The past few weeks have been busy and exciting on the plastic microbead front!
Microbeads are the ludicrous little plastic particles used as scrubbing agents in a variety of personal care products ranging from body scrubs to toothpaste. They are washed down the drain and end up in waterways where they absorb toxins and are ingested by fish.
Do you know what’s in your food? I mean what’s really in it? Are you aware of every single ingredient, where it came from, how it was made, how it will affect your health – as opposed to what the flashy label on the package may proclaim?
Here’s another question: Do you know what’s in the plastic holding your food?
We have a winner! Congratulations to Erin Stiles on winning the $50 coupon for the Life Without Plastic store!
Help us improve your Life Without Plastic experience… and win a plastic-free shopping spree!
Anyone who sends us a comment about our new website by email, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or on this blog post will receive one entry to win a $50 coupon to use in the Life Without Plastic web store.
It’s a joyous thrill for us to launch our brand spanking new website!
Our new online neighbourhood is all about making it easier for you to find the information and products you need to live without plastic – while helping you educate yourself and take action on plastic pollution. There are also ways to save money, and even make money.
3 March 2014 — We strongly urge you to read this new investigative report by Mother Jones investigative journalist Mariah Blake on bisphenol A (BPA) and how the plastic and chemical industries are doing all they can to cover up, hide and falsify any evidence of the dangers of BPA and other common – and potentially equally or more dangerous – BPA replacements such as Tritan.
This is exactly why we do what we do – provide information and alternatives: Because as this report shows in crystal clear, well-sourced fashion, unless you do your own in-depth research you are not getting the full story on plastics and their safety.
24 September 2009 — In late May 2009, food and chemical industry lobbyists met in Washington, D.C. to discuss communications strategies aimed at keeping the toxic plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) on the market and front and centre in the lives of mothers, minorities and the poor. The internal meeting notes were leaked to media and the Environmental Working Group, and indicate plans to use deception-based techniques, including using a pregnant woman as a national spokesperson on the benefits of BPA. The notes highlight the importance of focusing on the impact of BPA bans on minorities (Hispanic and African American) and poor. Fear tactics are suggested — e.g., “Do you want to have access to baby food anymore?”
15 January 2010 — Despite growing evidence to the contrary, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long held that bisphenol A (BPA) – used to make the hard, clear plastic polycarbonate – is safe even when indirectly ingested via plastic baby bottles or canned food linings. This has now changed as the government begins to raise flags about BPA.
27 June 2010 — For those who thought that there was no such thing as a completely non-plastic toilet brush, Life Without Plastic brings to North America the completely natural, non-plastic, eco-friendly, sustainable toilet brush and its holder. Plastic toilet brushes generally last only a few months before they are thrown out and replaced, thus adding more plastic to landfills and the oceans. Fortunately, one small family business in Germany still makes them the way they used to be made, with style and elegance.
19 July 2010 — The long-awaited Sanctus Mundo ice cube tray is finally here! We know it’s well-made and it has been tested to ensure it is safe and toxin-free. It’s modelled after those aluminum beauties from the fifties, but has been made to exacting modern standards out of the highest quality 304, 18-8 stainless steel – no aluminum here! It also works beautifully for freezing baby food, pesto, juice – lots of room for creativity. And the pull lever folds snugly down into the mechanism so you can stack the tray and save valuable space in the freezer.
25 October, 2010 — Plastic pollution in the oceans is a serious problem. It accumulates, degrades, absorbs and releases chemicals, and kills ocean wildlife. Did you know that approximately 80% of the garbage in the world’s oceans comes from land-based sources? And about half of this consists of petroleum-based plastics that have not been properly disposed of by consumers. Life Without Plastic is honoured to be teaming up with the 5 Gyres Institute, a dynamic, cutting edge research and exploration non-profit organization that is tackling the problem of oceanic plastic pollution head on by undertaking research voyages in the world’s oceans. In a few weeks, they embark on thefirst ever South Atlantic Ocean study of plastic pollution.
