Living plastic free: Soda Pop #2
For years EnviroWoman proudly proclaimed “I belong to the Pepsi Generation”….even after giving up plastic. I just resorted to drinking Pepsi from a can so I could still count myself among the CokeCounterCulture, but still live plastic-free.
But Anonymous has changed all that....He/she left a comment letting me know that aluminum pop cans have a lining of plastic inside, like some evil bogeyman lurking in a deep dark soda well, ready to snatch small children and EnviroWoman when they come for a drink.
‘Tis true! The pic here is proof positive. Freaky isn’t it?
Hop on over to Steven Spangler’s Science for full details. But here is EnviroWoman’s ColesNotes version…(wow…this takes me back to my organic chemistry days).
The ScienceWizards took an empty pop can, sanded the paint off the outside of it, then immersed it in a beaker of corrosive sodium hydroxide. About 2 hours later, the aluminum had been eaten away from the outside of the can….showing the interior plastic liner.
EnviroWoman had two questions when I saw this pic:
- Why oh why is there a plastic liner? In addition to carbonated water, caffeine, colors, preservatives, and sweeteners, my beloved Pepsi also contains phosphoric and citric acids. This makes it quite acidic (Pepsi has a pH of about 2.5-3.0 compared to the less acidic orange juice at 3.4 to 4.0). Without a plastic lining the Pepsi would gradually corrode/rust the can from the inside-out giving the beverage a metallic taste and shortening its shelf life. To prevent this, the inside of aluminum cans are sprayed with a thin protective layer of plastic. (Let’s hope it’s not a grade 3 or 7 plastic which are nasty suckas)
- How come there is still metal at the top and bottom of the can? Turns out 2 types of aluminum are used in making the can. The main body is from a Grade 3 alloy, but the tops and bottom use a heavier Grade 5 alloy (with higher levels of magnesium and manganese) making it more resistant to corrosion and damage.
What does this mean for EnviroWoman?
Wahhhh! I can no longer be a member of the Pepsi generation – at least for 2007.
So since April I’ve been hunting for, and taste-testing, plastic-free bevy alternatives and will report my findings in a future post.
But here is a quandry….and perhaps you can help me solve it. Do I count the liners in those 12 cans of Pepsi I let in my life between Jan and March as SINS? I thought I was making a good plastic choice….but alas was not. They’ve long gone to the recycling bin so I can’t include them in my plastic shrine (besides, where am I gonna get my hands on sodium hydroxide to magically isolate the liners…and then again…do I really want to get my hands on corrosive sodium hydroxide…ahhhh….NO!).
Post a comment and let me know.
Lessons learned:
- Ignorance really is bliss. ‘Cuz you can keep on unknowingly committing sins. But once TheTruth is pointed out to you…you have to make a choice. Do you continue to commit sin or change your ways? EnviroWoman has chosen to change her ways. Afterall, this is what this year is all about…giving up plastic and seeing how it transforms my life.
- Plastic really is insidious. (The flip side is plastic is really a versatile wonder substance) Okay, you and I already knew both those points are true. But here’s yet another example of how you think you’re making a better ‘non-plastic’ choice…but until you are fully informed…you don’t know dick. I feel the need for a Part 2 of Plastics 101 coming on....
- That Anonymous person sure is smart…and prolific. (I wonder if he/she is a munchkin?) I tell ya…I see him/her posting all over the Web leaving their wise and profound truisms for the rest of the world to bask in the glory of. EnviroWoman is SuperGlad Anonymous has graced the pages of her own blog. Even though initially it felt like he/she was driving a plastic stake through my Pepsi-lovin' heart. But Anonymous is just helping EnviroWoman stay true to her No-New-Plastic Pledge. Gotta luv 'em for that!
Comments
You're welcome? I'm sorry?
You're welcome? I'm sorry? Not sure how to respond. Information is power. AP Environmental Science in 1998 has served me well and messed with your experiment.
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How about a locally-made
How about a locally-made soda (if there is one in your area) in a glass bottle? I'm not a soda drinker so that's the best I can come up with. I hope it's helpful.
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Just my two cents, but I'd
Just my two cents, but I'd classify it as a Minor Sin. That's sneaky, invisible plastic, so I'd put it in the same category as stickers and the like--you weren't expecting to find it in your purchase, so it's definitely minor, but had you done more research (or apparently taken more AP classes--they have environmental science now?), you would have known.
