Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Beth Terry, Week 1

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:08:47 +0000

I love better than bouillon! And it has way less plastic than all the cartons of broth it replaces.

By: Taylor

Taylor — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:35:26 +0000

If the gift card/member card doesn’t contain any personal information, Best Buy has kiosks at the entrance of their store and they recycle gift cards. You just drop them in a bin. They also recycle plastic bags, CDs/DVDs, ink cartridges and random electricial cords (like the kind you acquire from computers and cameras). Thanks for the info on Earthworks! I’m excited to start using them for credit and account cards.

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:32:04 +0000

Hi Amy. I actually haven’t discussed Earthworks with any businesses, but I definitely should! On the other hand, ideally they’d make gift cards and credit cards out of a less toxic material than PVC. Also… it would be great if all gift cards were refillable… so you could add funds to it and pass the gift on to someone else.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:10:36 +0000

Yes, thanks Beth for posting the info on Earthworks, and thanks Margaret for checking on the exact question I was going to ask! Darn, I just threw out an old health insurance card I now wish I’d saved to send to those guys! I shall have to start a gathering place for all of our plastic cards like that. Beth, have you had any experience with discussing Earthworks with businesses you go to? Just wondering if folks have been open to the idea. I think I shall have to bring the information with me when next we have a gift card to use!

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:53:06 +0000

Thanks for getting that info, Margaret!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:41:13 +0000

Oh, just the reply back from them:

“If you are a consumer and want to recycle cars with us you are welcome to cut them into as many pieces you like. Thanks for recycling!”

By: Margaret

Margaret — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:35:30 +0000

Are you cutting up or otherwise protecting your credit card number when you mail it to earthworks? I just emailed them to ask about it too, what they preference is or what they might do when they receive cards.

By: Kay Pere

Kay Pere — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:15:25 +0000

So glad you’re posting your regular tallies again! Gives the feeling of connecting with your daily life a bit more. Will tie in well to your book launch.

BTW veggie broth is easy. Just save all the non-spoiled bits and pieces you trim from your washed veggies (broccoli stems, onion ends, bell pepper seeds and stems, mushroom bits, potato peelings, etc). Keep a large container in the freezer for collecting them. When it’s full, put a pot of water on the stove to boil, dump in the veggie trimmings, simmer for a while, and add seasonings to taste. Doesn’t matter if you forget about it while you’re working on other things, just as long as the pot doesn’t boil dry. When it tastes good, pour it through a strainer and put the mushy veggies in the compost. Package up for the freezer. Flavorful liquid for cooking beans, grains, soups, and braising.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:05:35 +0000

Now I have to be doubly sure to read the Plastic Tally digests! Are you no longer going with the idea to post your tally every 4 months?

By: Kristin

Kristin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:31:23 +0000

We keep a bag in the freezer and throw things like chicken skin & bones, vegetable scraps & shellfish shells into it when we acquire them. When the bag is full, it all goes in the stock pot with water & some spices for a few hours. I love it!