I recently wrote a blog post about a worldwide initiative focusing on reducing plastics. The worldwide aspect excites me as collectively, we only have one earth to share and repair. The Plastic-Free Foundation has issued a challenge. Let me share a few of the highlights of the July challenge.
The global movement will help millions enjoy cleaner oceans, communities, and streets.
Plastic-Free in the USA
While the United States of America is a leader in many arenas, it is not in the reduction of plastic use. Awareness of how overwhelming the issue is coupled with how pervasive plastics have become is one area we are lacking. We’d all like a clean beach to enjoy, wouldn’t we?
Our neighbors to the North (Canada) have many great ideas already in place:
- laundry soap in a tissue form
- bulk stores that you can take your glass containers in to get your liquids supplies (oil, laundry soap, shampoos, etc.)
- beeswax wraps – put over a cake, keep produce, and they rinse easily for reusing many many times
- ban on single-use plastic – no plastic bags and straws are all paper now
- cucumbers are not wrapped in plastic – why was this a good idea to begin with???
One Small Change = Possible Plastic-Free
Some ideas to try – it is a work-in-progress:
- Takeaway coffee container – bring your own
- Water bottle – are you still using these?
- Toothbrush – is your’s plastic?
- Sandwich bags – is there a better way to wrap your sandwich
- Grocery bags – you know you have TONS of fabric totes to use
- Straws – can you skip this or ask for the paper version
- Ice cream spoon – bring your own instead of using the ice cream shop’s
- Pick up plastic refuse (and all garbage!) and recycle appropriately
Shame on Me – Not Plastic-Free
Here’s an innocent picture I shared earlier this year. My new passion is cold brew coffee. Notice the Torani caramel syrup and the Stok coffee? Both are in PLASTIC BOTTLES. I recycle the bottles faithfully. Here are a few small changes I have made since I became aware of my faux pas:
- I’ve started brewing my own cold brew (notice the Dunkin’ box which was my first attempt)
- I have reused the Stok bottles to store my own mixture of cold brew
- I’ve given up on the Torani syrup – it didn’t add anything to the taste
My takeaway from this? Don’t give up and throw in the towel! Learn from your mistakes!
Plastic-Free Suggestions Needed
- String cheese – they are wrapped in plastic and then placed in a plastic bag – why??
- REPLACEMENT FOR STRING CHEESE = Babybel cheese wrapped in wax! A step in the right direction!!
- Ziploc bags – so convenient to put Cheerios in for the littles to snack on in the car – can’t use a glass container for a one-year-old!
- Ziploc bags – can be nixed for sandwiches! I use a reusable container to take my peanut butter sandwich to work each day.
- Yogurt – only one brand (Oui) can be purchased in glass containers
- Blueberries – whatever happened to those cardboard containers that fruit used to come in? Pick these and other fruits yourself but what if there aren’t places to do so nearby??
Plastic-Free Year-Round
Please share this information with your family and friends. One small change – JUST ONE – does make a difference when added together. One + one + one + one + one . . . equals a big difference. What one single thing can you commit to?! Please leave a comment with suggestions and I will update this message.
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