So I'm an avid Documentary watcher... everything from childbirth, to politics, to food, and now plastics! I think documentaries are a great way to gain new prospective and hear information that you might not otherwise ever find. I understand that most documentaries are mostly one sided in their opinions and views but there is still a ton of great information out there.
A while ago I blogged about food and GMOs Click here to read it!
Well most recently our family (yes KJ watches this stuff too), has been watching documentaries on plastics and the effect of plastics on our planet and our bodies. Yes you have chemicals from plastics in your body right now, and if you are prego your baby has them too!!!! It has totally opened up my eyes to the problem of plastics. Here are a few documentaries that I recommend, and are all streaming live on netflix. 'Bag It!' Was my personal favorite.
If you have the time, watch all three... if you only have two hours, watch 'Bag it'. IF you don't have any time at all I have prepared a quick list of things to do to help reduce your plastic use and the harmful effects on your body and children!
1. Say 'NO' to plastic bags: This is such an easy fix... buy the 99 cent reusable tote bags and only use those for all your shopping trips. We produce 500 Billion tons of waste just from the use of these plastic bags! CRAZY. Also most of these plastic bags end up in our oceans where turtles mistake them for jelly fish and then eat them. If you want to kill a turtle go ahead and use those plastic bags next time you check out at the grocery store..... Just sayin'.....
2. Stop drinking bottled water: You realize that bottled water is tap water from other countries, right? But we Americans spend money, fuel, and resources to import tap water. Not only does it cost America fuel and money, but the bottle that it takes you 20 mins to drink takes over 300 years to decompose in a landfill. Even if you recycle these bottles are down cycled so they only get two lives out of them before they are trash.
3. Use cloth diapers: Seriously they are just as convenient as disposable and way cheaper too! It is estimated you will save 1200+ in your baby's first two years if you use cloth instead of disposable. If you want to read my blog on cloth diapers click here.
4. Limit the amount of plastic you use in your home: If you were anything like us, as of last week we were using plastic tupperware for food storage and drinking from plastic washable cups. After watching these docs we switched and bought glasses to drink from and glass storage for food. Total we spent 28 dollars at Target to get rid of our plastics in the kitchen. If you chose to keep your plastics please remember to NEVER heat them in the microwave. The plastic WILL release chemicals and compounds into your food and you will eat them. Also once your plastic gets that frosted, hazy or cracked look to it, it is time to throw it away. That means the plastic is actually starting to break down and will release even more nasty stuff into your food and body.
5. Look for BPA Free: Plastic companies are not required to label all the chemicals they use to make their products... so you really have no idea what you are handling or giving to your children. Today (mostly on baby toys) you can find some products that advertise as BPA free. This is important, since BPA has been linked to caner, ADD, ADHD, infertility, liver problems, diabetes, poor brain development in children, and heart disease.... just to name a few. If you must buy plastic toys or items for your babies and children LOOK for that BPA free sign on the product.
These are just a few simple things you can do to help our planet and your families health. After watching these our family is limiting the plastic in our lives. Go Green with us and remember the three Rs....
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
No comments:
Post a Comment