Nightmare

You know you're a plastic blogger when....

...you wake up in a cold sweat after a dream about plastic. Yup, my nightmares apparently now involve walking down the street holding not one but TWO one-time-use plastic cups. With lids. And straws.

Now, although this was an unpleasant dream, there is a HIGH probability I would have just gone on sleeping if someone had not decided that 7 am on Saturday is an appropriate time to jackhammer.

But still. Cold sweat. Nightmare. About two cups. Had to laugh at that!

"Today, My Life Begins"

I love the show Grey's Anatomy. I've seen every episode. I've endured the crazier plotlines (seriously, how are any of them still doctors?). The reason I keep watching is simple: that show is so hopeful. It's not just shock and awe like some medical dramas. It's not just a soap opera (though it definitely is that). I love the deep, dark reflections. But I love the fact that there are rainbows at the end of the aching. I love the idea of bringing meaning to life's worst possible moments. I loved tonight's episode with its focus on big days, even unexpected big days, days that make you stand up, grow up, and become accountable to something bigger than yourself.

I practiced my graduation speech today. The main theme is about how we don't do this on our own. This life thing? No one can get by on his or her own. We need each other. I need the plants and the animals and the fragile, delicate ecosystems too. And I need space - space not covered by landfills or Pacific Plastic Garbage spots. I need to be able to breathe in and drink deeply of the hope that fills me on big days.

Plastic and Life -- and cool documentary on at 10 pm tonight

The one constant theme of my plastic journey has been balance. Keeping the Earth in balance. Keeping myself balanced.

I know I can't be as hardcore about plastic as some plastic bloggers. No, sorry, no mascara is not an option. Like I've always said, I'm down with medical plastic. It objectively is better to have some things be one-time-use (tubes used in blood tests and band-aids, for examples).

Other things get into gray area. Milk cartons? Mostly paper, coated in plastic. What happened to the days of the milk delivery? I'd happily pay for milk in a glass bottle and then return the bottle to the store. What about ice cream? It's getting warm, and I can't hide my general obsession with frozen treats. I'm a huge fan of the ice cream cone -- pretty much ideal in anti-plastic-land. You eat the container! And a good place gives you a recycled napkin with your treat. But even stuff like that has plastic in its past...the big cartons in the ice cream store are inevitably plastic. Even though I generally don't go beyond myself in the life-cycle of a good when determining the presence of plastic (otherwise I'd go absolutely crazy), sometimes that makes me feel hypocritical.

I think this gets into bigger themes of the individual vs. the community (my topic for my graduation speech). Everyone lives on fast-forward. I know I feel more "entitled" to plastic when I'm in a rush. How can I move back to healthier times?

I like some of the innovative solutions I saw on the trailer for this documentary Addicted to Plastic. (Check out Trailer 2.) It's on tonight on the Sundance Channel at 10 pm. Sadly, I don't get the Sundance Channel, but I'll keep my eyes out. The most important quote I heard was, "We will be putting more packaging out there on the market because that's what consumers are demanding." And that's where I DO have a say. I can CHOOSE what I demand.

On the plus side, many people in my life have begun making some simple changes that, together, can make a big difference. They reuse bags and refuse plastic straws. They endeavor to take their own silverware to work for lunches.

I think it's ok to struggle. I'm going to try to follow some of my favorite advice from a book I was asked to read before my freshman year of college, Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Marie Rilke: "live along one distant day into the answer."

I'm Back!

So, I realize I've been a little MIA. The last semester of grad school will do that...studying, working, and searching for a job have definitely distracted me.

But I do love blogging about plastic. Obviously. There's always a story because plastic is EVERYWHERE!

Here are a few observations:
1. I am convinced that population density and difficulty in avoiding plastic increase together. I was in NYC for the weekend, and I found it so challenging to avoid plastic. It gave me a whole new respect for my friends at plasticisforever.blogspot.com who live in LA and NYC respectively. It's also possible that the added challenge stems from travel/being out of a routine.

