better.

I have been throwing some kitchen stuff away lately, trying to clean and reorganize, and realized a few months ago we have too much plastic in the house. Creepy, old, weird plastic cups, sippys. . . ick. We are pretty green around here, but I didn't really think about the plastic/food thing until reading yet another article about plastics/toxins and the effect on children and adults and the environment, (This most recent one in the newest Vogue of all places!) I am glad I took some action, and now feel so much better. Less stuff, easier to clean, and non-creepy.

We got these stainless steel sippys by Klean Kanteen and I love them. They have them in Portland at New Seasons. We got two, never lose them, and they are great. I got a mama sized one for the car. At home we just use small juice glasses. With me working at home, we have never used bottles for our girls (this might say quite a bit about my social life as well) but if I were to, I think I'd use these glass baby bottles here.
 

No more paper or or plastic bags. I'm going for "never-ever" using bags from stores anymore, and these are making it easy. They fold up so tiny, I can keep 3 in my bag, so I have them all the time. Pete justs stuffs them in his pocket. I got some for my mom too, and she is addicted now. They are by envirosaxs, and they have hemp organic ones too. These are nylon, so not 100% green, but dang-it, they are so portable, which is key for me, so I went for the nylon. (You can do a search for sewing your own too, there are tons of tutorials out there.)

On the go snack containers. This was so hard. There's so much cool designer kids melamine cuteness and  rad kids bento boxes out there!. But, again, I just need an alternative. These stainless steel snack containers for the girls are awesome and they love them.They come in different sizes and single ones, too. Of course, home-sewn cloth bags are a great alternative, and easy to wash, but I need something for crushables, and these are perfect.

And I love these glass food storage bowls I switched to. They have plastic lids, yes, but the all glass ones are too small. . I need to find bigger ones that are all glass.

Okay, I did get a bit freaky about tall this stuff when I was pregnant and so have been making changes for the last few months, slowly. Just washing and touching these things makes me happy, and it feels a lot less like an out-of-control-brightly-colored-toxic-plastic-spiral in this house. Not that it was some insane circus here, but it was bugging me. Plus, now there is never a "I need the blue sippy" fight They both have the same ones, end of story. And when someone is sick, I know cleaning all this stuff really works, and it won't stay germy. For eating at home, real small bowls and glasses and cups were already in place here, so that was easy. I got them all at Cost Plus, or they are vintage.

Here's a great PDF to print out with the risks of using everyday plastics (which are freaky!) but also with helpful tips and hints to reduce the plastics in your home. I really appreciate the alternatives, not just the warnings. I personally need to be very careful reading this stuff-I can get all OCD-sh and crazy about it. For me it's all about small changes, slowly, and then letting it go and having fun with the girls. (Not researching all day and night on the computer.)

And can I say say how much I love Sew Green? They are they best at providing info in a writing style that makes me NOT freak-out, just informed. Thank you!

Comments

[Grace]

You and I are on such the same wavelength!! I began clearing out all plastics from our home at the end of last year. We still have the last few tupperware-type stragglers, but it's so much better and so much more manageable for me now. My kids don't have any plastic toys, so that is a plus. We have the sigg water bottles for the kids and me, and recently we got our little guy one of these foogos: http://www.thermos.com/SubCategoriesCatalog.aspx?CatCode=Foog&SubMenuID=0 Yeah, it still has plastic on it for him to drink out of (so do the siggs and the kleen kanteens, though, too). But it's easy for him to use and keeps things nice and cool!

[amy]

Yeah, terrific post! One of my other favorite bloggers, Jo at leerypolyp, did a great series on this issue a while back and she has some great tips & links too. We got lucky and the plastic sippies my mother-in-law bought way back before I was actively paying attention to this issue were the Gerber Color Change, which are on the "OK" list. But we love our Kleen Kanteens. I bought a Sigg recently as well but I like the KK much better as it has a wider neck: easier to clean, easier to add ice cubes, and the sippy spout part is plain old Avent thus easily replaceable (though Avent make me angry by still using plastic containing bisphenol-A for their baby bottles). You are fortunate to have your Mom on board with this anti-plastic thing--it makes a huge difference.

[tracy]

our house has been going through the same too. and those envirosax - love them!

