Tag: low waste

Skip the Black Friday this year, pleaaaase!

Skip the Black Friday this year, pleaaaase!

Black Friday is here again. Millions will spend more than they can afford, buy more than they need, and create a ridiculous amount of waste!

Inspiring quotes on plastic for motivation

Inspiring quotes on plastic for motivation

As the last post on Plastic-Free July, we will leave you with various quotes on plastic. Learn and make a change!

Let’s make this year about challenges!

Let’s make this year about challenges!

We have been throwing some challenges at you this year: Veganuary and volunteering. Perhaps you are ready for more? Choose few below!

Here are the challenges we have added to our lives before, and will challenge ourselves more in the future. Added is also an extended list of our recommendations! We hope you’ll choose a challenge, excel and add more as you can.

Minimalism

Minimalism is the lifestyle of having only things that bring value to your life: a focus on less is more, so you can focus on what matters in life. The things we have, have taken up a lot of room in our lives – not only in our physical space, but also our mental, and spiritual.

Why try minimalism?

You want more time to do things you love

Having more things is distracting. It takes time to take care of your things, put them away. Many people can agree that managing things is never-ending. It takes away valuable time that you’ll never get back. Would you rather spend your time on the activities you love or on managing your overflowing things?

You want to focus on relationships rather than things

It is an understatement to say that Western society values things over, people. What else can we expect when the corporations that sell us things value profit over people?

Your mind is cluttered

Out mind is easily cluttered when we are surrounded by things. This causes low-level stress that we can’t escape. Try studying for a test, or writing a book while in a cluttered, untidy space. Our mind creates our reality and vice versa. The more things you have around you, the more distracted you are.

You want to work less

Most people exchange money for things, and since money doesn’t grow on trees (as many of our hardworking parents have overused and annoyed us with), we trade our time for money. We then use our priceless time for things. The problem is things don’t make us happy, nor will we leave this Earth with but a few (unless cremated).

You want an organized space

It is harder to keep your space organized if you have a lot of things. Just notice any hoarder’s home. The things take over and have a life of their own. Hoarding can be linked to loneliness, although things can’t keep you company or give you a social-emotional connection. It can also be linked to old age, as many hang on to things for the memories they hold.

Buying organizing boxes to organize things is another trap we fall into. The more we have, the more we need to get to keep our things organized.

There are countless benefits of minimalism. Are you ready to take the minimalism challenge?

Pantry challenge

Have you ever looked into your pantry and closed it immediately exclaiming that there’s nothing to eat? Try again! Open it again and really let your creativity flow – ”hmm, what can I make with these peas and onions? Instead of going out and buying more, take the pledge to use what you have. it will feel satisfying to clear your pantry as much as you can before running to the store to buy more. It will not only make you more creative but also more grateful for what you have. As a bonus, gratitude will bring you more of what you want! Win, win!

Are you ready to take the pantry (and fridge) challenge?

Huge pantry with many canned foods, dry goods etc
Does your pantry look like a grocery store? Well, then it is time to participate at pantry challenge!

No artificial sugar

Sugar is more addictive than cocaine! Can you believe this? Companies are forever advertising sweet treats to children, and yet, sugar is as addictive as other drugs. We vote with our purchases, so if we keep buying sugary things, we are saying that it’s okay to support this billion-dollar industry.

No buy challenge

No-buy November which is a challenge that takes place in the month of November is not the only time to challenge yourself not to buy anything. What if your budget included just your fixed basic expenses? Housing, transportation, and food?

Before this challenge, make sure you have weather-appropriate clothes abs shoes for the season, then get on this! In the case of a real emergency, you may break this challenge and return to it. Even if you fall prey to your impulse buying, hop back on the challenge.

