautiful hanging art piece! I think
this would look lovely in a rainbow of colors, don’t you?
6.
Ellen at The Long Thread shows you how to use old
plastic caps to make your own stamps.
7.
A pair of plastic bottle caps plus some dry rice
and a few stickers makes adorable mini shakers for the kids to
play with.
8.
Separate your caps by color, and use them to create plastic cap collages.
9.
String up multi-colored plastic caps along with
other salvaged plastic to make stunning trash streamers.
Plastic Tip: Of course, there’s a
reason that we say, “reduce, reuse,
recycle.” They’re sort of in order of importance. The best way to combat waste
from plastic bottle caps? Don’t buy products in plastic bottles!
Laundry
There’s something called “soap nuts” that you can use for
washing clothes. This EcoNuts page
explains them: https://econutssoap.com/what-are-soap-nuts/.
The “How to Use For Laundry” page says they can be used in
high-efficiency (“HE”) washers.
You use them in a reusable wash bag. The FAQ page says you can put the bag of nuts into the
front-loading HE washer, but they recommend the “liquid detergent”; the “liquid
detergent” link on the FAQ page doesn’t work, but the “How To Make Soap Nuts
Liquid” link/box on the “Soap Nuts Info” page does.
Homemade Lavender Dryer Bags
Amazon and some other online places sell lavender buds in
bulk.
http://www.town-n-country-living.com/how-to-make-lavender-dryer-sachets.html
has a couple techniques. I like
the part where it says you can buy some muslin cloth and make your own bags. (I could also buy ready-made organza,
but organza is a synthetic fabric.)
December 2015 I ordered a bag of lavender buds and a
pack of 50 pre-made muslin drawstring bags from Amazon.
You can also go the homemade route (but in my case I had to
admit that this was a “Who’s kidding who?” and bought the ready-made bags).
Homemade: You buy your own muslin fabric and cut it into 8-inch
squares, and then fold three sides of each square in at about 1/2 inch. Then fold the fabric in half, and stitch three sides closed
with embroidery thread.
Fill the pouch with lavender buds, and tie the open end closed
with ribbon (or find some other way to close it up and make sure it stays
closed).
Body Soap, Shampoo, Conditioner, etc. … and the “No ‘Poo Method”
10/17/2015: I ordered a few shampoo samples from
Chagrin Valley, because they reportedly don’t use synthetic ingredients such as
phthalates.
The “Shampoo Bar: Butter Bar Conditioner” is a shampoo and
conditioner in one, and it says “Great for processed and/or heat-treated hair.” (Am a bit worried about these bars with
my hair color….)
11/3/2015: After
trying, a couple days earlier, a bar shampoo sample that I’d ordered from
Chagrin Valley (see below) and my hair felt yucko, I read on one of Chagrin’s
pages that you might want to first remove the chemical buildup in your hair by
using baking-soda and vinegar rinses on your hair. This is also what’s called a variation of the “No ‘Poo Method;” you can Google it if
you’re interested. (Another method
is water only; I’m not ready for that one and probably never will be, but it
might work for other folks.)
So I started the baking-soda-and-vinegar “No ‘Poo” on
November 3. My hair felt pretty
gross for the first week or so — pretty heavy and greasy — but I decided to
give it two weeks. By that time, I
liked it a lot. My hair had calmed
down and felt great after it dried.
After a couple weeks, though, the tangle factor was pretty nuts. I tried coconut oil and jojoba oil on
the ends; for me, the jojoba works best.
1/1/2016 Still doing No ‘Poo and like it so much
that I haven’t tried any of my Chagrin bar‑shampoo samples yet.
Also, Chagrin Valley’s pages under http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/
have lots of helpful info. See below.
Bar Shampoos
The biggest “thing” related to having success with bar
shampoos seems to be dealing with possible “weird” hair and what feels like
buildup: Two pointers that make
sense (to me, anyway):
·
using a “baking soda clarifying rinse” — baking
soda rinse before shampooing, at first for sure, and then sometimes as needed
·
using a “vinegar rinse” of apple cider vinegar
Details are under the FAQ pages for shampoos. This page in particular might be
helpful — http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/idascorner/shampoo-hair/success-with-shampoo-bars/my-hair-is-having-trouble-adjusting-to-the-shampoo-bars-itchy
— but check all of the FAQ pages out again.
