Tuesday, May 27, 2008

#229 - I Scream, You Scream!

We All Scream for Ice Cream!


This is the fifteenth change in my month-long pledge to give up plastics for Crunchy's Extreme Eco-Throwdown.

There's a small, locally-owned ice cream parlor just around the corner from me that makes their own special concoctions. They keep the standard flavors on hand - chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter swirl, but they rotate a lot of yummy flavors as well like blueberry cheesecake or cafe mocha. Every flavor, and I mean EVERY FLECKIN' ONE is scrum-diddly-icious.

So of course we take the kids more often than we should to get our delectable frozen dairy fix. Unfortunately, the kidlings are not so gifted with the cone and, more often than not, we end up getting Daphne her treat in bowl with a plastic spoon. And Ethan is just as likely to order a milkshake in one of those Godawful Styrofoam cups as he is to get a scoop. So most trips to the ice cream shop are loaded with disposable plastic.

Not cool for an eco-dorkess.

So from here on out, I'll be using the Boy Scout Motto whenever I head over there. I shall be prepared with my own bowl and spoon for the girl and a large cup for the boy. Me? I'll just make sure my order comes to me in a chocolate-coated, sprinkle waffle cone. You know, to help save the environment.

10 comments:

hmd said...

Good for you! It doesn't take long to get into the habit of grabbing containers and silverware on the way out the door and it feels so good to NOT throw anything away!

Enjoy the ice cream!

EcoBurban said...

That's ice cream devotion right there! How does the ice cream shop feel about it? I got "health dept. guidelines" grief when I wanted to give the local dairy twist my own cup. They wouldn't do it! As if! They must see me coming with 4 boys in tow and just assume I am a breeding ground for germs...

Anonymous said...

Great idea!

Plastic and ice cream do not go together. I was shocked this weekend at the beach when I noticed the ice cream vendor (TCBY, by the way!) using a small hard plastic sleeve to remove the cone...then giving me the plastic sleeve. What?? What ever happened to wearing gloves? This is so wasteful!

Beth from Fake Plastic Fish really raised my awareness about plastic...and once you become aware, it's amazing what you see..

JessTrev said...

You know, I am selfless like that too, I take a triple scoop sugar cone with jimmies for the Green Team. I must join you in the perpetual preparedness tho...what else is the bottom of a stroller *for* if not a complete set of utensils and dishware for a couple chil'ren?

Green Bean said...

Sweeeeet! Literally. The sacrifices you make are truly unbelievable. :) We recently started bringing our own spoons to our frozen yogurt place which, unbelievable serves their organic frozen yogurt in paper or cornstarch cups and then composts them. Only the spoons are plastic. Because I care about the environment, I make it my duty to frequent that store, well, frequently.

Anonymous said...

good god! That picture of ice cream is killing me!!!!!!!!!!

ruchi said...

I get my ice-cream in a cone too! Because I love the environment, and also sugar cones. :)

Anonymous said...

To the poster who wondered about "health code" issues, if they won't scoop it directly into your bowl, you could always order a cone and then dump it upside down into your own bowl.

Going Crunchy said...

We use a local shop and they do have glass cups for you to use as well as regular spoons. I just do have to make it a point to ask for them instead of the typical paper cup and plastic spoon. Try asking to see if they have any alternatives.

Robj98168 said...

You make your own cheese- why not your own ice cream?