Plastic Earth

Brown, Green, Nature's Machine!

2008-08-03T00:38:00.022-05:00

With all the fruits and veggies I've been eating during my waste-conscious existence, I need a lot more space for compost. We have a black plastic composter outside, but someone keeps digging underneath and leaving rotten cantelope rinds all over the yard. Raccoons? Squirrels? The zorro? Our neighbor Frank? Hard to say.

My dad is showing me how to do MIG welding, and we thought it would be fun to build a critter-proof composter. You can tell we're really serious welders. Note: chili pepper hats ("HOT hats") and Shiner Bach on the workbench. I even watched a wonderful documentary about welding that my friend Katie recommended. It's called Flashdance. Thanks Katie!

If you're not into welding, check out these sites for compost bin design:
Ohio State University Composting Fact Sheet
Digital Seed Pallet Composter
Compost Guide
If you've never done composting before, don't be scared. I know a 4 year old that started a worm bin (2 of the worms are named zha-zha). Even if you never use that "garden gold", it's just nice to divert some of this stuff from the landfill. I watched a show about the Los Angeles landfill. Researchers took a core sample of the landfill and found a perfectly preserved grape stem from 35 years ago. They also pulled up an old newspaper from the 1970's and you could still read it. Garbage will not decompose in landfills because of the lack of oxygen.

So let's layer it up:
Brown (dead, brown plant matter; dried garden waste cut into small pieces)
Green (fresh grass cuttings, fruit and veggie scraps)
Nature's Machine (active compost dirt... gotta get some microbes up in there!)

Release the Turtles!

2008-07-20T19:04:00.020-05:00

This weekend I went with my family to Padre Island and watched some baby Kemp's Ridleys being released into the ocean. I was so excited for them to be learning how to swim for the first time. Run, little ones, run! The large overhead net is to protect the hatchlings from seabirds.

There are only 7 species of sea turtles in the world, and all are endangered. I could only remember 6 species this weekend, so just for the record:
Kemp's Ridley, Olive Ridley, Green, Leatherback, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Australian Flatback (and Black, depending on who you talk to). 5 of the 7 are found in TX.

Check out more turtle release dates for Padre Island, TX through NPS
or actually meet the turtles at the Sea Turtle Inc. Rescue Center

small crab digging underneath my towel

Final Report

2008-07-05T12:33:00.004-05:00

What is your deal with plastic, and what did you hope to accomplish by not buying it for 1 month? Don't paper and glass take more energy to manufacture anyway?
Excellent point. I simply wanted to take a look at how much waste I produce. I wanted to see how my choices and actions fit into the prevailing “single use” mentality. I wanted to educate myself (and possibly others) about environmental issues. What I found is that by not using disposable plastics, I decreased my waste in general, and had a healthier lifestyle.

Also, I am really interested in marine debris, or plastics in the ocean. There is a giant floating landfill in the middle of the Pacific, and I want to do my part to stop it from getting any bigger (any guesses about the size of said floating landfill?). I love the ocean and want to raise awareness about this issue.

What was your favorite part about this experiment?
Some people might think this commitment would be impossible, or at least very, very annoying (my sister said it was like planning for someone with a bizarre terminal illness). But I loved it! It was actually a lot of fun. Every meal was like a little puzzle, every trip to the store was an important mission. I loved how involved I became in my purchases, and finding the answers to all the questions that came up. Plus I had some interesting conversations with employees at the stores I shopped in.

How did you become "more involved in your purchases"?
I spent much more time looking at labels and asking Where did this come from? What is this package made of? What kind of company is this? If I was deciding between 2 products with similar packaging, I would try to choose the product that traveled a shorter distance to get to my supermarket, or choose the "nicer" company. This involved some online investigating and letter writing. Sometimes you have to ask the company- What is this package made of? How is this product made? Why aren't you using sustainable materials? You have to ask the grocery store workers- Where did this come from? I wrote several emails with questions to different businesses: Recycline, HEB grocery store, Ben and Jerry's, Adobe Verde mexican restaurant, Ms. magazine, Edward Jones, Cabot cheese, Clorox, Stubbs BBQ. Most of them actually responded.

You say that for you, a lot of the changes were about food. Did you have to change what you ate?
I had to change certain things. I ate a LOT more fruits and veggies than I did before. I still ate bread, but I made it in the bread machine. I bought goat cheese from a nearby farm instead of Cheddar from the store. Instead of frozen pizza, I made my own. I made my own yogurt, salad dressing, cookies, tea. I tried out tons of new recipes, many more than I listed here. My meals took more prep time, but the food was always good. I found most of my groceries in bulk, but had to wait until I made a trip to Austin or San Marcos (30 minutes away) to stock up because bulk items are not available in my hometown. I had to plan more, and always carried water and a snack "just in case," because I couldn't just run into the store and buy chips or crackers if I got hungry.

