Stonyfield Farm now packing their yogurt in corn plastic--Like it?

You all know how important it is to me to carry reusable containers and avoid plastic, so it may come as a surprise that I welcome the new Stonyfield Farm Multipack yogurt containers made from corn. Yes, it bothers me a lot that they're made from corn. I don't intend to buy cases of them in the future, but it's a conscious choice in a not so conscious world.

Sometimes, we're out with the grandbabies on a hot day and the snacks we brought with us are already gone. If we have to make a quick stop to buy a goodie for the children, Stonyfield organic yogurt in a multipack is an emergency option. It is organic, does not contain high fructose corn syrup, is not packaged in petroleum-based plastic, so not leaching as many bad chemicals into the children's food, and is supporting, if not one-hundred percent derived from, responsibly grown corn--no GMOs, no artificial fertilizers or pesticides, good soil stewardship.

Better for the planet, better for human bodies

What's more, if I were still working twelve or more hours a day, and my dinner break consisted of a quick run to the corner mart for a tub of yogurt, I would opt for Stonyfield for the same reasons. Stonyfield is competing with the Dannons and Yoplaits of the world. For folks who buy those products regularly, Stonyfield is a more ecological choice: Better for the planet; Better for the human body. That's my opinion, of course, but based on the fact that Stonyfield works with organic dairy farmers to provide a market for their milk. Plus, now that Stonyfield is using corn-based containers for their multi-packs, they're helping sustainable corn growers compete in the marketplace with GMO corn growers, protecting our soil bank, protecting non-gmo seeds, protecting other critters, our air and water supply, and protecting us by avoiding harmful artificial fertilizers and pesticides.

Beth did the research

Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish asks today, "What do you think about Stonyfield Farm's new PLA yogurt cups?" I was surprised that she gave them a thumbs up, knowing how she feels about all things plastic, and the fact they are not yet recyclable, but she made some good points, well-researched as always. I encourage you to grab a cuppa and pop on over and read her post. It's well worth the time. I'm on my way out the door now to buy another quart of raw milk. I'm going to give her thermos yogurt recipe a try.

What DO you think of the new Stonyfield packaging? I'm curious to know.

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We make peace in a million small ways every day.

All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.

Three wins on the way to becoming a zero waste household

Over the last few months, I've promised to get back to you about my search for a) witch hazel in a glass bottle; b) an alternative to the leave-on shower spray I'd been using; and c) toothpaste that did not come in a plastic tube. Well, bless my half empty trash bin, I found answers.

My homemade toner kit
© L. Kathryn Grace

Back in June, the big, plastic bottle of witch hazel I’d been using to make my own gentle skin toner had finally run dry after two plus years. I searched the world wide web and found not a single source for the stuff in a glass bottle. I was just about ready to order the herb and distill my own when I found a better solution all round, one I'd known and practiced for years as a teenager and young adult: Splash cold tap water on my face.

So simple! Nothing refreshes and closes the pores like cold water, and if you're lucky enough to live where the water comes really cold from your tap, why bother paying for expensive designer toners? I don't know why I stopped using this method in the first place. Someone talked me into believing I needed bottled goods to be beautiful, I suppose. (No wise cracks from the peanut gallery. You know who you are.)

Vinegar/water leave on shower
spray in reused bottle
© L. Kathryn Grace

Later, in War on Garbage skirmishes: Some wins, some losses, I mentioned I hunted an alternative to the leave-on tub, tile and shower spray I loved. Enter vinegar and water, half and half. (Thanks for the tip to dilute, Mrs Green!) Yes! That's it! Vinegar and water.

I've trialed it for nearly three months and see no discoloration to my tile or bathroom fixtures. I’d still go with caution, if I were you. Vinegar is mildly acidic. I’ll let you know in another three months or so if I’ve noticed any change. One thing is certain: It works better than the expensive vinegar-based stuff I’d been buying every three or four weeks! Spray it on, climb out of the shower, dress and walk away. The vinegar scent dissipates quickly.

One HUGE caution: NEVER NEVER NEVER mix vinegar with any product containing chlorine bleach (pdf file). If you use a tub cleanser such as Bar Keepers Friend or a mildew reducer containing chlorine bleach, be careful not to use vinegar until all traces of the bleach have had time to dissipate. The two chemicals interact and create a lethal gas that is odorless and colorless. Deadly.

Tom's of Maine
© L. Kathryn Grace

In No More War!, I told you I was determined not to buy another plastic toothpaste tube. I tried my grandmother's poor-woman's baking soda and salt method. Ouch! That left my gums stinging. Plus, I discovered that dental hygienists advise against baking soda or salt as they are too abrasive. I hunted for other homemade recipes, all of which required some ingredients that are shipped in plastic.

Then, doh!, I remembered Beth Terry at Fake Plastic Fish is way ahead of me. What does she do? She buys toothpaste in an aluminum tube! So I nosed around, and sure enough, a drugstore up the street carries Tom's of Maine Clean & Gentle Care line, all in aluminum tubes. (I know. I know. They’re owned by Colgate-Palmolive now, but what’s a girl to do?) Not a perfect solution, but a good interim one until I find a workable recipe for homemade that meets all my needs.

Got tips to share?

What about you? What new tips have you discovered lately for reducing, reusing and/or recycling?

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We make peace in a million small ways every day.

All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.

Water Wednesday: A bucket with a tail

You've heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch--that floating gyre of plastic that covers more than a hundred thousand square miles and, in some places, reaches all the way to the sea floor. There are more. Gyres, that is. Five to be exact. The team at 5Gyres.org explores and maps them. On one of their expeditions, they found a bucket with a tail. Take a look.


The 5 Gyres team explored the Sargasso Sea, which is smack in the middle of the North Atlantic Gyre. We found plastic in every research trawl. We found floating mats of sargassum full of plastic, and one bucket. In the bucket we found a trigger fish, too big to get out, imprisoned in plastic.

While we're on the subject of gyres and floating plastic, you might want to check out Fake Plastic Fish, where blogger Beth Terry makes a strong case this week for why we can't clean up the Pacific gyre.

That's it for this #WaterWednesday. What's on your mind regarding water this week?

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We make peace in a million small ways every day.

All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.