Pure Mavens

I hesitate to make what’s sure to be a wildly unpopular assertion, but I’ve had a heart-breaking revelation to share. There are few things many people enjoy in greater quantity than coffee drinks – Starbucks to be specific. I don’t have a problem with the actual coffee – it’s the lids that caught my attention.

In a past blog post we provided a memorable saying to help keep track of the plastics that are okay (those with a 1, 2, 4, or 5 in the little triangle), and those that have been linked to potentially harmful chemicals (those with another number in the little triangle): “1 way 2 go 4 a high-5 is to avoid everything else.” So what a bummer to find that telltale “6” staring right back at me as I sipped my Grande Bold (with room) through the plastic lid.

As the blog “Eco Village Green” explains, plastic with a number 6 “is polystyrene, or Styrofoam, from which disposable containers and packaging are made. You’ll also find it in disposable plates and cups. Evidence is increasingly suggesting that this type of plastic leaches potentially toxic chemicals, especially when heated. I suggest avoiding the use of #6 plastic as much as possible.”

Wouldn’t scalding hot coffee flowing through, um, heat the plastic?

So am I going to stop drinking Starbucks? Not on your life. But I do take the lid off whenever possible as a result of this discovery. Sip on – and feel confident you’re helping to repurify each morning with a little information on your side.

I heard on NPR that hours before the Tsunami hit Thailand, various animals were seen running away from the shore, uphill. The NPR guest (sorry I don’t have his name) explained that in chaos theories explaining “the ways of the world” this type of phenomena is uncomfortable because it can’t be explained by logic. These animals are responding purely to an instinct.

It made me think of an observation my wife and I have had with our 2-year old son, Mac. Our grocery sells both conventional and organic produce. We buy a good deal of organic, but are not fanatical. With two squirmy kids in the cart, we usually just grab whichever broccoli we pass first. But over the last year, we’ve noticed that Mac devours the organic broccoli, and generally leaves the conventional alone. I’ve personally noticed that the organic broccoli tastes better, but wondered if it’s just because I paid more for it. Mac may have the same perception of “price = palatability,” but kids are so magical – I wonder if his instincts are telling him what nourishes him best – what’s pure and what’s… less than pure.