Plastic Conservation

Imagine planet Earth is about to self-destruct from any number of human-created crises. The good news is, a huge Generation starship has been created to take many humans to another planet. The bad news is, the price of a ticket is the amount of plastic conservation you have done in your lifetime.

Reusable shopping bags are good for me, but not the produce bags so much. Ziploc bags we use by the dozen every week. Laundry detergent, sparkling water, food product packaging, disposable razors, pet food containers, bird seed bags, and so on. I don’t think I would be let on the ship. I’m going down with the planet. Unless I can implement some changes like now.

1. Zip Top reusable food storage containers. I love the idea of these reusable containers. I love how they stand up on the counter with the top open. I can’t imagine going back to storage bags after using these. They are a little above my price range right now, but if you add up how many boxes of zip lock bags you go through in a year, you come out way ahead by using these clever items. I even like their commercials! Seriously, think of all the bird seed and treats you can store in there. You might even be able to train a parrot to open one. Possibly not a good idea.

2. Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Sheets. From Kind Laundry dot com. Much more reasonably priced than plastic gallon jugs of detergent. Cardboard package is super recyclable. There is a nice collection of happy customer comments, one who gives this product as gifts. There’s my Christmas shopping done.

3. Sparkling water. I feel super guilty about this one. My husband gave it up and now drinks pure, fresh regular water. (I have to have bottled water, but I do use the larger containers) O would seriously consider making my own with SodaStream or any similarly priced CO2 machine. Get the bottled water into a reusable mug, put in the bubbles, add fresh fruit, or cucumbers, and maybe a touch of stevia, and I would be happy. I think. Gotta give it a shot, anyway.

4. Food Product Packaging. Pasta now comes in boxes. But bagels, bread, and so much more comes in plastic bags. How can we as consumers push food manufacturers toward an Eco-friendly package? We can take our money to companies that only use Eco-friendly packages. This list of 7 companies is impressive, especially the Tide detergent package that was created by Amazon worker. I wish I liked Tide, but I do like Water in a Box. Yay! Oh, and there is a DIY laundry soap that sounds interesting, I’m just not that energetic when it comes to make lots and lots of that item.

5. Razors that only need a new blade. Face it, ha ha, disposable razors are a lot of plastic that doesn’t last very long. Crazy to think it will do a good job when the safety razor is still around. Yes, the razor is a bit of an investment at first, but over time the blades are much cheaper and last longer. No plastic at all in the exchange.

6. Pet food minus the plastic containers or bags. This really great blog about a dog owner exploring how to make her own dog food for her greyhound is informative and not preachy. But if, like me, you really don’t have the time to cook more than you already do, be aware that the pet food industry has heard you and they are testing biodegradable or compostable bioplastic containers and bags. Also, if you can afford one of the direct to your home delivery services, you can find one that suits your needs. I like The Farmer’s Dog brand, but wasn’t sure about their packages. So I looked at their FAQ and found this: “This planet gave us dogs, so taking care of it is a priority. We pack our boxes with the environment in mind. You can recycle the cardboard box the food is delivered in and our insulation is biodegradable. You can compost it, or even just put it in the sink, run some water over it, and it will dissolve right down the drain. The food storage container that comes in each shipment is also biodegradable, and all of our packs are made from BPA-free materials and are non-toxic.” Spot on!

7. Pet birds’ seed containers. I guess this depends on where you buy it. Most places carry plastic bags of seed, but some have the option to buy in bulk, using paper bags. The millet I buy comes in a cardboard box. And if we get the large bags of seed from the bird farm, they come in paper bags. Otherwise, it’s impossible to find guaranteed Eco-friendly pet bird food packages. I like the menu at Bird Street Bistro but can’t find any information on the bags. Most of the friendly packaging is for wild bird seed.

8. Produce selection bags. Amazon carries several types, but I like these washable mesh bags. That looks like the easiest problem to solve.

We all need to become proactive to save Planet Earth. Thanks for reading, I’ll be back next Sunday.