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#but i find myself reusing disposable masks a lot
verdanturfwind · 7 months
Text
Everyone should wear a mask to protect others and that's something I wholeheartedly agree with, but to say people who stopped wearing masks these past couple years eugenicists and lazy is disingenuous. Laziness is not the root of the issue here. The issue is that N95s - the main mask that protects people - are expensive and rare as hell! Stores have just straight up stopped selling them, and people have to spend loads of money to keep others safe. And no, most people can't just stay home - we're living in an economic crisis where people need to work and build community to survive.
Capitalism is, once again, the problem. Absolutely mask up in the best way you can, whether that's buying expensive N95s or even just a few handmade reusable cloth masks. Protect your community and neighbors. But don't blame said neighbors in the process. Focus on supporting endeavors that provide people free masks!
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Best Hot Tub Removal Service and Cost in McAllen TX|RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING
More information is at: https://junkremovalmcallentx.org/hot-tub-removal-service-near-me/
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: Are you looking for the Best Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX? RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING, offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Cost? Free estimates! Send us a message or call us today. Best Hot tub Removal Service around McAllen TX. We serve McAllen TX and other areas. Get a Free Quote Now!
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN MCALLEN TX
MCALLEN HOT TUB REMOVAL
Hot-tub Removal ● We remove everything! ● We do all the lifting and loading! ● We’re environmentally friendly! ● Free estimates!
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: Removing a hot-tub is easier than you think. RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Helping you free up that space and clearing out is what we’re best at! Hot-tub removals are so easy that, with our team, we can remove them in no time!
If you have an old hot tub or above-ground pool taking up room on your property, the team at RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING can come and haul it away for you. We know how to remove a hot tub, spa, and other heavy items.
How It Works Here’s a preview of how our hot tub removal process works and what to expect: ● We arrive on time for the scheduled appointment. ● Show our team members to the hot tub you need them to collect. ● Our team breaks down your hot tub and then hauls it away in one of our trucks.
We Know How to Remove a Hot Tub
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING removes your dismantled hot tub and then takes it to be reused if it’s still in working condition. If it’s not functional, we take its recyclable parts to a facility and dispose of the rest using the most eco-friendly methods available to us. Upon arrival, the RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING team will assess the hot tub, its size, and the best route for removal. Once they’ve given you your free, no-obligation estimate, the crew will dismantle the hot tub, remove it along with any and all debris, and load it onto the truck. From there, the hot tub will be disposed of in the most eco-friendly manner possible, leaving you free to concentrate on what to do with your new space!
No Junk Too Big for RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: Chances are you have more than just a hot tub to get rid of. We are happy to take any of your junk off your hands. Just point to what you’re tired of looking at and enjoy watching us haul away junk from your property Just a few common household items we remove include: ● Couches and other furniture ● Large and small appliances ● Broken electronics ● Construction materials ● Carpeting and padding
Our Environmental Commitment Our junk hauling services don’t end when we leave your home. In addition to being committed to our customers, we are also committed to our community. We want to make sure that as little of your junk ends up in a landfill as possible. Much of the materials that we haul away can be broken down and either recycled or disposed of in an eco-friendly manner. We are proud to say that more than 70% of the junk removed is recycled or repurposed.
TIPS Hot-tub Removal Tips
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: The first thing to do is to know what you’ll do with the hot tub. Consider publishing a local online ad and selling it, with the stipulation the buyer will dismantle it and take it away. You can even list it as free, of course, the disassemble and haul away stipulation still remains. If it’s an in-ground unit, you might consider repurposing it as a pond. Simply skirt it with decorative rocks and colorful flowering plants. ● Gather your tools. You’ll need safety goggles, a dust mask, heavy leather gloves, reciprocating saw, jigsaw, pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, diagonal cutters, and garden hose. You’ll also need at least one person to assist you with the dismantling and pulling out the unit. ● Disconnect the electrical wiring. Before you do anything, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker supplying power to the unit and then disconnect the wiring. Use the pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, and diagonal cutters to disconnect the electrical wiring. ● Disconnect the water supply. Shut off the water supply line and connect a garden hose to the drain line (if the unit is still full of water). Once the water is drained, proceed to disconnect the water supply line using pliers. ● Remove the skirt. Most hot tubs and spas are surrounded by a decorative skirt. You might need to remove part or all of the skirt before you can disconnect the water line. Depending on the construction, you’ll either unfasten the skirt retaining screws or will pull apart the tongue and groove slats. ● Disassemble the hot tub unit. With the decorative skirt removed, it’s time to take apart the actual unit. This can be done by simply going in reverse of the original assembly instructions or by cutting it apart with a reciprocating saw and/or jigsaw.
COST How much does it cost for hot tub removal services?
Hot Tub Removal Service near McAllen TX: For typical household junk removal, we base our pricing off of volume and allot up to two hours for a full truck load. Your price is dependent upon how much space your items take up in our 15.5 cubic yard mini dump truck. Our pricing includes the labor of our 2 men removing the items, no matter their location, transportation fees and most associated disposal costs. It also includes our efforts to reuse, recycle or donate the items on your behalf. If we can donate them, we will send the tax deductible receipt back to you. However, with Hot Tub Removal, we won’t be able to donate the item, but we will be able to recycle some of the components. Regarding price, we have a flat fee for Hot Tub Removal services that range from $250-$400 depending upon the size of the hot tub and complexities involved within the removal. Since this is a flat fee item, coupons cannot be applied to this service. If customers are comfortable with that price range, then the next step is that we schedule an appointment. We reserve appointments with two hour arrival windows. When our crews are end route to your appointment, they will call ahead of time to give you a more accurate arrival time within the two hour window. When our crews arrive, our crew chief will provide a firm, free, no-obligation quote within the aforementioned price range after having looked at the hot tub needing removed and the scope of work involved in removing it. At that time, you can accept the quote and have our crew immediately get to work removing the items for you; or, you can decline and we will shake hands and be on our way!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I dispose of a hot tub?
isn’t as easy as taking out the trash. Hot tubs are large, nearly impossible to move on your own, and are typically not accepted at local landfills or recycling depots. There are several ways to get rid of your old hot tub, including: ● Trading it in to a dealer ● Selling it online or at a yard sale ● Hiring a junk removal company to help remove it Best of all, recycling and proper hot tub disposal is prioritized, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up space in the landfill.
How do I move a hot tub?
To get your hot tub ready for removal, there are a few things you’ll need to do ahead of time: ● Disconnect the power supply. ● Drain all of the water from the tub. ● Disassemble all of the spa’s parts, such as pumps, heaters, power, and plumbing. ● Pack the tub’s accessories separately. ● Clear a path wide enough to fit the tub through. After these steps are completed, our Truck Team Members will turn the tub on its side and use dollies to load it into our shiny, clean trucks. Moving a hot tub is more than a one-person job. We’re happy to help and in your neighborhood - just point and your junk disappears!
How much does it cost to get rid of a hot tub?
Most hot tub removal services are priced based on the size of the spa and how hard it is to move it. However, our prices at RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING? Are based on how much space your junk takes up in our truck. That means that the easiest way to provide an estimate is in person. Our crew will arrive onsite to take a look at your junk and provide an exact price.
Can I lift a hot tub myself?
Moving a hot tub is a job for more than one person. Depending on the size of your spa, you may need special tools to help move it. Even if you have a group of friends on hand to help, finding a place to take your hot tub can be harder than it looks. We’re in your neighborhood and ready to help remove that old tub right out of your backyard. We’ll handle the heavy lifting all you have to do is point!
Can hot tub covers be recycled?
Yes, hot tub covers can be recycled! However, taking these heavy lids to a recycling facility can be a chore and requires a lot of hard work. Some facilities may require you to take the cover apart before you bring it in. If so, be prepared to clean out any dirt, mold, or mildew that may have accumulated over time in the vinyl lining. You may need to use specialized tools to cut the cover out.
How do you dispose of a hot tub cover?
If you’re getting rid of an old hot tub or are buying a new top, you need to know what to do with your old cover. However, disposing of your hot tub cover does require a few extra steps: ● Use a box cutter or knife to cut the cover along the seams into separate, smaller pieces ● Unzip and remove the vinyl covering to take out foam inserts ● Remove any plastic wrap, metal, or aluminum pieces attached to the foam inserts ● Cut the vinyl and leftover foam inserts into smaller pieces for easier disposal
CALL FOR US:
● Hot Tub Removal Near McAllen TX ● Cheap Hot Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● Hot Tub Removal Denver ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal ● Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Cost Near McAllen TX ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Donate Hot Tub To Charity ● We Buy Any Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal McAllen TX
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN MCALLEN TX RGV HAULING JUNK & MOVING REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW!
CONTACT US: RGV Hauling Junk & Moving CALL (956) 587-3410 JUNK REMOVAL CALL (956) 587 3484 HANDYMAN CALL (956) 587 3486 CLEANING CALL (956) 587 3487 MOVING Best Junk Removal Hauling Company in McAllen, TX Open Monday to Sunday Located in McAllen, TX 78541 Website: www.junkremovalmcallentx.org http://www.valleyjunkremoval.org/ http://www.rgvhouseholdservices.com/ SERVICE AREA: Alamo, TX | Combes, TX | Delmita, TX | Donna, TX | Edcouch, TX | Edinburg, TX | Elsa, TX | Garciasville, TX | Grulla, TX | Hargill, TX | Harlingen, TX | Hidalgo, TX | La Blanca, TX | La Feria, TX | La Joya, TX | La Villa, TX | Lasara, TX | Linn, TX | Los Ebanos, TX | Los Indios, TX | Lyford, TX | Mercedes, TX | Mission, TX | Penitas, TX | Pharr, TX | Progreso, TX | Raymondville, TX | Rio Grande City, TX | San Juan, TX | Santa Maria, TX | Santa Rosa, TX | Sullivan City, TX | Weslaco, TX Starr County | Hidalgo County | Willacy County | Cameron County | 78504 | 78539 | 78540 | 78541 | 78542 | 78501 | 78503| 78505 | 78557 | 88540 |78502 | 78504 | 78539 | 78572 #junk #moving #handyman #mcAllen #texas #cleaning
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Best Hot Tub Removal Service and Cost in Wichita KS|WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING
More information is at: https://junkremovalhaulerwichita.org/hot-tub-removal-service-near-me/
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: Are you looking for the Best Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS? WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING, offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Cost? Free estimates! Send us a message or call us today. Best Hot tub Removal Service around Wichita KS. We serve Wichita KS and other areas. Get a Free Quote Now!
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN WICHITA KS
WICHITA HOT TUB REMOVAL
Hot-tub Removal ● We remove everything! ● We do all the lifting and loading! ● We’re environmentally friendly! ● Free estimates!
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: Removing a hot-tub is easier than you think. WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Helping you free up that space and clearing out is what we’re best at! Hot-tub removals are so easy that, with our team, we can remove them in no time!
If you have an old hot tub or above-ground pool taking up room on your property, the team at WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING can come and haul it away for you. We know how to remove a hot tub, spa, and other heavy items.
How It Works Here’s a preview of how our hot tub removal process works and what to expect: ● We arrive on time for the scheduled appointment. ● Show our team members to the hot tub you need them to collect. ● Our team breaks down your hot tub and then hauls it away in one of our trucks.
We Know How to Remove a Hot Tub
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING removes your dismantled hot tub and then takes it to be reused if it’s still in working condition. If it’s not functional, we take its recyclable parts to a facility and dispose of the rest using the most eco-friendly methods available to us. Upon arrival, the WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING team will assess the hot tub, its size, and the best route for removal. Once they’ve given you your free, no-obligation estimate, the crew will dismantle the hot tub, remove it along with any and all debris, and load it onto the truck. From there, the hot tub will be disposed of in the most eco-friendly manner possible, leaving you free to concentrate on what to do with your new space!
No Junk Too Big for WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: Chances are you have more than just a hot tub to get rid of. We are happy to take any of your junk off your hands. Just point to what you’re tired of looking at and enjoy watching us haul away junk from your property Just a few common household items we remove include: ● Couches and other furniture ● Large and small appliances ● Broken electronics ● Construction materials ● Carpeting and padding
Our Environmental Commitment Our junk hauling services don’t end when we leave your home. In addition to being committed to our customers, we are also committed to our community. We want to make sure that as little of your junk ends up in a landfill as possible. Much of the materials that we haul away can be broken down and either recycled or disposed of in an eco-friendly manner. We are proud to say that more than 70% of the junk removed is recycled or repurposed.
TIPS Hot-tub Removal Tips
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: The first thing to do is to know what you’ll do with the hot tub. Consider publishing a local online ad and selling it, with the stipulation the buyer will dismantle it and take it away. You can even list it as free, of course, the disassemble and haul away stipulation still remains. If it’s an in-ground unit, you might consider repurposing it as a pond. Simply skirt it with decorative rocks and colorful flowering plants. ● Gather your tools. You’ll need safety goggles, a dust mask, heavy leather gloves, reciprocating saw, jigsaw, pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, diagonal cutters, and garden hose. You’ll also need at least one person to assist you with the dismantling and pulling out the unit. ● Disconnect the electrical wiring. Before you do anything, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker supplying power to the unit and then disconnect the wiring. Use the pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, and diagonal cutters to disconnect the electrical wiring. ● Disconnect the water supply. Shut off the water supply line and connect a garden hose to the drain line (if the unit is still full of water). Once the water is drained, proceed to disconnect the water supply line using pliers. ● Remove the skirt. Most hot tubs and spas are surrounded by a decorative skirt. You might need to remove part or all of the skirt before you can disconnect the water line. Depending on the construction, you’ll either unfasten the skirt retaining screws or will pull apart the tongue and groove slats. ● Disassemble the hot tub unit. With the decorative skirt removed, it’s time to take apart the actual unit. This can be done by simply going in reverse of the original assembly instructions or by cutting it apart with a reciprocating saw and/or jigsaw.
COST How much does it cost for hot tub removal services?
Hot Tub Removal Service near Wichita KS: For typical household junk removal, we base our pricing off of volume and allot up to two hours for a full truck load. Your price is dependent upon how much space your items take up in our 15.5 cubic yard mini dump truck. Our pricing includes the labor of our 2 men removing the items, no matter their location, transportation fees and most associated disposal costs. It also includes our efforts to reuse, recycle or donate the items on your behalf. If we can donate them, we will send the tax deductible receipt back to you. However, with Hot Tub Removal, we won’t be able to donate the item, but we will be able to recycle some of the components. Regarding price, we have a flat fee for Hot Tub Removal services that range from $250-$400 depending upon the size of the hot tub and complexities involved within the removal. Since this is a flat fee item, coupons cannot be applied to this service. If customers are comfortable with that price range, then the next step is that we schedule an appointment. We reserve appointments with two hour arrival windows. When our crews are end route to your appointment, they will call ahead of time to give you a more accurate arrival time within the two hour window. When our crews arrive, our crew chief will provide a firm, free, no-obligation quote within the aforementioned price range after having looked at the hot tub needing removed and the scope of work involved in removing it. At that time, you can accept the quote and have our crew immediately get to work removing the items for you; or, you can decline and we will shake hands and be on our way!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I dispose of a hot tub?
isn’t as easy as taking out the trash. Hot tubs are large, nearly impossible to move on your own, and are typically not accepted at local landfills or recycling depots. There are several ways to get rid of your old hot tub, including: ● Trading it in to a dealer ● Selling it online or at a yard sale ● Hiring a junk removal company to help remove it Best of all, recycling and proper hot tub disposal is prioritized, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up space in the landfill.
