Waste Stream Wednesday

Each Wednesday, I take inventory of my waste stream and think of ways to reduce my garbage. Inspired by Zero Waste Home and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, I hope to lead a sustainable and minimal waste producing household.

Thoughts

My favorite wine, inexpensive, and delicious now started packaging itself with plastic.  Of course, I didn't notice until I was home (still an unconscious consumer) and took a good look. Two glass bottles (good) wrapped together with plastic (useless).  So today I am writing my first complaint letter to the makers of  Menage a Trois  -  Folie a Deux winery and Costco. I am also not buying their wine anymore (voting with my dollar).

Folie A Deux,
I have been faithfully enjoying your Menage a Trois red wine for years. I would buy six to ten bottles at a time at Costco. Unfortunately I choose to no longer consume your wine as you have started packaging your wine in plastic. So now I have to dispose of plastic packaging when I buy Menage a Trois red wine at Costco. Using plastic packaging to sell two bottles of wine at a time is contributing to plastic waste which may end up in the ocean and choking sea life. The plastic packaging serves no purpose but to join two bottles of wine, which limits the choice of the consumer. Perhaps I want five bottles but now I will just buy four and inherit two useless plastic wrappers to throw away. Such a shame. Please use cardboard or just sell single bottles.

Thank you
Elisa Meyer
 

Week Summary

 

--Avoiding plastic packaging is a challenge, negotiating cost versus function versus waste product!

--I had my first reused and washed plastic bag rip and spill sugar. I must transition to cloth soon as all my plastic bags will eventually rip.
--Jason is trying out the Preserve toothbrush.  A toothbrush made of yogurt containers and (brilliant) comes in its own recyclable packaging.  Just slip the used toothbrush in its packaging  (which includes the address and stamp) and mail it back to its producers. So simple and convenient. No waste is generated on our end.
--Scrap paper making from used envelope and paper.

To Work On

--Choose to purchase products in glass instead of plastic containers.
--I need to make bags (researching).
--Do not make Jam from 12 plastic containers of raspberries (not sure what I was thinking)

 

Waste Reducing Activities of the Week

 

Letter Writing,

I wrote a letter via a comment form to Costco and an email to Folie a Deux winery regarding their plastic wrapped wine glass bottles.

Biodegradable Diapers and Wipes

Julien is now diapered in biodegradable diapers which have almost no plastic.  Healthier for Julien and the planet.

This Weeks Waste

Landfill

Plastics: Plastic paper towel packaging, shipping packaging, food wrappers, meat, pasta, and other food packaging, plastic plate, two toothbrushes.


Need to reduce bacon plastic packaging (bulk)

Paper (non recyclable): Rice milk container, meat butcher paper, tea bags, butter wrapper.


I am now making my own almond milk (so yummy)

Misc: sponge, cloth scraps.

1 trash bag of diapers and biodegradable wipes.