Got a bike? Give a bike. Make someone smile! When: March 12, 10 am - 2 pm Where: Los Altos High School The ReCycle Bike Drive is back and celebrating its 23rd year refurbishing gently used bicycles for kids in need! “Covid put a damper on our ability to meet, collect and fix bikes in person these last two years,” says Margie Suozzo, the bike drive’s coordinator, “but we’re back in business and we sure hope you're ready to let go of those bikes gathering dust in your garage!” The ReCycle Bike Drive will be held on Saturday, March 12, from 10am-2pm at Los Altos High School (LAHS). Stop by during that time with your underutilized bike and make someone smile! Volunteers will be on hand to accept donations. Bikes collected at the bike drive will be spiffed up, repaired, and donated to students at local schools who can’t afford them. Each recipient also gets a bike helmet and a bike lock to keep both their noggin’ and bike safe. Local school officials are key partners in identifying students in need and in managing bike placement. Beyond school placements, bikes are distributed to our partner, The Bicycle Exchange (bikex.org) which serves the local low-income community, and to Community Cycles and Good Karma Bikes in San Jose, organizations working to help the homeless population and former foster care residents, respectively, with affordable transportation and job skills training. Bicycle Intake Guidelines GreenTown welcome your donations but wants to make sure the bikes it gives away are like a new gift to the recipients, so consider the following questions before you donate: Was your bike stored outside? Has the bike been in a crash? Is there significant rust on the frame (sections larger than a dime) or on the chain/cogs? Are the derailleurs bent or damaged? Can you move the seat post up/down? If you answered "yes" to any of the following, GreenTown probably can't take your bike, but others can. In this case, here are some options: Drop it off at Community Cycles or Good Karma Bikes in San Jose. See if your waste hauler (Mission Trail Waste Systems or GreenWaste) can collect the bike through their bulky items collection program. Recycle the metal through: San Jose Metals Recycling, 1032 N. 10th Street, San Jose Ranch Town Recycling, 775 Lincoln Ave, San Jose Los Altos Hills resident, Kathleen Santora, started the bike drive more than two decades ago at St. Nicholas school. In 2012, with GreenTown’s help, the event was extended to the broader community. Partnerships with Los Altos High School and Bicycle Exchange have further improved the bike drive and our ability to get bikes into the hands of students and others who need them. “We wouldn’t be able to do this without our wonderful partners! And we’re so appreciative of our volunteers who greet donors and wash and fix bikes!” Suozzo said. “This type of event not only helps GreenTown have a significant impact in enabling kids to commute to school by bike, which is healthier for the planet and their bodies, but also it engages volunteers (they love it!) and builds community! To donate a gently used bike, stop by at LAHS on Saturday, March 12th, between 10am and 2pm. To volunteer, sign up here. For more info on GreenTown’s work, visit greentownlosaltos.org.

If your tree has an abundance of fruit this season, consider these ways to use and share what you don't need: Preserving - Learn how here. Juicing citrus. Who doesn’t like fresh squeezed orange juice in the morning? Making frozen citrus ice cubes then add them to your water as immune boosters. Learn how here. Sharing your fruit to neighbors. Put a box of fruits on the curb or drop them off at the community farm stands around Los Altos Hills. There are three locations: corner of Manuella and Fremont, corner of Burke and Fremont, and Robleda. Others bring them to work while some do a fruit exchange with friends for variety. DIY – Donate It Yourself. It’s easy, dropping off a few bags of fruit at a time rather than all the harvest. Find organizations through the Community Fruit Drop Off Locations map. There are three locations in Mountain View that are accepting donations: Hope’s Corner, Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos Day Worker Center of Mountain View. The map also has drop off day info, address and if you need to call first. These pantries will appreciate fresh fruit from homes to provide healthy food options for people in need in our community. Getting volunteers. Village Harvest can help find you volunteers. It's a local organization that brings volunteers together to help tree owners that can't harvest their own trees (no time or unable) then brings the bounty to pantries. Complete the sign up form here. If you have an orchard, Village Harvest has a sign up form for that too, here. Concerned about liability? Village Harvest Q&A section states that there are provisions such as the Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and California Code Section 58501-58509 to protect homeowners and encourage food donations to nonprofit organizations that will help those that could use it. As long as there's no gross negligence or intentional misconduct, homeowners are not legally liable. Concerned that your oranges are not sweet? Don’t worry. Pantries will take them for their nutritional value. Village Harvest also addresses this in the Q&A. Keep in mind there is a fruit fly quarantine in parts of San Jose and Campbell so Village Harvest is expanding efforts, including in our area, while the organization is unable to pick in this zone. Read more about it here. Want to help? Village Harvest welcomes volunteers and can accommodate children, young adults and youth organizations. Register and find out more here. Once registered, volunteers can pick a harvesting event on the calendar. There’s one on the calendar for a home in Mountain View on the 6th. Sharing is fun, gives back to the community and you'll be promoting sustainable use of our urban resources. Even better, get your 15 seconds of fame by posting a picture of your fruit tree and share what you do. Tag us @GreenTownLosAltos #FruitHarvest. Share other great ideas in the comment section below. Happy Harvesting!

The reviews are in and are ever changing. At this point there's a mixed bag on the reporting about gas stoves in general, but most recently (and revelatory) by the SJ Mercury News. “Gas stoves may be more damaging than thought” On Jan. 28, 2022, the SJ Mercury News reported on a new Stanford University study published Jan. 22, 2022. The report concludes that gas stoves are even more damaging to the environment than previously thought. The study measured the amount of methane leaks from stoves that were turned off, something the government has heretofore not accounted for. The study states, “Even when not running, U.S. gas stoves are putting 2.6 million tons of methane – in CO2e, into the air each year. That’s the equivalent to the annual amount of greenhouse gases from 500,000 cars” The Mercury also noted “Natural gas appliances are generally more energy and cost effective than their electric counterparts.” GreenTown Los Altos takes issue with that comment as: the provider of that quote was Frank Maisano, someone who represents gas interests that statement is simply not true. Anyone who's studied heat pumps as replacements to their gas furnaces or water heaters knows that heat pumps offer up to 300 times better efficiency than their gas counter parts. Read the article about the study published by Stanford here.

Considering gardening with local native plants? Learn the how-to by watching this recent webinar recording presented by the nursery director and botanical consultant of Grassroots Ecology. Especially with the added drought restrictions by our water companies, Purissima Hills Water District and Cal Water, to conserve more water, transitioning from lawn to a native landscape deserves more than our consideration. These water companies do provide rebates. Other benefits of native plants that you didn't know, but you're gonna love, include: providing fire resilience (Phew) less maintenance (Yay!) biodiversity (Nice!) rebates (see below) and much more. Find out more about the rebates made available from CalWater and the rebate program from Valley Water here. For more ways to conserve and other helpful resources from your specific water company, check out: Conservation (purissimawater.org) and Conservation - Cal Water. The planting season is now! Winter is the best time to establish native plants that will carry you through into the fall.