How do I move a hot tub?
To get your hot tub ready for removal, there are a few things you’ll need to do ahead of time: ● Disconnect the power supply. ● Drain all of the water from the tub. ● Disassemble all of the spa’s parts, such as pumps, heaters, power, and plumbing. ● Pack the tub’s accessories separately. ● Clear a path wide enough to fit the tub through. After these steps are completed, our Truck Team Members will turn the tub on its side and use dollies to load it into our shiny, clean trucks. Moving a hot tub is more than a one-person job. We’re happy to help and in your neighborhood - just point and your junk disappears!
How much does it cost to get rid of a hot tub?
Most hot tub removal services are priced based on the size of the spa and how hard it is to move it. However, our prices at WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING? Are based on how much space your junk takes up in our truck. That means that the easiest way to provide an estimate is in person. Our crew will arrive onsite to take a look at your junk and provide an exact price.
Can I lift a hot tub myself?
Moving a hot tub is a job for more than one person. Depending on the size of your spa, you may need special tools to help move it. Even if you have a group of friends on hand to help, finding a place to take your hot tub can be harder than it looks. We’re in your neighborhood and ready to help remove that old tub right out of your backyard. We’ll handle the heavy lifting all you have to do is point!
Can hot tub covers be recycled?
Yes, hot tub covers can be recycled! However, taking these heavy lids to a recycling facility can be a chore and requires a lot of hard work. Some facilities may require you to take the cover apart before you bring it in. If so, be prepared to clean out any dirt, mold, or mildew that may have accumulated over time in the vinyl lining. You may need to use specialized tools to cut the cover out.
How do you dispose of a hot tub cover?
If you’re getting rid of an old hot tub or are buying a new top, you need to know what to do with your old cover. However, disposing of your hot tub cover does require a few extra steps: ● Use a box cutter or knife to cut the cover along the seams into separate, smaller pieces ● Unzip and remove the vinyl covering to take out foam inserts ● Remove any plastic wrap, metal, or aluminum pieces attached to the foam inserts ● Cut the vinyl and leftover foam inserts into smaller pieces for easier disposal
CALL FOR US:
● Hot Tub Removal Near Wichita KS ● Cheap Hot Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● Hot Tub Removal Denver ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Hot Tub �� Hot Tub Removal ● Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Cost Near Wichita KS ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Donate Hot Tub To Charity ● We Buy Any Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal Wichita KS
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN WICHITA KS WICHITA HAULING JUNK & MOVING REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW!
CONTACT US: Wichita Hauling Junk & Moving CALL (316) 500-7551 CLEANING CALL (316) 448-5733 JUNK REMOVAL & MOVING CALL (316) 448-3974 HANDYMAN Best Junk Removal Hauling Company in Wichita, KS Open Monday to Sunday 7 Am – 11 PM Located in Wichita, KS 67211 WEB: junkremovalhaulerwichita.org SERVICE AREA: 55 Cities within 30 miles of Wichita, KS:  Andale, KS | Andover, KS | Argonia, KS | Augusta, KS | Belle Plaine, KS | Bentley, KS | Benton, KS | Buhler, KS | Burns, KS | Burrton, KS | Cheney, KS | Clearwater, KSColwich, KS | Conway Springs, KS | Danville, KS | Derby, KS | Douglass, KS | Elbing, KS | Garden Plain, KS | Goddard, KS | Greenwich, KS | Halstead, KS | Harper, KS | Haven, KS | Haysville, KS | Hesston, KS | Hutchinson, KS | Kechi, KS | Maize, KS | Mayfield, KS | Mcconnell AFB, KS | Milan, KS | Milton, KS | Mount Hope, KS | Mulvane, KS | Murdock, KS | Newton, KS | North Newton, KS | Norwich, KS | Peck, KS | Potwin, KS | Pretty Prairie, KS | Rock, KS | Rose Hill, KS | Sedgwick, KS | South Hutchinson, KS | Towanda, KS | Udall, KS | Valley Center, KS | Viola, KS | Walton, KS | Wellington, KS | Whitewater, KS | Winfield, KS | Yoder, KS ZIP CODES: 67001 – Andale | 67016 – Bentley | 67017 – Benton | 67020 – Burrton | 67025 – Cheney | 67026 – Clearwater | 67030 – Colwich | 67031 – Conway Springs | 67037 – Derby | 67039 – Douglass | 67050 – Garden Plain | 67052 – Goddard | 67055 – Greenwich | 67060 – Haysville | 67067 – Kechi | 67101 – Maize | 67106 – Milton | 67108 – Mt Hope | 67110 – Mulvane | 67118 – Norwich | 67120 – Peck | 67133 – Rose Hill | 67135 – Sedgwick | 67147 – Valley Center | 67149 – Viola | 672xx – Wichita | 67204 – Park City or Wichita | 67219 – Park City or Wichita | 67220 – Bel Aire or Wichita | 67221 – McConnell AFB | 67226 – Bel Aire or Wichita | 67543 – Haven 68116, 68117, 68118, 68122, 68124, 68127, 68130, 68131, 68132, 68134, 68135, 68137, 68142, 68144, 68147, 68152, 68154, 68157, 68164, 68178 #junkremoval #haulingservice #handyman #moving #Wichita #Kasnas #residencialjunkservic #commercialjunk #officejunkremoval
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lnkhauler · 3 years
Link
Best Hot Tub Removal Service and Cost in Lincoln NE|LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING
More information is at: http://junkremovallincoln.org/hot-tub-removal-service-near-me/
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: Are you looking for the Best Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE? LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING, offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Cost? Free estimates! Send us a message or call us today. Best Hot tub Removal Service around Lincoln NE. We serve Lincoln NE and other areas. Get a Free Quote Now!
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN LINCOLN NE
LINCOLN HOT TUB REMOVAL
Hot-tub Removal ● We remove everything! ● We do all the lifting and loading! ● We’re environmentally friendly! ● Free estimates!
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: Removing a hot-tub is easier than you think. LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Helping you free up that space and clearing out is what we’re best at! Hot-tub removals are so easy that, with our team, we can remove them in no time!
If you have an old hot tub or above-ground pool taking up room on your property, the team at LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING can come and haul it away for you. We know how to remove a hot tub, spa, and other heavy items.
How It Works Here’s a preview of how our hot tub removal process works and what to expect: ● We arrive on time for the scheduled appointment. ● Show our team members to the hot tub you need them to collect. ● Our team breaks down your hot tub and then hauls it away in one of our trucks.
We Know How to Remove a Hot Tub
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING removes your dismantled hot tub and then takes it to be reused if it’s still in working condition. If it’s not functional, we take its recyclable parts to a facility and dispose of the rest using the most eco-friendly methods available to us. Upon arrival, the LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING team will assess the hot tub, its size, and the best route for removal. Once they’ve given you your free, no-obligation estimate, the crew will dismantle the hot tub, remove it along with any and all debris, and load it onto the truck. From there, the hot tub will be disposed of in the most eco-friendly manner possible, leaving you free to concentrate on what to do with your new space!
No Junk Too Big for LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: Chances are you have more than just a hot tub to get rid of. We are happy to take any of your junk off your hands. Just point to what you’re tired of looking at and enjoy watching us haul away junk from your property Just a few common household items we remove include: ● Couches and other furniture ● Large and small appliances ● Broken electronics ● Construction materials ● Carpeting and padding
Our Environmental Commitment Our junk hauling services don’t end when we leave your home. In addition to being committed to our customers, we are also committed to our community. We want to make sure that as little of your junk ends up in a landfill as possible. Much of the materials that we haul away can be broken down and either recycled or disposed of in an eco-friendly manner. We are proud to say that more than 70% of the junk removed is recycled or repurposed.
TIPS Hot-tub Removal Tips
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: The first thing to do is to know what you’ll do with the hot tub. Consider publishing a local online ad and selling it, with the stipulation the buyer will dismantle it and take it away. You can even list it as free, of course, the disassemble and haul away stipulation still remains. If it’s an in-ground unit, you might consider repurposing it as a pond. Simply skirt it with decorative rocks and colorful flowering plants. ● Gather your tools. You’ll need safety goggles, a dust mask, heavy leather gloves, reciprocating saw, jigsaw, pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, diagonal cutters, and garden hose. You’ll also need at least one person to assist you with the dismantling and pulling out the unit. ● Disconnect the electrical wiring. Before you do anything, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker supplying power to the unit and then disconnect the wiring. Use the pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, and diagonal cutters to disconnect the electrical wiring. ● Disconnect the water supply. Shut off the water supply line and connect a garden hose to the drain line (if the unit is still full of water). Once the water is drained, proceed to disconnect the water supply line using pliers. ● Remove the skirt. Most hot tubs and spas are surrounded by a decorative skirt. You might need to remove part or all of the skirt before you can disconnect the water line. Depending on the construction, you’ll either unfasten the skirt retaining screws or will pull apart the tongue and groove slats. ● Disassemble the hot tub unit. With the decorative skirt removed, it’s time to take apart the actual unit. This can be done by simply going in reverse of the original assembly instructions or by cutting it apart with a reciprocating saw and/or jigsaw.
COST How much does it cost for hot tub removal services?
Hot Tub Removal Service near Lincoln NE: For typical household junk removal, we base our pricing off of volume and allot up to two hours for a full truck load. Your price is dependent upon how much space your items take up in our 15.5 cubic yard mini dump truck. Our pricing includes the labor of our 2 men removing the items, no matter their location, transportation fees and most associated disposal costs. It also includes our efforts to reuse, recycle or donate the items on your behalf. If we can donate them, we will send the tax deductible receipt back to you. However, with Hot Tub Removal, we won’t be able to donate the item, but we will be able to recycle some of the components. Regarding price, we have a flat fee for Hot Tub Removal services that range from $250-$400 depending upon the size of the hot tub and complexities involved within the removal. Since this is a flat fee item, coupons cannot be applied to this service. If customers are comfortable with that price range, then the next step is that we schedule an appointment. We reserve appointments with two hour arrival windows. When our crews are end route to your appointment, they will call ahead of time to give you a more accurate arrival time within the two hour window. When our crews arrive, our crew chief will provide a firm, free, no-obligation quote within the aforementioned price range after having looked at the hot tub needing removed and the scope of work involved in removing it. At that time, you can accept the quote and have our crew immediately get to work removing the items for you; or, you can decline and we will shake hands and be on our way!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I dispose of a hot tub?
isn’t as easy as taking out the trash. Hot tubs are large, nearly impossible to move on your own, and are typically not accepted at local landfills or recycling depots. There are several ways to get rid of your old hot tub, including: ● Trading it in to a dealer ● Selling it online or at a yard sale ● Hiring a junk removal company to help remove it Best of all, recycling and proper hot tub disposal is prioritized, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up space in the landfill.
How do I move a hot tub?
To get your hot tub ready for removal, there are a few things you’ll need to do ahead of time: ● Disconnect the power supply. ● Drain all of the water from the tub. ● Disassemble all of the spa’s parts, such as pumps, heaters, power, and plumbing. ● Pack the tub’s accessories separately. ● Clear a path wide enough to fit the tub through. After these steps are completed, our Truck Team Members will turn the tub on its side and use dollies to load it into our shiny, clean trucks. Moving a hot tub is more than a one-person job. We’re happy to help and in your neighborhood - just point and your junk disappears!
How much does it cost to get rid of a hot tub?
Most hot tub removal services are priced based on the size of the spa and how hard it is to move it. However, our prices at LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING? Are based on how much space your junk takes up in our truck. That means that the easiest way to provide an estimate is in person. Our crew will arrive onsite to take a look at your junk and provide an exact price.
Can I lift a hot tub myself?
Moving a hot tub is a job for more than one person. Depending on the size of your spa, you may need special tools to help move it. Even if you have a group of friends on hand to help, finding a place to take your hot tub can be harder than it looks. We’re in your neighborhood and ready to help remove that old tub right out of your backyard. We’ll handle the heavy lifting all you have to do is point!
Can hot tub covers be recycled?
Yes, hot tub covers can be recycled! However, taking these heavy lids to a recycling facility can be a chore and requires a lot of hard work. Some facilities may require you to take the cover apart before you bring it in. If so, be prepared to clean out any dirt, mold, or mildew that may have accumulated over time in the vinyl lining. You may need to use specialized tools to cut the cover out.
How do you dispose of a hot tub cover?
If you’re getting rid of an old hot tub or are buying a new top, you need to know what to do with your old cover. However, disposing of your hot tub cover does require a few extra steps: ● Use a box cutter or knife to cut the cover along the seams into separate, smaller pieces ● Unzip and remove the vinyl covering to take out foam inserts ● Remove any plastic wrap, metal, or aluminum pieces attached to the foam inserts ● Cut the vinyl and leftover foam inserts into smaller pieces for easier disposal
CALL FOR US:
● Hot Tub Removal Near Lincoln NE ● Cheap Hot Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● Hot Tub Removal Denver ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal ● Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Cost Near Lincoln NE ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Donate Hot Tub To Charity ● We Buy Any Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal Lincoln NE
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN LINCOLN NE LNK HAULING JUNK & MOVING REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW!
CONTACT US: LNK Hauling Junk & Moving Lincoln`s famous junk removal hauling services! CALL (402) 875 7271 JUNK REMOVAL CALL (402) 881 3135 CLEANING CALL (402) 875 7305 HANDYMAN CALL (402) 590 8095 MOVING Open Monday to Sunday Lincoln Nebraska WEBSITE: https://junkremovallincoln.org http://www.lnkjunkremoval.com/ https://lnk-hauling-junk-and-moving-lincoln.business.site SERVICE AREA: Lincoln Nebraska Metro Area: Bennet Ne, Firth Ne, Hallam Ne, Hickman Ne, Lancaster County, Lincoln Nebraska, Malcolm Ne, Milford Ne, Panama Ne, Seward County, Seward Ne, Staplehurst Ne, Utica Ne, Walton Ne, WAVERLY NE, Lincoln NE | Lincoln NE | Lancaster County NE | Seward County NE | Milford NE | 68501, 68510, 68512, 68514, 68516, 68517, 68520, 68524, 68526, 68529, 68531, 68532, 68542, 68544, 68583, 68588. Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area: Downtown Omaha, Central Omaha, Southwest Lincoln and Sarpy County, including the communities of Lincoln, Omaha, Bellevue, Blair, Carter Lake, Elkhorn, Fort Calhoun, Fremont, Gretna, La Vista, Millard, Papillion, Ralston, Springfield, Plattsmouth, Arlington, Ashland, Louisville, Wahoo, Yutan and Waterloo, NE, and Missouri Valley, Avoca, Glenwood, Council Bluffs, IA. Zip codes: 68007, 68010, 68022, 68102, 68104, 68105, 68106, 68107, 68108, 68110, 68111, 68112, 68114, 68116, 68117, 68118, 68122, 68124, 68127, 68130, 68131, 68132, 68134, 68135, 68137, 68142, 68144, 68147, 68152, 68154, 68157, 68164, 68178. #junkremoval #movingservice #cleaning #commercialjunk #residencialjunkremoval #lincoln #nebaraska #handymanservice
0 notes
the-abqhauler505nm · 3 years
Link
Best Hot Tub Removal Service and Cost in Albuquerque NM|ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING
More information is at: http://albuquerquejunkremovalhaulingmovers.org/hot-tub-removal-near-me/
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: Are you looking for the Best Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM? ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING, offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Cost? Free estimates! Send us a message or call us today. Best Hot tub Removal Service around Albuquerque NM. We serve Albuquerque NM and other areas. Get a Free Quote Now!
