One Word: Plastic

I've been extra attentive to the quality of my food products since sampling a can of lima beans that tasted like Janitor In A Drum.

Cleaning solvent is not the flavor profile you want when enjoying lima beans. So I called Del Monte Foods to let them know about it. The nice lady in consumer affairs immediately sent me three dollars in product coupons. In these days of multi-million dollar lawsuits, I wonder what makes my claim only worth three dollars. Despite Del Monte's enticing offer, I'm not sure I can try their lima beans again for a while, unless I need them to clean my floors.

Now, tonight my bedtime soymilk smelled funny. As it turns out I was enjoying it from the same plastic cup that held my Bud Light earlier in the evening. CONFESSION: I sometimes drink from plastic cups to save on the need to do dishes. In fact, that led to an earlier settlement with the Budweiser Brewing Company of Saint Louis, Missouri. In that case, I'd complained that their beer was too fizzy. They asked how many of the tainted product I had consumed. I told them that it took eleven beers to confirm my suspicion. And I settled out of court for a free 12-pack. Upon further testing, I learned that the added fizz was due to pouring it into a plastic cup.

Maybe I should think more about my use of plastic? I do keep the plastic cup in the fridge for reuse. When you live in an apartment with brown water, lead pipes, and no dishwasher (except me), you learn to adapt. Or, is this kind of innovative recycling a family affair?

My dad saves his Extra brand gum wrappers while chewing a half stick at a time. The other day he was pleased to report that he's now down to consuming just a third of a stick. Growing up in the depression may have something to do with his frugality. He even saves the foil wrappers from each stick, and when he gets a bagful, sends them off to the Wrigley Company. I asked him what he expects to gain from this practice. He says he wants them to see how much waste they create. Based on his regular mailings to them, I'm guessing they're more interested in how they can get others to chew as much gum as he does.

Despite no response from Wrigley, Dad continues to chew, collect and stage his one-man protest about waste in this country. And I continue to use one cup for both beer and soy milk. When it comes to saving the earth, we all do what we can.

-Submitted by a college graduate who never had the future summed up in one word.