....inconvenient

Yogis,
It’s hard to believe that it was almost 20 years ago the movie ‘Inconvenient Truth’ was produced. We were bluntly shown how our humanness is affecting the world, yet here we sit two decades later with plastics so all-pervasive they are found in our water, bodies and the breast milk our babies ingest in their first moments of life.

Whether you liked, believed, agreed with or even watched the movie, he did have one thing absolutely right. The truths are inconvenient.   

We thrive on convenience. Plastic revolutionized our culture. Buy it. Use it. Throw it away! Single servings. Vacuum packed. Portable. Even lettuce comes in plastic.

But wait…..there is recycling! And I have some land I want to sell you. Or the equipment that is combing plastic out of the ocean? Uh, no. No one can solve this for us. We are the only solution and it is extremely inconvenient. We have to stop using plastic. Aaaahhhh!

I am taking steps but it is painstakingly slow and plastic still fills my bin.  Thought I would share some of what I learned and found and would love to hear your discoveries.

When shopping I place produce directly in my cart, walking past those plastic bags. Once home I put them in green reusable produce bags. I use Debbie Meyers. Once empty I rinse and air dry them. They last months and months and keep the veggies far fresher.

I am on a subscription toothpaste bits program. No plastic tubes. It only took my mouth a short time to adjust and I love them. A glass jar is provided for storage with refills sent in a paper envelope.

  

After turning down the detergent aisle at Target and seeing rows upon rows of enormous bright plastic staring my way, I made the switch to laundry sheets. They come in a carboard box and I am quite happy. Check.

I’m in the process of trying out shampoo bars. I like my newest one. And for the body…….a bar of soap. Remember those?

I won’t buy peppers wrapped in plastic. I have bought glass containers in many sizes for leftovers (no more plastic wrap or baggies) and silicone lids for cans and placing cut fruit in. And I have ordered plastic free dishwasher pods (yes that squishy casing contains plastic).

People often say these little changes won’t matter. I choose not to believe that. If we all stopped buying plastic, companies would stop making it. Remember, there is no ‘they’. There is only us.

Inconvenienced and ok,
SARAH