[Melissa R. Garrett]

First off, I just about fell over when you mentioned "Sew Green." That was the name of one of my first blogs, way back when. What a coincidence! Thanks for mentioning these products. I will definitely have to check out the KK's, because we have WAY too many sippies around here. My two oldest use those hard plastic cups with built-in straws around the house, so perhaps I can graduate them to adult-sized drink bottles. And the bags are great! I have several cloth bags and like to make my own - but mine don't fold up nice and tiny like those :-) Great post!

[Christina]

Wow, what a great post. I usually like your posts, but this is stellar and practical.

[Posy]

So I'm 7 mos pregnant, a Portlander, and also obsessing over this plastic thing. I mocked my sister in law for being like this while she was pregnant, and now here I am. I panicked a little about the baby bottles (I have to work 9-5, M-F so bottles will be a must), and though I like the idea of glass bottles I think dropping one on a toe, another baby, etc., could be quite dangerous. I read that Medela's bottles are BPA-free polypropylene plastic and the Avent bottles do not contain any phthalates, used in poly-vinyl chloride (PVC). So yeah, they're still plastic, but hopefully they won't give the babe cancer. You can only do so much, right?

[Sara]

Thank you so much for sharing your process and resources on this topic, which is seemingly overwhelming when you have kids. And, most importantly, congratulations on the book and your growing family!

[sally]

Ms. Amy, you are a wealth of product knowledge. ;) Now I'm off to do some shopping!!

[Elizabeth]

I'm so jealous! I've been trying to get one of these for a month, but the online store is sold old and they aren't retailed anywhere in Alabama. Thanks for all the products you put up - I, too, am looking for alternatives. I used those Avent bottles for my daughter because I thought they were better and now I find out they weren't - it's so disapointing to be trying to do the best for your baby (like expressing breast milk) and then to find out you've put it in a poison bottle.

[sunny]

what timing you have! I was just sighing last night over the extra items in my kitchen - and I don't have all that much. but who likes a fountain of plastic containers mixed with lids falling down on you when you open a cupboard door? (or is that just me?!)

I like the bags you posted about. there's something not right about spending $20 at the store and coming home with 10 bags that get mushed into a corner of the pantry. I like cute bags anyway...and love the one you showed!

[Leah]

Amy,

It seems that more and more of us are thinking in this direction. What did it for our family was reading the article about the Plastic Ocean (http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/travel-leisure/Our
_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we.shtml). I've been telling others about it and we've been switching out our plastic as well. I recently found some cute sigg-like bottles at Borders of all places and for a good price. One of my biggest hurdles was the plastic produce bags. I found a great solution from a company in Canada called grassroots. They sell (for $1.95 for 10) the mesh bags like oranges come in. Yes they are made of plastic, but we can use them over and over again. I suppose you could sew cloth ones but the cashiers couldn't see the stickers, etc. So, this was the best thing I could find. Thank you so much for sharing this information. I'm off to NYC this weekend (from Atlanta) and will now be putting Pearl River on my list for some stainless boxes. Thanks again! Leah

[MBooth]

I can't bring myself to read the plastic container thing yet. Some things I simply don't want to know. On the other hand it kills me that you won't use plastic, but you picked up a dead bird (previous post). hee hee.

One of these days I will read it, I promise. Thanks for posting.

[samm]

Good for you! We've been doing the same here, changing everything to glass or stainless. We found inexpensive glass jugs for water and juice, and they're tough! Didn't even chip when dropped on the ceramic floor! I only use ceramic or glass in the microwave, too. We've a cupboard full of plastic stuff we never use any more. Do I feel guilty if I give it to Goodwill? Hmmmmmmm.... I love the shopping bags! The stores here are providing their own for about a dollar, and one store's bags are recyclable when they get too worn! I've three small fold up bags similar to the ones you show, tucked into my purse. They are from Yves Rocher, a cosmetics store with products from France. Because they are so little I always have at least one. Even in my smallest handbags. I think what you are doing is wise. Love the sippys too. Thanks for the article. I've saved it for later and to send to all my kids. :o)

[Tara]

Funny, as I was doing the dishes just before logging on today I was thinking of this exact topic!

In part, I was wondering how people get along without Pyrex glass storage containers -- maybe that's the answer to your storage question? (They have glass lids.)

I think they still make them in clear. Or, you can get vintage ones on Ebay in many colors and at several price points -- as sets, or look for just the big ones sold individually. Try a search for "Pyrex refrigerator".

