Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Margaret, Week 1

By: Melissa B

Melissa B — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:41:23 +0000

Life without plastic dot com sells a lint brush. Personally, I love the microfiber glove that Petsmart sells for pet hair. (yes, made from plastic).

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:40:08 +0000

I learn so much from you guys. Surprisingly, it never even occurred to me to write the bin numbers anywhere except on the container or bag. I do have some containers that I reuse constantly for the same products, so for those I just leave the sticker on with the bin # and product description. But for other stuff, I’ll just write the number in my little notebook I carry everywhere and tell the cashier when I check out. Putting it in my phone is another great idea. Maybe I’ll create a Google doc and store it there. That way, I can keep an ongoing list that’s always accessible via phone whether I have my notebook or not.

By: jennie

jennie — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:06:28 +0000

for the bulk bin numbers – i type them into my phone, which has a notepad application. even if you don’t have notepad, you could text the numbers to yourself.

as for the makeup and personal care products, that’s where a lot of my plastic comes in too. anyone know of a group trying to get makeup companies to “take it back”? would love to mail in my used packages to urge them to change/reduce/recycle/whatever their packaging…

By: brianna

brianna — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:09:55 +0000

Hi Margaret,

I make my own deodorant using 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup corn starch, and 4-6 tbsp coconut oil. I keep it in a little glass jar in the fridge and just scrape a bit out to rub on when I need it. You can add a tsp of essential oil to the mix if you’d like a scent too.

By: Rachael

Rachael — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Go Margaret!!

i would think for both your Starbucks/Jamba addiction and for the bulk bins, if they don’t use more friendly options – speak to the manager and request them. Many companies will offer alternatives if they have customer response – especially companies that want to be seen as “environmentally friendly”. And further – for the bulk bins, both of my stores that carry bulk also have paper bags and stickers – again, if your store doesn’t – request it! Same thing with Luna – email them! Request better packaging! They don’t know unless we tell them how much we care…

Not to be nosey – but were you tested for anemia? Because many women don’t need it and can get it thru diet alone if you eat heme and nonheme foods together (and Vit C also helps absorption of iron), so like spinach & beans (since you are going vegan) and an orange – and not necessarily in the same meal, but in the same day…

An easy and free lint roller is a damp hand – just run your damp hand across your clothes and then wash off the fuzz, works for most everything and when it doesn’t i bust out the masking tape and make a couple of rounds on my palm and do the same again.

Great job and great thinking! i love this challenge!

By: Jessie

Jessie — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:04:20 +0000

I sometimes use glass jars for my bulk items and write on them with permanent marker (yes, icky-chemically, but it washes off with a little soap and water and works better than China-markers). Other times, I use the twist tie tags they provide, then just reuse them until they fall apart.

I’ve only once had a problem bringing my reusable mug to a coffee shop, and it wasn’t at Starbucks. Most coffee places are happy to fill a reusable cup, it saves the company money.

By: Pheas

Pheas — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:28:38 +0000

Re: bulk bins, if I only buy one or two items, I can usually remember the numbers and just tell the cashier. For more items, or days when I’m really fried, I write it on my shopping list or on something I’m buying that has a box or label. In desperate times, I’ve written on my hand. Hope that helps.

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:29:53 +0000

Hi Margaret. Welcome to the challenge!

I wish I could tell you that Luna Bar wrappers are not plastic, bad sadly they are. You can tell the difference between plastic and metal usually by the feel. If you fold real foil, it stays folded. If you fold mylar (the kind of plastic that looks like foil), it bounces back. I have never found an energy bar that wasn’t wrapped in plastic.

As far as bringing your own cup for coffee or juice, each store has different policies. The only way to know is to try it and find out. But also… go in with the assumption that it’s not a big deal and that they are going to have no problem with it. I took a cross country trip with my dad last year and filled up my travel mug at all sorts of places all along the way. I never had anyone tell me I couldn’t do it. You can help them by letting them know the size of your container.

As for labeling your bulk bags and containers, if you put a sticker on the bag or container and write lightly with a pencil, you can erase and rewrite over it next time.

Here’s info on recycling Tyvek:

http://myplasticfreelife.com/2007/10/recycling-tyvek-another-small-way-to/