Things I'm Thinking About

Category: Plastic-Free Living

Making Progress

The small steps are beginning to add up in my home. There is less plastic coming in, less going to the landfill, and less going into the recycling bin. Recycling has always seemed like a good solution to plastic waste, but it is only a stopgap; it’s become complicated. The old mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is still applicable, but I’m moving toward dropping the “recycle” part of it, replacing it with “rot,” or composting, wherever I can.

This means avoiding plastic as much as possible and opting for compostable bags and containers. It’s become a game at the store: how can I get what I need with the least possible packaging? It feels like a luxury because the food and products that come in paper, glass or metal are often the more expensive brands. Plastic is cheap and prevalent, but it comes at a cost to the planet. I choose glass or metal because they break down eventually into their basic components, unlike plastic. Obviously, it’s impossible to live and eat without having an impact on the earth, but I am trying to tread a little more lightly.

I buy what I can in bulk in my reusable bags or paper bags. An example is buying bread that comes in paper bags, which also probably means it’s from a local bakery. The COVID19 crisis has made this more difficult; most stores have shut down their bulk aisles and don’t allow reusable bags. To get around taking plastic bags, I opt for paper if possible, or take the cart load of groceries out to the car and put them in my own bags there.

Farmers markets are still operating in my town, so that’s another option–though I have not ventured there yet. I pick up a CSA box of local produce weekly which keeps me supplied with veggies, but the farmers market also has bakery items and other pantry supplies that I could take home in my own bags. I found a place to order flour, beans and other dry goods called The Silo Pantry. They deliver in the Bay Area and package everything in paper bags. Most of their products are local, which is an added benefit.

In the laundry room and kitchen I’ve made some easy changes, too. Instead of endless jugs of laundry detergent, oxygen bleach and dishwasher detergent, I’ve changed to a subscription with Dropps. They send me little pods of all three products in cardboard packaging every eight months–the laundry detergent is a liquid and the oxygen bleach and dishwasher detergent are powdered, and all are encased in a clear casing that dissolves in water.

One pod goes in the washing machine or dishwasher for every load. So easy! It works well and smells good–I use the lavender-eucalyptus laundry liquid and the lemon dishwasher detergent. They are also available unscented. I have used some other products, like the Meloria laundry soap powder and oxygen brightener, which comes in a vintage-looking cardboard canister with a little scoop. It’s not as easy as tossing in a Dropp, but it is another good option.

I’ve also done away with plastic bottles of dishwashing liquid and all-purpose spray cleaner. I first tried a refill company called Fillaree. I liked the product and the concept; they send a jug of soap in a container to send back in the included return envelope for a refill when it is empty. I decided to stop using the service when I found similar products at my local refill store, but if you are on the East Coast or don’t have a refill store near you, they are a great option.

Lately I have started using a solid dishwashing bar from Meloria with a bamboo dish brush. It sits on a little cedar tray that drains water away, and it lathers up nicely. My all-purpose spray, also Meloria, comes as little rice-like grains of concentrate packaged in a cardboard canister. A tablespoon in a reusable glass spray bottle filled with water makes an effective cleaner for kitchen and bathroom surfaces–even mirrors. Also worth trying is their Gentle Home Cleaning Scrub for scouring with a walnut shell scour pads.

I’ve incorporated these products and habits into my routine, and I’m motivated to use them–and write about them–because I prefer them and am excited to share them.

Trying to keep plastic at bay is inconvenient though, and during stressful times, the added effort doesn’t seem worth it. There is so much plastic, new and old, and with the COVID19 pandemic, there’s even more: tons and tons of disposable health care products and PPE, as well as plastic packaging and products used as a precaution against spreading the virus. I felt like I was making progress before, but it almost seems ridiculous to try to reduce plastic now.

For now, I have relaxed my efforts. Disposable plastic produce bags have replaced my reusable mesh, and I’m buying bread, English muffins and various comfort foods in single use plastic bags. During the months of stay-at-home orders, easy and disposable just makes more sense. I needed to take a few steps back–but I’m holding out hope that when the anxiety of Coronavirus settles down, I can resume my quest to throw away less plastic.

More Small Steps

When I began to move beyond plastic in my kitchen, I cast a critical eye around the rest of the house. There was much more to deal with: the bathroom soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, lotion and bubble bath; the laundry room detergents, sprays and cleaning supplies; and the rest of the kitchen plastics, including all the dishwashing paraphernalia.

