Plastic Fast 2019

March 26 – Glass Containers

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“And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Luke 12: 17 Given that more than a third of the food that is produced for us to eat – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes every year, finding ways to help more of that food get used is a worthy goal. On a small scale, one step we can take is storing food properly. But is it plastic or glass food storage containers that are best, both for freshness and for the environment? Contender #1: Plastic Containers Plastic containers are light, and don’t break. But they are a major environmental issue. Only about 14 percent of plastic is actually recycled. It is cheaper to make new products than to recycle plastic, so companies are not incentivized to do so. Plastic containers also have health issues when heated. Two types of plasticizers, which are substances added to plastic to help stabilize and shape it, are of concern to human health: bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates. These substances are believed to be “endocrine disrupters,” which means they mimic human hormones and can cause chronic health risks. These can leach into the food or beverage from the plastic when it’s heated. There is also evidence that some acidic foods can cause leaching without being heated. Contender #2: Glass Containers We know that glass can be safely used for hot liquids and hot foods. Potentially harmful chemicals aren’t leaching into our meals when heated in a glass food storage container — or anytime, for that matter. This alone compels me to gravitate toward the use of glass containers for my food storage needs, but there’s more: Glass is cleaner than plastic. The nonporous surface of glass doesn’t absorb food and germs (and smells). Glass can be safely washed at high temperatures in your dishwasher. You can use and reuse your glass containers again and again, which ends up saving you money. According to the Glass Packaging Institute(GPI), “Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity — something few food and beverage packaging options can claim.” With glass containers, you don’t need to wait for your food to fully cool before putting your leftovers in them. Glass lets you see what leftovers are contained inside, unlike ceramic or stainless steel containers. Since you can see inside a glass container, you are able to safely check food as it reheats without removing the lids. For me, the concern with the health risks of plastics is enough that I err on the side of caution and avoid using plastic containers. If you do decide to go the plastic container route, use them for cold food storage or dry food goods only. You should also get to know your plastics. Look on the bottom of your container to find the resin identification code, the triangle with a number in it, ranging from 1 to 7. This code lets you know what kind of plastic the container is made from. Generally, the safest choices for food use are numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. Number 3 is vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), number 6 is polystyrene and number 7 can be a number of different plastics. Also, some plastic containers with the numbers 3 and 7 may contain BPA. Whenever possible, I recommend choosing glass food storage containers. While they’re slightly less convenient, they can be used for hot or cold food without worry and they’re ideal for home food storage. You can re-use coffee jars and other containers for free storage. https://earth911.com/home-garden/glass-food-storage-containers/

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March 25 – Natural Cloths for Cleaning

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What should we use for cleaning our homes? Microfiber clothsThese are very popular now and are made of microfiber fabric made from polyester and nylon. Microfibers are thinner than human hair. They are split in such a way that they create space within each fiber, this makes them very absorbent. However, they are not biodegradable, and are adding to microplastic pollution. This happens when tiny bits of polyester and acrylic rinse off during washing and end up in rivers and oceans. Paper towelsMany families use paper towels on auto-pilot. For meals, cleaning, snacks, drying hands and so much more, paper towels are standard in many homes. However, you don’t actually NEED paper towels. Not only do paper towels create a major drain on the earth’s resources, they’re expensive, and not very strong or useful. I get it. Kids are messy, and as a parent, paper towels can be a fast fix.. Consider the far-reaching benefits of ditching paper towels: You’ll save trees. You’ll reduce pollution You’ll conserve water and energy. You’ll save money. Most importantly, you’ll set an excellent example for your kids. Imagine if your child grows up not even knowing about paper towels. Cotton tea towelsCotton is absorbent, easy to wash and biodegradable, but it has a huge environmental impact. Conventional growers spray the crop with toxic pesticides, which can hurt soil and water quality as well as farm workers’ health. And even organic cotton requires lots of water to produce; we’re talking 2,700 liters for one T-shirt. So it’s best to limit our consumption of virgin cotton as much as we can. What is the answer?Re-use cotton cloths. Most of us already have a never-ending supply of worn-out cotton socks, tees, and towels cycling through our lives. Only 15% of unwanted clothing is actually recycled? You can (and should!) donate the still-usable ones, but the ones that don’t pass muster can serve you faithfully as cleaning rags. By doing this, you’re relieving a bit of pressure on the cotton market and extending the product’s life span, not to mention saving some cash. What’s not to love?When they reach the end of their life, cut them into tiny pieces and add them to the compost.  

