DITCHTHEPLASTIC.CA
  • Home
  • Why?
  • Blog
  • Shop Nude
  • Make your Own
  • New Finds
  • Contact

New for 2022

10/29/2022

 
I’ve been testing out a few new things things year with excellent results.   The first is a reusable parchment paper of sorts for cooking.  It’s the Cookina Reusable Baking Mat.  It’s non-stick and replaces foils and parchment papers.  You can cut it to fit your favourite baking trays or pans and it’s even microwave and dishwasher safe.  It is for baking, not the BBQ though.  I found mine at Thrifty Foods for $14.99 and have been using it happily for 6 months.  

My next great finds are available at Ecotopia Naturals for $4 and made by Nature Bee, locally in Saanichton, BC!  They are paper wrapped cleaning tabs that dissolve in water.  There are several scents of Foaming Hand Soap, Multi-purpose Spray Cleaners and just out… a Bathroom Cleaner.

Picture
Hope you'll give these products a try, if you haven't already! :) And share the info with your friends.
#yyj #ditchtheplastic #nomoreplastic #bakingnonstick #plasticfreecleaners

p.s. - I've turned off commenting as I was getting spammed. :(

The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker

2/17/2021

 
Increasingly, it is getting harder at your local grocer to be plastic free and when COVID arrived, pretty much impossible! But the positive side of that is I am finding small local businesses that offer plastic free options with a smile. 😀

If you haven’t already visited, I would like to introduce you to Fraser Orr’s Butcher & Deli in Saanichton, BC. A beautiful selection of meat with no plastic, wrapped only in butcher paper if you ask and chicken galore. My fave is the asparagus wrapped chicken breast, no coatings, just lovely tender chicken, asparagus and provolone.

Next, I would like to introduce you to The Farmer’s Daughter. This lovely little fromagerie, Bistro and wine bar is located in Sidney, BC. A bit of a dilemma with the cheese in their case, it is all wrapped in plastic to keep the flavours from spreading. They have a special cheese wrap, but there is some plastic involved. Solution, they sell cheese storage bags that are re-useable and are happy of course to place your cheese in these. The bags (in a package of 15) sell for $16.99.

While changing to plastic free may be a challenge at times, when you search for solutions, you meet wonderful people who encourage rather than dampen the plastic free enthusiasm.  Last year I watched a YouTube launched by our own UVIC as part of Ideafest 2020. The data is staggering that we must break our plastic addiction.

It's fantastic to see the bulk food options have returned almost fully at most grocers and glass milk bottles are making a comeback, so if we all get on board with that, maybe it will help drop the price. 
Every little thing we do makes a difference and as a community, we make a huge difference.  In less than 6 months we saw Tru Earth laundry strips go from online only, to Ecotopia, to Home Hardware and then Fairways.  Big steps to get it out to the general public when there is demand.  Now when will English cucumbers be free of plastic?

#butcher #fromagerie #FraserOrr #FarmersDaughter #buylocal #ditchtheplastic #freetheenglishcucumber

August 21st, 2020

8/21/2020

 
Through support from Piers Island Association and grant funding from CRD, we were able to put together and film this presentation about how every consumer has the power to #ditchtheplastic 
I was able to buy the products that I'd found and use them as draw prizes for our audience, which was present with masks (only 6 people) or there via Zoom.  I apologize in advance for my Ums, which were many...but I hope you come away with inspiration to try and change the way you buy.  I had to  remind myself today...when buying green relish - choose the glass, not the plastic!  

Thank you for watching, please hunt out these fantastic refill stations in your area and spread the word to "ditch the plastic".  

Product Reviews

5/14/2020

 
I've been posting new products as I find them on the New Finds page and I wanted to update on a couple of them because there is some good and some bad, or rather...disappointing.  

First up - the good news - Tru Earth Laundry Strips.  I've bought my second package and will continue to use them.  No more lugging laundry soap, hooray!  Ecotopia in Sidney sells them by the package or you can buy from the company direct on a auto-supply basis for a cost savings for families.  I don't do that much laundry, so I would rather buy as I need, #supportlocal even though I pay a little more. 

A plus and a minus here...

As part of Ecotopia's refill centre, by conundrum on shampoo and conditioner has been solved.  I found you could find decent bar shampoo with no packaging, but conditioner was crazy.  This one bar conditioner sold for $17 at Pharmasave and stated for best results, leave in for 10 minutes.  Not going to happen!  :(  So...
I can now reuse the same container and have it refilled.  You can also bring them your own container if you want to use glass instead.    And you can add your own essential oils to both the shampoo and conditioner. :)
​
Picture

Picture
Toothpaste - the good, the bad and the ugly!

I tried and tried, but have gone back to the plastic tube.  I heard a rumor something without plastic coming soon - can't recall if it was Crest or Colgate but I'm anxiously waiting.  

I made my own toothpaste using baking soda, coconut oil, salt and peppermint and while not horrible, let's face it...it was bad.  No fresh, tingly feeling after brushing.

Then I tried Nelson Naturals Zero Waste in a glass jar- Citrus Spice blend sounded promising...about $8 for the jar.  It falls into the ugly category.  I just found the taste foul and my gums weren't fond of it either...so back to the old Crest and hoping for a plastic free solution from them soon. 

I'm still using the silk dental floss - it's been wonderful.  And my fave bar soaps from SoapWorks are olive and the cucumber/calendula.  

​#newproducts #barsoap #refillstations #toothpaste 

The Grocery Shopping Conundrum

2/1/2020

 
It's been about a month since I started this journey of changing the way I shopped.  In that time I've gone from being all excited using my "net bags" in the bulk and produce section at Thrifty Foods, to being told that it was acceptable for produce only - not in the bulk section.  :(  My only way to buy chicken was covered in styrofoam and plastic and I haven't eaten a cucumber in a month!  English cucumbers are covered in plastic but apparently there is something new coming along.  I retweeted the announcement and can only hope that we see it soon.  I miss my cucumbers! 

I am now baking my own bread and snacks and have found other sources for interesting meats, cheese and refillable soap products!  Advice...don't give up!  Over the past 30 years, I have probably spent $250,000 in food at Thrifty Foods (now owned by Sobey's).  The bad news for them is that they are already seeing less of my money.  The good news...I'm finding lovely new local sources that are happy to help me ditch the plastic.  I know that if you are a working family, you don't have time to search out these things - I'll do it for you and hopefully, your local grocer will get the message and as sales go down they'll make changes and we'll find a new balance supporting local businesses. 

By buying bulk, even if I have to use mushroom bags, not buying produce covered in plastic, using a seltzer maker & CO2 cartridges and baking a few things myself, we've seen our recycling and landfill volume reduce by 75%!  We can succeed in the goal of  #ditchtheplastic

    Author

    Sharing the discoveries of how to #ditchtheplastic in our lives. 

    Archives

    October 2022
    November 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020

    Categories

    All
    Baking
    Bar Soap
    Beach Cleans
    Beeswax Wraps
    Community Workshops
    CRD
    Deodorant
    Fashion Waste
    Filtered Water
    Gardening
    Grow Your Own
    Gulf Islands
    Homemade
    Newproducts
    Refill Stations
    Saanich Peninsula
    Shopping Nude
    Single Use Plastic
    Stainless Steel Mugs
    Stainless Steel Water Bottle
    Styrofoam
    Tips For Shopping
    Vegetables
    Water Bottles
    Wrapping Paper Waste

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Why?
  • Blog
  • Shop Nude
  • Make your Own
  • New Finds
  • Contact