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Wow...there isn't much out
Wow...there isn't much out there that ISN'T in plastic as far as drinks go!
Fortunately for me, my pledge is to reduce as much as possible (trying to go without, but hubby isn't on board) non-recyclable plastics. Since the can is completely recyclable, I can continue to feed my caffeine free mountain dew habit!
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WOW. that is so crazy. Like,
WOW. that is so crazy. Like, REALLY crazy! There's no need for that I wouldn't think. weird. really weird.
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EnviroWoman, First, I LOVE
EnviroWoman,
First, I LOVE YOUR BLOG HERE!!! Secondly, please at some point I would love it if you would post about how you store fresh and leftover foods in your castle. How do you keep things like flour, sugar, snacks etc. fresh and insect pesty free?
In actual religion confessions are made for sins known and unknown, which means you are asking pardon for things you didn't even realize were bad when you did them. I think you should either count the pepsi cans as minor sins or you should create a new catergory of sins for sneaky things like this that prove that all the planning in the world can't always keep us on our chosen path.
Also, I thought Diva Cups were made of plastic. o_0.
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Another reason to avoid
Another reason to avoid plastics - hidden or not.
I've come upon some more disturbing information about plastics from several different sources recently. One particular chemical which is used in #7 plastics is called Bisphenol-A (BPA). It was orginally created as a synthetic female hormone estrogen and it is being used to line many of our food/drink containers (yes, EnviroWoman's beloved pepsi cans too). A new report from Environmental Working Group has found that BPA does in fact linger in the body (after it is leeched out of the container into it's food contents) - and it is associated with birth defects, breast & prostate cancer. I also heard that it is used in white tooth fillings ... that I just got a few weeks ago. One of the scariest consequences of BPA plastic linings is in canned infant formula! and water bottles (single-use and multi-use). New mothers be warned!
So, what's the answer? don't buy any food in containers? living self-sufficiently out in the woods 1000kms from civilization? No matter where we go or what we do there are dangers; we just have to be as safe as we know how and live a happy life. Me? ... I'm going to replace my 5 year old NAGENE water bottle with a stainless steel one imediately (yourwatermatters.ca)
Sorry for the news :)
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What about bringing your own
What about bringing your own cup to get a fountain drink occasionally?
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I believe Diva cups are made
I believe Diva cups are made out of silicon.
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Let's lobby the aluminum
Let's lobby the aluminum industry to take the plastic out. Everybody is up-in-arms about the dangers of drinking out of plastic so this is a great opportunity. There are not that many Aluminum producers in the US, I can think of Kaiser and Alcoa. We could email, write letters, etc. They (the aluminum producers) have got to see this as an opportunity to make their product 100% ecofriendly - they could boost their green market share overnight.
The G.I.'s had canned beer during WWII, pretty sure those cans didn't have any plastic in 'em.
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Hello there, just wanted to
Hello there, just wanted to say, that from a health perspective, that the plastic lining is probably better than drinking something from a strictly aluminum can.
Aluminum has horrible effects on the body, and is possibly being linked to degenerative brain diseases.
Best thing to do? Buy soda-pop in glass bottles. ALSO watch out for Sodium Benzoate which is added to many pops for "freshness". The problem is when Sodium Benzoate is mixed with Citric Acid (which is also added to most pops) the by-product it creates is Benzene. Which is right up there with Gamma Radiation when it comes to human cell damage.
No Peace,
BTKO
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I have read the full
I have read the full description regarding Pepsi generation and soda.From this information,I come to know that health perspective, that the plastic lining is probably better than drinking something from a strictly aluminum can.I like the information for providing the best material to utilize.
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Has anyone here ever thought
Has anyone here ever thought about drinking water? It produces ZERO waste through packaging, is healthy, and is delivered directly to your house.
Meanwhile, most soda requires use of diesel for transportation. And loads of pesticides and fertalizers for all the corn needed for the high-fructose sweetners, and America keeps geeting fatter.
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How about an unintentional
How about an unintentional sin category? As an avid diet coke drinker (until 3 weeks ago) I am not impressed to learn about the plastic lining - I was feeling guilty enough about the aluminium!!