We moved into the city and are walking much more. I found foldable fabric grocery bags - one lives in my back pocket all the time to use for quick stops. We are just a few blocks from multiple grocery options.

MrsTuner found mesh drawstring bags that we use for produce. (we are getting better at remembering to bring them along...)

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
I am a failure at carrying my own bags. Some stores we patronize use paper bags. I'm not sure whether they're better, though.

I remember reading that the bottom line is: Paper bags--start to finish--are not kind to the environment and plastic bags actually have a smaller carbon footprint. Of course the problem with plastic is it's longevity and our inability to give it a proper disposal. It's maddening that such an offender as plastic bags also mess up recycling machines to the extent that they must be rejected.

quote:

Originally posted by BeeLady:

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
I am a failure at carrying my own bags. Some stores we patronize use paper bags. I'm not sure whether they're better, though.

I hang them on the door knob so when I exit the house I have no excuse for putting them in my car...I have a collection of bags in my car at all times..just have to remember to bring them into the store!

I can't tell you how many times over the last month I've had to ask the cashier if I could park my cart long enough to run to the car for my bags! I'm forcing myself to go fetch them because if I don't I won't break the habit of forgetting them! It's gotten quite a bit better actually. Today I remembered at Hannaford's, at the liquor store, and at the pet shop! (Bonus: The pet shop has a dish of candy for anyone who brings in their own bag. Heck yeah! )

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:

I hang them on the door knob so when I exit the house I have no excuse for putting them in my car...I have a collection of bags in my car at all times..just have to remember to bring them into the store!

...I can't tell you how many times over the last month I've had to ask the cashier if I could park my cart long enough to run to the car for my bags! I'm forcing myself to go fetch them because if I don't I won't break the habit of forgetting them!

Both great ideas, Bernard. It IS largely a matter of breaking a bad habit for me, but I think it's safer to use cloth bags - for me, at least. Plastic bags weaken and break over time and I plain can't go around retrieving fruit or whatever from the ground (and glass containers, well...)

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:

I almost never drink bottled water. I think our tap water is fine. I run it through the currently dirty and needing to be replaced filter in our refrigerator's water dispenser and it tastes fine.

Mary Anna has instructed me to defend myself.

I replaced the filter two or three days ago. She didn't notice.

(And yes, it needed replacing for a couple of months, and yes, I was able to replace it because she cleaned out part of the garage without husbandly assistance, and as a result of her efforts I was able to get to the part of the garage where the spare filter was stored. What's your point?)

I wasn't pointing a finger. I'm capable of replacing a filter, but there's that undiagnosed probably ADD.

I don't do well with tasks that require me to remember that something needs doing, then find something that has been somewhere in the garage for six to nine months, and then install that thing before my mind skitters on to something else. Or returns to fixating on the current happenings on Joyeuse Island...

[Jodi's mind skittering]Omg, the garage. Our garage is giving me panic attacks, how many freaking times have I had to organize our garages and now a storage so I can find things, or use them for useful activities like painting huge oil paintings, just to get it just the way I want, only to have us move again. I am so tired of this. (No, we are not moving again, but I Started working on organizing the garage yesterday, went to storage unit only to find that mr Jodi had pretty much undone what I’ve done there so I’m going to have to start again).[/Jodi’s mind skittering]

What were we talking about? Oh yes. Plastic. I’ve been trying to store the have used veggies that I cook with in my little tupperwearlike Costco plastic containers instead of using a ziplock, still plastic, but they are easier to wash, and last longer.

Things I'm really good at: beverages. I have two stainless steel water bottles that I bring to campus with me, and I refill those at a water bottle filling station (like the kind you see at airports). For coffee, I usually bring my own, using special re-usable coffee bottles I bought in Japan. I generally don't buy beverages otherwise. And I've never been much of a straw user (except after dentist appointments)

I think that's it. I dont't think I'm good at anything else.

