Going green...eco friendly questions...

Question

okay so i'm trying to get my family to become eco-friendly... i've successfully eliminated all water bottles and plastic shopping bags...my next quest is the paper towels and such...but how do you get rid of things like the plastic that your bread comes in or the plastic bottles for orange juice? and if theres no way around it..how can you be positive that its getting recycled right? Oh and another thing..what about pop cans..how bad are those for the enviorment... thanks for you help

Answer 1

Great effort. Here are a few ways to reduce package waste. I buy fresh bread that comes in a paper wrapper only. I also occasionally bake my own. If that doesn't work make sure your bread is only wrapped once, many brands wrap it in 2 layers of plastic. When I buy juice I buy it concentrated, this reduces packaging and shipping costs. When I have an abundance of fruit, I'll make my own juice and freeze it in ice trays so I can add it to smoothies or thaw it for drinking later. I try to buy my soda in cans, they seem to be easy to recycle. I also have small linen bags with pull strings for produce, so no more plastic bags their either. I buy many of my items like pasta, grains, and nuts in the bulk aisle and bring my own container.

A great website for general recycle info is www.earth911.org. I recycle my own items instead of hoping the garbage company pulls it from the waste stream.

Answer 2

Way to go green! You're off to a great start. Here's some answers to your questions:

Getting rid of paper towels is pretty easy once you're armed with washable dish towels. I've also seen several recommendations to use microfiber cloths to replace the paper towels you may have dusted/cleaned windows with previously.

You're right about how insidious plastic is, though! The most purist approach would be to make everything that you buy in plastic bags! This isn't always practical, but some things are surprisingly easy (making bread, for example). Another option is to start shopping at local farmers' markets or from bakeries that will allow you to use your own bags. You might even find that the bakery in your grocery store will put the bread that's cooling behind the counter into a bag that you provide. Perhaps the easiest solution (but not the most plastic-reducing) is to use the plastic packaging to replace other disposable materials. You can put produce in old bread bags, for example, or package leftovers and lunches in them instead of ziplocs.

Aluminum cans are actually the most recyclable packaging you're likely to come across. If recyclability is your primary concern, opt for aluminum over plastic bottles. The cans are simply melted and re-molded; the process is much more intensive for plastics and paper (but not so much that it negates recycling them!). I can do one better though! Visit sodaclub.com and you can buy a little device that carbonates water. You have instant seltzer! Just add one of the flavor packets that come with the carbonator and you've got soda! I bought one a few months ago for $100 and it's already paid for itself in terms of the soda and seltzer that I drink.

Answer 3

Just remember "reuse" too, for example I save my bread bags and use those to pack sandwiches for lunch/pretzels/chips etc.

Answer 4

thats good that you're trying to become eco-friendly, my school is based on trying to find possible solutions to help our earth be a healthy environment fro us to live in.

I suggest that you call a local recycling unit to help you out on more info like that to find out whats the proper way to dispose of something.

Answer 5

OK

i would say that its AMAZING that you are going eco friendly!!!!!!

did you know that they make recycled napkins?

and instead of using shopping bags that are plastic you can use canvas bags..... and they make freezer ones

if you cant do EVERYTHING to save your enviorment then jsut make sure you recycle alot of things such as cardboards and plastics.

encourage your neighbors to do so too!!!!

if you throw away plastics and metals then they will end up in a land fill for millions of years!!!!

they are not really biodegradable!!

I hope that helped you!

MAKE SURE TO PLANT TREES!!!!!!!!

WHEW!

lol

eco friends

Answer 6

the cans will actually make you money back if you take them to a metal recycle place they are about $0.60 a lb

awesome on going green  

Answer 7

One very simple way is to inspire others. Check this article to see how you can do that: