Plastics Make it Possible...

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE. http://www.badlani.com/blog/2007/09/10/obesity-impotence-cancer-…-still-want-to-use-plastic-bags/
(For some reason, when I hyperlink it, it doesn't work. Please do copy and paste.)

I'm actually really glad that I got back to some source material. I've been slipping a lot. Here's what happened today when I went to the grocery store:

• I purchased bottled water. I like to be prepared in case of random emergency. Sadly, bottled water comes exclusively in plastic. Why yes, of course, I'd like to drink my water out of a toxic container! Argh.
• I succeeded once again in purchasing turkey from the deli and asking them to place it in my container. I even succeeded in getting them to use a paper towel to catch the turkey instead of that awful one-time-use thin plastic. However, the turkey overall comes packaged in plastic and they use cellophane to cover it between servings...so it's really not a plastic-free treat.
• Given the strenuous discussion I had with the deli over using paper towels and not plastic to catch the turkey (it took a few minutes to chat with the manager who was a little rude but complied...by then a line was forming. I did get to explain my efforts to the guy behind me, who thought that bringing my own plastic container to reuse was a good idea), I forgot to ask for cheese. And then I passed some Pepper Jack. And I bought it.
• I had a friend over for brunch and decided to splurge (in both money and plastic) on some smoked salmon. I also bought her a Mango Tango, my favorite carb-filled juice. I figure if I can't have yummy juice, that doesn't mean she shouldn't. But I forgot about the plastic. Odwalla is the kind of company that should care about this stuff....maybe I should write to them.
• The South Beach Diet requires SO MUCH PLASTIC. I have to buy dairy because otherwise there is nothing I'm allowed to eat that will fill me up (there are only so many kinds of leaves out there and you have to munch them round the clock to feel full). I really can't wait for this to be somewhat over. I don't even like this much dairy and meat. But for 2 weeks I'm letting myself make the tradeoff to get the cheeses to lose some weight.

Anyway, I just read that article and feel newly committed. This is making me seriously rethink my ideal level of crunch...

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?

Bread & Brew: An Eco-Friendly Pizza Place/Bar

Welcome to the neighborhood to Bread & Brew, a new restaurant at 20th and N in South Dupont. This place is great! They use all organic everything, shop fresh and local, and even care about the evils of plastic! All of the products in the bar are biodegradeable! I'm so excited about not having to say, "No straw, please!" They have a Grand Opening on Tuesday (the 13th) but the doors are already open if you want to sneak a preview.

Finally, an Un-plastic Cheese

So, I'm South Beach-ing with my parents. My mom bought some of the Laughing Cow ("La Vache Qui Rit") cheese. It's not covered in plastic! The wooden container holds foil-wrapped wedges! At last. :)

I've used 2 pieces of plastic today -- wrappers for my coveted sugar-free popsicles. Seriously, those things are my plastic un-doing. Anybody have good un-plastic substitutes?

I also acquired an ID card for the school where I tutor (made of plastic), but I don't think that counts because it's reusable!

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.

Holidays, Choices, and an Attitude of less-Plastitude

Happy New Year!

I won't say that I made any "new" plastic resolutions, since my relationship with plastic has been evolving. Having survived exams, I've gone back to attempting to limit my plastic to 3 items of non-reusable stuff per day. I admire the 1-a-day users, but I found that it was so extreme as to be depressing, and I felt constantly guilty. But I will continue to moderate my usage with the hopes of decreasing it back down to 1-a-day at some point.

Still, I win some and I lose some. Today, for example, I haven't used any plastic at all yet! I managed to make a good choice and quell the urge to go to Taco Bell, where sauce packets and forks are made of plastic. Although, I'm planning a trip to the grocery store that will probably require the purchase of at least a little plastic. Last night, I used a truly unacceptable number of little plastic straws. Oops. But I keep trying.

I found that the holidays were a time of plastic victory. I took my plasti-phobia with me to the Midwest, where I celebrated Christmas in my dad's hometown of Canton, OH. My relatives didn't seem too annoyed with my campaign to use real dishwasher dishes instead of the plastic alternatives. I tried to do extra dishes to moderate the work it creates. And my cousin Sherri even used a canvas bag instead of plastic to carry food! It's amazing how interested people get when you explain how really really horrible plastic is for the world. I find the petroleum argument ever more useful in this time of oil-craziness.

Here is a picture of a big stack of beautiful dishwasher plates:



On a less happy note, today I took drycleaning for the first time since I started my plastic awareness. I don't wear a lot of dry-clean-only clothes, and I tend to store them up for awhile before dropping off. Anyway, I tried to convince them to take my bag and use it to cover the clothes instead of putting one of their plastic sheaths on it, but it was no use. I tried all of my best arguments but they fell on deaf ears. I could probably try the really expensive dry cleaner down the street, but I don't think I can afford her. Does anyone know of a plastic-free dry cleaner in DC? Preferrably one that a grad student can afford?

