Beth's Articles
Beth has written 25 reviews
This To-Go Ware tiffin was just what the doctor ordered!
I was sick as a dog all weekend. Coughing. Sneezing. Stuffy head. Dizzy. I needed hot and sour soup, and I needed it fast! Michael was happy to go pick some up for me. The problem? Our local Chinese restaurants serve take-out soup in plastic containers. Not to worry! Our To-Go Ware tiffin was just the thing. I called ahead to Becky's Chinese to confirm they'd put our order in our own container, and they said no problem.
Several day's worth of hot and sour soup went in the bottom section, and an order of curry chicken went in the top. We made our own rice at home. The tiffin saved the day. The servers at the restaurant didn't totally get it, though, trying to put the tiffin itself into a plastic bag. But Michael stopped them and explained that that's why the container has a handle!
keywords: tiffin, To-Go Ware, take out container, food container, stainless steel, lunch container
Was this review helpful to you?
It's all about Extended Producer Responsibility
The original Brita company in Germany has had a take-back recycling program in place for its filter cartridges since 1992. Currently, there are collection bins placed in stores where Brita is sold. Customers return their used filters to the store, from which they are shipped to Brita for COMPLETE recycling. Brita not only recycles the plastic housing, but also cleans and reuses the activated carbon as well as the ion exchange resin, the filtration component that removes heavy metals.
Clorox says they cannot recycle the filters because of the inside filtration material. That is simply untrue. If it can be done in Europe, it can be done in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
If you believe that companies have a responsibility for the entire life cycle of the products they manufacture, then please sign the petition at www.takebackthefilter.org, write a letter to Clorox, and send in your used filters, which are being collected for a direct action at Clorox. There is an address on the web site for sending your used filters as well as a Yahoo! Group for meeting others and coordinating filter collection. In the Bay Area, the Ecology Center has a drop off container for used filters as well.
The Take Back The Filter campaign is an important first step in letting companies know that they can't simply call themselves green (as Clorox is currently doing) without considering the full impact of their products. It's easy for Clorox to urge everyone to give up bottled water and switch to filtered Brita water. Yes, this will save billions of plastic water bottles. But what about the millions of plastic Brita filters that continue to be landfilled or incinerated all across North America? Unless Clorox is willing to address that issue, they are merely "greenwashing" their current products without taking steps to ensure that they are actually sustainable. Please help us urge Clorox to do better!
keywords: Brita, recycle, recycle Brita, water filter, Clorox, landfill, Take Back The Filter
2 of 2 people thought this review was helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
Clorox, please take responsibility for plastic cartridge waste!
Please join our campaign at http://www.takebackthefilter.org to urge Clorox to take responsibility for used Brita filter cartridges, as is done in Europe already.
Some points:
1) The original Brita company in Germany has had a program to collect and recycle used filter cartridges ever since 1992. They process them in their own facility, separating the materials and recycling or reusing them.
2) The North American branch of the company was sold to Clorox in 2000. Clorox has not provided any way to recycle these used cartridges.
3) Clorox and Nalgene have teamed up for their FilterForGood campaign to encourage people to give up bottled water and opt instead for the combo of reusable bottle and Brita filter, to cut down the amount of plastic bottle waste. This is a great effort. But Clorox has not addressed the plastic waste from the water filters themselves, as the Brita company has done in Europe.
4) We would like Clorox to follow the principal of Extended Producer Responsibility and either redesign its filter cartridges to be refilled (the best option) or create a take-back recycling program, such as already exists in Europe.
5) Why Brita and not other water filter companies? We are starting with Brita because the technology for recycling already exists in Europe, Brita is the most popular water filter system in the U.S., and Clorox is making a bid for the green consumer at this time with its purchase of Burt's Bees and its development of Green Works cleaning products.
What do we want people to do?
1) Sign our petition
2) Send us their used Brita cartridges so we can deliver them en masse to Clorox
3) Write a letter (for those who are truly committed!)