I love them so much that I give them as gifts to all my friends! Love the fact that they work in fridge, oven, microwave, and dishwasher, without any scary chemical leaching, and I love the fact that they've been going strong for decades. One piece in my collection is from the 1940's and looks/works good as new!

[walternatives]

THANK YOU for this. I think it's very important to share this information. I hope you won't mind but I've linked to both you and the pdf on my blog. Thanks again!

[sarah]

i've been looking for a stainless sipper for my little one. thanks much for sharing -- and for spreading the word about the dangers of plastic!!

[Jessicah]

All thses things are so beautiful and functional. I am wondering about what you use for bags in your inside rubbish bins? Here in NZ most people use the ones from the supermarket to line their bins.

[Kelly]

I'm inspired! Thanks for the informative post!

[Barbara C.]

Some of my favorite storage containers--jars. They are all around if you look---jam jars, big fat pickle jars--long skinny relish jars--compact horseradish jars--baby food jars. I cherish my old glass mayonaise jars because they don't make them glass anymore. You don't have to "buy" glass storage jars!
Barbara C.

[kayla_d]

Thanks for this post. I've been using canvas shopping bags for a while, and today at Target was the first welcoming response I've had! It's nice to know that others are thinking about reducing their use of plastic, and the alternatives you've found are quite stylish, too!

I had an epiphany (in my sleep!) recently about taking my own containers for take-out. I can only imagine the reactions I might get, but we'll see!

[Tina]

I have a set of vintage Pyrex glass storage containers with the glass lids. They're great for storing leftovers. However, I remember reading an article a while back that suggested not to put the vintage Pyrex bowls in the microwave. So, I reheat in a regular glass bowl.

[Jess]

Great links! I've been converting around here... right now my focus is on the bags. I've got some shopping bags - the $1 ones they sell at Fred Meyers, but those are WAY cooler and more portable. Definatly going to save up for some of those!

[Jess]

Great links! I've been converting around here... right now my focus is on the bags. I've got some shopping bags - the $1 ones they sell at Fred Meyers, but those are WAY cooler and more portable. Definatly going to save up for some of those!

[molly]

I think that's the ticket: slow and simple changes. We've also switched to (nylon) bags that fit into a tiny bag the size of an orange. It's perfect b/c I throw them right back into my bag after I unpack my groceries.
I'm slowly making the change to glass for leftovers. I think that's the one plastic-use that grosses me out the most! But it takes a bit of an investment to make the change.
But baby steps and you're there...

[mrspilkington]

thanks for the links! i lovelovelove sew green. between those ladies, better basics, and organic homekeeping, i literally clean my whole place with one basic solution and use a variation to make my own laundry detergent. (well, when i do clean and do laundry.)

[a.bumblingbee]

This post was really informative; thanks for writing it.

[kritty]

we have that bento box and sigg bottles... baby steps... I feel you! great post!

[Lovie]

I love, love, love the Envirosaxs! I trotted myself over and ordered the set of 5 in the monochromatic pattern. It will be so fun to take these shopping with me. Lovie

[Caroline's Closet]

Great post! We've been doing the plastic purge at our house too. For the past year, I've been making fabric shopping bags to give as gifts for birthdays, holidays and special occasions and they are always a hit. You really can't have too many of them and everyone needs them! Now if I could just find the time to make some for myself...

p.s. I'm a former PDX resident (now a Southern gal)and your blog is always fun to read for little reminders of things I loved about that city. I miss New Seasons!

[emily]

we've made the same changes over the past two years. my glass "tupperware" also has plastic lids, but i never microwave them with the lids. we also use glasses at home, and ceramic dishes - though i also have a small set of wooden snack bowls that the kids (and i) love. i also strive to be a never-take-a-bag-er. i do well most of the time (with a pile of reusable bags in my trunk) - though people in stores do look at me funny!

as you said, touching these things - the dishes, the bags, etc. - daily reminds me of the changes we've made and how it's so much better for our health and our environment. so glad to see other like minded folks out there!

[JaimeLeigh]

Wow. Thanks for such a great post! It'a awful to think about there being SO many harmful products out there! Good to know there are some great alternatives.

[Becky]

Ooh! The single-version of the steel bento boxes are the ones I use in my bento sets! Those boxes are great...they make a version with 2 tiers, so you can keep your lunch separate from your dessert!

