From what I understand, aluminum is endlessly recyclable. Plastic can only be recycled a few times, and I don't believe it can ever be recycled into food grade plastic again. Also, the plastic label cannot be recycled. Shipping-wise, plastic is lighter, but aluminum uses more available space. They are both round, but plastic bottles are wasting space at the top where they dome in, as well as the space taken up by the stackable plastic shipping pieces. I don't know which allows for more fuel efficiency: less empty space resulting in more liquid shipped per truckload, or lighter containers resulting in less fuel needed for propulsion. I can't think of many ways to reuse aluminum cans, and can only think of a few for the plastic bottles. Any uses for either will last a long time, which means you won't be doing much in the reuse section of the 3 R's.

I've planted my cucumbers over a week ago. They were wintersowed and growing already outside. I covered them with bottles, same as you describe. I've mulched around with shredded leaves pretty high. So far, so good and they survived a few quite cold nights. I know, it's crazy early but everything sprouted so early. I want to do this with a couple of tomatoes and sunflowers. I have to wait till weekend, no time right now.

thanks donna, that is it! now i just need to get the plastic rings. ha ha. i looked everywhere for it. i bought an old one at the auction yesterday and want to make some to hang in my kitchen. thanks again, vicki

OK, left out amount of shortening so reposting the entire recipe with the correction. This is the recipe for the Irish Soda Bread made famous at the Lowell Folk Festival. Every year it is sold at the Irish food booth along with other Irish dishes. It's a little different from most and makes more of a cake like bread and uses sour cream as the acid, but it still goes perfectly with corned beef and cabbage on St Patricks Day. it also makes a wonderful bread to serve with tea, especially if it's warm. My family prefers to eat the bread warm with dinner or with tea, coffee or hot cocoa. It warms up well in a microwave. The recipe was printed in the Lowell Sun newspaper 10 years ago, coutesy of the creator of the recipe, Mary Noon. MARY NOON'S IRISH SODA BREAD 2 1/2 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder (not level) 1 teaspoon salt (not level) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (not level) 1/4 cup margarine or shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg beaten 1 pint sour cream 1/2 cup raisins caraway seeds if you like. original recipe does not call for them because her family doesn't like them, nor does mine. Preheat oven to 375. butter an 8 inch round cake pan or use cooking spray to coat. Sift flour, baking poweder, salt and baking soda together and set aside. Cream shortening or margarine and sugar. Add egg and sour cream and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Fold in raisins. dough will be very sticky. Put dough into 8 inch pan, make a cross in the dough and bake for 50 minutes. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool some in pan before removing. Serve warm or cold. My changes. I use mazola unsalted stick margarine instead of shortening and leave out the salt. I find it tastes better without any added salt. I always serve the bread warm, fresh out of the oven and cooled a bit before serving. wrap leftovers if any in aluminum foil and then slip into a ziploc bag to store. Reheat sliced in microwave on a plate with a cover vented just a little until it is as warm as you want it. Enjoy everyone. I'm off to make mine now.