We had a lot of fun putting together our Sips and Snacks goody bags for our fundraising event in September. As you think of sipping, snacking, feasting, and giving thanks with loved ones in November, we thought we would pass along a few tips for selecting earth friendly products. Where possible, seek to find products that are local, sustainably produced, organic, climate friendly and delicious. Give bulk buying a try! Challenge yourself to keep plastic to a minimum. We know that eliminating plastic can be challenging. For example, when putting together our goody bags, we searched high and low for local crackers that did not have plastic packaging. While we were not successful in finding crackers without a plastic liner, we found a wonderful company that has taken a climate-friendly pledge and has focused on regenerative agriculture. Turns out that when you take some time to hunt down environmentally responsible products, you end up supporting some pretty cool companies. Take time this November as you are carefully making grocery lists or planning menus to thoughtfully select products that are making a difference for our planet. Have some fun with it and let us know how it goes. We are thankful for you! A few of our Sips and Snacks goodies: Chevoo - Tasty and local cheese packaged in glass (not plastic!) Husch Winery - Local. Family Owned. Sustainable. Moonshot Crackers - Delicious! Local. Climate-friendly pledge and focused on regenerative agriculture, Black female-founded and owned. Paper Culture - Every product they sell is sustainable. Every order plants 1 tree. They have planted over 1,000,000 trees! Pathwater - Local company. Very nice reusable/refillable aluminum water bottles with a mission to end single-use plastics. Renee's Seeds - Non-GMO, organic. Offers a wide range of seeds that support pollinator health and well-being. Organic Gala Apples from the Los Altos Farmers’ Market

Not to be too dramatic, but you can help save the planet. Yes, you! Los Altos is updating the 2013 Climate Action Plan with a new plan, the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. A draft plan was presented to the Environmental Commission Oct. 11, and the goals presented were good but the details were lacking. The goals included: electrifying transportation energy efficiency retrofits increased landfill diversion planting trees and much more. All worthwhile goals but how they will be achieved and how quickly were not clear. Another presentation to the Environmental Commission is scheduled for Nov. 15 with the promise of smart goals - goals with a timeline, measurable metrics and cost estimates. You can help by marking your calendar and planning to attend. Even better, speak up. A lot of people, myself included, feel that the next ten years are critical and we must do more. In Los Altos, we are intellectually and financially capable of doing more. We get it, we understand it and we can afford to do more. We should be among the leaders showing what is possible. in addition, a Study Session with the City Council is scheduled for 4:00 Tuesday, Nov. 2. The targets and key actions are good, but the details are lacking. You can view it here. - Gary Hedden

YOU can be the Solution to Plastic Pollution. Here are 6 things to get you started. According to a new report by Beyond Plastics, The New Coal: Plastics and Climate Change, the plastics industry is set to surpass coal as a major contributor to climate change by 2033. Yes. It is true. But your actions can make a difference in changing the vector of plastics from up, to down. On October 14, 2021 GreenTown partnered with Compassion Week Los Altos to present a webinar Be Part of the Plastic Pollution Solution! (view recording here) to heighten participants' compassion for the Earth and spur action. The 52 people attending the event not only gained knowledge about plastic pollution's effects on the environment and our health, but also came away with strategies to make an impact both on a personal level and as an advocate for better policies. We were pleased to welcome Heidi Sanborn of the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) as a guest speaker, who shared their critical work on legislation to hold the plastic industry accountability for the waste they create. We compiled a list of resources for participants based on the presentation which we'll be sharing with you in two parts: This month, we'll share our recommended next steps and action items (see below). Next month, we'll share resources for further learning and networking. Recommended Next Steps and Action Items 1. Watch The Story of Plastic documentary You can do so for FREE until Nov. 30 here. Spread the word! AND…save this date! On Wed. Nov. 10, 2-3pm, The Plastic Pollution Coalition is hosting a webinar with the filmmaker and frontline activists. Register here. 2. Make your voice heard locally! Contribute to the Los Altos Climate Action & Adaptation Plan. The GreenTown Zero Waste Team will be studying the draft plan when it is released in early November. We could use your help in writing the actions we would like to see included that will reduce waste and single-use plastic in Los Altos. The GreenTown Zero Waste Team will be discussing options at our next meeting on Friday, November 12 at noon. Email Donna Staton, donna@greentownlosaltos.org to join in. 3. Do something right now to move the needle on national legislation Here are two actions that will only take a few minutes. Send a brief email to our own Senator Padilla and urge him to co-sponsor the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. Click here to send your email. For background on the BFFPP Act, click here. Additional letters can be sent via this Action Network. Help get single-use plastics out of our National Parks. Read and sign on to this petition to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. 4. Come to the Extended Producer Responsibility Coffee Hour! On Fri., Dec. 3, at 11am Pacific, join this coffee hour for a free, informal conversation on to discuss the latest EPR proposals and how to ensure that they achieve their goals. It is sponsored by the National Stewardship Action Council, Beyond Plastic, Upstream and the Conservation Law Foundation. 5. Take the Beyond Plastic Pollution Class (online) This class, offered through Bennington College in Vermont, is with former EPA administrator Judith Enck. You can either audit it or take it for credit. It’s enlightening AND fun! The class meets Wednesday evenings from 4/13/22 - 5/25/22, see more info here. A small group of GTLA members may take this together as a group learning activity. To join us, email Donna. 6. Join the GreenTown Zero Waste Team! We meet online and share news and ideas to tackle waste locally. We’d love your help and suggestions. Our next meeting will be held via Zoom on Friday, Nov. 12 at noon. We'll be working on the Los Altos Climate Action Plan (waste section), planning a DIY workshop for making plastic-free holiday gifts, and putting together loaner kits of reusable party supplies (plates, cups, cutlery, napkins). Email donna@greentownlosaltos.org to be added to the list. Let us know which actions you take by emailing donna@greentownlosaltos.org.

