July 27, 2009

BillieRyder – Plastic Trash Eating Challenge – Week #7

I have lost another lb this week! 4 lbs in 7 weeks. Obviously not falling off of me but I wasn’t convinced that I would loose any weight so this is an accomplishment. I have also been going to the gym 4 to 5 times a week. This is likely helping – perhaps more than my change in eating habits? I did notice that I got away with no wandering around the house looking for junk food for a couple of days. I think I am finally weaning myself from old eating habits. I feel like I am giving up smoking or something the way I am talking!

On to my plastic count:Weight: 1oz Items: 14

cracker bagdeli salami bag – will reuseplastic sheet from deliplastic wrap from a box of chamomile teaseal from new shortening containerblue cheese wrappercandy wrappermilk cap + zipper2 x Kreurig coffee pot3 x Kreurig hot chocolate

What could I easily replace?Nothing on this list is easily replaceable. I have hit all the low hanging fruit. I was actually pondering buying a wheel … Read the rest

July 20, 2009

BillieRyder – Plastic Trash Eating Challenge – Week #6

In Week 6, I managed to lose another pound. WooHoo! There is still a fair bit of wondering around looking for and failing to find appropriate junk food. Or at least finding appropriate junk food in which I am willing to toss the plastic into the plastic tally. I did a great job in terms of the weight of my plastic but I haven’t reduced the number of items.

Number of items: 16Weight: 1.25 oz

Pecan plastic bagmilk cap + 2 zippersplastic ring from a bottle of roasted garlichotdog baggieparmesan cheese bagbag from a block of Cheddar cheese3 x Chamomile tea1 ginger teabag from Strawberry Kiwi tea sampler3 plastic containers from tea at work

What is easily replaceable?The pecan plastic bag came from before I started this challenge. I now buy nuts in bulk. Easily replaceable.

Some of the tea bags are easily replaceable. I haven’t seen loose ginger tea but I only drink ginger tea when my stomach is upset (tastes nasty in my opinion) as it works to calm … Read the rest

July 17, 2009

My Plastic Trash: Week 3

Here are the results of my second week cataloging and saving all my plastic waste. Despite the long list, it’s a big improvement over last week’s results.

 

2 newspaper bags 1 plastic bag from loaf of french bread 1 plastic packaging from crackers 1 Ziploc 1 plastic bag of walnuts plastic wrap from cheese 1 Soyjoy wrapper 1 fruit leather wrapper 1 Cliff bar wrapper 1 plastic case for razors 1 plastic spout, cap and pull tab from milk carton

 

My waste includes 5 plastic bags this week, down from a high of 19 the first week and 6 the second. The Cliff bar and fruit leather were purchased before the start of the challenge (the Soyjoy mango bar was a free sample and not very good). The most obvious ‘oops’ is the plastic bag for the French bread I bought at the farmer’s market. As I walked away, I almost slapped my forehead when I realized I’d grabbed a load wrapped in plastic.

 

Nine of my 12 items of plastic tra… Read the rest

July 16, 2009

Basilbias-Week Number Four

Produce Tape

Netting Scraps From some produce bags I made for my friend.

Seal & Pull Tab Thing from Tamari Lid

Tamari Lid

Fruit Sticker

Toothpaste Cap

Two Jar Seals I’ve forgotten what these are from now.

Laundry Detergent Bottle I buy detergent in powder form, but my roommate bought the liquid stuff this time because she read on the machine that that’s what you’re supposed to use. I gave her some flak about the bottle it came in, but not before she’d already bought another one (she’s much more on top of things than I could ever hope to be…)

Rice Milk Container

Items: 11 Total Weight: 6.5 oz

During week number four, I planned a little better and avoiding most plastic wasn’t too bad. I made seitan and vegan mayonnaise from scratch. The mayo was really easy, the seitan was a lot of work (usually I only make it for special occasions) but they were both delicious in my seitan salad. I also graduated from reusing … Read the rest

July 14, 2009

Year 3, Month 1 Results: 8.8 oz of plastic waste

Well, it’s been a month since the Two-Year Anniversary of Fake Plastic Fish, and as mentioned, I’m going to be posting my tallies once a month from now on rather than weekly. So, while this may look like a lot of plastic, please remember that it was collected in over four weeks. Still, it’s more than I’d like it to be, so let’s look at the tally and descriptions to see what was inevitable and what could have been avoided.

Plastic used up this week but purchased before the plastic project began:

1 mini microphone. Chewed through by Miss Arya. I have to be so careful about leaving cords lying around within kitty reach. Don’t know if I can figure out how to fix this.

1 Kaiser Permanente Membership card. For some reason, Kaiser felt the need to send everyone a new improved card, even though the old ones still worked.

