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naturehead
Stranger



Registered: 02/09/17
Posts: 34
Loc: CO
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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(Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows
#26480090 - 02/11/20 12:30 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hey brethren, just Wanted to just make a thread about this incase anyone else is bothered by the amount of plastic that is being used and wasted by growers (myself included). Realizing this after touring a local organic mushroom farm here where i live and they inoculate around 1k bags a day, all plastic, all used once, all going to the dump. This is crazy but this is how the world works and plastic does have its advantages in some cases (sterile). But personally i think its overused. Now I can't change the world but I can change how i conduct my own grows. So that leads me to the question of how can i reduce my waste especially plastic and furthermore how could i potentially not have any? Some things i have started doing are:
1. Using compostable or biodegradable " Lawn leaf bags" or trash bags for my tub liners. 2. Reusing my plastic grow bags that i prepare my bulk substrates in. 3. Reusing my polyfill by pcing if in sketchy tub (still to be tested) 4. Reusing my aluminum foil "covers" for PC'ing 5. Switching to Plant cellulose grow bags
I started using certified compostable liners very recently and am eager to see how they hold up but i have been using bags prior made from sugarcane plastic with no impediments at all. i will post a link to them here incase anyone is interested in them. I even use them at home for my trash now, they hold up well. biodegradable bags for liners
Sugar Cane "plastic"
I dont intend to buy anymore plastic grow bags since i do clean them after spawning by washing them out, drying them, then stuffing them into one of my grow jars and pressure cook it with a batch of wbs then leave it in the jar until filling time again. But if i do need to buy them again ill probably go for some of these made from plant cellulose. However i am hearing that these may not hold up as well as regulars and could be just as bad environmentally so definitely do some research. Ill be honest i did not as i just found them on the vendors website.
Something i have yet to try is cleaning my polyfill in a jar just like i do my grow bags by stuffing into a jar and running them with a batch of my wbs but i dont see a reason why it wouldn't work unless it'll melt which it could. I will be back to update on that.
Any new growers out there you can reuse your aluminum foil that you cover your jars with many times. I can usually get 3-4 "cooks with them" Reduce a lot of waste and you'll save money.
So thats basically where im at with the list, hopefully i'll be able to add some new things to it and would love to get any feedback from you guys about it and if it helps or if you have anything to add id love to hear about it. Thanks. one of my new tubs with the biodegradable liner
Edited by naturehead (02/26/20 06:39 PM)
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iwh678
Budget Mycologist



Registered: 01/22/14
Posts: 396
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 year, 6 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: naturehead]
#26480134 - 02/11/20 01:03 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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The biodegradable plastics are really awesome in a lot of applications, but sometimes have a larger carbon footprint than regular plastic. It could be greener to use a non-compostable plastic liner and bag and just reuse it. I'm not sure how long it would take for the filter on a bag to degrade(you could even use pp5 bags without filters and make your own. I've seen this done a few times). Jars seem to be the greenest option though in any case. Also maybe look into using no liner at all. A lot of people have success if they pay attention to their surface conditions.
Look to see if recycling centers around you accept pp5 plastic as well. Unfortunately mine doesn't.
Reusing polyfil is fine and it holds up fine in the pc as well.
What are you covering with foil? A lot of times its not even necessary.
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naturehead
Stranger



Registered: 02/09/17
Posts: 34
Loc: CO
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: iwh678]
#26480170 - 02/11/20 01:24 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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wow, Thats interesting do you know why that is? I would think not using plastic at all would be the best option? Reusing plastic though, i have certainly done in the past, i would wash and clean the liners well with alc. I just hate buying it anymore. I live like 20 miles from a dump and when i go out by it the entire fence along it for miles is just covered in plastic bags they're blowing everywhere. Anyways i use the liners to put on the bottom to reduce side pinning after many experiments i have found that for how i do i have to have a liner between the tub and the bottom of the substrate. Plus it helps with the cleanup when the tub is spent!
Im not familiar at all with pp5 plastics. I mainly use my bags for pasteurizing coco coir verm sub so i could probably get away with no filter at all since im not pcing them. Wish i knew about plant cellulose bags when i grew gourmets though. Def blew through my fair share of plastic ones.
Glad to hear polyfill holds up to the pc. I was about to try that soon. Good way to save some $ too.
I am covering my jars that are full of wbs in the pc with aluminum foil just to keep the tyvec filter patches dry.
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JohnRainyII
Unapproved Puppet

Registered: 02/07/20
Posts: 169
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: naturehead]
#26480197 - 02/11/20 01:42 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Thanks for spreading this information. I'm going to start doing this with the monos, and the cat litter! (I line the litterbox)
Plastic is fucked up.
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: JohnRainyII]
#26480397 - 02/11/20 02:54 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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1. Skip liners altogether 2. Sounds good 3. Meh 4. You can use them until they fall apart 5. Might cost more water and carbon emissions to make them vs traditional
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naturehead
Stranger



Registered: 02/09/17
Posts: 34
Loc: CO
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: JohnRainyII]
#26480413 - 02/11/20 03:00 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Absolutely. Every thing we can do like this helps! Good call on the litter box too haha i may try it as well.
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naturehead
Stranger



Registered: 02/09/17
Posts: 34
Loc: CO
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: bodhisatta]
#26480429 - 02/11/20 03:08 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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1. Man, i wish i could skip the liners. I guess im still on training wheels ha! i find a lot of pinning below and on the sides without. Focusing more lately on what i can do to make the top more desirable i know thats the issue.
4. For sure. Always do, just wanted to restate that here for anyone who may be new
5. yeah im going to have to look into this. IMO even if it takes more water to produce it'll still eventually break down at least. Definitely like that they are offering them as alternatives now.
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cornwallacediggler
atmospheric steam specialist



Registered: 09/01/17
Posts: 62
Last seen: 6 days, 20 hours
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: naturehead]
#26496412 - 02/21/20 04:19 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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those grow bags arent even plant cellulose, theyre made from a kind of plastic that degrades into microplastics so are actually worse, theyre just able to break down quicker but the plastic itself doesnt go away.I was stoked about them til i was told the truth about them by a commercial edible grower. if theyre the same ones made by unicorn save your money. i wasted mine buying alot of them and they were incredibly fragile to the point where they broke more frequently than came out good after the pc cycle or when handling after and i know how to pc bags. Im right there with you about wanting to reduce your footprint, it really can be a ton of plastic waste. hopefully we can all work together to find some good solutions. Id like to eliminate polyfil and ive done no liners but side pins and the bacteria i got made me not go that route but im open to exploring it again if adjustments can be made.
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naturehead
Stranger



Registered: 02/09/17
Posts: 34
Loc: CO
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: cornwallacediggler]
#26505353 - 02/26/20 06:37 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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shit thats insane. I was stoked too but have not used them, haven't had the need to buy lately since i grab them in bulk. Good to know though, the search continues. Thanks for the heads up on them. Definitely hoping that we will have GOOD solutions soon.
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LadysKnight
Hello Ladies


Registered: 10/09/15
Posts: 1,670
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Re: (Greener growing) Compostable tub liners and how to reduce plastic use for grows [Re: naturehead]
#26505378 - 02/26/20 06:53 PM (3 years, 10 months ago) |
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I refuse to come off sounding like a dick, but none of those are real issues. If you're passionate about getting away from plastic, just change how you grow. I don't use any of those things you listed (besides foil on jars, which I hear is also unnecessary, but I'm not ready, I reuse anyway). Also don't know your agar situation, but cheap glass petris are a nice option.
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