Observations of a mad woman trying to be environmentally responsible:

I’m mad.  Crazy mad and mad that simple alternatives are not even on the radar.

Almond milk is good, but I’ll likely go back to my regular skim milk.  I will make this on occasion though.  Plastic milk containers can be recycled, wax-coated cartons cannot.

It’s not easy to be a container label-reader.  Unless you have memorized the cryptic plastic symbols or the company has chosen to be helpful, telling you if the packaging is recyclable, forget it.  Most of the time I’m guessing.

Here’s how the system works. If the packaging can be reused or recycled, or is made from recycled products, it will be listed as such.  If not, it won’t say anything.  Promote the good, ignore the bad.  If nothing else comes out of this, I should use my design skills and simplify the recycling types labels and present my simple system to the EPA.  Even is I was trying to shop for recyclable containers, many would be difficult to identify.  Next time you shop, try reading the labels.  What did you find?

I found this label intriguing.  Terracycle?  Never heard of it.  Bag the Box?  That makes sense, but I need more info. Terracycle takes your trash and makes it into useable products.  Send in your juice bags and they’ll make you a purse.  Bag the box has a slow site, but talks about packaging options that are good for the environment and easy on the wallet.

I miss sour cream.  Enough said.  I do reuse those containers a lot for leftovers.  Check out my plastic mashup, I Spy image.

Restaurants will accommodate odd requests.  So far, all of the restaurants have accommodated me nicely.  I haven’t tried to do this at fast food places.  That will start today, as we’ll be on the road.

Last night, I went to a Forge meeting at a new restaurant… one that uses all disposable plates, bowls and cups.  I didn’t bring any of my own supplies!  They did have glasses for draft beer.  Darn, I guess I’ll have to drink a beer.  ;)  When I went through the line, I got a little panicky.  Very limited options.  I saw that the plates were the heavy pressboard and didn’t seem to have coating.  Yes!  Those are 100% biodegradable.  I could pass by the assembly line of workers spooning food into mass quantities of styrofoam cups and bowls.

I made it to the end of the line with my plate only.  Woohoo!  I didn’t see silverware options yet.  Oh, it on the table?  Okay.

Yes, there it was, silverware wrapped in paper napkins with paper bands.  There was actually real silverware in them, not plasticware.  Score!  Now to ask the waiter for an unwrapped fork.  I explained what I was doing, and in the process asking for my fork.  I think I gave him too much info, as he never came back with a fork.  Now, this is a barbecue place.  Napkins and utensils are good to have.  Good thing I got a sandwich and green beans.  I ate the green beans like french fries.

When the challenge is all said and done, I will still look for alternative options like this.  Maybe not to the extent of the challenge, but just simply saying no thank you to the 6 extra napkins, the plastic lids or small pre-packaged containers.  That part is easy.  If everyone did that, maybe these restaurants would think a little differently.  I’ve been in that business and paper costs are outrageous!

Another cat litter update

I don’t want anyone thinking I’m not doing what I said I would do.  Don’t buy anything disposable.  Last night, I bought cat litter and cat food.  I didn’t have a choice, or at least one that wasn’t imposing on my friends.  I’ll be gone and my friends that are house sitting should not be forced into my challenge.

The litter container is recyclable.  The cat food bag is not.  I didn’t see any options for cat food in a recyclable container.

The whole purpose of the challenge is to find alternative methods, and I’m still looking for them.  :)