No gluten

Gluten affects your stomach and digestion. Many agree that the wheat today isn’t like before, that many are sensitive to gluten. Whether this is you or not, cutting gluten has other benefits:

  • Cutting bread out of your diet can help weight weight-loss
  • Avoid bloating from glutinous food that expands in your stomach
  • Feel lighter and healthier
  • Reduce belly fat
  • Improve your digestion
  • Focus on consuming vegetables and low-sugar fruits (limit high sugar fruits)
  • Prevent foggy brain
Bread and white bread on a table at a work function. It could be one of you challenges not to eat gluten for a month.
Love bread, but feel foggy. Perhaps now is the right time to try no gluten for at least 21 days.

Conclusion

We are super excited to get some of this challenges on again this year. They prove to be a nice change in your everyday lives. These challenges come especially handy during these times, when all your favourite restaurants, movie theatres and concert venues are closed. That doesn’t mean that we have to stop enjoying our lives. Please share your experiences on any other challenge you have taken in your life. Looking forward hearing from you!

Want more information? Read these resources to find out more about your challenges!

The Minimalists

Pantry challenge

No artificial sugar challenge

No buy challenge

Wheat Belly

Community fridge – new phenomena on the streets

Community fridge – new phenomena on the streets

During tiring times, communities have come together. Read below how the community fridge is helping to fill the gap while offering free food.

Mould on food: meh or no way!

Mould on food: meh or no way!

Your favourite pastry may grow mold overnight. Should you trash it or should you eat it? Mold on food – all you need to know!

Paper waste and recycling 411

Paper waste and recycling 411

“Prefer paper to other materials, as it can be recycled”. But how many of us really know about paper waste and its recycling?

Evelyn mentioned the other day that if she has to buy something made of paper, then she would like to buy the item made of recycled paper. She said that making paper is one of the main reasons that forests are taken down. Trees along with plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and provide oxygen. So I decided to look into the recycling world of paper and paper waste.

A useful but wasteful product…

These days paper is an everyday natural material, we all use it and take it for granted. Moreover, we are using it more and more each day, creating lots of paper waste. Though it is a recyclable material, paper still makes up almost half of the waste in the U.S.

Kind people at theworldcounts.com have put together a very informative list of the facts on paper and paper waste:

  • As we speak, more than 199 tons of paper has already been produced.
  • 324 liters of water is used to make 1 kilogram of paper.
  • 10 liters of water is needed to make one piece of A4 paper.
  • 93% of paper comes from trees.
  • 50% of the waste of businesses is composed of paper.
  • To print a Sunday edition of the New York Times requires 75,000 trees!
  • Recycling 1 ton of paper saves around 682.5 gallons of oil, 26,500 liters of water and 17 trees.
  • Packaging makes up 1/3 or more of our trash.
  • U.S offices use 12.1 trillion sheets of paper a year. 
  • Paper accounts for 25% of landfill waste and 33% of municipal waste.
  • With all the paper we waste each year, we can build a 12-foot high wall of paper from New York to California!
  • The lessening of paper usage was predicted due to the electronic revolution. It didn’t happen. Demand for paper is expected to double before 2030.
  • Every tree produces enough oxygen for 3 people to breathe.

Negative impacts of paper production

A very important fact that we can’t overlook is the environmental impact of paper production. This is because of the many negative effects:

  • 40% of the world’s commercially cut timber is used for the production of paper.
  • Pulpwood plantations and mills endanger natural habitats.
  • Over 30 million acres of forest are destroyed annually.
  • The pulp and paper industry is a big contributor to the problem of deforestation and is partly to blame for the endangerment of some species that live in the forests.
  • The life cycle of paper is damaging to the environment from beginning to end. It starts off with a tree being cut down and ends its life by being burned – emitting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • Paper production uses up lots of water. Remember, an A4 paper requires 10 liters of water per sheet!
  • Most of the materials in landfills are made of paper. When paper rots, it emits methane, a greenhouse gas. When it is burned or composted, carbon dioxide.
  • Pulp and paper mills discharge water that’s riddled with solids, dissolved organic matter called lignin, alcohol, an inorganic material such as cholates, chlorine, and metal compounds. All of this contributes to soil and water pollution.
  • The paper industry is the 5th largest consumer of energy in the world. It uses up 4% of the world’s energy. To produce 1 ton of virgin paper, it is estimated that 253 gallons of petrol is used.
A white A4 sheet of paper with child drawings on it.
Don’t trash the used paper, as the other side can be still used. For notes, drawings or labels.

