Photo Friday | Recycling Plastic Bags

In the spirit of the new year, I wrote a column this week for the local newspaper Times of Acadiana on how to recycle and donate when decluttering your home. (Read the column here!)

Next week here on the blog, I'll expand on the column and have a more comprehensive list of where you can donate just about any item in your home.

And for today's Photo Friday, we're tackling one of the most annoying items: the mountain of plastic bags that never seems to go away!

Many grocery and department stores have bins near the front door that are dedicated to collecting plastic bags for recycling. Simply bring your bags to the store, and drop them inside the bin before doing your shopping.

Offhand, in Lafayette, I know that Rouses, Albertson's and Target have bag recycling bins near their front entrances. In Abbeville, head to Robie's to drop off your bags.

My nearby grocery store participates in the Bag-2-Bag closed loop recycling program. The bags are processed and made into new plastic bags.

Graphic: Novolex

While I always stress the importance of reusing plastic bags if you have them in the first place, these recycling programs are the best way to do something responsible with ripped plastic bags.

Right around the beginning of the year, I sorted the plastic bags in our house and kept the intact bags for cat litter scooping and bathroom trashcan liners. Any torn or holey plastic bags went in my car to be dropped off at the grocery store, shown above.

So, with 30 minutes of effort (not counting the time it took me to drive to the store), I was able to declutter a bunch of torn plastic bags and send them off to be recycled!

Does your favorite store accept plastic bags for recycling? Let me know in the comments, and I'll be compiling a list and map of stores in Acadiana where you can recycle your plastic bags easily! (And where you can receive discounts for using cloth bags!)

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Green Around Acadiana | Robie's Food Center

While Lafayette is the heart of the Hub City, sometimes the real treasures lie outside the city limits. As part of a new focus on the blog, I'm going to explore the ins and outs of Acadiana to find environmentalist efforts and eco-friendly businesses.

For the inaugural Green Around Acadiana feature post, we're heading south on Highway 167, to the quaint town of Abbeville, the seat of Vermilion Parish. Abbeville has become a second home to me over the past four years; while I was born and raised in Lafayette, Abbeville is where my fiance hails from, and it's where we're getting married in October.

In South Louisiana, it's all about the food, and Abbeville is no exception. The restaurants are plenty notable, but for everyday life, you look toward the grocery store. And if you know anything about Abbeville, you know to go to Robie's Food Center.

Courtesy Robie's Facebook

Located on South State Street, Robie's is locally owned by Jim and Robert Russo, a family with strong ties to the history of Abbeville. The grocery store was opened by the brothers' father, Mr. Robie himself, and his wife, Joyce, in 1953, with a simple philosophy: “Sell quality products at a value while providing the best personal service available.” It retains that neighborhood feel to this day, even after a couple location changes.

Robie Russo, courtesy Robie's Facebook

The deli features traditional southern plate lunches (I'll work on that styrofoam!) and homemade specialty items (get yourself some spicy chicken salad and go picnic in Magdalen Square...trust me), and many of the products sold are from local companies.

You can find a variety of local brews, meats and fish come from local suppliers, and lots of sausage is homemade at the store (okay, trust me on two things: spicy chicken salad and Steen's syrup sausage!) The commitment to selling local brands helps to keep many local businesses thriving.

Local produce, courtesy Robie's Facebook

"My favorite parts of running a locally owned business are the people, the relationship building, and the community service. It's not easy by any means, but these connections keep us going every day," says Jim.

The store shows that gratitude and commitment by continuously giving back to the community. They support schools, churches, civic clubs, and youth sports organizations, and they're involved in many fundraisers for local charities. It's an example of the impact shoppers make when they choose to support a local business. More money stays within the community, compared to larger regional or national chains.

And although Abbeville is not known for being a mecca of accessible eco-friendly services, Robie's does its part to recycle as much as it can. It's a true testament to business responsibility!

"We recycle paper, cardboard, plastic bags, biofuel from our used cooking oil recycling, fat recycling from meat byproducts, printer cartridges, wood, and aluminum. We encourage the use of reusable shopping bags. Our plastic bags are biodegradable, and we have collection bins where shoppers can return old bags for recycling," Jim says.

Fat recycling? Even I learned something new on that one. There is one company that picks up the used cooking oil and fat products. The fat products are turned into other items, like animal feed, soap, cleaners, or makeup.