Main page: http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/
Moisturizing Lotion
Apparently, a mix of 1/2 cup Shea Butter and 2 TBSP Jojoba
oil makes a good unscented moisturizer.
Warm up the Shea Butter “Dutch oven” style so you can mix the two
ingredients, then cool them by putting in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
11/14/2015: Tried
making this. Seems pretty
oily. Is it a matter of getting
used to something that isn’t creamy?
Didn’t seem to moisturize my skin very well….
A few days later, I bought some natural cocoa-butter lotion from someone on Etsy. It came in a glass jar and is very nice. But it's also a bit pricey so will try to make my own.
December 2015: Found several sites with other recipes
for making your own “butters” or “lotions”; will try one of these (Note: these URLs work as of December
2015. You can also Google for
things like “diy body butter recipes beeswax”):
http://wellnessmama.com/3765/homemade-lotion-recipe/
http://www.asonomagarden.com/2011/09/19/how-to-make-an-easy-beeswax-lotion/
http://www.deilataylor.com/homemade-beeswax-body-butter/
http://www.deilataylor.com/homemade-whipped-body-butter
http://www.deilataylor.com/homemade-body-butter-with-beeswax-and-shea-butter/
http://www.rachelssupply.com/bwax.htm
http://healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2014/01/healthy-homemade-lotion-recipe.htmlhttp://www.motherearthliving.com/healthy-home/diy-projects/lavender-beeswax-hand-cream-recipe-ze0z1308zcalt.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nciw2QpxxaA
Essential Oils, Such As Patchouli
Look for essential oils that do not contain phthalates.
Phthalates are used in a lot of cosmetics
http://www.nrdc.org/living/chemicalindex/phthalates.asp?gclid=CIn20M3EhsgCFYdlfgodjD8LSw
has some good info. on phthalates. (NRDC = Natural Resources Defense Council;
Wikipedia says the NRDC “is a New York City-based, non-profit international environmental advocacy group, with
offices in Washington,
D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Beijing.”)
Magazines, Catalogs, Glossy Fliers
September 2015 Are they really recyclable? I’m saving them to maybe use for lining
the trash can after we run out of plastic trash bags, but it seems like a bad
idea! What is the story with this
stuff?
Clothing
Synthetic clothing contributes plastic microfibers to the
ocean; microfibers are shed each
time we wash the clothes, and waste-treatment plants can’t filter out the
fibers’ they’re too small.
No more fleece,
unless it’s 100% cotton, or a cotton/wool blend. See below.
Cotton velour will be a good choice if it doesn’t have any synthetics in
it.
Polar Fleece Is Plastic!
…by many accounts. See also the "Can I Recycle … <Your Plastic Doodad Here>?" section
Here’s a list of
questions, with some answers, as I find them:
·
Wine capsules? If plastic, no. If tin…. hard to tell.
Not on any of the GreenTeam trash or recycle lists as of Fall 2015.
·
Incandescent lightbulbs? No, but
OK to put them in regular trash.
·
The plastic bread-bag ties/tabs? No (around
here, anyway).
https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/because-you-asked-can-bread-clips-be-recycled says “maybe…” and suggests that we instead buy bread in bags that don’t use these tags.
There are some sites, such as http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/04/11/the-bread-clip/, with ideas on how to reuse them if you can’t avoid them. (But I think we can avoid them.)
Otherwise, might be another item to hoard until The Apocalypse….
https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/because-you-asked-can-bread-clips-be-recycled says “maybe…” and suggests that we instead buy bread in bags that don’t use these tags.
There are some sites, such as http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/04/11/the-bread-clip/, with ideas on how to reuse them if you can’t avoid them. (But I think we can avoid them.)
Otherwise, might be another item to hoard until The Apocalypse….
·
Plastic pull-offs, like the ones on the Trader
Joe’s frozen OJ containers? Couldn’t find anything.