[Stephanie]

We've done a lot of the same things--but am I the only one whose kleen kanteen leaks? it drives me crazy.

[Toni]

Those bags are so cool! Just what I have been looking for. We have a few canvas bags but these look so much more portable. We ordered the Amazonia set and if we like them I will order more. Thanks for the link!

[mama k]

The baby and I love our Sigg bottles over here! Papa has a KK.
When I got preggo I started reading... and started going green. It is hard with the influx of plastic toys and gadgets that come with a newborn, but I am trying to clear it out too. slowly slowly making progress.

[Adrian]

Darn! Everytime I buy Envirosax (twice, now, since one package wasn't enough for us), they come out with a new pattern that I like better.

Any reusable bag is so much better than a plastic bag that I have no problem with the nylon.

Klean Kanteens are fantastic. I almost went with Siggs (they're so pretty) until I read that the lining was epoxy. That scares me.

[Beth]

Amy, I just found your blog 3 days ago and I have spent quite a bit of time here. I really love your stuff. I, too, am on the same mission to rid my home of toxins--from Windex to plastic. My question? What do you all use in your trash cans. I use my grocery sacks as liners for all of our small trash cans. I don't see any alternatives for that "product". Any ideas?

[Jennifer]

Thanks for all of the information! Wow! Here in Japan, all I have ever seen are glass bottles. I really liked knowing that they were truly clean and sanitized, and I never broke one, even though I worried about it. Why do I never see bento boxes this cool in Tokyo? Honestly, I don't.

[Rusty]

Thanks for the kick in the butt, Amy! I've been meaning to get rid of my daughter's sippy cups and my son's water bottles and lunch box for ages. But I keep putting off ordering the new stuff. I'm gonna get started on knitting some netted grocery bags out of hemp yarn tonight! Again, thanks!

[Gail]

Great post, Miss Amy! Thanks for the info....we're all trying to get a bit greener.....

[Katie]

Wow. Great links. Thank you for sharing!

[Jemellia H]

Martha Stewart's kitchen line at K-mart has bigger glass storage containers, I've used them for since I've been on my own, never had plastic!

[emily]

Oh, the tiffins (the metal stackable containers) - my husband and I got one from togoware.com and we use it all the time - lunch, dinner, snacks. You can use it for takeout, too. I LOVE it. Everyone else loves it, too. Love the glass storage bowls, too, and I hear you on the never-ever use shopping bags again. Never ever. I've started reusing glass drink bottles for mine, but for kids I'd go with metal, too. But what did you do with all your plastic that you replaced? That's my big puzzle. What do I do with the old stuff?

[emily]

AND we've stopped, usually, buying canned food (just cook our own beans in the pressure cooker- they come out so wonderfully - and we make a bunch at a time and freeze the excess) so now whenever I buy food in glass jars I think - what will I use this jar for when we use up what's inside? It's fun. It's like buying two products at once. We freeze things in them and use them for dry food and leftover storage. Brilliant.

[Beth]

you're not freaky at all...we have all the same things! Thanks for the links so I can see the different styles of stuff...and get antsy to buy more...those envirosacs are so awesome. Must go get some!

[Kathy]

Same here. We love our Sigg containers for water, and I like the Martha Stewart line of glass bowls. They do have plastic lids, but they work great!

[christina]

I could not agree more with this post. They are all things that I have been working on for some time with the ever so subtle nudging of my mother. She seems to always be reminding me of the effects of plastic on my family. Actually she is the one I have to thank for getting me hooked on glass bottles for my daughter. I was not going to get them thinking I would breast feed the whole time. Little did I know I would be pumping for a good year but at least the bottles were there for the using. That said if you find you need a few feel free to ask.

[as an aside I think we talked today at the part about this very same issue. I am about 99.99% sure it was you. I was talking about the sip lids that you were using on the Klean Kanteens. Thank you for the advice I am going to be looking into buying a few some time this week.]

[Anne]

Thank you for the link to those stainless storage containers, I have been looking for something like that. It's almost impossible not to be OCDish about things today.

[Tallulah]

I use glass jars a lot - empty pickles & jam ones - to store stuff. I also have one of those stainless steel "towers", which I got at a Chinese store, & use it to pack my lunch everyday; one word of advice about those though - wacth out if you use them for soup or other liquids!