In a smaller town, why is corporate recycling so important? Though it can be difficult finding an outlet for all of the recyclables, it's all about reducing waste at Robie's, and it's especially impactful in an industry that can generate a lot of waste.

The store takes a big sustainability step even before the customer gets involved, but those steps go further when the customer uses cloth shopping bags; recycles their plastic, glass and paper packaging; and takes care not to waste food.

You can purchase these handy cloth wine carriers at the store! Photo courtesy Robie's

When you visit Robie's Food Center, take a moment to appreciate the down-home aspect where you'll probably run into 25 people you know, smell the amazing deli offerings, and thank the owners for their commitment to recycling and waste reduction.

And both Jim and I agree, let's push for curbside recycling in Abbeville!

Oh, trust me on three things. The spicy chicken salad, the Steen's syrup sausage, and the deli's macaroni and cheese. Y'all. I think I just talked myself into a trip to Abbeville.

VISIT

604 South State Street
Abbeville, LA 70510
Open daily 6:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Facebook | Website

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Project Front Yard's Plastic Bag Roundup

Earlier this week, I broke down the meaning behind the numbers on plastics and shared how plastic bags are recyclable, although not accepted in curbside recycling programs.

Generally, plastic bags are accepted in bins for recycling at grocery stores like Albertson's and Rouses and department stores like Target. But this year, Project Front Yard is conducting a Plastic Bag Roundup for participating local schools!

Each school started collecting plastic bags last November and are going until this April, just in time for Earth Day. All collected bags will be sent in to be recycled into benches and other outdoor furniture. The school that collects the most plastic wins a recycled plastic bench for their property. Every other participating school gets a recycled plastic planter box.

Project Front Yard gave a collection update in February, and so far, 11 of the 29 participating schools have gathered almost 1,100 pounds of plastic film, which is enough to make eight park benches!

Photo courtesy Project Front Yard

 

The challenge educates students on the importance of keeping our city clean and the benefit of recycling, while ensuring that these bags won't end up as litter in our streets, public spaces and waterways, instead being remade into outdoor furniture for people to enjoy!

WHICH SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING?

• Ascension Elementary
• Ascension Middle
• Alice Boucher Elementary
• Broadmoor Elementary
• Carencro Heights
• Carencro Middle
• Duson Elementary
• Evangeline Elementary
• Ernest Gallet Elementary
• ESA
• GT Lindon
• JW Faulk
• JW James
• Katharine Drexel Elementary
• Leo Judice
• Milton Elementary/Middle
• Plantation Elementary
• Prairie Elementary
• Westside Elementary
• Woodvale Elementary
• Acadian Middle
• Edgar Martin Middle
• Judice Middle
• LJ Alleman
• Lafayette Middle
• Paul Breaux
• Scott MIddle
• Sts. Peter and Paul
• Youngsville Middle

 

WHAT THE SCHOOLS ARE ACCEPTING

• Grocery bags
• Bread bags
• Case wrapping (like for cases of bottled water)
• Dry-cleaning bags
• Newspaper delivery sleeves
• Ice bags
• Wood pellet bags
• Ziplock and resealable bags
• Produce bags
• Bubble wrap
• Cereal liners
• Salt bags

Do you want to help a school by donating your plastic bags? Contact Project Front Yard on Facebook to find out how!

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Behind the Recycling Labels on Plastics

With plastic being one of the most ubiquitous materials on the planet, found in so many items, and eventually the most littered, it should be easy to see why recycling it is so important.

But there are restrictions on the kinds of plastic that can be recycled through your city, and each city has different guidelines. And they're based on the numbers printed inside the recycling symbol.

Let's take a refresher course on what each number means! Typically, the lower the number, the more widespread the recyclability. Back in the 90s, it was not common to be able to recycle a #7, but now most are accepted.

The big exception is styrofoam. Although it may be labeled a #5 or #6, it is not accepted in curbside pickup, because fewer facilities actually recycle the material. (Eco Cajun PSA: Skip the styrofoam!)

The last edition of Lafayette's PRIDE Guide clarifies that Lafayette accepts containers with numbers 1 through 7 inside of the triangular shaped recycling symbol. Rinse plastics before putting in the cart. Examples include food and drink containers, bleach and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, soft drink and water bottles. NO PLASTIC BAGS (even those with the recycling symbol), Styrofoam, plastic packaging or plastic wrap, six-pack rings, or petroleum product bottles (motor oil, brake fluid, etc.)

