Greetings, my name is Elissa and I have worked for the Sierra Club for three years. A few years ago I decided to take significant steps to eliminate plastic waste in my home, life, and community. The following are tips, tricks, and revelations I discovered on my journey (still in progress) to eliminate plastic in my life. These actions were not taken overnight or even over one year, they have expanded and evolved over time. I am sharing my story with you in hopes that it will inspire you to adopt plastic-free actions in your own life.
First I began by using reusable bags at the grocery store. But after a while, it didn't feel like I was doing enough. Next I carried my reusable bags into pharmacies, clothing stores, liquor stores, restaurants (for carry out), hardware stores, everywhere I went; my reusable bag went with me. My car was stocked with reusable bags, my work bag and purse each contained a small reusable bag for just-in-case moments, and next to my front door I placed a basket of reusable bags which were easy to grab on the way out. I had a system.
Honestly, plastic bags are the worst! The introduction of plastic bags in the United States occurred in 1977, not that long ago life did existed without plastic bags. No one asked us if we wanted plastic introduced into our life, and the plastic industry is doing everything they can to make sure it stays here for good. On average, every American uses 500 single-use plastic bags every year! Each bag is used for approximately 12 minutes (from the store to home) but stays on the earth for thousands of years. The plastic bag has a very unbalance life: bags are designed to be disposable but engineered to last forever.
After a year of not using single-use disposable bags I discovered something: I had less waste in my kitchen! My kitchen was no longer overflowing with plastic bags! It was a freedom of things I didn't expect to experience. I wanted to eliminate more waste, the next logical items (for me) to eliminate were disposable water bottles and single-use coffee cups. I invested in some quality water bottles and travel mugs, I had two of each for my husband and I, and a few spares for guests. It was important for me to find coffee mugs that worked for our needs, I prefered a travel mug that could be heated in the microwave while my husband prefered a locking, leak-proof mug with a handle. I suggest taking the time to determine what you desire most in reusable items, after all, you will be reusing these items for many years.
Next, I decided to not purchase anymore napkins, ziplock bags, disposable plates and serveware, plastic wrap, and plastic straws. I had a five year old at the time, so I needed alternatives. I discovered a whole world of reusable, functional items! We now use cloth snack bags, stainless steel or paper straws, beeswax food wraps, reusable produce bags, cloth napkins, and various other reusable food containers. With functional alternatives this switch was easy, even for a busy family of three plus dog! This time I did not have a feeling of 'I wasn't doing enough', instead I had a desire to eliminate more plastic.
The next items on my elimination list were single-serve food items. Check back next week when I describe how I kicked the habit of single-serve yogurt, cheese, and more!