What kinds of things did you buy in bulk?
Cashews, rolled oats, pretzels, sunflower seeds, raisins, peanut butter, pasta, brown sugar, granola, powdered milk, honey, olive oil... anything and everything. I always took my own container and a sharpie marker to write down the PLU. One thing I didn't understand was how at Whole Foods, so many bulk items are pre-packaged for sale... in big plastic containers. I don't get it!! Doesn't that defeat the purpose? It is time consuming to bring your own containers, but it's also kind of fun.

What about personal care products? Did you have to make any changes?
I started using bar shampoo and bar soap instead of liquid body wash and shampoo. I bought a toothbrush made out of recycled yogurt containers, dental floss in a cardboard box instead of plastic, and NatraCare products. I bought 7th Generation toilet paper (no plastic wrapping), as well as 7th Generation dish soap and laundry soap (they both come in recycled cardboard boxes).

Was it more expensive to buy "green" products?
Sometimes it is more expensive. Usually when I break it down to price per ounce or "per use," the difference wasn't too big. Considering the environmental cost, and the actual dollar amount we could save as a community by preventing environmental damage, it's definitely worth it. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, and more recently In Defense of Food, says that he considers each purchase to be a vote. Each time you buy something from a company, you are saying "I support you. I want you to continue running your business the way you currently do, and I am giving you a financial contribution to help perpetuate your mission." If everyone was able to shop with this thought in the back of their mind, we would see a huge shift in the products that are sold. And as demand increases for sustainable products, prices will continue to drop.

Was there anything you didn't find a solution for?
Yes- still working on toothpaste, razor refills, contact solution and contact lenses, medical waste from doctor visits, to-go containers at restaurants, ice cream, dental floss, Q tips. But I feel like I made some really good changes that I will continue with, and these by far out-number those unsolved mysteries.

Will you continue with this project, or are you finished?
I will definitely keep using the information that I learned this month. I want to start this project again in January, and do it for a whole year. I'd like to get other people involved, for 1 week at a time, so if you want to be more waste-conscious and are interested in being a part of my No Plastic for a Year project, let me know!!

Day 30: Game Over!

2008-06-30T22:43:00.015-05:00

Well, that's a wrap! The results are in from my plastic experiment. As predicted, most of the plastic I used was packaging from food items or personal care products. Oyin's Funk Butter turned out to be not-so-scary after all, and no, I do NOT look like Willie Nelson (my #1 fear starting out). I have 2 photos to share:

Photo #1. New plastic that I purchased (or received) in June
Not all my new plastic purchases are in the photo, and a lot of the stickers are stuck together, but here is the break down:

48 produce stickers
2 pieces of plastic wrap from banana stems
2 plastic ribbons around bananas (organic naners have all sorts of plastic to distinguish them from conventional naners.)
5 bar code stickers from meat packaged in paper from Granzin's
2 sheets of butcher paper with plastic waterproofing spray
4 pieces of masking tape
3 ice cream cartons (plastic windows and interior waterproofing spray)
1 mailing label from online book purchase
1 plastic bag from cheeseburger take-out
8 plastic windows in envelopes
3 drinking straws
medical waste from doctor visit (1 plastic cup, 2 vials, and medicine container)
2 plastic cups from concerts
100 yards synthetic dental floss and plastic wrapping
1 lid from a glass jar (plastic coating underneath)
1 lid from mixed nuts container
1 bottle contact solution

Photo #2. Plastic items already in my home that I used (or threw away) in June. Again, not all items used are in the photo. Here is the break down:

1 plastic almond bag
1 walnut bag
1 frozen blueberry bag
1 frozen peaches bag
1 small yogurt container (used this for a culture when I made my own)
1 dental floss container and floss
2 plastic Q tips
1 large and 1 small plastic Q tip containers
1 plastic safety seal from breadcrumb container
1 plastic safety seal from Recycline toothbrush
5 old messed up photographs
6 stickers from National Women's Organization and Diver's Alert Network
2 busted ponytail holders
1 MAC book instructional CD
4 plastic windows from envelopes (P.S. these can be recycled, no problem)
3 plastic T's from clothing tags
1 airline baggage claim ticket
2 contact lens packages
2 contact lenses

Plastic experiences not previously listed:
Fathers Day meal- some ingredients of dishes that other people brought over came in plastic. I ate them and they were delicious.
Breakfast casserole- almost all ingredients came in plastic packaging, but I ate 2 pieces anyway.
I used some plastic items sparingly(things I already had in my home), and therefore did not have to buy more or throw any packaging away: spices and seasonings in plastic bottles, mustard, plastic lid from marinade bottle, face soap, sunscreen.

Day 29: Pinkies UP!

2008-06-29T16:43:00.001-05:00

One thing I've been missing this month is JUICE. Usually I throw it back like a champ and then smash the cardboard OJ carton on my forhead. Yes, really. Challenge me to a vitamin C drinking contest and YOU WILL LOSE. But the plastic cap, and plastic waterproofing inside the carton now preclude me from accepting such a challenge.

Just drinking plain water can be a little boring. I do like fresh squeezed orange juice (who doesn't?), but man, that's a lot of work. And smoothies just aren't the same. What's a thirsty girl to do?

