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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 23, 2021 13:33:23 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin.
I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff...
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Post by salopstick on Feb 23, 2021 13:36:54 GMT
Coffee
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 23, 2021 14:44:24 GMT
We have one large cup of stove top espresso to get us going in the morning, then it's tea from that point.
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Feb 23, 2021 14:58:55 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... I use Twinnings English Breakfast
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 23, 2021 16:42:02 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... Assam, best loose leaf stuff you can get if you like a nice strong malty flavour. And good for you for doing something positive for the environment - horrific when you realise just how much plastic there is in teabags, which obviously never composts away.
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Post by FbrgVaStkFan on Feb 23, 2021 17:06:37 GMT
What is plastic in a tea bag?
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 23, 2021 17:09:31 GMT
What is plastic in a tea bag? About 25% of the actual bag.
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Post by FbrgVaStkFan on Feb 23, 2021 17:26:22 GMT
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Post by dave1 on Feb 23, 2021 19:16:51 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... Why don't u just throw the tea bag in the normal bin??
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 23, 2021 19:21:53 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... Why don't u just throw the tea bag in the normal bin?? Presumably because like any sensible person he wants to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill?
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 23, 2021 19:31:43 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... Why don't u just throw the tea bag in the normal bin?? We can all find ways to help the environment if we make a small effort. I'm not even close to being an eco-warrior and not everybody can compost their waste, but if you think the environment is suffering, then lots of people making small efforts, can actually make a difference.
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 23, 2021 19:39:54 GMT
Why don't u just throw the tea bag in the normal bin?? We can all find ways to help the environment if we make a small effort. I'm not even close to being an eco-warrior and not everybody can compost their waste, but if you think the environment is suffering, then lots of people making small efforts, can actually make a difference. Quick google tells you that 160 million teabags get thrown away every day in the UK!
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Post by innocentbystander on Feb 23, 2021 20:25:12 GMT
Good choice, you are about to become sophisticated. My father was a professional tea taster at a merchant house in the City (London) so I've had a bit of tutoring. At home we had PG Tips or Coop 99 (no longer available). I only drink loose tea from a proper ceramic tea pot, all day every day, I've tried all the loose teas and my favourite is Sainsbury's in the red pack (better than the more expensive gold). It's got a lovely malty aroma and more complex flavour than the dusty floor sweepings they put in teabags. Bonus: environmentally the tea leaf dregs mulch tipped over my potted geraniums keeps them moist through the summer:)
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Post by AlliG on Feb 23, 2021 20:30:04 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... I use Ringtons loose leaf breakfast tea. Loose leaf tea over tea bags every time. It is far easier to get the perfect strength tea in every cup after a bit of experimenting. My Mum still has a good old fashioned brown earthenware teapot for it and visitor's (when they are allowed) get (at least) 1 mug an hour, so anyone there for a long time gets to drink a lot of tea!
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Post by Widget123 on Feb 23, 2021 21:20:45 GMT
It's from 2019 so might be out of date now (and some of those without ticks might well now have them) but there are a number of tea bags which don't have plastic in them if you decide you'd prefer a bag rather than loose leaf: www.countryliving.com/uk/create/food-and-drink/news/a3291/plastic-tea-bags-environment/I usually nick the Clipper, Abel & Cole and TeaPigs bags when I stay in hotels as they look fancy and now I feel even more environmentally friendly having hoarded hundreds of them over the years! (I also take the hot chocolates and the biscuits but lets not mention those).
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Post by dave1 on Feb 23, 2021 21:24:56 GMT
Why don't u just throw the tea bag in the normal bin?? Presumably because like any sensible person he wants to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill? Do you drink tea? And if so, do you use tea bags?
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Post by FbrgVaStkFan on Feb 23, 2021 21:32:22 GMT
I went down the internet tea rabbit hole today. Pesticides and plastic seem to be prevalent if all the articles are assumed truthful. The OP may have me turning exclusively to loose leaf although the pesticides would still be a problem.
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Post by RedandWhite90 on Feb 23, 2021 22:19:38 GMT
I went down the internet tea rabbit hole today. Pesticides and plastic seem to be prevalent if all the articles are assumed truthful. The OP may have me turning exclusively to loose leaf although the pesticides would still be a problem. You can get pest control in 👍
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 23, 2021 22:41:30 GMT
Presumably because like any sensible person he wants to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill? Do you drink tea? And if so, do you use tea bags? Yes, usually somewhere between 2-6 mugs a day. No, I buy Assam loose leaf to make in a mug with an infuser. Absolutely no more faff than a bag and the taste is incomparably better.
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Post by dirtclod on Feb 24, 2021 0:10:55 GMT
So...if pesticides are in tea. Can you drink a lot and kill bugs when you pee? Just asking for a friend...
Can you picture this - neighbor yells over "Hey what're you pissing on your house for?"
Pest Control!!
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 24, 2021 9:46:58 GMT
Thank you all for your suggestions, I will give them all a try.
Moving on, Mrs RBO is using a stainless steel pot without a cozy, this is clearly wrong on many levels. I have a natural leaning towards a big ceramic pot and a crocheted tea cozy, and whilst a knitted cozy (not crocheted, but I'll let that one go) is on the way, a mug with an infuser sounds like an option that would be very easy to live with.
