Life Without Plastic Blog

India rising... above plastic!

We are just back from a trip to "Incredible !ndia" -- this is the tag line used by the Indian Ministry of Tourism to promote India around the world, and it's true, India is !ncredible.  One might argue that I'm biased because I have Indian roots, but this is a country that grabs everyone by all senses and flys away with you. It is so alive, just teeming with life.  And the colours - I love the flowers sold in the street, and the numerous fresh vegetable stands.

We were there to visit family and meet with some of our suppliers.  We visited Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi.  Doing what we do, Chantal and I were always on the lookout for signs and info about the current state of the plastic pollution in India, and what is being done about it.  With a population exceeding a billion, over 30% of which live below the poverty level, dealing with plastic waste is a challenge by any measure.  And yet, we found many signs of positive action. 

Certainly with so many people and so much waste, plastic is a problem, and it is visible wherever one finds garbage. We even saw truckloads of plastic bottles and bags being transported to the mythical "away", likely a landfill. 

Apart from increasing overall waste, plastic bags clog drains and increase flooding - the increased flooding creates breeding grounds for malaria and dengue fever.  Bags can be a problem in the countryside where vegetables are grown as they break down into increasingly smaller pieces while leaching chemicals into the soil.  Bags and other plastic garbage are also eaten by animals, such as cows and dogs, and killing them by clogging their intestines.

Awareness of the problem is growing, and both governments and citizens have taken action over the past decade. Bans on plastic bags have been put in place in numerous municipalites including Mumbai and Delhi and Kolkata.  While implementation is an enormous challenge, the bans must be having an effect because compared to our last visit to India ten years ago, the difference is visible.  There are clearly fewer plastic bags around, in the stores and on the streets, and many people seem to carry their own reusable bags for shopping (of course, this is a practice that has always been more prevalent in Asia than in the West). 

In Mumbai, we came across a plastic bench with the following printed on a small white label attached to it, "Made from Plastic Waste-Recycled".  On the grounds of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata we noticed a sign in English, Hindi and Bengali reading, "Avoid Plastic Bags Please. It Is Injurious To Health." 

In talking to people - from shopkeepers to executives - it becomes clear that the issue of plastic pollution is one they are aware of and they understand why it is a serious issue.  This awareness and willingness to act to decrease plastic use and waste is slowly permeating daily Indian life.

This is one of the things I love about India.  As the largest democracy in the world, it is a crazily diverse country and I sometimes marvel that it even works. Yet, with such a varied, colourful and tumultuous history and existence, Indians are accustomed to embracing change and going with the flow. A change may happen overnight or become mired in the famous Indian beaurocracy and stagnate for years, but if it makes sense, the Indian people will accept it and make it a part of their lives quickly.

So as India slowly rises above plastic - and there is lots of rising yet to do because plastic pollution is still a huge problem in India, as in so many other parts of the world - we could all learn from this willingness to accept change.

Jay Sinha, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

All photos by Jay.

Polyester and Nylon are NOT Compostable

I must admit, I do not follow fashion. I am not sure what is "in" right now.  I just buy the styles, colours and fabrics I like to wear. I am kind of an unintended anti-fashionista. I almost always shop at thift stores because not only do I save a lot, but I also find the most interesting pieces of clothing. My favourite thrift store is the Value Village located on Pembina Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which I visit every time we travel to Winnipeg to spend time with Jay's parents (see photo taken from Google Street View). One thing I always check when picking my clothes is the fabric label. I always want to make sure the item is made of a natural fabric. I am always astonished at the amount of synthetic fabric used in clothing.  A large majority of clothes are made of synthetic fibres which do not biodegrade, are not compostable and take a very long time to decompose according to an article published in Grist:

"Casual composters report that a year after adding a cotton-poly T-shirt to a pile, the cotton is gone and all that remains is a spooky polyester skeleton. Estimates for a more complete breakdown of polyester seem to range from 20 to 200 years, given various conditions." (From Grist, "Ask Umbra: Is Fabric Compostable")

What is worse is that synthetic fabric breaks down over time in small particles and we end up breathing it in without realizing it. One of the worse uses of synthetic fabric is for curtains. Curtains exposed to the sun will break down quickly and the small synthetic particles float around and pollute indoor air.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Founder
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

How clean is your bin?

First, an embarassing confession:  I meant to write this blogpost, er, um, about a year ago. Life happens. Here it is finally. Thankfully, it is still relevant. Correction: More relevant than ever.

Just over a year ago we had the pleasure and honour of co-sponsoring - with our friends at La Forêt and The Black Sheep Inn - a Wakefield, Quebec screening of the funky, powerful, funny, award-winning, *important* indie documentary The Clean Bin Project. I'll get to why it is so important a little later.

The dynamic, waste-busting, film-making duo of Vancouverites Jen and Grant embarked on a year-long project they dubbed their  "zero waste, consumer-free year".

Their mantra:  "The goal is zero landfill waste. For one year we will not buy any material goods and will attempt to live without producing household garbage." 

