Disposables/Plastic items

[MrsSarah06]

We are currently transitioning to a Waldorf inspired home. We are also transitioning to a "green" home. We use un-paper towels, cloth diapers, steel containers for lunch and a sandwhich wrap, homemade cleaning products, etc. etc.

The problem I'm having is getting rid of our plasticwear for storing food, and saran wrap, etc. What can I use to replace these things?

Also, where do you buy your essential oils at for your cleaning products? I bought some off of ebay from a company that seemed really good (good reviews, stated where it was derived from, etc.) and i really hope it's ok as I can't buy them local at all. It seems like an oxy moron to drive my car an hour and a half to buy the essential oils to make my cleaning products to contribute to a healthy environment. lol

[alia]

I don't use a whole lot of EOs for cleaning products ---we mostly do water, soap+water, vinegar, baking soda, alcohol, etc... but I do get some premixed concentrated cleaner with EOs added from CJ's All Natural (a WAHM).

Would that company mail them to you? Shipping might be less than gas, and it would save you the time, too.

For storing food, we try to use glass for anything we might reheat or that's acidic or saucy, but dry goods and things to freeze often go in plastics that we've had and keep reusing (we are trying to balance buying stuff with health concerns).

Instead of plastic wrap to cover foods, you can use alumnimum foil (which can be bought made from recycled content, should be reused as much as is reasonable, and then recycled again-- Slate's Green Lantern did a fun little comparison piece about plastic wrap vs foil, actually), waxed paper (though I'm not sure how good or bad this is), or simply another plate or the designated container's matching lid. Or an unmatching lid.

If the saran you use is to cover foods you are reheating, you can get reusable silicone splatter mats, a micro-safe plate or lid, or simply use a small, damp piece of cloth (an unpaper towel, if you have one handy). Keeping them damp ensures that any fibers won't catch on fire. It's an unlikely event, but I have seen it happen with a paper towel in an office microwave. It can happen to cloth, too, if whatever you're heating is really dry.

WTG, GL, and HTH!

[treeoflife3]

There is also someone on hyenacart who makes PUL/fabric covers with elastic to hold them on tight. She makes them in all sizes from little yogurt cups up to bigger baking dishes so you always have something to cover with. You obviously couldn't put them in the oven or anything, but they work for the fridge or things that can be on the counter.