Plastic Fantastic...

[Mrs-M]

It's all Domestic Goddess's fault! LOL! :)

A thread she started, "paper vs plastic kids dishes", gave me the idea to start this topic.

OK, so where are your failing grade areas (in your home) related to plastic-use? Do you feel guilty about it, or are you like me regarding certain plastic-use, and thank the heavens above for plastic?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not (at all) in favour of the high plastic-use/content we are seeing in this day and age, but I know in speaking from experience, I'm grateful for the many plastic things that were available to me when I needed them, and I'm still grateful for plastics, today, just not on the level we are seeing them.

http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=892&d=1345400204

Oh, and yes, I totally forgot to add the kids plastic dishes into the picture! %#@*#! LOL!

[Rosemary]

We mostly use it for packing lunches (100% reusable, no bags for this purpose) and for storage bins. We have a small drawer of plastic plate and cups for when we have a bunch of kids here. DD is old enough to be mostly out of the plastic toy stages. For food storage for consumption at home, I use glass.

[Readsomething]

I'm not that freaked out by all plastics in general. My main area of concern is not adding more to the waste stream. We all take food to school or work (DD is going into 4th grade and takes soup to lunch nearly every day, and DH works nights and takes dinner to work). I try to minimize the use of plastic baggies, but we use them for freezing food. I buy big value packs of meats and split them up, and I use baggies for this purpose. For taking our lunches, we use reusable containers made of plastic. But I'm just happy to work on not adding baggies to the garbage. DH rebelled a bit when I said we were cutting back on baggie use (he's always in a hurry in the afternoon before work, and he's always change-averse). But he has come around to my way of thinking -- he adds melted cheese to pretty much anything edible ("Would you like some melted cheddar on your ice cream, sir?") and that's a bit more difficult to eat when it's in a baggie. :~) My co-workers kind of snort because I'll take PB&J in a giant plastic container if that's all that's clean, rather than use a baggie. (I'm on a Nutella kick right now that is proving pretty intractable.) :0!

We use foil for some grilled items, but we use as little as possible (mostly to hold things together). Everything else is reusable. Of course, when DD was a baby waaaaay back in 2003 (before the BHA thing), we used plastic bottles. (She was adopted from China, so breast-feeding was not a realistic option.) We even used some bottles we purchased in China, a thought that now scares me to death, knowing what I know now about the Chinese manufacturing ideas for stuff used in their own country. (Not very good -- it's difficult to feel trust for the food safety in a country where melamine was added to milk, etc.)

[Bugeah]

We stopped using plastic reusable containers over a year ago and switched to glass ones. No more BPA or other chemicals leaching in to my family's food! Pyrex makes really sturdy ones that are oven, dishwasher, and microwave safe and they come in lots of different sizes with matching (rubber/plastic?) lids. I don't microwave the lid so I'm not so worried about any chemicals leaching from it. We use plastic baggies and plastic wrap as little as possible. We use glass jars for as much food storage as possible, but we still have a few more plastic containers to toss. We do use plastic plates and cups while camping however, since that is less wasteful than paper and more practical than standard dishes. We are absolutely loving it and even DH was happy to make the switch. The kids do still use plastic toys but they are all old enough that they don't put them in their mouths.

[early morning]

I use plastic containers for short-term food storage - I try for BPA free. Not fond of plastic baggies for food, but have some on hand and use them occasionally. I have to take my lunch to work in plastic if I pack, and I always do - glass is not permitted. I prefer metal travel mugs, but I do have a plastic one, and I use it. I don't store any foods long-term in plastic, but use glass, mostly canning jars, instead. I could manage at home without most plastic, although it would be a bit inconvenient, esp. for trash can liners, box fans, and most small appliances. We're pretty fanatical about recycling plastics, too.

[Nella]

Pyrex makes really sturdy ones that are oven, dishwasher, and microwave safe and they come in lots of different sizes with matching (rubber/plastic?) lids.I'm a big Pyrex fan, but beware of the new Pyrex that's being made in China. It can shatter easily with temperature change. My understanding is that when the company outsourced it's manufacturing the quality of the sand used in the glassware was downgraded making the glass much less strong/stable. I now buy only used Pyrex (mostly from thrift stores) which has the Made in the USA label imprinted on it. Fortunately, there's lots of good Pyrex on the used market.

And BTW, I'm a big proponent of glass and pottery for food preparation, consumption and storage. I have almost no plasticware anymore and I used to be the Tupperware Queen!

[SteveinMN]

I'm a big Pyrex fan, but beware of the new Pyrex that's being made in China. It can shatter easily with temperature change.
Great. The entire point of dealing with the weight and expense of Pyrex and now it's gone. Is there nothing that can be made so cheap it's useless? :doh:

[treehugger]

Every time I see this thread come up it makes me laugh because it reminds me of the "Rediscover Plastic!" marketing campaign from 10 years (or so) ago. Does anyone else remember those commercials? So funny. Something like, "Your life would be so much better/easier/safer/more pleasant, if you would just add plastic!" Not exactly the same, but similar (http://plasticsmakeitpossible.com/)

Kara

[Mrs-M]

Rosemary. Me, too, glass for food-storage (all the way), but what a blessing Tupperware/Rubbermaid is when it comes to packing lunches.

Readsomething. Less plastic into the waste-stream, is my motto, too. I used plastic baby bottles, too (glass and plastic), and have to admit that when all the hoopla surfaced pertaining to plastic nursers, it sent shivers running up and down my spine. Makes one so angry when you do your best to choose products you feel are safe, yet find out they aren't, only to see that unsafe plastic goods continue to remain readily available on the market.

Bugeah. Re: microwave heating, I, too, practice the "no plastic rule". Waxed paper as a covering (when microwaving) is the household standard in our home.

Early Morning. Courtesy of your entry, I see I also forgot to incorporate the Glad Kitchen Catcher box in the picture, but yes, absolutely, garbage can liners are a must. I, too, think I could manage just fine without a lot of plastic things in the home (no problem), especially now that the kids are older, however, kids sure do encourage additional plastic-use, don't they.

Nella. Blushing a little here, but I'm still QUITE the Tupperware/Rubbermaid queen. I haven't bought Pyrex in years, so it's great to know the quality has changed.

SteveinMN. Ditto. Cheap, useless stuff, is a major pet-peeve of mine. Always has been.

Treehugger. I'm going to have to research the commercials you speak of. I don't ever recall seeing one, but maybe Youtube, has a few to offer.

[creaker]

I think the big problem is not so much plastic but disposables - I volunteer at a soup kitchen thing every week that has been around since 1984. We have reusable plastic plates and cups we use every week that don't break and could probably last for decades. Once upon a time they used all disposables and styrofoam and plastic silverware (we have metal silverware now). I can't imagine how trash they must have thrown out every week.

[Mrs-M]

Excellent point Re: disposables, Creaker. If I could vote for one or the other, I'd vote-out disposables. So happy I am to know the kitchen has gone to reusable plastic.