Single Use Products

If you think about it, single use products make no sense at all. That’s part of the problem. In our throwaway society, we don’t think about it. Continuing the theme of my recent post about eliminating aluminum foil and plastic wrap, I’ve listed below other products you can try cutting out (or at least cutting back on).

English: Reusable shopping bag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Plastic bags – The movement to bring reusable bags food shopping is becoming well established. In fact, some cities and towns have eliminated them all together or charge for plastic bags. Start bringing reusable bags on your other errands as well. Make it a challenge to always bring them with you. Earmark some for food, some for clothes, etc. (Don’t forget to occasionally wash your reusable bags too.)

2. Plastic food baggies – They are hard to live without, but you can wash and reuse them a couple of times. Reusable cloth sandwich and biocompostable baggies are more available now as well.  Rule of thumb:  plastic and food don’t go together.

3. Paper Napkins – Cloth napkins are prettier, more durable, and certainly more eco-friendly than paper ones. Aim to use cloth napkins at most meals and keep recycled paper ones only as backup.

4. Paper Plates and Paper Cups – There is no doubt about their convenience, but they are totally wasteful, and plastic ones aren’t biodegradable.  For outdoor (or indoor) dining, consider dishwasher and oven safe enamelware. Lightweight and unbreakable, enamelware is perfect for camping or picnics too and comes in fun designs.

5. Plastic Water Bottles – There is no reason to buy plastic water bottles. They shouldn’t be reused and they don’t biodegrade. Use glasses at home and stainless steel or BPA-free water bottles for transporting.

6. Facial Tissues – This is one of those single use items you probably just want to cut back on rather than eliminate. I gave my husband some old-fashioned handkerchiefs and he loves them. Use them a few times, throw them in the wash and then reuse!

7. Dryer Sheets – There are lots of alternatives to conventional dryer sheets that aren’t made with chemical fabric softeners and soaked in toxic fragrances. Several natural brands use vegetable derived softening agents and essential oils instead. Reusable dryer balls made with PVC-free plastic or felt make the most sense to me – they soften clothes without chemicals, reduce drying time and save energy.

Cutting back on or eliminating single use products helps not only the earth, but your pocketbook as well. What single use products have you eliminated from your daily life? Email me – I’d love to know.

Milkshake

Forgive me while I brag a moment.  One of my favorite blogs, Milkshake.com, a “free daily email dedicated to finding the good in everything – companies, causes, people, places and products giving back and making a difference” featured my daughter’s vintage and upcycled fashion design company called Where!  She is a tireless worker and it’s starting to pay off!  I reblogged their write-up below – the lovely picture is of my younger daughter who models for her, making it a fun sisters collaboration.  I am an excited Mom!!!

Wherefore Art Thou?

Sep 21 2012

One-of-a-kind, Anthropologie-esque clothing made from vintage materials?  Yes, please!

Let’s admit it: a lot of us love Anthropologie.  Sure, some of its catalogs feature things like women pretending to type on hundred-year-old typewriters that clearly don’t work, or having silent conversations with empty birdcages, but their stuff is just plain pretty.  There’s a poetic sensibility about their carefully-curated offerings, and that’s part of why we like them.

Those of us who just can’t get enough of our beloved Anthro’s goods need look no further thanWhere Designs for a more personal, partially vintage line of clothing sharing that same “what’s simple is true” aesthetic we adore so much.  Given the fact that the Richmond, Vermont-based brand run by Amy Wild calls itself “fashion for imaginative explorers of real and fantasy lands,” we wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Wild’s wares found themselves on Anthro’s shelves someday.  An important component of Where is its insistence on remaining conscious of its environmental impact: instead of calling for the creation of new fabrics and notions to create the collection, Wild only uses vintage, antique and upcycled materials, steering clear of pollution and unfair labor practices.

A brand that has its head in the clouds but its feet on the ground it strives to protect?  Sign us up immediately.

Silica Gel Packets

Here is an unlikely green tip – reusing those silica gel packets found in the packaging of some processed foods, particularly organic ones, vitamin bottles, shoes, and electronics used to absorb moisture.  What you say? Why not simply throw them away?  They certainly don’t take up much space in the landfill!  If you think about the number of silica packets in your packaging, however, multiplied by all the packaging used around the world, then it’s a different story.

 

Silicia is an important drying agent where excessive moisture could encourage the growth of mold and spoilage.  Excess moisture can also damage electronics or break down the chemicals in vitamins. Silica is usually non-toxic to humans, pets and the environment. Some forms of silica gel have been proven to cause cancer in laboratory settings however, specifically the blue ones that contain the chemical cobalt chloride, often added to indicate the presence of humidity.  The packet that the silica is often encased in is made from high-density plastic that won’t tear or break and even keeps the smallest particulates from entering the packet.  While that is a really good thing, it is not biodegradable.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

So, what do you do with all those packets?  You use your imagination and reuse them to help preserve other things in your house.  For example, I tape one on the lid of my 50-pound tin of dog food to keep it fresh.  Other suggestions?  Put some in a box of old photos or important papers to keep them from molding.   Put some in your jewelry box or in with your flatware to help keep them from tarnishing so quickly.  Add them to your seed packets and seed jars you are storing for planting next year to keep them mold and moisture free.  And, you can use the packets over and over – simply “reactivate” them by placing them in a warm oven (176-200 degrees) for 15 minutes.

 

Reusing silica gel packets, now that’s a good eco-citizen!

 

Happy Labor Day, readers!  Make it an eco-safe holiday this year.  Click here for ideas….

 

 

 

Information compiled from Natural Health, September/October 2012, “Ask the Experts” by Mike Yukizky, public health education manager, North Texas Poison Center and www.ehow.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plastic Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

The Mud of Victory (Photo credit: Sangudo)

Does your dog have more than enough used tennis balls to play with and you just don’t know what to do with all the others?  What do you do with your worn out tennis shoes?  Do you realize you can recycle used gift cards or Brita pitcher filters?  Ink cartridges?  Even fishing line? There are lots of innovative companies recycling almost any type of plastic.  Click here to find out who, where and how!