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Monday, 30 November 2009

Plastic

By Lyn Burnstine of The Lynamber Times

I threw out plastic containers last night, an entire bag of them. It is so hard for me to do. I love every one of those little buggers. Some had no lids, some had lids that had warped so they didn't fit, some were from Tupperware parties fifty-plus years ago. I do this from time to time, but this was the grandmother of all plastic purges.

If I weren’t such a committed recycler, it would be easier for me but once I get them all sparkly clean, it’s too easy to say, “Oh, I think I’ll just keep this one,” forgetting that my freezer is already full of those kinds of yogurt, cottage cheese and margarine tubs. They will all eventually get emptied and re-enter the decision process – to toss or keep.

I spent many years refusing to buy plastic bags of any size. My aides looked askance at me when I told them to use the plastic grocery bags for garbage. I relented somewhat. I now buy sandwich bags and quart-sized food bags occasionally at the dollar store, but never garbage bags. And yes, I do wash and re-use them if they are not sticky or greasy.

My mother left drawers full of recycled plastic bags, pieces of string and bag twist-ties for us to throw out when she died. I’m not quite that bad. But now, my lifelong patterns of frugality and recycling are becoming popular – the “in” thing – as well they must be if we are going to save our planet.

I was green before green was cool! Maybe one quart-sized yogurt container won’t make a difference, but one every two weeks for twenty years just might. I have to remember, though, that they don’t all need to be in MY cupboard!

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Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post