#1 plastics are made with PET or PETE, (polyethylene terephthalate) and are found in most household plastics, like:

• Soft drink and water bottles
• Peanut butter jars
• Mouthwash bottles
• Salad dressing and condiment bottles
• Frozen food trays

These plastics are widely accepted in recycling programs. Take any lids or caps off and rinse the bottles first. Lids and caps are not recyclable.

In addition to being recycled for another generation of plastic container, this kind of plastic can be recycled into fabric for umbrellas, bags or even t-shirts (super soft ones at that)!

#2 plastics contain high-density polyethylene (HDPE). You'll find this number on items like:

• Milk jugs
• Large juice bottles
• Bleach and household cleaner bottles
• Shampoo bottles
• Some trash and plastic bags
• Yogurt containers
• Cereal box liners

These items are generally accepted in curbside recycling programs, but remember to take any lids or caps off. And in Lafayette, plastic bags are NOT accepted in any recycling bin. (Reuse or recycle them separately; see this old Eco Cajun post for more details.)

HDPE can be recycled into new containers, pens, floor tile, drainage pipe, benches (I'll have a post soon featuring Project Front Yards bags-to-benches school project!), picnic tables and fencing.

#3 plastics include vinyl and polyvinyl chloride (your favorite PVC). A strong material for outdoor uses, it can be found in:

• Cooking oil bottles
• Clear food packaging
• Medical equipment
• Home siding
• Windows

#3 plastics are accepted in Lafayette's curbside bins, but make sure containers are rinsed well. PVC is not widely recycled, but if it is, it can be used in decks, paneling, cables, speed bumps or mats. And a safety note, because PVC contains chlorine, it's harmful to cook with and dangerous to burn.

#4 plastics are low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and are found in:

• Squeeze bottles
• Bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags
• Clothing
• Furniture
• Carpet

Again, plastic bags are not accepted for recycling curbside, so bring them to a dedicated collection bin, or reuse them around the house. Lafayette does accept #4 plastics curbside. LDPE can be recycled into trash can liners, compost bins, shipping envelopes, lumber or floor tile.

#5 plastics are made of polypropylene and can withstand very high temperatures. They can be found in:

• Some yogurt containers
• Syrup bottles
• Medicine bottles
• Bottle caps
• Straws
• Plastic lunch meat containers

Obviously, straws don't have recycling numbers on them, but they can be recycled. And always rinse containers first. Recycled polypropylene can become signal lights, battery cables, landscape borders, bicycle racks, pallets and trays.

Ah, #6 plastics, also known as polystyrene. You can find it in:

• Disposable cups and plates
• Meat trays at the grocery store
• Egg cartons
• Restaurant to-go containers
• CD jewel cases
• Aspirin bottles

Aspirin bottles can be recycled curbside, but CD jewel cases are less likely to be accepted. Other typical "foam" products are not recyclable curbside, even though they are labeled. Earth911 shares how expanded polystyrene can be recycled or reused.

Recycled polystyrene is used to make the same items it was before.

Saving the best for last, #7 plastics are "miscellaneous" that don't fit into the other six categories.

• Polyactide is a plastic made from plant materials and is compostable. 
• Polycarbonate is a hard plastic that can leach toxic materials, and it's found in eyeglass lenses, outdoor yard signs and many electronic components.

Some cities accept #7 plastics curbside if it's labeled.

If you have any doubts that your city accepts an item through the curbside bin, call your city government to ask!


Most information comes from Good Housekeeping.
Find more information on the plastic number codes from Webstaurant Store.

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Photo Friday | The Best Card Ever

Don't you love when your greeting card makes a snarky dig at a ubiquitous plastic bag!?

Shoutout to Pieces of Eight in Lafayette, where I found this gem.

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Bag the Plastic!

Landfills. China. The trees down the street. Storm drains. The ocean. In the stomachs of animals. Recycling facilities.

Just because you throw it away, doesn't mean it just goes away. After all, where is away? There is no away.

The documentary Bag It touches on many great points highlighting the need to reduce our dependence on disposable, single-use plastic. From bags to containers to excessive packaging.

