(it starts with) RE-THINKING
A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Taina Uitto (of http://plasticmanners.wordpress.com/) in her home to learn about all the changes she's made in her life since embarking on her one year, plastic-free project. What I thought would be more of a novelty visit, perhaps with some gawking at an unbelievably simplistic lifestyle, I found myself rather envious; here was someone who had taken that plunge. She had reduced a laundry basket full of bathroom toiletries, to just a handful of simple tools (mind you, she said the boar bristle toothbrush took some getting used to). She had a box of soap nuts to compensate for every household cleaning need. Call me crazy, but I had a glimpse of this once: When I lived in Singapore, out of a suitcase. For some, it may seem unfathomable to be suddenly restricted by your limit of choices... but from what I remember, it was absolute freedom. Freedom of refills, freedom of waste, freedom of headache... that is, after all, the paradox of choices, isn't it?
Anyways, my long tangent basically brings me to the conclusion that a huge bulk of what we call 'garbage' is plastic. And just because it's out of sight, and out of mind, it isn't out of our responsibility. I only recently learned about the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch". Apparently it's a huge sewage dump in the ocean where a number of different currents meet and drag their non-biodegradable waste to be swirled and whirled for eternity (okay, a REALLY long time.)
I'm looking at my shopping bags I bring home now, and rethinking why I had to put plastic packaged grapes into another plastic bag only to be put into another plastic carryout bag. Don't get me wrong, I've reduced a big chunk of my waste since I started composting at home, but now that I look into the trash, it seems that all I see are plastic wrappers.
I'm starting to rethink ways to reduce plastic packaging in my life. I know some would rather avoid it altogether and ban the use of tupperware for health reasons and what not, but I feel that reusing a container is at least less wasteful than grabbing handfuls of 'disposable' sandwich bags day in and day out for lunch.
What have others done to make a switch from plastic to more environmental alternatives?