[Jude]

Hi Amy,
Thank you for the info - I printed the info to take with me to a Cropathon tomorrow where all my friends have small children. Have you read about additives? That's a scary one - here in Aus they are still adding Tartrazine to food which is in all yellow colouring and is a tar by product!!!!! Ewwww! We are all over the envirobags here though - we have been moving towards no plastic for about 5 years - most people use enviro bags now and it's getting unacceptable socially to use plastic. Our Home Depot equivalent Bunnings does not give out plastic bags with purchases. As for the plastic in baby bottles - well - another bonus for those of us who breast fed.I am enjoying your book too and I am totally addicted to the Flickr group. Jude :))

[Heather]

We have been doing the same thing for a while now--though I have not managed to remove the plastic containers from the house because I have no money to go buy new ones. We buy Lipton iced tea in a case and reuse the bottles and I get old glass containers at the thrift shop. Still watching for tin bento boxes because my kids LOVE bento boxes. I love the Klean Kanteen idea--I am so nervous about carrying bottles everywhere with 3 kids.

[philippa]

One of the very scariest facts relates to storing cleaning products contained in plastic bottles next to plastic bottles of drinks. The plastic sadly doesn’t stop all the nasties transferring between the bottles. So what looks like a nice cool drink of mineral water, could in fact contain a whole raft of horridness. Either keep well away, or look into buying drinks in returnable glass bottles.

[hannah]

i have been thinking about switching to those c&b storage containers, but the klutz in me is very worried.

[heather]

Thank you! Thank you! I am always looking for great "green" items and these are wonderful! I love the bags and the lunch boxes. I have a 2 1/2 yr old and we don't use a lot of plastic containers, but I am slowly trying to convert conpletely to glass or "better" plastics.

Thanks again

[Amber]

I love little "tips" posts like this. And I have the Envirosax bags, I looooove them!

[Angela]

I love reuseablebags.com! I've purchased numerous things from them (heavy-duty grocery totes, string bags, cloth produce bags, bags similar to the envirosaxs, SIGGS & Kleen Kanteens)
I've been very pleased with everything. Thanks for the nudge to get rid of the rest of the plastic!

[susan]

Some great ideas here. Glad you posted the link to the PDF file. I'll be taking a look at that.

I think they used those snack containers in the movie "Tortilla Soup". (Great movie by the way. Everyone should see it.) I thought they were so cool but had no idea how you could get them.

I reallllly don't like plastic. I have always preferred the real thing over fake stuff. We use non-matching pottery bowls for food storage that I pick up here and there just 'cause I think they're pretty. We don't have a dishwasher so we don't have to worry about whether something needs to be dishwasher safe, too. Really freeing.

[laura]

I'm not sure if someone else mentioned this earlier but IKEA has larger all glass storage containers which are great! They are definitely better for fridge/freezer storage but may work for on the go in a cooler.

[Carrie]

OK I have a 5 month old and now I feel sick to my stomach. I use Avent bottles and of course they are made of Polycarbonates. Avnet justifies using it on their website by saying it's approved by the FDA. I hate to get all "conspiracy theory" but FDA approval does not necesarily mean something is safe. My daycare won't accept glass bottles so I guess I am going to have to find another alternative. I wish I had known all of this before I purchased an arsenal of bottles, they're not cheap!

[Tamar]

Okay, talk about freaky - I am 37 weeks pregnant and about 90% of my nesting instincts are apparently diverted to getting us up-to-date ecowise, especially getting plastics out of the house! I'm a quiet long-time reader around here but I had to bust out to say a big thank you for putting up this post, which just saved me a whole bunch of late nights searching the internet for non-polycarbonate water bottles, et al. Now if I could just whip up 12 grocery bags out of an old sheet I think I may be officially ready for this babe...

[Becca]

I love the envirosax bags - does anyone have them? They're cute but they look so small. I'd like some sturdy bags for groceries so I can stop ending up with so many plastic ones all over my house, but those pouches are 6" x 9" and I can't imagine that holds much of anything. Does anyone know of some larger, cool looking tote bags?

[lisa s]

omg - amy - such a great amount of info.... and thanks for the sew green linkage [guest post! guest post!]
xo

[heather]

i so appreciate the info and links! i also read the vogue article and thought it surprisingly great! i just have one question i can't figure out. what do you use for garbage bags? i have been using plastic grocery bags for my garbage for years and wonder how others address this. i do forgo plastic bags as much as i can, but i still need some for the garbage. i'd love to hear what you use. thank you!!!

