Happy Fourth of July, everyone! I write this as fireworks are being set off outside my apartment window and Brian recites all of the lines to Independence Day along with the TV. Despite the rain it has been an amazing weekend spent with friends in Brian's home city of Pittsburgh. We enjoyed the finer things in life. Indulging in some light beer, country music, and all the homemade desserts anyone could dream of. Because of this, I missed a very important email announcing that July is No Plastics Month. Which gave me the idea to embrace the idea the best I can for the remaining part of the month.
I do my best do reduce the amount of waste I make but I know there is more that I can do. We have switched our toothbrushes from plastic to bamboo. I use my favorite travel coffee mug when I buy coffee at WaWa. I can't remember when the last time I used a single use plastic bottle thanks to my Nalgene. But I always seem to forget my re-usable grocery bag and I ate way too many single wrapped snacks (Luna bars are just so good). I've done a lot of research for a (pretty impressive) bulletin board about recycling at my office and since then I do everything I can to recycle everything that is recyclable.
But walking around the grocery store today I was shocked, slightly disheartened, and then incredibly motivated to do this No Plastic July Challenge. I should probably think up a different and catchier name.
Here is my plan:
ONE. Avoid all types of plastic at all costs. The toughest rule but obviously the most important. It is definitely going to change how I do all of my shopping and planning for my meals each week. I mean think about it, even the clothes you buy have that little plastic hang tag on them.
TWO. When plastic can not be avoided, recycle it to the best of my ability. There are surprising a lot of resources available for recycling strange things. They generally tend to just require a little extra effort, time or money to drop off the item at a collection site or mail it into a recycling organization
THREE. Keep track of anything that can't be recycled. I was inspired by Lauren Singer who lives zero waste and was able to keep all of her waste from two years in one mason jar. I won't go into too many details about my total girl crush on her, but I will steal a page from her book and I keep track of the plastic waste I make this month in a (large) mason jar. Which also gives me a goal to keep my trash to only what can fit in the jar.
FOUR. Keep myself accountable and share weekly updates on my successes and failures.
CHALLENGES. I'm traveling to Canada in the middle of the month for 10 days to visit my dear friend and airports aren't exactly zero waste environments. But Kira and I met at an internship in Canada where we recycled tin foil and plastic wrap so I know she will totally understand my project here.
What do I do with all of the plastic I currently have? I know I will be trying not to buy things wrapped in plastic, so no more granola bars or crackers. But should I not eat the granola bars or popcorn I have now? I don't want them to go to waste by not eating them, so I will have to see how to handle this as I go.
Being a woman poses its own problems to be free of plastic, but maybe this challenge is the push I need to finally eliminate the plastic that comes with the that part of life. I also get my final rabies shot at the end of the month, and I don't think the use of plastic is unavoidable then.
I am really looking forward to being able to actually keep track of the impact that I have and seeing how much plastic I generate. I am hoping that I am able to surprise myself with this project.
Stayed tuned for my updates!
Have you ever thought of going zero waste? What steps have you taken to eliminate plastics from you life?
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