Comments on: Week One of the Extreme Eco-Challenge http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/ Learning to live green and live together Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:13:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Lauren http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/#comment-598 Lauren Sun, 25 May 2008 02:17:45 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=189#comment-598 You can find biodegradable off brand q-tips made of organic cotton and paper sticks that are supposedly compostable. You can find biodegradable off brand q-tips made of organic cotton and paper sticks that are supposedly compostable.

]]> By: Maggie http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/#comment-496 Maggie Tue, 13 May 2008 22:51:20 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=189#comment-496 I'm pretty sure there is all-cotton dental floss out there but I'm still not sure what you do with it when you're done. I guess it would be compostable if it weren't too waxed. And you're probably right about the aluminum toothpaste tubes but I have this real mental block about recycling things that don't seem clean and I can't imagine ever getting all the toothpaste out of a toothpaste tube. Some day I need to tour an aluminum recycling plant (or glass or steel) to find out just condition is necessary to keep from ruining an entire batch. We could focus on minimal plastic use but it just feels totally overwhelming to think about right now. I dunno. I think it's easier just to think about trash. There's also that whole issue of reuse; there are all kinds of cool plastic containers that we could repurpose if we were willing to use plastic. So I think we'll keep it around for awhile. I’m pretty sure there is all-cotton dental floss out there but I’m still not sure what you do with it when you’re done. I guess it would be compostable if it weren’t too waxed. And you’re probably right about the aluminum toothpaste tubes but I have this real mental block about recycling things that don’t seem clean and I can’t imagine ever getting all the toothpaste out of a toothpaste tube. Some day I need to tour an aluminum recycling plant (or glass or steel) to find out just condition is necessary to keep from ruining an entire batch.

We could focus on minimal plastic use but it just feels totally overwhelming to think about right now. I dunno. I think it’s easier just to think about trash. There’s also that whole issue of reuse; there are all kinds of cool plastic containers that we could repurpose if we were willing to use plastic. So I think we’ll keep it around for awhile.

]]> By: Jessica http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/#comment-493 Jessica Tue, 13 May 2008 18:43:38 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=189#comment-493 You can find natural fiber floss, I'm pretty sure. Seems I've seen it at Vitamin Cottage, so I suppose it would be at any organic type grocery store. Yeah, all those challenges seemed SUPER tough, I hadn't even stopped to think about the plastic on the insides of lids and cans. If you're doing minimal trash, are you willing to try minimal plastic instead of giving up the challenge all together? I know I'm trying to limit plastic and trash production, but your guy's example shows me that theres a ton more to do. You can find natural fiber floss, I’m pretty sure. Seems I’ve seen it at Vitamin Cottage, so I suppose it would be at any organic type grocery store.
Yeah, all those challenges seemed SUPER tough, I hadn’t even stopped to think about the plastic on the insides of lids and cans. If you’re doing minimal trash, are you willing to try minimal plastic instead of giving up the challenge all together? I know I’m trying to limit plastic and trash production, but your guy’s example shows me that theres a ton more to do.

]]> By: arduous http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/#comment-491 arduous Mon, 12 May 2008 21:48:30 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=189#comment-491 Oh yeah, and is there such a thing as non-plastic floss? Aren't they all made of nylon? Oh yeah, and is there such a thing as non-plastic floss? Aren’t they all made of nylon?

]]> By: arduous http://greencouple.com/2008/05/10/week-one-of-the-extreme-eco-challenge/#comment-490 arduous Mon, 12 May 2008 21:47:10 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=189#comment-490 Can't you recycle your toothpaste tubes? Toms of Maine comes in aluminum tubes that I believe are 100% recyclable. I just cut the top part off with the plastic cap, and throw that away to be on the safe side, but supposedly I think you can recycle the whole thing. Can’t you recycle your toothpaste tubes? Toms of Maine comes in aluminum tubes that I believe are 100% recyclable. I just cut the top part off with the plastic cap, and throw that away to be on the safe side, but supposedly I think you can recycle the whole thing.

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