Mom Goes Green

I received a great response to my recent post about recycling paper.  Recycling always seems to be a great mystery, as so many cities and municipalities have varying rules.  When you consider that the average American produces 4.5 pounds of trash DAILY (75% of that IS recyclable), we certainly want to make the right decisions.

It’s often hard to compile a “grand list” of everything you can and cannot do, but the best resource I can provide is earth911.  Simply enter your area code on the homepage and you will (hopefully) find your city or recycling resource to answer specific questions.

But, in the broad sense, I hope to help dispel some myths about the “real” answers for recycling… some may be a big surprise…

• Paper – refer to my prior post… I think I covered it all!
• Glass – rinse out the original contents as best you can.  Don’t worry about labels since they’ll be removed in processing. You CAN recycle the metal caps(!)… most recyclers will accept them.  Do NOT attempt to recycle treated glass, like plates, drinking glasses, windows, etc.  This glass is, unfortunately, contaminated due to the special “treatment” they have received.
• Metals – every can should be hitting the recycling can!  Soup, soda, veggie cans (even the top you’ve removed)… they’re all recyclable.  Even wire coat hangers, aluminum foil, pie tins… include them all!  And a new revelation to me… aerosol cans, as long as they have not contained a hazardous waste.  I sincerely never knew they could be recycled, but just be sure they are EMPTY.  That is the key.  If your recycler does not accept them, they will be quickly weeded-out, but it’s worth a try!
• Plastic – most plastic bottles and jugs (with necks narrower than the body) can be recycled, just be sure to remove the plastic caps.  They are a different type of plastic and can cause contamination in the recycling process.  Number 5 plastics are often questionable.  This is one where you should definitely refer to your local recycler, but remember that there is a use for Number 5’s!… don’t count them out and send them to the trash can too quickly!  They are also good candidates for the reuse category, although maybe not for food items, due to the plastic-leaching issues.

Take these tips, memorize them and soon your 75% of daily trash will find its way to the proper destination… the cherished land of “Recycleville!”

I do NOT buy Ziploc baggies… ever. Okay, one exception:  when I had to buy them to complete our daughter’s list of “required” school supplies.  I wanted to wear dark glasses and a hood because I felt like I was going to be detained and questioned by the “Green Police” at any moment for abandoning my pledge to headquarters!

But I am currently also annoyed by “The Biggest Loser” and the way they keep pimping Ziplocs.  I understand product placements and the sponsorship, but it’s as if you can’t have food without them!  The incessant use of Ziplocs is unnecessary.

There ARE alternatives to Ziplocs and the non-biodegradable trash they create:

• Reusable containers are a green mom’s best friend.  Invest in some!
• For those concerned about the plastic, glass bowls with lids or stainless steel containers do wonders.  They come in all shapes and sizes!
• Aluminum foil is recyclable and is great for wrapping tons of food items.  Buy a roll!
• Salvage some glass jars and turn them into storage.  Reuse those plastic containers from yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. and do the same.
• If you must, must, must use baggies, consider the new Ziploc evolve products.  They are made from a new resin blend using 25% less plastic, manufactured using approximately 50% renewable wind energy and packaged in a 100% recycled paperboard carton, with a minimum of 35% post-consumer content.  A step in the right direction, but if you must use them, wash and REuse them!

(I personally think that the new Ziploc evolve baggies are just a way to suck “greenies” like us back to their storage bags but like I said… “if you MUST…”…)

Bottom line is: there are better ways!  Try it… and let’s “bag the baggie!”

A few months ago, I wrote a post about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch… the sickening, swirling area of approximately seven million tons of plastic debris and waste floating in the Pacific that is roughly twice the size of Texas (and some say, twice the size of the entire US).

It swirls through the ocean between the continental US and Japan, and contains everything from plastic bags to Legos to footballs.  One fifth is believed to come from trash dumped from ships and oil rigs, and the rest comes from land and all of the plastics we discard on a daily basis.

I certainly got my fair share of comments and emails.  Some readers were appalled (just like I am), while others were skeptical. One particularly fine gent emailed me and wanted to know why there weren’t pictures of this “plastic island” that everyone keeps raging about and why I’m making false statements.

