That is an amazing system to get people to recycle!! Brilliance.

Have to share: I got hit with not so plastic-free news last night. This past week we went without milk because my co-op didn’t get it in. The just let me know that the distributer has decided not to deliver to them anymore!! gasp! My co-op is scrambling trying to find a distributer to get local milk (including cheeses) but it appears that I’m going to have to make due. The non-local milk that I can buy comes with a plastic cap in the plastic lined paper cartons… I’m thinking that we’ll be doing milk every other week. *sigh* maybe. I’m so bummed.

We have a great scheme here to take back milk cartons. We are to pack them into one another (http://fondalashay.com/mintchilli/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Melk_kartong1.jpg) and drop them in our paper recycling bin out front our houses. But the catch/ How they get people to do it is that you write your name and phone on the front and it is a lottery. They pull on ‘pack’ of cartons out and that person wins a large sum of money. They do this with milk, juice and tetra packs here in Norway.

Thankfully the milk carton I buy does not have a plastic cap, neither does the cream (http://fondalashay.com/mintchilli/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/flote.jpg) but they are lined with PE. I wish that they were not or I was able to buy in glass.. but for now I just have to accept it. I feel good knowing that they go back to the factories to be reprocesses and reused. When I lived in the states there were cream in cartons without caps.. but it has been some time since i’ve been there. I do hope to make a farmer friend someday to get fresh cream and milk.

I wish I had a better or a real tip for helping you find it plastic free. But if you are getting it local.. maybe you can take a chat with the farmer and see if you left your own container i they would fill it up.

Also, are you able to find cream without plastic? If I buy local cream it’s in a plastic container or if I buy organic it’s in a plastic lined paper container with the plastic pour spout. I would definitely make sour cream as it’s not something we use too often… but it seems plastic keeps getting in the way!! argh.

since we have started making all our own stuff it has been amazing too.. so yummy!

Sour cream is very easy to make if you are interested in it.

You take a jar, fill it with cream and 2 TBS of buttermilk (homemade is ok too). Then you shake it well, place it in a warm place for 12-24 hours. give it a shake when you think about it. If it has stayed warm enough then after 24 hours it should be thick. If not give it aprx 12 more. Then Refrigerated for 24 hours. It will be thick and creamy like ‘store bought’

Just like making yogurt, you can store 2 TBS of the first batch as a starter..

Just wanted to share since you mentioned it :)