Is Your Fridge Green? An Evergreen Fridge Hunt #choosecartons

Being green is an important part of life. Recycling products not only reduces waste, but reduces the need to produce more product. Many of us know to switch off lights and recycle whenever possible, but there are many other ways to make our lives more recycle-friendly, so to speak. One way to be more “green” lies in your fridge – like inside, where you keep the food. Or, should I say, what you keep your food in.

One quick look at my fridge shows a lot of items in single-use plastic containers. Most of are large jugs of juice were in big plastic bottles. Also in plastic were various condiments and sauces. There were some glass bottles for pasta sauces *whispers* and beer. I did find a few items in cartons, which were mostly our dairy items – buttermilk, egg whites, cream. Paper cartons actual help block UV light to keep the nutrients of products such as milk. As a whole, or fridge was filled with primarily plastic. We do our best to reuse or recycle all of the items, but when it comes to being eco-friendly, there’s more than just whether it’s recyclable.

Did you know that paperboard cartons are actually more efficient to transport? They take up less space for shipping, which means you can pack more cartons per truck. They also contain over 70% paper, which is not only recyclable but can come from responsibly managed forests, a renewable resource. Not only are cartons made from renewable materials, but they are also made with renewable energy. Evergreen Packaging’s carton are made with more than 50% biomass.

Another thing to consider is that not every recycling facility is equipped to handle all types of recycling. Some facilities can only recycle certain types of materials. Right now, over 41 million households have access to carton recycling. You can find out if your recycling center accepts cartons for recycling by visiting www.recyclecartons.com. Recycled cartons are used to make a variety of other products, from tissue to building materials.

You can also make some fun craft items using cartons. I love this idea of using an old carton as gift packaging!

Photo credit: Urban Woodswalker

To learn more about paper cartons, visit the Evergreen website at www.choosecartons.com. You can also follow Evergreen on Twitter as well as “Like” them on Facebook. When you’re at the website, make sure you click over to the “Share the Story” page and share the facts. Every carton fact that is shared on Twitter using #choosecartons will help raise up to $15,000 for Habitat for Humanity.

Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Evergreen and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.