[Melanie]

Can anyone tell me how tall the storage containers at Pearl River are? I wondered if they would fit a container of yogurt or pudding in them. Thanks in Advance,
Melanie

[Melanie]

Can anyone tell me how tall the storage containers at Pearl River are? I wondered if they would fit a container of yogurt or pudding in them. Thanks in Advance,
Melanie

[homemakerang]

i have always HATED tupperware, i am glad i trusted my instincts...

[Laura]

Hi,

First, I just want to send a resounding "thank you"...you are a breath of fresh (creative) air and have inspired me to start sewing again.

Your recent "green" post is timely for me. I just read at Salon the info on bisphenol A in water bottles ; it's alarming. While I've always preferred glass food storage over plastic (I was easily grossed out by the food stains left in plastic but never gave a thought as to how plastics are a two way street- duh!), I'm new to changing water containers. I just ordered a new Sigg and refuse to drink from plastic anymore.

Thanks for the Green links; the envirosax are super cool!

-Laura

[Sara]

Great post Amy. I get a little freaky about this sort of thing too, but have not been able to eliminate it all yet. Though I do use cloth bags whenever possible (I always remember them at the grocery store - but forget when I go places like Target).

I also wanted to mention to those other mothers of newborns out there that there are baby bottles that are not glass, but don't contain the Polycarbonates that most mainstream brands like Avent, Gerber, Playtex, etc use. BornFree bottles do not contain these toxic chemicals and make both glass and plastic bottles. I just got a starter package for my new little one that should be arriving any day. They can be purchased at Babies 'R Us (my local store didn't have them but they are available online) and are comparably priced to other bottles.

[Mary Beth]

I've been meaning to comment because I love your blog, Amy, and I so love your new book too (and I've been sewing a lot of projects from it). Today's post is really food for thought for me. We have a lot of plastic in the house and two very little boys who have a lot of growing and developing to do. Thanks for all the great links and the calming words.

[Sherrie]

Like so many other commenters, I've also been eliminating plastics, using reusable bags, making my own cleaning products, etc. especially since being pregnant - thanks for some more encouragement! I found this link to a plastics chart which lists all sorts of items (including baby and kitchen items) by brand and type, so if you do choose to use plastic, you know which types to avoid. Hope it's useful! http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/pdf/plasticchart.pdf

[Violette Crumble]

Have you looked on snopes.com or done any further research about plastic toxicity? The only way most plastics can get into your system is when heated in the microwave. Storing food in most plastic doesn't pose any threats.

[Violette Crumble]

Have you looked on snopes.com or done any further research about plastic toxicity? The only way most plastics can get into your system is when heated in the microwave. Storing food in most plastic doesn't pose any threats.

[Carla]

Refrigerator storage? I use canning jars (or washed mayo jars) almost exclusively. Glass does not absorb odors like plastic does, the food lasts longer in glass and the jars are cheap vertical storage in the fridge. You can get much more on those shelves!

[sarah]

thanks for the info. its something I've been half-looking into (I started making my own bags, its a step!) ;) and kind of got stuck on the rest.

I've been wanting to replace all of our plastic containers, but hadn't even THOUGHT about sippy cups :o ech...

[Tyn]

Wow- what a great post. Thanks so much!!

[Tina]

I forgot to mention that Whole Foods Market sells an insulated hot/cold reusable shopping bag that zips closed. I've been using it to carry home frozen food dring these sweltering weeks. I've also used it as a picnic totewith ice packs. And the best part is that it's only three dollars!

[Steph]

I also like the Sigg bottles; we have grown-up and kid sizes. You can get htem at REI and Whole Foods. But in the summer we wind up placing them inside koozies, since the bottles conduct heat so well they tend to warm up quickly.

great post, Amy :)

[nicole iwawaki]

Love the post...be careful with the glass bowls from Crate & Barrel...I had a bunch of them and every single one of them cracked.

[Aina]

So thought through..i wish more people would open their eyes..Great theme!

I just ordered your book and i can`t wait to get it! It looks so fresh and inviting :) I just started sewing and blogging myself and i couldn`t think a better way to develop with this book :) Many thanks for reaching through my screen with so much energy and inspirations!! You motivate me to do my very best all the time, Greetings from a Norwegian girl who lives in The Netherlands ;)

[julia]

Oh, thanks for the envirosax link!

