Sunday 12 April 2015

Plastic bag challenge


I know. It's a thing. Started by Greenpeace. A great initiative. Easy peasy. Read all about it here

Just do not use plastic  bags for a month.

All right. Done. I separate my garbage (and have done for years).
There is the green container for all vegetable peelings, trimmings from the garden, coffee filters, apple cores, tea bags....you get the drift.
We have the plastic hero bags for - well duuuuh - plastic.
Glass goes to the glass containers.
Paper is picked up by a local football club.

I am good at this. 
Right?
Right?

Eeeeeeeeeeemmmm. NO.
Turns out. I know nothing. Because if I did, I would not still be buying my fruit and veg in plastic bags. And - more often then not - the veg in question sealed in its own plastic wrapper.

Now, to be fair. I get a lot of use out of those little clear plastic bags. I re-use them as garbage bags. And hang them around my whole house. Tsssssssss!

Bread comes in a plastic bag.

Again to be fair. My dad uses the bread bags to pick up after the dogs on their walk. So re-use here too.

My favourite yoghurt comes in a plastic pot. I need two a week.
My cottage cheese. In plastic containers. Also two a week.
The loose veg has to be weighed. In a plastic bag.
The loose fruit has to be weighed. In a plastic bag.
My granola comes in a paper box. Inside the box is a plastic bag. For freshness.....
Milk - I use the little cartons, so easy to portion..... - tightly wrapped in plastic.
All the stuff I use in the shower and just after. Plastic bottles, pots and packaging.
Tissues come in a plastic packet.
Toilet paper comes in plastic.
Washing detergent. In plastic.
Fabric softener. Plastic.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

That is not even the worst of it. No. I have a cat. The cat has a litter box. I clean that litter box everyday. And use a plastic bag to dispose her you know what! I even buy plastic sandwich bags just for that purpose.


I have to confess. I am a complete and utter criminal plastic user. I use loads and loads of the stuff. Every day. I am not at all environmentally friendly. Not even close.

So this is a real challenge. Follow along for the ride. And if you have any tips going. Please let me know.

I need all the help I can get!

Heleen