I agree with Emily. You might be able to find a use for them or an organization that will take them. The thin plastic clogs the sorting machinery at recycling centers but some do take bags if you drop them off yourself. Looking into that might be worth a try.
Myself, I kept all the plastic bags, including from food packaging, and have been them as liners in my tiny bathroom & kitchen trash cans. Not the most ideal end for plastic, but at least I’m not buying trash bags. Now, I’m happily running low.
Our local thrift stores welcome sturdy plastic & paper bags. Better to keep using them than buying them? Maybe? Because using them probably also contributes to plastic shedding.
I use the bags I have as a light cover for food rather than plastic wrap if I’ve run out of covered glass containers. A pie slips into a bag and gets covered without much exposure to the food. I also use them for ice if we pack a cooler. I use them once or twice then I bring them to a grocery store for recycling. Not sure if it’s real, but they have a place for plastic bags. I also use them for dog poop if I am not at a place where I can simply scoop. This is less ideal because they won’t get recycled, but I’m reusing rather than buying dog poop bags. Hope this is helpful.
Go back to using all metal perkulator coffee pots as the drip coffee makers like Mr coffee, bunn and others push super heated water through plastic parts that will end up in your coffee you drink that's even worse than drinking from plastic water bottles.
We have switched to the Chemex. It’s glass and the filter supposedly has no plastic. It’s the pour over method. It’s been an adjustment, but the coffee is better; it really is, and no plastic. I have always said the most important things to watch are the things you do, consume, etc every day. Coffee definitely fits into that category for us.
I know it's a pipe dream but non plastic, dishwasher safe cutting boards? Any ideas? I find that I already do most of these things but the places I do use plastic are hard to change.
Chef Smartypants on Insta has a reel on cleaning wooden cutting boards. It convinced me and I changed to wood recently. Truly, I’m very lazy, but scrubbing a board with detergent and hot water takes 2 minutes and is very satisfying, and an occasional oil takes seconds. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-2oC2ruBqU/?igsh=MWg0cjI5bzN0YjYwbQ==
Great ideas, another one I would add is boiling water in a metal kettle
Thank you very much for that addition!
You are a trustworthy guide on this topic—thank you so much!
Thank you for that and for reading :)
Hi! I’m working hard towards reducing plastic in my kitchen. Im curious what you recommend doing with all the plastic bags that have accumulated?
I agree with Emily. You might be able to find a use for them or an organization that will take them. The thin plastic clogs the sorting machinery at recycling centers but some do take bags if you drop them off yourself. Looking into that might be worth a try.
Appreciate your insight and suggestions! Thank you!!
Myself, I kept all the plastic bags, including from food packaging, and have been them as liners in my tiny bathroom & kitchen trash cans. Not the most ideal end for plastic, but at least I’m not buying trash bags. Now, I’m happily running low.
Our local thrift stores welcome sturdy plastic & paper bags. Better to keep using them than buying them? Maybe? Because using them probably also contributes to plastic shedding.
Thank you!! I re-use as many as I can, too. Xx
I use the bags I have as a light cover for food rather than plastic wrap if I’ve run out of covered glass containers. A pie slips into a bag and gets covered without much exposure to the food. I also use them for ice if we pack a cooler. I use them once or twice then I bring them to a grocery store for recycling. Not sure if it’s real, but they have a place for plastic bags. I also use them for dog poop if I am not at a place where I can simply scoop. This is less ideal because they won’t get recycled, but I’m reusing rather than buying dog poop bags. Hope this is helpful.
Go back to using all metal perkulator coffee pots as the drip coffee makers like Mr coffee, bunn and others push super heated water through plastic parts that will end up in your coffee you drink that's even worse than drinking from plastic water bottles.
We have switched to the Chemex. It’s glass and the filter supposedly has no plastic. It’s the pour over method. It’s been an adjustment, but the coffee is better; it really is, and no plastic. I have always said the most important things to watch are the things you do, consume, etc every day. Coffee definitely fits into that category for us.
Augh, I hadn't even thought about the coffee pot!
Does anyone know of a clever solution for storing home-baked bread in the freezer?
No downsides! And I love this upside that I’d never considered before. ‘Stick with wood and you won’t have to read boring studies.’. 🤣
Great ideas.. Thank you for sharing... Happy New Year ❤️
I know it's a pipe dream but non plastic, dishwasher safe cutting boards? Any ideas? I find that I already do most of these things but the places I do use plastic are hard to change.
Chef Smartypants on Insta has a reel on cleaning wooden cutting boards. It convinced me and I changed to wood recently. Truly, I’m very lazy, but scrubbing a board with detergent and hot water takes 2 minutes and is very satisfying, and an occasional oil takes seconds. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-2oC2ruBqU/?igsh=MWg0cjI5bzN0YjYwbQ==
I've disconnected from all Meta but yeah. I guess I need to pull my wooden ones in to rotation
Thank you so much for sharing! Your post inspired me, and I shared the steps I've been taking in my substack. https://open.substack.com/pub/silkycrunch/p/wanna-stop-eating-microplastics?
If we know so much about All the damage microplastics are causing. What is the future of the world as we know it ?
This is my worry now
What's the next 50 years got in store?
The seas will be dead & man will become infertile
I'm currently listening to an episode of the People's Pharmacy with Dr. Alan Greene about protecting our kids (and ourselves) from microplastics that folks might find helpful as well - https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/show-1398-protecting-children-from-the-perils-of-plastic.
Great article, as always!
Thank you for including the petition links, too.
Great article with wonderful tips that are easy to implement!