Plastic coating from Disney pencil. I found another Disney pencil in my home (must have been given to me by a f… Read the rest
July 13, 2009

BillieRyder – Plastic Trash Eating Challenge – Week #5

I stayed the same weight wise this week. Losing weight has never been easy for me so I didn’t expect great strides. In 5 weeks, I am down 2 lbs.

I thought I did a great job this week just as long as you don’t count the bits collected from outside the house.

Items: 15 itemsWeight: 3oz

The going out plastic:water bottlesoda container + straw and lid

The regular old house plastic:Plastic film from ice cream containerplastic sleeve from saltinesTLC cracker bag2 milk lids plus the zipperwindow from pasta boxlid from General Foods flavoured coffeeWerther’s Candy wrapperChamomile Herb teaThai Kitchen instant soup

What could I easily replace?Plastic film from ice cream container – I was not happy to open up my box of ice cream and see this film on the inside. I bought some Edy’s ice cream this week and NO PLASTIC – not even hidden on the inside.

Chamomile Herb tea and GF coffee – I think I can replace this with loose … Read the rest

July 10, 2009

Amy: Week 1

I did not collect all my plastic.  Though it makes for a great picture, and I love the visual Beth presents each week, I refused to wash it all and collect it. Instead, I thought about it on and off all week, especially when I chucked things in the trash that could be recycled if I made the effort. Here’s is all of the plastic discarded May 11 to 17. I had a head cold, so there is a LOT of cold meds listed.

Three black plastic trays with plastic film covers, from Healthy Choice frozen entrees. Cough pill bottle Cough syrup bottle & dosing cup Pill blister pack from Phenylephrine Overwrap from Puffs Plus Surrounding film from pop-up tissues Cough drop bag Tylenol bottle Rice bag Overwrap film, rice bag, veggie bag, and sauce bag from frozen Chinese Tortilla bag Stickers on bell peppers Apple bag Salad bag Pudding cup and peel-off lid Individual cookie wrapper Twix wrapper Catfish bag, outer bag, outer outer bag (our seafood counter and bagger appar… Read the rest

July 8, 2009

Kathryn: Counting My Plastic Waste: Week 2

Here are the results of my second week cataloging and saving all my plastic waste. Despite the long list, it’s a big improvement over last week’s results.

 

Non-recyclable 1 bag of feline pine cat litter 2 shopping bags 4 small plastic bags, 2 plastic molded forms, a software cd, a hang tag and a plastic security tag from my new camera1 molded plastic form from scissors 1 plastic cover for the father’s day card I bought several weeks ago but still didn’t mail on time 1 #6 plastic cup from a club 1 plastic cup from brunch at a friend’s house 1 tiny Ziploc bag and plastic hanger that contained extra buttons 1 plastic planter 1 herb marker 1 broken clothespin 2 Ziploc bags 1 bag that held coconut 2 #6 containers and plastic wrappers that held shiitake mushrooms 1 plastic top and seal from a box of raisins 1 plastic bag that held muffin mix plastic wrap from cheese 1 Soyjoy wrapper 1 licorice wrapper 1 fruit leather wrapper

Re… Read the rest

July 6, 2009

BillieRyder – Plastic Trash Eating Challenge – Week #4

My first positive post!!! I lost 3lbs this week. The eating or the exercising or both? I am having a few issues with missing chocolate and candies! Lets call it withdrawal and leave it at that.

Week of June 27th to July 3rdItems: 15Weight: 8oz – Once again going on up!

Recyclable: #5 ketchup cup can go to PreServeReusable: Plastic fork – my husband uses them until they break for his lunches

Five Guys – styrofoam cup from fries and plastic cup from holding ketchupLid from ShorteningPlate and fork for community BBQKraft Mayonnaise containerThai Kitchen instant soupplastic ring from glass jar of minced garlicWindow from pasta boxPlastic bag from grapesstyrofoam container from a lb of hamburger – this sucker was 2 oz all by itselfItalian sausage plastic wrappingmilk lid + zipperpiece of plastic wrap – I have NO idea where this was from.

What could I replace easily?

Mayonnaise container is already replaced with a gla… Read the rest

July 1, 2009

Vanessa Week 5

June 8th to June 14th

6 cup lids 6 straws 3 plastic fast food cups 3 2-litre soda bottles recyclable 2 20 oz soda bottles recyclable 7-11 grocery bag reused for kitty litter or taken to grocery store and put in the bag recycling bin plastic freezer bag   The freezer bag is from frozen mice, food for my snakes, so it is regular thing that I don’t have an alternative to. Everything else was completely avoidable. I had a craving for cream soda and my husband replaced the soda’s from last week. I also had a craving for a shake and that is what one of the plastic fast food cups is from. When we do eat fast food I have been trying to get the smaller sizes that come in the waxed paper cups, they have to be a bit better than #6 plastic cups right, that’s what I tell myself. I was going to try turning the larger soda bottles into upside down planters but all I have are peppers and apparently peppers don’t like the upside down as much as tomatoes so I think I… Read the rest