Simplify for your Health - Get Rid of Plastics

Get rid of plastics - an incentive to de-clutter that is good for your health! 

The media has made quite a flurry of the green movement. While I do care a lot about the environment, and always have, I know that there might be some out there that are not really the tree-hugging types. However, going green not only benefits the environment, but your health as well. Ironically, going green also aids in your path to minimalism. Though shifting through the terms and information may seem a little tedious at first, it will be worth it in the end, I promise.

I recently read an article that scientists have found many dangers caused certain plastics leaching into foods and the environment, which can actually alter your health. I personally have started recycling old glass pasta sauce jars and PBJ jars to store my groceries, like teas, and such. It is not worth buying glass jars solely for that purpose when you already have jars at your disposal. Just take out the label, and if you want affix your own special label.

Here are the most dangerous plastic types. The numbers (types) are usually shown on some part of the container. (I am getting rid of most of my plastics today).

Number 3 Plastics: V (Vinyl) or PVC

Found in: Cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging

Avoid these that contain food and drinks. They may may release toxic breakdown products (including pthalates) into food and drinks, especially when containers start wearing out, are put through the dishwasher or when they are heated (including microwaved). PVC manufacturing can release highly toxic dioxins into the environment, and the materials can off-gas toxic plasticizers into your home.

Number 6 Plastics

PS (polystyrene)

Found in: Disposable plates and cups (including insulated coffee cups), meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers (i.e. soft Styrofoam), cups as well as rigid foams and hard plastic products

Number 6 plastics can release potentially toxic breakdown products (including styrene), especially when heated.

Number 7 Plastics

Found in: Baby bottles, three- and five-gallon water bottles, certain food containers

Hard polycarbonate are the ones to worry about, which are found as found in various drinking containers (like Nalgene bottles) and rigid plastic baby bottles. These leach bisphenol A, a potential hormone disruptor, into liquids. No level of bisphenol A exposure is known to be truly safe, and in August a government panel expressed 'some concern' that the ingredient causes neural and behavioral problems in children.

Swap these plastics for Number 1, 5 or corn-based plastics, or as I am doing, shatter-resistant glass! Another great incentive to declutter!