Most likely, no. I’d rather start squeezing our own
fresh juice.
Still looking for
local info. In the meantime, a
Portland page (http://www.opb.org/news/blog/ecotrope/recycling-101-little-plastic-doodads/)
says that a lot of the little “doodads” aren’t recyclable, because they slip
through the cracks of the sorting machinery.
What the “Recycle
Numbers” Mean.
A Google for “what is polar fleece?” turns up “hits” that
say it’s made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Results of “are microfibers from polar
fleece getting into the ocean?” Google search say “Yes, they are.” A couple examples:
Polyester
What is polyester?
This page is impartial. Talks about how it’s a synthetic compound: http://www.whatispolyester.com/
Cleaners
Here’s a mix that might be good (and if not, see Beth Terry’s book or
blog):
Lavender Mint Homemade All Purpose Cleaner
You will need:
- opaque spray bottle or the original hydrogen peroxide bottle with added spray nozzle
- 16 oz. hydrogen peroxide (3%)
- ½ teaspoon lavender essential oil
- ½ teaspoon lemon essential oil
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint essential oil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in bottle, attach spray nozzle, and
shake to combine. For best disinfecting results, spray on surfaces and leave
for several minutes before wiping clean.
Batteries
Use rechargeable batteries. Downside:
supposedly can’t use rechargeables in smoke alarms; power dissipates too
quickly. But they’d be good for
guitars, flashlights, and remotes.
What About Our Budget???
The milk in glass bottles is more expensive at $1.50 more
per bottle, even after the deposit refund. So for us, that’s $3.00 per week, or a bit over $12 per
month. But as noted under Organic Milk in
Glass Bottles,
we’re buying it anyway; for us, it’s worth it.
The Nature’s Path “Napa Heritage Flakes” organic cereal I
bought for Dave yesterday is yummy (I had a taste), but it’s considerably more
at $4.49 per pound than the Trader’s organic cereal in the box & plastic
bag (TJ’s Organic Raisin Bran Clusters are $4.45 for 20 oz.). Nature’s Path offers the Napa flakes in
32-oz. plastic packs for $9.29 — even more than the bulk!
Here again, we’ve started buying the cereal in bulk, to
avoid the plastic packaging….
This lady makes some good comments about going organic even
though on a budget: http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2013/10/organic-milk-vs-conventional-milk-whats-the-difference/
Can I Recycle … <Your Plastic Doodad Here>?
Here’s a list of
questions, with some answers, as I find them:
·
Wine capsules? If plastic, no. If tin…. hard to tell.
Not on any of the GreenTeam trash or recycle lists as of Fall 2015.
·
Incandescent lightbulbs? No, but
OK to put them in regular trash.
·
The plastic bread-bag ties/tabs? No
(around here, anyway).
https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/because-you-asked-can-bread-clips-be-recycled says “maybe…” and suggests that we instead buy bread in bags that don’t use these tags.
There are some sites, such as http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/04/11/the-bread-clip/, with ideas on how to reuse them if you can’t avoid them. (But I think we can avoid them.)
Otherwise, might be another item to hoard until The Apocalypse….
https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/because-you-asked-can-bread-clips-be-recycled says “maybe…” and suggests that we instead buy bread in bags that don’t use these tags.
There are some sites, such as http://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/04/11/the-bread-clip/, with ideas on how to reuse them if you can’t avoid them. (But I think we can avoid them.)
Otherwise, might be another item to hoard until The Apocalypse….
·
Plastic pull-offs, like the ones on the Trader
Joe’s frozen OJ containers?
Couldn’t find anything. Most likely, no.
I’d rather start squeezing our own fresh juice.
Still looking for
local info. In the meantime, a
Portland page (http://www.opb.org/news/blog/ecotrope/recycling-101-little-plastic-doodads/)
says that a lot of the little “doodads” aren’t recyclable, because they slip
through the cracks of the sorting machinery.
What the “Recycle Numbers” Mean
Among the many “hits” for a Google search for “where did the
recycle symbol numbering system come from?”:
http://www.nationofchange.org/numbers-plastic-bottles-what-do-plastic-recycling-symbols-mean-1360168347
provides some info. …. including a
mention that polar fleece is made from #1 plastic….!
