The Conscious Shopper: plastics

Showing posts with label plastics. Show all posts

Packaging Versus Price: How Do You Decide?

>> Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I'm over at the Green Phone Booth today debating about packaging versus price:

Admittedly, there are times when avoiding plastic costs more. For example, I could run down to my local Walmart and pick up an insulated PVC lunchbag for my kindergartner for about $10. Or I could buy a stainless steel PlanetBox for $60. That's a big price difference, but when I feel like I'm investing in something that's going to last a long time, I'm generally willing to pay more.

But what about when the plastic-free item costs more but isn't necessarily better?

Read more...

Goodbyn Review

>> Thursday, May 6, 2010

Reuseit.com was having a huge sale last month in honor of Earthy Day, so I finally broke down and bought some lunchboxes. We've been using some plastic containers with lids along with some reusable bags Subway was kind enough to provide for us (see side story at the bottom of this post), but with another son starting kindergarten next fall, my husband packing lunches also, and me using those same containers for leftovers, we realized that we didn't have enough lunch containers to go around. So I bought these:

Goodbyn Lunchbox

When my oldest started kindergarten last fall, I shopped around for a lunchbox for him, and eventually narrowed it down to the PlanetBox and the Goodbyn. Because it's made out of stainless steel, the PlanetBox edged out ahead. But the PlanetBox is also very pricey, so when I saw these Goodbyns on sale at Reuseit, I decided to go ahead and buy a couple.

What I like about them:

Packaging: A simple, recyclable cardboard sleeve.
Materials: The lunchboxes are made of #5 polypropylene plastic and the bottles are made of #2 high-density polyethylene. All are lead, BPA and phthalate-free.
Manufacturing: Goodbyns are manufactured in the U.S.A.!
Affordability: Although they regularly cost around $30, I was able to get mine for much less because of the sale and an extra discount I had.
Extras:

Except for the bottle, it's all one piece - no lids and containers to keep track of.
The food compartments are designed cafeteria-tray style so the food doesn't touch or leak onto each other. I filled one up with water, shook it around awhile, and it held up fine, but Goodbyn recommends not putting really runny things in them.
It's recyclable at the end of it's life.
It's dishwasher safe.
The kids can use stickers to individualize them.

A few complaints:

Getting the lids on tightly takes some technique. Goodbyn says the lunchboxes are designed for K-4, but I'm not sure my kindergartner could handle it without help. I'm holding on to these until he starts first grade next year.
These lunchboxes are huge. They're like half the size of my little guy, and though not heavy, they are bulky.
Plastic is not the same quality as stainless steel. I'm hoping these lunchboxes will get my two oldest through fourth grade, when they'll be passed down to my youngest. But I don't see them lasting longer than that, if they even last that long.
They are very cutesy. Will a fourth grader find them too uncool?

Unfortunately, I don't have a Goodbyn to giveaway today, but in a couple weeks, I will be running a giveaway from Reuseit.com so you may be able to buy your own then!

You may have noticed the new Reuseit.com Ambassadors logo over in my sidebar. I recently joined their ambassador program because I think they're a great company with some great values and I'm happy to help them spread the word about the reusables movement (and hopefully you all will get to reap some great rewards as well). If you're new to this blog and are interested in trimming your waste line, you might want to spend some time reviewing the posts tagged "waste" for ideas on storing produce without packaging, packing waste free lunches, switching to cloth bags, and more.

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You have hereby been challenged to go green in a year without going broke! Check out the last challenge, or view the whole list of Challengicious Mondays. Sign up for my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, and join my "Go Green without Going Broke" group on Facebook!

Disclosure: I got a discount on this product for being a Reuseit.com ambassador, but I still bought them myself. Most of the information in this review comes from Goodbyn's website, but the opinions are my own.
Side story: While vacationing, I stopped at Subway for lunch because it's a pretty good place to get a low-waste, healthy meal. Unfortunately, my kids were being completely insane, and the cashier was old, incredibly slow, and totally clueless. I wanted to shout at her, "If you would just hurry up, my kids could start eating and then they'll be good!!!" But instead she kept pausing in ringing us up to bribe my kids with straws and soda...and finally the reusable bags the kids meals come in (even though we hadn't ordered kids meals). Bless her heart, she was just trying to help. But so much for my attempt at a low-waste meal!

April Extreme Challenge

>> Saturday, April 3, 2010

Here's your extreme challenge for April:

Go No 'Poo

"No 'poo" is slang in the green world for "no shampoo." What it really means is that you wash your hair with baking soda and rinse with apple cider vinegar, and you wash your hair less often.

Why go no poo?

To save money. Compare a $5 bottle of shampoo to a $1 box of baking soda.
To save packaging. Shampoo and conditioner usually come in plastic bottles, and even if you recycle those, their next life is probably a park bench. Baking soda comes in a cardboard box and vinegar in a glass jar, and because you only use a small amount each time you wash your hair, you end up using a lot less packaging.
To avoid potentially harmful chemicals. Although there are plenty of eco-friendly, less toxic shampoos and conditioners on the market, what could be less harmful than baking soda and vinegar?
To live naturally. Hey parents, have you ever noticed how long you can go without washing your kids hair? Supposedly, that's how hair is supposed to be, and if you wash it less and put fewer chemicals on it, your hair can look that natural, luscious, and shiny too.

Those are the main reasons I've thought of. If you've gone no poo, why did you do it?

There are several methods for going no poo. Here's one:

Obtain a couple old squirt bottles such as old shampoo bottles, salad dressing bottles, or sports bottles.
Fill one bottle with a ratio of 1 Tbsp. baking soda to 1 c. water. Fill the other bottle with a ratio of 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar to 1 c. water. If desired, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the apple cider vinegar solution to cover the smell.
Squeeze some of the baking soda solution on to your scalp and massage for a few seconds. You're aiming to clean your scalp, not your hair. Leave on while you wash your body and then rinse out.
Squeeze some of the vinegar solution on to your hair. Leave on for a few seconds and then rinse.

I've read that there's an "adjustment period" while your hair returns to it's natural state and starts producing less grease. Then you'll be able to wash your hair less and less - some people go as long as a week!