Then I remembered something Cori used to do when we were traveling. Just cut up some cubes of fresh ginger and boil it like a tea, sometimes with cardamom, cinnamon, whatever is in the spice rack. I really like plain ginger water, hot or cold.

Today I went outside, picked some rosemary and mint leaves, added some lemon juice and honey, and made some delicious rosemary mint lemonade. Next I'll try plain rosemary water.

At one Greek restaurant I went to they served their ice water with apples and mint leaves inside. I tried that at home, and for some reason couldn't duplicate it. Maybe it's time for a second try.

Day 28: I heart Albatross

2008-06-28T11:05:00.002-05:00

Watch this.

Day 27: BYO not B.O.

2008-06-27T21:36:00.004-05:00

Like I said before, I want to be a BYO kinda lady for shopping bags, but not a B.O. kinda lady. For years I've been very loyal to Degree; I've tried some different deo's, but none that really do the trick. I've been wanting to switch because of the link between aluminum in antiperspirants to Alzheimer's. My friend Megan recently told me about SKIN DEEP, an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products. (thanks Megan!) It's maintained by researches at the Environmental Working Group, and you can search by product, ingredient, or company. All the natural deodorants that I've tried still come in plastic tubes. Well, it's time to...

Give 'em the BOOT
Degree Antiperspirant: I've been using this stuff for years and love it. Maybe the aluminum will give me Alzheimers, but at least I won't be smelly. Just kidding. Degree actually only gets a "moderate safety hazard" from Skin Deep, but I still should have switched a long time ago.

Cost: $3.29
Packaging: Plastic applicator
Available: Wal-Mart, Target, all grocery stores

Plastic-free LOOT

Oyin's Funk Butter: "You've got the FUNK, we've got the butter." This is mostly baking soda, but comes in paste form and smells tropical. (I bought unscented as well) I like it so far! I think it's only available on their website, and you have to be patient while they make your order.

Cost: $4.50
Packaging: small metal tin; I asked for no plastic, but they have to put it in a small ziplock in case it leaks.
Available: online

Day 26: There is no Spoon.

2008-06-26T12:08:00.002-05:00

I used to buy granola from the grocery store in big bags. Then I switched to the bulk aisle. But I like eating granola almost every day, and it can get pretty expensive. I tried making my own, and it turned out really well. I found 2 recipes online and combined them. You can put whatever you want inside; I made one batch with dates, nutmeg, and white pepper instead of apples and cinnamon.

Apple cinnamon raisin granola
4 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup powdered milk(optional)
1 cup raisins
1 apple, cored and finely chopped (in food processor)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey
dash of vanilla
pumpkin pie spice

Mix first 5 ingredients together; add apple. Heat the oil and honey in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir in vanilla, and pour over mixture. Heating is not necessary but helps the honey exit the cup. Now add some pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon. Transfer to large baking pans (I use a big glass pyrex dish and a metal brownie pan) and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Add the raisins and bake 10 more minutes until golden brown. Make sure the mixture is only a thin layer in the bottom of the pan, and stir frequently.

Day 25: Concert Conundrum

2008-06-25T20:40:00.002-05:00

Last night I went to Stubbs in Austin to see Thievery Corporation. The show was great; everyone went crazy when they played Lebanese Blonde. And Seu Jorge was there! I thought I recognized his voice (from the Life Aquatic soundtrack). Since it was a big show, they searched bags at the door. Now that I think about it, I could have brought in an empty water bottle and filled it inside. But I didn't. Anyway, I hate carrying a bag to shows. Interferes with my groove.

I used a plastic cup. I shared with Cori, and refilled it 3 times. I wish they offered bioplastic cups, and I wrote an email to the restaurant manager asking for them. The Austin City Limits music festival made the switch last year, so maybe the trend is catching on.

Day 24: Grandmother Moon loves Mother Nature

2008-06-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

Stop reading now if you don't want to hear about feminine products.

When I started this plastic-free project, I knew the question of Grandmother Moon would fit into the equation at some point. I remembered hearing stories about sea sponges, Diva cups, and Glad Rags, but wasn't terribly crazy about any of those options. I'm not quite ready for Diva status just yet. So I was happy to read about NatraCare on Fake Plastic Fish's blog. Thanks Beth! They're a little more expensive, but I'm happy with the switch.

Give 'em the BOOT

O.B.: I knew these were going to be off-limits because of the wrapper. But what are they actually made of? I had to look at their website: o.b.^® Tampons are made of two types of rayon, a polyester/polyethylene non-woven cover and a cotton string. Hmm... polyethylene? That's what plastic bags are made of. No thanks.

Cost: $6.99
Cost per item: $0.17
Packaging: paperboard, plastic wrapper
Available: Wal-Mart, Target, all grocery stores

Plastic-free LOOT

NatraCare: "Healthier by Nature" is thier motto. Made in Sweden from 100% organic cotton, these are fully biodegradable. I read this on their website: European and North American consumption of synthetic sanitary pad is the highest in the world - more than a third of total worldwide consumption of 45 billion units - All eventually needing to be disposed of somewhere! Every year, in Britain alone, we would need to dig a hole 300 feet wide and 300 feet deep to bury the used sanitary pads and tampons that women throw away. Dude...Gross. I guess I never really thought about it.