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE NM
ALBUQUERQUE HOT TUB REMOVAL
Hot-tub Removal ● We remove everything! ● We do all the lifting and loading! ● We’re environmentally friendly! ● Free estimates!
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: Removing a hot-tub is easier than you think. ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING offers a quick and easy solution to clearing out old indoor or outdoor hot-tubs. We know how much space an old hot-tub can take up, and if you’re not using them, that’s a lot of unused space going to waste. Helping you free up that space and clearing out is what we’re best at! Hot-tub removals are so easy that, with our team, we can remove them in no time!
If you have an old hot tub or above-ground pool taking up room on your property, the team at ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING can come and haul it away for you. We know how to remove a hot tub, spa, and other heavy items.
How It Works Here’s a preview of how our hot tub removal process works and what to expect: ● We arrive on time for the scheduled appointment. ● Show our team members to the hot tub you need them to collect. ● Our team breaks down your hot tub and then hauls it away in one of our trucks.
We Know How to Remove a Hot Tub
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING removes your dismantled hot tub and then takes it to be reused if it’s still in working condition. If it’s not functional, we take its recyclable parts to a facility and dispose of the rest using the most eco-friendly methods available to us. Upon arrival, the ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING team will assess the hot tub, its size, and the best route for removal. Once they’ve given you your free, no-obligation estimate, the crew will dismantle the hot tub, remove it along with any and all debris, and load it onto the truck. From there, the hot tub will be disposed of in the most eco-friendly manner possible, leaving you free to concentrate on what to do with your new space!
No Junk Too Big for ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: Chances are you have more than just a hot tub to get rid of. We are happy to take any of your junk off your hands. Just point to what you’re tired of looking at and enjoy watching us haul away junk from your property Just a few common household items we remove include: ● Couches and other furniture ● Large and small appliances ● Broken electronics ● Construction materials ● Carpeting and padding
Our Environmental Commitment Our junk hauling services don’t end when we leave your home. In addition to being committed to our customers, we are also committed to our community. We want to make sure that as little of your junk ends up in a landfill as possible. Much of the materials that we haul away can be broken down and either recycled or disposed of in an eco-friendly manner. We are proud to say that more than 70% of the junk removed is recycled or repurposed.
TIPS Hot-tub Removal Tips
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: The first thing to do is to know what you’ll do with the hot tub. Consider publishing a local online ad and selling it, with the stipulation the buyer will dismantle it and take it away. You can even list it as free, of course, the disassemble and haul away stipulation still remains. If it’s an in-ground unit, you might consider repurposing it as a pond. Simply skirt it with decorative rocks and colorful flowering plants. ● Gather your tools. You’ll need safety goggles, a dust mask, heavy leather gloves, reciprocating saw, jigsaw, pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, diagonal cutters, and garden hose. You’ll also need at least one person to assist you with the dismantling and pulling out the unit. ● Disconnect the electrical wiring. Before you do anything, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker supplying power to the unit and then disconnect the wiring. Use the pliers, screwdriver or drill-driver, and diagonal cutters to disconnect the electrical wiring. ● Disconnect the water supply. Shut off the water supply line and connect a garden hose to the drain line (if the unit is still full of water). Once the water is drained, proceed to disconnect the water supply line using pliers. ● Remove the skirt. Most hot tubs and spas are surrounded by a decorative skirt. You might need to remove part or all of the skirt before you can disconnect the water line. Depending on the construction, you’ll either unfasten the skirt retaining screws or will pull apart the tongue and groove slats. ● Disassemble the hot tub unit. With the decorative skirt removed, it’s time to take apart the actual unit. This can be done by simply going in reverse of the original assembly instructions or by cutting it apart with a reciprocating saw and/or jigsaw.
COST How much does it cost for hot tub removal services?
Hot Tub Removal Service near Albuquerque NM: For typical household junk removal, we base our pricing off of volume and allot up to two hours for a full truck load. Your price is dependent upon how much space your items take up in our 15.5 cubic yard mini dump truck. Our pricing includes the labor of our 2 men removing the items, no matter their location, transportation fees and most associated disposal costs. It also includes our efforts to reuse, recycle or donate the items on your behalf. If we can donate them, we will send the tax deductible receipt back to you. However, with Hot Tub Removal, we won’t be able to donate the item, but we will be able to recycle some of the components. Regarding price, we have a flat fee for Hot Tub Removal services that range from $250-$400 depending upon the size of the hot tub and complexities involved within the removal. Since this is a flat fee item, coupons cannot be applied to this service. If customers are comfortable with that price range, then the next step is that we schedule an appointment. We reserve appointments with two hour arrival windows. When our crews are end route to your appointment, they will call ahead of time to give you a more accurate arrival time within the two hour window. When our crews arrive, our crew chief will provide a firm, free, no-obligation quote within the aforementioned price range after having looked at the hot tub needing removed and the scope of work involved in removing it. At that time, you can accept the quote and have our crew immediately get to work removing the items for you; or, you can decline and we will shake hands and be on our way!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I dispose of a hot tub?
isn’t as easy as taking out the trash. Hot tubs are large, nearly impossible to move on your own, and are typically not accepted at local landfills or recycling depots. There are several ways to get rid of your old hot tub, including: ● Trading it in to a dealer ● Selling it online or at a yard sale ● Hiring a junk removal company to help remove it Best of all, recycling and proper hot tub disposal is prioritized, so you don’t have to worry about it taking up space in the landfill.
How do I move a hot tub?
To get your hot tub ready for removal, there are a few things you’ll need to do ahead of time: ● Disconnect the power supply. ● Drain all of the water from the tub. ● Disassemble all of the spa’s parts, such as pumps, heaters, power, and plumbing. ● Pack the tub’s accessories separately. ● Clear a path wide enough to fit the tub through. After these steps are completed, our Truck Team Members will turn the tub on its side and use dollies to load it into our shiny, clean trucks. Moving a hot tub is more than a one-person job. We’re happy to help and in your neighborhood - just point and your junk disappears!
How much does it cost to get rid of a hot tub?
Most hot tub removal services are priced based on the size of the spa and how hard it is to move it. However, our prices at ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING? Are based on how much space your junk takes up in our truck. That means that the easiest way to provide an estimate is in person. Our crew will arrive onsite to take a look at your junk and provide an exact price.
Can I lift a hot tub myself?
Moving a hot tub is a job for more than one person. Depending on the size of your spa, you may need special tools to help move it. Even if you have a group of friends on hand to help, finding a place to take your hot tub can be harder than it looks. We’re in your neighborhood and ready to help remove that old tub right out of your backyard. We’ll handle the heavy lifting all you have to do is point!
Can hot tub covers be recycled?
Yes, hot tub covers can be recycled! However, taking these heavy lids to a recycling facility can be a chore and requires a lot of hard work. Some facilities may require you to take the cover apart before you bring it in. If so, be prepared to clean out any dirt, mold, or mildew that may have accumulated over time in the vinyl lining. You may need to use specialized tools to cut the cover out.
How do you dispose of a hot tub cover?
If you’re getting rid of an old hot tub or are buying a new top, you need to know what to do with your old cover. However, disposing of your hot tub cover does require a few extra steps: ● Use a box cutter or knife to cut the cover along the seams into separate, smaller pieces ● Unzip and remove the vinyl covering to take out foam inserts ● Remove any plastic wrap, metal, or aluminum pieces attached to the foam inserts ● Cut the vinyl and leftover foam inserts into smaller pieces for easier disposal
CALL FOR US:
● Hot Tub Removal Near Albuquerque NM ● Cheap Hot Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● Hot Tub Removal Denver ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal ● Tub Removal ● Hot Tub Removal Cost Near Albuquerque NM ● Hot Tub Removal Service ● How To Remove A Hot Tub From A Deck ● Donate Hot Tub To Charity ● We Buy Any Hot Tub ● Hot Tub Removal Albuquerque NM
BEST HOT TUB REMOVAL SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE NM ABQ HAULING JUNK & MOVING REQUEST MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT US NOW!
CONTACT: ABQ Hauling Junk & Moving CALL (505) 225 3810 CLEANING CALL (505) 570 4605 JUNK REMOVAL CALL (505) 850 3570 MOVING Best Junk Removal Hauling Company in Albuquerque NM Open Monday to Sunday 7:00 am – 11:00 pm Located in Albuquerque NM 87120 Website: http://www.albuquerquejunkremovalhaulingmovers.org/ http://www.serviceabq.com/ SERVICE AREA: Albuquerque Metropolitan Area: Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, Valencia Counties NM, Albuquerque, Belen, Moriarty, Rio Communities, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Estancia, Mountainair, Peralta, Bosque Farms, Corrales, Cuba, Encino, Jemez Springs, Los Lunas, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, San Ysidro, Tijeras, Willard, Algodones, Carnuel, Casa Colorada, Cedar Crest, Chilili, Cochiti, El Cerro-Monterey Park, Isleta Village Proper, Jarales, Jemez Pueblo, La Jara, Los Chavez, Los Trujillos-Gabaldon, Manzano, Meadow Lake, North Valley, Paradise Hills, Pena Blanca, Placitas Ponderosa, Pueblo of Sandia Village, Regina, Rio Communities North, Rio Communities, San Felipe Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pueblo, South Valley, Tajique, Tome-Adelino, Torreon (Sandoval County), Torreon (Torrance County), Valencia, Zia Pueblo New Mexico
#junkremoval #hauling #moving #trashremoval #cleaning #newmexico #Albuquerque
0 notes
nyc-uws · 4 years
Link
What You Can Do to Avoid the New Coronavirus Variant Right Now
It’s more contagious than the original and spreading quickly. Upgrade your mask and double down on precautions to protect yourself.
By Tara Parker-Pope   Jan. 28, 2021
New variants of the coronavirus continue to emerge. A few have caused concern in the United States because they are so contagious and spreading fast. To avoid them, you’ll need to double down on the same pandemic precautions that have kept you safe so far.
The variant known as B.1.1.7., which was first identified in Britain has the potential to infect an estimated 50 percent more people, and researchers have begun to think that it may also be slightly more deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has predicted that this variant could become the dominant source of infection in the United States by March. A variant first reported in South Africa has found it’s way to South Carolina. And scientists are studying whether a variant with a different mutation, and first found in Denmark, along with one identified in California, have caused a surge of cases in California.
The new variants appear to latch onto our cells more efficiently. (You can find a detailed look inside one of the variants here.) The change suggests it could take less virus and less time in the same room with an infected person for someone to become ill. People infected with the variant may also shed larger quantities of virus, which increases the risk to people around them.
“The exact mechanism in which it’s more transmissible isn’t entirely known,” said Nathan D. Grubaugh, assistant professor and epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. “It might just be that when you’re infected, you’re exhaling more infectious virus.”
  So how do you avoid a more contagious version of the coronavirus? I spoke with some of the leading virus and infectious disease experts about what makes the new variant so worrisome and what we can do about it. Here’s what they had to say.
How can I protect myself from the new coronavirus variant?
The variants spread the same way the coronavirus has always spread. You’re most likely to contract the virus if you spend time in an enclosed space breathing the air of an infected person. The same things that have protected you from the original strain should help protect you from a variant, although you may need to be more rigorous. Wear a two- or three-layer mask. Don’t spend time indoors with people not from your household. Avoid crowds, and keep your distance. Wash your hands often, and avoid touching your face.
Your Coronavirus Tracker: We'll send you the latest data for places you care about each day.
“The first thing I say to people is that it’s not a different virus. All the things we have learned about this virus still apply,” said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. “It’s not like this variant is somehow magically spreading through other means. Anything risky under the normal strain just becomes riskier with the variant.”
And let’s face it, after months of pandemic living, many of us have become lax about our Covid safety precautions. Maybe you’ve let down your guard, and you’re spending time indoors and unmasked with trusted friends. Or perhaps you’ve been dining in restaurants or making more trips to the grocery store each week than you did at the start of lockdowns. The arrival of the variant means you should try to cut back on potential exposures where you can and double down on basic precautions for the next few months until you and the people around you get vaccinated.
“The more I hear about the new variants, the more concerned I am,” said Linsey Marr, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the world’s leading aerosol scientists. “I think there is no room for error or sloppiness in following precautions, whereas before, we might have been able to get away with letting one slide.”
Should I upgrade my mask?
You should be wearing a high-quality mask when you run errands, go shopping or find yourself in a situation where you’re spending time indoors with people who don’t live with you, Dr. Marr said. “I am now wearing my best mask when I go to the grocery store,” she said. “The last thing I want to do is get Covid-19 in the month before I get vaccinated.”
Dr. Marr’s lab recently tested 11 mask materials and found that the right cloth mask, properly fitted, does a good job of filtering viral particles of the size most likely to cause infection. The best mask has three layers — two cloth layers with a filter sandwiched in between. Masks should be fitted around the bridge of the nose and made of flexible material to reduce gaps. Head ties create a better fit than ear loops.
If you don’t want to buy a new mask, a simple solution is to wear an additional mask when you find yourself in closer proximity to strangers. I wear a single mask when I walk my dog or exercise outdoors. But if I’m going to a store, taking a taxi or getting in the subway, I double mask by using a disposable surgical mask and covering it with my cloth mask.
Do I need an N95 medical mask?
While medical workers who come into close contact with sick patients rely on the gold-standard N95 masks, you don’t need that level of protection if you’re avoiding group gatherings, limiting shopping trips and keeping your distance from others.
“N95s are hard to get,” said Dr. Jha. “I don’t think people should think that’s what they need. Certainly there are a lot of masks out in the marketplace that are pretty good.”
If you’re working in an office or grocery store, or find yourself in a situation where you want added mask protection, you can get an alternative to the N95. Dr. Jha suggested using a KF94 mask, a type of mask made in South Korea that can be purchased easily online. It resembles an N95, with some differences. It’s made of a similar nonwoven material that blocks 94 percent of the hardest-to-trap viral particles. But the KF94 has ear loops, instead of elastic head bands, so it won’t fit as snugly as an N95.
The KF94 is also disposable — you can buy a pack of 20 for about $40 on Amazon. While you can let a KF94 mask air dry and reuse it a few times, it can’t be laundered and won’t last as long as a cloth mask. One solution is to save your KF94 mask for higher-risk situations — like riding a subway, spending time in a store or going to a doctor’s appointment. Use your cloth mask for outdoor errands, exercise or walking the dog.
Are there additional ways to reduce my risk?
Getting the vaccine is the ultimate way to reduce risk. But until then, take a look at your activities and try reducing the time and number of exposures to other people.
For instance, if you now go to the store two or three times a week, cut back to just once a week. If you’ve been spending 30 to 45 minutes in the grocery store, cut your time down to 15 or 20 minutes. If the store is crowded, come back later. If you’re waiting in line, be mindful of staying at least six feet apart from the people ahead of you and behind you. Try delivery or curbside pickup, if that’s an option for you.
