How I Avoid Plastic

I've made it very clear throughout this blog that plastic is a hazard. It's endocrine disruptive, doesn't biodegrade, is being eaten by fish that we later eat, etc. But looking around, plastic is everywhere! I haven't been able to go 100% plastic free, but I have reduced most of the plastic in my life. I'm also not sure I want to be 100% plastic free. I like my keyboard, computer monitor, mouse, phone, etc. My problem is with single use plastic (like straws,) plastic on our skin (like clothing,) and plastic used to store food.

Here are my solutions so far:

1. Water Bottles
I invested in a few glass and stainless steel water bottles. Two of the ones I purchased are this glass bottle and this insulated stainless steel bottle (for hot or cold liquids.) Both of my glass water bottles are protected with a sleeve or silicone cover. I've put them to the test, putting them in rough situations, and they have not broken. 

2. Water Filters
I installed a reverse osmosis water filter at my kitchen sink and stored the Brita pitcher away. I fill my glass and stainless steel water bottles with the RO water, which is delicious! Now, don't get me wrong, it's better to use a Brita pitcher than no filter. The Brita will filter out the harmful chlorine from your water. Even though it's storing the water in plastic, plastic is the greatest threat when it's heated. Don't heat your Brita! There are numerous reasons why an RO filter is a much better filtering method (and not much more expensive,) but a Brita is better than nothing.

3. Toothbrush
I searched high and low for non-plastic toothbrushes. What I found is that there aren't many options. I also found that there are natural teeth cleaning products that do not use a toothbrush, claiming that toothbrushes are too abrasive. I'm not linking to these products here because I'm not familiar enough with them to suggest them. I still wanted a toothbrush.

I only found two on the market that that are totally petroleum plastic free. One is made from vegetable plastics, the other from recycled materials, such as wood or paper currency.  There are, however, many toothbrushes that have non-plastic handles with nylon (plastic) bristles. There are also several that use boar hair bristles with plastic handles. I have no idea why I can't find a toothbrush with a natural handle and boar hair bristles. This makes no sense to me. Apparently even natural brands buy into the theory that nylon bristles are simply the best. I disagree, because the bristles are tiny bits of plastic that will never biodegrade. Tiny plastic is the most dangerous against wildlife.

I did try natural boar bristle toothbrushes, sourced from very well-treated boars who were not hurt in the process. What I quickly found out is that they are softer than nylon. A "medium" natural bristle is equivalent to a "soft" nylon bristle. I was unable to find any "hard" natural bristle brushes. They cleaned well for about a week, then the bristles started to bend and loose their shape. It's my fault, because I tend to be a scrubber. The point, though, is that they do work!

4. Clothing
This one is easy: Simply stop buying clothing with polyester, nylon, acrylic, or spandex. All of these fabrics are made from petroleum-based plastics.

Okay, not as easy as it should be. You will most likely pay more for your clothing by avoiding plastic clothes. You also may need to get creative about where you shop. I have had great luck with TJMaxx, as they've often had organic cotton, hemp, wool, and bamboo clothing. They've occasionally even had some non-organic 100% cotton clothes. I'm starting to find that I really need to buy my clothes online to ensure I get what I need. I can find good deals on Amazon.com, SierraTradingPost.com, and Rodales.com, but I've also found that sometimes it's best to order directly from the company that makes the clothes. WearPact.com offers free shipping on only a $25 purchase!

I admit that due to the difficulty of finding affordable non-plastic clothing, I will buy natural fiber clothing with added spandex. Sometimes, that's all that's available. For instance, I wear Pact's organic cotton underwear, but it does have about 5% spandex added (and the band is elastic.) But, what choice do I have? Hanes has 100% cotton underwear... with added chemicals (anti-bacterials, fabric stiffeners, etc) and non-natural dyes. No thanks. (You might be just fine with their underwear, but these things can make my skin itchy - I'm sensitive!)

5. Trash Bags
This one is really really hard. It's also probably the most important one to change! We put our biodegradable trash inside non-biodegradable containers. Then we send it off to the landfills, which are growing bigger and bigger. We're running out of room to put our trash, and those landfills won't shrink as long as we keep putting plastic into them. Plastic never goes away.

But what's the alternative to a petroleum-based plastic trash bag? Either a biodegradable bag or a compostable bag. Both of these should be great options, but they're not good for everyone. Biodegradable bags biodegrade. Sometimes too quickly - as in, while you're trying to use it as a trash can liner. Sometimes you can't finish a roll of biodegradable bags because they started to biodegrade before you even pulled it off the roll. There are a few brands claiming they've fixed this, but until the reviews are better, I hesitate to invest in them. They're expensive bags! The problem with compostable bags are that not everyone can compost (I can't do it where I live.) The other problem is that the bags are very flimsy. They rip, tear, and fall apart pretty easily, meaning they can't take much weight. These bags are good for small trash cans that get emptied often. They're not so good in your standard 13 gallon kitchen trash can.