Oh, well I always bring my lunch, and have re-usable containers and utensils, so my lunch doesn't produce plastic (or paper) waste.

But shopping bags, we still use the plastic ones. Then we bring them home and use them to line our waste baskets, or use them for other things. But it's still ultimately ending up in a land fill. We really need to rethink/re-do this.

We also use ziplock bags for various things (usually food related) and we bring home packaging for fruit, veggies, and meats. (We don't eat a lot of beef, but chicken and pork also have lots of packaging).

So what do you all line your waste baskets with? What about larger garbage cans?

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I'm using stainless steel water bottles. Instead of buying small plastic water bottles, I buy huge ones, and pour them into the stainless steel bottles. That saves some plastic. (I can't stand the tap water here, so that's not an option.)

Get a reverse osmosis water filter for your kitchen sink.

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I'm using stainless steel water bottles. Instead of buying small plastic water bottles, I buy huge ones, and pour them into the stainless steel bottles. That saves some plastic. (I can't stand the tap water here, so that's not an option.)

Get a reverse osmosis water filter for your kitchen sink.

That is an idea. Off to consider ...

I finally managed to shame Mr Pique out of buying those flats of individual plastic bottles of water at Costco (Costco should quite selling them, imo) and now instead he's buying big flats of canned water.

I admit I like the convenience of just grabbing a can of cold water, even though it would only take 30 seconds to refill my steel water bottle at our refrigerator water dispenser. Why? Because I am always trying to stretch time which means I am often on the verge of being late.

When we forget the reusable grocery bags--which is often--mr. Pique just buys more of them. So now our mudroom is overflowing with reusable shopping bags that somehow never make it back to the car.

I am in despair about the plastic problem, really. I think we need to ban their manufacture and use as some cities have one, because the convenience factor just makes it too easy to revert to using them.

Just like with training horses "make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult"

The amount of virtue and motivation required to become plastic free is just too daunting for most of us.

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
Clearly you are more present in the moment than I am.

When I'm on my way out of the house, I could walk past a rabid bear and not notice.

[Rocketvoice] That is also true. [/Rocketvoice]

[quote]It is entirely possible that I have one of those forms of ADD that is invisible to most people who do not have to live with me, except for an ability to hyperfocus.

My form of ADD is far more visible and far harder to live with, so you get a complete pass.

quote:

It's just my personal brand of failure.

Disagree strongly. I've read articles that suggest that many of the world's geniuses throughout history had ADD. That kind of brilliance comes with trade-offs.

And, mostly, you have workarounds that avoid even small failures.

quote:

Originally posted by jodi:

[quote]What were we talking about? Oh yes. Plastic. I’ve been trying to store the have used veggies that I cook with in my little tupperwearlike Costco plastic containers instead of using a ziplock, still plastic, but they are easier to wash, and last longer.

I use Pyrex for that. It takes up more space than plastic bags, but it's easier to stack, to see, to clean, etc. Plus, you can microwave or reheat in it without the plastic leaching.

My Pyrex fetish drives Mary Anna a little crazy, but I have 90% converted her to using Pyrex for most refrigerator-saved items.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I'm using stainless steel water bottles. Instead of buying small plastic water bottles, I buy huge ones, and pour them into the stainless steel bottles. That saves some plastic. (I can't stand the tap water here, so that's not an option.)

Get a reverse osmosis water filter for your kitchen sink.

That is an idea. Off to consider ...

markj has the skinny on systems, I think. He really did his homework before installing one at his house....

I am curious about water filtering as well. Should we start a separate water filtration thread?

Before we moved, we had one of those one-the-faucet filters, it was great, easy to use, easy to replace, water tasted good.

The new house has a faucet that you can pull down to get the sprayer. So of course, it doesn't fit a faucet filter. >_<

I have read that reverse osmosis wastes a huge amount of water. Is that not a concern? In addition to the waste, what does it do to your water bill?