Living without plastics

this is a really interesting article! kudos to you--i don't think i could do it!

Brave experiment--congrats on making the effort!

Our town recently began charging for recycling (whether residents did so or not) and I was appalled to see how quickly the plastic bin filled with plastic bottles. If your experiment encourages others to become aware of and eliminate the unnecessary plastic, it is a good thing. You are not advocating a return to the Middle Ages, but an awareness of what is actually necessary. When gas prices were thru the roof, we all found ways to conserve. Plastic is no different. Of course, I am also a big fan of people holding themseves accountable for their choices and actions.

PMD wrote:

Think about this too
One trip to the grocery store to buy food items wrapped/packaged in plastic
Or several trips to several different stores to buy fresh items not wrapped/packaged in plastic
What is the net impact, in terms of how much petroluem is consumed?

I know that in my area it is easy enough to walk from place to place with my large woven bag to purchase various items. I have friends who bike for theirs. Public transport is also an option. There is life beyond the car.

Congratulations on your experiment! Reducing my use of plastic is something I have been doing gradually, which has made it more economical. For example, I bought my stainless steel water bottle on half-price sale. I got my shopping bags gradually instead of all at once. And since I still have lots of items in plastic bottles, I am using them up before buying something else.

Regarding recycling, not all plastics we buy or use ARE recyclable, but I recycle everything that is accepted.

If we all consciously reduced the amount of plastic used, it cannot but help our environment. It is not easy, but I believe every little bit helps. Keep up the good work and spread the word!

Good for you for trying the experiment -- even though you admit it wasn't a roaring success ;) It is a hard goal, but worthwhile.

Many commenters point out that plastic is critical to a modern lifestyle, and this is only partly true. It is a wonderful product, and enables many things (medical, technological, etc) that our ancestors could only dream of. But the LEVEL of plastic which is present in modern life is ridiculously high. As you found, it's impossible to avoid. What value is added to a fresh bagel from the store by having it in a plastic bag, which is put into another plastic bag when you buy it?

Thank you for writing about this topic and hopefully making some people think. Big changes will start with small ones like reducing plastic consumption.

Great article! Good for you for trying. I have made the pledge (no pun intended) to green our house cleaning this year and your comment about the house smelling like salad dressing and Christmas made me laugh out loud. Thanks!

As a Fake Plastic Fish reader, I really felt dissapointed when I read this article.
I really don't know what your intention was. Was it to annoy people who DO make a real effort to reduce plastic consumption? Well you accomplished that with me. I think you also make it seem impossible, when some changes are really easy and simple to make.
I agree with those who say that you should have investigated about this before starting. Maybe you could have spent the day before doing just that. BUT... maybe there was no real need for a huge and long invetigation. A quick read of Fake Plastic Fish FAQ's and List of changes that Beth has made, could have made a big difference in the success of your experiment.
At the beggining of the article, a nice explanation about the many problems of plastic in the environment would have made the whole thing easier to understand to those who ignore them.
At the end, a few optimistic phrases would have been at hand, or maybe even a light self-critics to what made the experiment failure and what good things you gained -- besides the feeling of guilt (¿?).
Please pardon grammar mistakes, english is not my mother language (I'm argentinian).
Lara S.

This article has merit, but like many tribune articles along the same lines, it is just a foray into the most difficult aspect possible, to see how great the failure at the task is. It would be really nice for those individuals who are TRYING to be greener to read an article written by someone actually DOING said action. For example, an article written by an individual on their methods of cutting down their plastic consumption by 50%. Or maybe an article every week on a different way to be a little greener - but written by someone who actually LIVES that way.
These articles written by individuals who jump in feet first into their new 'greener' lifestyle with no research or thought put into the experiement are set up to fail. What kind of a message does that send to your readers?
I would love to see (or even write) a weekly article about small methods to going greener - one step at a time.

A week is far too short to judge the benefits of reducing your plastic use. That Lush shampoo bar will last you about 6 months, so the $9.50 is well worth it. I've switched to stainless steel water bottles after my plastic one must have started leeching and smelled chemically and horrible.
It would be nice to have seen some statistics, and an update on success. I'm shocked that the author went the grocery store without coming out with heaps of produce--if you are willing to bring your own bags (or just pile them on the conveyor belt) you don't need plastic.

