Plastic Reduction & Where to Recycle Stuff

PLASTIC REDUCTION RESOURCES

Egremont recycling information: https://www.egremont-ma.gov/green.html

SITES WITH TIPS

https://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/

https://zerowastehome.com/tips/

https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/the-ultimate-list-of-zero-waste-swaps

Information about the environmental impact of plastic:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/

https://beyondplastics.org/article/what-you-can-do-to-help-end-plastic-pollution/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/07/story-of-plastic-sticky-problem-of-plastic-wrap/

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/09/20/how-to-recycle-plastic 

“We can't recycle our way out of this problem,” “We have to buy less plastic, and we need American and other businesses to make less plastic. There are alternatives, [but …] even the most careful consumer has a hard time avoiding plastics.”

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/carrying-your-own-fork-spoon-help-plastic-crisis/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauratenenbaum/2019/07/16/plastic-cutlery-is-terrible-for-the-environment-and-we-dont-need-to-have-it-delivered/#609dc2ef4019

https://envirobank.com.au/coffee-cups-recyclable-or-not/

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/sustainable-toilet-paper

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/9/11/17614540/plastic-food-containers-contamination-health-risks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCs8iZFKzdE (PBS: Why it will take more than basic recycling to cut back on plastic)

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF DAILY TIPS

How to make a garbage bag out of newspaper:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Newspaper-Garbage-Bag/

On Canning and Freezing Food:

https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-101-getting-started.html

https://abetterwaytothrive.com/freezing-in-glass-no-more-broken-jars/

Why Cooked at Home Is Better Than Take-Out (Containers):

https://www.wired.com/story/pfas-forever-chemicals-are-in-your-popcornand-your-blood/

Fruit vs Fruit Juice:

https://www.consumerreports.org/healthy-eating/forget-the-juice-eat-the-whole-fruit-instead/

Tea and Tea Bags:

https://www.bwellbhealthy.com/blog/2017/2/26/is-the-tea-you-are-drinking-toxic-and-the-tea-bag-it-is-in

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2217483-plastic-tea-bags-shed-billions-of-microplastic-particles-into-the-cup/

https://www.cleanplates.com/eat/tips-eat/these-teas-are-toxin-free/

 https://worldteanews.com/market-trends-data-and-insights/pesticides-in-french-teas-prompt-the-question-what-is-safe 

Disposable Razors:

https://groundswell.org/2-billion-tossed-per-year-whats-the-most-wasteful-bathroom-product/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/disposable-razors-environment_l_5cdb237de4b0790953deb7de

Toothbrushes:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/story-of-plastic-toothbrushes/

Make Your Own Toothpaste Recipe:

http://trashisfortossers.com/my-zero-waste-homemade-toothpaste-recipe/

Make Your Own Liquid Soap:

https://clark.com/family-lifestyle/make-liquid-hand-soap-bar-scraps/

Cleaning Supplies:

https://pollybarks.com/zero-waste-cleaning/

https://thegreenparent.co.uk/articles/read/make-your-own-cleaning-products

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/make-at-home-cleaners/

On Mini Hotel Toiletries:

https://www.msn.com/en-sg/lifestyle/travel/were-witnessing-the-slow-death-of-mini-hotel-toiletries-%E2%80%93-and-it-cant-come-soon-enough/ar-BBW70yi

On Gift Giving:

https://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/11/green-gifts-dont-have-to-suck/

https://selfsufficientkids.com/eco-friendly-gifts-for-kids/

https://selfsufficientkids.com/gifts-to-make-the-holidays-less-materialistic/

Halloween:

http://lifewithoutplasticblog.com/doing-halloween-without-plastic/?mc_cid=11328548f5&mc_eid=0a14e7fbd9

Reducing Plastic for Pet Parents:

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/quick-and-dirty-tips-to-be-a-plastic-free-pet-parent/

Balloons:

http://balloonsblow.org/environmentally-friendly-alternatives

https://encenter.org/visit-us/programs/birthday-parties/balloons/

https://earth911.com/living-well-being/events-entertainement/balloons-environment/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2019/05/28/why-the-balloon-release-tradition-is-terrible-for-the-environment/#4980a11641b6

