From Us to Sea: Week 2
Hello friends!
Welcome back and congratulations on completing your first week of Plastic Free July… I hope you haven’t given up quite yet.
Let’s recap on our last week: We did an audit of our waste, and took on the responsibility of always bringing our water bottles and coffee mugs with us when we went out. If you were a business owner I hoped you would audit the waste of what you pass along to your customers. Here’s some questions I hoped you had some time to reflect on:
How do you feel after this week?
Do you feel like you have a different thought process while throwing things into the bin?
Even though I’ve completed a waste audit before, I know that my usage of plastics and what I toss in the bin tends to fluctuate. I felt excited because it didn’t feel as challenging as it had before - those habits have built up over the past five years! However, this week started to remind me of how often I choose convenience over trying to plan in advance. I definitely underestimate the power of planning!
I noticed that most often what I ended up throwing away tended to be food items or things that went into the “kitchen” category. I love getting berries as a snack, or when I made a cheesecake for “family dinner” I realized pretty much every ingredient had plastic coating, which made me feel a bit guilty. I also noticed I often created plastic waste when I waited until the last minute to sort out a meal (grabbing more convenient items were often in plastic, or even bread), or have a snack on the road with something from the fuel station. Even when it seemed like something was in cardboard, there would sometimes be plastics still inside of it. It’s hard to win when you don’t know what’s inside a container.
It’s not easy for any of us to change our plastic consumption when there isn’t many other options. But it helps to acknowledge the tools that we have and simple habits we can change to help decrease our collective reliance upon plastic.
What was the most common item that you threw away?
My most audited item was food waste. I love cooking, and I’ve tried to cook more often with whole natural ingredients rather than pre-made items, but we always have a few items we can’t help but want to get. For me, it’s sriracha. However, I realized sometimes making your own condiments can be much tastier than buying pre-made food. And one of my old housemates Brodie would make his own chili oil that made a huge batch, and would be good for all three of us in the house for a while. So while I may not have done that this week, I at least got inspiration for next time I run out!
Pictured: lentil pasta (cardboard box but with a plastic bit to show what it looked like!), zuchinni, red onion, and broccolini. Homemade avocado pesto sauce.
Another issue with the food waste is that we don’t currently have a compost bin at our place. Apparently we used to, but it then brought in a rat infestation…which is definitely not ideal. One of my favorite farmer’s market stalls back in Columbus, Ohio was a paid membership with a composting group. Each week they provided members with a clean, empty bucket to put food scraps in, and then traded their old bucket for a new one every week at the market. It was incredibly easy, convenient, and it felt excellent to participate. Living in the Sunshine Coast, I’m surprised I haven’t heard of something like this already. Apparently it is done sometimes for restaurants and cafes, but not so much the public. So composting will definitely be what I investigate further around here.
Are you tossing items in the right place?
On the waste audit template, Krystina asks if there are any alternatives for tossing away your items. Obviously for me, compositing was a big one. But for you, maybe it’s leading you to investigate if and how you can recycle certain items. Not all recycling plants are created equal! Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation and lack of understand of what can and cannot be recycled. Our best option is to rethink, refuse, reduce, and re-use before we actually try to recycle. (Thanks Krystina for sharing this in Episode 2!).
For example, check out if your paper towels/napkins can be thrown into your compost bin or if they should be thrown into the trash, as described in a blog here. Did you take the extra step to separate the dry, top of a pizza box from the greasy bottom? Because while cardboard can be recycled, greasy cardboard cannot. Throwing in your greasy cardboard box can actually contaminate an entire recycling batch in a place where recycling is not done effectively and many batches are ending up in landfills.
As always, remember:
KEEP DOING YOUR BEST. YOUR BEST IS ALSO RELIANT UPON THE SYSTEM YOU ARE A PART OF (UNFORTUNATELY).
Living in the “developed” world, you would assume that with access to the best technology available, then the most sustainable options would be available and accessible in every city. But this is simply not true. We are truly lagging behind in sustainable options, and it is up to us as consumers to demand that our governments and our businesses do better. As individuals, we need to start taking a hard look at how much we are consuming, and why we are doing so. This includes plastic and food, but also things like social media and advertising. Our entire being consists of “consumption”, but how does that then reflect in your life? As stress and anxiety? Or inspiration? We should always try to be mindful about how one spends/uses their time and money.
Listen to this weeks episode here:
THIS WEEK’s CHALLENGE:
Week 2 is about changing small habits and fostering our awareness for the plastic we encounter in our everyday life.
The aim of this week is to identify and figure out what you are able to change RIGHT NOW. Using your waste audit or just observations in your daily life, identify either which “rooms” (referring to the waste audit) or moments you fell into an accidental plastic use.
Straws, plastic cups, produce bags, shampoo, cosmetics… this week is about identifying plastic in places you’ve always seen it, but haven’t always acknowledged it. These small and easy goals will help you create a foundation for doing what is less convenient but better for our Earth. It’s about doing things bigger than yourself. Will you take that small step forward?
Avoid using plastic straws, single-use cups or utensils, and styrofoam or plastic to-go boxes.
We encounter most of these items when we go out to a bar, coffee shop, or restaurant. So try to see if you can limit the amount of times you go to these places, or use the tips below.
Bars: Order a beer can, or go to bars that only use glassware to serve alcohol. If you asked for a mixed drink, ask for no straw, and again, try to only go to places that will serve your drink in a glass or reusable plastic cup. This means that maybe you can try out a new bar you’ve been eyeing, or trying a different drink. If they deny you, will you be bold (or drunk) enough to tell them why you’re asking for only glass or no straw?!
