The blog formerly known as   Fake Plastic Fish

Monthly Archives: September 2017

September 26, 2017

Who Gives a Crap Recycled or Bamboo Toilet Paper without Plastic

Who Gives a Crap plastic-free bamboo toilet paper

The Problem:  Finding 100% recycled or tree-free toilet paper that doesn’t come wrapped in plastic.  Since 2007, my toilet paper of choice has been cardboard cases of Seventh Generation recycled rolls that come individually-wrapped in thin paper wrappers.  I ordered it from Amazon and even had a subscription at one time.  But over the years, I’ve received comments from readers that they would order a case and it would sometimes come with plastic inside.  Or that the plastic-free cases were not always available on Amazon.

A New Solution:  A few months ago, I started seeing Facebook posts about a new brand of toilet paper called Who Gives a Crap.  Funny name.  But it sounded interesting.  The company donates 50% of its profits to provide toilets and sanitation in the developing world.  The toilet paper comes in two versions, bamboo or recycled paper, and is shipped i… Read the rest

September 26, 2017

Get Ready for Zero Waste October!

Rebecca Newburn is a middle school science teacher in Marin County, California, who, with a group of elementary and middle school students, successfully lobbied the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District to adopt a resolution making October “Zero Waste Month.”  And together with zero waste specialists Anastacia Nicole and Kathryn Kellogg of GoingZeroWaste, has created a program for cities and schools to participate in Zero Waste October.

Wait.  Before you say, “But it’s too late to plan anything like that in my community.  You’ve only given me 4 days!” listen up.  Read through the challenge and choose a few things you might try out this year.  Then, use it as a model to get your school or town active next year.

Why October?

Rebecca explained to me that October is a great month for families in the Northern Hemisphere to take on the zero waste challenge because the kids are back in school and Octobe… Read the rest

September 15, 2017

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

It’s been a while.  I spent all of August in Maryland with my family in the house where I grew up, celebrating birthdays, helping out my dad and brother, learning to love baseball (I even bought a Washington Nationals baseball cap), visiting with plastic-free friends, and driving for twelve hours each way to experience one stunning 2 and a half minute act of nature.  If I were still a kid (and who says I’m not?), this would be my report to the class.  And I would probably get marked down for procrastinating and turning it in late.  What else is new?

Big Almost Plastic-Free Birthday Party

August is a month of birthdays for our family: My sister Ellen and her daughter Abby were both born on the same day of the month.  My dad’s birthday is four days later.  So my niece Lauren and I organized a big birthday bash for the gang.

But what do you serve to a houseful of people of all different ages (from tykes to Millenials to Octagenarians) and all dif… Read the rest