If you’ve been spending time indoors with other people who aren’t from your household, consider skipping those events until you and your friends get vaccinated. If you must spend time with others, wear your best mask, make sure the space is well ventilated (open windows and doors) and keep the visit as short as possible. It’s still safest to take your social plans outdoors. And if you are thinking about air travel, it’s a good idea to reschedule given the high number of cases around the country and the emergence of the more contagious variant.
“The new variants are making me think twice about my plan to teach in-person, which would have been with masks and with good ventilation anyway,” Dr. Marr said. “They’re making me think twice about getting on an airplane.”
Will the current Covid vaccines work against the new variants?
Experts are cautiously optimistic that the current generation of vaccines will be mostly effective against the emerging coronavirus variants. Earlier this month, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their Covid vaccine works against one of the key mutations present in some of the variants. That’s good news, but some data also suggest that variants with certain mutations, particularly the one first seen in South Africa, may be more resistant to the vaccines. While the data are concerning, experts said the current vaccines generate extremely high levels of antibodies, and they are likely to at least prevent serious illness in people who are immunized and get infected.
“The reason why I’m cautiously optimistic is that from what we know about how vaccines work, it’s not just one antibody that provides all the protection,” said Dr. Adam Lauring, associate professor of infectious disease at the University of Michigan. “When you get vaccinated you generate antibodies all over the spike protein. That makes it less likely that one mutation here or there is going to leave you completely unprotected. That’s what gives me reason for optimism that this is going to be OK in terms of the vaccine, but there’s more work to be done.”
If I catch Covid-19, will I know if I have the new variant?
Probably not. If you test positive for the coronavirus, the standard PCR test can’t definitively determine if you have the variant or the original strain. While some PCR test results can signal if a person is likely to be infected with a variant, that information probably won’t be shared with patients. The only way to know for sure which variant is circulating is to use gene sequencing technology, but that technology is not used to alert individuals of their status. While some public health and university laboratories are using genomic surveillance to track the prevalence of variants in a community, the United States doesn’t yet have a large-scale, nationwide system for checking coronavirus genomes for new mutations.
Treatment for Covid-19 is the same whether you have the original strain or the variant. You can read more about what to do if you get infected here.
Are children more at risk from the new variant?
Children appear to get infected with the variant at about the same rate as the original strain. A large study by health officials in Britain found that young children are only about half as likely as adults to transmit the variant to others. While that’s good news, the highly contagious nature of the variant means more children will get the virus, even if they are still proportionately less contagious and less prone to getting infected than adults. You can learn more here.
If I’ve already had Covid-19, am I likely to have the same level of immunity to the new strain?
Most experts agree that once you’ve had Covid-19, your body has some level of natural immunity to help fight off a second infection — although it’s not known how long the protection lasts. The variants circulating in Brazil and South Africa appear to have mutations that allow the virus to evade natural antibodies and reinfect someone who has already had the virus. The concern is based on lab tests using antibodies of people with a previous infection, so whether that translates to more reinfections in the real world isn’t known. The effect of the vaccine against these variants isn’t known yet either. While all of this sounds frightening, scientists are hopeful that even if the vaccines don’t fully protect against new variations of the virus, the antibodies generated by the vaccine still will protect people from more serious illness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/well/live/covid-b117-variant-advice.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab
0 notes
easyfoodnetwork · 4 years
Text
Coronavirus Has Changed the Way We Think About Disposable Plastics
Tumblr media
Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
Many stores are banning reusable food containers and canvas shopping bags, which means plastic bags and straws are everywhere again 
This story was originally published on Civil Eats.
Instead of taking CSA members’ cloth bags and returning them filled with fresh vegetables, farmers Jesse Frost and Hannah Crabtree delivered mid-April shares in plastic bags. And for the weekly farmers’ market in Lexington, Kentucky, they used smaller plastic bags to individually package their greens, which would normally be loose in bins for shoppers to reach into.
Single-use plastic doesn’t align with Rough Draft Farmstead’s commitment to environmentalism. But as they hustle to reinvent their business plan for 2020 while continuing to produce and sell food during a pandemic, they’ve had to adjust the hierarchy that determines their priorities, Frost said.
“Everything’s kind of been scrambled,” he said. “The first thing we have to do is figure out what our marketing approach is. Then, figure out what the distribution looks like. Then, we have to figure out how to keep all of those things sanitary.”
As farmers, farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and restaurants have all raced to confront a quickly reordered reality, the qualities that contributed to single-use plastic becoming such a ubiquitous problem over decades — it is incredibly cheap and convenient — are contributing to a resurgence in use. And it’s happening at a time when the recycling of plastic has been severely curtailed.
“I’m probably using more plastic from one grocery trip than I normally would in months,” said Abby K. Cannon, a Long Island-based nutritionist who also coaches clients on low-waste living.
While there is no evidence that the coronavirus is transmitted on food or that wrapping food in plastic is safer, all of the activities that surround the use of reusables — reaching, swapping, and sharing — are off limits. And throwing something away that came from outside the home and was touched by unknown hands simply feels safer.
In recent weeks, the plastics industry has spread mis-information about the dangers of reusable bags.
Some grocery stores and counties have banned cloth bags, and more people are shopping for groceries online, which generally results in more plastic packaging. Farmers’ market tables are now stocked with vegetables pre-packed into plastic bags, and CSA pick-ups that were once self-serve now involve plastic bags inside larger plastic bags or boxes. In addition, coffee shops that used to give discounts for bringing cups from home have stopped allowing them.
In the midst of this, the plastics industry has stepped in to spread misinformation about the dangers of reusable bags and has successfully reversed plastic bag bans in some states and cities. And news came out this morning that plastics industry trade association is now asking for a $1 billion bailout from the U.S. government.
It’s clear that at the moment, concerns about the waste generated from single-use packaging, and especially plastic, in the food system will have to take a backseat to the immediate health, safety, and economic concerns that have arisen during the pandemic.
But activism to fight plastic waste during the pandemic persists: On April 22, a new documentary on the costs of plastic pollution premiered. And some say the temporary shift will be gradually worked out as we learn more about COVID-19 and the shape of the new economy — and that it could even lead to Americans asking deeper questions about sustainable habits.
Grocery store plastic and the campaign against reusables
Around the country, restrictions on reusable bags at grocery stores began to pick up steam as the coronavirus pandemic worsened.
The governor of New Hampshire banned reusable bags in the state in late March; San Francisco banned reusable bags in stores citywide at the beginning of April, and the state of California lifted a fee on plastic bags for two months at the end of April; and Maine delayed the implementation of a plastic bag ban that was set to go into effect in late April. Meanwhile, supermarket chains have implemented their own policies: Trader Joe’s, for example, is not allowing reusable bags at any of its locations.
While many of these policies sprung out of an abundance of caution, Mother Jones recently documented how the plastics industry and affiliated think tanks are attempting to use the momentum to reverse plastic bag bans around the country. To do so, they are spreading false information about the dangers of coronavirus on reusables and asking the federal government to back that misinformation.
“We are asking that the Department of Health and Human Services… make a public statement on the health and safety benefits seen in single-use plastics,” Tony Radoszewski, the president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, recently wrote in a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The federal government has not obliged, but the coordinated PR campaign has resulted in misleading news coverage, influenced public opinion, and led to local bans on reusable bags.
The strategy is nothing new: In the past, industry groups have funded studies that found bacteria on reusable bags. While scientists said the research merely pointed to the importance of washing bags, the industry has wielded it to fight plastic bag bans. In a new report, Greenpeace documents how exploiting concerns about COVID-19 is a continuation of a long-running misinformation campaign to overturn plastic bag bans.
However, expert after expert has detailed how there is no evidence that COVID-19 lives longer on cloth or cotton compared to plastic. (There have been no studies specifically on the coronavirus and reusable bags.) One study found the virus can live on plastic for a few days, versus 24 hours on cardboard. Overall, experts emphasize that the risk of contracting coronavirus from touching any bag is very low, and that most transmission occurs from breathing in particles when in close proximity to other people.
Still, at a time when more deaths of grocery workers are being reported, it makes sense to take every precaution to minimize contact with shoppers. Some stores, like Target and Mom’s Organic Markets, are doing this not by banning reusable bags, but by requiring that shoppers bag their own groceries.
At Whole Foods, Long Island nutritionist Cannon normally does most of her shopping by filling her own containers in the bulk section. But the first time she hit the supermarket after the shelter-in-place order had been issued in New York, she couldn’t bring herself to handle the shared scoops. “It made me afraid,” she said. “Right now, I’d much prefer to get something prepackaged. I don’t trust other people washing their hands, or even myself and my bags.”
Plastic is also having a moment thanks to an increase in grocery delivery. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that one in five adults in the U.S. say they’ve used a “food delivery service” instead of going to a grocery store or restaurant, due to COVID-19.
On a recent afternoon, a delivery person, wearing plastic gloves and a disposable mask, carried about 15 plastic grocery bags from her van to a Baltimore, Maryland rowhouse and crammed them into the vestibule. Even companies like Whole Foods that deliver orders in paper bags often package individual food items inside those bags — like a bunch of bananas — in plastic. Grocery delivery relied on plastic before the pandemic, but shoppers who would have grabbed an unwrapped bunch of bananas and used reusable bags before are now relying on it.
However, there are exceptions to the new tendency toward plastic. Brooklyn-based the Wally Shop, for example, applies bulk bin principles to online grocery, sending staple foods in reusable jars that shoppers send back to be cleaned and put back into circulation. In early April, the company opened up nationwide shipping for the first time and has been struggling to keep up with demand. In other words, many consumers are still okay with reusable packaging, it turns out, if social distancing is maintained.
Plastic in local food distribution
At the National Young Farmers Coalition, business services director Cara Fraver helps farmers understand and implement food safety practices, through services like the recent publication “A Small Farmer’s Practical Guide to Food Safety.” Fraver said that while even the small farms that didn’t fall under specific food-safety rules mandated by Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) were often paying attention to safety before, coronavirus upped the ante.
“This is certainly a galvanizing moment of starting to take your food safety practices incredibly seriously [as a farmer], in the same way that we’re all suddenly doing so much better with not touching our faces and washing our hands,” Fraver said.
Some of those farm practices that are being adopted involve single-use plastic, like lining produce boxes with a new liner each time they’re reused (a practice that was already required for some farms) and using lots of throwaway gloves. “That is a little antithetical to a lot of the reasons we see people excited about farming from an ecological standpoint,” she said.
At farmers’ markets, “everything is more likely to be pre-bagged,” she said, and market-style CSA pick-ups that are especially popular on the East Coast are increasingly shifting to handing out pre-bagged or boxed shares. Some of these changes, Fraver noted, are being made to ease eaters’ concerns at a time when everyone is scared and reliable information on the virus is not always easy to find.
“It’s not just what is safe, it’s also what is perceived as safe,” she said. A good example is that while strict hand washing protocols can be more effective than wearing gloves (especially if gloves are not being utilized properly), farmers wearing gloves at markets send a visual signal to shoppers about preventative measures.
Fraver also noted that a lot of the increase in packaging is not about food or containers being contaminated with the virus, it’s about getting people out of markets and CSA pick-ups faster, since transmission is more likely to occur when individuals congregate.
Finding creative solutions to plastic bags
Farmer Michael Protas of One Acre Farm in Dickerson, Maryland, was worried about that issue at his four CSA pick-up sites, which in past years have been executed market-style, with members bringing their own produce bags and totes to walk down a line while grabbing their food. “On Capitol Hill, we had 40 families that would come into a smallish garage … and that’s not gonna fly at the moment,” he said.
Protas had always provided compostable BioBags for members who forgot their reusables, but switching to a pre-packaged system meant a major increase in the number of bags he’d need. “We’re gonna be flying through these things,” he said. He knew that would be cost prohibitive and that other small farms in the region were likely facing the same dilemma.
Instead of switching to much cheaper plastic bags, he proposed organizing a bulk purchase with other farmers in the Mid-Atlantic. Local nonprofit Future Harvest helped organize the endeavor, and 13 farms signed on; Protas placed an order for 27 cases of produce bags and 13 cases of T-shirt bags for the farms to use throughout the coming season.
More markets and farmers will figure out creative solutions as they gain confidence about safety and are able to calibrate to new systems. “Things are changing so dramatically and fast,” Frost said.
At Rough Draft Farmstead, he sees space in the future to place bulk orders for boxes or paper bags or to reconsider reusable cloth bags. “We hope as the season goes on and we learn more about how the virus is transmitted, we can make decisions that keep us safe and the customers safe,” he said.
It’s the kind of push-and-pull decision making that nutritionist Cannon said is necessary right now. While she’s alarmed (but not surprised) by industry efforts to reverse bag bans, for most individuals producing, shopping for, and eating food, cutting back on single-use packaging waste just might not be possible for a while.
That doesn’t mean Americans are putting their concerns about the environment aside. In fact, Kearney, a consulting firm, released the results of a new consumer survey on Earth Day. Nearly half of the respondents said the pandemic had made them more concerned about the environment. Fifty-nine percent said they are likely to use reusable shopping bags in the future; the biggest plans for future behavioral shifts that respondents reported were to decline plastic utensils and buy food in bulk.
For now, Cannon is focusing on other aspects of sustainable living. “I was crazy about food waste before, but it’s next-level now. If something is going to go bad, it goes in the freezer, or I’m repurposing it and we’re eating it. We’re shopping less. We’re working from home and not getting food on the go; we’re not driving,” she said. “I will be able to go back to bulk buying [at some point], I’m confident in that. But I think what this has made me realize is the conversation is about so much more than plastic and how I shop for food.”
While learning to bake her own bread, signing up for a CSA to support local agriculture, and changing her three-month-old’s cloth diapers, Cannon is thinking about self-sufficiency. “I hope that at the end of this, people are more mindful and are more open to having conversations about what it means to be sustainable,” she said. “Right now, everything is very stressful, and things are going to come in plastic.”
• How the Pandemic Is Creating a Plastic Boom [Civil Eats]
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Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images
Many stores are banning reusable food containers and canvas shopping bags, which means plastic bags and straws are everywhere again 
This story was originally published on Civil Eats.
Instead of taking CSA members’ cloth bags and returning them filled with fresh vegetables, farmers Jesse Frost and Hannah Crabtree delivered mid-April shares in plastic bags. And for the weekly farmers’ market in Lexington, Kentucky, they used smaller plastic bags to individually package their greens, which would normally be loose in bins for shoppers to reach into.
Single-use plastic doesn’t align with Rough Draft Farmstead’s commitment to environmentalism. But as they hustle to reinvent their business plan for 2020 while continuing to produce and sell food during a pandemic, they’ve had to adjust the hierarchy that determines their priorities, Frost said.
“Everything’s kind of been scrambled,” he said. “The first thing we have to do is figure out what our marketing approach is. Then, figure out what the distribution looks like. Then, we have to figure out how to keep all of those things sanitary.”
As farmers, farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and restaurants have all raced to confront a quickly reordered reality, the qualities that contributed to single-use plastic becoming such a ubiquitous problem over decades — it is incredibly cheap and convenient — are contributing to a resurgence in use. And it’s happening at a time when the recycling of plastic has been severely curtailed.
“I’m probably using more plastic from one grocery trip than I normally would in months,” said Abby K. Cannon, a Long Island-based nutritionist who also coaches clients on low-waste living.
