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I picked these up for my kids today for their lunches. We've been using plastic ones and they were getting pretty old (we've set them aside for outside squirting fun now). They are all aluminum, don't smell, have no taste, and are leakproof. They are made by a company called Sigg in Switzerland and I know several folks who use them (they make large sizes too). Here's the kicker though - they were $17!!!!! I was shocked. The nice thing thoguh is that the larger sizes are only about $4 more so while they are expensive, at least they represent what it probably costs to make these things. The way i figure it, my kids health is worth it, if they last 10 years, they are 1.70 a year, and for others, as compared to store bought bottled water or juice boxes everyday, they're a steal.
Dave
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Re-Usable Drinking Containers
Packaging Insanity
I ordered some tapes online for my video camera and look at what they came in. 10 tapes (they are on the right there) and 14 other pieces of stuff. Incredible. I'll give you that the plastic air bags are better than the styro-foam peanuts which end up blowing all over the place, but come on. This could have been packed in a box half it's size and used much less packaging. No wonder we're in trouble.
Everything in the pic goes into our mail area and will eventually be re-used for shipping something else, except for the tape box, which will be used to organize shot tapes.
Dave
Dirty Little Secrets
OK, I need to come clean on something here. I'm insanely addicted to Chipwich's (or any variation thereof). Now the only one's we seem to be able to get around here are Nestle Tollhouse Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich's which in my opinion, don't even come close to the goodness of Chipwich's due to the cookie to chocolate chip to ice cream ratio, which is way off. the Nestle's ones come in this horrendous plastic wrapper that can't be recycled, so, at the end of December, I had my last one, realizing that while I wouldn't go a year, I'd probably not be seeing them for a while.
Cut to today and I was in Trader Joe's and caught sight of a box of Trader Joe's Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie sandwiches. I swear the lights dimmed and I heard a chorus of angels. They come in a cardboard box and are individually wrapped in thin plastic bags that are recyclable.
Now don't get me wrong, I know that I'm better off waste wise, not buying these things and I won't be buying them often, but i have to be honest, I'm psyched. I actually ate two of them before lunch (I know, I'm a child).
What can I say, we all have our vices.
Dave
Day 50 - Tuesday 2/19/08
Today's Haul:
- 1 macaroni and cheese box - recycle
- 1 macaroni and cheese cheese packet - garbage
- 1 can frozen orange juice - recycle
- 2 plastic wraps (more on these in another post) - recycle
- 1 toilet paper roll - worms
- 1 piece scrap paper - worms
- 1 receipt - worms
- 1 used q-tip - worms
- 2 pieces chewed gum in wrappers - garbage
Vermicomposting Group
For anyone interested in learning more about vermicomposting, there is a group you can check out at vermicomposting@yahoogroups.com. You may have to sign up for them to be part of the group but you can check out posts by searching the yahoogroups.
Also, check out Worms Eat My Garbage which is pretty much the worm bible. You can probably pick it up at the library.
Dave
Monday, February 18, 2008
Whole Foods Ditches Plastic Bags
Whole Foods announced in January that they are giving up plastic for good. As of Earth Day they will no longer offer plastic bags at all but will still offer paper for the time being. They are also presently selling these cool looking free standing bags that are made from 80% recycled plastic bottles, cost just .99 and will be replaced for free should they ever break. They're pretty hearty though so they should last a long time. When you consider that you get .5 back every time you use them (and lately they've been unofficially upping that in order to convince you it's the right thing to do), these bags will be making you money in no time. Cuhl.
Day 49 - Monday 2/18/08
Today's Haul:
- 1 plastic dishwashing detergent bottle PETE 1 - recycle
- 1 plastic yogurt tub with top PP 5 - recycle (re-purpose more likely)
- 2 pieces chewed gum in wrappers - garbage
- 1 piece plastic shrink wrap from tofu burger - recycled
- 2 pieces scrap paper - worms
- 1 kids birthday invite on photographic paper - garbage
