Yesterday, we were talking about choosing products with less packaging. But did you know that some packaging is better than others? Here’s the Green fairy’s list of preferred packaging, in order of goodness:
- Glass—I know, it’s an unexpected pick. But it’s fully recyclable, and we’ve been using it for centuries to hold our food, and I’m pretty sure it’s not leaching anything into our food. So it’s what I choose, when I have an option.
- Metal—steel, tin and aluminum are all 100% recyclable. You can turn an aluminum can back into new aluminum can. My only concern: most cans are lined with plastic, which leaches BPA, that nasty chemical you saw all over the news a few months ago. So far, Eden Organics is the only brand that doesn’t use that type of plastic liner.
- #2 plastics—old-school plastics, like your mom’s old Tupperware. The white opaque stuff. AKA high-density polyethylene. This stuff doesn’t leach nasties into your food, and it can be “recycled” in more ways than any other type of plastic.
- #1 and #4 plastics—Less recyclable than #2, but still not the worst. I think #1 leaches ickies into your food, though, and I wouldn’t trust #4, either.
- #3, #6 and #7 plastics—the least recyclable plastics. Also, #3, AKA pvc or vinyl, is really toxic in its production, so you should really try to avoid it altogether.
There you have it. That’s my list. It’s not written in stone; it’s just my own personal buying preference. I hope it helps you when you’re making your buying choices!
Love, The Green Fairy
