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Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

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Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#181

Post by mumblemumble »

thinnerlizzy wrote: post #169
mumblemumble wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, I'm personally fond of tea dust for cold brew, too. This summer I've been very much enjoying gyokuro dust steeped overnight in the fridge as my morning beverage. Not only is it less expensive than the whole leaf stuff (essentially free vs. some of the most expensive tea I own), but I think that works better with that brewing method, too. Probably the main reason I don't use Lipton instead of the good stuff when…

I've been using Lipton for this purpose and don't like all the packaging either. What do you use to contain the dust while you brew overnight? I make mine in a pitcher that lasts a few days.

I use a travel mug with a strainer cup that fits snugly inside. In the morning I pour it out without removing the strainer, so whatever dust fell through and collected in the bottom ends up getting filtered out when it goes back through the wet bits of leaf.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#182

Post by petecox »

sandworm101 wrote: post #154
comtn wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Celestial Seasons uses high quality ingredients, offering tours for anyone in the Boulder, Colorado area. They also use a patented pillow bag according to their FAQ: unique pillow-style tea bag that doesn't need a string, tag, staple or individual wrapper—and as a result, we save 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills every year.

>> we save 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills 3.5 million pounds? Of tiny strings and staples? Wouldn't that require literally billions of teabags to reach 3.5 million pounds saved?

Not all brands, obviously, but don't assume the 'bag' itself is biodegradable.

Anecdotally, certain fancy tea bags survived an 18 month composting cycle, which I had to then pluck out by hand before spreading said compost on my vegie patch.

Be kind to worms!

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#183

Post by a_t48 »

shanecleveland wrote: post #121

I drink tea over coffee (for digestive reasons), and I assume I am missing out on really good tea. Any readily-available loose-leaf tea recommendations?

Ive been drinking a lot of https://songtea.com/collections/aged-tea/products/aged-formo... lately but it might be overpriced. :)

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#184

Post by selimthegrim »

mikestew wrote: post #39
rayiner wrote: post #4

Modern tea paraphernalia is stupid. Like those fancy woven strings that act like wicks and dribble tea down the side. It's hard to even find normal tea anymore. I ask for tea and people ask "what flavor." And I'm like "tea flavor." My Bangladeshi mom uses Lipton tea bags and a bit of milk. Should be good enough for everybody.

My Bangladeshi mom uses Lipton tea bags and a bit of milk. I hope that wasn't an appeal to some kind of authority. All that tells me is that some Bangladeshi women have even worst taste in tea than this ignorant American. There's quite a wide gulf between not wanting to consume the least common denominator and making a lifestyle out of it. As for flavors, just because one's view says tea should only come in one flavo…

Do they not get Darjeeling or Assam in Bangladesh?

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#185

Post by SeaSeaRider »

buckminster wrote: post #52

Some of these fancy bags (e.g. from tea pigs) are made from polylactic acid. This is derived from corn starch and used in temporary medical implants (it degrades to lactic acid) so hopefully it's safe.

Thanks, I’m a Tea Pig drinker, was looking for this comment.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#186

Post by mumblemumble »

saghm wrote: post #164
fao_ wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> unique pillow-style tea bag that doesn't need a string, tag, staple or individual wrapper—and as a result, we save 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills every year. Assuming the tea actually sells Do the 'pillow-style tea bag's use plastic?

> Assuming the tea actually sells Anecdotally, my mother has been drinking Celestial Seasons for as long as I can remember (i.e. 20-25 years), and at any given time has maybe a half dozen to a dozen boxes of various types of it. Given that I grew up drinking it, tea bags with a string and tag have always been super weird to me. > Do the 'pillow-style tea bag's use plastic? Based solely on appearance/texture, they see…

I'm pretty sure it's paper. From their FAQ:

Our tea bags are manufactured through a totally chlorine-free (TCF) process, meaning that no dioxin is released into the environment. Plus, they never contain starch or gluten, and they're completely biodegradable and compostable—making them better for you and for our planet.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#187

Post by 14 »

roboys wrote: post #53
simias wrote: post #7

Loose tea is often cheaper and of better quality in my experience. If you brew tea a lot using a reusable strainer seems like a much better choice. I'm also entirely convinced that these plastic pyramid-shaped bags are pure marketing. Then again, I find Lipton tea absolutely terrible regardless of the shape of the bag.

