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Ready, Set, No Plastic
I've long known about the whole plastics-in-the-ocean problem but never really been struck by it. Does that ever happen to you? It's happened to me plenty of times, where some issue lurks in the back of my brain somewhere, not getting a whole lot of attention. Then one day, it rises up, out of the dark recesses and is all. I. think. about.
I already avoid certain plastics because I have young kids and try hard to minimize their exposures to toxic chemicals. But this is different, because all plastics are guiltily bobbing around the ocean, gumming up the works of wildlife and ecosystems for miles around. So when I read Olga's post about the great Pacific garbage patch on Enviroblog last week and caught a glimpse of the plastic-filled albatross video on You Tube, I decided to kick it up a notch.
So I did what any very forgetful person would do in such a situation: I taped a sign on our back door, not to be missed by anyone leaving the house (with a wallet, headed to a store, in other words), that reads: Remember the great Pacific garbage patch.
Why? Because I'm gonna go without. For a week. Seven whole days. Not gonna buy one single thing with plastic on it. And yes, that includes my glass milk bottles because the lid is plastic. It includes clothing with that teeny plastic thingy that attaches the price tag (does it have a name??). And it includes the saran wrap on cheese. Eek. And yes, my husband is (somewhat begrudgingly) joining the fun, so he won't be secretly buying what I can't.
Why a week? It's my hope that I can do in a week what I might not be able to sustain for longer, and I want to raise my own consciousness about how prevalent plastic is, where there are alternatives we can embrace. I aim to identify permanent changes that aren't so hard, and a few that are. I know I'll go back to buying my glass bottled milk with the plastic lid, but that's OK. The goal isn't no plastic forever (is it?). I do live in the middle of an American city, after all. I just have this sense that it's really and truly and absolutely everywhere but I'm just not really seeing it.
Check back next Tuesday to see how it went. I expect some easy changes and some challenges, too. I'm finally going to seize that low-hanging fruit: no more plastic grocery bags, disposable coffee cups or bottled water (all preventable), and more bulk food. Some challenges I expect are: no juice smoothies for the kids, no cheese, no yogurt, no tortillas, yikes, the list of plastic-wrapped food is l-o-n-g. One major challenge is that success may well hinge on me having a little forethought, some organization, and some time, none of which are currently my strong suits. Wish me luck.
[Photo courtesy of Beth at Fake Plastic Fish who is an inspiring pro at this plastic-free-lifestyle. That's me in Oakland with her ceramic mug; she brought it for me because I forgot mine. I told you, she's good.]
One thing you don't have to go without is yogurt! I got tired of all those little plastic yogurt containers entering my house and decided to make my own yogurt. It's really easy (you don't need any special gadgets) and doesn't take too much time. You can find a lot of yogurt recipes online.
Good luck! It's a huge commitment - even if it's only for a week. We've been on a family quest to reduce our plastic usage and it's amazing what you can cut out! I really bothers me that almost everything that we put in our mouths has been touched by plastic if it comes from a conventional store! Our kids are so much more aware with their choices now - you really can make a difference.
I think I'm gonna try the yogurt making. It's been in the back of my mind for ages. Thanks for the encouragement!
So far, sliced sandwich bread is a challenge. And that sneaky plastic that hides underneath paper. Like that chocolate bar I bought yesterday!