There's something special about an old friend whose values align with yours and who's stood by you through thick and thin. Such is GreenTown Los Altos' relationship with our steadfast corporate sponsor, Epicurean Group. Based in Los Altos, Epicurean Group is a leader in sustainable practices in the food-services industry. They've been a top corporate sponsor to GreenTown since our inception. They also provide food service to some of the top names in Silicon Valley businesses and schools. Epicurean Group recently made the list of the Top 50 Food Management Companies in the U.S., for the 9th consecutive year! They're Green Business Certified, an honor signifying that Epicurean Group’s operations comply with a rigorous set of requirements ensuring sustainable operations. Such consistency of excellence, especially during these challenging Covid times, deserves a huge shout out. Epicurean Group, we salute you! For more information, about the business, visit their website here.

Plastic. It's everywhere. And in everything. It's micro, it's macro, it's ubiquitous. At GreenTown Los Altos we're all about helping our community shrink its carbon footprint. Individually and as a community. Top and center to that end is reducing plastic use in big and small ways. During July, we participated in a global campaign called "Plastic Free July" which had an obvious goal of finding ways to reduce plastic in our lives. The campaign used email and Instagram messages to educate and inspire dozens of participants to take action and to share each others' suggestions on reducing plastic pollution. If you're on Instagram, check out our posts, several of which are below. For more info on everything from how and where to shop plastic free to how to advocate for plastic-reducing legislation, check out the "Key Takeaways" summary, here. One thing is clear, we need to collectively start using less plastics. Here are some ideas, consider it a starter kit!

Key Takeaways from GTLA’s First Plastic Free July In July 2021, GTLA joined the global Plastic Free July movement and hosted its very first Plastic Free July Campaign. Thanks to everyone who participated! Dozens of members from the GTLA community pledged to learn more about plastic pollution, its health and environmental effects, and how to be part of the solution. We hope these efforts will continue! PLASTIC FREE JULY - Learn More, Do More! The goals of our weekly communications (emails and Instagram posts) were to: Raise awareness of the plastic pollution problem Provide resources for learning more and teaching others Demonstrate easy ways to reduce plastic consumption, and Inspire participants to advocate for legislation that: reduces unnecessary plastic holds manufacturers and sellers of plastic accountable for managing the waste produced (extended producer responsibility, or EPR), and moves us toward a “circular economy” where waste is either biodegradable or truly recyclable (e.g., aluminum, glass, cardboard) Learn More, Do More! Our two GTLA Summer Interns, Michael Luk and Anneli Chow from Los Altos High School, helped us compile a set of resources we hope you will continue to use and share with others. Here they are again for easy access: Essential Resources for learning more about the environmental & health effects of plastic pollution Plastic Free Shopping (groceries, household & personal care items, gifts, etc.) Everyday Swaps for reducing your plastic use Local, State and Federal Legislation to support to have an even greater impact on reducing plastic pollution Four key takeaways we hope you learned from the campaign: Understanding that plastic is a petroleum product, and its manufacture and marketing are deeply connected to oil and gas extraction and processing, and therefore to climate change and all its associated social and environmental injustices. Realizing that recycling is NOT the answer to plastic pollution! Just 8% of plastic waste in the US is recycled, and only 3% of that is recycled into a similar quality product. The fossil fuel industry wants us to think plastic recycling is the answer, but it doesn’t work. Plastic ultimately ends up in our oceans, or in landfills, or in the air as micro- and nanoparticles. It’s basically an “oil spill” in each of these locations. There are serious health effects both to humans and wildlife from the chemicals used in plastics. Toxic and often hormone-disrupting, these chemicals enter our bodies mainly from the food and beverages we consume (chemicals contaminate food during processing that uses plastic machinery and from the containers, packaging and nonstick cookware) but also from contact with and dust from synthetic clothes and furniture, carpet, drapes, etc. Individual actions at home to reduce plastic do help, and certainly protect our health, but to effect the changes needed we must confront the producers of plastic through policies and laws that reduce plastic at the source. Some plastic of course is essential (e.g., for certain medical and industrial needs), but much of it (single-use plastic packaging) can be replaced with healthier and environmentally friendly materials. The Zero Waste Team at GTLA learned a lot during Plastic Free July—we hope participants did too. We welcome your ideas on how to improve future PFJ campaigns, and/or how to reduce plastic in general anytime! Feel free to email Donna Staton donna@greentownlosaltos.org to share your thoughts.

