What to do With Pesky Packing Peanuts
We do everything we can to do our part in the effort to protect
the environment. We recycle. We take extra care to combine
errands so we don't waste gasoline (especially at these prices).
We even make purchases online to save energy and keep the paper
catalogs at bay. And if you are like me, you just love getting
packages in the mail. Except... when I open the package and
discover that my item has been protected from damage in shipping
with the dreaded polystyrene packing peanuts! Not only do these
pesky peanuts make a huge mess, they are utterly indestructible.
When these things end up in landfills, they NEVER
degrade. Future inhabitants of our planet will be able to study
our culture using these suckers.
So what do we do?
1. The best alternative is to simply not use these peanuts.
There are alternative packing peanuts available made from starch
that almost instantly dissolve in water. Ask your online
retailer to begin using this more environmentally friendly
alternative to polystyrene.
2. When you receive a package packed in peanuts, test them by
running one under water to see if it dissolves. If so, you can
simply dump them in your sink a little at a time and run the
dissolved peanuts down the drain. They are safe for the water
supply since they are made from vegetable and other organic
matter.
3. When the peanuts don't dissolve, there are a few things we
can do. When you have a package to ship that requires a bit of
protection, use the peanuts. Ask your recipient to do the same.
At least they don't end up in a landfill immediately.
4. If you don't like the idea of keeping the peanuts around the
house, there are several centers and stores that will take them
to reuse. Many UPS Stores, Mailboxes Etc., PostNet, and other
small packing and shipping centers will accept your peanuts to
reuse. Contact your local store for verification. If you have
trouble finding a drop-off location, please visit
http://www.loosefillpackaging.com for information on businesses
and centers willing to accept used peanuts or call Plastic Loose
Fill Council's Peanut Hotline at 800-828-2214.
Get your creative juices flowing
Now we know how to recycle those pesky peanuts, but before we
get rid of them, let's ask ourselves what other uses we might
find for the peanuts. Can we think of ways we can convert our
trash into treasure? Here are a few ideas to get us started.
-The holidays are fast approaching, so any peanuts we have left
over after using them to safeguard the gifts we're shipping can
be used for decoration. Use a needle and strong thread to string
the peanuts like popcorn to use as a garland for your tree.
-Place a few peanuts in the bottom of a planter before inserting
your plant to conserve soil and to help drainage. Be sure not to
use too many or to block the drainage hole completely.
-Use an old zippered pillowcase and fill it with peanuts. This
makes an inexpensive pet bed or a "bean" bag chair.
-Dip the peanuts in paint and use for creative stamps. Many
peanuts look like letters or you can cut them into whatever
shape you'd like. If you are a scrapbooker, this is a great way
to add a creative splash to a page.
-Crumble the peanuts into pieces and use them as faux snow in
our winter decorations.
Even simple actions can help protect our environment. The more
we do, the more we help, the more our world benefits.