While there is no evidence that the coronavirus is transmitted on food or that wrapping food in plastic is safer, all of the activities that surround the use of reusables — reaching, swapping, and sharing — are off limits. And throwing something away that came from outside the home and was touched by unknown hands simply feels safer.
In recent weeks, the plastics industry has spread mis-information about the dangers of reusable bags.
Some grocery stores and counties have banned cloth bags, and more people are shopping for groceries online, which generally results in more plastic packaging. Farmers’ market tables are now stocked with vegetables pre-packed into plastic bags, and CSA pick-ups that were once self-serve now involve plastic bags inside larger plastic bags or boxes. In addition, coffee shops that used to give discounts for bringing cups from home have stopped allowing them.
In the midst of this, the plastics industry has stepped in to spread misinformation about the dangers of reusable bags and has successfully reversed plastic bag bans in some states and cities. And news came out this morning that plastics industry trade association is now asking for a $1 billion bailout from the U.S. government.
It’s clear that at the moment, concerns about the waste generated from single-use packaging, and especially plastic, in the food system will have to take a backseat to the immediate health, safety, and economic concerns that have arisen during the pandemic.
But activism to fight plastic waste during the pandemic persists: On April 22, a new documentary on the costs of plastic pollution premiered. And some say the temporary shift will be gradually worked out as we learn more about COVID-19 and the shape of the new economy — and that it could even lead to Americans asking deeper questions about sustainable habits.
Grocery store plastic and the campaign against reusables
Around the country, restrictions on reusable bags at grocery stores began to pick up steam as the coronavirus pandemic worsened.
The governor of New Hampshire banned reusable bags in the state in late March; San Francisco banned reusable bags in stores citywide at the beginning of April, and the state of California lifted a fee on plastic bags for two months at the end of April; and Maine delayed the implementation of a plastic bag ban that was set to go into effect in late April. Meanwhile, supermarket chains have implemented their own policies: Trader Joe’s, for example, is not allowing reusable bags at any of its locations.
While many of these policies sprung out of an abundance of caution, Mother Jones recently documented how the plastics industry and affiliated think tanks are attempting to use the momentum to reverse plastic bag bans around the country. To do so, they are spreading false information about the dangers of coronavirus on reusables and asking the federal government to back that misinformation.
“We are asking that the Department of Health and Human Services… make a public statement on the health and safety benefits seen in single-use plastics,” Tony Radoszewski, the president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, recently wrote in a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The federal government has not obliged, but the coordinated PR campaign has resulted in misleading news coverage, influenced public opinion, and led to local bans on reusable bags.
The strategy is nothing new: In the past, industry groups have funded studies that found bacteria on reusable bags. While scientists said the research merely pointed to the importance of washing bags, the industry has wielded it to fight plastic bag bans. In a new report, Greenpeace documents how exploiting concerns about COVID-19 is a continuation of a long-running misinformation campaign to overturn plastic bag bans.
However, expert after expert has detailed how there is no evidence that COVID-19 lives longer on cloth or cotton compared to plastic. (There have been no studies specifically on the coronavirus and reusable bags.) One study found the virus can live on plastic for a few days, versus 24 hours on cardboard. Overall, experts emphasize that the risk of contracting coronavirus from touching any bag is very low, and that most transmission occurs from breathing in particles when in close proximity to other people.
Still, at a time when more deaths of grocery workers are being reported, it makes sense to take every precaution to minimize contact with shoppers. Some stores, like Target and Mom’s Organic Markets, are doing this not by banning reusable bags, but by requiring that shoppers bag their own groceries.
At Whole Foods, Long Island nutritionist Cannon normally does most of her shopping by filling her own containers in the bulk section. But the first time she hit the supermarket after the shelter-in-place order had been issued in New York, she couldn’t bring herself to handle the shared scoops. “It made me afraid,” she said. “Right now, I’d much prefer to get something prepackaged. I don’t trust other people washing their hands, or even myself and my bags.”
Plastic is also having a moment thanks to an increase in grocery delivery. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that one in five adults in the U.S. say they’ve used a “food delivery service” instead of going to a grocery store or restaurant, due to COVID-19.
On a recent afternoon, a delivery person, wearing plastic gloves and a disposable mask, carried about 15 plastic grocery bags from her van to a Baltimore, Maryland rowhouse and crammed them into the vestibule. Even companies like Whole Foods that deliver orders in paper bags often package individual food items inside those bags — like a bunch of bananas — in plastic. Grocery delivery relied on plastic before the pandemic, but shoppers who would have grabbed an unwrapped bunch of bananas and used reusable bags before are now relying on it.
However, there are exceptions to the new tendency toward plastic. Brooklyn-based the Wally Shop, for example, applies bulk bin principles to online grocery, sending staple foods in reusable jars that shoppers send back to be cleaned and put back into circulation. In early April, the company opened up nationwide shipping for the first time and has been struggling to keep up with demand. In other words, many consumers are still okay with reusable packaging, it turns out, if social distancing is maintained.
Plastic in local food distribution
At the National Young Farmers Coalition, business services director Cara Fraver helps farmers understand and implement food safety practices, through services like the recent publication “A Small Farmer’s Practical Guide to Food Safety.” Fraver said that while even the small farms that didn’t fall under specific food-safety rules mandated by Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) were often paying attention to safety before, coronavirus upped the ante.
“This is certainly a galvanizing moment of starting to take your food safety practices incredibly seriously [as a farmer], in the same way that we’re all suddenly doing so much better with not touching our faces and washing our hands,” Fraver said.
Some of those farm practices that are being adopted involve single-use plastic, like lining produce boxes with a new liner each time they’re reused (a practice that was already required for some farms) and using lots of throwaway gloves. “That is a little antithetical to a lot of the reasons we see people excited about farming from an ecological standpoint,” she said.
At farmers’ markets, “everything is more likely to be pre-bagged,” she said, and market-style CSA pick-ups that are especially popular on the East Coast are increasingly shifting to handing out pre-bagged or boxed shares. Some of these changes, Fraver noted, are being made to ease eaters’ concerns at a time when everyone is scared and reliable information on the virus is not always easy to find.
“It’s not just what is safe, it’s also what is perceived as safe,” she said. A good example is that while strict hand washing protocols can be more effective than wearing gloves (especially if gloves are not being utilized properly), farmers wearing gloves at markets send a visual signal to shoppers about preventative measures.
Fraver also noted that a lot of the increase in packaging is not about food or containers being contaminated with the virus, it’s about getting people out of markets and CSA pick-ups faster, since transmission is more likely to occur when individuals congregate.
Finding creative solutions to plastic bags
Farmer Michael Protas of One Acre Farm in Dickerson, Maryland, was worried about that issue at his four CSA pick-up sites, which in past years have been executed market-style, with members bringing their own produce bags and totes to walk down a line while grabbing their food. “On Capitol Hill, we had 40 families that would come into a smallish garage … and that’s not gonna fly at the moment,” he said.
Protas had always provided compostable BioBags for members who forgot their reusables, but switching to a pre-packaged system meant a major increase in the number of bags he’d need. “We’re gonna be flying through these things,” he said. He knew that would be cost prohibitive and that other small farms in the region were likely facing the same dilemma.
Instead of switching to much cheaper plastic bags, he proposed organizing a bulk purchase with other farmers in the Mid-Atlantic. Local nonprofit Future Harvest helped organize the endeavor, and 13 farms signed on; Protas placed an order for 27 cases of produce bags and 13 cases of T-shirt bags for the farms to use throughout the coming season.
More markets and farmers will figure out creative solutions as they gain confidence about safety and are able to calibrate to new systems. “Things are changing so dramatically and fast,” Frost said.
At Rough Draft Farmstead, he sees space in the future to place bulk orders for boxes or paper bags or to reconsider reusable cloth bags. “We hope as the season goes on and we learn more about how the virus is transmitted, we can make decisions that keep us safe and the customers safe,” he said.
It’s the kind of push-and-pull decision making that nutritionist Cannon said is necessary right now. While she’s alarmed (but not surprised) by industry efforts to reverse bag bans, for most individuals producing, shopping for, and eating food, cutting back on single-use packaging waste just might not be possible for a while.
That doesn’t mean Americans are putting their concerns about the environment aside. In fact, Kearney, a consulting firm, released the results of a new consumer survey on Earth Day. Nearly half of the respondents said the pandemic had made them more concerned about the environment. Fifty-nine percent said they are likely to use reusable shopping bags in the future; the biggest plans for future behavioral shifts that respondents reported were to decline plastic utensils and buy food in bulk.
For now, Cannon is focusing on other aspects of sustainable living. “I was crazy about food waste before, but it’s next-level now. If something is going to go bad, it goes in the freezer, or I’m repurposing it and we’re eating it. We’re shopping less. We’re working from home and not getting food on the go; we’re not driving,” she said. “I will be able to go back to bulk buying [at some point], I’m confident in that. But I think what this has made me realize is the conversation is about so much more than plastic and how I shop for food.”
While learning to bake her own bread, signing up for a CSA to support local agriculture, and changing her three-month-old’s cloth diapers, Cannon is thinking about self-sufficiency. “I hope that at the end of this, people are more mindful and are more open to having conversations about what it means to be sustainable,” she said. “Right now, everything is very stressful, and things are going to come in plastic.”
• How the Pandemic Is Creating a Plastic Boom [Civil Eats]
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sabreean · 3 years
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Plastic free personal care:
Hair: This is a major category for me because I have a horse’s mane - 2 1/2 feet long, baby-fine but as thick as any 2 or 3 other people combined. — As soon as the current bottle is empty I will switch to bar shampoo. Many companies make bar shampoo and conditioner so there are a lot of naked products to choose from, and I mean a LOT, so making a decision took a long time and a lot of reading. myHumankind makes some, so does Sheets, but I have decided to try Ethique. They offer mini bars for sale so you can give them a try first and are the perfect size for traveling, they sell plastic-free compostable shower storage boxes for the full size bars (the boxes last about 5 years before they start to break down) and they have unscented. I received my Bar Minimum mini today and may hair feels very clean. It didn’t lather up as much as bottle liquid shampoos but maybe it isn’t supposed to. The Ethique web site says that it will “foam” but that wasn’t my experience. Eh, whatevs, it worked. They also have a purple bar set, for us blondes and silvers, and I don’t think *any* other brand makes that in bar/naked form. —I can’t use bar conditioner, I just have too much hair. But Ethique makes concentrates of many of their products - large bars that can be melted with boiling water into a cream/liquid and stored in whatever bottle is already sitting around. So I am going to try their conditioner concentrate when the current stuff is used up and just reuse the bottle that’s in the shower now. —I keep a small container of dry shampoo handy because the crown of my head needs washing a lot more often than is good for the length of my hair. I’m light blonde so the dry shampoos that lighten your hair don’t look weird but that’s a consideration for people with darker hair, and some brands make dry shampoos specifically for darker hair or claim that their all-for-one won’t make you the Bride of Frankenstein. I have Billie right now (two shades available, for light or dark hair, unscented) which comes in a plastic bottle, but only because I got a sweet discount on it with my first Billie razor set and I hadn’t yet gotten on the zero waste wagon. In a pinch, if you have light hair or don’t care about the lightening, you can just use cornstarch. It’s cheap, it’s in every store, it comes in a cardboard box and it’s the main ingredient of some dry shampoos anyway. But looking for an alternative to the Billie has shown that all-natural dry shampoos are more prevalent than I would have suspected. I even found a zero waste, unscented one that’s made here in Hawaii! — Two reasons to hope I love Ethique’s products: they have pet products. And they are a certified B Corp whose business practices and ethics kick the ass of pretty much any other company out there, maybe even Lush. They tick hippie boxes I didn’t know existed. — If I need to set my hair, I use aloe vera juice. If I need to slick it down I use conditioner. If I need to deep condition it, I use whatever oil is within reach. Heat never touches it. The only hair products in my home are shampoo and conditioner. It’s 2 1/2 feet long, “styling” ain’t something that happens here. It braids, it barrettes, it buns, it tails. So while there may be all natural, zero waste styling products out there, I don't use them. Maybe I'll do a whole separate article some day just to point the way but I won't have dick to say about them.
Deodorant: I don’t sweat much and BO has never been a problem - until now. I am going through it at three times the rate I did before. I have a mini unscented deodorant bar in my Ethique sample pack but the full size is a block that requires an airtight container they don’t sell, and a good number of reviewers reported it leaving white streaks on their clothes that don’t wash out. I just used it for the first and I’m wearing a sleeveless dress so I can’t speak to streaks, but it has a pasty consistency that means you have to wash your hands after using. So…probably not going to go with the full size, as much as I want to love Ethique. I ordered the full size Native unscented deodorant, which is a stick in a paper tube that you push up from the bottom, just like that orange treat you got from the ice cream truck when you were a kid). Sheets has the same but not unscented. myHumankind makes unscented but are currently sold out except to current subscribers who just need refills whereas I’d be a first time buyer, and anyway their dispenser contains a little bit of plastic which ain’t no thang if your community has recycling. Ours doesn’t, so I think I’ll stick with the paper tubes. -- Some brands make powders which I’ve tried and while they can be messy, they work. Other brands make pastes that come in glass jars and you apply with some spatula-like thing, but I can’t get excited about schmearing myself like a bagel. As with hair you have a lot of options to work through if you want to go plastic-free or plastic-minimal. -- The obvious question is whether all natural deodorants work for people who sweat heavily and I really don’t know since I’m not one of those. I’ve read the reviews on all the brands I considered and the answer to that question appears to be much “Your mileage may vary”. Everybody's body chemistry is different so ever product performs differently. Some sites talk about "detoxifying" your pits but bitch, please.
Teeth: — When my current tube of Dr. Bronner’s runs out I will try myHumankinds tooth tabs. I used Lush’s tooth tabs for a long time and I think tabs are fantastic - you can put them in carryon luggage without doing TSA’s stupid human tricks and they take up much less space. Other brands make powders which like deodorant powders above can be messy. But read the ingredients if you go the powder route - some store brands are just flavored baking soda which still works well, but at 10x the cost of a box of Arm & Hammer and they can just fuck right off with that scam. Other brands make pastes that come in glass jars and I think I saw one brand that uses a tube made of sugarcane. Or maybe that was face moisturizer. I don’t remember now. — I’ve been using bamboo toothbrushes for over a year and the subscription option means it’s easy to ensure that you are changing out your toothbrush as often as your dentist lectures you about (I also have reminders on my calendar every three months to nudge). I use Brush With Bamboo brushes because the bristles are USDA certified as 100% biobased and am very happy with them. The bristles aren’t falling out and they are soft enough for tender gums. — There are also plenty of zero waste dental flosses and mouthwashes out there. I don’t use floss so can’t comment (flossing makes my gums bleed, has done so my entire life, even dental hygienists have a bitch of a time flossing me and give up quickly). I have used Lush mouthwash tabs and they work very well, I’m sure all the other do too. But I don’t feel a need to keep any on hand. I’ll update if I change my mind.