- Anneli Chow, Summer Intern 2021 Take these actions against plastic pollution to ensure your voice is heard at the City, State, Federal, and Global Levels PLASTIC FREE JULY - Take Our Pledge, Learn More, Do More! This summer, GreenTown is raising awareness about the global plastic pollution crisis and encouraging community members to take actions that support a plastic-free future. In Week #1, we shared resources that introduce and explain the multifaceted plastic problem. During Week #2, we shared steps everyone can take to refuse, reduce, and recycle plastic in our daily lives. Individual education and action are impactful and necessary in any movement, but not sufficient. Plastic production depends on fossil fuels, a major contributor to climate change. As oil and gas demand declines, fossil fuel producers turn to plastics to uphold the fossil fuel industry. The plastic pollution problem cannot be fixed without holding producers accountable and handing them waste management responsibility. To make plastic-free life the “new” norm, society needs progressive plastic policies, advocacy, and legislation. The world is waking up to the plastic problem. The Green New Deal, Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, calls for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and climate strikes show how awareness has grown and spread to countries all around the world. This week, you will learn about plastic policies and ways you can make sure your voice is heard on the local, state, federal, and even international levels. We can influence the way our future plays out - and in the coming years, we will not allow plastic, microplastic, and plastic-derived chemicals to pollute our oceans and freshwater or harm our families and wildlife. Individual efforts can prompt change at the city level. When many cities implement similar policies, this drives change at the state level. Unanimity between states urges federal lawmakers to act. Every step along this legislative chain matters. This is where you can make the biggest impact. Let’s all do our part! Stay Involved Legislation can cause considerable change when pushed for consistently and passionately. GreenTown asks YOU to STAY INVOLVED in saving our planet from the plastic pollution crisis by SUBSCRIBING to the GreenTown Los Altos’ monthly newsletter. Act Now and Stay Involved for a cleaner and greener city, country, and planet! Local Actions State Actions Federal Actions Global Actions Local Actions Advocate for the reintroduction of a plastic food-ware ordinance: Last year, the City Council discussed a foodware ordinance to limit single-use plastics. This ordinance vote was postponed due to economic strain on restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic underscored the importance of city policy to reduce restaurant plastic use, given the increased reliance on takeout and the plastic containers and utensils that come with it. Let the Los Altos City Council know that you care about this issue and help ensure this ordinance is a priority on their agenda by emailing council@losaltosca.gov. Ask our council members to adopt an ordinance at least as stringent as the Santa Clara County model ordinance AND require reusables for dine-in eating. Take the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Survey: Los Altos is developing a CAAP to address and lessen the impacts of climate change, focusing on greenhouse gasses. Because plastics are derived from fossil fuels – the primary driver of climate change – your input is valuable as the city develops appropriate measures to include in the CAAP. The deadline to fill out the Los Altos CAAP Survey is August 8, 2021. Speak out to local businesses: Let restaurants implementing sustainable practices (limiting plastic, filling personal reusable containers) know that you approve AND encourage those still using single-use plastics to work towards using compostables or reusables! State Actions Speak up for Assembly Bill 818 - Proper Disposal of Wipes: Believe it or not, most sanitary wipes contain plentiful