Cost: $6.59
Cost per item: $0.41
Packaging: paperboard
Available: Wheatsville co-op, Whole Foods

Day 23: Ready, Set, GOAT!

2008-06-23T19:36:00.002-05:00

Do you remember when I said that the crazy-old-butcher-man was my knight in shining armor plastic-free cheese provider? I lied.

I went to Granzin's a few days after I wrote that, and asked for some of the cheese. Underneath the red wax was a thin layer of plastic. Double whammy! I would feel weird throwing all that red wax away, anyway. It's probably worse than plastic. Back to cheese square one.

I started volunteering at the New Braunfels Nature Center. They do really fun programs on rainwater harvesting, composting, solar cookers, metamorphosis... anyway one woman told me about a yahoo group she's a part of: New Braunfels Natural Living. The couple that started this group sell goat cheese, and they are trying to connect buyers and sellers of natural products. There were over 100 members. I had no idea so many people were interested in this sort of thing.

My cousin and I drove out to the goat farm; they also have llamas, cows, and chickens. We took a short tour of the place and bought some fresh cheese. The guy said I could bring my own container, and he mentioned that he's trying to find some corn plastic containers. Sweet!

Two things I learned:
1. Goat cheese, mixed with raspberry jam, spread on a graham cracker tastes just like a mini-cheesecake.
2. Goats only have bottom teeth.

Day 22: You put the lime in the... processor

2008-06-22T14:56:00.005-05:00

I've been eating a lot more fruits and veggies these days, lots of salad. Usually I'll just put olive oil and balsamic on my rabbit food, or maybe squeeze some lime juice on the top. But today I made something amazing. First, let me introduce you to my new best friend, the food processor.

A relative left this gadget at our house and it was collecting dust in the pantry. It was love at first blend. I'm not sure how I managed all these years without it. I use it at least twice a day, just mixing up concoctions that, on occasion, are actually pretty good!

So back to salad dressing. I blended up some mixed nuts, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and funneled it into an old salad dressing container... what was left of it after I drank some. It really is that good. I didn't measure anything, but here's a recipe I found that looks similar. I would add nuts and more cilantro... more of everything if you want to make a whole bottle of it.

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (key limes are good)
1 small jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1 small clove garlic, halved
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar OR 1/8 teaspoon honey
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch salt, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

Put everything but the cilantro into a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the cilantro, then taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Shake before serving.

If you're more of a Ranch dressing fan, and looking for something to dip veggies in, you HAVE to try this one, it's awesome (no blending required). It's a great salad, but I have been making the dressing by itself:

Cucumber, Cantelope, and Squash summer salad
* 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt(you can use yogurt that you make yourself!!)
* Finely grated zest of 1 lime
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 3 yellow summer squashes (about 1 pound), unpeeled
* 1 English cucumber (about 10 ounces), unpeeled
* 1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1/4 large cantaloupe, rind removed

Directions

1. Make the dressing: Combine yogurt, lime zest and juice, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate 20 minutes.
2. Make the salad: Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, shave squashes and cucumber into wide ribbons, stopping when you reach seeds. Toss with vinegar and salt. Cover, and refrigerate. Shave cantaloupe into ribbons, and refrigerate.
3. Just before serving, drain cucumber and squash ribbons, and toss with cantaloupe. Drizzle with dressing.

Day 21: Not Everything is Bigger in Texas

2008-06-21T13:19:00.006-05:00

I love farmers’ markets. When I lived in Monterey, every Tuesday evening was a community celebration. Alvarado Street was filled with the smells of kettle corn, Mongolian BBQ, naan wraps. Musicians performed on the sidewalk, shoppers toted canvas bags with leafy produce sticking out, and I always bumped into people I knew.

Now that I’m spending time back in Texas, I decided to visit the farmers market in San Marcos, about 20 minutes from my house. I wasn’t expecting much, but just wanted to check it out and support the local farmers. I drove up, walked in, and looked around. Even though the tables were all under a shady tent, it was SO hot that when I touched the tomatoes they were boiling. Hmm. Maybe this is why you don’t see too many farmers’ markets around here.

It took about 3 minutes to look at all the tables: bread and baked goods, plants and herbs, goat cheese (which was really good, and the lady had pictures up of her with her goats!), soap, produce, homemade salsa and jam. All the produce was displayed in small baskets lined with a plastic grocery shopping bag: take the bag and leave the basket for the display to be refilled.

I decided on some peaches and started putting them directly into my canvas bag, telling the cowboy behind the table that I didn’t want to use a plastic bag. He looked really irritated and, with a heavy twang, said slowly, “So I guess you want ME to throw it away, then. I can’t re-use that, you know.” I was startled. “Of course you can. It just had peaches in it... just...refill it,” I fumbled. “Well, maybe I can do that if the Health Department’s not lookin’.”

I glanced around. I seriously doubted that anyone from the Health Department would come out to this parking lot and bust the 20 people selling their wares for unhygienic plastic bag use. Aren’t they too busy finding cats at China Border and rat teeth at Taco Cabana?