I'm sure you're thinking, "Caitlin, did you REALLY watch an hour-long documentary on plastic bags?" Yes, yes I did. And I took notes. #ForeverANerd

Although the length of time I had this movie in from Netflix before I watched it might tell you otherwise, this was a pretty interesting documentary on our dependence on plastics, specifically plastic bags.

Did you know that plastic bags started being used in 1977, and as of 2010 (the year this documentary was released), our country was going through one million bags every minute? Worldwide, we were going through 100 billion bags a year.

Since then, plastic bag bans have popped up in cities throughout the United States, but we are still far behind other countries, where there's a widespread ban on the bags.

How bad is our obsession with single-use plastic?

We package plastic...in plastic.

Thinking of my own experiences, disposable coffee cups are some of the worst offenders of this. An office receives a box of 1,000 styrofoam cups. Those cups are stacked, sealed in a plastic tube bag, and packed in a cardboard box. Styrofoam in plastic in cardboard. It's like Russian nesting dolls of disposable items. Shipped on a truck or an airplane so someone can drink one cup of coffee and throw the cup away. And only the cardboard can be recycled.

One woman reasons:

It's really about not being quite selfish for the moment, but thinking about the next generations to come.

She hit on one of my main sentiments for caring so much. Our planet is not just for us, it's for everyone who comes after us too. We are only here for a short time, but in that process, we are trashing the planet and taking valuable resources away from future generations.

You're gonna make something to use for a few minutes, out of something that's going to last forever, and you're just going to throw it away. What's up with that?

The documentary discusses how plastic does not actually go away (like styrofoam). It may look like it's going away, but instead of biodegrading, it photodegrades. For example, the sun will photodegrade a plastic bag floating in the ocean, breaking it down into smaller and smaller pieces, that remain in the ocean. For animals to eat and get sick from.

I didn't want to see a turtle carcass with litter all up in its stomach, but I saw it. It's unsettling to see a decomposed turtle to know that plastic can float all the way to islands in the middle of the ocean, get eaten by animals, and then kill them.

The subject of BPA and pthalates is targeted as well. Plastic is enough on its own, but plastic with chemicals that can leach into foods and drinks is really unnecessary. Aluminum cans can be lined with BPA-filled plastic. Even baby bottles had BPA. At least some stores have banned BPA in baby products.

What about alternatives? When San Francisco banned plastic bags, they offered paper bags as an alternative, and many raised a stink that paper bags are just as destructive to the environment as plastic. SF Department of the Environment Director (and now EPA Region 9 Administrator) Jared Blumenfeld notes that the bags are made of 100% recycled paper AND they are recycled 10 times more than plastic bags. Their impact is in fact, much lower.

Documentary host Jeb Berrier sprinkled bits of humor throughout the documentary, and one of my favorite moments was his grocery trip with no reusable bags. He passed on paying 10 cents per bag, instead "going commando" carrying his groceries.

Reducing your dependence on plastic is a continual focus point on Eco Cajun, and Bag It reiterates the simplest ways:

• Bring your own (bag, water bottle, bulk containers)
• Reduce single-use (don't buy something packaged for single-use, buy used goods)
• Don't drink bottled water

One last thought on getting away from the plastic obsession?

Live more like how our grandparents lived.

Stream Bag It | Amazon | iTunes

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#DamnCaliforniaHippies | Green City Spotlight: San Francisco

It's no secret that I love San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. Not only are the hills a nice break from our flat lands, but it's like visiting a treehugger's paradise. I recently went on a quick getaway, but while there, I found myself taking lots of mental notes and nerdy pictures of different eco-friendly things. An incredibly fun blogging field trip, if you will.

How does Lafayette compare to San Francisco?

 

San Francisco: 

85,827 Priuses, 16 the same color as mine. (Yes, I counted.) (Although, I still wonder how all those Prius drivers get any sort of fuel efficiency driving up the slightly terrifying hills and keeping up with traffic. Never mind my confusion at how Smart cars get anywhere at all on those hills.)

Lafayette: 

22 Priuses, 1 the same color as mine.

San Francisco: 

Teslas!

Lafayette: 

Tes-whas?

 

San Francisco: 

Free EV car charging at Crissy Field.

Lafayette: 

Not even sure there are EV stations at our Whole Foods. For the one Volt I've seen driving around.

