Re-purposing plastic for packing
There’s no great way to dispose of plastic, but some ways are worse than others. Anytime we can give something a new purpose and stretch that usefulness out a little longer, well that is a better option.
Last month we needed to buy some new bedding (who doesn’t love fresh crisp sheets?) If you’ve bought any lately, you’ll know that most come packaged in flexible plastic boxes with a zip-off topside. This is no flimsy film –it’s sturdy PVC, #3 on the recycling guide, and most recycling centers won’t accept it for recycling. I’d love to think I’m a person who could fold sheets well enough to store back in those PVC containers, but I don’t have the patience for that. So…throw it out?
As I was making the beds in their new sheets, my packing list for an upcoming raft trip ran through my mind. I wondered if I could find some small, waterproof packing cubes for organizing my clothes (yep, see where this is going?)
The first held two swim suits, two shorts, two tees, and a light long sleeve sun guard, and the second held a puffy coat, merino long johns, a light wind shell, wool socks and a hat. I could have done a better folding job, as you can see in the photo, but everything I needed compressed into less than a 12 inch cube. No shopping, shipping, or additional costs involved. Can’t wait to use them again!