Never mind. I went home with my purchases and told my dad about Mr. Nasty at the market.
“Why didn’t you just take the bag and recycle it?”
“That’s not the point; I didn’t want a bag to begin with!”
“Well, he was going to throw it away. What’s the big deal?”
“I don’t know it’s just BAD, okay?”

I feel really strongly about not using plastic bags. I hate seeing them littering the streets, blowing in trees, collecting in the bottom kitchen drawer. I hate that we are so dependent on plastic, and that so much of it ends up in the ocean. But I have trouble presenting a convincing argument for why we shouldn’t use them. Can you? Think about it. Key word: Convincing. How can I possibly convince someone else to change their behavior when it took me 2 years (2 YEARS!!!) before bringing my own bag to the store was second nature. How can I expect other people to care when I don’t know the answers to basic questions such as:

Where do all the plastic bags go to be recycled?
Do they actually get recycled?
Why can’t we put them with the rest of the recycling?
Is it even energy efficient to recycle them?
Are paper bags better than plastic?

12-hours-of-internet-research later, I felt like I have some pretty good answers to my initial questions. But just like science, after lots of research what you’re left with isn’t an answer at all... just more questions. I have compiled a new list of questions to ask my local recycling center, and I plan to tour the facility next week. Gold star for me, learning more about plastic and making the world a better place. But wait... I didn’t use plastic bags to begin with.

So what do I do with all the information I learned? First I should tell my dad what I found, right? Will he listen to me? If my dad doesn’t stop using plastic bags, is there any hope for Mr. Nasty? Why didn’t I tell Mr. Nasty that I didn’t want him to have plastic bags in the first place? All the sellers there had produce in plastic bags, how do I get them to stop? Is corn plastic really better than petroleum-based plastic if they both end up in the landfill? Do you see how the question monster keeps having babies in my brain????

Day 20: Bread Head

2008-06-20T16:19:00.005-05:00

Lunch is my favorite meal. I live for sandwiches and unusual ingredient combos. Spinach and grapefruit. Carmelized onions and baked apples. Peanut butter and grapes. My ex-friend "Orowheat healthy multigrain" (can't possibly be healthy, it's so sweet) lives in a plastic bag, so we're not speaking right now. I looked for bread at the farmer's market, but it came in plastic, too. Sigh.

Wait. What's that in the pantry on the bottom shelf? Could it be... the bread machine my mom bought when I was in 7th grade? Why, yes it is, and it still works like a charm!! I was able to download the instruction manual and a recipe from the world wide web. Ever been to Macaroni Grill? This is a replica of their bread:

Ingredients

1 cup water

3 T olive oil

1.5 t white sugar

1.5 t salt

.25 t Italian seasoning

.25 t ground black pepper

1 T dried rosemary

2.5 cups bread flour (make sure it's bread flour)

1.5 t active dry yeast

Directions

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select white bread cycle; press Start.

Day 19: Brush the Toofus

2008-06-19T14:18:00.009-05:00

I've seen footage of an albatross necropsy (autopsy for animals), and you would not believe the things that came out of that bird's stomach. One thing that really surprised me was a toothbrush! #1 Who wants to eat a toothbrush #2 What was it doing in the ocean in the first place? So strange. I came across one article with some crazy toothbrush numbers:

If you consider that the average human life expectancy today is about 78 years and then multiply that by the times one might replace a toothbrush (every 4 months or so) you get a grand total of 312 toothbrushes used and then discarded by any given individual during his or her time on the planet.

Then, figuring that each toothbrush weighs 16.5 gm, in total, every person on the planet (about 6,602,224,175) throws away approximately 11 pounds of toothbrushes in a lifetime. Soooo, if 6,602,224,175 people throw away 11 pounds of toothbrushes each, we're stuck with something like 72,624,465,925 pounds of non-biodegradable waste. That's 36,312,233 tons -- a pile the size of 80,000 Statues of Liberty.

Okay, not everyone on the planet has a toothbrush. Some people just chew on twigs (really). But you get the idea.

After failing in my search for non-plastic toothpaste, I wasn't expecting much from the hunt for a plastic-free toothbrush. Options abound, but it felt like the Goldie Locks Syndrome. I found wooden toothbrushes, but none with soft or natural bristles. Then I found Brooks Pearwood Boarbristle toothbrush, but it's imported from Switzerland. There are musical toothbrushes (produces songs exactly 2 minutes to time kids' dental hygeine practice), solar powered toothbrushes (ions moving around, didn't really understand that one), and toothbrushes with replaceable heads (which a lot of people use now, with standard electric toothbrushes). I found one with a cellulose and flax handle, but the head was still plastic. I finally decided on the Recycline Preserve... I'm not completely happy with my toothbrush switch, but it's a step in the right direction.

Give 'em the BOOT
Colgate Reach Toothbrush: Trusty standby and Santa's favorite. I probably use 3 toothbrushes a year, and while it seems unlikely that MY toothbrush would end up floating around in the ocean and eaten by a large bird, I'm willing to look at non-plastic alternatives. Every little bit helps.