May 2009 be filled with plastic-free days and plastic-free decisions.

Christmas Shopping...er Christmas Plasticking

So Christmas shopping is a challenge when you don't want to buy plastic. I will full-on admit that I stepped into Lindt chocolates yesterday and forgot all of my plastic-averse ways. I bought two bags of truffles, each individually wrapped in plastic. I know. Terrible! But SO delicious.

On the plus side, I really limited the number of bags I used and almost all were paper.

Today, I remembered to take my reusable shopping bag to the bookstore. It really helped with carrying the books home! And hopefully balanced out my intense plastic waste yesterday when my mom and I stopped for a shopping treat of Thai food in the mall food court....served up on plastic.

Having emerged from exams, I'm bracing for re-entry into the plastic-reductionist's world. I know that my own work in just a few months has touched other people - friends and roommates and even my parents - who now tell me about the plastic they are reducing. Even if these people (and, honestly, even if I) cannot fully eliminate plastic, being conscious and at least reducing is a step in the right direction.

I think my revised goal (based on the October intensity) will be 3 or fewer pieces of plastic per day. I know that's not likely to satisfy the plastic blogosphere, but I used to be a teacher, and we like to set attainable goals. If that starts to feel too easy, I can push it down. The one piece per day thing was not attainable for me without elimination of meat and dairy and somewhat unhealthy obsessions and feelings of guilt. I will try again at 3. Starting on January 1.

Happy Holidays!

Out from Under the Rock

I haven't posted in awhile, and there are a few reasons for that. First, I've been incredibly busy. It's the end of the semester, and apparently I have to actually write papers and stuff. Who knew? Plus my two jobs. Plus trying to find a real job for after graduation. It's a tricky time. Second, with the holidays, there have been lots of things to do besides blog...like go eat turkey and attend holiday festivities. And third, well, I haven't been doing a very good un-plastic job.

In part my plastic woes stem from reason #1 above. I know my plastic-blogging colleagues would be ashamed because the "I'm too busy" argument is their least favorite. I agree -- you make time for what you want to have time to do. However, there is a point after which I truly do have to decide between using the occasional plastic and finishing my work for school. School wins. I've decided to try again once I'm done with my exams. Maybe one day I'll be superhuman enough to do both at the same time, but for now I'm just taking it one day at a time.

On an unrelated note, I've been having quite an existential crisis lately. The more my friends get engaged, married, and become parents, the more my life choices become apparent. It's not that I don't respect the formation of families -- I do! -- and I hope to have one too one day. It's just that I'm so not there yet. I'm happy with where I am in life. It's just that the difference becomes more apparent when I really think about the reality of their life vs. the reality of mine. I wonder sometimes what it's like to let a tiny human be the center of your life. Although, I guess 50,000 small (and medium sized and almost grown) humans already are the center of mine (the students of DCPS).

Regrouping

So, my plastic-free trial month ended last week. It went pretty well. I had a lot of plastic-free days. Most of my days involved just one or maybe two pieces. People ask me for my best stories from the month, but I feel like my stories weren't that exciting. I got into a rhythm and made good choices. Being plastic free requires just an ounce of planning ahead, a good bit of self-control, and a slightly larger bag to carry around the necessary tupperware, fork, and spoon that can pretty much get you out of any situation.

I will admit, I've been considering my options for the past week. While considering, I've let myself use more plastic. I went to Taco Bell and used their evil little tiny sauce packets. I picked up a piece of pie, encased as it was in plastic. It's tempting to just say, "This was a good experiment" and go back to living "normally." But then I'm reminded of Kerry and Erin's early posts about how we know, on some deep level, that easy, one-time use plastic is bad -- not just because of data and facts about fishies but also because of the way it makes us feel. It's a slippery slope from plastic-encased food to plastic choices, which was the original reason I got into this.

I've revised my goals. I'm going to limit my use to 2 or 3 pieces per day. This provides a little extra room because sometimes it's good to be able to buy meat or cheese. And because sometimes I still forget to ask for no straw. I'll be trying this for the rest of November and then I'll revisit my plan again. Maybe I'll find that this is too lenient and need to go back. I'll keep you posted.

I invite you to try yourself -- doesn't have to be a stark plastic diet, but try limiting just one form of plastic in your life. Let me know how it goes. :)

Doin' ok

I'm doing pretty well this week. I've gotten much better about being firm regarding straws. Other than straws, plastic is pretty easy to avoid. I do really miss cheese. I searched the grocery store but found absolutely no cheese wrapped in anything but plastic. Couldn't we use foil? Paper?

