New Species + It is Invasive

Revised 24 December 2020; Original 3 May 2019

Plastic is a human-made product that is literally every where humans have been. We have plastic litter left on the moon, it is in the deepest part of oceans, and it is in the food we eat. It is destroying animal life, polluting our oceans and land, and poisoning us as well. As a species we were identified as Homo sapiens, but have now become Homo plastiens.

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The Scourge of Plastic

Healthy eating is not just about what foods we put in our body, but includes all aspects of the food chain from seeds to harvest, from buying to prepping, and through disposal. Many of us do not have the time, money, or personal impact to make changes to various aspects of the food chain. But unlike many things that need improvement or changing, the proliferation of plastic is something we collectively can do something about. Simply put, if everyone were to reduce their use and reliance on plastic, the food-related industries would be forced to change.

Sad Plastic Factoids

• ArcadiaPower:
  • Half of the 300 million tons of plastic produced each year is used only once.
  • More than 40% of plastic is used to create packaging, including the hundreds of billions of plastic bags used around the globe.
  • In 2014, the US sold over 100 billion plastic beverage bottles, 57% were for water.
  • Chemicals in plastic (i.e., BPA), can be absorbed by the human body.
  • Plastic takes anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to degrade, so every piece of of plastic ever produced is still in existence.
  • Scientists estimate that 1 million seabirds are killed by consuming plastics every year, as are 100 thousand mammals.
  • Plastic pollution doesn’t only impact water quality; the chemicals found in plastic are in our air, dust, and food.
• SavoryLotus: The average person eats 70,000 microplastics each year.

Cooks Reduce Reliance on Plastic

Reduce When Shopping + Eating Out

• Bring our own larger grocery bags, but not just to the grocery store, use them everywhere.
• Bring our own bags instead of using the grocery supplied plastic for our fruits, veggies, and bulk items. I suggest lightweight mesh bags as a good produce container.
• But if we have plastic bags, bring them back to the grocery stores where they can be reused or recycled.
• For eating out we could try to not ask for a “doggie bag” but instead carry our containers with us. (I would have a hard time doing this at an expensive restaurant, but change and awareness can happen anywhere, right?)

Reduce Purchasing Plastic

• We can eat real foods that are minimally processed + with minimal packaging. 
• We can buy food from bulk bins using reusable containers, rather than plastic bags.
• I do not purchase any veggies that are individually wrapped in plastic, except English Cucumbers (they are very thinned skinned so in this case the plastic provides extra protection.
• Consider making our own dish soap or use containers we can refill.
• Instead of dish-washing liquid in plastic, we can consider going back to the powder that comes in paper boxes (for dish washers).
• We could install a water filter to meet our water needs rather than buying water in plastic containers.

Reduce Use of Plastic Wrap

• We can decide to NOT use plastic wrap to cover food, but instead use reusable covers. Bees Wraps are used for cheese, fruit, veggies, and bread and are reusable, washable and compostable. 
• When I buy glass or metal bowls I try to get the ones that come with lids that I can reuse.
• There are also fabric bowl covers now that appear to work great.

Reduce Use of Plastic Containers

• We can all just stop using plastic water bottles.
  I use steel water and thermos containers instead of plastic bottles.
• I now use glass storage containers instead of plastic. (My old plastic containers now hold office supplies, batteries and such.)
• Consider getting some VERY old fashioned metal ice cube makers.
• There are silicon bags that can be used instead of plastic ones. Right now I wash and reuse the plastic bags we have at home but will switch when these are gone.
• I use my own mug for coffee, and some places give a discount, and I do not have to figure out what to do with the plastic lid coffee comes with.

Reduce use of Plastic Utensils + Dishware

• My preference is for wood or metal cooking utensils and a rubber spatula, rather than plastic.
• While I do not drink using straws, my friends who do are getting metal straws for holidays and birthday gifts.
• I have dumped plastic veggie and cookware cleaning brushes for natural ones (wood + coconut fibers are great or horse hair).
• I do not use plastic dishware (used to for camping) and have switched to metal. (Takes me back to my old backpacking days of metal bowls and plates.)
• Instead of plastic ice packs, we can try the Stainless Steel Ice Pack.
• I store bulk items at home in glass containers.
• Cheap non-stick pans contain plastic so use cast iron, ceramic, or steel instead.
• There are stainless steel salad spnners, so you can recyle the plastic ones.

Reduce Food Chain Plastic

• So shop local when you can, plastic is in all places of food handling, transportation and delivery.
• Know the types of plastic (chart below) and if we have to buy plastic make sure we know what we are getting.
• When ordering pizza we could stress to not include that little plastic “table” in the box.
• We could choose to use ice cream cones instead of plastic enforced paper bowls and plastic spoons.
• We could reuse or return the plastic containers used for berries.
• I choose milk in returnable glass containers.

Plastic Classifications (1)

#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Products: Soft drink bottles, water bottles, condiments, mouthwash, peanut butter, jelly, pickles, microwave food trays.

• SAFE BUT, antimony, a metalloid element with toxic qualities, leaches from PET and can cause acute and chronic health issues, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach ulcers.
• Long term storage, at increased temperatures, can result in unhealthy antimony levels.

#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)
Products: Milk and water jugs, detergent, shampoo, grocery bags, cereal box liners

• Low hazard BUT a study pointed out, most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals which can alter human cells
• All commercially available plastic items would leach detectable amounts of chemicals having estrogenic activity once such items are exposed to boiling water, sunlight (UV), and/or microwaving

#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Products: Piping, shower curtains, plastic toys, table cloths, medication blister packs, wrapping films, deli and meat wraps

• BAD, leaches toxic chemicals into water
• Phthalates comes from PVC plastics which may have adverse effects on airways and immunologic systems. One phthalate, Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), is an endocrine disruptor and can cause cancer.
• Some phthalates may affect human reproduction or development.

#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Products: Shrink wrap films, dry cleaning bags, grocery bags, paper milk cartons, hot/cold beverage cups

• Low hazard (other than choking on the lightweight plastic sheets!)

#5 polypropylene (PP)
Products: Yogurt cups, food packaging, take-out containers, bottle caps, catsup/ketchup, syrup bottles

• Considered SAFE

#6 polystyrene (PS or Styrofoam)
Products: Single-use cups, plates, bowls, take-out containers, meat and poultry trays, yogurt

• BAD as styrene can leach from polystyrene and is considered linked to cancer
• Impaired learning has been observed in rats exposed to high doses of styrene.
• Nursing infants can be exposed to styrene from breast milk.

#7 other (includes polycarbonate or other compostable plastics)
Products: Utensils, food storage gallon sized water containers, oven baking bags, citris juice containers,

• SUPER BAD BPA

My Story

I am trying hard to reduce my use and disposal of plastic, and where I cannot, I am trying to make the item reusable. But it is hard since our environment is now flooded with this invasive and destructive “new species”.

But do not get disheartened, we can change our habits and the habits of others by advocating and living as plastic free as we can can.

–Patty

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