Zero Plastic Week Last Day

I'm glad I participated in this week.  I'm also glad it's over.

I learned a lot about myself.  I learned that it takes a rare skill to live plastic free.  It takes commitment, discipline and organization.  Sometimes you even need a back up plan.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure I'm up to being 100% plastic free all the time.

But having said that, I will also say that I will keep trying to move toward that ideal lifestyle where I lessen my impact on the planet.  It is what I have always sought.  I have been aware of many environmental issues since I was about 9 or 10 years old.  That means I've been hearing about climate change and pollution for about 40 years.  I've been aware of the plastics problem for 25 years.  I've been eating organic foods for 15 years, and I'm moving to eating more and more locally grown/raised foods.

I have mentioned that I live in a community that makes it easier, and it's true.  Single use carry out bag ban goes into effect July 1st county wide.  That means plastic bags are prohibited.  Paper bags are not banned but must be made from at least 40% recycled material, and there will be a charge to consumers for these paper bags.  The goal is to get people to carry reusable shopping bags.

I think it will be interesting to see how the major grocery chains will implement this.  The grocery checkers never ask if you want paper or plastic, even though they have both available, and they begin automatically putting your groceries into a plastic bag even before you can tell them you've brought your own.  It's getting really close to the date when this bag ban goes into effect and I've seen no behavior modification at all.  

I may not find out how they do with it, because before this week, I was buying only 6 items from corporate grocery chains.  At the rate I'm eliminating plastic from my life, that alleviates the need to shop corporate at all.

I'm grateful to this community for the abundant options we have to shop locally.  I am able to buy directly from farms, or from farmer's markets and the local food co-op.  There are also some small local markets which specialize in locally produced foods.

Back to the topic of being plastic free...There is another event called Plastic Free July, if you're interested in participating.  And there is also Plastic Free Tuesday, every week.