Well, how was I supposed to know what was in there until I tipped it over?!! You don't think I was going to be shipped in there back to Vegas, do you? Remember Jamey's last words?
I'LL BE BACK, TOM
I'm not going anywhere, especially in that box. This is my forever home, so my mom must be planning on shipping something. That packing material in the box (now all over the floor) is called shipping peanuts or packaging peanuts. This particular packing material is polystyrene foam, which is made from the nonrecyclable chemical compound styrene. This stuff is bad for the environment and on human health -there are better alternatives.
An alternative is to use old newspapers, which are recyclable and biodegradable. Another smart choice is PaperNuts, which are made from recyclable, biodegradable postconsumer corrugated cartons and postindustrial paper-processing production waste. (Try to say that three times straight!) There is also starch-based peanuts (from StarchTech) that can be dissolved in water and washed away, composted, or simply reused in the next outgoing package. They are nontoxic, and as such, will not harm children or pets that may come into contact with the material. I REALLY LIKE THIS PET-FRIENDLY COMPANY.
If you receive a package that contains polystyrene foam peanuts, you can call the company that sent it and ask that they switch to a more environmentally friendly alternative. Regardless, the best way to prevent such peanuts from contaminating the environment is to reuse them in an outgoing package and include a note asking the recipient to do the same. If you have no use for them, many businesses that do shipping will take them if they are in good condition, and most managers at UPS, Mailboxes Etc., and other pack-and-ship shops will gladly save a little money and accept a donation. Even if no local businesses will take your foam peanuts, you can call the Plastic Loose Fill Council’s Peanut Hotline and they'll be happy to help find one that will.
Let me tell you about something else I like, and that's Circus Peanuts! This is a peanut-shaped marshmallow candy that is orange-colored with a banana flavor (they come in a variety of colors now). Circus Peanuts date back to the 1800s when they were a seasonal treat and one of the original penny candies. Starting in the 1940s, they were available year-round. WOO-HOO!
In 1963, the vice president of General Mills discovered that Circus Peanuts shavings were tasty when added to his breakfast cereal. The company formulated the marshmallow bits and created Lucky Charms, the first breakfast cereal to contain these marshmallow marvels! From the beginning, the mascot for the Lucky Charms has been a leprechaun who can change plain white marshmallows into mystical shapes. When he was introduced in 1964, this character was known as L.C. Leprechaun, but his name was eventually changed to Lucky. Aren't you "lucky" I'm giving you these serial cereal facts?!!
Of course, give somebody something squishy, and they're going to do things with it.
Now it's my turn to play and I want to see the Gigglebellies and Peanut - The Elephant Song!
First time ever - I'm not going to tell you what this is - but it features some "thrilling" squirrels:
