Eco Brooms

Now that Spring is here, it's time to bring the cleaning indoors and outdoors.    The other day, I grabbed my trusty all-natural corn broom and the whole thing just fell apart.   I thought I could screw the broom back into the handle, but to no avail.    So, there I was holding the broom part in my hands, hunched over, trying to clean the porch without a handle.   Not good.

So, onto the store I went to buy a new broom.  For years, I've always bought all-natural bristle ones; they seem to work really well and I like the fact they're made from all-natural, renewable materials.   

But to my surprise, something caught my eye at the store: a broom made from "80% recycled plastic materials."

Do you ever see something in the store that has a claim like that and then there's nothing else on the package explaining what exactly that means?    Is it pre-consumer plastic?  Post-consumer?   What kind of plastic?   How is it green?   I was going mad.

So at home, I googled and researched a bit and found out that the 80% recycled plastic bristles are actually made from old plastic water bottles.   Not bad.

It's from Libman and you can probably find it in most hardware and discount stores.      So, I picked one up and decided to give it a try.

My only complaint is that I do miss the good-looking, honest design of a corn bristle broom.   It's the kind of broom you can just leave leaning on a wall on the porch, and it still looks good.   This plastic broom, I'm not so sure I can do that.     But I do feel better knowing it's made from recycled materials.   

Comments

[Louise Cady-Fernandes]

Danny, I love your blog. I like checking in from time to time to see what's new and what you are up to. Because I am such a fan I'd like to send you one of my eco-friendly felted peace sign t-shirts. If I don't hear from you I'll try emailing you as well. I just need an address to send it to (and your size and even your peace sign color preference).

Thanks so much, Louise

[Vicky]

I found this humorous because I have a plastic broom that has managed to survive a bunch of years [pre-recycled era] that I use for a mop also. I slap a towel on the bristles, rubber band it in place, and mop away. So I use it for 2 chores, does that count in the 'green book'?

[Jen]

This makes me happy. We weren't paying much attention to the green thing at the time that we registered for our wedding, but now we are totally getting into it, and to find that the broom that we registered for and received is this one? Fantastic!

You have a fabulous blog, it is SO fun! Thanks!

[S.]

I never thought about my broom. I agree that the natural ones look better lying around. But, like you said, it is good that at least the plastic one is from recyled materials

[shawn]

Go Green is amazing in the way it has brought the worlds attention to the earth. Its about time someone did it. I bet it had to be awesome being in that sweet in New York huh. Thanks for the information that was a fun read.