Major company Coca-Cola is trying to be greener by changing the material of their bottles. This new material still uses some petroleum based plastic, but 30% of the material is derived from sugar cane and molasses instead. Dasani (bottled water) will be the first lab rat for this new packaging experience. Depending on how the results are, Coke plans to implement the new bottle for all of its products.

We think that it is great that a company is not only looking to reduce the amount of plastic in their products, but trying to change the actual material as well. We hope that a corporation as large as Coca-Cola will find ways to do even better than this, however. Maybe their competitors will come up with something even better. Maybe Pepsi will come up with the next big change? Until then, we believe that 30% of non-petroleum based plastic is better then nothing, and fully support Coca-Cola’s efforts and hope their tests go well!

Looking forward to the next big plastic packaging changes! Any ideas?

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We have been researching the different plastics that are often found in our homes, and we keep coming to the conclusion that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and vinyl products are by far the worst to our health and the environment. This post will address the dangers of PVC, and the products that typically contain it.

PVC has a very harsh life-cycle process which includes the use of many chemicals to produce it. The use of these chemicals is harsh to our environment. In the end of the lifecycle, most PVC is not recycled, but left in a landfill. PVC is harsh to our health as well. The EPA notes the following are short term and long term symptoms from exposure to PVC: “Acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of vinyl chloride in air has resulted in central nervous system effects (CNS), such as dizziness, drowsiness, and headaches in humans.  Chronic (long-term) exposure to vinyl chloride through inhalation and oral exposure in humans has resulted in liver damage.  Cancer is a major concern from exposure to vinyl chloride via inhalation, as vinyl chloride exposure has been shown to increase the risk of a rare form of liver cancer in humans.  EPA has classified vinyl chloride as a Group A, human carcinogen.”

Now that you are aware of the effects of PVC to your health, let’s take a look at where you may find it in your home. PVC will be found in most construction products such as flooring, wire, and piping, but it is also found in your everyday household products. Have you opened the bag of a shower curtain liner, and for several days it has this sweet, yet strong odor? That is the smell of PVC. PVC is also in many plastic wraps, garden hoses, children toys (think of the smell when opening a fast food joint’s happy meal toy for the first time), office supplies, and credit cards. When shopping for plastics, look for the word “vinyl” on the packaging, as this is typically a sign that the product contains PVC.

We understand that it may be impossible to eliminate our use of PVC in today’s society when we depend on it so much for building our homes and offices, but we can learn to eliminate it in the most harmful of areas. Children’s toys, shower curtains, and plastic wraps are products that we are in contact with constantly. Luckily, these products are often fairly affordable. Instead of using PVC prodcuts, consider purchasing toys made from other materials such as wood toys, shower curtains that are eco-friendly and vinyl free, or plastic packages that do not contain PVC. If the smell alone does not show you how bad PVC must really be, re-read the EPA statement and see why you should make these small changes.

For a healthier world, use less PVC.

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Making the switch from plastic bags to reuseable bags leaves us with one problem. What do we do with the numerous plastic bags that we have built up over the year? Hopefully, you do not just throw them away! We have found a website that, with the entry of your zip code, will locate the various retail stores and recycling centers in your area that accept plastic bags. Check out PlasticBagRecycling.org for locations and learn what products will be made out of your recycled bags.

Finally get rid of those plastic bags! What are you holding on to them for? Break the habit, recycle, and make the change to reuseable. Check out our post How To Be Greener Today for info on reuseable bags.

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There are several reasons for why styrofoam is not eco-friendly: styrofoam is not biodegradable and will sit forever in landfills, not many communities offer recycling programs for styrofoam, and although less harmful to the ozone layer than it used to be, there are still some greenhouse gases in styrofoam.  Often we are told to use paper instead of styrofoam. However, using paper that is not made of recycled material still requires an extensive production process using chemicals and exerting greenhouse gases.

What is the best solution to living without styrofoam? Use recycled plastics or papers if you need to use a disposable product. Make sure to recycle these when you are done. The best solution is to use reusable containers for your food and beverages. Check out our posts  on Klean Kanteen water bottles and TerraCycle’s recycled products. Pay attention to how you package items that you are shipping. Protect your items with recycled material instead of sytrofoam peanuts. Also, be aware when ordering food or going to fast food chains. Many companies are still using sytrofoam. See if paper or plastic containers can be used instead, so you can recycle them when you get home.

Say no to styrofoam. Say yes to reuseable materials.