Well, I first think he’s taking terms a bit too literal!  It’s not an actual island where you can dock your yacht, Mr. Crabby Pants!  This garbage patch is an AREA, where the vortex of ocean currents collects all of our discarded trash.   It’s that simple.  The ocean eventually breaks down the plastics into little bits and tiny pieces of plastic that marine life mistakes for plankton (their primary food source). It floats on both the surface to 100 feet below the surface… so NO!  No “island”, but we shouldn’t falsely believe that this is not an issue.

Now, a new expedition to study the Garbage Patch, led by a group of University of California scientists, states that they found much more debris than they expected and are concerned that the “patch” may be much larger than originally thought.

It’s hard to imagine what we can do to prevent this… even experts don’t have the answers.  The only hope is to decrease our dependency on so many plastics, improve our recycling practices and simply change our overall behavior… and clean the mess that already exists.  We must find ways to decrease the plastic trash that reaches the oceans and waterways… period.

The most disturbing part?  There is said to be another patch in the southern hemisphere… and it’s four times larger.

I have been on a “plastics kick” recently.  Not with overusing them or anything crazy like that, but just in the way that I’ve been thinking about them lately… a lot.

It’s a love/hate relationship.  They’re everywhere and they’re supposedly here to simplify and make products affordable.  They’re a part of our lives.  We can look in every corner of our homes and see unbelievable amounts of plastic. It’s inevitable.

But consider this…

• Think about some of your favorite childhood toys… and all of the toys and trinkets you’ve ever purchased since childhood…
• Think about every hairbrush, comb and toothbrush you’ve ever used…
• Think about the disposable serveware and utensils you purchased for a party you hosted or used at an event you attended…
• Think about all the water bottles and beverages you bought while you ran errands…
• Think about the thousands of plastic bags you’ve accepted…
• Think about the buckets, containers, wastebaskets, pitchers, shower curtain liners and scrub brushes that you’ve throw away because they looked overused…
• Think about the packaging of anything you have ever purchased…
• Think about the electronics and appliances you’ve purchased and replaced for an upgrade…

Now think about this…

They STILL EXIST ON THE PLANET.  Every single piece of plastic ever manufactured is still here.  It has never gone away.

The idea of this is ovewhelming. I am clearly not without fault, because I’ve certainly used my fair share right along with you, but it is just astonishing to know that every plastic we have ever touched is STILL HERE… and they are polluting, poisoning and contaminating every landfill where they eventually come to rest.

It is simply inevitable that we will always use plastics, but every time I make a purchase I’m going to remember that statement and hopefully make better choices.

The other day I talked about my frustration over seeing an excessive amount of ‘plastic bag trash’ littering one of our favorite Cleveland lakeside parks.

I feel I would be remiss without mentioning the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  I was honestly surprised by how many of my friends had not heard of it before, but it’s something I cannot stop thinking about.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is essentially seven million tons of floating plastic waste, roughly twice the size of Texas (and some say, twice the size of the entire US).  It swirls through the ocean between the continental US and Japan, and contains everything from plastic bags to Legos to footballs.  One fifth is believed to come from trash dumped from ships and oil rigs, and the rest comes from land and all of the plastics we discard on a daily basis.

Take a look, and see if you can keep from feeling just a little bit unsettled.

And if you want to know more detail…

The problem is this… the plastics break down into small pieces of debris, pollute the ocean and beaches, disturb the eco-system and literally become food for marine life, because they can’t distinguish between what is “real” food and what is our trash.  In fact, the amount of plastic trash in this area is six times greater than the amount of plankton (this area’s most abundant food source).  This “mistake” costs them their life.  And think about what happens if you consume a fish whose diet consisted primarily of plastics… it makes me shudder.

The next time you think of tossing away some plastics… stop… and “really think”.

Water is essential for a healthy body.  (In fact, 60-70% of our bodies are made up of water.) 

So when my husband recently announced that the landlord of his studio space had decided to get rid of the water cooler and buy bottled water instead, I  GASPED!  Then I immediately emailed him some of my objections and begged him to reconsider.