This morning I found myself at Starbuck's without my trusty thermos. I had left it at work by accident. But coffee was a must, so I went ahead with a paper cup. I think the cups are coated by plastic, but that can just be my 1 piece for today. I adamantly requested NO LID, and they complied. All in all, it worked out.

Last night, I was out to dinner and found myself without tupperware for the leftovers. So the question -- leave the perfectly delicious taco for waste or borrow my friend Monica's dirty tupperware from lunch? I obviously took the second option. I think it'll be fine. She's pretty healthy.

In general, this week has been much better than last week, despite the fact that I've been getting meals with a number of friends in an attempt to balance the work and the life. I'm not always successful at the crazy balancing act, but I've really enjoyed my social outings this week.

All in all, I think the plastic-free thing just takes planning and practice.

Plastic Plastic Everywhere

I've been a little out of touch this week. As my friends at plasticisforever.blogspot.com can attest, that sometimes means you've been overusing plastic.

It started out well. Tuesday was a one-piece of plastic day. Wednesday was a plastic-free day. Then Thursday hit. Out at a restaurant, I definitely got some dirty looks from the wait staff when I requested no straws. I was only partially successful in avoiding them. Friday, I indulged myself and got some buffalo sauce with a sandwich from, dare I say it, Burger King. That comes in plastic. "It's ok," I told myself. "It's just my one piece for the day." But then I went to an Obama fundraiser and ordered some nachos. They came with the guacamole and sour cream in separate plastic cups. Who knew? I didn't even think to ask for no plastic on my food. Oops. Then I met a friend at Good Eats (see previous post) and although I carefully selected plastic-free options, she picked up extra plasticware for me. Plus, even though we were eating in, they put our food in a plastic bag! I was confused because they had trays but for some reason gave us a bag. So, yikes, six pieces of plastic in just one day?! Ugh.

I went apple/pumpkin picking yesterday -- quality from-the-farm delicious apples! Seriously, these things are so sweet and tasty. When I got home I was so tired that a nap turned into an all-night-sleep. Unfortunately, I'd gotten some of my precious pre-Plastic-Diet chicken out to thaw but never woke up to my nap alarm. $10 worth of chicken and some plastic wasted. I was sad.

Things are looking up, though. I feel newly committed to the cause. I even went grocery shopping tonight and mostly avoided plastic. The only pieces of plastic I picked up were: lids on a box of walnuts and a box of cous cous and a little plastic around the edge of my oatmeal box. I basically just buy canned food and fresh produce on this Plastic Diet which leads to some pretty healthy meals. I'm pumped for the asparagus soup that I'm planning for tomorrow.

At the farm yesterday, they had plastic bags for the apples. I'd left in a hurry and hadn't grabbed a reusable bag from home but fortunately they had some reusable ones for sale there with the following Plastic Diet inspiration attached:

*14 plastic bags contain enough petroleum to drive a car a mile
*380 BILLION plastic bags or wraps are thrown away in America each year
*Cities spend up to 17 cents per bag in disposal costs, wasting millions of taxpayer dollars

REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC. SAVE YOURSELF. SAVE THE WORLD. SAVE MONEY.

Weekend in Plastic World

So, it's been a rough few days.

On Friday I forgot my fork and had to use plastic to eat my lunch. I thought I had a real fork with me, but I must have taken it out to wash it and forgotten to put it back in my bag. I managed to get through a happy hour with no unnecessary plastic, although I did collect some dirty looks from the bewildered staff. Later, I went out to dinner with my parents. Before we'd even ordered, I went to the restroom and when I returned there was a glass of water with an unwelcome plastic straw in it. I guess I need a sign that says "NO PLASTIC, PLEASE" to leave behind when I step away from the table.

On Saturday I managed to get through dinner ok but I definitely acquired at least one straw later on when I went out with some friends. All in all it could have been worse, but it could also have been better.

Sunday went a little better. I even realized that you can still eat crap food and avoid plastic -- I had a great emergency meal (left the house, realized I'd forgotten to eat, had little time, wouldn't be home for hours) at McDonald's without the use of plastic. They've really come a long way in using paper products instead of plastic.

Being plastic-free is so much easier when I stay home. But that's no fun! I will just have to be more assertive. And possibly make that sign....

Yay for Potbelly's and Chipotle

Tonight I stopped for one of my favorite treats -- a Potbelly's Chicken Salad sandwich. I don't even have to cut this delight out of my life -- it comes wrapped in paper and placed in a paper bag. As long as I steer clear of the potato chips and cookies (which come in plastic bags), I'm safe! Yippee! Plus those "sides/desserts" aren't very good for me, so this is just one more reason to choose health.

As I was contemplating the beauty that is a sandwich wrapped in paper, I thought of Chipotle and it's burritos wrapped in foil. Also an excellent choice. Totally recycleable and plastic-free!