Skincare: — My current supply of face moisturizer will last me a good while but when it runs out, again, plenty of bar options and oh so many glass jar options, and a few brands use tubes made out of a sugarcane material. Finding a face cream your face loves is a trial-and-error pain in the ass, I may just default back to Lush even with the plastic pot. My skin loves Magical Moringa so much and it’s created to be matte, so I don’t have to worry about the island humidity leaving a shiny oil slick on my face. Plus it’s thick enough and ‘dry’ enough that it stands a far better chance of surviving shipping conditions than Lush’s other products. — I want to try Ethique’s body lotion concentrate when my jar of Queen Helene cocoa butter runs out but it will be hard to convince me that anything is better than the Queen. — My current shower soap is Lush and when they discontinued my favorite I loaded the hell up, so I won’t have to make a decision on that for months. I may just share my partner’s, it’s in a plastic bottle but I love its orangey scent. I use my shower gel to wash my face because it’s Lush so I don’t need a separate gentler face cleanser. But I did use the mini Bliss Bar that came today in my Ethique sample pack and my face likes it quite well so maybe I’ll stick with it. Finding a new face cleanser can also be a trial-and-error pain in the ass…um, cheeks… — I exfoliate my face and body by mixing sugar into my shower gel, on the rare occasions I feel the need for a face mask I use straight honey (creamed/whipped/spun if I can find it), and for toner I mix tea tree oil into witch hazel liquid. Sorry I don’t have any opinions on specialty products out there but for these three things I’ve always been DIY. The toner and honey mask are good options for people with acne because honey and tea tree oil are natural antimicrobials, if that helps ease your sense of loss.
Shaving: I’ve been using Harry’s safety razors for a few years because I did the math - the subscription safety razors live up to their press, you really do save a shit-ton of money over disposables and they work much better. I switched to Billie just before I moved to the island because of the magnetic razor holder that it comes with, and really that was the only reason for the switch, the razors are just as good (although I admit the differently shaped handle of the Billie is easier for me to handle without dropping). -- I use hair conditioner or shower gel to shave with so I can’t comment on shave-specific products that are plastic-free, although there are a lot out there to choose from. The only shave-specific product I’ve used is Cremo and I liked it very much but it comes in a plastic tube.
Lip balm: It’s in a plastic jar because that’s the only way I can get it but I use straight up 100% anhydrous lanolin (the thick stuff, not liquid). It works incredibly well, is unscented/unflavored, and doesn’t wash off too easily. I order it from bulk supply houses like LotionCrafter or Bulk Apothecary because much cheaper than buying it off the shelf at a store. To exfoliate my lips I mix sugar and just enough oil or honey to make a paste. I don’t know that any one oil is better than any other for this, I just use whatever I have around - almond, avocado, coconut, and there’s always olive in the kitchen.
Tools: I use myHumankind bamboo swabs and I love them! The stems are bamboo and the cotton organic. The stems are rigid and strong, the cotton is tightly wound, and both are very important now that I'm regularly gunking up my ears with salt and sand and water. They are going to be great for makeup if I ever get around to wearing any. Maybe in September when we take our long weekend on Maui. -- If I get to the point that I need cotton balls, which I haven't since I moved here, I would probably try the washable bamboo pads that so many places sell. I used cotton balls before because I just...always had them. It's one of those things you always kept in the bathroom because doesn't everybody and your mom always bought them so I did too. Weird how that works, ain't it?
Feminine hygiene: I'll be blunt, don’t ask me. I haven't had a period in well over a decade because I practice menstrual suppression. And I’m of croning age now so it will be a moot point before long. I can’t contribute to this conversation. Sorry.
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muniph · 7 years
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Note: This list is a personal list made by the author, and is not a paid post. This does not represent a list vouched for by MUNI in its entirety, and there are many other brands that could also fall within this list but just did not make it to the author’s cut at this time. 
Christmas seasons usually ushers in chaos, confusion, even more horrendous traffic and panic-buying for those of us who cannot escape the tradition / social norm of gift-giving.
As a result, most people usually wind up giving and receiving more Christmas sweets than we can consume without getting diabetes (also usually painfully over-packaged in layers of foil and cellophane), every kind of hand soap (in various plastic containers), and oftentimes, random other products we don’t really know what to do with and can’t figure out how to politely dispose of (therefore a waste of resources in production and transport, and a pending landfill problem).
While I feel we should spend more time and resources on creating special memories with loved ones vs. filling their lives with more stuff, we recognize that people WILL consume nonetheless. Fortunately, there are products / gift ideas that are actually useful and meaningful.
I’ve made a rundown of Zero Waste Gift Ideas for varying budgets, recipient personas (for the foodies, the style savvy, zero waste explorers, travelers, etc.), and recipient sensibilities to zero waste living (from not so savvy, to those ready take it to the next level).
Read all the way ’til the end for the best (and bonus) ideas, and zero waste factoids! 🙂
FOR THE FOODIE (so in the Philippines, basically everyone)
Filipinos love gathering over food, and in the world over, we’ve seen a lack of people congregating over a wholesome meal made fresh that celebrates locally sourced / real food items with minimal to no preservatives. In his book and documentary In Defense of Food (watchable on Netflix), writer Michael Pollan encourages us to “Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants”.
Here are just some gifts of health and sumptuous flavor that you can give your foodie friends, without any of the plastic packaging. (There are waaay too many glass bottle products for me to include in this list right now, so I only included the ones I love / are unique / am using right now.)
#1-3 Unique beverages and spirits from local makers
Bayani Brew Tea Concentrate with gift tag
Proudly Promdi Bugnay Wine
Proudly Promdi Tapuey Rice Wine
Tea concentrate from Bayani Brew (P180/500ml bottle of concentrate good for making 3 liters of tea; P165/500ml bottle for orders of 12 bottles and up) Happy that Bayani Brew’s teas are finally available in glass bottles! Available in lemongrass pandan and sweet potato leaf flavors, made with organically grown crops sourced directly from farmers at up to 5x above market prices from partner farming communities including Gawad Kalinga, brewed with traditional methods, and sweetened with premium raw brown sugar. * Order via www.shopee.com/bayanibrew or their Facebook page, or email to [email protected]. Lemongrass pandan concentrate is also available via Blue Kitchen outlets in Rockwell, Uptown BGC, Shangri-la Plaza and Robinson’s Magnolia (call to confirm availability).
Tapuey rice wine from Proudly Promdi (P400/500ml bottle) Made from locally produced gluttonous rice, cooked, fermented and then stored in earthen jars for two to three months. It is a local drink used and served during rituals and special occasions, which you can drink over ice or mixed in other drinks.
Bugnay fruit wine from Proudly Promdi (P490/bottle) Bugnay is a tropical fruit and berry that contains anti-oxidants and is good for the heart. The wines are all-natural (no additives) and handmade by the winemaking tribes of Adams in Ilocos Norte. * Order via www.proudlypromdi.myshopify.com or their Facebook page, or email to [email protected]. Bottles are also stocked at Ritual in Makati and Roots in Katipunan (call to confirm availability).
#4-5 Zero Waste snack & sweets
Mana Bites Matcha Made in Heaven bars + cookies!
Baby Cafe Package-free Coconut Chips
Baby Cafe Coco Chips (P1.25/gram or P100/80 grams) For those you know who are nuts about coconuts, this is a great treat, available in unsweetened and coconut sugar-sweetened (crispier!) variants, you can opt to get as little or as much as you might like. They have them available in kraft pouches too, but for a truly zero waste gift, I’d recommend repacking them into another airtight container your recipient can reuse, and that would be part of your gift too! * Order via Baby Cafe’s Instagram or Facebook page, or email to [email protected]
Mana Bites snack subscription (P300 and up) Taking from our recent MUNI Meetup on Zero Waste Ways in Business, Mana Bites offers a zero waste snack subscription where they rotate 2 containers to you or your chosen recipient for P200, then you can subscribe for any number of sweets over your chosen duration! Apart from being zero waste, Mana Bites uses healthy, wholesome ingredients, rich in fiber, and sweeten their treats without using refined sugar, and opting for more wholesome alternatives like coconut sugar. * Order via Mana Bites’ Instagram or Facebook page, or email to [email protected]
#6 A regular delivery of fresh, organic veggies
Gulay Pambahay from Good Food Community
Salad veggies from Good Food Community
Good Food Community veggie subscription (P300 for 1-week delivery or P1,050 for 4-week delivery of Salad Pack subscription – a half-kilo mix of salad greens and other veggies that can be eaten raw; or P580 for 1-week delivery or P2,170 for 4-week delivery of Bayong Pambahay subscription – 3.5kgs of seasonal 9-12 hearty and leafy veggies) Truly a gift of health to your recipient, and security to Good Food’s partner farmers in Tarlac! Just check that your recipient is someone looking to live healthier by making his / her own food from scratch and is looking for healthier, organic, fair trade veggies to make sure food doesn’t go to waste. 🙂 * Order via www.good-food-coop.myshopify.com or email [email protected].
FOR THE STYLE SAVVY
Piling textile waste is a growing problem in the fashion industry today, and while arguably, the best way to combat this is by curbing consumption and choosing pre-loved items, there are makers that are more mindful about their use of textiles, sourcing scraps instead of always using virgin material, making designs that last, and practicing fair labor practices.
These gift ideas would be great for your fashion-forward trendsetter friends who can help make sustainable fashion a style standard and not just a trend.
#7-8 Practical everyday items made with scrap fabric
R2R Travel wallet
R2R Laptop Sleeve
R2R’s Matt travel wallet with wristlet (P1,049) and Charlie laptop sleeve (P1,749) are made with the signature R2R weave and are practical items for people to use. The laptop sleeve also comes with an indigenous textile flap, handwoven by talented artisan communities in the Philippines. It fastens with an adjustable belt, allowing it to hold a laptop as small as 11-inches or more heavy-duty like a 13″ Macbook. * Order via www.thingsthatmatter.ph – R2R’s new e-commerce baby, which houses other meaningful, homegrown brands and gift ideas too.
#9 A completely upcycled, statement zero waste top
Anthill Fabric Gallery’s Pamana zero waste top (P3499 and P3799) Another brand featured at our recent MUNI Meetup on Zero Waste Ways in Business, Anthill produced this blouse with a 100% zero waste pattern – no end cuts, no remnant fabrics. It is handwoven from 100% waste or discarded fabrics from local designers and garment manufacturing in Cebu, cut into strips by partner social enterprise PTI International, and upcycled and handwoven into this fabric by a partner Argao Weaving Community. * Order via www.facebook.com/AnthillFabricGallery or via email to [email protected].
FOR ZERO WASTE EXPLORERS
One way to get folks into zero waste habits is by showing them alternatives and letting them try it! Sometimes, all we need to do is find out where certain things are available, and be guided into the process by a supportive friend. 🙂
There are different options here for friends in different parts of their Zero Waste journey, so make sure you give them a gift for the appropriate leg of their journey so that you’re sure it won’t be an item that just lies around idle and not in use, otherwise, that would be a bigger waste!
#10-11 Zero Waste dental hygiene
Bamboo toothbrushes by GoZero (P75) Prior to this option, bamboo toothbrushes were a lot more expensive, and for people to shift the habit from plastic to bamboo, price was a major factor. (Did you know that in the US alone, 850 million to 1 billion toothbrushes go to landfills annually?) GoZero has now made this a less elitist lifestyle choice. Pair it with your own toothpaste made with baking soda, just enough virgin coconut oil to make it into a paste, and a few drops of food grade peppermint essential oil (or check out the next item on this list). * Order via www.facebook.com/GoZeroPH.
Remineralizing Tooth Powder (P150/110 grams) and Black Toothpaste (P150/190 grams) by Zero Basics Toothpaste tubes are insidious and unnecessary when there are options like a simple recipe (in bamboo toothbrush blurb) and alternatives like these by Zero Basics. These are probably for the more zero waste savvy friends of yours, especially since the black toothpaste made with activated charcoal may be intimidating. 🙂 * Order via Zero Basics’ Facebook or Instagram, and check out the 3-in-1 face mask too (I’ve tried it myself!).
#12-13 Liquid hand soap and plastic-free, toxin-free home cleaning products
Lemongrass liquid soap by Ritual (P170/350ml signature Ritual gin bottle – same container as the Citronella dish liquid in above photo, P210 with canvas pouch & card; P230/700ml bottle, P280 with canvas pouch & card) A great entry-level gift that’s also generic enough and functional for everyone, minus the typical plastic bottle container. This mild, all-natural liquid soap is 100% biodegradable and made with coconut-based cleansers and pure organic lemongrass essential oil. May be used as a hand or body wash.
Green cleaning box set by Ritual (P900/box set containing Citronella Dish Liquid (700ml), Citronella or Lemongrass Enzyme Deodorizer (350ml Spray), 2 segments of Victoria Herbal Laundry Bar, 500g of borax, 500g of baking soda, 2 packs of laundry starch, and 1 coconut fiber scrubber) Another hyper-practical gift for young (or progressive) eco-moms, dads, and basically anyone who has their own space! Check out these other green home cleaning tips from Ritual’s Bea Misa Crisostomo at our recent MUNI Meetup on Zero Waste Ways at Home. * Order via www.ritualph.myshopify.com or the specific product links above.
#14 Reusable beeswax wraps
NatuWrap Beeswax food wraps by Milea All Organics (P395/set of 3 – 1 6.5″x6.5″, 1 10″x10″, and 1 14″x14″ wrap) Plastic wrap / seran wrap / cling wrap is one of my pet peeves, and is unsustainable, single-use, petroleum-based, and insidious af. Because it’s so thin, it deceivingly feels like it’s “not wasteful”! Not all beeswax wraps are made equal, and this one right here is made with beeswax and tree resin harvested straight from their organic farm, and muslin fabric vs. colorful, printed fabrics that may likely have polyester or other mixes that may make them non-biodegradable (which some sellers claim). Ask about the textile too when buying your beeswax wraps. 🙂 * Order via www.milea.ph or catch them at Legazpi Sunday Market.
#15-16 Zero waste feminine hygiene For gift recipients you know have been considering it, but haven’t taken the leap just yet! Disposable sanitary napkins, like diapers last 100-200 years, and one of the unfortunately popular items that are collected from cleanup dives or coastal cleanups. Plastic tampon applicators don’t help either. Here are some possible alternatives:
Reusable cloth napkins from Ka Nami Cloth Pads
Menstrual cups from Sinaya Cup
Reusable cloth pads by Ka Nami Cloth Pads (P120/pad) Haven’t used these myself, but Angel of Ka Nami swears they’re absorbent! They’re also a fraction of the price I bought my Charlie Banana cloth pads years ago at P900 for a box of 3. It takes a certain level of commitment to wash the pads though, so make sure your recipient is open to it. It’s a great first step before moving them onto the next, more zero waste option. * Order via Ka Nami’s Facebook, or their partner Hamsa Earth-conscious Collections. They’re based in Bacolod, in case that’s relevant to you. 🙂
Menstrual cups by Sinaya Cup (P1,199/cup) Yes, I’ve had mine for nearly two years, but I still alternate this with cloth pads. 😀 Nonetheless, it’s a great option for active days when I go swimming or diving, or am traveling and washing cloth pads is out of the question. This requires a certain level of commitment from the recipient though, and I won’t deny that it takes getting used to. Ultimately, once you get used to it, it’s a more convenient, zero waste option than the cloth pads as it also requires less water and soap to clean! * Order via www.sinayacup.com, Sinaya Cup’s Facebook or [email protected].
FOR TRAVELERS, LEARNERS & DOERS
In my mind, nothing beats the gift of experience and shared memories. ❤ Naturally, there are many more experiences that could have made this list, but, Here are just a few ideas from things I’ve tried myself and would love to do again and again!