So what is the solution? Reduce the amount of trash you create, recycle as much as possible, and try to make one of those eco trash bags work. Or, if all of your trash is dry, you can use paper bags from the grocery store. I know that some people use cloth liners in their cans, then washing the cloth every time it gets emptied. Our city wouldn't like that, though, as they ask all residents to use plastic bags for their garbage so that the trash isn't loose. I don't have another solution.

I currently am working on finishing a box of Seventh Generation trash bags. They're made from recycled plastic, which is only slightly better than new plastic. The reason I went with them is because my husband and I create so little trash. We fill our can about once every week and a half to two weeks, and it's often filled with what the vacuum cleaner picks up. I don't think a biodegradable or compostable bag would work for us because they'd both start to break down before the bag is full.

6. Food Storage
This one is easier than you'd think. Glass, stainless steel, unbleached parchment paper, and aluminum foil all work well as alternatives. I've purchased these glass storage containers from TJMaxx and Big Lots for $6 for 3. New Wave Enviro has a few different stainless steel food containers available. Buy nut butters in glass jars and reuse the jars. Use mason jars.

But what about replacing the Ziplock bag? What I found was that I was seriously over using ziplock bags. I could use glass or stainless steel for 85% of the things I was using them for. For the other 15% of the time, I've learned to wash the ziplock bags and reuse them OR switch to cloth bags. That said, be careful not to reuse them too many times. The more they get washed, the more chemicals the plastic releases. I try to get a 2-3 uses per bag. The main thing I use Ziplock Bags for now is to freeze food. For instance, the only way for me to get organic asparagus in this town is to buy a frozen case of it. Each box I open doesn't reseal. I've been using the same Ziplock bag for this asparagus for close to a year now. I never wash it because it stays frozen all the time.

7. Menstrual Products
I've already written on this subject here and here.

The quick answer is this: Switch to a menstrual cup or use cloth pads. There is no reason to use disposable products. If you're going to a third world country without clean water to sanitize these products in, there are organic cotton tampons and pads without the added dyes and chemicals.

8. Shaving
I also already wrote about this here.

The quick answer is this: Metal safety razors not only use zero plastic, they work better than plastic razors!

9. Body Care Products and Cleaning Products
This is where it starts to get tricky. Want a bottle of shampoo? It comes in plastic. Want a window cleaner? It comes in plastic. Want liquid body wash? It comes in plastic. You get the idea. While many companies do package their products in glass or metal, such as many Badger Balm products, most use plastic.

Solving this problem requires lifestyle changes - changes that many people may not be comfortable with. But it is possible, and very liberating! There's no need to be a slave to all the products that line the shelf at the store. That said, I still buy several products that come in a plastic bottle. Why? Because I'm making my changes one step at a time. I really don't feel like making liquid bubble bath at home, and it's so much easier to just buy it and recycle the plastic container (I know, I know... there's a good chance it won't actually get recycled since recycling centers are overloaded.)

This topic requires a post to itself, as there's a lot to say. Some quick suggestions are:
-Try out soap nuts for washing your dishes, clothes, and body.
-Clean with white vinegar (you can buy it in glass jars!) It's especially great for glass, but it disinfects any surface.
-Buy or make shampoo as a bar.
-Buy soap as a bar without packaging (Sappo Hills is found in many health food stores and never comes wrapped.)
-Use baking soda to clean when you need extra scrubbing power.



...And I'm out of time! While there is more than can be said about reducing the plastic in your life, I wrote this as a way to get the conversation started. I'm challenging you to think in non-plastic ways. It's a challenging topic, but the more consumers avoid plastic by voting with our dollars, the more companies will listen. We can reduce plastic pollution in our world. We have the power.

I would like to bring your attention, again, to my friend's project in India. Please support him. Every little bit helps! His plan will reduce the plastic pollution in India by turning the plastic into roofs:
https://kriticalmass.com/p/ecoblocks

Teeth and Tongue Part 1

A couple of weeks ago my teeth started to grow sensitive... again. The sensitivity has come in waves for a few years, and the wave have picked up the pace and intensity since starting the Candida cleanse. I also noticed that the inside of my two bottom front teeth were turning black. Black like cavities, without the decay or sensitivity (it's my molars that grow sensitive.) I thought about what I could do. I know that oil pulling does work with sensitivity and whitening to some degree, but it's so inconvenient.  I wanted to try a different method. I looked at my container of hydrogen peroxide and remembered that it used to help with any tooth issue when I used it years ago.

I swished hydrogen peroxide for about 3 days before I noticed that my tongue had turned black. Yes, black:

If you're not too grossed out, expand the photo. You'll see that the black is actually fuzzy hairs. I immediately got a hold of my doctor, but I didn't think to tell him about the hydrogen peroxide at first. It was my mother who told me that the same thing happened to her tongue when her dentist told her to swish hydrogen peroxide in her mouth. Apparently hydrogen peroxide draws bacteria out of the mouth in such a way that these hairs form, collecting more bacteria and dirt, essentially turning them black. A bit later, I had noticed that I was developing some mild thrush on my tongue too. I never noticed that I had thrush in the past, which is one reason that I assumed I didn't have Candida before. This was the first time I saw it on my tongue, and I can only assume that the hydrogen peroxide pulled out some candida too, causing it.