How to minimize paper waste

Paper is recyclable but it seems that people do not put much effort into its recycling or perhaps we are not educated to do so. This is something we can change if we are consistent, we can make the situation better. When thinking of environmental issues and solving them, we can no longer think that it comes down to an individual (each individual can change their habits for the benefit of all). You can’t change the world alone, you need a group of people believing and making the change. It is time to remember to reduce, reuse and recycle, and encourage everyone you know to do it as well.

What Eve and I discussed is that it would be wise to buy items made of recycled paper (ie., toilet paper!). Next time you are looking to buy paper, ask for recycled paper, even if it costs more money, producing virgin paper that is often bleached costs the environment so much destruction. The same goes for notebooks or blocks, etc. The other thing that we can do is to encourage the paper industry to use environment-friendly ways of manufacturing paper. We seem to forget our important role as consumers. We can influence how industries produce the products that we buy. With each purchase, we vote for the kind of world we want to live in.

Positive sides of paper recycling

Paper recycling reduces the demand to cut down more trees thus increasing carbon dioxide lingering in the atmosphere. Though trees are renewable resources, it is still a frightening number that around 160,000km² of the forest is chopped down every year. Trees take rain, sun and time to grow, yet chopping them down in one fell swoop is a devastating and unnecessary end. Trees do much more for us and other living beings when we leave them be to clean the air we breathe.

The recycling of paper requires 40 percent less energy than making it from scratch. Modern paper mills normally generate their energy from burning waste wood whereas recycling plants often rely on electricity from fossil fuels. So that’s the case against. Recycling causes 35 percent less water pollution and 74 percent less air pollution than making new paper. Recycling a tonne of the newspaper paper also eliminates 3m³ of landfills.

Photo showing a newspaper on the table.
Did you know that recycling a tonne of the newspaper paper eliminates 3m³ of landfills?
But it is still wise not to buy newspapers and magazines, instead using them in the libraries.

How is paper recycled?

I have always wondered how the recycling process of paper looks like. Earth911.com has put together a list to explain it:

  1. After you put the paper in your recycling bin, it’s taken to a recycling center where contaminants such as plastic, glass or trash are removed.
  2. Next, the paper is sorted into different grades.
  3. Once the paper is sorted, it Is stored in bales until a mill needs it, and then it is transferred to the mill for processing.
  4. Once at the mill large machines (pulpers) shred the paper into small pieces. This mixture of paper, water, and chemicals are heated and the pieces of the paper break down into fibers.
  5. The mixture is pressed through a screen to remove adhesives and other remaining contaminants.
  6. Next, the paper is spun in a cone-shaped cylinder to clean it, and sometimes ink is also removed. At this point, the pulp is sent through a machine that sprays it onto a conveyor belt. Water drips through the belt’s screen and the paper fibers start bonding together.
  7. Heated metal rollers dry the paper, and the paper is placed onto large rolls, which can be made into new paper products.

Give your effort to recycle paper properly

It seems like the process of making recycled paper is not so easy at all. It takes lots of energy and work hours for many people managing heavy equipment. Also, it is very water-consuming. But it is still better than cutting down more trees and making just paper out of them.

We can play a big part in decreasing paper waste and help more paper to be recycled. It is very important to recycle properly. I guess sometimes we wonder while looking at different types of paper, how to recycle them.

Here are a few common items that cause confusion:

Shredded Paper: yes, it can be recycled. But just in case also check with your local recycling program for specific information.

