Is plastic-free obtainable?

[MoonShadows]

I fully agree with you, Deb, but I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon. It seems most folks are more concerned with convenience than conservation.

 

[Mini Horses]

True -- more convenience than conservation. Efforts to reuse plastics by making into usable things -- park benches, lumber replacement, etc. -- could be expanded.

Realistically, with the current population and lifestyles, no one wants to (or knows they can) support small shops, paper bags, meats cut at butcher and wrapped, etc. It would be hard for that to happen in our large cities. Most box stores have the meats arrive pre-pkged now.

Very much like the huge farms producing our GMO foods, 8 tractors abreast, with commercial additives and pesticides. Although I do see farmer's markets in many areas, being used, so much of our population doesn't know (or care?) about the degradation of our food supply. Heck, some don't know where eggs come from!

We can all cut back dramatically if we try. Many won't try.

 

[MoonShadows]

Here's a website that specializes in non-plastic alternative products. A bit pricey, you can probably find most cheaper elsewhere, but it is good for ideas.

http://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/

 

[tortoise]

I love ziploc. :sigh:

Some of our big offenders are items I really can make at home. I have time. Crackers, granola bars, pudding and yogurt. Especially yogurt!

No grocery store meat packaging here, but lots of butcher paper because we process all our own meat. DH and I have discussed canning some of our venison. I should get my butt in gear and try it. Our country extension had a class on it last fall - of course I missed it. :/

 

[Mini Horses]

Meats are about the only thing I buy that is in plastic. I milk, so don't buy that, sour cream, yogurt & store in glass. I sometimes buy sliced cheese. Eggs are fresh. Rarely buy bread or cereals. I ask for paper at grocery. Some frozen veggies come in plastic bags & I do like vac plastic for freezer.

The darned feed bags are largest amount of plastic I get. I believe those are bio degrade....?

I don't think we will get entirely away from plastic. It would be nice if we all could cut back! OK....disposable diapers are a real issue, too.

 

[tortoise]

I switched back to cloth diapers. DH doesn't like it, he puts plastic diapers on when he can. The "cloth" diapers are plastic anyway - the outer layer is PUL (polyurethane laminate).

 

[tortoise]

I'm sorry, Mini Horses! I was in Walmart and saw that packs of crappy Gerber prefolded "diapers". Those things are so useless they're a joke! I have some really nice prefolds... never learned to fold them. oops? I even have some Snappies for them. (google them, such a cool invention!) I'm a fan of pocket diapers. Stuff in an appropriate number of inserts and it goes on like a disposable. I was re-gifted 1/3 of mine, and will confess I bought the rest from China. Because $6 each versus $20 - $30 each. They're much more simple in design and construction, but completely adequate. The USA sub-culture surrounding cloth diapering ( a.k.a. fluff) is insane. It's elitist, expensive, and more about status and collecting diapers than anything else. I wandered across a conversation today in which one mom was asking for ideas to display her collection of 50 cloth diapers. Another mom chimes in "I have 100".

 

[Britesea]

I still have a few from when my (now 26) DS was a baby. They make great dish towels, lol. After this many years, I don't think anyone would want to display these stained, torn rags...

 

[Denim Deb]

My problem is hubby. He buys a ton of stuff in plastic. I limit my usage as much as possible, but he doesn't seem to care.

 

[Amiga]

Mine is making progress, but seems nowhere nearly as sensitive to the issue as I am. He has many good qualities, let me say that! At the same time, sometimes I come up with a solution that makes sense from a different point of view (convenience, less cost), and then I can get him on board.