Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Kristin in BC, Week 1

By: Daniella

Daniella — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:56:50 +0000

I haven’t seen the post on garbage bag alternatives, but if you NEED an actual bag of some sort, my suggestion would be to buy a large wetbag. They tend to be lined with PUL to keep them water proof, and you would probably have to order one online (from a cloth diaper store, etsy or hyena cart) but you would keep using the same one over and over again. Just rinse it out if it gets stinky or sticky.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:26:39 +0000

I do have a stash of garbage bags under the kitchen sink that we use for the bathroom garbage, but it takes quite awhile to accumulate.

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60045656

This is the garbage can we have in the kitchen & the top is too wide to use a “grocery bag”. My mom has done that her whole life, so I grew up on the “grocery bag garbage can” lol.

By: EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca)

EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:57:55 +0000

Well, one strategy for garbage bags is to salvage and save un-recyclable plastic bags and use them for that purpose. Since it sounds like none of the plastic is recyclable in your area, pretty much any bag would qualify. I don’t know about you, but every time I take a walk I pass by at least half a dozen bags blowing in the wind.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:32:45 +0000

Thanks for linking that article Beth! I’ll be posting this past weeks details tomorrow :)

Sadly the ground is frozen 10 months a year here, and our worms can only eat so much, sadly much of our compostable matter goes in the trash. When things thaw out in a few months though, we’ll be composting the bunny poop too. I have a wheat allergy, so we don’t use the litter you’ve suggested, but we do use a corn based biodegradable litter. But it doesn’t flush well :(

I WISH that there was a better recycling program here- it’s just tin cans, paper & cardboard in addition to the bottle depot. We’re down to about one small bag a week with all the plastic sitting out. That makes the plastic look a like a lot bigger of an issue.

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:58:52 +0000

Hi Kristin! Thanks for taking the challenge. I hope you’ll do it again because you sound like your on track to make a lot of great changes.

As for trash bags, it is a dilemma. We don’t use them at all in our home because we compost all the wet stuff. Here is my post discussing the various alternatives for trash bags:

http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/02/collecting-garbage-without-plastic-trash-bags/