First, bottled water is both wasteful and harmful if their containers are not properly recycled and they wind up as trash in a landfill – and every year 38 billion bottles, valued at $1 billion, DO end up in landfills. It even takes approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil to meet America’s $22 billion(!) annual demand of bottled water! Add to that the cardboard bases they use, the plastic wrap that goes around the case and the carbon footprint of transportation… more waste, more trash, more CO2!  Not very environmental or economical.

I also have an on-going concern with the BPA content in the bottles themselves.  Research has shown links to side effects that include behavioral problems, brain development issues, cancers and a whole slew of other debated conditions, especially when consumed by children.  That alone should be enough to scare anyone away.  Not very healthy.

But now I have a crazy idea… tap water anyone?!  I know there will be some groans at this suggestion and objections about the taste, as well as questions about whether tap water is really safe, but in most cases, yes, it is absolutely safe.  If you have concerns or just want more assurance, install a water filter… simple as that.

We were raised on tap water, right?  But marketers have “gotten” to some of us by glamorizing bottled water (as if it “says” something about us) or claiming some health benefit.  Don’t buy it or “buy it!” And despite some companies trying to make a more environmental product (like boxed water), I can’t be swayed! Bottled water is convenient, but the best, most environmental, healthiest choice is investing in a good, reusable, stainless steel or aluminum bottle, and “tap into your tap”!

Next time someone asks if you’d like a bottle of water, be prepared to hold it high and say proudly “no thanks… I have my own!”

Yes… Number 5 plastic. She has a reputation, and it’s not good!

(Why am I calling Number 5 a “she” anyhow?  For all the problems she causes, maybe we should officially make Number 5 a “he”… sorry gents!)

But we all know Number 5.  These shiny plastic containers always seems to find their way into our homes, but many curbside recycling programs don’t accept them, and they leave us feeling guilty after we enjoy our yogurt and other “5” products.  Unfortunately, I’ve also learned that often times, even if they are accepted, they aren’t truly ‘recycled’ because they get sent to Asia to be burned for energy.  Not exactly an environmental outcome.

So let me help you with that guilt… with thanks to Preserve.  There are two ways to recycle these plastics and prevent them from hitting the landfill:  drop off your Number 5s at a Whole Foods Market or mail them directly to Preserve.  They’ll turn them into toothbrushes, razors, tableware, kitchenware and a bunch of household items, all manufactured here in the USA!

The cycle can even continue if you send your Preserve toothbrushes and razors BACK to Preserve and they’ll be re-recycled into plastic lumber for park benches, decking, etc.  If you can find the time to collect them, drop them off or mail them in, these plastics will get the recycling they deserve.  And this is truly the epitome of “reuse”!

Finally, a solution for the “Number 5 guilt” and a way to change that “trashy” reputation!

I used to be a junkie. Ziploc this, Ziploc that… I had a problem.

And not to specifically “pick” on the Glad Ziplocs, but they were definitely my “baggie of choice!”  I’m talking about any kind of re-sealable, zippered storage bag… used for every ridiculous thing under the sun.  I used them for food, snacks, storage, organizing, saving… anything.  Literally anything.

I’m proud to say, I kicked the habit.  Although I used to roll my eyes at my father-in-law’s demand that they got washed and reused, I now see the wisdom of his ways.  But I have almost kicked them entirely.  At the start of the school year, I talked about purchasing a slew of reusable containers to send in our daughter’s school lunches and I am so proud that she has never, ever had a lunch with a throw-away baggie.  And every time we venture away from home, we still only use reusable containers for the snacks.

I don’t need to tell you the effects of constantly adding these disposable plastic bags to landfills… I’m sure you already know.  They’re easy to use, but when you think about how often they’re overused, it results in a lot of waste.

But what would you do if a Ziploc thief came and snatched your stash in the middle of the night and you couldn’t have them back?  What would you do?  I know what you would do… you would find an alternative. Probably a sealable, reusable container that would do the same duty.

So here is my challenge.  Try it for a week. Could you do it?  I bet you could; you would find a better way and use all of those containers you’ve been saving.

