How do you eliminate more plastic?

Life&Gwen

What are some new places to cut the plastic?  We've converted to LUSH for the bathroom, we've been evangelized to a local farmer's milk that comes in deposit/return glass bottles (it's dairy heaven; their 80-calorie/glass skim tastes like half and half) we have hemp/burlap dog and cat toys (they last longer too!)  but who here is eliminating plastic from their own households?  How is that going, does anyone have some original ideas or new ways to do it?

Jen&Joe06

Saran wrap is an easy one. I don't use many ziplock bags either (usually just for freezing meat). If I do use them I wash them out and reuse them.

Packaging - I try to not buy stuff with loads of packaging.

Check out this blog. It has some great ideas.

JoNi2010

Hey that is a cool blog - thanks for posting that!!  I too have been trying to cut back on plastic.  I've taken small steps over the past year - ie using my own bags at grocery stores (although I do sometimes forget them ) and using reusable water bottles.  I cannot believe the amount of bottles people go through - and they do not even bother to recycle them!  Argh!

JenD1018

I bought reusable sandwich and snack bags and mesh produce bags (also useful for when buying from bulk bins) from Etsy.  I use reusable shopping bags.  I never buy bottled water but instead use a stainless steel water bottle.  I also buy milk from a local farmer that uses and resuses glass bottles.

And like the PP, overall, I try to look for the least amount of packaging whether it's plastic or not. 

hetshup

H and I are having a plastic free year this year. It's been... interesting. 

 

I now walk around with kids konserve wraps in my purse all the time, so if we go to dinner, I don't need a to go bagox. I take a garmet bag to the dry cleaner and try to convince them I don't need the plastic. We buy all our TP at staples, because they sell office style paper wrapped paper.

 

Is there a particular area that you are looking to cut back in?

 

Oh, and I made drawstring bags out of old t-shirts, so now I have inappropriate commentary veggie bags.  And I clean just about everything with white vinegar.

Ashley&Scott

Reusable shopping bags
Reusable produce bags
Pyrex instead of plastic tupperware
Wooden or stainless steel cooking utensils 

SuperGreen

Ashley&Scott:

Reusable shopping bags
Reusable produce bags
Pyrex instead of plastic tupperware
Wooden or stainless steel cooking utensils 

Ditto all this.  I also go out of my way to purchase items with less packaging.  Portabello mushrooms loose rather than a plastic container of baby bellas/cremini, 5lb bags of rice, etc...

Funny story on that topic.  Yesterday I was buying a few Cadbury Cream Eggs (my Easter-time treat of choice), and DH was like "buy the set of 4", which came in a plastic case in a box.  I said no, and scanned 6 eggs by hand while he fumed

tigerhearted

We use these little guys instead of ziplocks.  Love em!

 http://www.amazon.com/Libbey-16-Ounce-Bowl-Plastic-Lid/dp/B0000CFN6F

 

eta: Though the lids are plastic.  I just sent in a contact form to the manufacturer asking whether the plastic contains BPA.

We also use reusable produce bags and reusable grocery bags.

 

etaa: Just heard back, and the plastic in the lids is BPA-free

EmGotMarried

I was just talking with DH the other day about how little waste we have now that we have a huge pyrex collection, use reuseable grocery bags, and buy in bulk. I also reuse glass jars for things like nuts, rice, oats, etc.

Life&Gwen

I need to get back on Etsy and look for some of those bags, and the toilet paper coming in paper, that would be really cool to check out.  We started in the bathroom; www.lush.com  Lush is my newest favorite thing in the world, because there's no plastic except for the face masks, and you return the used black pots for free products...  We're now using solid shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and their soaps, all of these come packaging free.  We've found a milk farm that delivers to a grocery store a mile further from us, but it's got glass bottles, and --swear to god-- their 80-calorie skim milk tastes as creamy as half-and-half.  I definitely want to look more into that blog though, there were some good starters there!