There's Plastic on My Produce!

While pealing the label off of an onion for my lunch lunch today I started to wonder that little sticker had plastic in it.

After I was done eating I looked it up and sure enough there is plastic in though little stickers. It seems that everything contains plastic!
There are a couple ways to avoid the stickers such as growing your own produce, purchasing produce from farmers markets and CSA's. When you choose one of these routes you do have to buy locally which is a great way to support small businesses and keep the money in the local community. Another thing to keep in mind with these options is that your produce is whatever is seasonal to your area.

• Your local CSA can be found by clicking this link.
• For Portland, OR farmers markets you can look them up at portlandfarmersmarket.org.

Two alternatives I have found to the above options that is not throwing them in the trash is either saving them and turning them into art or you can mail them to Barry "Wildman" Snyder. Mr. Snyder is also known as the Stickerman. He turns produce stickers into really awesome pieces of art. You can learn more about him and his art at stickermanproduceart.wordpress.com and/or mail your produce stickers to:

Barry “Wildman” Snyder

Stickerman Produce Art

POB 301

Erie CO 80516

What will I choose? I will try to start working my way to purchasing food that does not have stickers. Until I fully cut them out of my consumption I will mail what ones I do get to the Stickerman.

Resources

http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/06/should-we-worry-about-little-plastic-produce-stickers/ (info)

http://stickermanproduceart.wordpress.com/produce-art/ (pictures & info)

http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/ (picture & info)

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ (info)