Saying Goodbye to Plastic and Paper...

If you're reading this blog, chances are you have no problem with environmental protection and conservation. It's not something you're actively involved in but, still, you're the sort that recycles beverage containers and only buys compact fluorescents to replace light bulbs. You would never willingly litter, buy styrofoam cups, or run out the door with all the lights on and the television running full blast. But beyond that? The task of saving the environment seems so monstrous, where would you even start?

Here. Start with making two simple lifestyle changes that can really make a difference for the environment. This entry is the first in a series that will walk you though, step-by-step, the process of eliminating disposable items from your life. For now we'll focus on store bags and paper towels. The best part about this series (Econduct's Moving Toward a Disposable-Free Lifestyle) is that anyone can do this! A couple months after you make a change you'll be surprised how easy it is to live without these so-called necessities. All you have to do is decide you'll start here and now.

First, a very brief overview on disposable bags. Plastic bags are made from oil. Only a fraction of them are actually recycled and so they take up space in landfills or pollute our ecosystem. Paper bags aren't much better; they require more energy to produce and are manufactured from trees. There are dozens of reasons why disposable bags are harmful to the environment, so I'll move on and cover how to go about avoiding them.

The BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) Guide

1. Invest in reusable bags. This step won't be difficult in this day and age. You can find reusable bags sold at major grocery chains for only $1 each. At that, these bags are designed specifically with groceries in mind and they can each carry the equivalent of 2-3 plastic grocery bags. You can also find canvas and tote bags sold in many retail stores or may find them given away as corporate freebies at fairs and events. If you still find you're need of reusable bags, here's a list of manufacturers to consider. (Look for companies based in the U.S. and who manufacture in the U.S.) A economical option would be to double-bag used grocery paper bags and use these until they fall apart. (Then recycle in a mixed paper bin.)

2. If driving is your mode of transport, designate a small area of your vehicle to store these bags. This might be the trunk or the backseat. I recommend finding a basket or container to keep your bags in order.

3. Designate a spot in your home to place bags after you've unloaded your groceries and goods. A logical location would be a coat closet near the front door. Or perhaps a shelf in the garage near the door. It should be a place that you'll notice when you are on your way to your vehicle, so you can easily grab them. This will help keep all your bags in your vehicle, not at left at home at times when you need them.

4. Remember to bring the bags with you to ALL stores! For most people, remembering the bags will be the biggest challenge with this lifestyle change. For the first month, make a conscious effort to equate walking into a store with bringing a reusable bag. You could write a reminder on your shopping list or leave a bag in the passenger seat to remind yourself. Soon enough, it will become habit and you won't need to think about it at all. If you are someone who is always on the go, you might consider taking one compact bag with you everywhere!

5. Inform your cashier you won't need a bag. Do this immediately after the greeting. Most cashiers are on auto-pilot and won't notice you have your own bags unless you tell them. It's very easy to forget this step and before you know it, half your groceries are in plastic bags.

One tiny bonus to bringing your own bags is that many grocery stores offer 5 cents per bag off your total purchase. It's not much, but it will certainly cover the cost of the reusable bag in the course of its lifetime. And the real benefit here is for the environment. If you need a little motivation, check out this slide show on the impact of plastic bags.

The second half of this post will cover how to get along without paper towels. The production of paper towels contributes to deforestation and the exacerbation of global warming. That's not to mention the pollution of air and water, energy use, and the increased pressure on landfills. Several major paper towel manufacturers design their product to try to be as strong and tough as towels, so why not use the real thing?!

About two years ago, I decided not to buy paper towels ever again. Since then I have developed a system using cloth rags and towels to keep my kitchen and home clean and sanitary. I will gladly share my system so that Econduct readers need not go through any trial and error process! And please feel free to modify this so that it fits your needs.