For the duration of the Project between July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2009, they had three cardinal rules:

1. No buying stuff. (They could not buy any material goods.)
2. No producing garbage.  This means “avoid packaging”. (They could not buy anything that comes in non-recyclable packaging and they had to avoid excess packaging)
3. Take responsibility for your waste. (They had to take all waste produced personally by them home with them to recycle, compost, etc.)

Jen works as an environmental planner and grows a fine garden, and Grant is a self-employed music producer who likes to wear white pants (more on that in the film). Together they show just how challenging it can be in every day life to go zero waste in our consumerist, overpackaged society. As they say, it was "a competition where less is more".

We loved the film for many reasons, but obviously because it beautifully displays the problem of plastics as a key source of waste, especially in the environment. There are superb interviews with a couple of our heros, anti-plastic crusadors Captain Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation and photographic artist par excellence, Chris Jordan.  

This is such an important film because it shows just how much one can have an impact at the individual level when you become aware of the waste you produce on a daily basis. And it provides ways that you can take action. Take a look at the top ten tips Jen and Grant suggest for taking action to reduce waste.

We had the opportunity to meet the smiling Jen and Grant in person at the screening in our hometown last year. Wakefield was one stop on their 7600 km bike ride across Canada screening the film in 30 different communities and inspiring folks like us along the way to work toward clean bins. These are two down-to-earth folks who are helping make this world a better place.

The film is currently screening all over the place (and picking up film fest awards as it goes). We highly recommend checking it out if you get the chance, and if not, DVDs will soon be available for purchase off their site.  Even better, you could organize a screening in your community.  Jen and Grant might even show up to do a fun Q&A after the film. And Grant might even wear his white pants.

Jay Sinha, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

The Little Bald Eaglet that Got Caught in Plastic Fishing Line

I have always admired the majesty of bald eagles. So when I discovered the Hancock Wildlife Foundation and its live webcams installed near bald eagle nests, I was thrilled. I opened a small window on my computer screen and I could admire the eaglets progressively transforming into magnificent birds. I must admit that the life of a baby bald eagle is pretty boring at times, but the parts when a parent comes back to the nest with some food for the eaglets is quite fascinating.

Two weeks ago, however, disaster struck and it was all because of discarded plastic... One of the three eaglets of the Victoria/Sydney nest got caught in some fishing line that must have been used to build the nest. The poor thing was not able to move and therefore could not meet its parents to get fed when they would bring food to the nest. Many of the thousands of people watching got really upset and started raising money to fund a rescue operation. Fortunately, within days of the incident, a crane was commissioned and Mr. Hancock, the operator of the webcams, was able to free the poor eaglet from the fishing line.  As of today, it is still alive and seems to be doing quite well. Go take a look. Click on the image below.

What I find really sad is thinking of the thousands of birds and other animals that get tangled in plastic fishing lines or other plastic hazards every day and die in complete isolation. It just so happened that because watchers could see the eaglet struggle, they decided to spend a large sum of money to save it. Suddently, its life was priceless. I wish we could find a way to make people realize the dangers that discarded plastic poses to wildlife without having to install webcams all over the place. Yikes, that sounds ominous.

Go ahead and open a little window on your computer screen (my favorite nest is the White Rock). These birds will become your daily companions and you will want them to survive, no matter what.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

 

 

Some Titanium Dioxide with your Milk?

For those of you who didn't know that many "unknown" chemicals are added to plastic used in food packaging, you had better read this news from Plastic Technologies, Inc. (PTI): http://www.bevnet.com/news/2010/11-2-2010-PET-Dairy. PTI is announcing the use of a new technology (oPTI^TM) to manufacture plastic bottles for storing light sensitive dairy products such as milk and drinkable yogurts. This technology allows the company to use fewer additives in the manufacturing process "which can limit package recycling". The company's Vice-President states in the press release that "[d]airy applications (...) are sensitive to UV rays which decrease shelf life. To solve the problem, additives such as titanium dioxide [TiO₂] are frequently added to high density polyethylene or traditional PET containers to achieve shelf-life objectives. In addition to impacting the recycling stream, these additives are expensive (...)." The company also indicates that it can use many different colors to its bottles using this technology, but that "these cannot be recycled as part of the clear PET stream."

So what is interesting in reading this news clip is the confirmation of the many additives mixed with plastic resins to obtain the final product packaging. It is also disconcerting to realize that there is no way of knowing what these additives are as there is no mandatory disclosure in the USA and Canada. Companies seem to be free to add whatever additives they want under the assumption that they do not impact the content that is being packaged. I surely hope some exceptions exist with lead and other toxic chemicals. I invite you to check out the Green Science Policy Institute's website and Arlene Blum's youtube videos for some information. Arlene Blum is the expert. Her talk on TEDx GPGP was one of my favorites.

The other interesting fact is that some additives, especially colours, affect the "recyclability" of plastic bottles. This "recyclability", or should I say "downcyclability", is already very low with only 7% of all plastics being made into new products. So if you absolutely have to buy a plastic container, try and find one that is as transparent as possible.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

 [photo credit: Plastic Technnologies, Inc.]