My doctor had me swish plain yogurt once a day in my mouth for a week so the good bacteria in the yogurt could replenish my mouth. This was the first time I'd had dairy in my mouth in about 2 years (I quit dairy before I started working with my doctor.) This was the most disgusting thing I've done in a very long time!! Why did I use dairy? Frankly, because I live a town that doesn't sell any dairy alternative yogurt without added sugar. Dairy was my only choice, so I used grass-fed whole fat plain dairy yogurt. It tasted so disgusting that I've now lost all interest in dairy products ever again - not even cheese sounds appealing. How can any of you stand the taste?! I digress. The immediate problem was that it made me congested in my sinuses and throat (I never swallowed the yogurt.) Again, because I couldn't find an alternative yogurt, I kept using this, despite the allergic reaction it caused. The later problem was that my acne increased around my mouth. I can only assume this is in relation to the yogurt. All problems aside, it worked. My tongue is back to normal again! Well, normal for me, anyway.

But what about the black on the back of my teeth? No change. It's still there.

I have a few theories about what's causing it, but my guess is the quality of our water. When we used to live in a very old industrial building that was converted into an apartment, the water came through old pipes. We brushed our teeth with this water and it turned our teeth colors. I strongly question the quality of the water in out house at times, which is why I use filters on the water for drinking, showering, and bathing. Teeth brushing is the only time I use unfiltered water. I'm going to try to come up with a solution.

In the mean time, the next thing I'm trying is something that might seem very strange to those of you who don't already know this trick. I'm brushing my teeth with clay and charcoal. Here's the recipe:

Clay Toothpaste:

-1 part bentonite clay

-1/3rd part activated charcoal

Optional:

-1/8th part pure stevia powder for sweetness

-Ground cloves (For calming sensitive or painful teeth)

-Ground mint or cinnamon (for astringent properties and flavor)

Directions:

Mix together in a glass bowl. Do not use a metal bowl, which will deactivate the clay. (Plastic is technically fine, but I do not advise using plastic for any reason when a sustainable non-petroleum based product is available.) Wet your toothbrush, then dip it into the powder mixture. Scrub your teeth. Yes, it turns black! But it does not stain - I promise! It rinses with water very easily. For extra disinfecting and whitening power, leave in your mouth for 5 minutes after you're done brushing before you rinse with water.

(Non-petroleum plastic toothbrush)

In my experiment I'm just using the clay and charcoal. This isn't much different from the toothpaste I've been using and love: Redmond Earthpaste. The difference is that their toothpaste is a bit abrasive and does not contain charcoal. My DIY toothpaste is significantly cheaper and is not abrasive against the teeth at all, protecting the enamel. My hope is that the charcoal is gong to bring an extra level of cleaning power and help draw out whatever is making my bottom two front teeth black.

(This is "Part 1" because I'm going to say more about oral care and toothbrushes in another post. I plan to update this blog with the results of this toothpaste, as I've only brushed with it once.)

MCS Memes

My goal was to sit down and write a post. I have plenty to write about.

Then I sat down, turned on my computer, and crashed. Now my brain feels numb and my body feels heavy. I don't really feel like doing anything. And this feeling has been becoming more and more regular in the last month.

So instead, I'm going to leave you with this (it's on Facebook, but it's public):

https://www.facebook.com/laurajmac/media_set?set=a.10153330506660883&type=3

These are memes with quotes from people diagnosed with MCS. Each person quoted finished the sentence "For me, MCS mean______."







Thankfully, I'm not as reactive as many of these people are. In fact, I've been improving since starting my doctor's homeopathic remedy and his candida cleanse. Just today I went to the salon for a haircut. Someone just had a perm, so the air was very thick with horrible sticky chemically residue. I couldn't wait in the waiting area, as I got immediate heart palpitations and stomach pain from being in there. When I went back with my stylist, I had to walk through that area, holding my breath. I was expecting I'd be really sick for the rest of the day after that. Her area of the salon is right next to a window and is far away from everyone else, so I had much better air during my cut. And you know what? I was okay. Not great, but I was okay. My heart palpitated,  my head ached mildly, my lungs felt worn out and weak, and my stomach hurt. But I survived. Granted, I did take extra glutathione and NAC before going in. But I survived. Yes, I'm definitely getting better. This is closer to how I was with chemicals before my big breakdown. I never liked them and they always bothered me to some degree, but it wasn't debilitating.

Now that I'm home and took more glutathione and NAC, I'm okay. I'm just down to heavy fatigue, brain fog, and muscle pain now. If I were in that situation 2 months ago, I'd be much much much sicker!

What I should do is get in my Far Infrared Sauna to detox from the salon (it helps a ton!!), but I think I'm honestly too worn out to survive it.