Kicking Our Plastic Addiction
It’s colorful, convenient, has a million uses, and it’s everywhere.
Plastic: it’s in our wallets (gift and credit cards) in our cars (knobs and consoles), in our offices (pens and binders), in our cupboards (cups and containers) in our medicine cabinets (toothpaste tubes and deodorant containers) and in our toy boxes (balls, dolls, action figures).
Yet, plastics are filled with toxic chemicals such as phthalates, many of which are cancer-causing, and the frightening things is that some of them end up in our bodies. Recent research has shown many of these chemicals to be hormone disruptors in animals, and likely in humans as well. Not to mention that the production of modern plastics also releases thousands of harmful chemicals into our environment, leaching into our soil, our air, and our lakes, rivers and oceans. And that most plastics take 1000 years to break down.
Currently, there is a lot of research being done on recycled plastic and new generation plastics made from corn and sugar cane. But for the time being, our world is full of it, our society has become dependent on it, and it’s piling up in our landfills and oceans.
It would be unrealistic to try and eliminate plastic from our life altogether, as it has become a huge part of modern life. But, there are many things the average family can do to reduce its consumption of disposable plastics, which will be better for both our planet, and our health.
The key is awareness: think before you buy, avoid plastic products and containers when you can, and seek out some alternatives to the disposable plastics we use in day to day.
Here are some tips to help you and your family break your plastic habit:
Bags: Say “no thank-you to plastic shopping bags and switch to cloth or recycled-fibre reusable eco-totes for your shopping needs, and always carry your reusable shopping eco-totes in your car. I designed the travel pouch for women specifically because it is compact and convenient to keep in your car. The travel pouch is fabulous because it is stylish and you are helping our environment by taking your Green Girl eco-totes with you whenever you shop. Many women have asked me how I use my Green Girl travel pouch. I keep my travel pouch in my car. If I go grocery shopping I take the entire travel pouch with me and I don’t take my everyday purse with me; only my travel pouch. Inside the travel pouch is a zipper to store cash, credit cards and your keys. When it is time to check out my groceries, I hand take out the eco-totes and hand them over to the check out clerk. It’s always fun because the check-out clerks love the fact that they are stylish and functional. When I walk out of the grocery store with the 4 eco-totes filled with groceries I always have women stop me and ask where I got them! As you know, most of the reusable grocery totes are boring and corporate looking. Green Girl’s reusable shopping eco-totes are for a woman who has style and cares for the environment. She wants to shop with style and make a difference. Whole Foods will be carrying the Green Girl’s Jute eco-totes very soon. Jute is a natural fibre that is biodegradable. Check back often to see which locations and the dates they will be launched in the stores. Many stores and cities are now banning plastic bags, or charging for them, which is a step in the right direction. Whole Foods is a leader as of Earth Day 2008 they stopped offering plastic bags at checkout. This is a step in the right direction!
Take-out: Try to cut back on take out meals , or bring your own cutlery and containers. All of those disposable plastic forks really do add up in the landfill. Plust hot food in plastic or Styrofoam containers equals leaching of toxic carcinogens into the food you are about to eat. When ordering your food, pass over your reusable glass or stainless steel containers with a please and polite request. Or let them know you don’t want any plastic utensils, ask for a paper cup, specify no lid, and no straw or better yet, bring your own stainless steel l travel cup. And, always take your Green Girl eco-tote with you to put the food in. Politely hand over your eco-tote and ask them to fill it with your food. You feel great when you do this and other people see you doing this and it gets them thinking that they should do the same thing!
Drinking: If you haven’t already, ditch the plastic water bottles, sippy cups and baby bottles. I cringe at the thought of how many plastic water bottles end up in the landfill, plus they have been found to leach carcinogens into the water you drink. Give up bottled water and switch to tap it it’s a clean option in your city or invest in a water purifier or filter for your home. Carry a stainless steel travel mug so you can enjoy your coffee or cold drink guilt-free without using any disposable cups and plastic lids. Look for Bisphenol-A free plastic, glass, and stainless steel products. Born Free, Green-to -Grow, Evenflo, Safe Sippy and Klean Kanteen make some excellent safe bottles and sippy cups for baby’s, children and adults.
Dishes: Since last year’s Bisphenol-A scare, many parents have emptied their kitchen cupboards of plastic dishes, containers and cups. Go back to good old glass or tin, stainless steel, wood or bamboo. Store leftovers in Pyrex glass (they go from microwave to freezer to oven to dishwasher) or stainless steel containers.
Grocery Shopping: Avoid pre-packaged convenience foods, which typically come shrouded in plastic wrapping and bags. Cloth produce bags (Green Girl’s will be launching very soon) are great for anything dry, like onions, apples, oranges, garlic, potatoes, avocados. If you are buying goods or groceries that come in plastic containers or packaging, look on the bottom and try to buy those that can be recycled at home.
Toys: When buying new toys, look for those made from wood and other natural materials. There are also now some excellent toys made from recycled plastics on the market. At birthdays and Christmas, graciously ask friends and relatives to avoid buying your children plastic toys and instead look for toys made from wood, cloth and recycled and upcycled materials.
Personal Care: Here is where you can easily build up a collection of plastic bottles and containers that you throuw out, only to buy more shampoo, lotion, mascara, contact lense solution when you next run out! With some products, you just can’t avoid the plastic bottle, but here are some alternatives. I have switched to razors made from recycled yogurt containers and toothbrushes with replaceable heads. They cost about the same and work great, plus less plastic gets thrown out! The company that makes these is called Preserve. I purchase mine at my local Whole Foods or at www.wholefoodsmarket.com . Either buy your liquid hand soap or body wash in bulk and reuse the container, or switch back to good old bar soap - no plastics involved! You can also purchase lotions and cremes in bulk in your local natural health food store.
It may seem overwhelming, but I believe every step we take to conserve, reuse, reduce and recycle does help. And as parents, the changes we make in our daily family lives now won’t just cut our current consumption; it will also help shape the lifestyles and shopping habits of our children in years to come. And that will truly make a difference. Check out Green Girl’s Tiny Totes for kids on the website. My 6 year old daughter brings her Tiny Tote with her when we go shopping together; whether to the grocery store, farmers’ market, boutique shopping, to the video store and to the bookstore. It has become a habit now when it is time to go shopping. My daughter goes to her closet to get her Green Girl Tiny Tote and she is excited to go shopping because she is styling and making a difference! And, now all of her friends and their Mommies do it too!