San Francisco:

Transportation options include hybrid taxis, electric buses and lots of bike lanes.

Lafayette:

Taxis really not an option here, and they certainly aren't hybrids. But the bike lanes are coming along! And it's easier to ride here anyway. Also, part of our bus fleet runs on compressed natural gas.

 

 

San Francisco: 

Do you want to purchase a paper bag for 10 cents?

Lafayette: 

Do you want your one item triple plastic bagged for free?

 

San Francisco: 

All the compost and recycling bins in public!

Lafayette: 

Some trash cans in public!

 

San Francisco:

Please, take a cup made of compostable plastic, and place it in this convenient recycling bin when you're done.

Lafayette:

How big of a styrofoam cup do you want?

San Francisco:

"Can I get my drink in my reusable bottle?" "Sure!"

Lafayette:

"Can I get my drink in my reusable bottle?" "...Um...I think I can do that."

San Francisco: 

Locally sourced, free range, vegetarian-friendly.

Lafayette: 

Locally sourced, fried.

 

San Francisco:

Our parklets are located outside of bean-to-bar chocolate shops in the Mission District and are equipped with solar panels (for what exactly, I do not know).

Lafayette:

Hey, our downtown parklet really is awesome!

 

San Francisco:

Recycled materials all up in our decor!

Lafayette:

Seen those pallet crafts on Pinterest? Totally wanna try them!

San Francisco: 

Solar panels on all different kinds of houses.

Lafayette: 

Solar panels on about three homes.

 

San Francisco: 

Water available upon request, mainly due to the massive drought. And I saw one waitress use the water another table left behind to water some nearby landscaping.

Lafayette: 

Pour all the free water!

While this might be a green city spotlight, San Francisco actually has a public service campaign in effect called Brown is the New Green. Because of the drought and water scarcity, officials are trying to enforce widespread water conservation for nonessential uses. We saw a fire truck pull up to a dripping faucet outside, and I can only assume it was to take care of the wasted water.

San Francisco is just one of those places that inspires me and gives me eco-friendly ideas that I want to make happen here in Lafayette. Why can't we make recycling more widespread? Why can't we encourage more cloth bag use?  

How can do my part to make these things happen?

Looking for photos that aren't recycling bins, compostable cups and bathroom signs? This part's for you!

Muir Woods

One of my must-dos on this trip was get out to Muir Woods to see the redwood trees. (Hello! My name is Joe!) Perfect time to go is around 8:30 in the morning. Especially if the whole area is experiencing a heat wave. The morning is less crowded and less hot. And the hike was incredible. Did I record a video of a babbling brook for the peaceful sounds? Yes. Did my fiance ruin my first attempt by making a fart sound? Welcome to my life.

 

 

    

The City

We devoted one day to exploring the city itself, either seeing things again that we really loved, or seeing new things. And we walked everywhere. Almost 39,000 steps and 16 miles. No, my legs still have no recovered. Instead of going, "We walked how far!?", I have taken to calling it an urban hiking trail. Russian Hill, Marina District, Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts, Fisherman's Wharf, Financial District? We done walked it all. Eco-friendly transportation, and no waste left behind.

 

 

Design

My fiance and I love dreaming about future home styles, from the realistic to the tiny home to the house on a hill overlooking the bay. During our urban hike in San Francisco, we found ourselves wandering neighborhood streets, checking out houses and what we liked about particular ones. I'm a sucker for a good midcentury modern design and found it all over the city. We'll gladly take a house in or near the Marina District, and I've already found the closest grocery store. We can exercise easily outside and the area is relatively flat. Win win win!

 

 

Food + Wine

Anytime I travel, I am drawn toward trying local restaurants with food I can't necessarily get at home. This trip definitely fulfilled a lot of that. Tacolicious in the Mission District had the best shrimp street tacos, and their guacamole didn't last long at our table either. We also checked out Zero Zero in the South of Market area, for a nice little date night. A glass of wine for me, and a Castro pizza and gnocchi dish to split. One of the best Italian meals I've had in a long time, and we had a gorgeous window seat to boot!

On Labor Day, we took a trip out to Napa for a few wine tastings. Even though it was ridiculously hot (coming from a Cajun), we had a great time day drinking and relaxing near the vineyards.

 

 




  

 

              

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