PLASTICS: Just because it has the arrow triangle doesn’t mean it is recyclable. The symbol is just used to identify types of plastic. Recycling is a polluting and toxic process that uses lots of energy and natural resources. It is not an ecological answer to our problems. Plastic is harmful to us directly and through the pollution it creates in the environment.
Types of plastic: Inside the little arrow triangle there is a number:
#1) Pet or Pete- Polyethylene terephthalate, soda bottles, water bottles, cooking oil, peanut butter jars.
#2) HDPE- High density Polyethylene , detergent bottles, yogurt cups, grocery bags, milk and water jugs.
#3) PVC or V- Polyvinyl chloride, plastic pipes, outdoor furniture, shrink-wrap, water bottles, detergent (This is not readily recyclable)
#4) LDPE Low density polyethylene, food storage containers, dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners (produce bags can be recycled supposedly)
#5) PP , Polypropylene, ketchup, aerosol caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers. (Not readily recyclable.
#6) PS Polystyrene, packaging pellets or styrogoam, cups plastic utensils, meat trays, to go containers, egg cartons, shipping blocks. ( Not readily recyclable but some shipping places will re-use peanuts and packing material.)
#7) Other- usually some type of plastic polymer or biodegradable and compostable plastics. 3 and 5 gallon reusable water bottles, ketchup bottles, biodegradable and compostable plastics.
Do you know what’s in that bottle or where it will end up? BOTTLED WATER:
30 million discarded plastic bottles each day, 10 BILLION a year. Think of the amount of pollution and energy needed to manufacture and transport these bottles. Millions of plastic bottles are not recycled and end up in landfills and the environment. 9 out of 10 end up as litter and garbage.
Plastic bottles leach toxins into the water such as endocrine disrupters (bisphonl A). Heat increases the amount of leaching.
Tap water costs $.0015 per gallon
Filtered water approx $.13 gallon
Bottled water approx $1.27 per gallon
That makes it more than 1000 times more expensive than tap water and often times that is all it is…TAP WATER such as Dasani (Coke a Cola brand) and Aquafina (Pepsi brand). InIndia they are boycotting Coke because it is buying local water sources then bottling and selling the water back to the locals. The same is happening in the Amazon and other parts of
To research the qualityof your local drinking water go to www.epa.gov/safewater/ccrl.html and www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm
Join Sierra club to help protect water and earth. www.sierraclub.org