Want to see no poo in action? Here are a few bloggy friends that have gone no poo:

Here's what my family will be doing:

Last month's challenge was easy peasy. This one, I'm not excited about. At all.

I'm starting this challenge late this month because of spring break, but I'm committing to try no poo for at least a month. I'm really nervous about it because of the supposed adjustment period. I'm also skeptical.

My sister the cosmetologist only washes her hair every other day, or even every third day, and she has gorgeous hair. She told me that if you stop washing your hair so often, your body will adjust and produce less grease, and that hair is healthier when it's not washed so much. So I gave it a go...For a whole year, I gave it a go! I kept thinking, "Soon my head will catch on that it doesn't need to make so much grease." But it never did! Finally after a year, I was tired of looking awful every other day, and I went back to daily washings. And that is why I don't believe no poo will work for me. But we'll see!

Will you accept the April Extreme Challenge to go no poo for a month? Let me know in the comments what your family will be doing.

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image by hansvandenberg30

Glass Dharma Straws Review and Giveaway

>> Thursday, March 25, 2010

Are you working on reducing your plastic waste? Here's one easy solution.

Glass Dharma Review

Glass Dharma sent me three straws to review: a Beautiful Bend 9" straw, a fatter Simple Elegance straw, and a Decorative Dots sipper. I like the Beautiful Bend straw best for it's versatility, but the fatter Simple Elegance straw is perfect for drinking shakes, and the Decorative Dots straw is just plain beautiful. This is such a cheesy, girly thing to say, but my favorite thing about these straws is how they make even a simple daily act like drinking a glass of ice water seem elegant.

I also like that having a reusable straw means I don't have to use disposable plastic straws when I'm out and about. Plus, a glass straw is certainly an attention-getter, making it a very simple way to spread the green message without being pushy. As I recounted on my post at the Green Phone Booth the other day, I used my Glass Dharma straw at a restaurant this weekend and the servers were abuzz about it. It's a very small act, but it's just one more way for me to show that I'm committed to avoiding a disposable lifestyle.

Glass Dharma carries numerous sizes and styles of straws plus carrying cases and cleaning brushes.

Packaging

My straws arrived in a small box with three cardboard boxes inside. Inside each box was a straw (and I think the shorter one contained a piece of cotton.) To all of those companies that insist on overpackaging their products to protect it during shipping, I say - Look at Glass Dharma! The straws were shipped via USPS, which is my preferred mail carrier because it comes to my house everyday anyway.

Materials

Glass Dharma straws are made of borosilicate glass "because it is the strongest commercially available glass on the market." Unlike plastic, these straws will not leach harmful materials into your food, and they save thousands of disposable straws from the landfill. Plus, they are dishwasher and microwave safe.

Manufacturing

All Glass Dharma products are made in the United States.

Quality

One of my fears with these straws was that they would easily break - I'm a clumsy person...But one day after I'd run the straw through the dishwasher (proof alone of its durability), I left the straw on the counter where my two-year-old discovered it and dropped it on the hardwood floor. No breakage, chips, or scratches! I wouldn't recommend dropping your straw often or on purpose, but if you do happen to break your straw, Glass Dharma provides a "Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage" - they'll repair or replace any broken straw.

Affordability

Glass Dharma straws range in price from $6 to $8. For a better value, order one of their packages containing several straws and a cleaning brush.

Availability

Glass Dharma straws are available at several online retailers, or you can buy them on Glass Dharma's website.

Need

When I decided to start reviewing products at The Conscious Shopper, I promised that one of the criteria I would consider is "need." Unlike the other products I've reviewed so far, I don't consider having your own straw a need, but it's definitely a nice to have. This is an item that you should add to your "things I wouldn't mind having list" and splurge on when you need a gift for someone special or just want to add a little touch of beauty to your life.

For more information and to purchase your own Glass Dharma straws, visit their website.

Glass Dharma Giveaway

~~Glass Dharma is generously offering a $25 gift certificate to their shop to one lucky reader of The Conscious Shopper. To enter:~~

~~Leave a comment on this post stating one step you've taken to reduce your plastic waste (or one step you plan on taking.)~~

You can earn up to two extra entries by sharing this post on Facebook or tweeting it on Twitter and then leaving a comment for each thing that you do. This is completely based on the honor system, and remember that each comment is a separate entry.

~~You have until next Thursday, April 1st, to enter. I'll randomly select a winner and announce the results next Friday.~~

The winner of the $25 gift certificate to Glass Dharma is Kim and Ken Carlile, who wrote:

I've made my husband start bringing his sandwich baggie from lunch home with him to reuse.

Congratulations, and I'll be in touch with you soon about how to redeem your gift certificate!

And remember for those of you who didn't win, you can purchase your own Glass Dharma straws by visiting their website.

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Disclosure: Glass Dharma sent me three straws to be able to write this review but did not compensate me in any other way. Most of the information in this review comes from their website, but the opinions are entirely my own

How to Recycle Everything

>> Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I say "recycle everything" a little bit tongue in cheek because obviously, it's not possible to recycle everything. The goal is simply to switch your mindset from "throw away" to "reduce, repair, and reuse" and when all else fails...recycle.

Step One: Check with your local waste collection to find out how to participate in your local recycling program.

Step Two: Start a composting bin if your city doesn't have compost collection. Composting is short term for recycling food waste.

Step Three: Find out what other waste collection services your area has. For example, my city has a yard waste drop-off site (and yard waste collection at certain times of the year) and multi-material drop-off sites that take scrap metal, e-waste, tires, and appliances.

Step Four: Look for ways to recycle everything else. Here are some that I've learned about:

#5 plastics

With their Gimme 5 program, Preserve has partnered with Organic Valley and Stoneyfield Farms to collect #5 plastics, which are not collected by most city recycling programs. Gimme 5 bins are set up at select Whole Foods stores, or you can mail your #5 plastics to Preserve. Also collected through this program: Preserve toothbrushes, other Preserve products, and Brita pitcher filters.

Air bag shipping material

If made by Ameri-pak, you can mail the air bags back to them to be recycled. They also accept bubble wrap and polyethylene foam.

