Sustainability

Reusable Produce Bags!

After deciding that I want to try to make an effort in reducing the amount of garbage I produce, I decided to do some research about simple ways I can help reduce my carbon footprint.

So I found these:

                 

They are AMAZING! So simple and so great and so reusable! They are reusable produce bags! I bring them in the store with me, put my produce in and put them in my cart! Instead of using 5 plastic produce bags at the grocery store, I use these. That's approximately 5 bags a week. That's 260 plastic bags a year that I am not using. YAAASSSSSS!!

Oh, and did I mention these are machine washable?! Every few times I use them, I throw them in the wash with my whites and hang them to dry! One of the easiest ways to reduce waste is to get these! 

One more thing...they are $12. TWELVE DOLLARS. Need I say more?

Check out Flip & Tumble and get yours!

BPA, BP-shmay!

What exactly is BPA and what does it do to us?

There is an overwhelming amount of people talking about the chemical BPA, or Bisphenol A, and the harms it causes to those who come into contact with it. More and more consumers are looking for products that are 'BPA-Free' to ensure their contact with the chemical is minimized. So i this just a crazy new trend? Or is BPA actually harmful to us?

Bisphenol A was originally produced as a contraceptive for women. When it was discovered that the estrogen in BPA was very ineffective as a contraceptive, it was also discovered that BPA helped to make plastics harder and more durable. Think about that for a second. An ineffective birth control medicine is used in items such as water bottles, sports equipment, DVDs, etc. Flag #1.

Something else I discovered after watching 'Plastic Paradise', which is documentary about the the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the plastics industry, is that BPA is found in the coating on receipts. RECEIPTS. EVERYONE TOUCHES RECEIPTS. Fuck. Flag #2.

According to National Geographic, 93% of people in the United States have BPA in their systems. BPA is so prevalent in everything around us that nearly the entire population has it running through their systems. Flag #3.

A review of BPA done in 2007 concluded that BPA has been shown to bind to thyroid hormone receptor and perhaps has selective effects on its functions. Flag #4. 

A review of BPA done in 2012 concluded that BPA may cause an increased risk of cancer. Flag #5. 

The FDA offered up this statement in 2013, "Is BPA safe? Yes. Based on FDA's ongoing safety review of scientific evidence, the available information continues to support the safety of BPA for the approved uses in food containers and packaging. People are exposed to low levels of BPA because, like many packaging components, very small amounts of BPA may migrate from the food packaging into foods or beverages."

So the good news it people are becoming more informed about what exactly BPA is and the FDA doesn't think there is any real issue to be concerned about. 

The bad news is that there is some evidence indicating risks of cancer and illness after exposure to BPA - which sounds like we are all screwed because 93% of are walking around with it in us right now...Awesome -__- 

You can be the judge for yourselves. I'm still slightly on the fence about what exactly BPA does and how conclusive the research evidence is to support these claims. But why not try to avoid something that has the potential to be so harmful? 

PLASTICS. 

What we all NEED to know. 

Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? If not, please head to your favorite search engine and do a simple, five minute investigation. 

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is exactly what the name reveals. It is a giant floating patch of garbage in the Pacific ocean. There are reports that the patch is as large as the state of Texas, some reports state that it may be bigger. 

All I needed to know was that it was real for it to have an impact on me. 

A majority of the garbage patch is composed of various types of plastics. Something else you my not know, plastic is not as recyclable as you think it may be. 

Think about a typical day. How many times do you use or come into contact with plastic of some kind. I thought about this and realized from the start of my day to the finish, I am constantly surrounded by plastic. 

• Hair brush
• Toothbrush
• Water bottles
• Grocery bags
• Produce bags
• Tupperware
• Make-up compacts and tubes
• Cell phone case
• Computer keyboards
• Lotion and fragrance bottles
• Micro beads in face washes
• Coffe cups and lids

Are you thinking about how many items you are surrounded with? It is endless. Here are some fun facts about the United States plastics industry:

• The plastics industry is the third largest manufacturing industry in the United States
• Roughly 107.5 billion pounds of plastics and resins were manufactured in 2013, which was an increase from 2012’s 105.9 billion pounds.
• On average, humans use and throw away approximately 185 pounds of plastic grocery bags in a year. That is between 300 and 700 bags per year. 

The best fact that I discovered about the plastic epidemic we face is that we, as consumers, can make small changes to help combat this issue. For example, we can bring reusable grocery bags with us while grocery shopping. We can stop buying plastic water bottles and invest in a Brita filter system. We can do things as simple as turning down a bag when we purchase a drink and snack at a gas station. Small changes like this can literally change how much plastic is involved in pollution each year. 

Something else that is important to know, is that plastic is not some evil demon out to pollute the world. Plastic is essentially unavoidable in today's society. But small steps can be taken to help reduce the impact plastic is having on the Earth, to humans, and to wildlife. 

If you are interested in the more check out the award-winning documentary by Angela Sun called "Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch". It is filled with information that I found useful and intriguing. Also, keep a look out for more posts in the 'Sustainability' section of The Blissful Abyss for sustainable products you can purchase and use in place of plastics.