Discussion on http://naturalsociety.com/recycling-symbols-numbers-plastic-bottles-meaning/
as well….
GreenTeam: Our New Waste Center and Recycling Center “Go-Between”
Their “Unincorporated …” page says “All recyclable materials are sorted at
the Materials Recovery Facility and processed to make new products.” à Find out what that means!
http://www.greenteam.com/UnincorporatedSCC/links.html
has some good info. There is a
“computer recycling center,” for one thing….
Stuff we can recycle that we weren’t before:
·
Our shredded paper: I can put it in a clear
plastic bag and put it in the Recycle bin.
·
We can put the following in the Yard Waste
bin:
Meat and bones, in a tied plastic bag (try to minimize! We could use up our plastic bags and then see if bioplastics might be an option for meat and bones only)
Napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, tea bags, take-out paper bags (either minimal or no paper bags!)
Meat and bones, in a tied plastic bag (try to minimize! We could use up our plastic bags and then see if bioplastics might be an option for meat and bones only)
Napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, tea bags, take-out paper bags (either minimal or no paper bags!)
9/24/2015: I got a call from
Wesley at GreenTeam ("GT") very soon after I sent in the online form
(asking for a tour).
Wesley said
· Alternate person I can contact at GT is Christine.
· GT doesn't give tours. But they do presentations for schools and
neighborhood associations. So maybe the Burbank Neighborhood Assoc. would
be interested in one sometime.
· GT no longer operates the recycling facility, aka the material
recovery facility (MRF). The
MRF is called Green Waste. GT
stopped managing Green Waste about 18 months ago.
· GT collects our recyclables, but Green Waste does the separating of
the recyclables that I read about on the GT site. THEN, the sorted stuff,
as applicable, goes to a processing
facility, such as Smurfit Recycling or WeisCo Recycling.
I can call Wesley or Christine with any
other questions I might have. She was nice & helpful.
Other Recycling Centers
9/24/2015: Emailed WeisCo Recycling and asked for
a tour. They’re up in
Danville. (Their website was down,
so I couldn’t find anything out about them.) Never heard back; will need to try again if I decide I’d
like to go up there.
Smurfit Recycling is at 205 E Alma Ave,
San Jose, CA 95112 Phone: (408) 975-1300.
No web page.
Ranch Town Recycling Center might be a place to go and see
how somebody’s facility works.
Sounds like people drive there with their collections of recyclables and
get money for them.
http://www.ranchtownrecycling.com/. They’re open 7 days a week, 8:15 AM to
5:45 (weekends) or 6:15 PM (weekdays).
http://www.greenmouse.com/ specializes in E-waste, like computers, monitors, DVD players, and so
on. They cater to companies.
Restaurants and Take-Out
10/9/2015: Dave and I went to Aqui Restaurant with
our own containers to use for take-out food, since the nice manager guy and one
of the chefs had OKed it a couple weeks before. But this time, they apologized and said they had to use
their plastic containers for sanitation reasons. So we left there very bummed out, with two bags: one with our own empty containers, and
one with the food in the single-use plastic!
BUT — half a block down the street, Dave
had a GREAT idea: If it’s too
crowded to eat there, we order “eat-in” style anyway, and if need be we just
shovel the food off the ceramic plates into our own containers. We’ve been doing that ever since.
Drinking Straws
These are a big environmental problem, as Googles like “plastic drinking straws
environmental impact” will show.
We have a few glass drinking straws (from Glass Dharma), and now also a
few stainless steel drinking straws — a lovely Christmas gift from Dave’s
stepdaughter Gina.
I always have a couple of these straws
in my purse, but it takes some doing to always remember to say “No straw,
please” when we order a drink out somewhere. But we’re getting good at it now….
Microwaving Sponges, Cloths, and Scrubbers to Kill Germs
This is interesting. Dated 2007; from http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/20070124/microwave-kills-germs-sponges:
Microwave Can Sterilize Kitchen Sponges and Plastic
Scrubbing Pads, Study Shows
Jan.
