Reflections

Wow! I cannot believe the end of my single-use plastic-free month is here! Here are some ups and downs:

Ups:

-Shopping at the Zero Waste Emporium and learning what they have to offer...which is yummy awesome stuff!

-Taking time to be more environmentally conscientious for a month.

-Spending time making more of my own food, which makes you appreciate it more!

-Learning tips and tricks, such as using brown paper mushroom bags for bulk items/ writing your code on the bag directly.

Down:

- How buying local, plastic-free food can often cost more! Example: I can buy 3 small pork sausages on from the butcher for $6 or 4 large plastic shrink-wrapped pork sausages, "garnished by Jamie Oliver" for less than $5.

-How I ordered a sushi Bento Box to stay at a restaurant and received it in a plastic container!

-How toilet paper seems to only come in plastic-wrapped packages!

Both an Up and a Down:

- Learning about our trash crisis and possible solutions.

- Watching the documentary on Midway Atoll and the albatrosses eating plastic.

But is it really the end? Absolutely not. I have always been conscious of my footprint, trying to be mindful of when I am adding to our global refuse crisis and how that can be mediated. Actions such as making food at home and being prepared with containers and cutlery are simple yet effective ways to downsize our plastic consumption. With new knowledge of where to buy zero-waste groceries and research surrounding the implications of our plastic waste I will continue certain efforts, such as visiting the Zero Waste Emporium. Additionally, I will be extra careful about where trash goes- even the smallest bit of plastic down the sink could have fatal consequences.

Will making efforts such as these change the plastic waste crisis? It saddens me to admit, no. Nothing will change the permanent damage we have done to all systems of life. However, what we can do is sloooooooooooowwwwww down the rate of degradation.

So, friends. Please think next time before grabbing that coffee spontaneously on the go. Before buying food wrapped in plastic wrap. Plan when you will go to the grocery store and bring reusable containers with you. If we can be more responsible with our own actions, we can be more responsible to our planet.