From buying my weekly groceries a day before July including plastic to purchasing a 98% plastic free weekly shop. I really did well by starting off on a strong foot. I then had a week where I bought takeaways such as chippy tea in polystyrene and an Indian in foil (though not plastic and very much needed after the week I had). It has been interesting and a feat trying to make my own gluten free bread and still not being plastic free as I had to buy Xanthan gum which was only available in a plastic tub. Many plastic seals and lids on yeast later and I’m making my own treats. Fortunately you can still fit 99% of all the plastic I’ve used from my shopping in a 500ml peanut butter jar.
From other problems at work where a few times I’ve been handed a hot drink in the plastic and cardboard cups we give out instead of co-workers using my keep cup. I’ve been given “out of date” food supplied in a tub but which would of been thrown out due to obvious health and safety dangers but was actually still fine to eat. I’ve also taken home thai green curry sachets but once again I’m saving them from becoming food waste. Food waste is just as big of a problem in my opinion so it feels good to gather some thai curry in the name of saving the world a tiny bit. I would of hated to see plastic AND food go to waste. So with these occurrences I’ve technically not purchased them and therefore I’ve decided not to add them to my plastic jar (plus who wants to explain to colleagues why you’re stashing a used cup into your bag)
I’ve also had a few avoidable mishaps (if I had known) such as when I got some vegan sausage rolls which I assumed would be a lovely plastic free treat but ended up with a plastic insert hidden inside the cardboard packaging. There was a sign on the back saying recyclable but no sign on the back saying what was included packaging wise. On one of my first shopping trips where I didn’t use my money I bought some crackers to share forgetting that inside the cardboard is plastic packaging. Once again I felt I could get away with this mishap by not counting what someone technically bought to share.
Apart from this I’ve found it pretty easy to be plastic free with fruit and veg. I’ve started baking more and have made some lovely banana cake and flapjacks. I’ve also been making my own oat mylk which is a bit hit and miss right now but I’m getting there with the recipe.
My Imperfect Zero Waste –
- Bought a weekly shop few days before July full of plastic.
- Fruit and vegetables with stickers on them.
- Given 2 coffee cups when made hot drinks by co-workers.
- Went out for cocktails, which I never do and forgot to ask for no straws because as someone who doesn’t drink cocktails often would forget.
- Same night ended up drunk and bought a packet of crisps.
- Watching checkout ladies put deli items into paper bags for others to then be the only one to be given one with a plastic window.
- Cardboard outer packaging for a few goods but plastic inside (no label except recyclable)
- Got a UTI and cranberry juice in cartons and antibiotics were needed.
- Ingredients for making my own cakes and bread included plastic seals.
So although this post has many negatives within I feel like it’s important to showcase. There’s a lot of pressure to do everything perfect within the #zerowaste movement and I recognise that for many going 100% plastic free is difficult. Sometimes it requires more money for basics and most of the items on the shelf contain small amounts of plastic (my mortal enemy being plastic seals on non plastic containers). There was an inspiring quote I’ve seen on Instagram recently
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
This quote got my attention as I was starting to feel paralysed with guilt over the fact I couldn’t go a week without any plastic. Because who cares if you treat yourself because you’re feeling sad. Those who buy in bulk shops are still making waste even if you can’t see it, just think, how are these bulk shops getting their produce? In massive plastic bags most likely.
I’ll end on how I’ve never heard of Environmental Guilt Syndrome till this month and I think it might be worse than millitarian vegans peer pressuring you to quit meat. I don’t want you to be put off by the plastic free movement all I want is for you to think about what you’re consuming.
If this post does nothing to what you decide to consume, I want it to at least make you aware of your choices and think about ways to reduce your plastic. Awareness is more important than you think and this is the first step to helping us imperfectly save our environment.
Earthly Luna Wellbeing 