Staples & Paper Clips: leave them on, as the equipment at paper mills that recycle recovered paper is designed to remove them. Though, you should remove paper clips as they can be reused.

Sticky Notes: yes and no. It depends if your local recycling program accepts mixed paper. Paper mills that process mixed paper are able to remove adhesives.

Conclusion

We all use paper and we all need it. You probably have noticed that the fullest bin of the three recycling bins is always the paper one. So keep that bin filled, so more paper can be made. Avoid wasting paper and reuse paper as much as possible, ie., the blank side for notes. BUT do not start using more plastic. Also, avoid printing documents unless you absolutely need to, such as opting for online statements. Skip single-use paper products whenever you can do lessen the demand for it. You can also upcycle paper by, for instance, wrapping presents and other items in the newspaper. Share the knowledge with your friends and help to make a change.

More interesting things to read about the subject: 

How Can We Stop Deforestation?

Paper Waste Facts

How to recycle your own paper

If you are looking for green products and you would like to support ethical companies, check out FirmHugger and find a variety of green options.

References: Earth911.com

Is recycling paper bad for the environment?

Environmental impact of paper production

The plastic lining in surprising places*

The plastic lining in surprising places*

We are on our neverending path, getting to know more what things consist of. Join our adventure on finding thin plastic lining.

How much garbage do we really create?

How much garbage do we really create?

You are what you eat, but how about how much garbage you create? Let’s dig into our little garbage container and peek what is in the three bags.

The whole truth about plastic numbers*

The whole truth about plastic numbers*

You have actually no idea of the secret life of plastic. It is wilder than most of us would ever think! The truth lies in the plastic numbers.

Perhaps there are some amongst you, like me not long ago, who will make a big revelation about plastic and it’s recycling. I was silly for a loooooong time to think that the three chasings arrows, which looks like the recycling sign, means that the product is recyclable. Whoops! No! Stop! Think again.

Anyway, coming back to these signs and the numbers inside of them aka plastic numbers. As they all have it inside, which is what tells you the whole truth about this particular item. You can find such triangles composed of three chasing arrows from 1 to 7. The purpose of the number is to identify the type of plastic used for the product, and unfortunately, not all plastics are recyclable or even reusable.

Plastic numbers i.e. codes

Code 1: PETE or PET: Polyethylene Terephthalate – soft drink bottles, mineral water, fruit juice, cooking oil, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles, and peanut butter containers.


Code 2: HDPE: High-Density Polyethylene – milk jugs, cleaning agents, laundry detergents, shampoo bottles, washing and shower soaps, cereal box liners, butter tubs.


Code 3: PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride – trays for sweets, fruits, bubble foil, food wrap, medical equipment.


Code 4: LDPE: Low-Density Polyethylene – shopping bags, highly resistant sacks, wrappings, frozen food, and bread bags.


Code 5: PP: Polypropylene – furniture, luggage, toys, the lining of cars, Alpro yogurt containers, mixing bowls, ketchup bottles, syrup bottles, and medicine bottles.


Code 6: PS: Polystyrene – toys, hard packing, fridge trays, cosmetic bags, costume jewelry, CD cases, vending cups.


Code 7: Others (including polycarbonate, bioplastic, and acrylic) – other plastics, acrylic, nylon, fiberglass, etc.

Plastic classifications from 1 to 7 with descriptions
Plastic classifications

By understanding these simple classifications, we can best use plastics to our advantage. While minimizing the health and disposal issues that may otherwise arise. Below is some information about the seven classifications for plastics, and the recycling and reuse information for each type.

#1 – PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

PET is one of the most commonly used plastics in consumer products, and is found in most water and pop bottles, and some packaging. It is intended for single-use applications; repeated use increases the risk of leaching and bacterial growth. Polyethylene terephthalates may leach carcinogens.

PET plastic is recyclable and about 25% of PET bottles are recycled. The plastic is crushed and then shredded into small flakes. Which are then reprocessed to make new PET bottles, or spun into polyester fiber. This recycled fiber is used to make textiles such as fleece garments, carpets, stuffing for pillows and life jackets, and similar products.

