Bag It - Is Your Life Too Plastic?

[eaufraiche703]

yes, Kiki.

and during the process, one does what one can. and continues to share ideas with like-minded others.

was sharing ideas... thanks so much for the feedback!

[rickfm]

I got an order from amazon today. Reusable produce bags (but now they show as not available ).

Got a 3 pack.


Tag showing tare weight.


I thought they seemed big at first, but I laid one over a plastic produce bag and it was slightly smaller.


You buy something to eliminate plastic... and they ship it with plastic packing.


At least it's recyclable, class 2 HDPE. And they give a website address for recycling info printed on the bubble pack.

I'll be taking these to the store tonight and I'll see what they say about deducting the tare weight.

[Wild4Stars]

They look good for produce. Let us know how they work, I may get some. Is there anything Amazon doesn't sell?

They actually look like something I could crochet with cotton thread, put a drawstring in it, make any size I want. Although it is nice having that tare weight tag right there.

[rickfm]

I just got back from the grocery store. The cashier I had said she wasn't aware of a way to subtract tare weight. She just removed the items from my bags and weighed them. Only things I bought that needed weighing were onions and tomatoes. And she gave me an extra $.05 credit for "bag refund." I normally get that because I use a backpack all the time, but the little extra was nice.

This was interesting for me. I'm one who doesn't like to draw attention to myself, so to hold up the line, even for just a few seconds, while asking for something out of the ordinary like that gave me a bit of anxiety (something I struggle with). But the lady didn't seem to be bothered and was helpful to the best of her ability.

I felt good walking home carrying my new produce bags.

[PotatoFiend]

This was interesting for me. I'm one who doesn't like to draw attention to myself, so to hold up the line, even for just a few seconds, while asking for something out of the ordinary like that gave me a bit of anxiety (something I struggle with). But the lady didn't seem to be bothered and was helpful to the best of her ability.

I felt good walking home carrying my new produce bags.

Woo hoo!

[Kiki]

Great, Rick. I'm glad it worked. I hope the anxiety lessens as it becomes part of your routine.

[PlasticfreeBeth]

This is the best website I have found so far - a blog and then some by the author of a new book "My Plastic Free Life". Her TED talk is on here too and worth watching. Lots of sources for products too. Plus a plug for "Bag It"

Here is a really interesting factoid from her TED Talk - did you know the plastic bags from grocery stores are coated with animal fat to make them slippery EGAD!

http://myplasticfreelife.com/

Thanks so much for mentioning my blog and book! The book ( Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too) is what I wished had existed 5 years ago when I started trying to live plastic-free. My hope is that it can save people a ton of time researching options because so many answers are there. Plus it's full of information about plastic, plastic recycling, whether alternatives like bioplastic or silicone are any better, and a whole lot more. Yes, this is a shameless plug, but I was just excited to discover this conversation tonight.

And yes, EVERYONE should watch "Bag It" and not just because I have a cameo in it.

[rickfm]

Hi Beth! Thanks for dropping by. That's an excellent website you have.

I get discouraged a bit seeing how much plastic is in my life. For now, no longer taking plastic bags from grocery stores is as far as my commitment goes. But it's a start.

Yesterday, I needed a couple items of food, so I included a stop at the store in my daily walk. I didn't feel like taking my backpack, so I rolled up one of my new cloth bags and carried it in my hand. I probably looked like I was carrying a racing baton.

And the cashier didn't even realize I had handed her my reusable bag. She pushed it ahead of the groceries, rung everything up, and like a robot said, "Paper or plastic." I just smiled and pointed at my cloth bag.

[rickfm]

50 Tons of Litter Pulled from Pacific.

Not so much about plastic, there's special mention of "derelict fishing gear." It's bad enough that human demand is driving the depletion of fish species, there's the side effect of all this garbage choking the environment from careless fishing practices.

[pechke]

Finally had a chance to read this wonderful thread. I haven't seen Bag It yet, but I'm going to find it as soon as I can!

This discussion reminds me of the Story of Stuff, which someone upthread already linked to. It's worth another plug. http://www.storyofstuff.org/. It's a short, free movie that's well worth the watch. Talks about how only a fraction (1%, I think) of consumer "stuff" actually gets recycled. I think the problem boils down to the fact that people just consume so much stuff! It's great that we do what we can, but I feel so helpless sometimes. I used to work at Walmart, and I was FLABBERGASTED at the amount of waste generated in the stockroom. For all the merchandise put out on the sales floor, there was at least 2-3x volume worth of packaging waste for the actual product. I worked in housewares and hardware, so I'm not sure how packaging grocery store stuff comes in. But the very act of consuming generates waste, which makes me feel helpless, cause I can't avoid buying at least food!

Someone also mentioned upthread the 4 R's - refuse, reuse, reduce and recycle. It's funny how you never hear about anything than "recycle." I guess cause "recycle" is the only one that encourages more consumption!

