Tip of the Week

My personal beef is that many toy companies package their toys--including safe pvc-free toys--in clear vinyl "carrying bags." Most people discard the bags as I did, not wanting toxic vinyl in my home. A few years ago I wrote many of the companies objecting to this practice and suggesting they eliminate the wasteful environmentally-bad packaging in favor of cellophane, recycled paper, etc--Sassy, Lamaze, Melissa & Doug, the company that makes the cloth busy books (I forget now), and EVERY single company wrote back to me--most politely--saying that their marketing surveys show that the the pvc carry bags added "value" to the products at little cost to them (the company) and since their focus groups "preferred" the vinyl packaging they'll keep right on offering it. I was appalled--and disappointed. I hope someone can start a campaign to mass-email or write these companies and ask them to dump the toxic and needless packaging. (I cannot right now myself). In the meantime, I avoid these companies and buy handmade toys.

I love to shop at Trader Joe's but most of their produce comes gift wrapped in plastic. A few items are packaged in compostable packaging but this packaging is meant for industrial type composting. Plastic produce bags are another concern. I personally sought out cotton mesh bags for my produce but how many consumers will make the effort. There has to be a better way to package produce. I hope someone out there is listening.

The easiest and most effective change for me was just avoiding any kind of bag, ever. Drugstores in particular are notorious for putting everything in a bag, even if you've only bought a tube of Chapstick. It's so easy to just throw small items into your purse - you don't even have to worry about carrying reusable bags around with you.

For bigger shopping trips, my favorite reusable bags are Baggu bags - they're super durable, made of ripstop nylon, and they fold up really compactly into a pocket-size sleeve.