NB! Products made of #1 (PET) plastic should be recycled but not reused.

#2 – HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

HDPE plastic is the stiff plastic used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, toys, and some plastic bags. You can tell a difference easily if compared to PET. Luckily this is the most commonly recycled plastic and is considered one of the safest forms of plastic. It is a relatively simple and cost-effective process to recycle HDPE plastic for secondary use.

HDPE plastic is very hard-wearing and does not break down under exposure to sunlight or extremes of heating or freezing. For this reason, HDPE is used to make picnic tables, waste bins, park benches, bed liners for trucks and other products which require durability and weather-resistance.

NB! Products made of HDPE are reusable and recyclable.

#3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

PVC is a soft, flexible plastic used to make clear plastic food wrapping, cooking oil bottles, teething rings, children’s and pets’ toys, and blister packaging for myriad consumer products. It is commonly used as the sheathing material for computer cables, plastic pipes and parts for plumbing. Because PVC is relatively impervious to sunlight and weather, it is used to make window frames, garden hoses, arbors, raised beds and trellises.

PVC is dubbed the “poison plastic” because it contains numerous toxins which it can leach throughout its entire life cycle.

Products made using PVC plastic are not recyclable.

A table full of different food items - vegetables, fruits and also baked goods. Most without plastic packaging.
Luckily on this day, there are options of buying produce and food products without plastic wrapping.

#4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

LDPE is often found in shrink wraps, dry cleaner garment bags, squeezable bottles, and the type of plastic bags used to package bread. The plastic grocery bags used in most stores today are made using LDPE plastic. Some clothing and furniture also use this type of plastic.

LDPE is considered less toxic than other plastics, and relatively safe for use. It is not commonly recycled. However, although this is changing in many communities today as more plastic recycling programs gear up to handle this material. When recycled, LDPE plastic is used for plastic lumber, landscaping boards, garbage can liners and floor tiles. Products made using recycled LDPE are not as hard or rigid as those made using recycled HDPE plastic.

Products made using LDPE plastic are reusable, but not always recyclable.

#5 – PP (Polypropylene)

Polypropylene plastic is tough and lightweight and has excellent heat-resistance qualities. It serves as a barrier against moisture, grease, and chemicals. When you try to open the thin plastic liner in a cereal box, it is polypropylene. This keeps your cereal dry and fresh. PP is also commonly used for disposable diapers, plastic bottle tops, margarine and yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws, packing tape and rope.

Polypropylene is recyclable through some curbside recycling programs. But only about 3% of PP products are currently being recycled in the US, for example. Recycled PP is used to make landscaping border stripping, battery cases, brooms, bins, and trays. However, #5 plastic is today becoming more accepted by recyclers.

PP is considered safe for reuse, but not always recyclable.

#6 – PS (Polystyrene)

Polystyrene is an inexpensive, lightweight and easily-formed plastic with a wide variety of uses. It is most often used to make disposable styrofoam drinking cups, take-out “clamshell” food containers, egg cartons, plastic picnic cutlery, foam packaging and those ubiquitous “peanut” foam chips used to fill shipping boxes to protect the contents. Polystyrene is also widely used to make rigid foam insulation and underlay sheeting for laminate flooring used in home construction.

Because polystyrene is structurally weak and ultra-lightweight, it breaks up easily and is dispersed readily throughout the natural environment. Beaches all over the world have bits of polystyrene lapping at the shores, and an untold number of marine species have ingested this plastic with immeasurable consequences to their health.

Polystyrene may leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food products (especially when heated in a microwave). Chemicals present in polystyrene have been linked with human health and reproductive system dysfunction.

Recycling is not widely available for polystyrene products. While the technology for recycling polystyrene is available, the market for recycling is small. Awareness among consumers has grown, however, and polystyrene is being reused more often.