I can certainly see why so many commentators have said that plastic is essential. It feels that way at ties in our daily life, and I wouldn't want to do without the medical advances. That said, there are so many needless uses of plastic out there.

Please check out some of the blogs and websites of people who have been living plastic free or people who have researched the statistics and effects of plastic.

Good for you for trying this experiment! Avoiding all plastic is impossible. Avoiding disposable plastic is the thing to aim for. Any of your readers that think plastic is harmless to the environment should go to www.joelpaschal.com and learn about the plastic debris that is building up in our oceans. Plastic items last hundreds of years and some of it does great harm to the environment. True, it can be great in certain situations, but we overuse it. Check out my blog at http://tippecanoegreen.blogspot.com for ideas on avoiding disposable plastic.

The Great Green Debate: Recycled packaging is simply common sense, it may cost just a little more initially, but the end justifies the means where only the environment can win, as pollution and waste are reduced. The Weather's Wrath, it's a great title and written by Ade Paul ISBN 9780473131500. It has a great notes section discussing the skeptics debate on climate change, this has merits, but each can be debated against, in saying this, accurate records of climate have only been taken in the past decade to give true readings compared to historical estimates or data. Any scientist will accept this data is so recent no trends can be theorised or statistical data assessed to compare to earlier longitudinal or cross-sectional studies, but even it is or isn't warming, we as homo sapiens should NOT BE SO ARROGANT, SELFISH AND NAIVE to demand we keep our high luxury standard of living without making an effort to limit our pollution, and that goes for almost every citizen in first world countries, even lower socio-economic classes here live well, TV, washing machine, fridge/freezer, car etc, all things we take for granted and expect, but these need power and it ALL COSTS, but what is the intangible costs to the environment? Surely you are not that arrogant to believe you are not affecting the environment, killing species you didn't even know were there.

So think next time outside the box, and not in your safe little box to maintain Maslov's critieria for survival. Remember2Recycle©

www.whakabooks.com

Being a Zero Waste enthusiast from bonnie Scotland, I applaud such awareness raising efforts to reduce plastic waste.

I often hear how plastic is necessary to avoid food waste. I do not use plastic packaging waste and have no food waste.

My main advice is to use containers to buy unpackaged items, from food to toiletries.

Thank you for your article on Life Without Plastic. It was picked up by my local newspaper in Jacksonville, FL. I have struggled to remove plastic from my home since reading “A Clear & Plastic Danger�(naturalsolutionsmag.com , search “plastic� then scroll down). The author explained the dangers of plastic better than any one else. Most frightening was the author’s explanation that endocrinologists view “safe� levels of toxins as “genetic time bombs� and “A toxic chemical kills cells,� vom Saal explains.‘An endocrine-disrupting chemical alters gene function. And when it does that during development, it leads to cancers and kills the organism later on in life...’�. I interpret that to mean that from childhood through adulthood, we eventually accumulate enough toxins to develop diseases that kill us. I’m getting rid of everything I can that contains plastic – shoes, coat hangers, storage boxes, etc. If I have to make my own mayonnaise and ketchup, well, I’ll just have to do that, too.

Anyone know what company or companies deliver milk in glass bottles in the northern suburbs?

A good start to reducing plastic - a couple of comments and suggestions to reduce the guilt.
*I use some fabulous fitted cloth diapers for my baby, and they don't leak, even at night.
*Bring your own mug to get coffee!!! Easy! You are already in the habit of bringing your own bag.
*Remember that it is most important to reduce the SINGLE USE items - latte lids, lunchables, plastic bags. The durable goods, toxicity aside, can still be used over on over, so replacing them is not necessary the best answer.
Hope this helps.

Loved it! Thanks for an amusing and informative take on life without plastics. At eco-guides we coach people in reducing waste and recycling and I will enjoy sharing your story to motivate homeowners to notice their consumption and make changes. www.eco-guides.us