Cost: $2.89
Packaging: Plastic clamshell tube
Available: Wal-Mart, Target, all grocery stores

Plastic-free LOOT

Recyline Preserve Toothbrush: Made from recycled yogurt containers! Yes, it's still plastic, but the company seems progressive and worthy of support. They even offer a toothbrush subscription program and will mail you a new toothbrush every few months. Then you mail them back to the company to be recycled.

Cost: $2.79
Packaging: 50% post-consumer recycled plastic
Available: Wheatsville co-op, Whole Foods, online

Day 18: What IS styrofoam, anyway?

2008-06-18T15:17:00.002-05:00

Last time I ordered food to-go, it came in a plastic bag. This time will be different, I thought. I specifically asked for no plastic bag, no plastic silverware, no plastic, thanks! The guy who took my order was nice and I was very hopeful. I congratulated myself on my preemptive strike against take-out packaging. Plastic-free tortillas = happy day!

When I went to the restaurant, they proudly handed me my food... in a styrofoam container. "No plastic, right?" My face dropped. "But it's in styrofoam!!" The guy looked at the box. "Oh. Is that plastic too?" Hmm. Good question, actually. "I'm not sure exactly how it's made, but I would prefer not to have it." He opened up the box and ran to get more foil, saying, "Hang on. We can make this work."

I'm finding that people are willing to help me, but they just don't realize how harmful plastics can be for our environment. They don't know the difference between plastic and styrofoam. Neither do I, now that you mention it. What the heck IS styrofoam??

This is what I found out:

In the early 1900s, The Dow Chemical Company invented a process for extruding polystyrene to achieve a closed cell foam that resists moisture. Recognizing its superior insulating properties, buoyancy and "unsinkability," it was originally adopted in 1942 by the Coast Guard for use in a six-man life raft. That was the start of many other wartime applications by the Coast Guard and Navy.
Today, the Dow STYROFOAM brand includes a variety of building materials (including insulated sheathing and housewrap), pipe insulation and floral and craft products. But there isn’t a coffee cup, cooler or packaging material in the world made from STYROFOAM.

These common disposable items are typically white in color and are made of expanded polystyrene beads. They do not provide the insulating value, compressive strength or moisture resistance properties of STYROFOAM products. In order to protect the Dow trademarked name “STYROFOAM”, such other material should be referred to by the generic term “foam.”

What we see in coffee cups are expanded polystyrene beads, 90% polystyrene and 10% gas (CO2 or Pentane). The gas makes it light and fluffy. Polystyrene is the same material used to make test tubes(among lots of other things), just without the gas. Interesting. Styrofoam doesn't contain CFCs anymore, but the benzene used in production is still pretty nasty. Over 100 cities have banned it completely including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkley, and Portland. Nice work!

Day 17: Farewell, dear friend

2008-06-17T12:24:00.002-05:00

Nothing can ever adequately prepare you for the loss of a dear friend. A simple smell can trigger a thousand memories, leaving you lost in thought, staring out into the distance. All the moments you've shared, the relationship you've built over time, are not quite "gone," but exist now only as a memory.

Why did it have to end? Why? It seems so senseless. So cruel. I shouldn't torture myself with these questions; I know it would never have worked out. Because you live in a plastic bag.

I know, I know, the homemade ones are probably better, but these are just so easy. And Pillsbury rolls of ready made cookie dough = chemically delicious.

What I started making recently (to fill the empty black space in my soul) are a cross between my chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies, and nutella stuffed frozen sliced banana-wiches. (Nutella is another dear friend I've lost recently)

Meet my new friend: Frozen Banana/Granola Thingies.
Want to be friends, too? Here's how.
Step 1. Take 3 bananas and cut them up with a fork into a mixing bowl. Mash.
Step 2. Add about a cup of granola. Mix.
Step 3. Toast about a cup of sliced almonds. Add.
Step 4. Stir all this up, then add instant oatmeal until you have the consistency of cookie dough.
Step 5. Roll into little balls and put into tupperware, 1 level high.
Step 6. Melt some unsweetened chocolate and a tiny bit of butter (this is very scientific, now), and afterwards add honey (or else the honey will boil and bubble up) to taste. Put just a small amount of the chocolate mixture on each "cookie" with a knife. Freeze.

Voila! All the frozen banana/granola thingies you could ever wish for, yours at the turn of a spoon. Que delicioso!

So for now, farewell dear friend. Perhaps we'll meet again some day, when that little dough boy gets some new plastic-free clothes!

Day 16: what What WHAT???

2008-06-16T14:23:00.005-05:00

Today I was listening to a Science Friday podcast and they said "A lot of advances are being made in neuroscience." But I heard "A lot of dances are being made in neuroscience." The images I conjured up of a performance starring sequin-clad protein receptors and the sodium-potassium pump doing high kicks next to a semi-permeable membrane were, admittedly, rather amusing. Oh, how fun! I thought. There should be more dances about neuroscience. What a great educational tool; I'm glad someone's taking that on. When I realized my mistake, I also realized how much I miss my Q-tips.

