Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Kristin, Week 11

By: Eschina

Eschina — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:46:17 +0000

I am allergic to plastic. I keep having pregnancy-like symptoms until one day I finally gathered the energy to clean my home. I had already switched to brown paper bags at the grocery store, but it turned out I had a lot of plastic shopping bags all over the place, making me sick, so sick I couldn’t clean my home. Plus I am more allergic to my home than my parent’s home. It turns out some of the window frames are totally plastic. Luckily the toilet seat is plastic but it is very loose since I moved in here. I can ask my landlord if I could change it. I stopped using toothepaste for about a month until I saw toothe paste that comes in a can. I don’t use the lid because it is totally plastic and I can’t keep touching it every time I want to brush my teeth. The top part of it is plastic, but at least the toothepaste inside isn’t sitting in plastic and absorbing chemicals from it. I use the tall paper leaves bags for trash and wrap it with the blue plastic bag that the city requires us to have on trash day. It holds more trash and it is easier to carry when full.

By: Fonda LaShay

Fonda LaShay — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:11:03 +0000

I have a plastic free tooth paste if you are willing to test it.. soap. I love it! I know it sounds silly.. but give this a read and maybe a try! :) http://fondalashay.com/mintchilli/why-i-dont-use-toothpaste

By: Natalie

Natalie — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:49:35 +0000

Hmm, bandaids are a tough one. Depending on the place/depth of the cut, cotton + gauze and/or paper tape might work.

I like to leave cuts to air out, but I am clumsy and sometimes cut myself while in the kitchen… I use a bandaid to keep my blood to myself and keep the cuts dry even under the running water.

Toothpaste too! Beth, I wanna hear about the neem sticks.

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Wed, 18 May 2011 03:41:27 +0000

Hey Kristin, Bandaids and toothpaste are on my To-Do list. First, toothpaste. I’m not sure I will find a plastic-free alternative to Bandaids. And I’ve used a bunch of them in the last few months from clumsiness and also a few medical treatments.

Do you want a funny story? Okay, it wasn’t funny at the time, but it is now. A few weeks ago, I noticed a brown mole on my tummy that had never been there before, and it was weird looking and speckled. I ran into Michael and said “I have melanoma! We have to go the the emergency room RIGHT NOW! I am dying.”

Luckily, he didn’t get as excited as I did. I called the doctor and made an appointment for the next day. They agreed the mole had to come off and wouldn’t say if they thought it was benign or not. I had to wait a whole week. So of course I’m thinking the whole time, Oh my god, I hope I can get my book written before I die.

Well, the mole was benign and all I have to show for it is a Bandaid in my plastic stash. Why am I telling this story? Because it just makes you think about what’s really important. I’m not that worried about the occasional Bandaid.

Cheers!