And if you could do it for a week, I’ll bet you could do it for… ooh, I don’t know… always!

Warning: This is a pet peeve moment!

I’ve told you about my annoyance with seemingly responsible restaurants and coffee shops serving up oodles of Styrofoam cups and how my own to-go cup solved that dilemma.  I shared my frustration with take home containers (yes, also often Styrofoam!) and my epiphany when I realized that we don’t need to accept them (when often times aluminum foil will do).

But now I have a new peeve in need of resolution… disposable kid’s cups in restaurants and this belief that, somehow, they need to be disposable so the kids can take them home.  Now, I ask you, as a parent… do you NEEEED more of these cups?  I’m betting ‘no.’  Do you choose your restaurant based on who’s dealing the coolest kid’s cup?  Again, I’m betting no.  Do your kids even care?  If they’re like mine, nope… they don’t.

So, why, why, WHY all the disposable (and often un-recyclable content) cups?!  Why don’t restaurants give kids cups that are left behind, WASHED and used again?  I mean I don’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant and they said “here lady… you keep the glass!”  (Unless of course it was one of those monstrous plastic tiki bowls with six paper umbrellas and a straw shaped like a palm tree, purchased during a happy-hour/ladies night frenzy!… okay, I’ve never really had these {too frou-frou for me}, but I’ve seen them!)

I don’t know the environmental impact specifically for these cups, yet we all know a lot of plastic is bad news:  resources used, energy to produce them, landfill space, gasses produced, etc.

So why am I picking on something as little as kids’ plastic cups in restaurants?  Well, it just seems like logical math to me. There are approximately 240,000 full-service restaurants in the US alone (these are the ones with wait-staff).  On average, if every restaurant gave out just 30 cups a day, that’s 2,628,000,000 in one year!  Imagine… over 2.5 BILLION cups?!? That’s SO unnecessary.  Little things add up to big problems, so when the problem could be avoided, I’m annoyed.

Since I don’t own a restaurant or know anyone who does, and it’s not likely their practices will change anytime soon, the only thing I’m thinking I can do is bring our own kids’ cups and ask them to fill it, right?  And that’s exactly what I think I’m going to do!

(And if anyone has a boatload of money they’d like to give me to develop a cup cover that I just dreamed up in my head {that will turn any reusable cup into a kids cup}, please email me!..)

If you have a computer (and let me guess… you have one, since you’re reading this!) you probably have a printer too … but what do you do when the ink runs dry?

Some of us will resort to trying to have cartridges refilled.  Some of us (me included!) will have little success.  So you are either stuck with this bothersome little ink cartridge or a behemoth of a useless toner cartridge.

Each year in the U.S. alone, 350 million of them wind up in the trash (that’s about 8 per second!), they’re buried in landfills and pollute the earth.  They’ll take about 1,000 years to decompose, but did you know that most can be recycled up to six times, yet only 30% are currently being recycled?

Did you also know you can be rewarded for recycling them?  I’ve actually used this as a way of funding the environmental programs at our daughter’s school.  Because budgets are tight, there just aren’t funds to support the programs.

So there are two great solutions that are likely to be sitting in your neighborhood awaiting your arrival.  I’m using “MaxPerks” at OfficeMax.  For every qualifying cartridge, I’m given a $3 credit for my next purchase. Just sign up for the card, drop off up to ten cartridges a week and voila… there’s my budget!  I’ve used it to purchase recycled paper and materials, for information to send home, and prizes for the kids’ participation in our environmental programs (including recycled pencils made from newspaper, recycled paper notebooks, and Terracycle pencil cases made from recycled drink pouches!).

A similar program is also being offered through the “Staples Rewards” program at Staples stores.  They’ll take up to three cartridges a day with the same type of $3 credit.

And if I haven’t mentioned it before, we have a program set up at school for the students to bring in the cartridges for recycling – so not only are we giving everyone an easy way to recycle and help the earth, but they’re helping to support our programs too!

So next time that empty cartridge is mocking you… don’t trash it, recycle it! Ahh… the life of a recycling/PTA mom… but the “Perks” and “Rewards” are abundant!