4) Spread the word
There is a lot more information at http://www.takebackthefilter.org! Will you please sign the petition and spread the word?
keywords: recycle, Brita, filter cartridge
1 of 1 people thought this review was helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
Are you kidding me?
Organic Picks wrote a blog post about how ridiculously wasteful this product is, and I agree. Throwing away a can and a plastic top is not a "green" way to make waffles. All the ingredients for waffles can be purchased from bulk bins at Rainbow or Berkeley Bowl or probably Whole Foods without any packaging at all. Zero Waste is the way to be "green." Over-packaging is the way to be "green-washed."
keywords: waffle batter
4 of 4 people thought this review was helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
Etsy sellers are the best!
One reason I love buying directly from Etsy sellers is how personal the transaction is. I like to ask lots of questions about items. And sometimes the crafts people can customize an item to your specifications. Also, it's important to me not to be shipped items with alot of extra packaging, especially plastic, and that's the kind of thing I can request directly from them beforehand. Another nice thing about the Etsy web site is that you can find sellers within your own geographical location in order to cut down on shipping distance and fuel costs. So far, I've had five great experiences with Etsy sellers and hope to have more.
keywords: Etsy, handmade gifts
Was this review helpful to you?
Like Epicurean but recycled and non-toxic!
The new Preserve cutting board is made from Paperstone, a combination of pressed 100% post-consumer recycled paper and non-petroleum-based resins. It works great, much like the famed Epicurean cutting surfaces. The difference is that Epicurean is made from new paper fiber (albeit from sustainably harvested forests) and phenolic resin, which is a combo of phenol and formaldehyde. Scary.
I purchased my cutting boards, a small and a large one, at the San Francisco Green Festival last weekend, but soon they will be available at Whole Foods stores.
keywords: cutting board, preserve, recycline, recycled paper, Paperstone, eco-friendly material
2 of 2 people thought this review was helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
Probably the best disposable option
Reusable pads are probably better, but for disposables, Natracare liners are the best. They are free of chemicals, contain only bio-based plastic, and are fully compostable. Plus, they come in a cardboard box rather than a plastic bag. These beat Seventh Generation by a long shot.
keywords: pantiliners, feminine hygiene
3 of 3 people thought this review was helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
What's up with the plastic packaging?
I don't understand why Seventh Generation has to package them in a plastic bag. For a better disposable option, try Natracare products. They contain no petroleum-based plastics, are fully compostable, and come in a cardboard box.
keywords: feminine hygiene, menstrual pads
Was this review helpful to you?
It works for me!
We just leave the static eliminator sheet in the dryer all the time. It does work for us. They don't add chemicals to your clothes and they don't ruin water-wicking clothing like dryer sheets do.
keywords: dryer sheets, chemical free, hypoallergenic
Was this review helpful to you?
Not scary, once you get used to it!
I bought a Gillette double-edged safety razor from an antique store since I'm trying very hard not to buy new things. I was a little timid at first, as it's a lot heavier than my plastic venus razor. But after using it for several months, I'm hooked. It actually shaves closer and better and the blades that I bought last a long, long time.
I bought a box of 100 blades from a guy on eBay and they came in a small, cardboard box with minimal packaging. Don't buy blades from the drugstore. They are too expensive and they come in a plastic blister package.
Now I just have to find the perfect plastic-free shave soap.
keywords: shaving, razor, double-edged safety razor
Was this review helpful to you?
User Comments:
Jenn A. says:
I totally agree with you - it's kind of a gross idea and there isn't really a good excuse, maybe if you were an astronaut or something. I have no problem putting together my own pancake or waffle batter (which doesn't... more »
Maureen B. says:
I can't believe with all this extra packaging, someone thought it was environmentally friendly? Not only is there a ton of packaging, but imagine all the environmental impact of creating the product. A big factory... more »