How easy will it be to not use any single use items this month? I was thinking that for me it shouldn't be too hard, if I fail it would be because I am too tight to buy a plastic free alternative but now I'm not so sure.
I do use plasic, I reuse plastic containers, drink bottles, bags...I even rinse and reuse plastic straws if the grandchild wants one. I have an assortment of reusable bags for shopping but quite often forget to take them into the shop so sometimes I do accept a plastic bag when at the checkout. If I don't go shopping this month then these wont be needed and I do keep the reusable bags in the car so there is no reason except lazyness to take a plastic one. I have put a couple of scrunched up bags in my handbag so that I have no excuse if I need to buy a few things. If it's just a couple of things then of course no bag is needed anyway.
At home I use plastic containers for storing stuff in the fridge or freezer but I have been thinking about this challenge and there is a lot of meat and fish in the freezer in plastic bags that will be thrown out when we eat the food. But we can't not eat any of it so there will be bags that need throwing away. If husband wasn't home it would be easier as I would eat less meat and more lentils from the glass canisters but he is home and I will need to feed him and he wont want lentils every night...Or at all...
I always take a bottle of water with me when I leave the house, never buy bottled water or other drinks. We rarely buy takeaway food, occasionally hot chips and they are wrapped in paper. We don't buy a lot of processed foods so there wont be much plastic from that and we grow most of our fruit and veg so don't need plastic bags there. I don't buy takeaway coffee. We grow and kill our own meat and chicken and catch fish but it is all bagged up in plastic before it is put in the freezer.
Husband uses quite a lot of one-use plastic. Coke bottles, plastic wrapping on his smokes, he buys screws and stuff that is wrapped in plastic. After talking about this challenge he has agreed to try and choose an alternative if he remembers and there is one. Coke can be bought in cans instead of plastic bottles...this will cost more though as the 2 litre bottles of coke are a lot cheaper and he drinks a lot of coke.
It is going to be an interesting experiment. I think we do OK already, great compared to most people we know but it seems that there is plenty of room for improvement.
As for the meat in plastic already in the freezer--you are already using that. You have to get to the meat. Just because you don't touch that plastic does not mean you are not using it. So, getting meat from the freezer won't sully your record.
ReplyDeleteWhen in the past I have left my reusable bags in the car, I just drive the cart to the car and bag my stuff in the parking lot. If I forget the bags at home, I end up bagging them after I get the groceries home. It is annoying, but I never brought home plastic.
Good luck on your challenge.
I am slowly removing plastic-packaged products from the house, but only one thing at a time as I run out, so really, much easier than doing it all at once. But wow, good for you, I will be interested to see how you are going through the month, and what your challenges are.
ReplyDeleteHi Barb...very hard to be 100 % plastic free ...like for example if I want to buy a bag of frozen peas...yes some might say grow your own or go with out ...not every one can grow all the food they need and want ...we buy flat bread that comes in plastic bags...what about a block of cheese comes in plastic wrap and as you say about putting meat in the freezer what else can you put it in ...when we buy our mince from the butchers...and your lentils how do they come home in a plastic bag...like you I try my very best ..but I'm not perfect...who is ...but for a month ..what if you want a treat like a share packet of chocolates ..more plastic ...if we do use plastic we need to dispose of it well so it doesn't end up in our oceans for fish and birds and other animals to eat ...after all plastic is made from planet earth so how bad could it really be....
ReplyDeleteWhat a great challenge to challenge oneself with! I am sure there will be quite a few times when you will not even know what to do to avoid the use/purchase of plastic for some reason but I think it is where the fun part is. You are putting lots of effort into something that matters much to you and are working hard on your problem solving skills. Good luck!
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