2. I'm yearning for a less "disposable life." That is, after all, why I started this crazy journey. Yes, it's about plastic, but it's also about lifestyle. However, given the aforementioned "busy-ness factors," my life has been all too disposable lately. Even if it's disposable paper, I need to be reducing. My friend Monica made good arguments about the rainforest recently. Plus, I keep hearing about how much energy it takes to produce assorted types of disposable containers. I think cooking for myself and visiting farmers' markets are crucial parts of this process.

3. I get distressed by all those things that are mostly paper/glass but part plastic. For example, kitty litter containers. All paper except for that handle at the top. Or cat food bags. Paper, but coated in plastic. Or iced tea in a glass bottle -- not even a plastic ring around the top (yay!) -- but with a plastic label.

Plastic is a huge challenge.

How Crunchy is Too Crunchy?

So, tonight I was reading my friend Brittney's blog about her kids. She describes a breast milk-related mishap involving bags that leak during the defrosting process. She also mentions that ALL milk-storage bags are plastic. This makes sense to me. I really can't think of an alternate material in which to store it. Which leads me here...does anyone know of other ways to store milk?

That got me thinking about crunch. Not the celery kind, the granola kind. Just how crunchy am I? And how does this relate to my Plastic Diet?

Well, to take on the Diet at all, I guess I have to be somewhat crunchy. Plus, I totally did that whole "service year, community-living thing," which was pretty darn crunchy. Although, we didn't really sit around knitting or plant vegetable gardens. My service year was actually an intense educational experience in personal relationships and communication. For those things alone, I wouldn't trade it for the world. That doesn't even mention the fact that it got me into education!

But back to crunch. I mean, I don't have dreads and never did. I never learned basket-weaving in college. I do know how to knit, but only because I had a lot of time on my hands while I was studying abroad. Unfortunately, I kinda suck at it, and have only made a few scarves. (I tried to knit a baby blanket for my cousin's kid once and ended up with about 10"....oops. It's still in the closet. The kid is 2 years old now.)

On the other hand, I have always tried to be low maintenance. I think this comes from a combined desire to play down the only-child status and a desire to prove to my dad that I wasn't too girly. But still, I can enjoy a good pedicure (I don't want to discuss the plastic implications of this. I respect the PlasticIsForever womens' decisions on the matter, but I'm not there myself). I do enjoy high heels sometimes. I can rock a suit. But then again, even most of our college-dreaded friends have grown up and shaved. So maybe that's not the right definition of crunch.

Too much crunch and you're a weirdo. Not enough and you're a shallow flake.
I think crunch, like plastic, must be taken in moderation.

P.S. Apparently even the mainstream journalists are picking up on the no-plastic craze! This could be the start of something beautiful! (And I totally stole that article reference from Kerry.)

Plastic in Daily Life

I used a lot of plastic today, but I don't feel guilty. This was the kind of plastic that I truly don't know how to avoid while still being a responsible, hygiene-oriented person. Here's what happened:

1. I bought my books for the semester. One of them was wrapped in plastic (with a plastic CD-ROM inside) and there were no used copies anywhere. If I ordered it online, there would have been packaging and unnecessary shipping energy, so I don't think that's a net gain. I had to do it.
2. I went to CVS where I acquired:

• a new toothbrush, made of plastic and wrapped in plastic (I think this counts as medical plastic, but why isn't someone making an eco-brush? Or are they? Please inform!)
• a new roll of Satin Tape floss, aka the reason I have never had a cavity (again, I think this counts as medical plastic but would love to replace it)
• a new bottle of hydrogen peroxide -- I got a big one from which I can refill my smaller size, so a little plastic saved but still too much used; again, medical plastic, but depressing

3. I cooked the free food my mom's been giving me. Unfortunately, it involved salmon wrapped in plastic. It wasn't even a reusable baggie that I could have washed out!

Any ideas for combatting these types of plastic?

Tradeoffs

The most important thing I learned this summer was how to be explicit about tradeoffs. They're everywhere, especially in public-policy-land, but also in life. Plastic Dieting forces me to be explicit about my tradeoffs and at least make honest decisions.