24, 2007 -- Your microwave may be a powerful weapon in protecting your family
against disease-causing germs.
A
new study shows zapping sponges and plastic scrubbing pads in the microwave can
kill bacteria, such as E. coli, that can cause illness.
"Basically,
what we find is that we could knock out most bacteria in two minutes,"
says researcher Gabriel Bitton, professor of environmental engineering at the
University of Florida, in a news release. "People often put their sponges
and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them
and not just clean them, they should use the microwave."
Researchers
say disease-causing bacteria and germs from uncooked eggs, meat, and vegetables
often work their way onto countertops and cleaning tools, and the dampness of
sponges, dish cloths, and scrubbers provide an ideal breeding ground for the
bugs.
Microwave Sterilizes
Sponges
In
the study, published in the Journal of
Environmental Health, researchers evaluated the effects of zapping
sponges and plastic scrubbing pads in the microwave on bacteria and viruses.
The
sponges and scrubbing pads were soaked in wastewater containing a dangerous mix
of fecal bacteria, E. coli, and bacterial spores. Bacterial spores are more
difficult to kill.
The
results showed that two minutes in the microwave at full power killed or
inactivated more than 99% of all the living germs and the bacterial spores in
the sponges and pads, including E. coli.
After
an additional two minutes -- a total of four -- none of the bacterial spores
survived.
Before
you zap your sponges in the microwave, researchers offer the following advice:
- Microwave only sponges or plastic scrubbers that do not contain steel or other metals.
- Make sure the sponge or scrubber is wet, not dry.
- Two minutes should be enough to kill most disease-causing germs.
- Be careful in removing the sponge from the microwave because it will be hot and should not be handled immediately after zapping.
Bitton
recommends that people microwave their sponges according to how often they
cook, with every other day being a good rule of thumb.
Traveling
9/26/2015: Fourteen
days into the new reduced-plastic lifestyle, I’m on a trip to Cincinnati to
visit Mom. Some things I didn’t
plan on (D’oh!):
·
Drinking water. I didn’t make a point of topping off my water bottle before
leaving the airport. The hotel I’m staying at doesn’t have a restaurant. Water will be tap water from the
bathroom, which I haven’t tried yet.
Hoping it’s not too bad.
·
Not sussing out the hotel better. As noted above, no restaurant, and I
didn’t get a rental car this time.
I’ll meet up with my sister tomorrow morning; she’s done in today (she
had surgery recently). We’ll get
my name added to the rental-car “driver” list.
In the meantime, I was really hungry and ordered a gluten-free LaRosa’s pizza and salad to be delivered. G’aaah! The plastic…. I videoed it.
In the meantime, I was really hungry and ordered a gluten-free LaRosa’s pizza and salad to be delivered. G’aaah! The plastic…. I videoed it.
·
How to get milk for the coffee I brought
along. The Starbucks at the Cincy
Airport only has vanilla and chocolate milk. I didn’t get the vanilla, because I don’t want any mystery
ingredients. Looks like this hotel
only has the little creamers in the plastic containers with the pull-off
lids. More mystery ingredients….
and that’s not including the plastic containers.
I was able to get two kids’ organic milk cartons from LaRosa’s. In plastic-lined cartons; the only mystery ingredients is whatever leaches off the plastic lining….
I was able to get two kids’ organic milk cartons from LaRosa’s. In plastic-lined cartons; the only mystery ingredients is whatever leaches off the plastic lining….
Some Helpful Notes From Jenny Ugale 9/16/2015 (Thanks, Jenny!)
Hey Lynne!
Just wanted to share some of the sites I stumbled upon about plastic-free products and such.
Here's a company that sells shampoo bars and other beauty products: http://www.lushusa.com/
They have a store in Valley Fair. I tend to not go in for too long because of the smell, but it's really neat browsing through all the different bars of soap and other products. [Note: Per Beth Terry, Lush uses phthalates in some of their soaps; I’m pretty sensitive to fragrances, too, so will need to get my soap elsewhere, like from Chagrin Valley. But others might like Lush.]
