A Plastic Diet

Fire_Fox

Tabatha_Kitten wrote: »

I'll join in.
I would be interested to hear other peoples tips for avoiding using plastic bags at the supermarket.
I've done my best re-using the bags, but find that the quality these days is so poor that I cant re-use them for more than a couple of weeks.
Was talking the girl at the checkout and she said that hardly anyone bothers to bring their own anymore.
I have a few of the "bags for life" but dont seem to get quite as much in them.
There has to be a better way....

I know it's not entirely in the spirit of this thread, but I use the large canvas 'bags for life'. Mine have lasted two years so far and one now has developed a hole tho is still serviceable. They are really large with strong handles and flat bases, so you can pack your shopping and still have it stand up unaided.

DdraigGoch

Wow! How lovely to have company on my diet

As for washing up liquid, I think that the soap and soda crystals route is the way forward for me. I did this diet in 2006, and it did change the way I acted but I just wanted to see if I could get rid of the bad habits and pick up some better ones.

I think that we've got a lot of recipes on here for the washing up liquid/washing liquid conundrum, plus all the other cleaning recipes - that should be us covered for the month at least! And this way I get stuff to smell of what I want it to smell of, not what Pr*ct*r & G*mbl* want

Hope this helps
DG

greenbee

I have a book called 'Green Clean' (ISBN 978-1-84397-893-0) which has recipes in for most of the household cleaners you would need (and quite a lot you wouldn't!).

I'll try to keep a check on this thread and post any recipes that people are looking for.

Washing up liquid

30g soap flakes
450ml hot water
55ml glycerin
half a tsp lemon essential oil

Dissolve soap flakes in water. Cool to lukewarm, add glycerin & lemon oil. Stir & cool. When gel forms, stir to break up, and pour into a bottle. Use 3 tsp in hot water to wash dishes.

650 ml liquid castile soap
10 drops lavender oil
8 drops rosemary oil
4 drops eucaluptus oil

DW detergent

110ml castile soap
110ml water
1tsp lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil
55ml vinegar

Put 1 tablespoon into the DW and one in the dispenser. Sprinkle bicarb over the dishes & bottom of the DW.

lilac_lady

When I saw the OP I thought it meant that someone was going to eat all the plastic tasting rubbish from the supermarkets. (plastic cheese slices and strings, plastic cold meat). Relieved to find out I was wrong.

Gigervamp

There's another blog that's been going for 3 years now about living plastic free.

http://plasticfree.blogspot.com/

A_fiend_for_life

Some unexpected results on supermarkets here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/17/recycling-supermarkets-packaging

SEASHELL22

This sounds fantastic - I am with you.

greenbee

I though this would be of interest to anyone looking for a plastic-free solution to filtering water.

http://www.charcoalpeople.co.uk/

I'm thinking of getting one... I filter my water because it needs it, but the plastic jug is a bit issue for me! (I will, of course, either car boot or freecycle the unwanted jug!)

DdraigGoch

Thanks for all your hints and help, everyone. So far I'm working out how to deal with situations which will arise during March, but I'm finding that already, just being aware of it, that I'm being a great deal more observant.

One thing I noticed is that the cartons of C*vent G*rden soups appear to be the old-fashioned waxed cartons - if so, that's marvellous as I want some for the freezer! I shall have a rootle around in the Net to see if I can find some, if anyone else finds them, please tell me.

Many thanks to all [I must say I giggled when I saw LilacLady's comment! I just hadn't thought of it that way around ... *doh* ]

DdraigGoch

Boo hiss! It turns out that the waxed cartons of my childhood were indeed waxed cartons - yes, I'm really that old! - but nowadays the "wax" is a thin coat of plastic ........ :mad: Just how am I supposed to be plastic free and put stuff into the freezer? Aluminium containers? I don't want to use up any more resources than necessary. Hey ho.

:idea: would it count if I used up all the T&pperw*are I have lurking around the place? I suppose so, as I wouldn't be encouraging any more to be produced ..... what do you think? [gosh, I'm really quick some times ... this isn't one of them, is it? :rotfl::rotfl:]