Fabric/Clothing:

https://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/clothes/environmental-impacts

https://goodonyou.eco/how-sustainable-is-fleece/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/20/microfibers-plastic-pollution-oceans-patagonia-synthetic-clothes-microbeads

https://nylon.com/synthetic-fleece-environmental-impact

https://www.npr.org/2016/04/08/473513620/what-happens-when-fashion-becomes-fast-disposable-and-cheap

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/transforming-the-fashion-industry_n_57ceee96e4b0a48094a58d39

 

BOOKS

Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash, by Shia Su

Life Without Plastic, by Chantal Plamondon and Jay Sinha

Plastic Purge, by Michael San Clements

Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste, by Bea Johnson

The Art of Frugal Hedonism, by Annie Raser-Rowland with Adam Grubb

 

RECIPES

All-purpose cleaner:

·      1 part vinegar in 3 parts water

Scouring powder:

·      Baking soda

 

Deodorant: 

·      1/4 cup baking soda

·      1/4 cup arrowroot flour

·      6-8 T coconut oil 

Mix, store in glass container. Apply with fingers.

OR

·      2 spoons Shea butter

·      2 spoons cornstarch

·      1 spoon sodium bicarbonate 

·      7 drops tea tree oil

·      7 drops lavender oil

Melt shea butter, add cornstarch & sodium bicarbonate. Stir, add oils. Put in glass container & chill.

 

Mouthwash:

Cover fresh or dried sage with boiled water, steep for 4 hours or overnight. Strain into glass jar. After 2 weeks throw away & make new batch. Sage has antiseptic & antibiotic properties.

 

Toothpaste:

·      2T coconut oil

·      1 T baking soda

·      15-20 drops organic essential oils, flavor of your choice, peppermint 

·      Flavor: cinnamon, ginger

Mix all. Dampen toothbrush and apply; you don’t need too much. Brush.

OR

·      1/4 cup xylitol (a natural sweetener)

·      1/4 cup baking soda (mild abrasive: dislodges plaque, breaks down stains, neutralizes pH)

·      1/4 cup bentonite clay (draws out toxins, contains calcium, helps to re-mineralize teeth)

·      Optional: peppermint oil, orange oil, coconut oil

Mix all, avoid metal which will deactivate it. Stir with a wooden spoon or chop stick & store in glass container.

OR

·      3 ounces sea salt

·      6 ounces baking soda

·      5 drops of peppermint and/or clove oil (optional)

From https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/why-i-quit-toothpaste/

 

Laundry:

Stains: borax/water paste

Soap nuts for laundry detergent

 

PURCHASE PLASTIC-ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS

LOCAL STORES OFFER PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES. SHOP LOCALLY TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINT. 

·      One Mercantile

·      Berkshire Co-op

·      Guido’s (Guido’s bulk bins. Plastic bags no longer used. https://guidosfreshmarketplace.com/blog/bulk-foods-101-with-alana-chernila/)

·      Big Y

 

ONLINE:

www.planetwiseinc.com -- reusable trash can liners (small) and laundry bags/kitchen pail liners.

https://to-goware.com/ -- bamboo cutlery and tiffins

https://www.commongoodandco.com/apps/store-locator/ -- glass jars/bottles

https://food52.com/shop -- Food52 -- has some non-plastic alternatives for the kitchen

https://nothingnew.com – sneakers made of recycled plastic

https://us.whogivesacrap.org -- paper products 

https://alpacasofmontana.com/products/alpaca-felted-dryer-balls -- wool (alpaca) dryer balls (made in Montana) (equivalent at One Mercantile)

 

CLEANING SUPPLIES:

Rubber gloves: Casabella 100% latex gloves 

If You Care brand FSC-certified natural rubber gloves

 

DENTAL:

Bamboo toothbrush

Zero Waste Toothpaste with Fluoride

Bite tooth-"paste" and floss

Debttabs Toothbrush Tablets

Eco Easy Zero Waste Toothpaste Tablets

Dr Tiblet toothpaste tablets

Zero Waste Dental Lace (dental floss)

Eco Dent Premium Dental Floss (at Berkshire Co-op)

 

MISC:

LYRA dry highlighters pencils

WHERE TO RECYCLE STUFF