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March 23 – Cater with Compassion

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Many people first enter the gates of a church at a large function, perhaps a funeral, wedding or church bazaar. Our Catering practices show a lot about our relationship with the Creator God, and our neighbours. After that event is the Church yard strewn with rubbish, some of which will be blown into the neighborhood? Do we buy cheap meat which is coming from harmful practices to animals? How much compassion do we put into our catering practices? Here are some helpful guidelines prepared by the WCC3.1 Buy ecological, fair, and regional“We prefer buying from local producers and respect ecological and social criteria.” Supporting local establishments promotes economic wellbeing and coherence in our regions as well as has a positive impact on theenvironment. Introduce officially the ‘best offer’ instead of‘cheapest offer’ principle.For instance we prefer to offer in our cafeterias:• fair-traded coffee, tea, juice, and chocolate and vegetarian food.In our offices we choose to procure:• products that adhere to social and ecologicalstandards; and long-lasting products. 3.2 Reduce waste“We avoid disposable (single-use) articles and buy reusable products and recycled materials.”The huge and still growing plastic island in the ocean is showing how we drown in our own rubbish. Plastic is even becoming a part of our food chain. There is no need for using beverages in plastic bottles or tin in daily life. Avoid every form of throwaway articles. Depositing waste for recycling is good. Reducing waste is better. Where using throwaway articles seems unavoidable, opt for compostable ones, if possible. Reducing paper consumption in the office can be another importantstep. 3.3 Re-use and recycle“We want to reuse instead of waste.” Give items the chance for a second life: in the hands of someone else or in new applications. Let’s be creative. Organised exchange circles bring people together and help to save money and protect the environment. Creative, secondary-use concepts can be of unexpected beauty. Nowadays one can find good quality recycledpaper. The positive effects of this choice on the environment are often underestimated. If you “love your neighbour as yourself”, you are interested in who is producing the goods that you need and how. Can you find the respect of life in the whole production process? This material was produced by Norman Tendris who was tragically killed in the Ethiopian Airlines Crash.https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/diakonia/economy-of-life/roadmap-for-congregations-communities-and-churches-for-an-economy-of-life-and-ecological-justice

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March 22 – Go big on shampoo!

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[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Image_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget] Wash and make yourselves clean. Isaiah 1 v 16 If you are looking to use less plastic in the bathroom, you can look for shampoo in bars, or buy from a zero waste shop and decant into a large container. If you can’t find either of those then bigger is best  – go for the largest container of shampoo or conditioner you can find and often you can find re-fills. Bulk buying is a great way to ease into reducing your plastic consumption. Not only does it cut the total amount of plastic you consume, but also reduces the carbon footprint of shipping the products. Even better if you can bulk buy from brands that use recycled plastic, and make sure you then recycle the container. Make your own products For many products you can make your own, which is better for your health and the health of the planet. Plastic-free loo roll Finding recycled toilet paper that doesn’t come in plastic packaging can be tricky. Many supermarkets produce recycled or “eco” toilet paper, but despite the green credentials of the actual product, the irony is that they inevitably come wrapped in single-use plastic. Make sure you check the packaging in-store to see if recycled (recyclable) or biodegradable packaging is on offer. If you’re struggling to find a recycled plastic alternative in your local supermarket, here’s another instance where buying in bulk (or the largest size available in the supermarket) can help reduce plastic waste. Here is a link if you would like to try making some of your own zero waste toiletries! https://justleavingfootprints.com/12-zero-waste-toiletries-diy/

