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I use a thermal cup for coffee and use recycled glass juice bottles for carrying water that I have filtered. The plastic sacks really disgust me. You can drive down the road and see them entangled in trees and fences, blown up against walls, floating in water. They are also dangerous for animals. I forego them now, either carrying my purchases by hand or using canvas bags. The ones I do end up with I use for garbage bags, which I've quit buying. I've even seen them woven into purses! LOL!
Yesterday I bought some dishwasher soap and it made me mad to find an unneeded plastic sealer underneath the lid, like the ones you find on ketchup bottles and other things.
It does come down to having to think about each and every object that enters our lives. As alexanderaf illustrated, a trip to McDonald's can be a minefield of plastic. If I get something at the drive through to take home, I use the extra napkins, utinsels, and condiments that they give me in lunches that I pack for work. When I took my niece and nephew to SeaWorld this summer, I did notice that they were using paper straws in their drinks.
My grandmother recycled everything and we used to laugh at her for it but now I see myself becoming more like her. She learned it from living through the Depression. I am having to learn it because it is effecting my environment and the world I live in. Empty glass jars or containers are great for storing things, including food.
I try not to buy plastic or things packaged that way but it is practically impossible. Our world is choking on it. I've begun to operate by "not buying if I can do without it." Use something you already have, borrow, or shop at thrift stores/garage sales, etc. You can find just about any household item you might need. It has helped me cut down on the waste and glut of useless objects that can accumulate.
Last edited by soonerguy; 11-30-2008 at 08:48 PM..
There is much to be learned from our past, but I think modern day people are just too lazy to do it.
Americans want everyone else to conserve and they love to point fingers, but when it come down to it, they will drink coffee out of styrene cups, water from cancer producing plastic bottles, and put their plastic trash in plastic trash bags. Stuff it all in a landfill that leaches into the water supply and then blame someone else.
It takes more than talking about it.
You are so right about this, donsabi. Americans are lazy. They want convenience. They want what they want and they want it now and it doesn't matter who or what gets hurt in the process. They think this is their right and they pay big dollars to be able to do it. So sad. I myself have been guilty and I think most of us have. I am trying to change my ways and I think many others are as well (why else would we be here talking about it) but big changes are not going to start happening until the powers that be take a lesson from history and start changing some of THEIR ways. Don't buy their products. Don't go to those big stores whose bags you see littering the roadways. If we all start at home and do what we can, maybe eventually the greedy corporations will start to get the message.
This post got a pretty good response. I'm glad there are so many others concerned over this ridiculous "disposable item problem" that Americans find so difficult to overcome. There is actually a plastic that is made form corn and it is biodegradeable. I think I remember reading somewhere that "Newmans Own" company was using it in some of their packaging.
I don't recall anyone mentioning disposable diapers. I recall my mother using cloth diapers for my sister when she was a baby and they worked just fine ( a lot healthier for the baby too). There were diaper service companies for pick up and delivery of fresh diapers for the person that did not want to launder them for themselves. I just did a google and these companies still exist. Just think how many diapers wind up in landfills...yuk!
Yesterday I bought some dishwasher soap and it made me mad to find an unneeded plastic sealer underneath the lid, like the ones you find on ketchup bottles and other things.
That one is unavoidable. Those cases of dishwasher soap undergo a lot of abuse and knocking around between the manufacturer and the store shelf. Without that liner, one leaky bottle can ruin not only the case it's in, but the cases below it. Then they throw it ALL away.
One little thing I do is, when I buy something at a store, I skip the bag. If I'm at Home Depot, and I've just bought 3 tubes of caulk, I don't need to carry them out of the store in a plastic bag. My hands work just fine.
It's a tiny little thing, but if 50,000 people would do that every day, it'd make a difference.
Same here.
My H gets embarassed sometimes, because I tell the cashier WHY if they ask "are you sure", or just bag it even though I asked not to. I'm hoping I'm causing someone to think, I know one friend and one family member (and my kids) who I've influenced.
I use canvas bags, and put alot of stuff, especially larger items, directly back into my cart and then it's a few extra min to load/unload into the car.
In 6 years of doing this, I have run out of bags only a handful of times (I use grocery bags for garbage bags). And when I have run out, I ask a neighbor for a few-they typically have a 100 or so in their drawer!
This post got a pretty good response. I'm glad there are so many others concerned over this ridiculous "disposable item problem" that Americans find so difficult to overcome. There is actually a plastic that is made form corn and it is biodegradeable. I think I remember reading somewhere that "Newmans Own" company was using it in some of their packaging.
CRI - Fantastic plastic made from corn (http://www.container-recycling.org/mediafold/newsarticles/plastic/2006/1-26-Miami-Fantastic.htm - broken link)
I don't recall anyone mentioning disposable diapers. I recall my mother using cloth diapers for my sister when she was a baby and they worked just fine ( a lot healthier for the baby too). There were diaper service companies for pick up and delivery of fresh diapers for the person that did not want to launder them for themselves. I just did a google and these companies still exist. Just think how many diapers wind up in landfills...yuk!
and how many children do you have? Sorry, but that is where I draw the line.
My parents said they raised me with cloth diapers. They were both enlisted Navy and didn't have the money for disposables. They said one great thing about cloth diapers is the baby gets potty trained faster. With disposable diapers, the baby is still able to be comfortable for quite some time after an accident.
I think organic is a big rip-off (and it is), but I agree with all the disposable wrapping, etc. I hate junk mail b/c it's such a waste. I don't care for paper towels, paper napkins, or bottled water. I hate ziplock bags and aluminum foil. We use tupperware and reuse tupperware. I don't use the plastic baggies they give you for fruit at the supermarket. I don't put a card on every gift - just write the name on the wrapping paper or make a little card out of a scrap. We reuse all gift bags. I don't think I have ever bought a gift bag.
We have flushing policy in effect at our house -
If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down.
Obviously, these get suspended when guests come.
Recycling is fine and all that, but there is so much waste you can stop at the front end.
Man I thought I was the only one who doesn't use a plastic bag for every single piece of fruit and vegetable when I go shopping. I must look really weird to everyone when I pile up all my loose veggies and fruits on a couple of the reusable bags which I will take them home in. OK I use a bag for mushrooms and nuts but jeeze doesn't anyone wash their fruit and veggies at home? (Yes, a bunch at a time in a bowl with one tiny drop of soap, not under gushing fresh water)
All that plastic is awful to use for every single item. I'm with stan4 -reduce at the front end.
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