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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Plastic bags are evil

Okay, apparently I'm on a 'green' kick today. I may have to add that as one of my official topics for this blog! As if I don't have enough already. I have been reading the No Impact Man blog lately and came across an entry about how horrible plastic bags are. Of course I already knew they were horrible, but this gave me even more information than I had previously.

I've already come a long way in reducing my plastic bag use, but I want to do more. So far, I use my own (cloth) bags when I go shopping about 95% of the time, and the bags that come home with me the other 5% of the time (either paper or plastic) get re-used as garbage can liners in the kitchen. I've all but eliminated my zip-top bag consumption by relying more and more on reusable plastic containers for leftovers and lunches. I have still been using plastic bags for produce at the grocery store (I try to reuse them if they don't get too icky, but still...not good). That's what I'm going to cut out next. I just ordered these to use in the store instead of plastic bags and these to use once I get home to reduce the amount of produce that goes bad before I get around to eating it. Yay!

Now, if only I could find a way to eliminate the plastic bags I use for my jewelry without compromising quality... my beads go out in little plastic bags, and so does much of my finished jewelry. It's important for keeping the sterling silver from tarnishing, and to keep loose beads contained. Any ideas, anybody???

8 comments:

Robin Marie said...

Ahoy! Thank you so much for those links to bags! My mother tries so hard to avoid plastic, but we live on a farm and when the veggies are ready they're ready, and you have to pick and package them. She's always dragging plastic produce bags to the store with her, and hanging them out on the line to air them out, but they only last so long. So, thanks again!

Also, on the note of jewelry bags. I know plastic is bad, but I think that anyone you mail beads to is likely to recycle them. I know I keep pretty much any ziplock bag that I come in contact with, and I have a whole collection of them in all different sizes for transporting projects, small bead selections, and other things. I use new ones for sales, but I reuse tons for my own personal use.

Have you thought of using wax paper baggies? They come in all kinds of sizes, just roll down the top and staple them. It might be cute, really!

Tamara said...

Ooh, that could be cute Robin Marie. Where do you get them? The only thing I'm not sure about is if their lack of an airtight seal would make sterling more likely to tarnish...

You're probably right about people reusing the little jewelry bags; I know I do - I just wish I had enough to use all re-used ones, but I eventually run out and have to buy more.

I've been trying to think about how to use more reused materials for my mailers too - maybe reclaimed bubble wrap and paper bags? Except I never have excess paper bags, but I could probably find a family member or someone who has extras to hook me up... hmm.

T

Kellybot said...

Tupperware's Fridgesmart containers are unbelievably great for keeping produce fresher longer. We get gobs of veggies in our CSA each week and since using the containers, it's amazing how much longer we keep stuff.
(promise I'm not a tware consultant!)

Anonymous said...

i use the fridgesmart containers too; they are amazing!

Vegan_Noodle said...

Would be interested to hear how those produce bags work out. I also reuse the plastic ones until they get too stinky or yucky inside. Also, maybe an idea, you could ask your customers to mail back their packaging...I try to save it, but it can pile up over time and I don't have much use for it. Maybe you could offer them a shipping discount on their next purchase or something like that.

Robin Marie said...

I'm not sure where to get them, I've poked around a bit but not found much. Maybe ask at the local co-op or health food store?

I think as long as you stored all the baggies in a container with antitarnish strips (they're not all that expensive) until you had them mailed out you would probably be fine:)

I'll keep an eye out and definately let you know if I see anything else!

Robin Marie said...

I found some! Bags & Bows has some, they call them glassine bags:)

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