Athletic shoes

Nike has a Reuse-A-Shoe program where they collect old athletic shoes and turn the soles into surface material for playgrounds and basketball courts. You can find a drop off location by visiting their site, or mail your shoes directly to a Nike Recycling Center. They can be any athletic shoes, not just Nikes.

Baby products

If your old baby products are unusable or have expired (yes, car seats have expiration dates!), ship them to Baby Gear, which will disassemble them and make sure all parts are recycled properly.

Bottle caps

Most recycling centers do not accept the caps, and if a cap is left on the bottle, they throw the whole bottle out. But now Aveda has started collecting bottle caps! They accept any rigid cap made from polypropylene plastic (if you can bend it with your bare hands, it's not the right kind), and they recycle the caps into Aveda packaging. Just take the caps into an Aveda store.

Brita pitcher filters

These are accepted in Preserve's Gimme 5 program. See #5 plastics above.

CDs, DVDs, diskettes, video tapes, cords, cables, hard drives, etc.

For a small fee, Greendisk will send you a box to collect your computer related waste.

Cell phones, PDAs, and pagers

CollectiveGood collects cell phones, PDAs, and pagers. Devices that are still in working condition are put back into reuse; devices that are broken are taken apart, the usable parts are collected, and everything else is recycled in an environmentally responsible manner. They also recently launched a program to collect used electronics. You can trade in your old computers, printers, and gaming consoles for money, or donate the value to the charity of your choice.

Clothing

Even threadbare clothing can be donated to Goodwill, which turns them into rags or recycles the fibers into other materials.

Computers and small electronics

You can find a list of computer and small electronics recyclers at e-Stewards.org.

Drink pouches

TerraCycle collects drink pouches, cookie wrappers, energy bar wrappers, and yogurt cups and turns them into bags, backpacks, and planters. The catch is that you have to find someone or someplace that is collecting them.

Eyeglasses

The Lions Club and the Give the Gift of Sight Foundation have partnered to collect used eyeglasses, which they clean, repair, and distribute to needy people. You can find a Lions recycling center here.

Glue bottles and sticks

Set up an Elmer's Glue Crew Recycling Program at your local school.

Hangers

Donate them to a dry cleaner or thrift store.

Home improvement goods

Donate your old furniture, home accessories, building materials, and appliances to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Ink cartridges

Most office supply stores will recycle your old ink cartridges, and many give you a discount on your next purchase if you bring back the old one.

Jeans

Watch out for universities and retailers collecting used jeans for the Cotton, from Blue to Green campaign, which turns jeans into insulation.

Packing peanuts

Shipping stores such as The UPS Store will usually take back packing peanuts and reuse them.

Plastic bags

Return them to the grocery store - preferably the grocery store where you got them because different stores use different types of plastic to make their bags.

Polystyrene packaging materials

The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers has established several recycling drop-off locations, or you can mail them the packaging.

School supplies

ILoveSchools.com matches teachers with donors of equipment, supplies, and materials. Examples include computer equipment/software, TVs, VCRs, musical instruments, school supplies, sports equipment, and toys.

Wine and champagne corks (not plastic stoppers)

Mail them to Yemm & Hart, which will turn them into tiles.

Anything else I should add to the list?

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This post was shared at All Things Eco.

An Interview with Fake Plastic Fish

>> Sunday, March 14, 2010

Since we've been talking about reducing our trash for the past couple months, I wanted to introduce you to one of my eco-heroes, Beth from Fake Plastic Fish, who has been writing about reducing her plastic use since 2007.

Plastic is ubiquitous in our modern lives. Is it actually possible to live a life without plastic? Probably not - but we can definitely reduce how much plastic enters our lives and how much gets thrown away. After two and a half years of reducing, collecting, and examining her plastic use, Beth produced only 3.7 pounds of plastic waste in all of 2009 (roughly 4% of the U.S. per capita average).

Some of Beth's attempts to live life with less plastic may seem extreme. For example, she buys meat from the butcher to make her own cat food. I say, "Impressive!" Some may say, "Too extreme for me!" But even Beth doesn't expect everyone to go as far as she does. By attempting to weed out as much plastic as possible from her own life, Beth simply hopes to bring attention to the issue and show people what could be possible. Maybe you'll never make your own cat food, but after reading about Beth, you'll decide to do something that's possible for you - like using a reusable glass, mug, or bottle instead of buying bottled water.

Beth kindly agreed to answer some questions and provide some tips to help us use less plastic (and reduce our trash production). Enjoy!

Q: Can you give me some background info about why you're trying to limit the amount of plastic in your life?

A: The impetus happened two and a half years ago when I first saw a photo of a dead albatross chick on Midway Island, thousands of miles from civilization, whose carcass was completely full of plastic pieces. Plastic that I used in my daily life. From that moment on, I knew I had to change. I had no choice. Then, after learning more and more about plastic -- that most of plastic recycling is actually downcycling, that all plastics contain chemical additives that can leach and that manufacturers are not required to reveal those chemicals to us, that plastic is made from a non-renewable resource, etc. -- it became even more important to limit my exposure to plastics. Mostly I focus on single use plastics. But I also avoid buying new durable plastic items, opting for second hand whenever possible or finding a way to do without.

Q: I get a lot of funny (and sometimes antagonistic) reactions from people about my green lifestyle, and I'm nowhere near as far along as you. How do your friends and family react to your plastic-free lifestyle?

A: I don't know if I'm further along in all things green. I'm definitely further along in plastic reduction. But there are so many issues to consider. I could do much better in energy and water conservation. One thing that helps is that I live in a walkable, bikeable area with great public transit. We also have awesome sources of bulk foods where you can bring your own containers and bags. We all have different challenges and must do the best we can starting where we are.

My family and friends are actually very supportive. Some of my friends have made great green changes in their live. One of my friends bought a reusable water bottle and carries it everywhere. And she switched to reusable cloth maxi pads. Now, she's starting writing letters to companies about their waste! On the other hand, my co-workers think I'm weird and have no desire to change. Whatever. Sometimes I get frustrated, but mostly I just work on changing myself and being an example and letting people make their own decisions.

