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File this episode under things you never thought about but that will now haunt you… sorry!
This week we’re talking about the darker side of two things you’ve probably encountered this week: vanilla flavoring and customer receipts.
Elise takes us through the unlikely ways that vanilla flavoring is being made, including petroleum-based artificial flavors that are already likely in your cupboard.
Then Olivia tells the story of the CVS receipt meme and how consumer demand and environmental activism have gotten major retailers to skip the slip. Plus, how not to act at your first post-lockdown comedy show.
Story #1: Vanilla Flavoring and Plastic Bottles (Elise)
Sources:
Scientists convert used plastic bottles into vanilla flavouring, The Guardian, June 2021
The Flavor Rundown: Natural vs. Artificial Flavors, Harvard Blog, Sept 2015
Molecule of the Week Archive : Vanillin, American Chemical Society, Sept 2016
The problem with vanilla, Chemical Engineering News, Sept 2016
A Brief History of Making and Faking Flavor, Eater
The Absurd History of Artificial Flavors, First We Feast, June 2015
The Untold Truth About Vanilla Flavor, Mashed, Feb 2021
In Search of the Best Vanilla, Cook’s Illustrated, Dec 2018
Vanillin, Wikipedia
Story #2: BPA and CVS Receipts (Olivia)
Sources:
Assembly Committee Passes Kennedy, Vainieri Huttle & Karabinchak Measure Removing Potentially Harmful BPA from Receipt Paper, June 16 2021, Insider NJ
Lidl introduces a new environmentally friendly receipt, made from an innovative thermal paper, March 3 2021, Business Review
Retailers taking action on toxics: Target & CVS make progress, Walmart slides backward, October 6 2020, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
CVS CEO has a fix for those mile-long receipts — here’s how it works, December 5 2018, CNBC (the video in this with the CEO made me uncomfy)
The long, long history of long, long CVS receipts, October 10 2018, Vox
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Recycle Your Giant CVS Receipts, April 2 2021, Mental Floss
CVS Moves to Digital, Non-Toxic Sales Receipts, October 21 2020, Packaging Strategies
World’s oldest writing not poetry but a shopping receipt, April 13 2011, The National News UAE
Endocrine Disruptors, National Institute of Environmental Health
The Surprising Impact of Paper Receipts, November 1 2020, Treehugger
BPA Is Everywhere. Is It Safe?, December 15 2015, Lifehacker
Success!: CVS Responds to Consumers and Takes Significant Steps to “Skip the Slip,” Move to Digital, Non-toxic Receipts, October 20 2020, Green America
Skip the Slip Report: Environmental Costs & Human Health Risks of Paper Receipts, Green America
The Dump
Watch:
Mae Martin’s Netflix show Feel Good and their Comedians Around the World’s half hour
Listen:
Trace Material, exploring the social history of plastic
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