What’s the best way to put plastic in its place?
Photo by becstarr 
When San Francisco banned plastic shopping bags, I realized I was clueless about the environmental impact of plastics. I had always assumed the numbered code imprinted on plastic containers rated the difficulty of recycling them. But after consulting Answers, I discovered I didn’t know all the details.
Curly explains that numbers 1-7 refer to the types of resin in the plastic. Some resins are more easily recyclable than others, and recycling centers differ on which codes they will accept.
How do you know which codes you can recycle locally? After a little research, I learned that as of a few months ago, virtually all plastics (with the exception of plastic bags, films, and Styrofoam) can be recycled curbside in San Francisco. But every city is different. If your local curbside recycling program accepts only a few types of plastic, several Answers users suggest visiting Earth 911 to find other recycling options in your area.
As whsgreenmom points out, “Most non earth friendly choices are made out of habit and ignorance.” What are some ways to encourage people to think about the environmental impact of the choices they make?
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you are really crazy.
lol
well you can start by showing a good example and giving people the info on recycling and how much it does affect us all. You can also contact a recycling center around you to find any other places that accepts all the other number codes on the bottles that most places wont. What we do in our everyday lives effect each and every one of us and i think everyone should know that and make an effort to do their part.
You can do your part by stop buying bottled water… Instead, buy a SIGG swiss engineered water bottle for everday use. (http://www.mysigg.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=32) These are very affordable (around $20) and can be bought at any Whole Foods, health food store, or outdoor activity store.
In germany, they don’t even give you plastic bags. I dont see why people are having trouble adjusting, plasic bags are garbage.
Unfortunately, recycling laws were initially created to reduce the size of garbage dumps and not to save energy. It is actually takes more energy to recycle plastic than to make new plastic. But there is a lot of money to be made since used plastic is sold to China really cheap. U.S. consumers keep costs down for China by paying for bottle recycling fees, taxpayer government recycling programs, “curbside recycling” fees, etc.. (It takes energy to collect plastic, separate it, ship it to China, etc.).
I heard that “Penn and Teller” did a report on recycling that showed recycling creates problems.
My town just started offering curbside recycling of plastics 1-7 (it had just been 1 and 2.)
Yay!
We recycled right after WWII because all the bottles were returnable, but the way it is today is better because many more products are being recycled and by picking it up at the curb it saves gas for taking it back to the store and passes the cost on to the consumer and taxpayer.
Now if they would just make littering a hanging offense we would not have any more litter than we do horse or cattle thefts .
People who believe greenhouse gases contribute to global warming should not be recycling. Almost all plastic is shipped to China where is it recycled by using toxic processes.
Cargo ships produce a very large percentage of greenhouse gases.
“US Ports Clean Up Their Act
World Trade – Sep 1, 2008
Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping are bad and getting worse. ”
http://www.worldtrademag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000411362
“A single container ship entering port can generate the same greenhouse gas emissions as 350000 cars driving for the same length of time”
http://envirostats.info/2007/10/09/0175/
“The new figures, released on 8 February by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), based in London, show that emissions from cargo ships are about twice those from global air travel.”
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080213/full/news.2008.574.html
I loike this!!
I have been doing limited recycling for a number of years. All it took to get me fully involved was for the city to begin recycling. They provided a guide and containers. I now know what they will take and won’t take and why. No. 12 is PVC and they don’t except it. If everything has a number designation except 12, they will accept it. So that is my suggestion. A good, clear campaign by your city.
I wonder how much longer curbside service will be provided to consumers without fees.
When I went to the Salono Street fair a few weeks ago, I noticed they had *three* recycling receptacles – one for cans, one for bottles, and one for compostable items: paper and food scraps. I liked seeing the effort to divert this large mass of reusable material out of the landfill stream.
the easiest answer, call them and ask.
at the recycling center i work at we accept all plastic containers used for food, we have a separate area for plastic milk jugs and a place for shopping bags.
also some grocery stores will take plastic bags, but the chances of them being recycled is rare.
The best thing to do is to only buy food that is in reusable containers or paper. The less plastic we buy the better it will be all around. Grow some of your own food and process it yourself with reusable glass jars. You will know where it comes from and what’s in it and the jar can be used over and over. If you eat a lot of potatoes buy a large paper bag and store them appropriately. If something you need is in plastic campaign the reusable containers to the manufacturer and make them aware that you will go to another brand that will listen if they don’t find an alternative. The best way to solve a problem is to avoid it in the first place.
The best way to help the environment is to not use the plastics at all. If you grow some of your own food it and process it your self you can use reusable glass jars. Other items can be bought in paper bags or cartons.
Buy your potatoes in large paper bags and store them appropriately and you can save several smaller plastic bags. Enough people do this they will stop offering potatoes in plastic. The same with all products we can’t make at home. We need to demand that the producer change their packaging. We pay for it, we fight it ,to get to the item we need, then we have to figure out what to do with it. The manufacturer isn’t doing us any favors.