I have a friend who cleans his ears after every meal. At first, I didn't get it. I was pretty sure he wasn't that much of a messy eater. Later I learned he's convinced the movement of his jaw produces wax in his ears. Hmm. Interesting.

I'm not that bad, but I am addicted to Q-tips. I use 1 or 2 a day. I tried not using them for my plastic-free month. But I can't hear a hollerin' thing. What? WHAT? This is me:

I actually tried making my own ear cleaning devices. Let's just say- it didn't work out. Even the Q-tips made with the paper tube come in a big plastic box. Any suggestions? What? What did you say?

(Carrie- "David Meyer whipple sutures?")

Day 15: The Red Solo Cup

2008-06-15T20:49:00.006-05:00

Fathers' Day was an all-out family reunion at my house. All of my cousins, aunts, uncles, their friends, their kids... No great danes this time, but it was a baby stampede.

Lots of people outside, lots of people in the pool. Lots of kids hitting their heads, crying, falling, biting each other. Early in the day, one mother asked for a plastic cup to take by the pool. She was worried that a glass one would break and a kid would step on it. Valid.

All we have are regular glasses and red solo cups. Reluctantly, I gave her the red cup.

We used paper plates, even though I offered to wash all the dishes. Better than plastic, I suppose. And we did get all the meat from the crazy old butcher man, so plastic-free.

Holidays are hard on waste-concsious warriors. Everyone wants things to be really simple and easy and disposable. I don't want to force my project on my friends and family, but it really kills me to see all that waste.

We should really have a big picnic set that we can use when people come over to eat outside, I said. But we have so many dishes already, they said. Yeah. About 300 red plastic cups lurking in the pantry. We already have them, we might as well use them, right? There's just something about that army of plastic cups makes me uneasy.

P.S. My aunt ended up buying a nice picnic set for us to use for outdoor holidays. Thanks Tommie Helen!!

Day 14: Aliens disguised as Republicans

2008-06-14T12:18:00.001-05:00

One of my first friends in Monterey was named Katie. I was moving into a big house with 5 roommates, and she was moving out. I moved into her room. My first job in Monterey was working at Bay Books. This, ironically, was HER first job. When Katie was asleep for a week after a car accident, we both had dreams about train stations.
Katie = Katie.

Katie (my friend) just celebrated her birthday last week. But what should I get her?? I know she wouldn't want me to break my vow of non-plasticity. I brainstormed:

1. Pocket volcano (wrapped in plastic)
2. Jello mold in the shape of a brain (plastic)
3. Bouncy ball with astronauts inside (plastic)
4. Mix CD (plastic)
5. The puffy chair on DVD (plastic)

Lame! All the quirky science-museum-y gadgets come in plastic. CD's - out. DVD's.... wait, I might be onto something here! I don't want to BUY movies on DVD because they are made of plastic, and wrapped in plastic (twice). But nothing's stopping me from renting movies. Wait, you say. Aren't you in Texas? Isn't your friend in California?

Ah, but cheesy horror/sci-fi indie B movies know no geographical boundaries! With the help of Blockbuster, that is. I bought her an online subscription and picked out movies that Blockbuster will ship to Katie's house in California. And Katie's house in Texas. I pick the titles, so it's a fun surprise for Katie. And we can both enjoy movies about giant purple LazyBoys and aliens disguised as Republicans! Why didn't I think of this before!?

Day 13: Powder Power!

2008-06-13T17:22:00.003-05:00

Here's something that was easy to switch- dishsoap. Why not use powder detergent? They almost always come in cardboard instead of plastic. It may be better to handwash, but not everyone likes raisin fingers.

Give 'em the BOOT

Cascade Action Packs: These are pretty handy. You never spill powder anywhere, works like a charm. Reportedly takes 1/6 the time to load. But do I really need individually wrapped single-serving dishwashing detergent? Plus, it's made by Proctor and Gamble (surprise!) and I'm not crazy about supporting them.

Cost: $8.68
Cost per load: $0.27
Packaging: PET #1 plastic
Available: Wal-Mart, Target, all grocery stores

Plastic-free LOOT

Seventh Generation Dishwasher Soap: Just about any powder dishsoap is plastic-free, so there are much less expensive options. Gets the dishes just as clean, but not as mean to the planet. Sweet!

Cost: $12.95
Cost per load: $0.17
Packaging: 100% recycled paper
Available: Wheatsville co-op, Walgreens, online

Day 12: Pesky Pen Pals

2008-06-12T18:12:00.007-05:00

Me and Washington Mutual are pen pals. They send me credit card applications, promotions, updates on my canceled checking account. I send them handwritten hate mail. They are totally throwing off my "new plastic for the month of June" pile. I already have 7 plastic windows from junk mail, making up most of my new plastic for this month.

I've tried to get a mediator for me and WAMU. We need to work on our communication skills. I tell them to stop sending me things, and they keep sending me things. Something has gone wrong here.

Americans receive about 4 million tons of junk mail every year (I think roughly 25% of that goes directly to my address...)! If you're contemplating returning all your junk mail to the sender with a courtesy gift of anthrax, read the Native Forest Network's Guide to Stopping Junk Mail. Learn how to stop junk mail without getting arrested.