amounts of plastic. When inappropriately flushed, they cause clogs and blockages in our waste disposal systems. AB818 will require single-use wipes to be clearly labelled to avoid flushing. Read a letter in support of AB818 or view the official bill. Speak up for Assembly Bill 1276 - Reducing Unnecessary Foodware: Source reduction of inessential plastics is a great way to protect our resources and health. AB1276 provides information you can use to tell our Sacramento representatives they should vote YES for this bill. Phone or email Assemblymember Marc Berman and State Senator Josh Becker (contact below) regarding AB818 and AB1276. Assembly Member: Marc Berman Phone: (916) 319-2024 Contact by Email State Senator: Josh Becker Phone: (916) 651-4013 Contact by Email It’s Official! California Recycling and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act on November 2022 Ballot: In November 2022, California voters will have the chance to make our state the first in the nation to approve a law that could halt major sources of plastic pollution. This measure will: Prevent and clean up harmful plastic pollution in order to protect communities and preserve natural resources Reduce sources of plastic pollution Cut recycling, pollution prevention, and clean up costs for taxpayers and municipalities Require plastic producers to share those costs (Extended Producer Responsibility, EPR) We encourage you to look at this ballot measure and its value in California. Make sure to look for it on the November 2022 general election ballot! Federal Actions Support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA): The federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act contains provisions that would: Hold companies accountable for their wasteful products Strengthen regulations on plastic facilities to protect communities Prohibit the use of toxic chemicals in certain containers and packaging Push to increase reusables and refillables Improve recycling and composting infrastructure And more - sign the petition here! Advocate for the National Bottle Bill: Currently, nine US states have Bottle Bills which effectively reduce waste directed to landfills in those states. In the remaining 41 states, beverage containers constitute 40-60% of litter! Implementing a National Bottle Bill would: Allow customers in all states to return eligible bottles and containers to retailers and redemption centers Promote recycling rates of 58-95% (Northeast Recycling Council) and reduce litter Shift end-of-use handling costs from taxpayers and municipalities to producers (EPR) Set a $0.10 deposit standard, providing income for those who collect bottles at redemption centers Learn more about the bill and ensure your message in a bottle is noticed by our members of Congress using these guidelines! Global Actions Ratification of the Basel Convention: Where does your trash go when you throw it “away”? Unfortunately, the truth holds deafening injustice. Many wealthy nations ship their plastic trash to developing countries that lack adequate recycling infrastructure. Developing nations already struggle to handle their own waste – a plastic problem introduced by Western nations. Nearly all nations have signed on to the Basel Convention, which concerns the transport of hazardous waste between nations and developed to less developed countries. The US has not ratified this convention. However, California recently passed a resolution urging the US to do so! Read the letter that was sent to the Biden Administration and follow the progress on the implementation of this important international agreement here. Sign World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Global Plastics Petition: Join millions of others to fight against marine plastic pollution by signing WWF's largest petition. This petition will urge governments to create legally binding agreements to stop the leakage of plastics into our oceans by 2030. Such agreements would likely have an even larger impact than the Basel Convention in pushing nations to reduce their plastic pollution!