Q: Along the same lines, several people commented on my blog recently that sometimes sales clerks are not very nice when they try to use cloth bags. You go far beyond cloth bags to bringing your own straws, napkins, and to-go containers. What kinds of reactions do you get to that, and what advice would you give to people who are nervous about rocking the boat?

A: I get nervous about rocking the boat too! But I try to just feel the nervousness and do it anyway. And I remind myself that getting a weird look is not going to kill me. Recently, I wrote a post on that very subject.

Some store clerks are supportive. The staff at Berkeley Whole Foods, for example, don't bat an eye when we come in with our containers and bags. They will weigh the containers at the customer service desk so the cashier can deduct the weight as we check out. We even bring a big pot to the butcher counter to buy ground turkey for our homemade cat food.

Other shops don't allow customers to bring their own, citing questionable health regulations. I just void places like those. Luckily here in the Bay Area, there are plenty of places to choose from. If one shop won't do it, there's another one that will. My favorite Chinese restaurant has no problem putting take out food in our stainless steel tiffins. The trouble is, we always have to remind them not to put the tiffin in a plastic bag!

Q: At the Conscious Shopper, I divide a lot of my going green tips into Baby Steps (easy), Jogging Stride steps (medium), and Marathon Runner steps (hardest). Can you give us your favorite Baby Step, Jogging Stride, and Marathon Runner tips for reducing plastic?

A: First of all, what's easy for me might be hard for someone else and vice versa, so this list is based on my personal experience. Everyone's mileage may vary.

Baby Steps: Bring your own reusable grocery bags and reusable water bottle or travel mug wherever you go. I carry several ChicoBags in my purse and backpack at all times so I am never without a reusable bag in a pinch. The hardest part is remembering to empty them and put them back each time I get home. I try to do it immediately.

Jogging Strides:

Carry your own utensils, glass or stainless steel straw, stainless steel container like LunchBots or To-Go Ware. There is a new campaign called Take Out Without started by my friend Lisa Borden to encourage people to bring their own reusables for take out and leftovers and to encourage restaurants to get involved promoting the program.

Request no plastic packaging when placing orders online.

Wash your hair with a shampoo bar (like Burt's Bees rosemary mint shampoo bar or J.R. Liggett)

Switch from liquid soap to bar soap

Buy from bulk bins as much as possible bringing your own bags and containers

Marathon Runner:

Wash your hair with baking soda/vinegar

Stop eating convenience foods: energy bars, frozen foods, snack foods. They all come wrapped in plastic unless you can buy them from a bulk bin.

Buy all durable plastic items -- like electronics, appliances, etc. -- second hand instead of buying new plastic. It can be challenging to find these things.

Try as hard as possible to get stuff repaired when it breaks rather than discarding and buying new.

Send back unwanted plastic packaging to companies with a letter explaining why

Start a campaign like Take Back the Filter to get a company to take responsibility for its non-recyclable waste

Start a blog to encourage others to take these steps too!

I have a whole long list of suggestions on my website, Fake Plastic Fish.

Q: What books, movies, and websites would you recommend to someone who wants to learn more about reducing their plastic waste?

A: Web Sites:

Fake Plastic Fish of course!
TakeOutWithout (campaign for bringing our own reusables to restaurants)
Plastic Pollution Coalition (organization dedicated to stemming the tide of plastic pollution)
Life Without Plastic (source of a lot of great plastic-free products)
The list of plastic-free bloggers on my website. Too many to list here.

Movies:

I hope you all enjoyed learning more about Fake Plastic Fish. Isn't she inspiring?

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This post was shared at All Things Eco.

PlanetBox Review and Giveaway

>> Thursday, March 11, 2010

There are still a couple more weeks until the waste-free lunch challenge, but here's your chance to get a head start with a fabulous new lunchbox.

PLANETBOX REVIEW

When First Son started kindergarten this year, I thought about getting him his very own lunchbox as a "congratulations on being a big kid" gift, and of all the eco-friendly lunchboxes I discovered in my search for the perfect lunchbox, the PlanetBox was the one I drooled over the most. We ended up getting him a school sweatshirt instead of a lunchbox, so when the PlanetBox arrived in my mail for this review, it was the first time I'd seen it in person. And it only made me want it more!

Here are the things I love about this lunchbox:

It's made of stainless steel - not plastic.
It's all one piece - not a bunch of containers and lids that your child has to keep track of.
The food compartments are designed cafeteria-tray style, which is what we use at home. First Son has issues with food touching.
It's long-lasting and recyclable at the end of it's life.
It's dishwasher safe.

The PlanetBox also comes with cute magnets so your child can customize his lunchbox or freshen it up when he grows tired of the old ones. For more variety with your child's lunches, you can purchase the Big and Little Dippers - small containers to hold sauces, dips, and yogurt. And you can choose between a red, green, or purple lead-free carrying case with an inside pouch to hold a cold pack and an outside pouch to hold a beverage.

Packaging

The PlanetBox arrived at my door via USPS in a cardboard box with paper packaging. USPS is my preferred carrier because they come to my door anyway (and my postman comes on foot!), unlike other carriers that have to make a special trip.

Materials

The PlanetBox lunchbox is made of high quality stainless steel, which is safe for food and completely recyclable. The magnets are made out of a synthetic rubber (not PVC). The carry bags are made of recycled plastic and contain no "lead, vinyl/PVC, Phthalates, Bisphenol-A(BPA) or other harmful or toxic substances."

Manufacturing

Planet Box has this to say about their manufacturing:

Our stainless steel lunch boxes are made in Taiwan, and our magnets and bags are made in China. When we started our company, we did an extensive search domestically in the USA for suppliers who could manufacture our product. We were unable to locate manufacturing partners within the USA who could meet our needs. The one domestic manufacturer that we found who was willing to partner with us would have charged us a rate that meant we would have to sell the PlanetBox for $300 a piece! We share many of our customer’s concerns about working conditions abroad, and we work to make sure that the suppliers we choose to partner with provide ethical treatment to their employees and the environment.

(Simple Shoes says the same type of thing about why they manufacture their shoes overseas. I think it's really unfortunate, but I also don't want to pay $300 for a child's lunchbox! It's a tough, tough situation.)

