Spring is here, my classes have ended and this time of year gives me endless energy and vision of getting lots of stuff done. My time is my own and I relish the opportunity to use it wisely.
My greatest concern at the moment is the future of our planet and our environment. The challenges can feel overwhelming, but the rule of thumb is to take small steps. So my baby step for the summer is to see how much plastic I can take out of my life. I hope to reduce my use of plastic by at least one item each week.
Reducing our use of plastic bags does not feel daunting, but we do buy a lot of products packaged in plastic. That will be the real challenge, but I am going to start easy.
For this week, I am heading to the grocery store with 2 goals:
1. Bring my own grocery bags.
2. Use nylon produce bags (which I bought at Hannaford Supermarket)
Let's see how it goes.....
Here are my findings:
1. Canvas Grocery Bags: I highly recommend bags with flat bottoms. Since Americans in general are all about convenience, this small variant can make all the difference while packing a bag. The canvas bags are sloppy and hard to keep open. The flat bottom bags are just asking to be packed. NOTE: I also picked up a 6 pocket bottle bag from Trader Joes. That has been incredibly helpful for water bottles etc.
2. String Bag. Pick up a set of string bags either on-line or at your grocery store - they were terrific. I just store them in the bottom of my grocery bags - ready to go for the next store visit. Easy and convenient. The check out gal didn't even blink. They are washable and light weight. You can put anything in them.
BONUS: I went above and beyond my goal this week and picked up a little nylon pocket bag from the drug store. This folds down into something so small, I can easily keep it in my every day bag. The hard part is to remember I have it. Check out attendants are so quick to throw things into a plastic bag, you really have to get into the habit of telling them "no thank you". They aren't always happy to unpack an already loaded plastic bag, but don't give in. It is important.
Like everything, I realize using these bags is just a habit I have to get into and I will - because, again, it is important. Just like brushing my teeth or putting on a seat belt, I will make myself remember.
WEEK 2 - Change the dog bag and more.
UPDATE: I have been very diligent to carry my own bags with me every day. It just takes some getting used to - getting into the habit. I am proud to say I have not picked up a plastic bag the entire week.
This week I have been focusing on replacing plastic in my home. I went to our local food co-op and found these products. There are many other options and I have even seen some environmentally friendly plastic replacements in chain grocery stores. I was also pleasantly surprised to find these items were not expensive. If you think about what you are doing with plastic bags, they have a such a short time use and then we throw them away. That has to stop. If you really start to think about it, you can ditch them. Convenience can't rule our lives and this in not a big sacrifice.
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