Green Your Health: Avoid Plastic

What’s good for our bodies is good for the planet – and what’s bad for the planet is bad for our bodies. This week we’re exploring the idea that caring for the earth must include caring for our own health.

Tip #3: Cut Out the Plastic

Many of us already know how devastating plastic can be for the planet but most aren’t aware enough that the synthetics can harm human health too. From heating food in plastic containers to reusing plastic bottles (and perhaps even using them the first time) to scientific concerns about BPA, there’s an ocean’s worth of reasons to steer clear. Instead of throwaway plastic, choose reusable glass or metal. If you do find yourself having to use plastic, at least be sure to recycle it.

Tell us: How have you cut plastics out of your life?

Comments

[Jay Allen]

This is not the revolutionary, but we stopped buying bottled water in plastic sports bottles. Instead, we purchased a dozen reusable Nalgene bottles which we keep filled and chilled in our refrigerator. I expect we'll have paid for the bottles before the year is out with the savings from eliminating the purchase of sports bottles and will have eliminated 1,000 or more bottles from our recycled refuse each year.

[Deborah deMoulpied]

Glass water bottles are now avaialble! And double walled insulated too. Please check out:
http://realgreengoods.com/proddetail.php?prod=ACTS015

[Joan Cuthbertson]

Shop at yard sales for glass and metal containers for storing food. It's fun and cheap and there's a thrill in the hunt. I've come across some really pretty Pyrex and Fire King containers. Secure the lids with rubber bands so they don't slide off. I keep a place setting of pretty "one of" dishes and silverware from yard sales in my desk drawer at work and they are a joy to use.

[Peg]

I bought a glass bottle with a swing closure that looks like a vinegar bottle. It holds over a quart of water. I use it to bring my spring water from home, to work. I work at a manufacturing plant, so I don't want to drink the water from the plant's well.
The website below has pictures like the bottle I bought. Canning jars work good too, as long as they have a rubber seal and locking wire to keep the lid tight.
http://www.specialtybottle.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=11
http://www.ebottles.net/showbottles.asp?familyid=30&havevat=N
http://www.jamjarshop.com/shop/product.asp?catid=2&pid=128

http://www.villagekitchen.com/mfg/arc/luminarc/jars/canning_jar_triomphe/triomphe_canning_jars.html

[Nikki Thomas]

I didn't think that heating food in plastic containers could allow the toxins to get into the food you eat, which is dangerous because you are what you eat.

-Nikki-

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[David E. Corbin]

Check out these two dance videos about plastic bags for my commentary on plastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Ky4B9FCJI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV2BeT_DqrU

[Loren]

Most indian markets have stainless have nice large steel drinking glasses. They don't break, get stuck from stacking, or any of the other anoying problems with glass or plastic. They are very tough and don't really show scratches or dent either. They don't change the flavor of what you're drinking and they're easy to clean.

[Richard S.]

A year ago I became aware of the toxic contaninents in plastics, and have stopped using plastic containers to heat food. Since that time my health has shown continued improvement. It is imperative that we force food producers to elliminate plastic packageing as much as posible.

[Bobbi]

Being an antique collector and user, I have chosen to use Pyrex and other vintage glass storage for the fridge. They are fun, colorful and reusable.

[Carole]

I recently was a Sierra Club volunteer to pick up recyclables mornings after a large 4 day outdoor music event near where I live. The amount of plastic was frightening (aluminum too). What was most disgusting, was the unopened bottles of water and other drinks left laying on the ground. The same was true when we picked up after the City's 4th of July fireworks show, and a multi day baseball tournament.

For all of us using our grocery bags, good news, you can now purchase sturdy, washable gauze produce bags to eliminate the small plastic bags. Those who can sew can easily make their own out of cotton or old curtains. In Western Colorado I found them at City Market (Kroegers) and Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers.
I still have Tupperware, and I keep a couple of containers in my car for bringing home leftovers after eating out.

[Nancy]

I never buy ziplocs any more. If you don't have them in your house, you don't use them. I use pyrex containers instead of plastic. I have reusable grocery bags that I actually always use. We bought one of those metal Doggie Dooley waste recepticals to recycle the dog waste.

I do not buy plastic utensils or disposables for parties or gatherings. I stay away from the dollar store.

I use glass jars and head for the health food store that has the best bulk section in my area.

[Mary Beth]

I recycle just about everything. I keep a ragbag like my Grandmother used to for all sorts of tasks like spill, paint, wet dog cleanup, etc. Worn out socks make great dusters! Newsprint cleans windows and mirrors.

Could anyone tell me about using poly carbonate bottles for water? I think they're safe to reuse but someone told me that it's "plastic" like Poly vinyl chloride. True or False?

[Lori Wilner]

Some beer companies like Grolsch make beer in beautiful glass reusable bottles. I have a few of those that I use now for water, and they are fantastic, and I didn't have to buy anything new that I didn't already have! That's as green as you can get. I just rinse it out and occasionally throw it in the dishwasher to keep it clean. I also use glass milk bottles to store soups and stocks in my freezer so I don't have to use tupperware.

[mary wolfe]

I recycled all my plastic water bottles and use glass instead. I also keep bags in my car for the stores. Mary Wolfe

[Kim Ellis]

This is my problem: I recycle and reuse everything and anything imaginable. I have cupboards full of plastic containers. I can't decide what to do... on one hand I hate the plastic for all the reasons listed above, on the Green Life, etc. and I rather use only glass or metal. On the other when I buy food at the supermarket, and believe me it is all and only organic food.... the containers a lot of it comes in are plastic. I don't know what to do with them all but reuse them over and over and over until the basically fall apart! I can't justify buying more storage containers when every week I have more and more from the new food I buy when I market. So what to do? Yes of course I can recycle it all.. but that in itself is a heavy toll on resources and I figure I best just reuse them. The best solution would be to be able to buy everything in bulk and everyone shops with her own containers but that's a ways off and hardly any manufacturer is packaging food like sour cream, yogurt and the like in anything but plastic containers and it is just such containers I just reuse and reuse till I'm blue in the face. Any suggestions? Kim

[Barbara Fukumoto]

Instead of plastic storage containers, I save glass food jars with lids and save my left-overs in these. Easier to see what is inside, too.

[Piper Honigmann]

I bring my own (Chico) bags shopping, chose products in glass jars w/ aluminum lids or heavy paper boxes, eat all my food at restaurants to avoid the to-go container, ask for no straw, ask that my deli sandwich be wrapped in deli paper, not styrofoam and plastic wrap, use aluminum foil instead of ziplocks (or reusable container), use biodegradable trash bags, and reuse whatever plastic containers I do still end up with. I heard about a store called Green Depot where you can refill shampoo containers and the like. Can't wait for one near me.

[Barbara Amos]

Now that I am aware that BPA is in the lining of tin cans I use as few canned products as I can. Buy fresh or frozen vegetables. Cook dried beans instead of using the canned variety.

[buy soma online]

Non-biodegradable products like plastics are really harmful to our health and of course a big harm to our mother nature. Plastic started from us so we are the one who can minimize the usage of plastic.