I feel the same way about our plastic junk. On the other hand, we already have it (kids' Ikea stuff coming out the nose) ... so throwing it away doesn't really help the environment, I think. I just don't buy any *more* plastic. And I do hate storing stuff in plastic, it's so icky to wash ... so a while ago I gave our tupperware-type pieces to the city-wide garage sale. Lots of people prefer it, so it'll get recycled, I hope.

I'm not sure about glass baby bottles. Max threw his down or dropped them, so many times. I think unfortunately that's one time that plastic might be best ... speaking of which, I am really intrigued with the new corn plastics. I wish more would be done to explore non-petroleum-based plastics.

[A Fanciful Twist]

OH my goodness! I always learn something from you! Not only is it lovely here, it is informative! Thanks! Now, I want to throw away all the creepy stuff too!! ;)

[elissa]

I just got the "Flora" Envirosax last week, and I love them so much! I had originally planned to use them only as shopping bags, but they're so cute that I have been using them as general tote bags and for any excuse I can. P.S. Name's Elissa -- I love your blog and can't remember if I've ever commented.

[Rebecca]

I have been thinking about the plastic thing lately. One thing I was trying to figure out is how I could bring homemade yogurt to work without plastic containers. I thought about mason jars, but wouldn't they break on the way? Are there any good portable containers you know about?

That metal snack canteen is so cool.

[Mama K]

OH and I thought I'd add that BornFree are PHA-free plastic for those who still want plastic bottles and sippy cups. They sell them at Whole Foods and www.newbornfree.com :)

[Samantha Weesner]

I LOVE bento boxes! I was so excited that you posted that on here, especially because I carry my lunch to work everyday. Interesting/scary article about plastics. I always pick glass over plastic, but my husband dad works in plastics and it "pays their bills" so he makes me feel guilty for shunning plastic. But, I'm working very hard on him! Thanks for the post!

Oh, and I just got your new book! I read it cover to cover last night. I'm so excited to start making those projects!

[Rae]

Thanks so much for this post! Like you and so many others in blogland, I just had a baby. I found myself freaking out numerous times about plastics, cleaning products, Scotchgard, flame retardants, etc. It takes alot to really rid the house of all of the toxic crap. It's reassuring that every little thing gets you that much closer. Thanks so much for writing about this topic!

[Maria S]

I wish I could write to the pregnant woman considering bottles to let her know that I used the very glass bottles you suggest for expressed breatmilk for my baby, and they were not at all too heavy! And soooo much easier to clean than similar plastic ones, of which I also had a few. Nicer for heating in a water bath too... just in general they seemed more sturdy in the face of all the freezing/cleaning/heating they went through, in addition to the other benefits you mention!

[Jodi]

I would like it better if more scientific studies were cited in this literature! I don't necessarily trust these conclusions, although I suppose there's nothing to be lost by NOT using plastics.

Also, I love getting plastic bags from the grocery store and Target. I use them all for scooping the litter box. Are there any better alternatives for that? Some people use a diaper genie with one big plastic bag all week long for cat waste, but it gets awfully stinky.

[Siri]

We tend to keep leftovers in our regular bowls, anything from ceramic cereal bowls on up to big stainless mixing bowls depending on the quantities, and then put a regular plate that fits on the bowl over it, anything from a tea saucer to a serving plate, and just pop it into the fridge. That's often how my DH brings leftovers to work with him or how we bring a dish to a potluck.
We also use our SS camping pots, the kinds that have a handle that folds over the top of the lid and "buckles" down on the opposite side. Here's one: http://www.rei.com/product/601897?vcat=REI_SSHP_CAMPING_TOC
We've been using two of these for nearly 15 years now, not just for camping but for everyday food storage.
Alternatively, often our food just stays in the pot it was cooked in and goes straight into the fridge that way with it's lid on top, to be brought out and reheated in the same pot. Less cleaning that way, too.
We use very little plastic wrap in this house but we still do use way too many plastic ziplocks and sandwich baggies around here for the little stuff such as half an onion. I need to start rethinking that one.
I just finally made the switch last week to reuseable grocery bags when I found some seriously marked down bags at a grocery store in Canada. They're made of white woven plastic like the stuff plastic tarps are made of, Tyvek(?). The thing that got me was that they're about the exact size and shape of a regular paper grocery bag, with a hard rectangular piece that fits down into the bottom to help it keep it's shape. I figured that the shape would make it easier for checkers to bag my groceries since they already know how to pack a bag of that shape and size. Still, the two times I've used them so far, I've ended up doing my own bagging. I'm OK with that, though, now that I don't have a wee one in my arms anymore. No, they don't scrunch down to nothing but they do fold down flat just liek paper bags and they can hold SO MUCH MORE WEIGHT! And the tannish-colored woven straps are long enough to easily sling over your shoulder.
The plastic bags that we do end up with all get bagged up themselves and brought to our local (not a chain) thrift store where they always have a sign out asking for people to bring them in.
I've just started using one of those half gallon "growler" bottles that breweries sell their beer in for carrying water with us in the car.
Wish there had been better options for sippy cups when ours were little.
Way to make those changes for your little ones, Amy!
Thanks for sharing. This is an inspiring post.
Gosh, I got wordy, didn't I?