I recently set up an account with ProQuo to stop my junk mail, 90% effective for 5 years. It's free and easy, I just need to print out some letters and mail them in, because most companies require written notice to stop using your information. You can actually use business reply envelopes that you get in the mail, just mark out the "business address" of whoever sent it to you, and you have free postage to anywhere in the US! I guess that's one good thing about junk mail.

Earlier I set up an account with Green Dimes. You can pay them $20 to get your name(s) removed from all sorts of mailing lists, and they will plant some trees for you. You can also remove your name yourself, for free, but it requires a bit of effort. I think ProQuo is easier.

OR you can be like SA Schimmel Gold and make insanely detailed artwork out of your junk mail. Her custom portraits start at $800. Here's one for people who always thought Twiggy was a little "trashy."

Day 11: Ben, Jerry, and Katie

2008-06-11T15:21:00.013-05:00

I haven't been able to give up ice cream yet. Yes, I could go to Marble Slab and get the german chocolate cake ice cream, no plastic spoon, thank you. But I can't go every day; I think they already recognize me. I need a stash at home. And by "stash" I mean at least 4 half gallons.

All ice cream containers are sprayed with a plastic lining to waterproof them (so are cardboard milk and juice containers). They are supposed to be off limits, but I consider ice cream to be life-sustaining and therefore cataloged somewhere under "medical exceptions" to my list of rules. I did write a letter to Ben and Jerry about the plastic tamper seal. I looked at their website (highly recommended! I knew they were a "warm and fuzzy" company, but I didn't realize exactly how involved they are in the community. My sister told me that one Mothers' Day they gave out free ice cream to any mother with gray hair and stretch marks!) anyway, I looked at their website and they are working on a bioplastic coating for the pint containers, so I'm hoping that they will also switch to bioplastic tamper seals. I'll let you know what I hear.

I do want to cut out all plastic lined containers eventually, and when I do, I'm going to make this:

Chocolate Sorbet
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp liqueur, such as rum, brandy, Framboise, Kahlua

Directions:
Combine the sugar and cocoa powder in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gradually mix in the water. Place over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Boil the syrup until it is dark, glossy brown, 1-2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the vanilla extract and liqueur of choice. Cover and chill until cold, then freeze. Serves 4.

I have made coffee can ice cream before; I might give that another shot.

Day 10: And Gore said "Let there be light."

2008-06-10T10:59:00.011-05:00

What amazed me about Al Gore's movie was how much people talked about it afterwards. Did you see Inconvenient Truth? Did you see the movie yet? You have to see Al Gore's new movie. Regardless of whether or not a person liked the movie, it gave everyone a common starting place when entering a conversation about global warming. We've all heard this information before, but Al Gore lends a bit of credibility, and his simple suggestions for minimizing impact are easy to follow.

Let's start with light bulbs. Because mine just burned out. It's ok, I have 3 left in the same fixture (no, I don't need that much light), but it reminded me (along with daily public service announcements on KTSW) that I should be switching to Compact Flourescent Light bulbs.

Al Gore says that if you replace one regular incandescent light bulb with a CFL, you will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If every family in the U.S. made the switch, we’d reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 90 billion pounds!

I looked around online, and found this article that explains a lot.

The Case for CFLs
I'm constantly being told that the simplest way to improve my green cred is to start using compact fluorescent lights. Yet some naysayers argue that the environmental benefits of CFLs are negated by their mercury content. Who's right?

Read the full article here. It talks about how much energy you can actually save, facts and fictions about mercury, how to recycle the bulbs when they burn out, and the fact that Australia is mandating a phase-out of incandescent bulbs.

The real kicker: CFL bulbs contain plastic. Dang it!

Day 9: Shampoo Review

2008-06-09T23:28:00.016-05:00

This weeks results are IN! 1 week and counting for the shampoo bar. I had no idea that shampoo even came in bar form. I was scared to try another 100% biodegradable shampoo, because I tried Dr. Bronners on my hair and that was a disaster. I even tried to make my own after reading this solution online, just making little balls of honey and baking soda. For the record, I won't be making them again. But wait! JR Liggetts is here to save the day!

Give 'em the BOOT

Pantene ProV: I started using this stuff when I was in 5th grade, but I’m an un-loyal shampoo buyer and always get whatever is cheapest. This is the last shampoo I used because someone left it in the shower at a hostel in Argentina.

Cost: $5.79
Cost per ounce: $0.43
Packaging: PET #1 plastic
Available: Wal-Mart, Target, all grocery stores

Plastic-free LOOT

J.R. Liggett’s shampoo bar: WOW! I'm in love with my new shower buddy. Fresh-smelling suds leave my hair feeling clean and super soft. 1 bar = 24 liquid oz of regular shampoo, 100% biodegradable, allowed in carry-on luggage! They also make pet shampoo.

Cost: $6.49
Cost per ounce: $0.27
Packaging: 100% recycled paper
Available: Wheatsville co-op, online