Just wanted to share some of the sites I stumbled upon about plastic-free products and such.
Here's a company that sells shampoo bars and other beauty products: http://www.lushusa.com/
They have a store in Valley Fair. I tend to not go in for too long because of the smell, but it's really neat browsing through all the different bars of soap and other products. [Note: Per Beth Terry, Lush uses phthalates in some of their soaps; I’m pretty sensitive to fragrances, too, so will need to get my soap elsewhere, like from Chagrin Valley. But others might like Lush.]
And another company that
sells all types of plastic-free products:
http://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/
I remember stumbling upon these two blogs a few years back and they inspired me to stop buying drinks in plastic containers and to reuse/repurpose things.
http://www.trashisfortossers.com
http://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/
It's amazing that there are people who are really able to avoid using plastic altogether. For the majority of people it would definitely be too much to ask them to give up everything plastic--especially since there are some people who can't even give up bottled water. I think what's most important is building society's awareness of the consumption of plastic and its effects on the environment, as well as shifting peoples' mindsets to be more proactive about being 'green.'
Anywho...
Hope you've had a good week so far and thanks again for letting me join you guys this past weekend, I had fun!
http://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/
I remember stumbling upon these two blogs a few years back and they inspired me to stop buying drinks in plastic containers and to reuse/repurpose things.
http://www.trashisfortossers.com
http://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/
It's amazing that there are people who are really able to avoid using plastic altogether. For the majority of people it would definitely be too much to ask them to give up everything plastic--especially since there are some people who can't even give up bottled water. I think what's most important is building society's awareness of the consumption of plastic and its effects on the environment, as well as shifting peoples' mindsets to be more proactive about being 'green.'
Anywho...
Hope you've had a good week so far and thanks again for letting me join you guys this past weekend, I had fun!
Some Pointers From Men’s Life Magazine (from an article about BPA)
An excerpt from
http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/health/why-bpa-free-plastic-isnt-necessarily-safe-20140611:
Stop Eating Plastic: A 10-Point Plan
Plastic is ubiquitous, but you can
reduce your exposure. Below, some steps to take now.
When drinking:
·
Buy stainless-steel water bottles with
plastic-free caps. (We like those from Klean Kanteen.)
·
Avoid water bottled in plastic. Drink tap water
instead, which studies show contains fewer contaminants than the bottled stuff.
·
If you
must use a plastic bottle, throw it out [or
find some other way to reuse] after several months, and never leave it in
direct sunlight or hot places. Repeated use and heat lead to more leaching.
At the market:
·
Seek out products packaged in glass bottles:
milk, juice, soda, beer, spices, vegetables, and condiments like jelly,
ketchup, and dressing.
·
Instead of putting produce in the store's
tear-off plastic bags, bring your own reusable bags to shop with.
·
If you're getting a to-go salad or a meal from
the hot buffet, opt for the paper containers over the plastics.
At home:
· Microwave food in glass or ceramic containers.
· Never put hot food, drinks, or soups in plastic containers or bottles.
· Cover leftovers in tinfoil versus plastic wrap.
· Swap your plastic water-filter pitcher for a glass version that's
plastic-free, like those from Soma.
· Replace plastic household appliances, such as coffeemakers and
blenders, with new ones made of stainless steel.
Wish List: Want to Have
To-GoWare stainless steel 2-tier tiffin $24.95 on http://to-goware.com/, but when I checked on 9/17/2015, shipping charge runs it up to
$35! See if REI or Whole Foods
carries them.
Glass bread-loaf pan
Alternatives to scrubby sponges made
with plastic:
Natural cellulose sponges: In natural grocery stores. Usually come compressed; add water to
expand them.
“Coconut coir” scrub brushes: In
natural grocery stores, or Amazon has some. Try to find in stores!
Non-plastic toothbrushes. According to Beth Terry, some Indian
guy is making some, but sounds like he’s still working out some wrinkles. Do some Googles from time to time, to
see what’s available….
Organic cotton bedding: These guys might be too expensive, but
there’s a store on Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos: http://www.thenaturalmattressstore.com/los-gatos. Maybe if we win the Lotto.
