Recycled plastic bags

Have a look at the blog Greitzan. Such a cool way to recycle.

She used the plastic bags from Systembolaget (Swedish liquor store) to create a new bag. The bags from Systembolaget are all in similar colours and really not useful for anything after you brought your wines home. So this is really fun and creative. Also, check out the cosmetic pouch and iphone bag she made from other brands.

Power of consumption

Nobody can do it alone, but with the small steps and choices we make every day, we can all do our part. That's the most important thing I want to show with this blog. We can really do it together. All consumers of food, drink, clothes, fuel, skincare etc etc can put the pressure on our governments and all companies to work for a better and more sustainable future for all of us simply by choosing what we spend our money on.

-Buying organic milk/wine/juice/coffee instead of regular shows our farmers that we don't want to drink chemicals and hormones.
-Buying toys painted with non-toxic paint or made of non-toxic plastic shows our toy-stores that they need to produce and sell things that won't give off poison when our children put them in their mouth.
-Buying organic skincare will tell the producers that we don't want to rub chemicals on the biggest organ we have; our skin.
-Using public transportation whenever possible and buy cars with alternative fuel-sources will show the oil-industry that enough is enough.

If we keep asking at our local stores for those products and keep buying the things that are good for us those things will be produced in a larger scale. We can make the power of money work in our favour.

Yes we can!

Plastic is not so fantastic in LA

Today Los Angeles is the 14th city in California and the largest city in the US to ban disposable plastic bags at the check-out counters in grocery stores. The ban will take effect later this year after an environmental impact report. The city has 7500 grocery stores, and they will all have to comply with this. The larger ones within six months and the smaller ones within a year.

Three billions of plastic bags goes to waste each year in L.A alone so undoubtedly this will have a huge impact on the environment. Altogether California uses over 12 billions of plastic bags every year and only 5 percent is being recycled.

From the beginning the ban also included paperbags, but this was not a part of the deciscion this time. Instead customers will be charged 10 cents per paper bag at the store. In two years the city will conduct a study to determine if the ban should also include paperbags.

There has been a lot of discussions about the loss of jobs for people that produces those plastic bags. This is a great example on how to move forward; Projectgreenbag. Environmentally friendly and keeping employment within California as well.

More information about plastic waste can be found at the Plastic Pollution Coalitions website.

Plastic Fantastic?

What does those marks on your waterbottles, childrens toys, food containers etc really mean? Can you tell what's harmful and what's not? Check those marks when shopping, and try to avoid 3, 6 and 7 which are the most dangerous ones.

There is a potential (low) risk for leakage of phthalates.

Often used in recyclable waterbottles

There are no known risks with this kind of plastic, but it should not be heated up.

This type of plastic is used in varoius things; from food packaging to toys

to building-materials. It's a hard plastic and to soften it phthalates is often added.

This kind of chemical leaks and it affects your hormones and your fertility.

There are also studies that shows a connection to childrens allergies.

This type is often used in plastic bags.

There are no know risks with this kind of plastic, but it should not be heated up.

This kind is often used in food containers that needs to be heat-resistant.

It contains substances that can be harmful.

This kind of plastic is used in a lot off different things; toys,

computers, kitchen appliances etc.

 It can be impregnated with flame retardants.

This is often used for food containers, feeding bottles and plastic kitchen utensils. This is a very common mark. The plastic may contain bisphenol A that affects your hormones.