Quality

Stainless steel is a long-lasting, durable material, and the lunchbox seems well-constructed. Each stainless steel lunchbox carries a five-year warranty covering defects in material or workmanship, and the carry bags have a one-year warranty.

Affordability

Unfortunately, the PlanetBox is not only the best eco-friendly lunchbox I've seen, it's also the most expensive ($35 for the lunchbox, $50 for the lunchbox and dippers, $60 for the whole package). However, the PlanetBox should last your child many, many years, and when you compare the cost of this lunchbox to the cost of purchasing disposable baggies and lunchbags, or the cost of purchasing a new vinyl lunchbag every year, you'll still come out far ahead.

Availability

Currently, the PlanetBox is only available for purchase on their website.

Visit PlanetBox for more information and to purchase your own stainless steel lunchbox!

GIVEAWAY

PlanetBox is generously offering one of their lunchboxes for one reader of The Conscious Shopper. (Note that this giveaway is only for a lunchbox - dippers and carrying case are not included.) Because PlanetBox is a very small company, they told me I could have my choice between a lunchbox to keep or a lunchbox to give away. You lucky readers, you...Here's how you can win a PlanetBox for your favorite child:

~~Leave a comment on this post stating your favorite waste-free lunch idea.~~

You can earn up to two extra entries by sharing this post on Facebook or tweeting it on Twitter and then leaving a comment for each thing that you do. This is completely based on the honor system, and remember that each comment is a separate entry.

~~You have until next Wednesday, March 17th to enter. I'll randomly select a winner and announce the results next Thursday. Good luck!~~

The winner of the PlanetBox giveaway is ME!, who wrote:

I am an elementary teacher and just today I have been creating ways for each grade level at our school to work on saving Earth! I want my class work on school lunches...how to bring reuseable containers and to work on not wasting food. Wouldn't it be great to have one of these lunch boxes as a giveaway!!!!! And I too came here from Big Green Purse!

I think it's pretty cool that the prize for this giveaway will be used in another giveaway. Hopefully it will help spread the word even more about this great lunchbox.

Thanks to everyone who entered. If you didn't win, you can purchase your own stainless steel lunchbox by visiting PlanetBox.

UPDATE: In response to a couple comments, I wrote:

Maren has a very good question. It's a bit heavier than a typical lunchbox, but it's definitely not heavy. Their website says, "It weighs 19 oz – less than most Harry Potter books!" :) I think it could be heavy for a preschooler but it would be fine for a kid in elementary school or older.

My other big concern for a kid's lunchbox was whether or not my child could open it without adult help. I like the Goodbyn (www.goodbyn.com), but I read some reviews saying it's difficult for a young kid to open. The PlanetBox is very easy to open with a little latch.

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Disclosure: PlanetBox did not compensate me in any way for this review. Most of the information in this review comes from their website, but the opinions are entirely my own.

Images courtesy of PlanetBox

Challengicious Monday: Reduce Packaging

>> Monday, March 1, 2010

Mondays are challengicious at The Conscious Shopper. Here's your next trash-related challenge:

Reduce Packaging

To complete this challenge, you can...

BABY STEPS

Buy concentrated products. The main ingredient in many products is water. Choose concentrated products and add your own water. You'll save packaging and money.

Buy products in bulk. Choose the largest size you can whenever you can.

JOGGING STRIDE

Eat fresh foods. Choose fresh over canned or frozen when possible, stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store, and get to know your farmer's market.

Limit individually packaged foods. I think this one's self-explanatory.

MARATHON RUNNER

Buy from the bulk bins. Check your local health and natural foods stores for a bulk bin section, where you can bring your own containers to buy as much or as little as you need.

Choose used over new. Buying used not only means no packaging, but it can give many products one more life before they head to the landfill.

As always, my perspective of the difficulty level of these steps may be different from yours. It was pretty easy for me to stop buying cheese sticks - much harder for me to work up the courage to use my own bags at the bulk bins. You might love thrift stores but have no idea how to cook a carrot. Work at your own level and to fit your own circumstances.

For more information about reducing packaging, check out:

Will you take the challenge?

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You have hereby been challenged to go green in a year without going broke! Check out the last challenge, or view the whole list of Challengicious Mondays.

Like what you see? Sign up for my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, and join my "Go Green without Going Broke" group on Facebook! You can also find me over at The Green Phone Booth.

EcoUsable Product Review and Giveaway

>> Friday, February 12, 2010

After the reusable water bottle challenge, a couple people asked me where I got the bottle my son is drinking out of. Well, here's your answer:

ECOUSABLE REVIEW

EcoUsable carries two types of bottles: standard stainless steel bottles in 10, 16, and 33 oz. sizes, and Ech2o Filtered water bottles in 18 and 25 oz. sizes. They also carry a wide variety of Water Wrapz - a sleeve that fits around the bottles for a comfortable hold and stylish look. Each standard bottle comes with a color coordinated carabiner so you can attach your bottle to your purse, bag, or backpack, and sports caps are also available. The Ech2o bottles contain a filter that will remove a variety of contaminants and can be used to filter up to 100 gallons of water. They come with a flip top.

Before I contacted EcoUsable about doing a review, we already had one of each type of bottle, so you can probably already guess that I like them. I especially like the standard bottles. With all of the stainless steel water bottles flooding the market, why do I like these bottles so much?

I think EcoUsable is a perfect stainless steel water bottle for kids. Here's why:

They have a slim, easy to hold design.
The 10 oz. and 16 oz. sizes are perfect for small and medium-sized kids.
The loop caps attach with a "half loop turn," which makes them easy to get on and off.
The sports caps are perfect for small kids that can't handle the loop cap.
The bottles come in fun colors and patterns.
The affordable Water Wrapz make it possible to spice up a bottle your child has fallen out of love with.
The price is not exorbitant.