My buddy used to work for Lipton. He explained that they use the cheapest grade of tea (dust) available. Also many tea companies mix non-tea additives (fillers) to their tea bags. After hearing this I decided, if it's not full loose leaf, I don't drink it. We found that companies like Elephant Chateau ( http://elephantchateau.com ) deliver the 3 highest grades of tea direct from Ceylon mountain estates with the optio…

This really has me wondering. I have always really enjoyed coffee but found tea was just not for me. Thinking back, I have only ever tried cheap shelf tea such as Lipton as you mentioned. Perhaps I need to try a real tea and see the difference. How is it a company like Lipton who aims to use the cheapest quality product success in the market?

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#188

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

14 wrote: post #187
roboys wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My buddy used to work for Lipton. He explained that they use the cheapest grade of tea (dust) available. Also many tea companies mix non-tea additives (fillers) to their tea bags. After hearing this I decided, if it's not full loose leaf, I don't drink it. We found that companies like Elephant Chateau ( http://elephantchateau.com ) deliver the 3 highest grades of tea direct from Ceylon mountain estates with the optio…

This really has me wondering. I have always really enjoyed coffee but found tea was just not for me. Thinking back, I have only ever tried cheap shelf tea such as Lipton as you mentioned. Perhaps I need to try a real tea and see the difference. How is it a company like Lipton who aims to use the cheapest quality product success in the market?

It's the same principle as fast food. A McDonalds hamburger is very different from a "normal" burger - but it's cheaper, quicker, more standardized, and someone has to use the trimmings. There are a few edge cases who like burgers but hate McDonalds, but for most people it's close enough to be a suitable replacement.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#189

Post by rayiner »

selimthegrim wrote: post #184
mikestew wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My Bangladeshi mom uses Lipton tea bags and a bit of milk. I hope that wasn't an appeal to some kind of authority. All that tells me is that some Bangladeshi women have even worst taste in tea than this ignorant American. There's quite a wide gulf between not wanting to consume the least common denominator and making a lifestyle out of it. As for flavors, just because one's view says tea should only come in one flavo…

Do they not get Darjeeling or Assam in Bangladesh?

None of my aunties ever mentioned where the tea came from. That wasn’t a thing. https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2018/02/20/value-addit...

> “In the past, people used to drink normal black tea. But now, they are not satisfied with the normal tea and moved to organic and value added products, concerned about their health benefits and taste,” SM Didarul Hasan, senior manager (marketing) of MM Ispahani Limited, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Normal black tea” is what everyone drank when I lived there. “Normal black tea” was universal and egalitarian, instead of individualistic and self indulgent. Appropriately conformist and British.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#190

Post by 9nGQluzmnq3M »

mumblemumble wrote: post #132
brokenkebab wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, bagged tea exists because there are lots of buyers who only want quick refreshing non-coffee caffeine, and don't care for taste that much. Or sometimes they just want a background for those 100 g. of sugar you mentioned. Tea dust is a perfect match for this market, because it releases everything it holds to water immediately, while whole leaves may require some patience, and proper procedure.

FWIW, I'm personally fond of tea dust for cold brew, too. This summer I've been very much enjoying gyokuro dust steeped overnight in the fridge as my morning beverage. Not only is it less expensive than the whole leaf stuff (essentially free vs. some of the most expensive tea I own), but I think that works better with that brewing method, too. Probably the main reason I don't use Lipton instead of the good stuff when…

Gyokuro is supposed to be high grade tea leaves grown in the shade, which are then ground into powder. (This is basically how matcha is made.)

By contrast, the tea dust that Lipton uses is the leftovers when all the higher-grade roasted whole leaves have been taken out, and it's quite literally the worst/cheapest grade:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_leaf_grading

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