Not Good Enough: Recycling in the USA

Found this great infographic and wanted to share. Recycling is something we started taking seriously about a year ago. Before that we recycled plastic only, but now we recycle paper and cardboard, aluminum, and plastics. Recycling all of these items really showed us how disposable our society is, and in turn led us to reduce our consumption of many packaged items. When shopping, packaging plays a big role in my purchases now. Is it packaged in paper or plastic? Is there an option with less packaging? Can I buy that in bulk and package it in reusable containers at home? 

Anyhow, here is the infographic. Please share as many ways as possible. We need to get America recycling!

Source: happy-mothering.com via Happy Mothering on Pinterest

BioPlastics: For Better of Worse?

Bioplastics, which are plastics made from plants, are popping up more and more lately. This labeling can be found on water bottles and other previously taboo plastic containers. I decided to do a little research to get the scoop on these supposedly compostable, sustainable, eco-friendly plastics (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?) and what I found is definitely worth sharing. 

Traditional plastic is a petroleum product. Bioplastic is made from plant derivatives such as cellulose or starch. Of course, the primary plant used for bioplastic is corn, which 

creates another dilemma entirely and is not much better than using petroleum. Other plants may be used, however, so for the sake of argument let's say our bioplastic is being made from one of the other plant possibilities. What then is its impact on our environment?

First it is important to realize that bioplastic is still made in a factory on machinery that is run by petroleum products. However, while statistics abound and often vary, it is widely accepted that making bioplastic from farm to finished product still uses at least 20% less petroleum than traditional petro-plastic. 

Second, it is important to realize that even though these plant-based plastics can be made from agricultural byproducts, most are being made from crops that are grown specifically for industrial uses. This means deforestation, over-use of farmland, soil erosion, heavy pesticide use and more. 

It is also important that even though your plastic bottle may say "biodegradable," it may degrade so slowly or require such specific circumstances that it will not actually biodegrade. The good news is that starch-based plastics, while less durable, will actually degrade in compost conditions. 

Another problem with bioplastic is that it is recyclable, but must be recycled separately from traditional petro-plastic. Mixing of the two can cause serious damage to equipment at recycling facilities and most consumers don't know to separate them so the responsibility falls on the facility to carefully sort them out, which creates a higher cost for recycling. 

The bottom line, however is this: Only 27% of ALL plastic get recycled. The rest is in our oceans and landfills. So, regardless of whether its petroleum-based or plant-based, avoid using plastic whenever possible. 

• Carry a reusable water bottle and fill it from a water fountain or faucet when you get thirsty. 
• Reuse old newspapers and other paper products for packing material.
• Avoid plastic straws; if you can't skip the straw completely, carry a re-usable glass straw.
• In the kitchen, opt for glass or metal. This applies to dishes, storage containers, bakeware, etc.

If you have more information to share on this topic, or if you have questions, tips, etc., please share them in the comments section below! I love to hear what you have to say!

Why BPA is BAD

Even if you aren't sure why, you've probably seen and heard enough to know that lots of people are against BPA. But what is BPA? And what makes it worrisome? Like many others, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about until recently. I wasn't unaware, just under-informed. 

BPA is often found in plastic bottles used
for bottled water.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

BPA is short for a manmade chemical called bisphenol A that is often found in plastic and can linings. A derivative of petroleum, BPA has been used in food and drink containers since the 1960s and was used in other products as far back as 1910. 

The corporations that use BPA have performed trials that showed BPA to be harmless to humans. Remember, these tests were conducted by the companies that use the chemical in their products. Unfortunately, independent testing on several continents over the last 20 years has shown otherwise time and time again. 

When BPA is exposed to heat, it breaks down and the molecules that break off become a hormone that mimics estrogen. There are other chemicals that do the same thing, but BPA is one of the stronger and more common ones. Estrogen in normal doses is well and fine in humans. But we can "overdose" on estrogen. Unfortunately, estrogen never leaves the body and neither do these estrogen copycats. In high concentrations estrogen hormones cause cancers to form. It doesn't stop there, either. In men, high estrogen levels mean lower sperm count. In babies and children, high doses of estrogen can cause abnormalities of the reproductive system and early puberty. Human trials have already been done and the results have been conclusive: BPA is BAD. 

So why is BPA still out there? Why is still found in food and beverage containers, storage containers, children's toys, and more? Well, it turns out the FDA agrees that BPA is unsafe. Apparently there is an old and outdated law that states that BPA and certain other chemicals are not under the jurisdiction of the FDA because at the time the law was written these chemicals were deemed harmless. 

Look for thess and similar labels
when shopping for plastic and/or
canned goods.

Enough people are alarmed that companies are starting to listen, even without regulations. If you look around next time you buy anything plastic, notice that many companies now offer new BPA-free versions of their old products. While glass is often a better option, be sure to choose BPA-free when you do buy plastic. If you have plastics at home that you are unsure about, consider replacing them and definitely don't use them for hot food or drinks or in the microwave. 

We have been transitioning to BPA-free in our home. All new plastics are BPA-free and we use glass whenever possible. No plastic containers are used for anything hot unless we are sure they are BPA free. Eventually we plan to get rid of all of our older plastic, but finances require a slow transition. I am loving the new options that are available in glass, such as sports bottles and straws. We also have some new stainless steel food storage containers with BPA-free plastic lids. 

Have you started going BPA-free at home? What steps have you taken? Or are you just discovering the effects of this chemical? Maybe you know something I've left out. All comments are welcomed and cherished at Mama Making Changes so please leave your two cents worth below!