You may not be able to recycle plastic bags at the curb side, but I always reuse mine in my small trash containers. Recycle Reuse correct.
Also many grocery store have plastic bag recycling bins in the stores for this purpose so that they can be sent to the correct facility. So next time you go to you grocer check to see if they have a plastic bag recycleing.
Another thing I do with my left over bags is take them to trift stores of flee markets or even garage sells. There are many people who can use your bags you just need to look out and ask people. We need to be creative for reusing the items that we do not need any more. Maybe we could have a forum of ideas. I have heard of broken electronics for parts or repair, the good will even takes rags and clothes that are ripped and torn to be cut up for rags so that they can be sold to mechanic shops. I lived in a small town in which the library needed plastic bags for when people check out alot of books, and food pantries would need them too so that people could carry there food home. I am sure so many people have excellent ideas and share them. I really appreciate the post because this needs to be discussed because if everyone does a couple of things it would inprove the world, communities and our environment.
You may not be able to recycle plastic bags at the curb side, but I always reuse mine in my small trash containers. Recycle Reuse correct.
Also many grocery store have plastic bag recycling bins in the stores for this purpose so that they can be sent to the correct facility. So next time you go to you grocer check to see if they have a plastic bag recycleing.
Another thing I do with my left over bags is take them to trift stores of flee markets or even garage sells. There are many people who can use your bags you just need to look out and ask people. We need to be creative for reusing the items that we do not need any more. Maybe we could have a forum of ideas. I have heard of broken electronics for parts or repair, the good will even takes rags and clothes that are ripped and torn to be cut up for rags so that they can be sold to mechanic shops. I lived in a small town in which the library needed plastic bags for when people check out alot of books, and food pantries would need them too so that people could carry there food home. I am sure so many people have excellent ideas and share them. I really appreciate the post because this needs to be discussed because if everyone does a couple of things it would inprove the world, communities and our environment.
Thank-you for putting that on the blog. This sounds really stupid but I almost have forgotten recycling from all those years ago when I was interested in it. Wal-Mart does some things. I’ll have to try there. Thanks for the help.
you are really crazy.
Comment posted on September 25th, 2008 at 5:32 pm by sharon
WELL WHY WOULD YOU MAKE A COMMENT LIKE THAT..?
WE ALL NEED to help the environment .. I DO NOT CARE FROM WHAT SECTOR IT I COMING FROM…. WE ALL SEEM to blame or point a finger.
…….IF WE ALL DID SOMETHING DAILY IT WOULD HELP… AND I AM SAYING ALL…….
There is more than than 1 way to recycle! We do buy bottled water but mainly for the kids. Then we wash them by hand or in the diswasher and reuse them over and over. We refill them from the gallon bottles of water we refill at the store dispensers, which we use over and over as well.
Most stores in our area do not offer paper bags. We have found many uses to re-use the plastic bags we receive. They are great for cleaning out the catbox. Also for picking up, and then containing the smell of dog and tortoise poo. We use them for the children’s stinking diapers as well!
I do not remember ever having to throw them away without a 2nd purpose.
I am with Ann. We have to stop using plastic altogether. It will take some time to get into the habit of bring reusable bags to the store, and only purchasing things made with or packaged in paper, cloth, glass and metal.
I know that there are some very valid advantages of using plastics, and those uses will be the last to be adressed, but don’t let that stop you from doing what we can immediatetly. That is to stop buying water bottles and taking plastic store bags. Those two measures alone with keep great amounts of material out of the landfill.
First off let’s stop blaming plastic for people who litter. The Plastic Industry ISN’T at fault for the plastic bags and plastic in general not being recycled. That’s like blaming steel for cars crashing. I’m fine if you want to say oh we should start using cloth bags for groceries and such. However do you want to pay the cost for giving up plastic? Glass bottles cost more, that’s why it was switched. Also to people who complain about bottled water, some people have real reasons to avoid their tap. I am not getting in to it but I won’t drink tap because there is fluoride in it.
Check out a company called http://www.natureworksllc.com/. They use vegetable oil to make plastic. What’s great about it is the plastic is biodegradable. I tossed one of these plastic containers in my compost and a week later it looked like someone took a lighter to it and started melting it. We don’t need to get rid of plastic, we just need to stop using oil to make it. Alternatives are available, we just need to use them.
Paper bags are much worse than plastic.
A plastic bag is very lightweight and uses a tiny amount of petroleum. It is produced in bulk in an efficient process.
Paper requires lumberjacks to cut trees individually, using petroleum, then transport trees to a pulp mill using petroleum, then chemically process into paper, using petroleum. Then the forest has to be re-seeded, using petroleum, and covered with fertilizer, which is made from petroleum.
GO BUY A FILE CABINET. ALPHABETICALLY LINED IT UP, AND UNDER THE LETTER “P” PLACE IT IN THE FILE.