First, the bathroom. There were five or six plastic bottles in our shower with shampoos, conditioners, and face and body scrubs. Most showers probably have a similar line-up of new and half-used bottles, including brands that have fallen out of favor or products for different family members. I hated the amount of plastic waste generated each month.

I decided to give bar shampoo and conditioner a try. I started with some samples from a New Zealand company, Ethique. They sell to US customers through Amazon. I ordered the hair sampler and the body sampler first, and they arrived in neat little slider boxes with heart-shaped bars of their most popular formulas. It was a lot to keep straight with no labeled containers, but I was excited to try them out.

The shampoo was better than I expected–it lathers up into nice suds easily and leaves my hair clean and soft. I ordered full-size bars of the shampoos and I liked: Sweet and Spicy and Pinkalicious. My husband tried the dandruff shampoo, Heali Kiwi, and it worked well controlling itching and flaking. Their Lime and Ginger Body Polish bar is nice too–a soap bar with gentle scrubby grit.

New Zealand is a long way away, and although I liked the Ethique products, I wanted shampoo bars made closer a little closer to home to limit the need for shipping. I found a company called Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve and I have been ordering and using their products for over a year.

My usuals are the Ayurvedic Herb and the Summer Sunshine bars, but I just ordered the Chamomile and Citrus for a change. My husband likes the Neem and Tea Tree and the Rosemary Mint–both for troubled scalps. The bars are large; I cut them in half for easy handling, and they last a good long time. They are pleasant to use, look nice in the shower on a little soap holder, and there is no plastic bottle to dispose of.

Another source of plastic in my bathroom was small but maddeningly unnecessary, it seemed: almost everything–toilet paper rolls, tissue boxes and cotton swabs–comes wrapped in thin plastic. I started looking for a plastic-free option. For toilet paper, I found a company called Who Gives a Crap.

They sell tree-free toilet paper, either 100% recycled paper or bamboo, and it comes in plastic free packaging. Every roll is wrapped in a brightly decorated paper wrapper and shipped in a cardboard box. I like the cheery prints instead of bare rolls stored in my bathroom. It is subscription based; I get 48 rolls every 4 months.

I also order tissue and paper towels from WGAC when I need them, and they are included in my scheduled shipment. This turned out to be a huge benefit when COVID19 hit and toilet paper became scarce. I got my delivery at my scheduled time and never had any shortage worries. (If you decide to order, use this link and we’ll both get $10.)

Instead of all the disposable tubes, bottles and pumps of face cream and cleanser, I now use essential oils and serums for my face. I buy them in glass containers. I love the Evan Healy line of products, especially the Rose items. For facial cleanser, I use a Shae Rose Clay complexion bar from Chagrin Valley. I just ordered the Sea Buckhorn and Tea Tree Soap and Sea Buckhorn Salve from Chagrin Valley for my husband to try for his rosacea.

Since the shelter-at-home order began in March, I have abandoned all make up. If I start using it when we venture out again, I want to try the Elate line. Their cosmetics come in metal trays that fit into pretty bamboo holders. By purchasing the holder once and then refilling it, there is far less waste.

Toothpaste tubes are plastic, and not easily recyclable. We now use toothpaste “bits,” little chewable tablets that foam up with the water on the toothbrush. It’s a little weird at first, but now that we’re used to them, the benefits are obvious. No messy cap rings on the counter or blobs of paste in the sink, and they are easy to take along for travel. There are a few chewable toothpastes on the market; we use the fresh mint bits from Bite. The refillable jar has a cute apothecary look, and everything is packaged and shipped in compostable film or paper. Bite is a subscription service, and I get my refills about every 3 months.

Dental floss containers are another little piece of plastic waste. I love this pretty, refillable glass container with silk floss, Dental Lace. Even though it’s glass, it seems to be safe in the bathroom for clumsy flossers–I have dropped mine on the tile a few times and it has survived so far.

For lotion and bath products, I found a store near me called Fillgood. They stock bulk and plastic-free products that shoppers take home in their own containers. I take an empty pump bottle for body lotion, and a jar for rose or lavender bath salts and fill them when I run out. I also get scented castile soap in a mason jar that I use for hand washing liquid when it is diluted and pumped out with a foamer lid.

The shop owner is careful to order products from companies that take back and refill their own large bulk containers so that plastic is virtually eliminated. This little shop has tripled its floor space in the last year as demand has grown. If you are not near Berkeley, they offer delivery in the Bay Area, and similar shops are popping up all over.

About subscription services: I hesitated to commit to them at first. I am accustomed to going out and getting what I need when I run out. Now that I’ve taken the plunge, I like it. I don’t worry about restocking, the ship dates are easily adjusted if I need the product sooner or later, and since I’m not in a rush to replace something I’m out of, the shipper can use established carrier routes–like the USPS, who delivers on my street every day– and minimize the negative effects of legions of delivery trucks on the road for rush orders. It also cuts down on my trips to the store.

Overall, it seems like setting up a regular schedule for household necessities makes sense for the earth as well as for my budget. Plastic is cheap, and it’s hard to compete with the convenience of it now that we are used to it in every nook and cranny of our lives. Natural products tend to be more expensive, but when I factor in the convenience of subscriptions and the reduced number of times I’m strolling the aisles at Target picking up items extra items–not to mention the peace of mind that comes from a full cupboard of toilet paper during the Coronavirus panic– the cost balances out.

At first, it feels like a big, hard step to move away from plastic. Now that I’ve taken a few steps away, though, I enjoy finding ways to eliminate it from my home. I actually prefer the products; they are good quality and value. Since many of the items come from small, creative companies, another benefit is that my dollars are supporting the businesses and people that are adding innovative, sustainable products to the marketplace. It makes the world feel a little more connected and personal.

Small Steps

I am just starting to try to cut back on plastic use. Here are a few ways that fit easily into my life, in case you’re feeling puzzled about where to start. I am certainly not an expert, like the family I saw featured in Sunset who have a “zero-waste” home. That lifestyle is so dramatic and extreme that is seems out of reach. I started with a few small steps.

When I was planning to have a large gathering in my home a few years ago, I did not want to use plastic utensils. To be honest, it wasn’t the waste that bothered me at that time. I hate using those flimsy plastic forks and knives; they make any meal feel like fast food. I went to the Goodwill Store and picked out a random assortment of spoons, forks and knives. They weren’t exactly cheap–I think they were 50 cents per piece, and I bought about 50 sets of spoons and forks and 25 knives–so I spent over $60. I have used them so many times since, though, that I’m sure it’s been far less expensive than purchasing and tossing plastic utensils.

When I got the anti-plastic bug, I was in the plastic bag aisle at Target and I picked up my usual boxes of gallon and quart ziplock bags, but I put them back. I was weary of throwing bags away. I’ve tried washing them and hanging them out to dry around the kitchen, but it never worked well for me. People in my household try to recycle them–but the city recycling center does not take them. Putting plastic in the recycle bin–even though it can’t be recycled–because you hate putting it in the trash is “wish-cycling.”

I didn’t buy them that day, and I haven’t since. I have used some other things that I think are worth trying out:

Compostable Ziplock Bags

A little pricier than generic ziplocks, so I’m more choosey about what I put in them. Also, not completely see-through, so I sometimes lose track of what’s in them.

Stasher Silicon Zipper Bags 

I love these! They are easy to wash, seal tight, and are nice and thick. You can freeze them and even boil them, they come in fun, clear colors, and they are a local, woman-owned company. They even sell them on Amazon. Again, a little expensive, but worth it. I have I gallon size and 3 quart size and it’s working for me.

Waxed Cotton Food Wrap

I’ve used Bee’s Wrap, which comes in different sizes and patterns. It works well, molding to the item you are wrapping with the heat of your hands, but don’t make the mistake I did of washing it in hot water–the wax melts out and it doesn’t  work anymore! They carry a cheaper version at Trader Joe’s, but it’s thicker fabric; I may prefer the thinner Bee’s Wax fabric. You can also make your own. This looks like an easy one, but there are several tutorials out there.

Biodegradable Wax Paper Sandwich Bags

Not all wax paper is biodegradable because it is coated with paraffin wax, a petroleum product. This brand uses soybean wax. These meet the need for stashing little leftovers or taking food with you. These also hide the contents, so it’s easy to lose food unless you write on the bag. They keep things fresh for a day or two, but let’s face it, they don’t seal as well as good ol’ plastic.  It is comforting to have a disposable bag around, and they fill a need, but I don’t find I use them much.

Glass Containers with Lids for Leftovers

For some reason, glass containers are easier to maintain and match with their lid, so I actually use them. There are many brands, but I like these.  My collection of plastic containers and ancient Tupperware was such a mess that I would grab a ziplock bag to store food rather that brave the chaotic cupboard where they were stored. Maybe the heaviness of glass makes a difference–they don’t get mixed around so much.

Once you start, you will find the products you like. The first step–for me, not buying those resealable plastic single-use bags–may be the hardest one, but there is life after ziplocks.

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