NB!! Polystyrene should be avoided where possible.

#7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate, and LEXAN)

The #7 category was designed as a catch-all for polycarbonate (PC) and “other” plastics. So reuse and recycling protocols are not standardized within this category. Primary concern with #7 plastics, however, is the potential for chemical leaching into food or drink products packaged in polycarbonate containers made using BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor.

Number 7 plastics are used to make baby bottles, sippy cups, water cooler bottles, and car parts. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic food containers often marked on the bottom with the letters “PC” by the recycling label #7. Some polycarbonate water bottles are marketed as ‘non-leaching’ for minimizing plastic taste or odor. However, there is still a possibility that trace amounts of BPA will migrate from these containers, particularly if used to heat liquids.

A new generation of compostable plastics, made from bio-based polymers like corn starch, is being developed to replace polycarbonates. These are also included in category #7, which can be confusing to the consumer. These compostable plastics have the initials “PLA” on the bottom near the recycling symbol. Some may also say “Compostable.”

NB! #7 plastics are not for reuse unless they have the PLA compostable coding. When possible it is best to avoid #7 plastics, especially for children’s food. Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are safer choices and do not contain BPA. PLA coded plastics should be thrown in the compost and not the recycle bin since PLA compostable plastics are not recyclable.

A plastic cup has been given a new purpose, as it is now a water cup at the artist table for painting.
Instead of trashing a plastic cup, give it another purpose.
Do so with other plastic items that have found their way to your home.

Are your eyes open now?

Okay this is something, isn’t it? Why nobody told us this truth about plastic numbers earlier, right? And all these plastic names are really complicated. I found it easier to remember the number and whether they can be recycled and are they safe to reuse.

After obtaining this information I went to our kitchen and I looked through the few plastic items we had looking for plastic numbers. I found two plastic bowls, which we got for free from somebody. For some reason, I have always disliked them. So, they are good to go now and find another use as a flowerbed or collecting green waste. The other few containers we had were all number 5 PP i.e. Polypropylene.

Let’s wrap the plastic up: which recycling numbers to avoid and which are “safest”

You probably agree after reading this post that it’s really best to avoid using all plastics if you’re able. But at the very least:

  • Avoid recycling symbols 3, 6, and 7. While Number 1 is considered safe, it is also best to avoid this plastic.
  • Look for symbols 2, 4, and 5, as these plastics are considered to be safest. These are the plastics to look for in terms of human and animal consumption.

Recommendations to keep in mind while buying plastic:

  1. Look for the numbers of safer plastic: 2, 4, 5 and 1.  Avoid codes 3, 6, 7.
  2. Code 1 plastics are the easiest and most common plastics to recycle) and Code 7 –  the most difficult to recycle.
  3. Avoid heating any grade plastic, not even in the microwave.
  4. PET is widely used for plastic bottles for water and carbonated soft drinks. These bottles are meant for single use only and then recycled.
  5. Avoid using disposable food containers e.g cups and plates. They are made up of Polystyrene or Styrofoam. When heated they may emit styrene to your food and drinks, which can damage your nervous system and is carcinogenic.
  6. Look for plastics labeled “BPA- free”.
  7. Opt for substitutes of plastics e.g glassware, jute or paper bags, metal containers.
  8. Always recycle or throw away containers once they start to crack or break.
  9. Don’t use the containers which are used to deliver food or carry food after a single-use.

Unfortunately, plastics will be used. But you can certainly limit your use of the product. Hopefully, this post shed some light on this crazy material, which seems to surround us everywhere.

Most of the information in this article is coming from a true eye-opener article by Earth Easy.

If you are not familiar with the term curbside recycling, please CLICK HERE to find out more.

*Pictured are different plastic containers we found in our household after we were informed about the real truth about plastic numbers. All these were harmful to health. So we discarded them. There is a number of similar trays we use to arrange things in the drawers and keep different containers tidy. Find a way to use the plastic you already have and avoid buying more.