I'm less enthusiastic about the Ech2o bottles - not because I don't think they're great but because I don't have as much need for that type of bottle in my life, and they are very pricey. But I think you should give the Ech2o a look if you have any of the following needs:

You don't like the taste of your tap water.
You're concerned about the quality of your city's tap water and are often away from home.
You camp/hike/backpack and need to filter water from rivers or lakes.
You want a filtered water bottle for your 72-hour emergency kit.
You want to keep a filtered water bottle in your car for emergencies.

Packaging

The water bottles arrived at my door in a cardboard box stuffed with newspaper. The bottles themselves are encased in a biodegradable baggie. Personally, I'm not a fan of bioplastics and think the bottles would be just fine shipping without the baggies. The sports caps are individually packaged in regular plastic.

Materials

All EcoUsable bottles are made of 304 food grade stainless steel and can be recycled at the end of their lives. Unlike aluminum bottles, stainless steel bottles do not leach and require no inner lining. The caps are made of #5 BPA-free plastic. On the bottom of each bottle is a non-slip pad made of non-toxic ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) - check out Healthy Child Healthy World for more info on EVA. The Water Wrapz are 70% polyester and 30% natural latex rubber.

Manufacturing

EcoUsable bottles are made in China, although the Ech2o filters are produced in the U.S. Regarding manufacturing, EcoUsable says:

To keep prices affordable we responsibly produce our bottles in China. We have an experienced and dependable team in China that visits the manufacturing facility on a regular basis. Our factory staff are all over 19 years of age, paid competitive wages for the area, and have a safe working environment. We hand inspect each shipment to ensure that EcoUsable's high quality standard is maintained. You can rest assured that we work in a socially responsible manner to bring you the highest quality bottle at a reasonable price.

Quality

Stainless steel is a long-lasting, durable material, and both the standard bottles and the Ech2o seem well-constructed. However, unless you are ultra careful, expect that your bottle will get dents and scuffs.

Affordability

The standard bottles range in price from $12.50 to $18.50, a typical price for a good stainless steel water bottle. As I already mentioned, the 25 oz. Ech2o bottles are very pricey at $40 each. (Unfortunately, I don't have the price on the 18 oz. bottles.) I personally think the Ech2o is less of an everyday use bottle and more of a special occasion bottle for situations like camping, hiking, backpacking, and emergencies.

Availability

EcoUsable bottles are available in 1,500 retail stores nationwide and of course online at ecousable.com. You can also purchase bottles branded with your group's logo for fundraising and promotional purposes.

Visit ecousable.com for more information and to purchase your own EcoUsable bottles!

GIVEAWAY

EcoUsable sent me everything but the kitchen sink for this giveaway. I have a 33 oz. standard bottle, two 16 oz. standard bottles, one 10 oz. standard bottle, one 25 oz. Ech2o, two 18 oz. Ech2os, five Water Wrapz, and two sports caps.

So that means, lucky readers, that there will be two winners of this giveaway! The first place winner will get his/her choice of four water bottles, three wrapz, and one sports cap. The second place winner will get what's left (including three water bottles, two wrapz, and one sports cap).

~~To enter:~~

~~Leave a comment on this post stating why you use a reusable water bottle. If you haven't switched to a reusable bottle yet, you can say why you want to switch.~~

You can earn up to two extra entries by sharing this post on Facebook or tweeting it on Twitter and then leaving a comment for each thing that you do. This is completely based on the honor system, and remember that each comment is a separate entry.

~~You have until next Thursday, February 18 to enter. I'll randomly select two winners and announce the results next Friday. Good luck!~~

Comments are closed. The 1st place winner is DownDoggin in MN, who wrote:

I use a reusable water bottle because it's better for the planet, easy, cheap, and I can't see any reason not to. Here's my two cents for the day; you can fill them 3/4 of the way, throw them in the freezer and use them to keep you cooler cold on camping trips, when the ice melts you have extra drinking water...and I fill my bottle up at gas stations using the soda machines, nine out of ten times there's a water tab on them. It's an easy way to continue using your bottle without having to fill it in the gas station bathroom and it's free :)

The 2nd place winner is Wonder-ful, who wrote:

I was just talking to my grandma about trying a reusable water bottle. I have a stainless steel one that when filled with water from the fridge, keeps is very very cold for a long time.

She uses plastic bottles and insists on having them kept in the fridge to ensure that the water is cold at any given point in time.

My arguement is that by getting her a bottle that miraculously keeps water cold for hours at a time we'd be saving a butt-load of money and our sanity (as we're the ones going back and fourth between her and the fridge)

I'm entering for her.

Congratulations to both of you! Please email me with your address to consciousshopperblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

If you don't win this giveaway, don't worry...all is not lost. You can use the coupon code ECO10 to receive 10 percent off of the purchase of your very own EcoUsable water bottle.

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Disclosure: EcoUsable sent me several water bottles to be able to write this review but did not compensate me in any other way. Most of the information in this review comes from EcoUsable's website, but the opinions are entirely my own.

ECOBAGS Product Review and Giveaway

>> Thursday, January 28, 2010

Do you need a little extra nudge to complete last week's Switch to Cloth Bags challenge? I'm here to help!

ECOBAGS REVIEW

ECOBAGs generously sent me one free canvas tote for my review. When I pulled my tote out of the mailer, I did a little happy dance. After using those recycled plastic green bags from the grocery store for three years now, this bag feels so high quality and chic. It's huge! And strong! (And I'm a total dweeb for getting so excited about a bag...)

The sample I received is an organic cotton tote that says "Nothing on Me is Plastic." The photo does not do justice to how much this baby could hold (up to the equivalent of four or five plastic bags, according to the company). It's machine washable - you should periodically wash your cloth bags - and I love the extra long handles that can fit over my shoulder for easier carrying.

Packaging

As you can see from the top photo, my tote arrived in a UPS bubble mailer - not the ideal packaging, but my ECOBAGS contact assured me that typical orders are shipped "in a small cardboard box with rice-based peanuts" and that products are generally shipped via USPS. (My bag came in a bubble mailer because it was shipped from their public relations agency rather than an ECOBAGS warehouse.)

Materials

ECOBAGS are available in a variety of natural, organic and recycled fibers.

Manufacturing

All ECOBAGS are certified fair wage/fair labor by SKAL in the EU which meets the Global Organic Textile Standards. You can read more about ECOBAGS stand on social responsibility here.

