Are The Plastics In Your Kitchen Harming You?
Posted by Carole Fogarty on Friday, March 13th, 2009
By Carole Fogarty
Editor Rejuvenation Lounge and facilitator of Women’s Zen Rejuvenation Retreats:
Rejuvenate by going green:
I’m thrilled to have some eco-friendly products to give-away this month. In particular the stainless lunch boxes which are an excellent, healthy alternate to the toxic plastic variety that we have been using in the past.
Win a set of six string cotton bags:
Many thanks to Karen from Greenurlife for this months give-aways. I personally love and use both of her products; the cotton string shopping bags and stainless lunch boxes. I know you will love them both, so please leave a comment below for your chance to win.
Throw Out The Plastic:
I’ve been on a mission now (for many years) to eliminate as much plastic from my kitchen and home as possible. In particular the elimination of plastic containers, wrappers and bags from my childrens lunch boxes. It’s definately a work in progress. That’s why I’m particularly thrilled to be giving away an alternate to plastic lunch boxes with a snazzy looking stainless steel option. I also double up using these sustainable lunch boxes as storage containers as well.
Know there are healthy alternatives out there, you simply need to do a little research. For example BPA free plastic bottles are certainly one step healthier.
Win one of two rectangular lunch boxes
If you are not familiar with the side effects and toxicity of some plastics, following is a short exert from the Environmental Working Group. Please visit their web site for lots more great information on where chemicals are hiding in your home, foods and body products.
“Bisphenol A, in commercial use since the 1950s, is found in a wide variety of everyday items, including plastic, beverage containers, eyeglasses and compact discs. It is ubiquitous: One recent federal study estimated that the chemical is found in the urine of 93 percent of the U.S. population.”
Commonly called BPA, the chemical mimics the hormone estrogen and may disrupt the body’s endocrine system. Public health advocates say it poses a particular danger to fetuses, infants and children because BPA can interfere with cell function at a point when their bodies are still developing”
Environmental Work Group YouTube Channel:
Please, please visit the enviornmental working groups you tube channel and witness for yourself the hidden chemicals and toxins in your every day living. Click here:
Thanks for reading my article. Carole.
You are welcome to come back and visit my blog the Rejuvenation Lounge anytime or treat yourself to one of my Rejuvenation Retreats in Bali, Australia or Italy:
If you like what you read, then shout me a cup of chai tea. I’m thirsty.
Here’s a couple of “green” articles I’ve written:
- Happiness is going a little bit greener everyday
- Detox your kitchen bench six simple things you can do now
Filed in Uncategorized |
Kateon 14 Mar 2009 at 6:22 am 1Oh I’d love to win one of the lunchboxes. I’ve been looking for something like this for awhile now, I have 4 children who all take their lunch each day and at the moment we still use plastic containers.
cheers Kate
Jannetteon 14 Mar 2009 at 9:08 am 2Hey Carole
another great blogpost.
I would love to win a set of the string shopping bags, they look like they could scrunch up really easily into bub’s nappy bag, which is already scrunched into my generous handbag…
And the stainless steel info is spot on. I bought my baby her first sippa cup from Foogoo. They make stainless steel drip-proof cups using Biasphenol A free plastic for the mouthpiece.
A stainless stell lunchbox would accessorise very stylishly
Infinite Blessings
Jannette
Karynon 15 Mar 2009 at 5:12 pm 3You know, I had not thought of using stainless steel containers instead of plastic! I do have a stainless steel water bottle, and love it: Besides being a healthier choice, it’s also more durable if I bang it into something or drop it.
Glass isn’t practical for carrying lunch to and from work (see “banging and dropping,” above) so I figured I had no choice but plastic.
One area that’s been a challenge is produce. I tried storing carrots in a paper bag one time, and found them shriveled up a day or so later; I guess the combination of paper and refrigeration sucked the moisture right out. And how do you tote wet lettuce, scallions, and such from store to fridge, and keep them fresh? There are non-petroleum plastics being manufactured, now; I wonder if someday we’ll have a food-origin, biodegradable plastic wrap/bag that we can use!
And then there are yogurt containers, the plastic wrap on cheese, etc., etc. Plastic is everywhere!
Barbi Alexanderon 16 Mar 2009 at 7:45 am 4I met up with a friend yesterday who had a stainless steel water bottle. She’s long upheld the view that plastics are toxic and thanks to her I have swapped all my plastic storage jars for glass and stainless steel which look much nicer anyway. I’m even using a convection microwave now because I can use metal in it. The only alternative I have found to plastic lunch boxes though is pyrex which I worry will break if I drop it. The stainless steel option would be perfect - and good looking as well!
Carole Fogartyon 17 Mar 2009 at 9:45 am 5Hi Karyn,
Yep, you are right, plastic is everywhere. That’s why its definately a work in progress. One small step at a time.
I’ve found organic produce keeps really well in the fridge without plastic however its not always possible to get everything organic that you need.
I’m playing around with stainless steel and pyrex containers at the moment.
Peace, love and chocolate
Carole
Carole Fogartyon 17 Mar 2009 at 9:46 am 6Hi Barbi,
Glad you like the stainless options. I’ve got friends who shop at camping stores and find all sorts of useful containers in stainless. No reason these options can’t be used in our homes.
Peace, love and chocolate
Carole
Maryaon 19 Mar 2009 at 9:46 am 7I am starting the road to detox the kitchen. I am really going to look at what I am using but I know it will be a long haul. I’ve never seen the stainless options before.
Carole Fogartyon 19 Mar 2009 at 12:48 pm 8Hi Marya,
Isn’t it great when you find an alternate to plastic thats green.
Wahoo!
Carole
Kayon 01 Apr 2009 at 2:26 am 9I use a competly reusable, non-waste, lunch system for my kids, but I’d love to have it be non-plastic. And for my Hubby too!! Recently I convinced DH to keep a plate at work to heat food un on, rather than inside his plastic. small steps, I say.
School lunches are more challenging. I am working on recycling in the lunchroom, but here in the midwest recycling is, unfortunatly, a low priority! humph!
Regardless of winning or not, I just might have to purchase a few of these metal containers!!
Kayon 01 Apr 2009 at 2:30 am 10On Keeping veggies fresh without nasty plastic:
I have found that a damp towel wrapped around the veggies works well when kept in the veggie compartment of my fridge.
Carole Fogartyon 03 Apr 2009 at 4:55 pm 11Winners for the stainless steel lunch boxes and cotton string bags are being announced tomorrow.
Stay tuned.
Carole
Carole Fogartyon 06 Apr 2009 at 12:49 pm 12Hi everyone,
The three winners of March competitions are:
@ Barbi Alexander
@ Marya
@ Janette
Congratulations to all winners.
Please email me with your mailing details.
Thanks
Carole