Which plastics in your home do you think important to eliminate?

[Hazelnut]

I feel like every time I ask about or read a thread about elminating something plastic someone points out that we're all using plastic computers and likely have plastic in our homes, and on and on. I know. But I still want to do what I can to reduce my use of and dependence on plastics. But it is confusing to determine what is more dangerous and what is basically harmless. The first thing that freaked me out was pvc in teethers and baby toys. Then the biggest thing for me was to replace my tupperware with pyrex (I used to nuke my tupperware too sometimes when I was lazy, ugh) and to get some sturdy, inexpensive little glasses and glass bowls for the kids. But suddenly I'm just noticing it everywhere, and I find the info overwhelming.

What do you look for alternatives for, for either health or environmental reasons?

[Bimmergal2005]

I use mason jars to store a lot of food. Macaroni and ziti noodles (etc), choc chips, graham cracker crumbs, many of my son's snack foods like crackers, veggie booty, sugar, salt, and so forth. It looks cool, if nothing else. I also gave up most of my plastic containers and use pyrex glass containers (with plastic lids, tho). I know some people use mason jars to drink out of.

[marnie]

the first thing i dealt with were sippy cups.

[viking]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic...and_their_uses

i focus on the things i have most contact with first.
like plastics related to food - storage, cooking equipment etc.
(i threw out the microwave-oven too, so heating food in plastic-containers is no longer an issue)
and related to bodycare
i try to avoid textiles like polyester and nylon etc
i store clothes in cardboard boxes.

i do not want the plastic products to off-gass/leak directly into skin, food, etc. as a first step.

most my furniture just happens to be of wood

(for now im more conserned about the radiation from wireless electronic devices etc then the plastic they are made of. my man did build a computer-case of wood once, for the fun of it. it worked great)

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in norway, when you buy a bottle of water, soda, etc - both plastic and glass, and metalcans - you pay a deposit for the bottle which you get in return when you put the empty bottle in a recyclingmachine.
is that usual in other countries?

(recycling is better then dumping, but still pollutes. im not giving up my computer anytime soon, but avoid all plastics would be the ideal)
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i want to add that i also do this for political reasons

"[...] those chemical companies that actually make the resins; poly (ethylene), poly(propylene), poly(styrene), PVC, polyesters, nylons, etc. This part of the industry is dominated by large multinational companies with familiar names; Dupont, Dow, Union Carbide, Bayer, Exxon Mobil, Shell, etc. "
How do you turn crude oil into plastic?


"You will probably be surprised to know that a plastic bottle is made from the same petrochemical as the fiber we call polyester!

All plastic products, many of the materials used to make the clothes you wear, or the carpet you walk on, plus hundreds of the other products we take for granted, are made from petrochemicals. As the name implies, a main ingredient in petrochemicals is oil."
Petroleum Education - Everyday uses of oil

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i think first reason to avoid plastic is health
so you can be fit to fight for the environment!