Quality

One of the first things I noticed about my ECOBAG canvas tote was how strong it seems. Maybe it's just because I'm used to using those aforementioned recycled plastic bags from the grocery store that feel like you could punch a hole in them with your finger nail. The canvas material that the ECOBAG is made of feels very sturdy and long-lasting. My one criticism is that I think the handles could use some extra reinforcing stitches.

Affordability

The ECOBAG that I received for review costs $16 each online, which is pretty pricey for a cloth bag, but ECOBAGS carries products in a wide range of prices starting at about $5 for totes and $2.50 for produce bags. You can also get a good deal by buying one of the "E-Shopping Systems," starter kits with canvas, string, and produce bags.

Availability

According to their website, ECOBAGS are available in natural foods, gourmet, eco, grocery, and drug stores, and of course you can order them online.

Visit ecobags.com for more information and to purchase your own ECOBAGS!

GIVEAWAY

ECOBAGS is offering a produce bag set to one lucky reader of The Conscious Shopper!

This set includes three produce bags (small, medium, and large) made of unbleached, untreated cotton. The bags are ultra lightweight so they will barely register on the produce scale.

If you're ready to progress from Baby Steps to Jogging Stride, this set would be a great addition to your cloth bag collection!

~~To enter:~~

Leave a comment on this post with a tip for how you remember to take your cloth bags with you when you go shopping. If you're a recent convert to cloth bags, you can describe how you plan to help yourself remember your bags.

You can earn up to two extra entries by sharing this post on Facebook or tweeting it on Twitter and then leaving a comment for each thing that you do. This is completely based on the honor system, and remember that you should leave one comment for sharing it on Facebook and a separate comment for tweeting it on Twitter.

~~You have until next Wednesday, February 3rd to enter. I will announce the winner next Thursday. Good luck!~~

Comments are closed. The winner is....KaKi, who wrote:

I have been using cloth bags for several years now. I have one large canvas bag which I received free a long time ago which I use to store all my bags. I hang it over the passenger's head rest and that way it is visible to me and reminds me to pick it up. What I don't have and have been looking into are produce bags. so.....fingers crossed.....

Glad to help you get started with cloth produce bags, KaKi! Please email your address to consciousshopperblog [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll get those shipped write out to you.

____________________

You have hereby been challenged to go green in a year without going broke! Check out the latest challenge, or view the whole list of Challengicious Mondays.

Like what you see? Sign up for my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, and join my "Go Green without Going Broke" group on Facebook! You can also find me over at The Green Phone Booth.

Challengicious Monday: Start Using a Reusable Water Bottle/Thermos

>> Monday, January 25, 2010

Mondays are challengicious at The Conscious Shopper. Here's your next trash-related challenge:

Start using a reusable water bottle/thermos

To complete this challenge, you can...

BABY STEPS

Use a reusable water bottle/thermos at work. The office is the perfect place to start this challenge because so many offices provide free coffee, filtered water...and styrofoam cups. A nice gesture, but you can do better. Bring your own mug or thermos to work for coffee and a mug or water bottle for water. (This challenge is based on the assumption that you're using reusable glasses at home. If not, start there!)

JOGGING STRIDE

Break up with bottled water. Bottled water is expensive and comes in disposable plastic packaging that could be leaching into your water. Plus, filtered tap water is just as clean as bottled water (in many cases, bottled water is just tap water with fancy packaging). Save money, save resources, avoid toxins...Avoiding bottled water is a Conscious Shopper no-brainer.

MARATHON RUNNER

Use your own water bottle/thermos at restaurants. Once you've got the hang of reusing at home and work, it's time to take your new habit out into the world. When you go to a restaurant that uses disposable cups, ask them to put your beverage in your own water bottle or thermos.

I say water bottle or thermos throughout this post, but really the focus is on switching from a single-use product (such as a styrofoam cup) or single-use packaging (such as a water or soda bottle) to a product that is reusable and long-lasting, whether that's a stainless steel water bottle, a thermos, a mug, a glass jar, or even just a glass from your kitchen cupboard.

I debated over which challenge to make the Jogging Stride and which to make the Marathon Runner, and ultimately I think it depends on what's hardest for you. I never got into a bottled water habit, so it wasn't hard for me to give up, though it might be for some people. On the other hand, I'm still working on being brave enough for "public displays of eco-affection," so asking the Starbucks barista to put my hot chocolate in the thermos I brought is a challenge for me. What do you think?

Will you take the challenge?

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Life without Plastic Bags

>> Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I'm over at The Green Phone Booth today describing how we've survived without plastic bags:

Three years ago, I decided to switch to cloth grocery bags. I didn't know anyone else who used cloth bags and I suspected that the bagboy at my grocery store would throw a fit and refuse to bag my groceries, but I knew it was the right thing to do. And that I could easily bag my own groceries.

I dived right in, collecting a huge stash of bags for my bi-weekly trips to the grocery store, and besides a few rolled eyes from the cashiers, it's been a seamless transition.

Except for one thing...remembering to take my bags.

Read more...

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Challengicious Monday: Switch to Cloth Bags

>> Monday, January 18, 2010

Mondays are challengicious at The Conscious Shopper. Here's your next challenge:

Switch to cloth bags.

To complete this challenge, you can...

BABY STEPS

Bag your groceries in cloth. Gather a collection of cloth bags and take them with you every time you go to the grocery store. Paper or plastic? Neither for you!

JOGGING STRIDE

Bag your produce in cloth. If you're already using cloth to bag your groceries, take it to the next level - say byebye to those thin plastic produce bags by bringing your own cloth produce bags. These bags are also useful for the farmer's market.

MARATHON RUNNER

Become a full time cloth bag user. Never bring home a plastic bag again! Take your cloth bags with you every time you shop.

This is one challenge where I'm happy to say I rock! Check out The Green Phone Booth later this week, where I'll tell you about the end of plastic bags in my home.

Will you take the challenge?