#17-19 Travel Experiences
Skin-diving Day Trip with Reef Nomads (P3,000/person inclusive of guide and lessons, transpo, meals, sanctuary fees; +P300 for equipment rental) The Philippines is the center of the center of marine biodiversity, and it’s ironic that not more Filipinos take to the water! I believe that reconnecting people to nature and seeing both the beauty, and also the human-induced degradation of resources can compel people to take on more pro-environmental behavior. * Check out trip schedules via Reef Nomads’ Facebook page.
Overnight stay at Sonya’s Garden (P3,000/person on weekdays, P3,400/person on weekends, inclusive of 1 lunch or dinner, breakfast, and “art of doing nothing” activities including gardening and composting) Perfect for your mom, tita, tumitita friends, or partner. Fell in love with it when I first stayed over, and it’s a place I’d love to be able to regularly go to because of the serenity and warm, familial staff. Food is veg-friendly and organically grown on site, and you may request for certain food items according to your dietary preferences. When I’m here, I feel like a queen / haciendera of sorts, but of the just, wholesome, organic, fair trade kind, because of the community that Sonya’s Garden has been able to help. 🙂 * Book via www.sonyasgarden.com/bed-breakfast.
6D/5N Zero Waste-themed trip throughout Negros Occidental with MUNI (P21,500/person for applications sent by November 30, inclusive of activities like farm tours, snorkeling, a customized MUNI Meetup, etc., accommodations, meals, transportation, guide fees and zero waste essentials) Didn’t plan on including this in the list, but hey, might as well. 🙂 Naturally, this would be for a more special person in your life who you feel could use more than just a day trip, and could use the boost of inspiration + community support from MUNI and its partners in organic farming, marine conservation, sustainable tourism, and social enterprise. Here, travelers can learn about integrated, zero waste farming practices, the impact of plastics on our oceans, sustainable sourcing and production in business, and discover how they can contribute in their own way. * View trip details here, and e-mail inquiries to [email protected].
FOR THE DIY GIFT-GIVERS
#20-23 Labor of love ideas (yup, I guess I went past 20)
These are relatively simple, inexpensive, but some more time-intensive ideas that I’m just throwing out there, but you’ll have to put in the work / time for yourself. 😉
Cook a healthy meal (or plan a cookout) with your loved ones using plant-based, package-free food items Nothing says I love you, I care about your health, and “hey, it’s doable!” more than taking the time to make a meal from scratch. You can get organic produce from Good Food Community, cool salts from Ritual, and experiment with hearty veg stews or simple one-pot meals.
Make your own personal care products for them A simple recipe is the toothpaste one I mentioned above, but you can also make other personal care products like salves / balms or yoga mat sprays with kitchen ingredients like baking soda, virgin coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and various essential oils. Avoid giving folks anything for their face or underarms if you’re new to the world of personal care DIY and are unsure of their skin’s reaction to those ingredients.
Plan a wholesome Netflix documentary binge with them Provided that they have open minds (because you don’t want to be forcing them to sit through these documentaries), check out In Defense of Food, Cooked, Chasing Coral, A Plastic Ocean, Mission Blue, and True Cost to name a few. Sometimes, people need the extra encouragement by having someone to watch these things with and become more mindful of the impact of mindless consumption on our own health and that of the planet. Couple it with wholesome snacks mentioned earlier in this list!
Take the time to hear them out and give long, warm hugs Sometimes the only thing our family and friends really need from us are undivided attention and an un-judgmental ear. 🙂
There are a lot more options that could be added to this list, but it’s a hefty list for now! What other options would you guys recommend? I’d love to know your ideas!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jen Horn is the founder of MUNI, an advocate of responsible travel & consumption, and a communications and community engagement consultant. She enjoys being in, on, under, or near the water, eating veggies, witty remarks and sarcasm, and learning about link between psychology and pro-environmental behavior. She works to use jedi mind tricks to help the world triumph over apathy, single-use plastic, among other things we don’t need in the world. Follow her at @nomadmanager.
Conscious Christmas List: 20 Zero Waste Gift Ideas for Every Budget Note: This list is a personal list made by the author, and is not a paid post.
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ourlittledinosaur · 7 years
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Falling in Love with Cloth Diapering
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Falling in Love with Cloth Diapering
Falling in LOVE with Cloth Diapers
I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering. I never imagined how much I would enjoy it! I mean, they are diapers after all.
How it All Got Started
My husband and I decided the summer before my son was born to go the cloth diaper route. Initially my reason for looking into it was cost savings.
Before researching cloth diapers, I was doing a cost analysis of a list I had made for everything I thought we needed for the baby. I actually researched approximately how many diapers we might need in the first year and the cost was staggering. It was something like $1,500. Wowza!
My husband and I have been making gradual changes for a couple years now to try to lead a less wasteful life style, and try to save and make money where we can. We garden vegetables and herbs, compost, recycle metal, hang dry our laundry, and are looking into commuting by bike rather than car. Once we have some land, we plan to do a lot more.
So right off the bat, the first thing we liked about the possibility of cloth was the idea of reusing diapers rather than a one-and-done approach.
We liked that many of the diapers we bought would last from newborn stage right on through potty training! We especially liked the idea of using diapers for more than one child.
Making the Decision to Cloth Diaper
The truth is I didn’t know anything about cloth diapering. No one in my world used them. So I searched and read as much as I could online. Interestingly enough, both my mother and my husband’s mother cloth diapered with us, but didn’t like it. They both thought we were crazy for considering it, seeing it as unnecessary in this day and age. (They have been surprised at the options now available compared to 30 years ago!)
Before I actually decided cloth was for us, I decided to look into how I might save money buying disposable diapers. I read some crazy articles about constantly watching out for sales at six different stores, and buying in bulk and creating stock piles of different sized diapers and such. Those articles I read mentioned how I never needed to pay more than $.17 per diaper – a deal which I couldn’t find on my own as I have yet to learn the art of couponing. (A work in progress.)
There were a few things that made this approach unappealing for me, not the least of which was the uncertainty of just HOW MANY diapers I would need. If I was to stockpile diapers of various sizes, how was I to know what was enough…or worse, too many. It seemed easy to fall into the trap of wastefulness once again.
Another reason I didn’t want to go this route was because I’m not a big fan of shopping. Oh yes, I love to go shop for a new dress for myself, a gift for my husband, or toys for my son every now and then – and motherhood has certainly made me appreciate those trips to the grocery store as a way of “getting out of the house”.  However, the thought of watching for sales like it was my job, and bouncing around from store to store looking at clearance sales was almost stressful for me. I do love online shopping though.
Not What I Expected
So my search for the most cost effective and easiest diapering method led me to cloth diapering. Let me be honest that this did not appeal to me at all at first. I decided to really do my due diligence, and pressed on. I read article after article, and blog post after blog post.
I needed to know HOW to cloth diaper. I had never even seen a cloth diaper before! I quickly realized there were several types of cloth diapers, so I had to read to overcome that learning curve as well. Then, I needed to know WHICH cloth diapers were best. What type? What brand?
When I started my research, I was fully expecting to learn how to use a large safety pin (just like I had seen in stork bringing the baby cartoons), to pin in a towel that I was attaching to my baby. I expected to learn the trick of pinning this towel without sticking him, and then I imaged my child crinkling about as he sported the plastic pants I’d inevitably be buying for him.
Three things surprised me, as I began my cloth diapering education:
I was surprised that all these women whose articles I was reading, truly loved cloth diapering.
I was surprised at all the different cloth diaper options out there. It’s not like it was 30 years ago when we were babies.
I was surprised at how easy clothing diapering truly is.
Here are 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Cloth Diapering!
Cost Savings. I could go into great detail about how many of which type of cloth diaper is better. Naturally since there are different types of diapers, the prices vary. For the super thrifty, cloth diapers can even be purchased used from second hand stores, other crunchy mamas, and online marketplaces. The cheapest option I found is using prefolds with covers. The concept here is that the cover can be used multiple times (2-4x) and the prefold diaper replaced at each changing. To get started, I bought 36 prefolds (12 in a smaller size and 24 in a larger size), and 6 covers. From my experience this was probably more than I needed. The covers were about $15 to $25 each new. (I bought two different brands and the characters and prints may vary.) The prefolds were about $25/dozen. I also got a few special inserts to help with extra absorbency to get us through the night. For convenience only, I have since purchased (used from a second-hand store) “all-in-2” diapers, in which an absorbent insert is put in a shell, and this entire package is used once before washing. These were about $7 each. (If you decide to buy 2nd hand, I do recommend stripping the diapers first. Click here for great information on stripping diapers. Click here for great information on proper wash routines for cloth diapers.) This is much more than what is needed for one day. With all these diapers, I can go 3 or 4 days between washes, so I only do two extra loads of laundry a week. So, with the diapers, and diaper paraphilia (diaper pail, diaper pail liner, and wet bags, and diaper sprayer (not needed until my baby started solids), and the modern day “safety pin”, snappies!), my cost to get started was about $400.
Versatility. One of my cousins asked me what my theme was regarding purchasing baby items. When I asked her what she meant, she said, “Like for me, I wanted things that were easy!” “Oh,” I replied. “I want things that last me as long as possible – from as early on after birth to toddler hood, if possible.” And THAT is precisely what cloth diapers do! Many cloth diapers come in “one size”. The ones I purchased are for children 8-35 pounds. (8 pounds? But what about babies who are born smaller than 8 pounds? Honestly, I used disposable newborn diapers with my son for the first several weeks. They do have cloth diapers that are made especially for newborns, but since this stage is so short, and there are meconium (sticky, dark, tar-like substance) poops in the beginning that are difficult to clean and can easily stain cloth diapers, I decided to use disposable at first.) However, since that stage we have loved using our Rumparooz diaper covers with snaps and prefolds!
Durability and Absorbency. My husband and I recently took a trip out of state, and to avoid taking an extra suitcase just for cloth diapers, we went ahead and bought a small pack of disposable diapers. Although they served their purpose, they were so much more flimsy than the cloth diapers we have come to depend upon. My husband and I both agreed that anytime my son urinated, the pee smell was much stronger than when he is wearing cloth diapers. The disposables seemed to be plenty absorbent. When my son did do the dreaded “number two”, the smell was much more pungent than with cloth. Throwing it in the trash wasn’t enough to mask the smell even though it has a lid. It needed to be tossed in the dumpster outside! His cloth diapers, though, work wonderfully at preventing blowouts. I remember when my son was only a few weeks old, how the mess would escape his newborn disposables. Yucky! The cloth diapers are also incredibly strong and can last through several baby bums worth of diapering. I will say that not every brand is created equal. I have not been particularly impressed with the Bummis brand cover with velcro. The velcro has not shown itself to have the same quality as the other brands with velcro I purchased. Thirsties Duo Wrap hook and loop have been great diaper covers and the velcro still looks like new after 10 months of use. (We use velcro covers at night to get a more fitted diaper and better control leaks – aka No Leaks!)
Adorability! Anyone who has ever seen a baby in just a diaper has probably said, “Cute!” Cloth diaper takes the diapered bum up to a whole new level of ADORABLE! With so many cloth diapering types and brands, a diaper has now become a cute accessory and a part of an outfit. There are so many color choices, not to mention fun designs and characters.
Better for Sensitive Skin. My son has very sensitive skin, which we expected even before he was born as both my husband and I do also. Cloth diapers, when washed properly, are a terrific option for babies who experience diaper rashes. In our recent experience with disposables, my son had a bout of diaper rash which quickly healed once we were back home and he went back to his cloth diapers. If you are using cloth and do need a cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream, I recommend using the all natural version of Boudreaux’s Buttpaste (green tube). It’s worked very well for my son.
So if you’re just starting out as a first time parent, or maybe have already started down the road of disposable diapers well into your third kiddo but are curious about cloth diapering, go ahead and take the plunge. Even if you just buy one or two to get you started so you can see how they work and compare to disposable, this is a great start! All I can say is I have not been disappointed in the decision to go cloth!
Here is a really thorough resource on cloth diapers.
