I really hate waste, yet I do use things that must be disposed of in the trash. Yes, I have mixed feelings on waste. However, I hate throwing away dental related items.
There are always at least five toothbrushes in use. One is for my teeth. Two are under the kitchen sink for cleaning the kitchen or sink. The other two are under the bathroom sink for cleaning in the bathroom. I have one toothbrush in the glove compartment and one in my purse. That makes seven in use.
The massive amounts of floss and containers hurts to throw away. Then, I found a way to recycle these and the excess toothbrushes after the five I keep.
Dinner: leftover chopped salad, shaved steak, leftover Brussels sprouts. Tommy said these were the best Brussels sprouts we have had. These were in plastic bag from produce counter, so fresh and not frozen. I cut the tough end from them. It certainly made it easier to eat them. The tough end always is so annoying. The steak went into the oven in foil. It was almost like Arby' meat. Tommy put his in an onion roll. I put Horsey Sauce from Arby's on mine but had forgotten about the onion rolls!
I had strawberries, grapes, and half a banana later.
Saturday night, I saw how Tommy gets so much water on the counter and floor. He was washing a cookie pan we use in the oven but not for cookies. As he washed and rinsed several times, front and back, he always turned it to the front and poured much water on the counter front and side AND the floor. I did not say a word.
I learned the hard way very young to contain water and not let it slop out of the sink onto me, the front of the counter, the floor, and, most importantly--the wood fronts of the cabinet doors.
Will this program help you to recycle more easily or better? Will you recycle using this site? The site has other dental recycling programs, also.
Does the tough stem end of Brussels sprouts annoy you?
No idea where a comment I typed last night went. I'm pretty sure I didn't send it. In any case, no, the end of the Brussels sprout doesn't bother me, as I don't eat or prepare them. DH is the only one here who cares for them. That said, I do have a bag of frozen Brussels sprouts in the freezer. I may sauté them in butter and garlic so he can have them with the pork roast I am slow cooking for tonight. What does bother me is hearing them called "brussel sprouts." As for recycling dental products..no. I recycle pretty much everything I can via our community's recycling program. (Glass, metal, cardboard, type 1 and 2 plastic) but try to use as little as possible. My dear friend, who is an environmental scientist, and has been sounding the climate alarm since the late 1980's tells me that programs like these are actually there to get you to use more plastic, and more of THEIR product. Also, I refuse to use a toothbrush for cleaning. I'd feel like I was rubbing germs into every nook and cranny. Interestingly enough, for Christmas, a kid wound up with a box of wooden toothbrushes with natural bristles, which claims it is biodegradable. He now claims he'll never use anything but those. I'm keeping my eye out for another 90% off sale for them!
ReplyDeleteMeg,
DeleteThe tough end is the only thing about them I don't like, just despise. I have never heard anyone call them that. That would bother me, too.
That may be true, but I don't think they are trying to encourage anyone to use more of their product.
I feel like I am dislodging dirt that contains germs. I could sterilize the toothbrush before I clean, I suppose.
My favorite toothbrush has been discontinued, so I am on the lookout for another kind. Do you have a link for this toothbrush?
This is the closest I could find. I found them on clearance at Rite Aid, and don't remember the brand he has, but he loves them: https://www.amazon.com/VIVAGO-Biodegradable-Eco-Friendly-Toothbrushes-Compostable/dp/B08172V3Y5/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1AXJ2D0TXAIUN&keywords=biodegradable+toothbrushes&qid=1689625342&sprefix=%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
DeleteWe recycle aluminum, take stuff to goodwill, etc, but honesty I do not stress myself over throwing out things in the garbage. My guess is that the amount of resources used to recycle these are just as harmful to the environment is throwing it away.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteAt least it is not stacked up in a landfill. You could be right.
To a degree, you are correct about recycling/resources. (At least, according to my dear friend.) What we need is LESS packaging, less plastic goods, less reliance on fossil fuels. You mention that you rarely go anywhere, and when you do, you bundle errands? THAT is what we need. MUCH more of that.
DeleteMeg,
DeleteWe try to go more than one place when we go out. I was complaining to Tommy about something in a hard plastic tray and in tough plastic. I don't think he notices.
There's some really bad logic going on here. Recycling is worth the effort. When a friend makes and brings you food, do you throw out the dish in which it was brought? No, you wash it and return it. It's the same for cans, glass, & plastic containers from purchased foods. Wash it and return (recycle) it.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the "it takes more resources to recycle" is an excuse so folks who can't be bothered can feel better about their lack of effort.
And it's paranoid conspiracy theorism to believe that a toothbrush recycling program is going to make people buy MORE plastic, and from a specific manufacturer besides. I am going to use a toothbrush--and the brand I want--regardless. How does the ability to recycle them make me buy more? How does it make me buy specifically from the manufacturers sponsoring the recycling program? That's perfectly ridiculous.
Thanks for the link, Linda. It's good to have another recycling option.
Sue,
DeleteI agree with every word you said.
PS I am all for reducing plastic use. But until the govt mandates that all toothbrushes must be made of recyclable bamboo, we're stuck with plastic. So we must manage it the only way available, which is by recycling. 8^P
ReplyDeleteBamboo is a bad idea, not sustainable in the long run.
DeleteHmm. I beg to differ:
Deletehttps://www.unsustainablemagazine.com/sustainability-of-bamboo/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20main%20reasons,systems%20have%20been%20left%20untouched.
Sue, nope. Some day I will discuss this.
DeleteAlrighty, then! I am sure I will learn something new. Your blog is a surefire place to learn new things!
DeleteSue,
DeleteThat is a compliment. I will get to it.