The LWPT (Living Without Paper Towels) Guide

1. Invest in cloth dishrags, towels, and napkins. You'll need different sizes and textures for different purposes (see step two for more info). Before running out to the store and buying cheap dishrags imported from China, there might be eco alternatives. A worn bath towel can easily be cut into smaller pieces to make dish rags. See if you can find some at thrift stores or yard sales that are in sturdy condition.

2. Designate particular types of towels with specific functions. This is to avoid situations like using cleaning products on a towel and then later accidentally using the same towel to dry your hands. One reason paper towels are popular is the concern of cross-contamination, but this system is designate with that in mind. Over time, you might collect cloth towels for the following purposes:

-Hand drying: Chose one the size of a bathroom hand towel. This should be in the range of 16x27". Texture and thickness can entirely based on preference. Have them available close to the kitchen sink. Toss in the wash basket if food accidentally gets smeared or them. (1-3 in quantity)
-Counter/surface wiping: These dishrags will be the smallest in your collection, about the size of a washcloth or smaller. Mine are 10x10". I recommend low to medium thickness. The thicker the cloth, the longer it takes for them to dry, thus the higher the likeliness they will grow mildew. At the slightest hint of smell, dry and discard in the wash basket. (4-6)
-Counter/surface drying: Choose towels/rags for maximum absorption, thicker and with looped fabrics such as terry cloth or herringbone. Find towels/rags approximately 15x15" in size. (8-10)
-Drying clean dishes: Designate one towel for the sole purpose of drying clean dishes. Select this towel based the the qualities listed above for surface drying.
-General purpose: Have low-lint towels/rags on hand for purposes such as dusting or cleaning mirrors; this will minimize fabric particles left behind during these chores. You might use cloth napkins when they get older and stained. Variable sizes. (8-10)
-Big spills and miscellaneous: If you have any old worn bath towels, instead of tossing, keep these around to use in case someone knocks over a beverage onto the floor. They can also be great for drying if you're mopping the kitchen floor or washing your car. You'll want these to be big in size. (1-3)
(Numbers in parenthesis refer to recommended quantities, given for every 2 individuals in a household, with a laundry cycle of every 2.5-3 weeks.)

3. Find a place for all these rags. I store all my kitchen rags in one drawer. When in use, I keep my wiping dishrag on the kitchen sink (thoroughly ring after each use!), the hand towel hanging right below the sink, the dish drying towel on the oven rack, and my surface drying towels (usually I have 1-2 out at any time) out of the way hanging from a cabinet handle. Each kitchen is different so find placements that work for you and your household. Another tip, when I clean the bathroom, I use the drying rags that I had been using for the kitchen and replace fresh ones for the kitchen.

4. Use a small basket container to store dirty rags. I have a small trash bin that I keep under my kitchen sink. Make sure the rags are DRY when you toss them in. If they are sopping wet, they can develop an unpleasant smell because of mildew growth.

5. When you do your laundry, add these rags to your whites load. For efficiency only run when you have a full load. I recommend using hot water and adding a small amount of bleach to disinfect. For best results do not add fabric softener into this wash load. It will reduce the absorption power of your towels (until they are washed again).

6. Use the rags until they develop holes and begin to fall apart. And even then, you can use them once for a particularly tough grease or dirt mess, and then just toss them after that.

If the above towel system sounds complicated, let me assure you it's actually very simple and easy to stick to. And get creative with this and modify it to work for you. Econduct creater Heather has her own ingenious color system, developed based on the colors of rags she already had:

1. White is for water (drying dishes and surfaces)
2. Green is for gross (cleaning up biospills)
3. Clay is for cleaning (using cleaning sprays)
4. Blue is for you (hand drying)

The savings are surprising significant; you may save $50 or more per year by not buying paper towels. Now, if you are clean up bio-hazardous messes, like pet accidents, you might feel more comfortable dealing with these situations with paper towels. One roll should suffice for several years if you limit your use. Also, consider using newspaper for such clean-ups.

Good luck! And please feel free to leave comments here if you have any tips we might have overlooked.