[Siri]

Not done yet! I went poking around at Pearl River, and did you see the Apron Dress in the kitchenware section?

[Siri]

ONLY ONE MORE THING: Leftover plastic cups and containers can be delegated to the sandbox for scooping and pouring. Others here get brought to my DH's woodshop for mixing small amounts of stains, finishes, and different colors of concrete for concrete counter tops.
Another benefit of using the pots, bowls, and plates that you already have on hand is that you never have that awkward cupboard full of storage containers about ready to fall out everytime you open the door!

[Hero]

I find it a bit strange that whenever people start thinking about "going green" they start thinking about what they can throw out - like people replacing their pants with hemp versions! I'm with you in principle though - recently had a big struggle to find a lightweight leak proof lunch carrier

[Lexy]

To Rebecca, who asked about bringing yogurt to work in glass containers: I have found that place the glass container (jam jar, mason jar, etc.) inside of an old sock (or you could sew or knit a plush tube) helps prevents breakage. In warm weather it also collects condensation so other items in your lunch bag don't get soaking wet.

[Becky]

Thank you for so many excellent suggestions! I use Ball jars for my daughter's lunch. They have so many sizes and shapes that I've got them for every purpose - except that I can't figure out how to get a sandwich in one. Ikea has good glass containers with lids that stay on well - and one in a sandwich size.

[water works]

I am not in a position to purchase the type of bags you showed, but I wanted to do my part. I was walking through Home Depot looking for compact flour. lightbulbs and saw the most awesome bags! They are (unfortunately) HD orange with the logo...BUT they are heavy duty nylon with straps and these unique handles that hook to the sides of the cart. And they're a buck ninety-nine! I bought three and now use them everywhere...and all the stuffs already bagged when I get to the checkout!

[jen]

thanks, amy, for creating this forum for discussing plastics!
i was wondering if anyone knows about anything worrisome about wearing crocs- seems like so many kids these days are wearing these squishy plastic shoes against their bare feet. thanks.

[swirlingnotions]

Hallelujah! I've read a gazillion articles about how horrid plastic is and not one of them tell you where to find good glass and ss containers. I'm a new momma, so the topic has taken on more weight for me, and I'm a recipes developer, so I have a LOT of leftovers to contend with! I've found the ones from IKEA to work pretty well, but was looking for other options. Thanks for the tip!

So glad I found your blog . . . I'll be back!

[swirlingnotions]

Hallelujah! I've read a gazillion articles about how horrid plastic is and not one of them tell you where to find good glass and ss containers. I'm a new momma, so the topic has taken on more weight for me, and I'm a recipes developer, so I have a LOT of leftovers to contend with! I've found the ones from IKEA to work pretty well, but was looking for other options. Thanks for the tip!

So glad I found your blog . . . I'll be back!

[kathy]

Awesome post. I've been stewing over getting rid of all the plastic for too long. Your post reminds me that I just need to take charge and do it!

[Sally]

I exclusively breastfed, but on the occasions when my son needed expressed milk in a bottle, we only used the Evenflow glass bottles (purchased at Babies R Us). We never had a problem with them, they are very sturdy glass!
Thanks for bring the plastics issue back to light for me - since my son is nearly three, we almost always use real dishes and glasses at home, but have gotten into sippy cup and Nalgene laziness this summer as we've roadtripped. I've heard Nalgene bottles are made from the same bad plastic as the Avent baby bottles. Yuck! I'm headed out for a KK!