At least this Plastic Diet won't force me to give up on those delicious treats!

Blender Needed

So, I need a blender. Those of you who know me, know how much I love hummus. Sadly, the last of my plastic-wrapped hummus got prematurely trashed in a refrigerator purge. In any event, it'd probably be gone by now. Last night I attempted to make my own by smashing chickpeas with a fork. I added olive oil and some spices, but this is what I ended up with:Yikes. Not quite Cedar's:

I'm pretty sure that this is nothing a blender/food processor and a good recipe can't cure. Speaking of which, if you have a good recipe for hummus, PLEASE send it my way!

The Third Day is NOT a Charm

So, Friday was a little rough. It all started when I was at a breakfast meeting and ordered some coffee. Given that it was a regular restaurant with "dishwasher cups," and given that it was early in the morning when my brain works significantly less well, I didn't remember to ask for "no plastic, please!" They brought my coffee with a plastic stirrer in it! 8:30 and I already had acquired plastic.

Later, I went to a meeting with some of my new team members. They offered me coffee and I thought it only polite to accept. Sadly, accepting brought with it a styrofoam cup.

Later, I went to Good Stuff Eatery with my old team from work. By the way, that place is AMAZING! It's the restaurant that Spike from Top Chef opened in DC -- it's at 3rd and Penn. It really is great. Anyway, I think I avoided plastic, but not without giving up a delicious milkshake. Sad. I even chose a beverage in a glass bottle so as to avoid the plastic-coated fountain drink cups. I think the turkey burger was wrapped in waxed paper -- it didn't seem too plastic-y. Here's hoping.

All in all, a tough day. It's really all about eating out -- restaurants are dangerous!

Day 2 and the Livin is Good

Today went pretty well. I went to the grocery store to get some food/drinks for watching the VP debate. I chose 1 piece of plastic - a bag of Tostitos - but that's it. I tried to get the kind that's mostly paper with just a tiny plastic window, but they didn't have any at Giant. Sadly, I had to buy the entire large plastic bag. I carefully avoided beverages with any plastic, though (even soda cans have plastic attaching each 6 pack). I also needed a new glass bottle (I've taken to adopting this over plastic Nalgenes) because the lid to my old iced tea bottle got lost. I chose Lipton instead of Nestea because they had no plastic seal around the edge (even though I think Nestea is tastier).

I've been staying close to home and hence have had no serious plastic incidents. I worry about tomorrow when I MUST eat 2 meals out. Maybe I'll have better stories then!

Read My Lips: No New Plastic!

So, Day 1 went pretty well. I cooked at home which made being plastic-free a lot easier. I think this plastic challenge will force me to cook more, which is objectively good. I even found a metal pen for class. I've also decided on a clarification of the rules: Plastic usage accrues to the day the non-reusable plastic is purchased. This is because I should use the plastic I already have -- it doesn't help the world for me not to use stuff I already have.

Plastic-Free is the Way to Be!

It's October 1st. That means that as of now, I only get to use one piece of new plastic per day. Modeled off of Kerry and Erin's rules, here's the game plan:

1. Use only one piece of non-reusable plastic/day for the month of October.
2. ANYTHING that is not reusable counts. A straw I didn't ask for (or asked not to have) counts. EXCEPT:
a) Medical Plastic. This includes Band-Aids, vials and tubing for injections, anything they decide to use on me in a doctor's office or hospital, and containers of prescriptions or vitamins.
b) Plastic I cannot see and legitimately do not believe to be part of a product before purchasing an item. See the entry on Kerry and Erin's blog about plastic IN one of their meals.
3. I will keep all non-reusable plastic until the end of the month. I will then recycle what is recycleable.
4. I reserve the right to revert to plastic abuse on November 1. We'll see how it goes. I may also modify my plastic diet to general mindfulness or to 2 or 3 items to make it more sustainable past October.

Watch here for stories of my trials and triumphs! Down with wasteful plastic!!

Plastic Binge

Ok, so I went on a last-minute plastic binge. I stocked up on some of the things that are going to be a real challenge for me, such as:
*gum (the cardboard is ok but the outer plastic wrap is a killer)
*paper towels and tissues (not sure what to do without these...I think from time to time I'll just have to buy them, though I can reduce my usage by using rags and handkerchiefs)
*shampoo (I know about the bar shampoo/conditioner at Lush, but I'm apprehensive)
*plastic pens (though I still have to find some non-plastic to write with tomorrow in class since my prof. banned plastic)
*Lean Pockets
*make-up.

Yesterday I had a last meal in the food court at Union Station. I LOVE the Indian food there. I wonder if they'd let me bring my own reusable plate...I may try it one of these days.

On the bright side, I refused a straw at dinner and carried my leftovers home wrapped in a napkin! I'm going to be ok!