DIY! Grocery Bag

I'm sorry I've been away!! But it's been my birthday, and so I feel like perhaps I can have a "get out of jail free" pass?

I was just given a great link to a DIY grocery bag page -- this would be a wonderful project for a rainy weekend, with a buddy if you like! Look how easy it looks -- almost cut & paste!

DO it!! Or at least print it out and put it on your fridge!

LINK: DIY GROCERY BAG(S)

Inspiration: La-La Land

VIDEO: UNWRAPPING HELLO KITTY TOYS



Today's video of a person unwrapping Hello Kitty toys piece by piece was posted by my friend on Facebook. It was meant to help you get to sleep by watching it, and, 4 minutes in, I'd say it does the trick.

HOWEVER, it occurred to me that it is also the PERFECT EXAMPLE of how much plastic we use in our lives! Without necessarily thinking about it.




As you press play and start drifting towards la-la land, think about the la-la land we currently live in, where we are so often blind to our use habits...

Replace Your Waste: Change in Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope these are worth at least ONE personal change!

This is the first of a series of paired pictures - one plastic, one not. It's an effort to show you how simple choice switches can have a big impact on your overall plastic consumption!

Below the pictures, you'll find a very convincing argument for switching :)


TODAY'S SWITCHEROO: CONTAINERS
THE PLASTIC CONTAINER VS. THE MASON JAR

Choose this--->

PLASTIC -
PROS:
-Don't break
-Cool colors, shapes
CONS:
-Leach TOXINS into your food
-Get permanently STINKY after use
-Tend to MELT in microwave
-You're always losing the lids
-Often thrown out due to other cons
(Thereby adding to landfill waste & pollution)

MASON JARS -
PROS:
-Don't leach anything
-No stink! It's glass.
-Don't melt in microwave
-Screw-on lids (good for canning!)
-If you lose the lid, the jar is now a cup!
-Built-in volume measurements on jar
-Glass lets you see what's stored
-Easy to stack/store in pantry/fridge
-Great for storing single portions
-They've got that old-timey charm
-Multi-purpose! Pasta, lemonade, pickles,fruit, homemade jam, spices, & more!
CONS:
-Might break if you drop them
-You might become addicted.


Get wise! Jar 101
Mason jars come in many sizes, shapes, and colors, and -- they will save your life! I use them for almost everything to do with food and drink. For everyday affairs, I put my leftovers in them so they're ready for microwaving later. Because they're clear, you can always tell what's in them and if something's gone moldy BEFORE you open them.

I get the wide-mouth jars, because you can fit a ladle in when filling them.

PLUS, here's a secret: If you buy pasta sauce in glass jars, you not only get sauce, but a FREE mason jar!!! At least the kind I get has lines with volume measurements on the side. Perfect for knowing how much you've got, and for measuring during baking or cooking.

When I put something hot in, I put the lid on immediately and screw on the top part (the lid comes in two parts). As the food cools down, it seals the jar so no air gets in or out! With a moderate pry, it pops open again! If you can your food (tomatoes, etc.), it will keep for months unchilled! (**If you just put the lid on after filling, you DO need to put it in the fridge.)

For gifts, you can make a layered brownie, muffin, bread, or spice mix and put a nice ribbon on! Or, make your own jam/chutney, then attach a basting brush with hemp string. The jars are bake-safe. You can also re-purpose mason jars.

Mason jars are exactly the same as plastic containers, only better.

Inspiration: Death by Rubber Duck

I have been talking a lot about waste and the environment as motivation.

HOWEVER, I just found an equally compelling reason to stop using plastic -- TOXINS. It's a reason that makes me want to quit altogether! Even Tupperware is suspect now. This may turn out to be extreme on my part, but I am afraid, and I am taking action.

The inspiration? Death By Rubber Duck, a book by two leading Canadians. A book about how we're all unwittingly polluting our bodies by using everyday, innocent-seeming products like shampoo, perfume, and plastic wrap. Check out their interactive website!

Why is it worth reading? Because, in order to test their convictions, the authors expose themselves to the toxins they want to see banned by governments! It's an easy read, but if you're not the book type, listen to the NPR story!

And children are the most susceptible -- they're the ones crawling around on floors, putting plastic toys in their mouths, and developing in the context of a toxic environment. Research has connected exposure to various dangerous substances (like phthalates and mercury) with ADHD, autism, Alzheimer's, reproductive problems, and more. Scary stuff!

NPR STORY SNIPPET:

"The good news here is that in a relatively short period of time, if people are a little bit careful about what they buy, if they are a little bit better about reading labels, accessing some of the amazing information that's on the Web these days, they can dramatically lower their levels of these pollutants -– even in the absence, at the moment, of adequate government regulation."

A Month-iversary!

Or should I say lunaversary?

I just realized that I've been blogging for over a month now!

I think my first month has been very productive. Even though I'm not plastic-free yet, I have learned a lot through my observations (plastic is everywhere) and personal struggles (it's hard to avoid). See my Vacation post and Summary post 2 spots beneath it, if you haven't yet!

As we go into Month 2, help me on my journey, and share your own experiences!

Thanks,

Allison

Vacation Woes in Pictures

I just got back from my annual family vacation, and boy, were there some plastic-related woes!! Despite having a great time with the fam, I experienced much angst.

To make this more interesting for you, I summarized my most common experiences in the form of MS Paint pictures.

Don't forget to check out the LESSONS LEARNED at the end!

1. Lonely Syndrome

Feeling grumpy because my entire family is using plastic utensils, cups, containers, etc. for convenience...

YET, also feeling like an Anti-Plastic Vacation Scrooge.

Ultimately I decided to focus on controlling my own plastic usage.

2. Family-Induced Plastic Use

Feeling like I had no control when my parents got take-out meals so they wouldn't have to cook (my mom did cook a lot, as did I, which reduced total possible usage).

My Styro-Cup Blues

Just a little story from my otherwise awesome vacation. On our way to a scenic point, we stopped by a famous bakery that also served ice cream. I got my scoop in a cone (no plastic, score!), and was enjoying when my father informed us that we had to get back in the car ASAP so we wouldn't waste time. We were trying to get to a national park and do some sight seeing before dark, and the bakery was just one of several stops on the way.

So, instead of finishing my cone in peace, I was commanded by my mother to put my cone into a sytrofoam cup (which I was avoiding in the first place), and also to get a plastic spoon to eat the ice cream with. I was pretty mad about this. Ultimately I calmed down for the sake of family harmony, but this was really frustrating since I had already told them about my no-plastic challenge. I felt like I had no control over my plastic usage, and like my personal choice was negatively impacting my family's convenience.

Anyway, during my trip I realized two helpful actions:

1. Pack a Swiss army knife in your luggage -- this is even better than the Zero-Waste Kit, because there's no need to pack individual utensils! AND it's a key chain!

2. Bring a small metal reusable bottle -- the smallness makes it less cumbersome when you're walking around all day (for me, at least).

AIRPLANE USE: ask the steward(ess) for just the can drink, then pour into your bottle.

OR, just put water in and pass on the free drink.

Just a Note

Sometimes, although it's not the best way by any means, the market does help out:

Easier-to-Open Packaging? Thank High Oil Prices