Much is made of recycling and reducing the use of plastic — but the demand for recycled plastic still needs to increase to meet the mountains of plastic in municipal recycling plants and most manufacturers and consumers don’t seem convinced that plastic packaging is All That Bad. If Enviro Girl had a dime for every time the teenager at the grocery store asks her if she wants her plastic-wrapped chicken in a plastic bag? She’d be rich. She took a moment last week to explain that a watermelon has a natural kind of packaging called a shell which meant it would be just fine in the cart without a bag around it. There seems to be no end to plastic packaging — aspirin bottles, cereal bags, bread bags, ice cream containers — you name it, it’s likely packaged in plastic — especially if it’s perishable.
What’s an Eco Warrior to do? Recycle it? Sure. Reduce it? Definitely. Enviro Girl has her cloth shopping bags and shower curtain, buys milk in returnable bottles and drinks tap water. She opts for products in paper or glass packaging whenever possible because there is better recycling of those materials. Additionally, Enviro Girl has adopted a 2-Use Policy at her house. Every piece of plastic will be reappropriated to a second use once its initial purpose is fulfilled. A sour cream container? Washed out and put aside so that the next time Enviro Girl makes a huge pan of cookie bars, she can send a serving up the hill to her neighbors. Lands End order comes in the mail, Enviro Girl carefully sets aside the plastic bag in which her son’s new backpack was packed. Next time they need a plastic bag for garbage or wet clothes? That plastic bag is ready for use. Ice cream buckets are used for picking garden produce and storing Legos, empty film canisters are used for travel-sized portions of medicines. Instead of buying plastic baggies, Enviro Girl reuses a bag from hamburger buns to wrap leftovers in the fridge. An empty mayo jar is washed out and used to transport a water sample.
This doesn’t solve the problem of fewer plastics on her recycling pile or in her trash. It does save her a little money on things like Ziplock bags and Rubbermaid containers.
How are you reusing plastic packaging at your house? Have you been able to reduce your use of plastic by buying different products or brands than you’ve used in the past?
In our house, we have all but eliminated plastic bags and we’re working on other plastic food containers. We still have a lot to work on, but we’re getting there.
I’m getting much better remembering to actually TAKE my cloth bags into the stores with me! I use the empty plastic containers for leftovers, too-just makes sense to keep them going round and round.
Hi Enviro Girl!
I stopped buying single serving applesauce and fruit cups, and bought washable, sealable plastic cups for my children’s lunch. I serve them applesauce from a large size, recyclable glass applesauce jar or cut up fruit. I also gave up the single use yogurt containers and buy the larger 32 oz recyclable container of organic plain and flavor it myself. I think it’s healthier, more affordable, and less wasteful. The large grocery store display of single serving yogurts actually makes me sad now.
I think I am a neighbor of yours in NW Wisconsin so feel free to bring those cookie bars by! I’ve been following the blog and appreciate your posts!
Karla @ Moms Potluck