When I told Mrs RBO that I was going to consult The Oatcake about loose leaf tea, she scoffed, but you have proven her wrong, again.
So infused mugs versus a ceramic pot, what the 21st century's view?
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Post by Northy on Feb 24, 2021 10:25:32 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... we use the clipper tea bags that don't have plastic, and put them in the wormery
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Post by Northy on Feb 24, 2021 10:28:43 GMT
We can all find ways to help the environment if we make a small effort. I'm not even close to being an eco-warrior and not everybody can compost their waste, but if you think the environment is suffering, then lots of people making small efforts, can actually make a difference. Quick google tells you that 160 million teabags get thrown away every day in the UK! Frightening if they all have plastic in them
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 24, 2021 10:48:58 GMT
We're making the switch back from tea bags to loose leaf tea, largely because of the plastic in teabags is playing havoc with the compost bin. I'm looking for suggestions for what people recommend as their daily drivers, rather than the more specialist stuff... we use the clipper tea bags that don't have plastic, and put them in the wormery That's good news about Clipper, even though they were being disingenuous by originally describing their tea bags a "plastic free" when they are actually 100% plastic. The difference being that Clipper use PLA which is plant based (and what most people use for 3D printing) and capable of being 100% biodegradable if recycled correctly. If the bags end up in landfill, then they will still stay intact, but in theory, they will be less damaging. It's definitely a big step in the right direction and it looks like the big brands are going to go the same way.
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Post by murphthesurf on Feb 24, 2021 15:01:00 GMT
A few years ago I wanted to get a present to send to a very dear friend in the USA , so ideally it had to be something 'typically English' - I went into Harrods' website and ordered a few tea-related things with the Harrods logo for her, including some 'Harrods English Breakfast Tea' teabags. Ordered some of them for myself, just out of curiosity, at the same time, and I must admit that they made the MOST delicious tea I've ever had. Tend to stick with PG Tips these days, but might try Saino's Red Label again, which I used to have yonks ago.
Are we about to also have plastic coffee bags, though? Fairly recently there have been TV ads promoting a new idea of Filter Coffee being more convenient by being sold in bags similar to teabags, so if this idea is going to catch on big-time the problem of plastic in the bags is going to rocket.
For the sake of the planet it would be lovely to return to loose tea in view of the above findings on plastic but, quite honestly, how many of us (and very sad to say it) are that organised time and effort-wise, plus these days I'm sure we are mindful of the planet's wellbeing in many other ways, particularly regarding plastic.
Surely the way forward on this is to universally demand that tea companies worldwide sharpen their acts up and stop using any plastic at all in teabags? Make it against the law?
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Post by lawrieleslie on Feb 24, 2021 16:09:25 GMT
PG Tips, Twinnings and Yorkshire Tea all make their tea bags plastic free and compostable. Although PG Tips have only recently completely switched over so there will be plenty of their plastic tea bags still around as the shelf life is quite long around 6-12 months. There are also many less well known companies that provide plastic free teabags. Tetley claim to be bio degradable but not compostable because the bags contain traces of plastic.
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Post by Rednwhitenblue on Feb 24, 2021 17:51:20 GMT
Thank you all for your suggestions, I will give them all a try. Moving on, Mrs RBO is using a stainless steel pot without a cozy, this is clearly wrong on many levels. I have a natural leaning towards a big ceramic pot and a crocheted tea cozy, and whilst a knitted cozy (not crocheted, but I'll let that one go) is on the way, a mug with an infuser sounds like an option that would be very easy to live with. When I told Mrs RBO that I was going to consult The Oatcake about loose leaf tea, she scoffed, but you have proven her wrong, again. So infused mugs versus a ceramic pot, what the 21st century's view? A stainless steel pot without a cozy? Are you living in a cafe?! That's just an abomination Go for an infuser, especially if you're just making for yourself most of the time. Tea in a pot tends to stew a bit for my liking and I never really want more than a mug at one time anyway. If you have an Alexa, she will even time it for you, four minutes is ideal for Assam...
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Feb 24, 2021 18:30:58 GMT
PG Tips, Twinnings and Yorkshire Tea all make their tea bags plastic free and compostable. Although PG Tips have only recently completely switched over so there will be plenty of their plastic tea bags still around as the shelf life is quite long around 6-12 months. There are also many less well known companies that provide plastic free teabags. Tetley claim to be bio degradable but not compostable because the bags contain traces of plastic. They're not plastic free, they are made from a type of plastic called PLA that is made from corn starch. It's obviously better than being oil based, but as Twinings admit, it is only industrially compostable, and won't just rot away like actual paper, so if they end up in landfill, they will stay there. It's a big step in the right direction but it's not the tree hugging solution that the marketing people will have you believe.
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Post by Goonie on Feb 25, 2021 21:50:54 GMT
Julian Clary always said he likes to wake up with Earl Gray and a chocolate finger
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Post by longdistancekiddie on Feb 25, 2021 21:59:14 GMT
Barry's loose tea in a Brown Betty teapot
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