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Double Documentary Weekend, Part 1: The Disappearing Male

>> Thursday, September 24, 2009

For some reason, I was in a documentary watching mood this weekend. Maybe it's because No Impact Man and The Age of Stupid both came out but aren't playing anywhere near me, so I felt like I needed some sort of green documentary fix anyway I could get it. Or maybe it's just that I was feeling really lazy this weekend but couldn't watch TV because hubby had dibs (football). Either way, I watched two very interesting documentaries this weekend, and I wanted to share.

Documentary #1: The Disappearing Male

EcoYogini wrote about this CBC documentary last week, and her description had me intrigued.

The Disappearing Male examines the effect of our widespread chemical use on boys - particularly hormone-mimicking and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. According to the video, boys today are more likely to have low sperm count, genital deformities, and testicular cancer than previous generations of males. Plus, the number of male births worldwide has decreased over the past few decades by millions, and the World Health Organization has drastically lowered the level at which a male is deemed infertile due to low sperm count (because they couldn't go around declaring that half the male population is infertile).

My husband joined me for the last ten or fifteen minutes of this documentary, and when it finished, I turned to him and said, "Watching this kind of thing makes me feel completely hopeless."

I absolutely believe we are manufacturing and using chemicals that are harmful to our bodies. But they are everywhere - not just in the products we make, but in the air we breath and the water we drink. Avoiding them is impossible, so it feels almost like a pointless battle. Like when people switch to a stainless steel water bottle to avoid the BPA in plastic water bottles. Probably a good choice.

But did you know that due to all of the birth control pills we're popping these days, you're probably drinking estrogen in your tap water? Did you know that your wall-to-wall carpet is glued down with toxic glue, your mattress might be coated with a toxic flame retardant, that new car smell is actually the scent of toxicity from your vinyl seats, and your nonstick pans are adding a toxic seasoning to your foods? Did you know that due to the offgassing of all the stuff we fill our homes with, there's likely more air pollution inside your home than outside?

It feels like people have latched onto this small handful of chemicals - BPA, pthalates, parabens, etc. - when weeding out those few chemicals is going to make so little difference. We need an entire system overhaul!

Anyway, small rant aside...even though this documentary made me feel hopeless, it was an intriguing look at this subject. If you haven't heard much about the harmful effects of these chemicals on boys, if you've heard a little but weren't convinced, or especially if you have sons, you'll want to set aside 45 minutes and take a look.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the other documentary: God Grew Tired of Us.

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My Response to Fake Plastic Fish: What Is Plastic Good For?

>> Wednesday, July 8, 2009

I have a dirty little secret to tell you...My dad works for the plastics industry. He's an accountant at a plastic bottle plant for a large plastics company.

Here's another little secret...I worked at that plant for a year when I was in college. Yes, I have made many, many, many plastic bottles.

So when I read about (and even write about) the problems with plastic, I really weigh the pros and cons of the issue. My dad's job is involved. And because of that, I think I end up being a little less extreme than some so-called anti-plastic bloggers.

To be honest, I think extremity in any form hurts a cause more than helps it. And that's why I've been intrigued to read Fake Plastic Fish's back and forth discussion with a plastics industry insider. Both of them have presented their arguments rationally and without finger-pointing, and surprisingly, they believe many of the same things. This kind of discussion gets me excited because I think it's through this kind of finding-a-common-ground dialogue that real progress can be made.

In her post yesterday, Fake Plastic Fish posed several questions about plastic. Here are my answers:

What do you see as the major problems with plastic?

Wastefulness. Somehow, we've decided that plastic, more than any other non-biodegradable material, is disposable. So we use endless numbers of plastic bags, plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic cutlery, plastic packaging, etc. Why on earth would we think that something primarily made of a nonrenewable resource that does not biodegrade could be called disposable!

Disposal. I doubt I'd see plastic as such a problem if I hadn't seen all those pictures of dead birds and turtles with plastic-filled stomachs. And after reading Cradle to Cradle, I've come to the conclusion that all plastic should be fully recycled, and if it can't be, it shouldn't be made.

Health. This is a minor reason for me - as I've mentioned before, I tend to tune out when people start taking about how something is bad for my health. Everything is bad for our health. But when it concerns my children, I adopt a "better safe than sorry" attitude.

What uses for plastic (if any) are necessary and beneficial to society?

There are so many beneficial uses for plastic. Health and safety are probably the main ones for me. But honestly, I can't see how they could make most of the items we use everyday without plastic.

Would you like to see a world without any plastic at all? What would that look like?

I don't think it's necessary to have a world without any plastic at all. What we need are better designed products, better produced plastics, and a better recycling system. We also need to eliminate the idea of plastics as disposable. No more one-time-use plastics! And if plastics are used as packaging, they should be compostable or biodegradable (and there should be systems set up so they can be composted).

Do you trust the plastics industry to tell you the truth about their products? Why or why not?

No. I don't trust any industry to tell me the truth. They're in business to make money, and if telling the truth will hurt their bottom line, they're not going to tell the truth. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll lie (though many industries do). But there might be some truth-stretching and some truth-hiding.

Do you trust the American Chemistry Council to tell you the truth?

I don't know anything about the American Chemistry Council, so I can't answer this question.

What questions would you ask a plastics professional if you could?

What steps are you taking to solve the problems with plastic?
What will it take for the plastics industry to decide to change?

What role do you think the plastics industry should play in solving the environmental problems associated with plastic?

I would love if the plastics industry played a major role in solving the plastic problem, but only if they're going to do it for the right reasons and in the right ways. If the plastics industry is going to get involved, I want to see real solutions. Like plastics that don't leach harmful chemicals into our foods. Like plastics that are fully recyclable in a cradle to cradle life cycle, or plastics that are truly compostable or biodegradable.

Beyond the plastics industry, I'd like to see other businesses making smarter decisions. Like designing good products that last and can be recycled when their lives are over. Like truly weighing the environmental effects of different materials and choosing the best material, not just the cheapest. Like minimizing or eliminating plastic packaging. Like more opportunities to buy food and personal care products in bulk.

What else would you like to share?

Plastic is just one aspect of our overall waste problem, and I am convinced that the most important thing we can do to combat waste is consume less. Buy less, use less, reuse, and repair. And then recycle.

Photo by Shazari

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