Reusing Items - A Responsible Alternative

As many stores are making an effort to switch from plastic to paper, one product that is difficult for them to replace with an environmentally safe product is cling wrap that is used to preserve food. Currently, www.4myearth.com points out that wrapping a sandwich and snacks for a child's lunch uses an estimated amount of 330 feet of plastic wrap per year. When multiplied by 450 students per year, one small elementary school uses 148,500 feet of plastic wrap. This could all be eliminated if we got in the habbit of reusing things.

Sandwich wraps and lunch bags are items that can be easily reused. Kidskonserve.com offers PVC free and phthalate free sandwich wraps that will last up to several years. They are made out of safe non-toxic cloths that are heavy metal free and have a coating that will decompose eventually without any harm to the environment. These are hand or machine washable.

Other items that we can learn to re-use, in addition to grocery bags which have been covered in several other blogs include: glass baby food jars, food and beverage containers, cups, plates, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material. Visiting garage sales and purchasing items there also helps us get into a mentality of reusing items rather than purchasing new. Or one can donate their items to be reused. The important step is for us to change our habits and become creative on ways to reuse most everything that surrounds us. Sharing clothes, equipment, computers with neighbors, family, or friends is great way to reduce spending a reuse items.

Reuse, reuse, reuse - The second R of responsible living!