Every day around 10 in the morning I have some yogurt, lately it’s been Dannons Activia (they have a yummy cottage cheese version too) With live active cultures which helps keep your insides clean. And, seriously, who doesn’t a want shiny clean and fresh intestinal tract? Plus peach is yum. But what to do with all the plastic yogurt cups? I so admire the people I hear about who bring glass containers back to the store etc but there is no place within 100 miles of me that offers anything like that and even if there was I’d be left with the dilemma of burning gas to drive there or using plastic.
So I thought I would do a spot of research on what people do with their plastic yogurt cups. I found a few little ideas here and there and came up with my own, here is a short list.
- Pots for starting seeds
- Crayon cups
- Bath tub cups (for little ones)
- Pre-meausred instant oatmeal so the kids can grab and go.
Then I found this!! http://www.terracycle.org/yb/yb.htm How exciting! Schools could actually collect yogurt tubs, butter tubs, cottage cheese etc and get money back for sending them in. It’s a win win. Please check it out and pass it along.
Sadly it seems that my little dannons, having to reusable lid, aren’t good for a whole lot. But I’m still thinking! The Fage (greek yogurt, very thick and slightly sour) make great Tupperware type containers for my work lunches, I fill them half way, the single serves that is, and get a good months use out of one. I just need to find a better way to store them.
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4 comments:
well, i've been eating the dannon activia light yogurt lately. these containers are very tiny and lidless and are absolutely PERFECT for art projects.
my daughter is 8 years old and LOVES to paint or do anything else creative and these little containers are good for putting her paints in while she's working on a masterpiece or else glitter, buttons, beans or anything else "small" that she wants to glue down.
they're also a great place to store crayon shavings for melting down into a marbleized crayon later on.
Here are a few more ideas :-)
Rinse buckets for cleaning sinks, tubs, showers, etc.
Holder for coffee grounds (I've been saving coffee grounds separately from the compost for a slug deterrent for garden plants)
piggy banks cut a slit in the top for coins and bills
Premeasured hot cereal (e.g. instant oatmeal), especially if you make your own blends
Storage for home-made salt clay (Play Dough)
scoop for dog food or cat food
I know if you eat Stoneyfeild Farms you can actually mail them back to the company!
An old fashioned String telephone set - you need 2 kids for this one but a LOT of fun!
if #5 plastic recycling isn’t available in your area, you can send your CLEAN Stonyfield Farm cups to us, and we’ll be sure they’ll get recycled. Send them to: Stonyfield Farm, 10 Burton Drive, Londonderry, NH 03053
Just a few more ideas for you :-)
I love all the great ideas! Thank you both!
The crayons and piggy banks are going to passed on to my friends with younger kids.. along with a bag of the tubs to use! lol
Hi there.
It's true that Stonyfield recycles their containers. In fact, they have a deal with Recycline to recycle their containers into Preserve toothbrushes.
But do keep in mind that each yogurt container is made from new plastic. You can easily make your own yogurt at home, and you don't even need a yogurt maker:
http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2007/12/plastic-free-yogurt-well-almost-plus.html
Also, keep in mind that you are using more plastic if you buy multiple small containers than if you buy one large container. Buying the largest container that you will consume is the way to minimize packaging overall. Of course, buying more than you consume will simply waste packaging and food.
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