“We are almost as addicted to Styrofoam as we are to oil,” writes author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. “The U.S. makes some three million tons of it each year, the majority of which goes into the landfill.”
Styrofoam is made out of fossil fuels, and takes thousands of years to decompose. It’s used in everything from disposable cups and plates to packaging materials to insulation.
Thus, Essential Skill #18: Say No to Styrofoam.
Though de Rothschild suggests making your own packing peanuts out of real popcorn, a more practical solution is the packing peanuts made of corn starch. They look and feel similar to Styrofoam, but immerse them in water, and they dissolve.
“25 billion Styrofoam cups are thrown away by Americans each year,” adds de Rothschild. So if you must use a disposable cup, always choose paper over Styrofoam.
Another one of de Rothschild’s suggestions is choosing products with as limited packaging as possible. “Unpack your product right there in the store,” he says, “and hand all that pesky packaging to the manager. This sends a message to retailers to downsize their waste.”
Fortunately, there is an infrastructure in place for you to recycle any Styrofoam you may already have. Check to see if there’s a program in your area at EpsPackaging.org/info.
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Though the biodegradable cornstarch packing peanuts are available, we still receive packages shipped in the Styrofoam packing peanuts. Instead of just throwing them away, we "recycle" them by using it for the packages WE ship out. If the recipient does the same, on and on down the line, theoretically that Styrofoam would never have to go to the landfill at all.
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