NOTE: Feel free to look through the different sizes and colors on the products links I shared throughout the post. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years
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Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images Many stores are banning reusable food containers and canvas shopping bags, which means plastic bags and straws are everywhere again  This story was originally published on Civil Eats. Instead of taking CSA members’ cloth bags and returning them filled with fresh vegetables, farmers Jesse Frost and Hannah Crabtree delivered mid-April shares in plastic bags. And for the weekly farmers’ market in Lexington, Kentucky, they used smaller plastic bags to individually package their greens, which would normally be loose in bins for shoppers to reach into. Single-use plastic doesn’t align with Rough Draft Farmstead’s commitment to environmentalism. But as they hustle to reinvent their business plan for 2020 while continuing to produce and sell food during a pandemic, they’ve had to adjust the hierarchy that determines their priorities, Frost said. “Everything’s kind of been scrambled,” he said. “The first thing we have to do is figure out what our marketing approach is. Then, figure out what the distribution looks like. Then, we have to figure out how to keep all of those things sanitary.” As farmers, farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and restaurants have all raced to confront a quickly reordered reality, the qualities that contributed to single-use plastic becoming such a ubiquitous problem over decades — it is incredibly cheap and convenient — are contributing to a resurgence in use. And it’s happening at a time when the recycling of plastic has been severely curtailed. “I’m probably using more plastic from one grocery trip than I normally would in months,” said Abby K. Cannon, a Long Island-based nutritionist who also coaches clients on low-waste living. While there is no evidence that the coronavirus is transmitted on food or that wrapping food in plastic is safer, all of the activities that surround the use of reusables — reaching, swapping, and sharing — are off limits. And throwing something away that came from outside the home and was touched by unknown hands simply feels safer. In recent weeks, the plastics industry has spread mis-information about the dangers of reusable bags. Some grocery stores and counties have banned cloth bags, and more people are shopping for groceries online, which generally results in more plastic packaging. Farmers’ market tables are now stocked with vegetables pre-packed into plastic bags, and CSA pick-ups that were once self-serve now involve plastic bags inside larger plastic bags or boxes. In addition, coffee shops that used to give discounts for bringing cups from home have stopped allowing them. In the midst of this, the plastics industry has stepped in to spread misinformation about the dangers of reusable bags and has successfully reversed plastic bag bans in some states and cities. And news came out this morning that plastics industry trade association is now asking for a $1 billion bailout from the U.S. government. It’s clear that at the moment, concerns about the waste generated from single-use packaging, and especially plastic, in the food system will have to take a backseat to the immediate health, safety, and economic concerns that have arisen during the pandemic. But activism to fight plastic waste during the pandemic persists: On April 22, a new documentary on the costs of plastic pollution premiered. And some say the temporary shift will be gradually worked out as we learn more about COVID-19 and the shape of the new economy — and that it could even lead to Americans asking deeper questions about sustainable habits. Grocery store plastic and the campaign against reusables Around the country, restrictions on reusable bags at grocery stores began to pick up steam as the coronavirus pandemic worsened. The governor of New Hampshire banned reusable bags in the state in late March; San Francisco banned reusable bags in stores citywide at the beginning of April, and the state of California lifted a fee on plastic bags for two months at the end of April; and Maine delayed the implementation of a plastic bag ban that was set to go into effect in late April. Meanwhile, supermarket chains have implemented their own policies: Trader Joe’s, for example, is not allowing reusable bags at any of its locations. While many of these policies sprung out of an abundance of caution, Mother Jones recently documented how the plastics industry and affiliated think tanks are attempting to use the momentum to reverse plastic bag bans around the country. To do so, they are spreading false information about the dangers of coronavirus on reusables and asking the federal government to back that misinformation. “We are asking that the Department of Health and Human Services… make a public statement on the health and safety benefits seen in single-use plastics,” Tony Radoszewski, the president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, recently wrote in a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The federal government has not obliged, but the coordinated PR campaign has resulted in misleading news coverage, influenced public opinion, and led to local bans on reusable bags. The strategy is nothing new: In the past, industry groups have funded studies that found bacteria on reusable bags. While scientists said the research merely pointed to the importance of washing bags, the industry has wielded it to fight plastic bag bans. In a new report, Greenpeace documents how exploiting concerns about COVID-19 is a continuation of a long-running misinformation campaign to overturn plastic bag bans. However, expert after expert has detailed how there is no evidence that COVID-19 lives longer on cloth or cotton compared to plastic. (There have been no studies specifically on the coronavirus and reusable bags.) One study found the virus can live on plastic for a few days, versus 24 hours on cardboard. Overall, experts emphasize that the risk of contracting coronavirus from touching any bag is very low, and that most transmission occurs from breathing in particles when in close proximity to other people. Still, at a time when more deaths of grocery workers are being reported, it makes sense to take every precaution to minimize contact with shoppers. Some stores, like Target and Mom’s Organic Markets, are doing this not by banning reusable bags, but by requiring that shoppers bag their own groceries. At Whole Foods, Long Island nutritionist Cannon normally does most of her shopping by filling her own containers in the bulk section. But the first time she hit the supermarket after the shelter-in-place order had been issued in New York, she couldn’t bring herself to handle the shared scoops. “It made me afraid,” she said. “Right now, I’d much prefer to get something prepackaged. I don’t trust other people washing their hands, or even myself and my bags.” Plastic is also having a moment thanks to an increase in grocery delivery. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that one in five adults in the U.S. say they’ve used a “food delivery service” instead of going to a grocery store or restaurant, due to COVID-19. On a recent afternoon, a delivery person, wearing plastic gloves and a disposable mask, carried about 15 plastic grocery bags from her van to a Baltimore, Maryland rowhouse and crammed them into the vestibule. Even companies like Whole Foods that deliver orders in paper bags often package individual food items inside those bags — like a bunch of bananas — in plastic. Grocery delivery relied on plastic before the pandemic, but shoppers who would have grabbed an unwrapped bunch of bananas and used reusable bags before are now relying on it. However, there are exceptions to the new tendency toward plastic. Brooklyn-based the Wally Shop, for example, applies bulk bin principles to online grocery, sending staple foods in reusable jars that shoppers send back to be cleaned and put back into circulation. In early April, the company opened up nationwide shipping for the first time and has been struggling to keep up with demand. In other words, many consumers are still okay with reusable packaging, it turns out, if social distancing is maintained. Plastic in local food distribution At the National Young Farmers Coalition, business services director Cara Fraver helps farmers understand and implement food safety practices, through services like the recent publication “A Small Farmer’s Practical Guide to Food Safety.” Fraver said that while even the small farms that didn’t fall under specific food-safety rules mandated by Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) or Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) were often paying attention to safety before, coronavirus upped the ante. “This is certainly a galvanizing moment of starting to take your food safety practices incredibly seriously [as a farmer], in the same way that we’re all suddenly doing so much better with not touching our faces and washing our hands,” Fraver said. Some of those farm practices that are being adopted involve single-use plastic, like lining produce boxes with a new liner each time they’re reused (a practice that was already required for some farms) and using lots of throwaway gloves. “That is a little antithetical to a lot of the reasons we see people excited about farming from an ecological standpoint,” she said. At farmers’ markets, “everything is more likely to be pre-bagged,” she said, and market-style CSA pick-ups that are especially popular on the East Coast are increasingly shifting to handing out pre-bagged or boxed shares. Some of these changes, Fraver noted, are being made to ease eaters’ concerns at a time when everyone is scared and reliable information on the virus is not always easy to find. “It’s not just what is safe, it’s also what is perceived as safe,” she said. A good example is that while strict hand washing protocols can be more effective than wearing gloves (especially if gloves are not being utilized properly), farmers wearing gloves at markets send a visual signal to shoppers about preventative measures. Fraver also noted that a lot of the increase in packaging is not about food or containers being contaminated with the virus, it’s about getting people out of markets and CSA pick-ups faster, since transmission is more likely to occur when individuals congregate. Finding creative solutions to plastic bags Farmer Michael Protas of One Acre Farm in Dickerson, Maryland, was worried about that issue at his four CSA pick-up sites, which in past years have been executed market-style, with members bringing their own produce bags and totes to walk down a line while grabbing their food. “On Capitol Hill, we had 40 families that would come into a smallish garage … and that’s not gonna fly at the moment,” he said. Protas had always provided compostable BioBags for members who forgot their reusables, but switching to a pre-packaged system meant a major increase in the number of bags he’d need. “We’re gonna be flying through these things,” he said. He knew that would be cost prohibitive and that other small farms in the region were likely facing the same dilemma. Instead of switching to much cheaper plastic bags, he proposed organizing a bulk purchase with other farmers in the Mid-Atlantic. Local nonprofit Future Harvest helped organize the endeavor, and 13 farms signed on; Protas placed an order for 27 cases of produce bags and 13 cases of T-shirt bags for the farms to use throughout the coming season. More markets and farmers will figure out creative solutions as they gain confidence about safety and are able to calibrate to new systems. “Things are changing so dramatically and fast,” Frost said. At Rough Draft Farmstead, he sees space in the future to place bulk orders for boxes or paper bags or to reconsider reusable cloth bags. “We hope as the season goes on and we learn more about how the virus is transmitted, we can make decisions that keep us safe and the customers safe,” he said. It’s the kind of push-and-pull decision making that nutritionist Cannon said is necessary right now. While she’s alarmed (but not surprised) by industry efforts to reverse bag bans, for most individuals producing, shopping for, and eating food, cutting back on single-use packaging waste just might not be possible for a while. That doesn’t mean Americans are putting their concerns about the environment aside. In fact, Kearney, a consulting firm, released the results of a new consumer survey on Earth Day. Nearly half of the respondents said the pandemic had made them more concerned about the environment. Fifty-nine percent said they are likely to use reusable shopping bags in the future; the biggest plans for future behavioral shifts that respondents reported were to decline plastic utensils and buy food in bulk. For now, Cannon is focusing on other aspects of sustainable living. “I was crazy about food waste before, but it’s next-level now. If something is going to go bad, it goes in the freezer, or I’m repurposing it and we’re eating it. We’re shopping less. We’re working from home and not getting food on the go; we’re not driving,” she said. “I will be able to go back to bulk buying [at some point], I’m confident in that. But I think what this has made me realize is the conversation is about so much more than plastic and how I shop for food.” While learning to bake her own bread, signing up for a CSA to support local agriculture, and changing her three-month-old’s cloth diapers, Cannon is thinking about self-sufficiency. “I hope that at the end of this, people are more mindful and are more open to having conversations about what it means to be sustainable,” she said. “Right now, everything is very stressful, and things are going to come in plastic.” • How the Pandemic Is Creating a Plastic Boom [Civil Eats] from Eater - All https://ift.tt/3eZg1BX
http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/04/coronavirus-has-changed-way-we-think.html
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ourlittledinosaur · 7 years
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Falling in Love with Cloth Diapering
New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.com/falling-in-love-with-cloth-diapers/
Falling in Love with Cloth Diapering
Falling in LOVE with Cloth Diapers
I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering. I never imagined how much I would enjoy it! I mean, they are diapers after all.
How it All Got Started
My husband and I decided the summer before my son was born to go the cloth diaper route. Initially my reason for looking into it was cost savings.
Before researching cloth diapers, I was doing a cost analysis of a list I had made for everything I thought we needed for the baby. I actually researched approximately how many diapers we might need in the first year and the cost was staggering. It was something like $1,500. Wowza!
My husband and I have been making gradual changes for a couple years now to try to lead a less wasteful life style, and try to save and make money where we can. We garden vegetables and herbs, compost, recycle metal, hang dry our laundry, and are looking into commuting by bike rather than car. Once we have some land, we plan to do a lot more.
So right off the bat, the first thing we liked about the possibility of cloth was the idea of reusing diapers rather than a one-and-done approach.
We liked that many of the diapers we bought would last from newborn stage right on through potty training! We especially liked the idea of using diapers for more than one child.
Making the Decision to Cloth Diaper
The truth is I didn’t know anything about cloth diapering. No one in my world used them. So I searched and read as much as I could online. Interestingly enough, both my mother and my husband’s mother cloth diapered with us, but didn’t like it. They both thought we were crazy for considering it, seeing it as unnecessary in this day and age. (They have been surprised at the options now available compared to 30 years ago!)
Before I actually decided cloth was for us, I decided to look into how I might save money buying disposable diapers. I read some crazy articles about constantly watching out for sales at six different stores, and buying in bulk and creating stock piles of different sized diapers and such. Those articles I read mentioned how I never needed to pay more than $.17 per diaper – a deal which I couldn’t find on my own as I have yet to learn the art of couponing. (A work in progress.)
There were a few things that made this approach unappealing for me, not the least of which was the uncertainty of just HOW MANY diapers I would need. If I was to stockpile diapers of various sizes, how was I to know what was enough…or worse, too many. It seemed easy to fall into the trap of wastefulness once again.
Another reason I didn’t want to go this route was because I’m not a big fan of shopping. Oh yes, I love to go shop for a new dress for myself, a gift for my husband, or toys for my son every now and then – and motherhood has certainly made me appreciate those trips to the grocery store as a way of “getting out of the house”.  However, the thought of watching for sales like it was my job, and bouncing around from store to store looking at clearance sales was almost stressful for me. I do love online shopping though.
Not What I Expected
So my search for the most cost effective and easiest diapering method led me to cloth diapering. Let me be honest that this did not appeal to me at all at first. I decided to really do my due diligence, and pressed on. I read article after article, and blog post after blog post.
I needed to know HOW to cloth diaper. I had never even seen a cloth diaper before! I quickly realized there were several types of cloth diapers, so I had to read to overcome that learning curve as well. Then, I needed to know WHICH cloth diapers were best. What type? What brand?
When I started my research, I was fully expecting to learn how to use a large safety pin (just like I had seen in stork bringing the baby cartoons), to pin in a towel that I was attaching to my baby. I expected to learn the trick of pinning this towel without sticking him, and then I imaged my child crinkling about as he sported the plastic pants I’d inevitably be buying for him.
Three things surprised me, as I began my cloth diapering education:
I was surprised that all these women whose articles I was reading, truly loved cloth diapering.
I was surprised at all the different cloth diaper options out there. It’s not like it was 30 years ago when we were babies.
I was surprised at how easy clothing diapering truly is.
Here are 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Cloth Diapering!
Cost Savings. I could go into great detail about how many of which type of cloth diaper is better. Naturally since there are different types of diapers, the prices vary. For the super thrifty, cloth diapers can even be purchased used from second hand stores, other crunchy mamas, and online marketplaces. The cheapest option I found is using prefolds with covers. The concept here is that the cover can be used multiple times (2-4x) and the prefold diaper replaced at each changing. To get started, I bought 36 prefolds (12 in a smaller size and 24 in a larger size), and 6 covers. From my experience this was probably more than I needed. The covers were about $15 to $25 each new. (I bought two different brands and the characters and prints may vary.) The prefolds were about $25/dozen. I also got a few special inserts to help with extra absorbency to get us through the night. For convenience only, I have since purchased (used from a second-hand store) “all-in-2” diapers, in which an absorbent insert is put in a shell, and this entire package is used once before washing. These were about $7 each. (If you decide to buy 2nd hand, I do recommend stripping the diapers first. Click here for great information on stripping diapers. Click here for great information on proper wash routines for cloth diapers.) This is much more than what is needed for one day. With all these diapers, I can go 3 or 4 days between washes, so I only do two extra loads of laundry a week. So, with the diapers, and diaper paraphilia (diaper pail, diaper pail liner, and wet bags, and diaper sprayer (not needed until my baby started solids), and the modern day “safety pin”, snappies!), my cost to get started was about $400.
Versatility. One of my cousins asked me what my theme was regarding purchasing baby items. When I asked her what she meant, she said, “Like for me, I wanted things that were easy!” “Oh,” I replied. “I want things that last me as long as possible – from as early on after birth to toddler hood, if possible.” And THAT is precisely what cloth diapers do! Many cloth diapers come in “one size”. The ones I purchased are for children 8-35 pounds. (8 pounds? But what about babies who are born smaller than 8 pounds? Honestly, I used disposable newborn diapers with my son for the first several weeks. They do have cloth diapers that are made especially for newborns, but since this stage is so short, and there are meconium (sticky, dark, tar-like substance) poops in the beginning that are difficult to clean and can easily stain cloth diapers, I decided to use disposable at first.) However, since that stage we have loved using our Rumparooz diaper covers with snaps and prefolds!
Durability and Absorbency. My husband and I recently took a trip out of state, and to avoid taking an extra suitcase just for cloth diapers, we went ahead and bought a small pack of disposable diapers. Although they served their purpose, they were so much more flimsy than the cloth diapers we have come to depend upon. My husband and I both agreed that anytime my son urinated, the pee smell was much stronger than when he is wearing cloth diapers. The disposables seemed to be plenty absorbent. When my son did do the dreaded “number two”, the smell was much more pungent than with cloth. Throwing it in the trash wasn’t enough to mask the smell even though it has a lid. It needed to be tossed in the dumpster outside! His cloth diapers, though, work wonderfully at preventing blowouts. I remember when my son was only a few weeks old, how the mess would escape his newborn disposables. Yucky! The cloth diapers are also incredibly strong and can last through several baby bums worth of diapering. I will say that not every brand is created equal. I have not been particularly impressed with the Bummis brand cover with velcro. The velcro has not shown itself to have the same quality as the other brands with velcro I purchased. Thirsties Duo Wrap hook and loop have been great diaper covers and the velcro still looks like new after 10 months of use. (We use velcro covers at night to get a more fitted diaper and better control leaks – aka No Leaks!)
Adorability! Anyone who has ever seen a baby in just a diaper has probably said, “Cute!” Cloth diaper takes the diapered bum up to a whole new level of ADORABLE! With so many cloth diapering types and brands, a diaper has now become a cute accessory and a part of an outfit. There are so many color choices, not to mention fun designs and characters.
Better for Sensitive Skin. My son has very sensitive skin, which we expected even before he was born as both my husband and I do also. Cloth diapers, when washed properly, are a terrific option for babies who experience diaper rashes. In our recent experience with disposables, my son had a bout of diaper rash which quickly healed once we were back home and he went back to his cloth diapers. If you are using cloth and do need a cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream, I recommend using the all natural version of Boudreaux’s Buttpaste (green tube). It’s worked very well for my son.
So if you’re just starting out as a first time parent, or maybe have already started down the road of disposable diapers well into your third kiddo but are curious about cloth diapering, go ahead and take the plunge. Even if you just buy one or two to get you started so you can see how they work and compare to disposable, this is a great start! All I can say is I have not been disappointed in the decision to go cloth!
NOTE: Feel free to look through the different sizes and colors on the products links I shared throughout the post. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
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