More on Plastic
For those who read the plastics article, thanks. The response was underwhelming, but I hope you are more aware of your plastic use at the least. My replies to some of the comments, no, this isn't a new topic but I think we tend to forget some of these big issues when a new big issue comes up and consumes the general media (global warming being the "hot" topic - sorry - of the moment, a very important topic in my opinion).
While my family and I have been doing "our part" (not nearly enough, though) I want to focus on doing more. It's not that I'm just waking up to this topic, I've been very concerned and have tried doing what I can to help since I was 13. My husband's family has always been very ecologically minded, I wish my family were. I don't usually step out and rant about it or try to encourage others, but sometimes enough is enough. So, this is my way of owning up to what I stand for and what I hope to accomplish, and yes, I hope you'd like to join in and find a few (or a lot of) ways to be more earth friendly as well as healthful. I have several supportive friends already, and I thank them for the knowledge, advice and inspiration they have given me over the years. The most influential couple on LJ have been damashita and wingedelf, and bringing up their 2 boys to share their same values.
I'm thinking of starting within my own life and habits and expanding as I can. This list isn't anywhere near complete, it's a beginning of an on-going process. Feel free to add suggestions, start your own list of changes or provide any useful links or other information to help out. For example, if you know that a certain kind of plastic is being taken for recycling at X location in your city, or if you have links on plastic research, etc., feel free to let me know. I'll leave plastic posts and other environmental topics unlocked and tagged for others to read and use.
Also, while I love support, I don't mind criticism. I'd prefer it to be along the lines of "That kind of plastic won't be recycled, here's some information on what I know about it..." or "While your intentions are good, that certain idea may not be so you may want to try this..." Yes, you have every right to flat out tell me I'm wrong or that my efforts won't matter, but I know I've been wrong before and if you're going to tell me so, give me some supported and correct information so that I might do better. I tend not to leave my entries public, and I hate to even have to tell you to please respect this space and play nice, to let the environmental and plastics posts be a place to learn and grow, like a PBS program. This is my "PBS" programming, and I'm not even going to interrupt you for fund drives.
Plastic List, Part One of Many:
Limit soft plastics that are known to be toxic. The baby has only one soft plastic ball given as a gift and not played with. She won't get to play with it. How to dispose of it? Can it be recycled? Must it go in the trash? I wouldn't give it to another baby knowing I wouldn't give it to my own.
Limit and phase out plastic containers, especially ones that go in the microwave. Phase in glass containers, we have some already. Also, we have very few plastic cups and bowls so that's not a big issue for us.
Make or buy cloth grocery bags.
Switch to cloth diapers. I've been wanting to and now is the time to stop waffling on it. Even with increased laundry costs ($2.50 to wash and dry one load), I think it will be cost effective and I can use the cloth diapers on other babies should we have them. Plus, cloth diapers are multi-functional after babies are done with them.
Find more information on plastic recycling.
Limit/reduce the amount of disposable plastic we use, especially packaging.
Try to find use for the plastic we can't avoid, such as using yogurt cups (not recyclable) for planters for seedlings and other misc. household uses.
Check out more books from the library on eco-friendly ideas for families, and get the kids more involved.
While I cannot make a compost pile here at the apartment complex, see if I can find a place that takes this material.
More to come, the baby is awake and ready to go and that means I must go as well.
Edit: We are already paper recycling fiends. FIENDS! We also bought a paper shredder, one that makes confetti, not spaghetti strands, and I cannot tell you how much we've used it for credit card applications, sensitive material and the like. A very good investment for security on at least one thing you have control over.
While my family and I have been doing "our part" (not nearly enough, though) I want to focus on doing more. It's not that I'm just waking up to this topic, I've been very concerned and have tried doing what I can to help since I was 13. My husband's family has always been very ecologically minded, I wish my family were. I don't usually step out and rant about it or try to encourage others, but sometimes enough is enough. So, this is my way of owning up to what I stand for and what I hope to accomplish, and yes, I hope you'd like to join in and find a few (or a lot of) ways to be more earth friendly as well as healthful. I have several supportive friends already, and I thank them for the knowledge, advice and inspiration they have given me over the years. The most influential couple on LJ have been damashita and wingedelf, and bringing up their 2 boys to share their same values.
I'm thinking of starting within my own life and habits and expanding as I can. This list isn't anywhere near complete, it's a beginning of an on-going process. Feel free to add suggestions, start your own list of changes or provide any useful links or other information to help out. For example, if you know that a certain kind of plastic is being taken for recycling at X location in your city, or if you have links on plastic research, etc., feel free to let me know. I'll leave plastic posts and other environmental topics unlocked and tagged for others to read and use.
Also, while I love support, I don't mind criticism. I'd prefer it to be along the lines of "That kind of plastic won't be recycled, here's some information on what I know about it..." or "While your intentions are good, that certain idea may not be so you may want to try this..." Yes, you have every right to flat out tell me I'm wrong or that my efforts won't matter, but I know I've been wrong before and if you're going to tell me so, give me some supported and correct information so that I might do better. I tend not to leave my entries public, and I hate to even have to tell you to please respect this space and play nice, to let the environmental and plastics posts be a place to learn and grow, like a PBS program. This is my "PBS" programming, and I'm not even going to interrupt you for fund drives.
Plastic List, Part One of Many:
Limit soft plastics that are known to be toxic. The baby has only one soft plastic ball given as a gift and not played with. She won't get to play with it. How to dispose of it? Can it be recycled? Must it go in the trash? I wouldn't give it to another baby knowing I wouldn't give it to my own.
Limit and phase out plastic containers, especially ones that go in the microwave. Phase in glass containers, we have some already. Also, we have very few plastic cups and bowls so that's not a big issue for us.
Make or buy cloth grocery bags.
Switch to cloth diapers. I've been wanting to and now is the time to stop waffling on it. Even with increased laundry costs ($2.50 to wash and dry one load), I think it will be cost effective and I can use the cloth diapers on other babies should we have them. Plus, cloth diapers are multi-functional after babies are done with them.
Find more information on plastic recycling.
Limit/reduce the amount of disposable plastic we use, especially packaging.
Try to find use for the plastic we can't avoid, such as using yogurt cups (not recyclable) for planters for seedlings and other misc. household uses.
Check out more books from the library on eco-friendly ideas for families, and get the kids more involved.
While I cannot make a compost pile here at the apartment complex, see if I can find a place that takes this material.
More to come, the baby is awake and ready to go and that means I must go as well.
Edit: We are already paper recycling fiends. FIENDS! We also bought a paper shredder, one that makes confetti, not spaghetti strands, and I cannot tell you how much we've used it for credit card applications, sensitive material and the like. A very good investment for security on at least one thing you have control over.