- Michael M Luk, Summer Intern 2021 PLASTIC FREE JULY - Take Our Pledge, Learn More, Do More! Long-time GTLA volunteer Barbara O’Reilly writes: "Inspired by Greentown's Plastic Free July, I did an inventory of my collection of laundry-related products. Stain removers: Now that I have 2 spray bottles I will find a larger, non-spray bottle to refill them. I did recently buy the cardboard bottle on the left. Even with the plastic cap it seemed a better choice than the coated cardboard boxes and the plastic jugs. Then the GTLA Plastic Free July email arrived with the suggestion of laundry strips. Check out the website for Tru Earth." Single-use plastic packaging is one of the biggest contributors to the plastic pollution crisis. Did you know that the US produces more plastic waste per capita than any other country? Fortunately there are many easy swaps you can make that can greatly reduce your contribution to the problem. And keeping your food and beverages plastic-free is good for your health as well, as the chemicals added to plastic often leach into what you’re eating and drinking. Despite our efforts to recycle, 91% of our plastic waste is never recycled, meaning it ends up polluting our landfills, water, and air. As part of GreenTown’s Plastic Free July Campaign 2021, Summer Intern Michael Luk put together this handy collection of swaps you can make to use less plastic. Thanks to all who sent in their suggestions! We hope the next time you’re shopping, you’ll pause and ask “Is what I’m buying available in glass, metal or cardboard?” These three types of packaging are VERY recyclable and there are profitable markets eager for these materials. Also, plain fiber packaging (thin cardboard, pulp, cotton cloth, paper) is biodegradable and therefore compostable. Best of all, try to shop in bulk using your own reusable containers, or buy unpackaged items when you can! Where can you go for sustainable and plastic-free shopping? Check out GTLA’s list of stores in our area plus online shopping sites Hear what GTLA volunteer Kim Jelfs has to say about bulk shopping—she’s been doing this for years! Watch on Youtube Author Michael Luk explains one plastic-free swap that he is doing in the kitchen. Watch on Youtube GTLA volunteer Donna Staton describes how to reduce laundry related plastic waste. Watch on Youtube Kim Jelfs, GTLA volunteer from Sunnyvale, shows how to make homemade deodorant, avoiding the plastic packaging and chemical additives all together. Watch on Youtube Egg Cartons come in plastic, styrofoam, and pulp/cardboard. Plastic and styrofoam are not recyclable. There are plastic egg cartons on the second shelf. There is a pulp egg carton that is unfortunately wrapped in unnecessary plastic in the bottom left.) The best option is to select the pulp egg cartons which are biodegradable. Ice Cream also comes in all sorts of containers. The most common materials, plastic and plastic-coated cardboard, are unfortunately NOT recyclable or hard to recycle. The best swap you can make is to buy ice cream that comes in glass or metal jars. If there aren’t any glass or metal containers, cardboard with plastic lining is the next best option. Beverages Most beverages come in a variety of containers such as plastic, cardboard, and glass. An easy swap is to buy cardboard or glass containers instead of plastic containers. This not only applies to the orange juice shown here, but to beverages such as milk, other juices and smoothies. Remember aluminum is virtually infinitely recyclable Plates and Utensils Plastic utensils and plates are commonly used, however, there are many plastic-free alternatives available. Instead of using plastic foodware, switch to using compostable paper plates and metal or bamboo utensils. An even better alternative is to bring your own reusable plates and utensils so that there is zero waste. Dental Supplies Think about the plastic waste from all the toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss you have gone through. All of this plastic can be swapped out for plastic-free alternatives. In the picture on the right, there is a bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste tablets in a glass jar, toothpaste in a glass jar and silk floss in a glass jar. Instead of using a plastic toothbrush, use a compostable bamboo toothbrush. Instead of using a plastic tube of toothpaste, use toothpaste tablets. Instead of using plastic floss in a plastic container, use silk floss in a glass container. Shampoo and Conditioner Instead of buying shampoo and conditioner that come in plastic bottles, use bar shampoo and conditioner in cardboard and paper packaging for a plastic-free swap. Antacids! Switching from tablets in a bulky plastic container to those wrapped in paper greatly reduces unnecessary packaging! Not to mention the latter is easy to carry in a pocket or purse. One GTLA member commented “…if you need a tablet in the middle of the night, it’s much quieter to take one from a roll, thereby not waking your spouse…” Plastic Bags ... Now that you shop with reusable bags and are reducing your “plastic footprint,” what to do with all those accumulated plastic bags and wrappings? Many can be recycled if you bring them to stores like our local Safeway. Safeway partners with Trex to collect and recycle this “low quality” thin, flexible plastic polyethylene material known as plastic “film.” Trex uses the material to make lumber substitute building material (it takes over 2000 plastic bags to make a 16-foot composite lumber board). In addition to recycling plastic bags, you can also recycle plastic wrapping from toilet paper bundles, paper towels, paper napkins, beverages, etc. Yes--lots of energy wasted to do this--and even the plastic board will eventually be plastic waste--but for now it may be a temporary solution. Of course, best not to make unnecessary plastic bags in the first place!! We welcome YOUR suggestions for reducing plastic around the house! Send your ideas to waste@greentownlosaltos.org, or post on IG and tag GTLA @greentownlosaltos.