A Week's Worth of Plastics

[pinkytoe]

I have noticed that there is more and more plastic in our recycling bin as time goes by:
https://www.businessinsider.com/plas...llution-2018-6

[nswef]

Paul Newman spaghetti sauce is now in a plastic jar. I HATE it! It has ridges inside that trap the sauce. I can't heat it in the microwave...An irritant for me. More plastic. Apparently it has to do with shipping weight as well. And, the neighboring county no longer takes glass in the recycle bin.

[CathyA]

I am ashamed at how much plastic I make in a week. I recycle all plastic and bags.......but there's sooooo much that isn't recyclable. ....... crackers, meat, cheese, labels on cans and jars, etc., etc., etc.
It seems like the more we hear how devastating plastics are to the environment, the more things are made in plastic.
With China not accepting our filthy, contaminated "recyclables", the worse it's going to get here.

I needed a preservative-free eye lubrication fluid and had to either contaminate my eyes, or get the disposible small, one-use plastic vials. I try to avoid plastic as much as I can, but it's impossible.
What will it take to get people to give a rip about our environment??

I also buy olive oil in glass from a place in California who grows their own olives. But now I see they have a "Destination" olive oil that comes from California AND other countries and it is in plastic now too.
I also see a lot of organic stuff that is in plastic. It surprises me that they care about health of people.....but not the earth's.

Be sure to call all the companies that you're unhappy with about their packaging.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

It is getting harder and harder to find a place here that takes plastic, even #1 & 2. Discouraging.

[catherine]

I've been seeing commercials for 4Ocean

Looks like a great enterprise. Anyone know much about it?

[jp1]

SO insists that the orange juice that comes in a heavy duty plastic bottle is better than the concentrate that comes in a cardboard tube with metal lids, or even the concentrate that comes in a plastic can. This frustrates me to no end (and he knows this) both because of the plastic and because shipping energy usage is significantly higher than concentrate mixed with water from our faucet. But he's an adult so I can't really do more than express my annoyance.

There are some plastic containers that are just unavoidable, like my contact juice and SO's distilled water for his cpap, but I at least try to be mindful.

[Gardnr]

Our recycling company has stopped taking some plastics: no dairy containers, no clamshell produce containers. So our garbage is up and our recycling bin is down. So So sad! Thank you yet again, Mr President.

[CathyA]

Can you imagine what will happen from China not taking our Sh*t? I always thought it might be eye-opening for everyone to be required to keep their trash on their own property/apartment/business for a couple months, in hopes of them becoming aware of what a problem it is. Since we have rural land, I'm sure it would quickly become a dump, from other people dumping their stuff on it. They already do that sometimes........mostly tires.

No matter how we try to NOT use plastics, it's impossible to cut them out. I think I would go crazy if I still worked as a nurse........all the IV bags, medicine bottles, syringes, etc. They used to burn that stuff, but I don't know if they still do.

What a mess we've created.....and to think developing countries want the same things.

[pinkytoe]

Everything is scaled now to massive production and distribution. For younger folk, lettuce/spinach in a big plastic box is perfectly normal. I must be really old as I remember when Breck shampoo came in a glass bottle.

[ApatheticNoMore]

For younger folk, lettuce/spinach in a big plastic box is perfectly normal.

realistically otherwise they would put it in a plastic bag. I've still not found out an ideal way to store veggies in the veggie bin without plastic produce bags. Maybe there are reusable ones, I really don't know.

I also buy olive oil in glass from a place in California who grows their own olives. But now I see they have a "Destination" olive oil that comes from California AND other countries and it is in plastic now too.

CA lost 1/3 or more of the olive crop due to unpredictable weather last year (but climate change and ecological collapse will have no effect on the food system - carry on merrily everyone), that's why it's from elsewhere. Why it's plastic I don't know, possibly cheaper to ship over an ocean, but not really better for the world, they should just use glass.