Search for Environmentally Friendly Packaging when Buying Plastics

Did you know that every consumer plastic is classified by a resin identification code? Just about every plastic container, in the interest of creating more environmentally friendly packaging, is numbered from 1 to 7 with its resin identification code. It’s usually placed underneath or on the bottom of the item. The next time you need to buy plastic food containers, you can flip them upside down and you’ll find the resin identification (REC) code number in the middle of the familiar recycling triangle and find out if the plastics are truly environmentally friendly packaging.

The bad news is that most of us have no idea the difference between a plastic container with an REC of 2 and an REC of 3. But here’s a quick guide on the numbers, so you can feel safe about buying environmentally friendly packaging and the numbers you should avoid.

Environmental Friendly Packaging to Buy:

#1

This is the environmentally friendly packaging plastic that is usually found in water and soda bottles. These are generally considered safe for use, but reuse isn’t recommended. They’re difficult to properly clean and the porous nature of the plastic means that the bottles can easily absorb bacteria. But the good news is that you can recycle them easily.

#2, #4 and #5

These numbers are considered the safest. These are the environmentally friendly packaging plastics that don’t transmit any chemicals into food and they’re usually easy to recycle, especially plastics that are coded #2.

Non Environmentally Friendly Packaging:

#3

This resin is usually used in cling wrap. It has softeners called phthalates that have been shown to interfere with hormonal development. Also, the manufacturing of the #3 resin releases dioxin, another powerful carcinogen.

#6

This is the resin that’s found in polystyrene-foam cups. It’s also sometimes found in some clear plastic take-out containers. This resin has been known to leak styrene, another human carcinogen, into food.

4 Organic Health Food Choices that Save Money and Keep you Healthy

Going vegetarian can be tough. One reason that many people aren’t able to stick with a vegetarian diet is because it can be difficult for new vegetarians to find foods that are as nutrient-dense as most meats and cheeses. Worries about iron deficiencies can be put to rest, though, when you try cooking with these four exotic organic health food alternatives. With a little adjustment, you’ll end up healthier than ever.

Agar

Agar is a jelly that’s extracted from seaweed. OK, we know that doesn’t sound like the most appealing substance. But lucky for us, agar’s primary use as an organic health food is as a thickening agent. Think you can’t make great cakes or bread without shortening and eggs? Try agar organic health food. It’s also low in saturated fat and cholesterol and the organic health food packs plenty of iron, calcium and potassium.

Quinoa

Tired of  rice and couscous? Quinoa is a hearty little grain and a great organic health food. It’s actually higher in calcium, iron and zinc that most other grains. Check out this recipe for easy vegetable curry and discover just how tasty quinoa can be.

Adzuki beans

These reddish-brown beans look a bit like kidney beans. But they’re sweeter and have extremely high protein and surprisingly low levels of fat. Also like kidney beans, this organic health food choice is versatile. Use them in soups, dips or casseroles.

Almond butter

Worried about the safety of your peanut butter? Then maybe it’s time to switch to almond butter. Your body will thank you, too. Like almonds, almond butter is high in vitamin E and has been proven to lower cholesterol. Spread it on toast or use it in healthy and tasty cookies and other baked goods.

Where to Find Organic Food Stores in Ohio

Worried about the origins of your fresh fruits and vegetables? Want to incorporate a healthier and earth friendly diet? Try searching LocalHarvest.org. Local Harvest says the best natural food is what’s grown near you. They have an online catalog of organic food that you cannot find locally and a place to search for organic food stores in your state.

For example, if you want to know where to find Cleveland organic food stores, then click Grocery/Co-op and enter Cleveland, Ohio in the Search form. Voila! Not only does a color coded map appear, but also a listing of all the organic food stores including farmers’ markets and food co-ops.

Find organic food stores in Akron and Cleveland such as Natural Foods Grocery store.

If you can’t find what you need at one of these local organic food stores, then you can shop online for fresh organic herbs, honey, dried fruit, eggs, coffee, tea and much more depending on the season.

Would Building Bike Trails Make Sustainable Living Easier?

It’s still too early to tell if many sustainable living initiatives will make their way through the large economic stimulus bill that’s currently being debated in both houses of Congress. One potential sustainable living beneficiary of the package could be bikers. Proponents of the construction of bike trails that could rival those in sustainable living and bike-friendly cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen would like to see Americans fully use bikes as alternative transportation. Studies show bike commuters take fewer sick days, and that cycling contributes $133 billion to the U.S. economy.

But while many would argue that sustainable living bike trails are just what we need right now, there are those who see spending government money on trails as frivolous. Republican South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint says:

     “When people see bike trails and hiking trails and golf courses, they know this is not designed to stimulate the economy and create jobs. It’s just basically special-interest pork barrel spending.”

So are bike trails the height of pork spending? Are there more useful sustainable living projects that the cash in the stimulus bill could be going to?