Coffee shops: Again, try to only go to places that will serve you in a mug or will allow you to use a reusable cup. Many places do, but this may mean checking out your local cafe instead of Dunkin’ Donuts. Try bringing your own cup to your normal place and see if they’ll take it!
Restaurants: Automatically ask for no straw!! Sometimes I’ve been served waters with straws before a waiter even came to ask for my drink order, so tell the hostess or ask the waiter for a glass with no straw. Easy thing to forget, and encourage your local businesses to ditch the straw. You can even leave these informational cards with your bill. Also remember to bring your own takeaway box in case you don’t finish your food. I’ve never had an issue when I have brought my own. If going out to a food truck or something of the like, bring your own water bottle (which we already practiced in Week 1), utensils, and Tupperware container. And don’t forget to tell them you’ve brought it!
2. Prepare your grocery trip by bringing in smaller bags to put produce in, as well as avoiding plastic-wrapped or bagged produce.
Plastic Free grocery shop: If you want to go full on in zero-waste grocery shopping, or at least learn a little bit more, check out my friend Krystina’s blog for videos on prepping for a zero-waste grocery trip and what to do when you’re there. One of the main keys to success is planning ahead!
Alternative to try at least one plastic free recipe! See below for a lunch option this week :)
Know what you’re going to make, and think about what food is likely to be plastic-free.
Buy bulk: Many stores have a bulk-food section, but if not, see if there’s any bulk food stores in your local area. Prepare some smaller re-usable bags that are available in many stores, or if you’re feeling crafty you can make your own.
Check out your local Farmer’s Market: for fresh produce not wrapped in plastic, or if it is, you can ask if they reuse their plastic containers that you can return. Sometimes you can even bring your own container that you can immediately transfer right then and there. This is something that you would probably not be able to do at a large grocery store chain. By fostering those personal relationships you can work together towards creating a more sustainable future for your local area. A corporation isn’t a person you know?
Meat and dairy: While we should all try to reduce the amount of animal products we are eating during this time as an additional eco-conscious habit. BUT, if you still want to have your weekly protein or cheese, identify where you can resource it without plastic. Your best bet is going to a butcher or the deli with a Tupperware box or re-usable bag (I’d recommend something silicon-based or sturdy, such as Stasher bags). If the front-of-house person is unsure if that’s “allowed” make sure you speak to someone who actually slices the meat or cheese! Or, just try going without either this week and explore other recipes with lentils or chickpeas as a protein source.
Herbs and eggs: See if you have any local community gardens or friends who are growing herbs, extra vegetables or have extra eggs from their chickens! See if you can make a trade, or volunteer some time tending to the garden. Putting your hands in the soil connects us back with where exactly our food comes from.
I highly recommend using this week as the moment to try meal prepping if you haven’t before! Super easy to make any kind of “buddha bowl” into a jar. Be sure to put your dressing at the bottom, and fresh vegetables on the top with the main carb or meat in the middle.
Here I made a Mexican bowl:
Pre-made salsa in a jar + guacamole
Fresh corn
Canned bean mix
Quinoa
Self-seasoned chicken**: paprika, cumin, S&P, Mexican chili, coriander (cilantro)
Cut up capsicum (red bell pepper)
Fresh red onion or tomato (leftover from guac)
Lettuce
**If you are vegetarian or vegan, try making your own lentil tofu this week for something high in protein and without plastic packaging. Tip: read comments for any issues or suggestions!
I’m also assuming you all already have reusable bags, but if you don’t, be sure to locate some and use them!
3. Avoid frozen foods & plastic condiments
Frozen foods are convenient, especially when you don’t have a lot of time to make dinner or lunch and just want something yummy without the hassle. Unfortunately, pretty much every single frozen food item comes wrapped in plastic, and processed foods are not super great for your body. Instead of reaching for a frozen pizza, heat up some veggies on the stove, or grab some fruit to munch on.
I love a good condiment or sauce. Use this week to try a new recipe with a yummy homemade sauce or dressing, or make your own hummus, tzatziki, or guacamole for dipping! Usually these recipes are super easy and only require 5-10 minutes of your time. Otherwise, try to buy your favorite condiment in a glass jar - maybe you notice it’s a little more expensive? But maybe since you only bought produce, you can splurge a bit more. I’ve noticed some bulk food stores now have oils and balsamic vinegars, as well as nut butters readily available. Again, this week is an opportunity to explore whats readily available to you.
4. Go through your personal waste audit, or check out my blog post 10 simple tips to kick your plastic habits to determine where in your life you can swap out plastic for a biodegradable and earth-safe alternative.
Whether that means switching out your toothbrush for a bamboo one, using plastic-free shampoo, or simply avoiding plastic-bottle drinks, try to find at least one thing you can swap in your daily life.
**Important thought: We hear a lot about greenwashing and how businesses are encouraging you to buy their eco-friendly options. And while we definitely should encourage sustainable and regenerative practices, the biggest challenge that we must overcome as a species is our consumption rates. Whether that is of food, clothes, or other items can be debated, but our rate of general consumption is driving the exploitation of our resources, and killing off biodiversity at a very precarious time. If we think that we can continue our consumption rates, but towards Earth-friendly alternatives instead, we will just as easily exploit those resources as well.
Shop from consignment or thrift stores instead of buying new. Use what you already have. Fix the things that you’re told to throw away.
Stop listening to advertisements that tell you that you NEED something. If Black Friday and Cyber Monday exist, that inherently means that these products aren’t worth that much. Many (plastic) products are designed to break, so you then need to buy a new one. Buy antiques, they last longer. Get in touch with family or friends and see if you can trade.