Mint leaf removal duty

This post may not initially appear to have anything to do with plastic. Just wait. Read on to the end.

I love mint tea. It's a primal sort of thing. There is something about the smell of fresh whole peppermint that puts me in another state of being - it's such an ethereal, magical fragrance. For me it's tinged with comfy homey memories of Mom, cozy warmth, an Olbas oil neck massage, summer, deep velvety green, hot mint tea by the fire on a snowy winter day.

Right now I'm on peppermint leaf removal duty. This is not an arduous task. It is a supreme pleasure. My fingers are perfumed by the leaves. We share a garden with our neighbour Peter, and this mint comes from there. He's a master gardener and master accordian player. Tons of talent, that guy; I learn a lot from him. I harvested it a few weeks ago and it has been drying on our basement radiant floor ever since. So tonight I decided to take all the dry leaves off the stems to prepare my winter stock of peppermint for tea. It's slow going because there is a lot. I drink a lot of mint tea. When I'm done I'll have a couple of large jars full of delectable mint leaves, just yearning to impart their magic through a boiling water bath for a few minutes. Then into my body to shimmer my soul.

Not all mint teas are made alike. When I'm out of the fresh gold, I use bulk leaves or tea bags bought from a store. And I can now immediately sense the quality of the tea after the first sip. If it's really good, I'll know as soon as I smell it. But nothing compares to peppermint grown with love in one's garden. I do believe plants respond to our personal energies, and when they sense love, they respond in kind. But that's a deep topic for another post.

As write this, I'm listening to Beck's album, The Information. Here's the information that I will wrap this post up with, and hopefully it will bring it all home for you, make it all make sense...  Mint is so real. It is full of the richness of life. The best life has to offer. It feeds and stimulates the senses in profound positive ways. Clothed in rich lush green, it is one of those special messengers of Mother Earth, full of symbolism and beauty. It says with elegant simplicity, "To know me is to love me and the Earth that grows me."

When I hold a piece of plastic, it just doesn't seem real. Oh yeah, it isn't. It's fake - synthetic chemicals - and it's tricky stuff. Take polycarbonate, made of bisphenol A. One of the reasons the plastics industry loves it for consumer products is precisely because it does not have an odour. So it releases dangerous junk into our food, drink, skin, air, but you have no way of knowing this unless you do some complex expensive testing. Mint, on the other hand, imparts an odour that reflects its reality and makes the world a better place.

Maybe it's not a fair comparison: mint vs BPA. But it struck me tonight so I thought I'd share it with you. I'll take the natural over the synthetic any day. And now back to mint removal duty. I'm only half done. The mint is lovely dark and deep, and I have miles to go before I sleep.

-Jay Sinha, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

(Image via: http://www.indiamarks.com/guide/Chatpati-Chutney-and-delicious-Ready-Powder-recipes-/879)

Plastics and Breast Cancer

Plastics can cause or contribute to breast cancer. Our dear friend Janet has breast cancer and we can't help but wonder if some plastic chemicals have played a role in the development of her disease. When she was first diagnosed, she had stage 3 breast cancer in 2005 and was still breastfeeding her 6 month old son.  Stage 3 means that although her cancer had not spread to other organs, some cancerous cells had been found in her lymph nodes.  She immediately had her right breast surgically removed and started chemotherapy. Two years later, her cancer progressed to stage 4 when metastases were found in her lungs. After treatment her cancer went into short remission and then last summer, a tumour was found in her brain. As she puts it, she "tripled" her prognosis and one year later leads a very full and active life. She continues to be very involved on the advocacy front, trying to help traditional medicine embrace a more holistic approach toward cancer.

Chantal and Janet the day after her wedding in December 2007

We are writing all this to bring attention to the fact that plastics - for example, bisphenol A (BPA) - have been associated with breast cancer. More research needs to be done on the links between chemicals found in products available at your local grocery store, but some university programs, such as Cornell University program on the Cancer Risks of Environmental Chemicals in the Home and Workplace which ended on March 31, 2010, are closing apparently because of a lack of funding. Increased awareness of the issue, means increased funding.

Please take a look at the video posted on http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/research/endocrine/videos/plastics.cfm and consider offering a donation to one of the two following charities that were suggested to us by Janet:

IN CANADA: http://rethinkbreastcancer.com/

IN USA: http://nosurrenderbreastcancerhelp.org/index.html

Chantal Plamondon & Jay Sinha, Owners
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

Video: Plastic Mistaken for Zooplanktons

This is a very short video showing how easily plastic bits can be mistaken for zooplankton by marine mammals and fish. It is quite astounding. This video was put together by 5gyres.org and the water sample was taken from the North Atlantic plastic gyre... Did you know five of those plastic gyres have now been discovered. Yikes!

Plastic, or food? from 5 Gyres on Vimeo.

Check out 5gyres.org. An organization worth supporting!

- Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com