Yesterday, my mom called and asked if I wanted to go on the South Beach Diet with my parents. I do want to shed a few holiday pounds, but really what sold me was her offer to cook me dinner for the next 2 weeks. I mean, how can you say no to that?! So I'm in. But South Beach-ing can conflict with Plastic Dieting since lots of the things they advocate involve wasteful plastic. String cheese, for example. Jello-cups. Salad in a bag. This is interesting because the South Beach Diet is supposed to be about a healthier lifestyle. And plastic never feels healthy. String cheese is made of things so scary that a friend who used to work for Kraft would never go near it. I know they are trying to make the diet accessible and low-work for people, but these things should not be mutually exclusive. I'll just pack my own slice of cheese, thanks!

I went to the grocery store today. I did ok. Here are some of my adventures in the veritable mine zone that a grocery store is for a plastic dieter:

• I managed to find salad dressing in a GLASS bottle (Ken's), but when I got home, I realized that the lid is plastic. :(
  
• I took my own tupperware to the deli to get sliced turkey and cheese. They kindly used my containers, but some cellophane was wasted in the process. Next time, I'll have to take paper towels to catch the products on so they won't use plastic on me. But still, I saved those thick plastic covers you usually get with sliced meat or cheese. The friendly employee didn't even look at me like I had 3 heads. Maybe there are other Plastic Dieters in my neighborhood. Plus, this turkey is YUMMY!
  
• I used no plastic bags, even for produce (took old ones with me), but did cave and buy some cherry tomatoes (in plastic containers).
  
• I canNOT find plastic-free nuts. I got the can with the plastic lid but paper sides. All the others came in plastic BAGS. Maybe this is a Whole Foods item...I could take my own bag and get nuts there.

All in all, a decent performance. Now we'll have to see how this South Beach thing works.

Un-plastic Choices

I had an interesting conversation with a friend today about the differences between NYC and DC. While she advocated for the "honesty" that NYC folks have about a desire to make money, I have to say I'm on board with the public service inherent in DC life.

I do seek to have a mission-based life. I'm not 100% altruistic; I volunteered for 1 year, not my entire life, and I'm sure I'll need money to raise a family one day. But I do need my life to involve service, and I'm happiest when my job integrates that too.

Keeping this in mind will help me avoid plastic actions.

Plastic in Daily Life

I've been observing plastic for several weeks now. I'm feeling pretty scared of the Plastic Diet challenge. I think I'm going to try for October - and I'll just try to make it through that month on the "one piece a day" to see how it goes. Not quite as hard core as Kerry and Erin, but it's a start.

Anyway, today I noticed a couple of things:
1. Subway has plastic straws wrapped in plastic! Most places at least cover their hopelessly non-eco-friendly plastic straws in happy biodegradeable paper.

2. Classico tomato sauce has no extra plastic around the edge of its jar! Yay Classico! I still heard the pop and the lid popped up, so I know the canning process did its job, but it wasted no extra plastic! Yippee! Though I'm concerned about how to eat pasta on the Plastic Diet. Most pasta has that little plastic window or comes in a plastic bag to decrease total packaging. I'm going to have to look into this.

The grocery store is an incredibly scary place for a Plastic Dieter!!

Food

One of the main things that considering the "Plastic Diet" brings up is food. How will I eat if I take the dive into the anti-plastic? This raises some seeming contradictions:

1. I have found that I am more likely to eat "healthy" food when I buy it packaged in a way that is conducive to my busy lifestyle. For example, I eat a lot more salad when I buy lettuce in a plastic bag. I choose a quick snack of cheese instead of a sugary cookie or fruit when I have yummy string cheese wrapped in, yes, plastic.

2. Food that arrives in easy-to-use packaging is usually shipped in from somewhere not local at all. That's actually less healthy.

Is it better to choose lettuce over not-lettuce if the price is plastic and shipped in from far away? I'm really not sure what the right answer is here. It's hard to be pumped about cooking when I roll home at 9:30 pm after a hard day. I've spent a lot of time trying to optimize for healthy, easy, quick solutions (like the aforementioned salad in a bag) but most of them involve plastic.

Maybe the answer involves being disciplined with buying plastic-free lettuce (no plastic bag of course!) and then washing it and storing it in a reusable container. If I do that as soon as I get home from the grocery store, it would be almost as convenient as bagged lettuce. Hmm. Now I really need a salad spinner -- but aren't those made out of plastic? Anyone know where I could get a non-plastic salad spinner?