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March 21 – Say No To Plastic Packaging

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This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is.  Joshua 9 v 12 1. Bread bags Whoever coined the expression “the best thing since sliced bread” must have worked for the plastics industry.. Unfortunately, once a loaf is sliced, it does not remain fresh for very long, unless air is kept from it. In the 1930s, sliced loaves came wrapped in wax paper (and later cellophane) with the folded-over ends sealed with glued-on labels. This kept the bread fresh until the package was opened, but then it was not easily resealed. The polyethylene bag [developed in the mid 50’s] clearly solved that problem, because it could be closed, opened and re-closed easily with a tie. Twist ties are often coated with PVC, one of the worst plastics. Besides twist ties, many bread bags today are held shut by plastic bread clips, those flat little squares with a hole in the middle Take a reusable cloth bag to the bakery and ask to have my (unsliced!) bread placed directly inside it. Bring the bread home. Slice a piece and eat it. Yum!  Return the remaining unsliced loaf to the cloth bag and store it in an airtight tin. 2. Boxes not bags If you hunt around and are prepared to change your brand, you can find boxes instead of plastic bags for many items such a laundry detergents, cereals etc. Make sure to tell the company why you are no longer buying their product, post your new choice of product on social media and tag the company (@company) to tell them you have changed to a different supplier.

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March 20 – Micro Beads

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Genesis 1:26 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings so that they are like us. Let them rule over the fish in the seas and the birds in the sky. Let them rule over the livestock and all the wild animals. And let them rule over all the creatures that move along the ground.” What are micro beads and what is the problem with them? What are plastic microbeads?  Microbeads are really tiny plastic particles usually smaller than two millimeters.  The composition of microbeads can vary and often include polyethylene (PE) or nylon. Bottom line, it’s all plastic! What products contain plastic microbeads?  Plastic microbeads are in face soaps, body washes, and even toothpastes. They are sometimes included in “age-defying” makeup (yes, filling in wrinkles with plastic dust!), as well as lip gloss and nail polish. Most wastewater treatment doesn’t filter out microbeads, and they get discharged into waterways. As a result, micro-plastic particles are found in seas worldwide, as well as inland waterways Does microbead pollution impact us?  Could the plastic you’re washing your face with end up in your sushi? Crazy, but yes. Fish species that humans harvest for food have been known to eat micro-plastic particles at an alarming rate and the toxins absorbed in those plastics transfer to the fish tissue Plastic microbeads absorb persistent organic pollutants (long-lasting toxic chemicals like pesticides, flame retardants, motor oil and more) and other industrial chemicals that move up the food chain when the toxic-coated beads are consumed by fish and other marine organisms. A single microbead can be up to a million times more toxic than the water around it! How do I know if I’m washing my face or brushing my teeth with plastic? Most people have no idea that those little beads are actually bits of plastic! If you see any of the following ingredients: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate or polymethyl methacrylate you’re cleaning up with plastic and being duped into contributing to plastic pollution in the environment—yikes! What’s happening to put a stop to plastic microbeads? Several countries including USA and the UK have banned them https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/09/health/microbead-ban-uk-intl/index.html Why won’t the personal care products industry swap the plastic out for natural substitute?   This question is kind of hard to answer because (surprise!) industry isn’t being real forthcoming about why they want to substitute one kind of plastic for another. Companies want to keep the plastic in their products because it’s cheap and easy to source. But more importantly, plastic microbeads are smoother than natural alternatives like apricot shells, jojoba beans, and pumice. Why is smoother “better”? Smoother means these cleansers will be less effective at exfoliating, which means you can use them everyday, which means they want you to buy more of their Stuff! Watch the video to learn more!

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