Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 7, 2010 at 5:39am

Is the styrofoam in peanut or similar form, or is it molded for a particular item? If it's in peanuts or chunks, UPS stores will accept them to re-use for packing boxes to ship.

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Permalink Reply by Erin on March 7, 2010 at 5:42am

Plastic newspaper bags can be recycled at Jewel stores, along with plastic grocery bags and dry cleaning bags.

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Permalink Reply by jen on March 7, 2010 at 5:54am

check this out for chemical and household appliance recycling
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemActio...

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Permalink Reply by David P. on March 7, 2010 at 6:02am

Thanks - that was fast for a Sunday morning.

Styrofoam tends to be either egg cartons, takeaway containers or, every once in a while, meat trays. I don't collect a lot of it, so usually I can just take it on my next trip to Detroit, but local is certainly easy. But I get the NYT at home so the newspaper bags pile up.

Thanks for the tips.

David

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Permalink Reply by Michael A on March 7, 2010 at 6:08am

there is a recycle bin truck at the forest preserve parking lot at devon and milwaukee...when your done you can ride the northbranch trail up to the botanical garden

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 7, 2010 at 8:57am

Clark, he's talking about the styrofoam trays that are holding virtually any prepacked, not-pre-sliced meats, chicken or fish that you buy from the grocery store.

Clark said:

David A. Pertuz said:

....Styrofoam tends to be either egg cartons, takeaway containers or, every once in a while, meat trays....

If you're really conscientious, you'd bring reusable containers from home for that meat, left-over food, or coffee.

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Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on March 7, 2010 at 9:16am

There's a city of Chicago recycling center on Goose Island, which is near Division and Elston. They take most types of recycling. I think they wont take paint and a limited # of other types of material.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on March 7, 2010 at 10:36am

Clark,

Usually when I buy meat I get it at, e.g., Paulina Market and there is minimal packaging involved but occasionally I will, say, get chicken at TJ and it comes in the little tray. I don't eat out a lot but usually take some home when I do (big portion sizes and all) and if I have a choice I'll ask for non-styrofoam but I usually don'tdon't usually have a choice wht they put it in. When I shop I use my Ortleib bag or Zingerman's bags, which hold bowling balls and are indestructable and ever lasting. Bringing tupperware with me all the time is beyond my planning ability or desire. I usually get eggs from my favorite egg guy at Eastern Market, who has been there since Calvin Coolidge was president, and I tend to return my old cartons for resuse when I can, but one can't always plan these things. Hence wanting to do something minimally bad with the waste I end up with. I spent a few days in London on the way back from a vacation in India the other week and noticed that London seems a lot more serious about recycling and waste management than Chicago is.

I think your point is a valid one, and I do also try to minimize the amount of stuff that goes into my trash bin or recylcing bin, but I wasn't trying to make a point about how virtuous I am or anything - only asking about where I can recycle some of these things that I do end up with that doesn't go into the blue bin. I am aware of the limitations of recycling and the economics involved, but I can at least try.

Thanks for the tips about them Milwaukee/Devon and Goose Island drops.

David

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 7, 2010 at 11:03am

David,

You mentioned the north/northwest side. If you're far enough east, the same dumpster-sized recycling bins are on Ravenswood at 6441 N. Ravenswood.

David A. Pertuz said:

Clark,

Usually when I buy meat I get it at, e.g., Paulina Market and there is minimal packaging involved but occasionally I will, say, get chicken at TJ and it comes in the little tray. I don't eat out a lot but usually take some home when I do (big portion sizes and all) and if I have a choice I'll ask for non-styrofoam but I usually don'tdon't usually have a choice wht they put it in. When I shop I use my Ortleib bag or Zingerman's bags, which hold bowling balls and are indestructable and ever lasting. Bringing tupperware with me all the time is beyond my planning ability or desire. I usually get eggs from my favorite egg guy at Eastern Market, who has been there since Calvin Coolidge was president, and I tend to return my old cartons for resuse when I can, but one can't always plan these things. Hence wanting to do something minimally bad with the waste I end up with. I spent a few days in London on the way back from a vacation in India the other week and noticed that London seems a lot more serious about recycling and waste management than Chicago is.

I think your point is a valid one, and I do also try to minimize the amount of stuff that goes into my trash bin or recylcing bin, but I wasn't trying to make a point about how virtuous I am or anything - only asking about where I can recycle some of these things that I do end up with that doesn't go into the blue bin. I am aware of the limitations of recycling and the economics involved, but I can at least try.

Thanks for the tips about them Milwaukee/Devon and Goose Island drops.

David

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Permalink Reply by T.C. O'Rourke on March 7, 2010 at 5:09pm

Clark, could you tell us a specific butcher you have successfully given a Tupperware package to fill? It is my understanding that this practice is illegal, as it is introducing an outside container, without knowing it's sanitary condition, into a supposedly clean kitchen/work environment.

David, I wouldn't worry too much about this small stuff. If you're really concerned, eating meat itself is far worse than throwing away the tray on which it came. [I am currently picking Al Pastor taco out of my teeth-- true story.]

But if you're really feeling bad about it: skip your next trip to Detroit and you're probably good for life on the Styrofoam thing.



Clark said:

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

Clark, he's talking about the styrofoam trays that are holding virtually any prepacked, not-pre-sliced meats, chicken or fish that you buy from the grocery store.

Yeah, well I'm encouraging really conscientious folks to consider REUSE rather than recycling...particularly for plastics. In other words, shop where you can avoid stale pre-packaged food, in favor of freshy cut, poured or served items. Bring old, clean styrofoam trays with the snap tops, or even Tupperware, to the butcher, grocer or restaurant. Ask them to use your trays instead of their own. And I guarantee that Tupperware will seal those juices better on the way home too.

Whole Foods Market has rows of bulk bins...and they give you a nickle for bringing your own bags. So I reuse some of my plastic newspaper bags instead of the lousy bags they provide when I buy bulk. And I get a 70¢ or so rebate each time I shop as a reward for reusing my plastic bags. During the summer I reuse plastic bags at the weekly farmers' market for everything they sell.

If you've ever lived in a foreign country, you probably already know that they reuse packaging much more than we do...cookie and cracker tins, wine bottles, beer bottles.... We've been brainwashed to believe those containers have got to be discarded. Crazy wastefulness! Reuse them instead!

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Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on March 8, 2010 at 5:01am

***Yeah, well I'm encouraging really conscientious folks to consider REUSE rather than recycling...particularly for plastics. In other words, shop where you can avoid stale pre-packaged food, in favor of freshy cut, poured or served items.***


Regardless of whether or not it's legal or a shop lets you to bring in your own container, I appreciate the discussion on the next level of recycling (I got into vermicomposting for that reason). By far the best thing is to prevent the container from being manufactured in the first place, and every container you bring in is one that isnt manufactured or recycled. I guess it's gotta start someplace and if everyone does this enough and the shops will accommodate by using the "brought in" container in a manner that doesnt go against present health codes that shop owners have to follow. Once enough people start doing it then the health codes will be changed to accommodate this.

I was making dinner with a woman I was dating about 5 years ago or so and I brought a pound of ground beef. I bought it from a butcher that uses plastic bags. The woman almost did not eat it because it came in a plastic bag and not your easily recognizable styrofoam wrapped package. I attribute that to a "consumer mentality" brought to you by corporate America shoving their vision of how things "are" down are throats.

Anyway, if I go on any longer I'll hijack this thread beyond what's probably appropriate.

Here's a great video

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