Hey sir. I was saying you that the best way is to place it in a non-biodegradable trashcan! Because some scientist do and say that now a days our planet gets globl warming because of waste that we do everyday! To help our planet to be a ”OK PLANET!”. We must throw our trash n proper places! Neither you are in a hurry! When the trash turns to higher that our level we will get sick and our planet get sick like fever in 100 degrees celcius. We call it ”GLOBAL WARMING!” If you say hot,hot,hot! It means that there will be ”GLOBAL WARMING!”. So be careful and helpful!
I think recycling is amazing.
I try my hardest to make sure I do not throw away anything that can be recycled.
The Rainforest Cafe is an amazing restaurant and all the animals and enviorments built inside of it were made from recyling products.
It is truly magnificent.
On Wednesday 1st 2008 i had the pleasure getting takeout from Chick fil-A on Highway 98. Went home ate- while doing laundry, sipping on my watered down soda i opened it for the ice only to find a PIECE OF PLASTIC/FIBERGLASS at the buttom of the foam cup- I couldnt believe it i thought i was see things….
I took it out- looked at it. It seems to have little pieces of pin sticking out of it-I WONDERED HOW MANY OF THAT I SWALLOWED.
October 02, 2008
I called CHIC-FIL-A around 1:39 pm to speak with the manager (251 621 3020) i was told to come in before 4pm so this matter could be settle, and so i did.
I walked in and asked to speak with the MANAGER – a Mr J Thompson camed out ( this was nt the person i spoke with) I asked if there were another MANAGER- he said NO.
first, i asked if he can sit i would like to show him something, he didnt want to. Then i told him i found a piece of object in my soda- He brushed me OFF- went to the back and stayed there for awhile…
I called the first person i spoke too- not know he was the OWNER/OPERATOR. i asked that he called the MANAGER and ask him to listen to my concerns…
Appearently he did. Mr J THompson came for the back and asked me if i wanted my money back.
I said, isnt there some kind of papers i needed to fill out?
J Thompson looked at me (while object in my hands) and snatched the FIBERGLASS from my hands…i asked for him to returned it, he didnt
SO, I MADE THE PATON IN LINE BE AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON – said, i found FIBERGLASS in my soda yesterday now he’s trying to take it from me…he didnt expect my outburst and THROW THE PIECE OF FIBERGLASS BACK UNTO THE TABLE.
Then J Thompson reached behind his back – like he had a WEAPON AND WENT TO THE KITCHEN.
I called the 911. They sent CAR 709. i explained what happened AND HOW RUDE J THOMPSON WAS TO ME- HOW HE MADE ME FEEL FOR A SECOND MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER. OFFICER went inside heard his story. OFFICE came outside- MANAGER D NANCE SHOWED UP. I said they have videos look at it.
OFFICER, NANCE went inside for 20mins. OFFICER, NANCE came back out. OFFICER HESITATED TO SPEAK WITH ME- THEN HE WENT ON HIS CELL PHONE TALKED TO SOMEONE FOR 10-15MINS. CAME BACK TOLD ME “HE SAW NOTHING ON TAPE, I SHOULD LEAVE IT ALONE”
NANCE CAME OUT AGAIN. OFFICER SAID CAN NANCE SEE THE SAID OBJECT- I OPENED CUP- PUT FIBERGLASS ON OFFICER VEHICLE- THEN PICKED IT UP SO NANCE COULD SEE THE PIECES STICKING OUT FROM THE EDGE- THE PUT FIBERGLASS BACK INTO CUP.
NANCE WALKED AWAY, SAYING!
I GOTTA GET THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE OUT OF HERE…
THEN HE LOOKED AROUND, WALKED INFRONT OF THE OFFICER VEHICLE – PICK UP A CUP THAT WAS THERE- WAVED IT SO I CAN SEE IT- THEN WALKED INSIDE…
11:10
THINK BEFORE YOU THROW AWAY THOSE BAGS!
You can easily find a local depository for plastic bags at grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, Calmart, Albertsons, Cost u Less—– VISIT—–http://www.plasticbagrecycling.org/01.0/
Thanks people,
-Dillon (at Greenhome.com)
In the garbage can! The earth is not going anywhere people!!!
I am trying like crazy to remember to bring my “green” bags into the grocery stores when I go shopping. Old and bad habits are hard to break! I get in the store, do my shopping, and get in the checkout line long before I realize I don’t have all the reusable bags I’ve bought for just this purpose. I wish there was a better way to remember! With all the other things going on, how do we train ourselves to rethink the way we shop? I’ve tried sticky notes (they usually fall off), reminders on my door as I walk out for the day, not much seems to work. I really would like to change this but am at a loss as to how to remember. I’m no spring chicken, so don’t say, “Just do it.” I DO exercise and keep fit, doesn’t seem to help the memory when it comes to this one issue! Any ideas are very welcome. Sarcasm not required. If I wanted that, I’da stayed married. Ha.