was the name of a great blog that I've been following lately. It is now called My Plastic Free Life. I don't have to look back too far, only about 10 years, to the time when friends and family thought I was a bit odd for bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Now it is highly encouraged and socially accepted. Well, reusable bags isn't where I stopped being a bit odd, or as I like to believe, a little bit ahead of the game.
There are many things I do in my everyday life that are not great for my health or the sustainability of the planet. I drive a car after all. But I do step by step try to live in ways that have smaller impacts. It's been about 5 years now since I decided to give up coffee cups to go. This means that if I do not have my own reusable coffee cup I simply go without coffee. This works pretty well over all. There have been times, especially when traveling, that this rule has been broken, but overall I stick to it.
Last year I decided to give up one use drink bottles of all kinds (not counting beer bottles). This meant no bottled water or grabbing a juice to go with a last minute lunch. Again, the hardest time to follow this rule is while traveling, but over all I've only broken this rule a handful of times.
Now I'm trying to find ways to cut out single use plastic of all kinds from my life. The first step is simply paying attention. I shop at the local Coop and yet still find it really hard to buy food that does not come in plastic. The frozen food section is now off limits, minus the few items that come in bulk, due to the use of plastic in the packaging. I can't buy sliced bread at the store but I can go to the local baker, get their bread sliced, and put into my own bag. No more store bought yogurt... I've already started making my own. I'm undecided so far on cheese. All cheese that I've found so far comes in plastic and this one I might indulge on from time to time. I get freshly made tortillas at the local Mexican restaurant put into a bag that I provide them. I get ice cream packed in my own container at the local ice cream shop.
Will I eliminate all plastic from my life or my grocery list? No, but I'll be using a whole lot less. Will I miss some of the foods that I loved, like sprouted sesame bread and ok-mak crackers? Maybe a little, but it feels better to be able to do without certain things. We are spoiled when it comes to our food options and often have the mind frame that we deserve it all. Deserve it at the expense of the health of our planet, and ultimately ourselves. Living a life with less plastic limits my food options, but the options I do have (for the most part) are much healthier than those that come in plastic.
I'm a believer in every lit bit counts. I don't have to be perfect but I should always strive for improvement. I don't focus on guilt but rather focus on the empowerment that I feel when I know I make decisions and purchases based on the values I strive to incorporate into my life.
There are many things I do in my everyday life that are not great for my health or the sustainability of the planet. I drive a car after all. But I do step by step try to live in ways that have smaller impacts. It's been about 5 years now since I decided to give up coffee cups to go. This means that if I do not have my own reusable coffee cup I simply go without coffee. This works pretty well over all. There have been times, especially when traveling, that this rule has been broken, but overall I stick to it.
Last year I decided to give up one use drink bottles of all kinds (not counting beer bottles). This meant no bottled water or grabbing a juice to go with a last minute lunch. Again, the hardest time to follow this rule is while traveling, but over all I've only broken this rule a handful of times.
Now I'm trying to find ways to cut out single use plastic of all kinds from my life. The first step is simply paying attention. I shop at the local Coop and yet still find it really hard to buy food that does not come in plastic. The frozen food section is now off limits, minus the few items that come in bulk, due to the use of plastic in the packaging. I can't buy sliced bread at the store but I can go to the local baker, get their bread sliced, and put into my own bag. No more store bought yogurt... I've already started making my own. I'm undecided so far on cheese. All cheese that I've found so far comes in plastic and this one I might indulge on from time to time. I get freshly made tortillas at the local Mexican restaurant put into a bag that I provide them. I get ice cream packed in my own container at the local ice cream shop.
Will I eliminate all plastic from my life or my grocery list? No, but I'll be using a whole lot less. Will I miss some of the foods that I loved, like sprouted sesame bread and ok-mak crackers? Maybe a little, but it feels better to be able to do without certain things. We are spoiled when it comes to our food options and often have the mind frame that we deserve it all. Deserve it at the expense of the health of our planet, and ultimately ourselves. Living a life with less plastic limits my food options, but the options I do have (for the most part) are much healthier than those that come in plastic.
I'm a believer in every lit bit counts. I don't have to be perfect but I should always strive for improvement. I don't focus on guilt but rather focus on the empowerment that I feel when I know I make decisions and purchases based on the values I strive to incorporate into my life.
Boursin cheese (soft, flavored goat cheese spread) comes wrapped in tinfoil in a small box. It's a plastic free cheese option. Expensive, but delicious on anything (or nothing! eat it with a spoon!)
ReplyDeletethanks for the tip!
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