If anyone cares for more academic reading about the health of the oceans, I found this amazing article (which links to other amazing reading): http://www.fisherycrisis.com/CO2/predators.htm. I found it by researching the author of this recent oped in the NYT on coral reefs: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/opini ... reefs.html.

I'm kind of obsessed with climate change and environmental issues. I've seen those photos before of the plastics, plus similar ones like of this poor turtle: http://conservationreport.com/2009/04/2 ... stic-ring/. It just hurts my heart when I think of what humans have done to this planet. But then I think, what else could we expect with almost 7 billion pairs of feet on the planet? What will be it like in 2050, when there may be 12 billion, as projected? Maybe we can't help ourselves - that we are just like any other species, who will overconsume their environments, if population growth is left unchecked. Like bacteria in a petri dish... sooner or later, they simply eat all the sugar... then... crash. [/end big downer rant]

I haven't read that plastic-free blog yet, but I'm very curious... maybe there's hope for this sorry world!

[PlasticfreeBeth]

Someone also mentioned upthread the 4 R's - refuse, reuse, reduce and recycle. It's funny how you never hear about anything than "recycle." I guess cause "recycle" is the only one that encourages more consumption!

Absolutely agree! I have a whole chapter in the book called "Why Can't We Just Recycle It All?"

Plastic recycling is better referred to as "downcycling" for several reasons. First, plastic can't be recycled indefinitely. Each time it's recycled, it breaks down and loses strength. The same is true for paper, but when paper can't be recycled anymore, it will biodegrade. Not true for plastic. Those molecules will linger in the environment. And studies are being down showing harm from microplastics in compost and in the ocean.

Second, a disposable plastic product like a bottle, for example, is generally recycled into a secondary product like polar fleece or carpet, and those items are generally not further recycled, so the plastic ends up in the landfill eventually anyway.

And another problem with plastic recycling is that the majority of U.S. plastic is shipped overseas to Asia and "recycled" in countries like China that have much weaker environmental regulations and worker safeguards. There is a shocking film showing a town totally polluted by the West's plastic recycling.

Recycling should definitely be at the end of the R's -- it's what you do after you have refused and reduced and reused as much as possible and you still have some plastic left.

I'm so happy this conversation is going on here!

Beth

[lmggallagher]

I love this thread!! How cool is it that folks on all levels of dealing with this issue have come here to share. The thing is I get caught up reading, Rick's latest adventure with his new bags, or a link to an interesting subject, and hey now Plastic Free Beth is with us - who has years of experience and actually WROTE THE BOOK!

Well, with all this good info I can see why I am not progressing through the "Starch Solution" at a pace I had hoped to! Once I have finished it my next is "My Plastic Free Life" because this thread has made me hyper-vigilant to how much plastic is really in my life and well frankly I am overwhelmed. I am taking a scene (completely out of context) from the "TED talk" though and blaming it all on my cats!!!

[PlasticfreeBeth]

I am taking a scene (completely out of context) from the "TED talk" though and blaming it all on my cats!!!

As well you should, for that is their job. Besides being cute and cuddly and warm, they can take the blame for just about anything and never get insulted. The only thing that insults kitties is being fed late or having a dirty litter box.

[lmggallagher]

Hi y'all:

I just have to share this

Plastic Free Beth was interviewed today on KQED radio, the SF Bay Area's Public Radio Station.

Beth great show- I was driving around and had to miss a teensy bit, but it was a fantastic show with tons of good information. I was stunned to find that Beth is an accountant in the real world - I think she passes credibly as someone who has an environmental sciences background!

I learned lots: too much to recap here - not only plastics effect on our environs - but on our health and that there is actually a group now of chemists working on products that won't have negative impacts!

Really importantly, Beth mentioned lots of legislation that is pending both at the State (California) and federal levels. I am wondering Beth if you could list those here so those of us who are getting interested in this can have some additional action items - like shooting off an email to our representatives

I have a limit on the number of books I can buy a month - I have a bit of a book addiction and a small house - but I am allowed one reference book and one NOOK book a month. Today is August 1 and I can't decide if I should get your book on NOOK or a hard copy to lend. I made up my mind - I am doing both and going to my library this week to mention to them this is a must have.

Here's the link to the show - the interview is not posted yet for streaming, but I hope it will be soon!

http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201208011000

I think the show rebroadcasts at 10 PM here in the Bay Area - I for one will be listening AGAIN!

Thanks so much for getting out front with your great efforts on this problem - it's so inspirational - Michelle

PS - Laughed at the response about blaming cats- just picked up a prescription for my cat today and it's the only plastic to come into the house this week. Hiss you cats, hiss on you!

The Evil Siamese Twins - are ignoring my rant on this completely.

[tcat]

Thanks to the OP for posting this. I watched this the first week of July and have been trying to be plastic-free ever since. I checked out Beth's book from the library and read it in one day. I loved it. I also watched Tapped on Netflix the other day. I am now reading Our Stolen Future. This is all eye-opening stuff.