I guess you don’t live near me (also a PA resident). It is “all the rage” to pass the no plastic bag ordinances around here. The ordinances require stores to charge 10 or 15 cents (depending upon the municipality) for a paper bag, though that fee stays with the store - not sure that is legal or enforceable.
We aren’t near water, and I don’t see many bags blowing around in the wind, so it is mostly a “we’re doing our part to save the world” sort of thing. I bring my own plastic bags from my supply (which I always reused anyway), and I’m soon going to need to buy some for scooping the litter box and lining waste baskets. It isn’t so much that I object to bringing bags, but that no one has read the studies on the environmental impacts of various sorts of bags.
I do object to the fee for a paper bag at some stores where you expect a bag - our Township requires fast food restaurants to charge 10 cents for a paper bag. No one expects you to bring your own bag to McDonald’s or Chick-Fil-A, and I don’t see that as saving the world.
However, now my Township is on to the next thing - the no-mow your lawn (which has been discussed here). If you go in on this, or if you’re like my neighbor who never mows his lawn anyway, you’ll have a special sign placed on your lawn to show that you are a “no-mow” homeowner.
I wish you could send some of these our way! It’s so easy to take small steps that make a difference.
For cat litter here I don’t use bags at all. I scoop into a bucket. Then the bucket gets dumped into a Groundhog hole and rinsed. We quit using trash bags in the bathroom too. I have a plastic trash can that will get dumped into the trash bag. If the can is dirty, it can be washed easily. For large trash bags we use the bags our pony and chicken feed comes in (40 or 50lb bags). Those only get things that won’t decompose outside and aren’t recyclable, so we don’t actually have much “trash.”
I know most of you can’t do those things, but we can - and it takes all of us doing what we can.
I brought my own container for leftovers at restaurant dinner last week. My friends laughed a bit, but I said it was my start on Earth Day inspired endeavors.
DH eats a lot of cold cuts (a lament for another thread). The ones he likes come in smallish plastic containers that are easily stackable and claim to be microwaveable. So I brought two, stacked in case I had a LOT of leftovers. Friends did think that was clever.
We’ve got the CitiZ Nespresso with a milk frother. Highly recommend it. When I have time, I use a Moccamaster coffee machine and grind my own beans, but that’s usually on the weekend.
Just a funny plastic bags story. During COVID we always used pickup at the curb, and we never knew what we were going to bring home. (We requested cranberry juice, we got cranberry sauce, etc.). Once in our bags was an entire roll of vegetable bags. We use those for cat litter.
We did call the store and let them know when we received a huge ring of keys in a bag. Manager came to get them.
Are Nespressos mainly for people who like lattes/capuccinos? Are they worth it for people who mostly drink black coffee or coffee with a splash of half and half? I sometimes make frothed milk with my frothing wand, but it’s not that often. I’m not into all the fancy drinks at Starbucks.
Fifteen years ago you could have said exactly the same thing about grocery stores in the US even though in the 1980s everyone brought bags to grocery stores in Europe. The time line is interesting: The History of Single-Use Plastic Bags | Factory Direct Promos
One thing I have read is that the Nespresso pods are much better tasting than kcups, so that is good to know. (I have found some very good kcups, though, including one store’s premium brand that is a clone of Emeril’s Big Easy Bold!)
We got to use a Nespresso machine for some days at a VRBO. All of us preferred the Nespresso machine to the Keurig. I normally drink lattes at home, but the Nespresso coffee was really good.
I’ve tried Lavazza (kcups and ground) cofffee, and it’s really good (medium version).
I’ve never had a Nespresso coffee. When this Keurig stops working, I may consider buying a Nespresso. I’ll have to figure a way to try one out! I have the MyKCup, and I really don’t like using that. I have a pourover I use for one cup of coffee much better. And we have a drip coffeemaker when we have time for more than one cup at a time on the weekends or an occasional weekday (we both still work).
We have both because DH likes his (N)espresso/dark roasts (tar sludge IMO) while I prefer flavored light-to-medium roasts with plenty of half-n-half. Never the twain shall meet.
@ChoatieMom , as a fellow boarding school mom, you’ll appreciate this.
One of my proudest moments during DS23 (14 year old) freshman year was when we took him to the grocery store and he ran back to his room for his reusable bags and discount card.
Definitely goes to show how humans aren’t great at considering everything, or knowing everything in advance. Reminds me of how they used to offer Mercury as a cure for health issues, or more recently, recommend people smoke.
'Tis always best to try to stay current on recent studies instead of assuming what one learned first is always the best way!
