The small steps are beginning to add up in my home. There is less plastic coming in, less going to the landfill, and less going into the recycling bin. Recycling has always seemed like a good solution to plastic waste, but it is only a stopgap; it’s become complicated. The old mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is still applicable, but I’m moving toward dropping the “recycle” part of it, replacing it with “rot,” or composting, wherever I can.
This means avoiding plastic as much as possible and opting for compostable bags and containers. It’s become a game at the store: how can I get what I need with the least possible packaging? It feels like a luxury because the food and products that come in paper, glass or metal are often the more expensive brands. Plastic is cheap and prevalent, but it comes at a cost to the planet. I choose glass or metal because they break down eventually into their basic components, unlike plastic. Obviously, it’s impossible to live and eat without having an impact on the earth, but I am trying to tread a little more lightly.
I buy what I can in bulk in my reusable bags or paper bags. An example is buying bread that comes in paper bags, which also probably means it’s from a local bakery. The COVID19 crisis has made this more difficult; most stores have shut down their bulk aisles and don’t allow reusable bags. To get around taking plastic bags, I opt for paper if possible, or take the cart load of groceries out to the car and put them in my own bags there.
Farmers markets are still operating in my town, so that’s another option–though I have not ventured there yet. I pick up a CSA box of local produce weekly which keeps me supplied with veggies, but the farmers market also has bakery items and other pantry supplies that I could take home in my own bags. I found a place to order flour, beans and other dry goods called The Silo Pantry. They deliver in the Bay Area and package everything in paper bags. Most of their products are local, which is an added benefit.
In the laundry room and kitchen I’ve made some easy changes, too. Instead of endless jugs of laundry detergent, oxygen bleach and dishwasher detergent, I’ve changed to a subscription with Dropps. They send me little pods of all three products in cardboard packaging every eight months–the laundry detergent is a liquid and the oxygen bleach and dishwasher detergent are powdered, and all are encased in a clear casing that dissolves in water.
One pod goes in the washing machine or dishwasher for every load. So easy! It works well and smells good–I use the lavender-eucalyptus laundry liquid and the lemon dishwasher detergent. They are also available unscented. I have used some other products, like the Meloria laundry soap powder and oxygen brightener, which comes in a vintage-looking cardboard canister with a little scoop. It’s not as easy as tossing in a Dropp, but it is another good option.
I’ve also done away with plastic bottles of dishwashing liquid and all-purpose spray cleaner. I first tried a refill company called Fillaree. I liked the product and the concept; they send a jug of soap in a container to send back in the included return envelope for a refill when it is empty. I decided to stop using the service when I found similar products at my local refill store, but if you are on the East Coast or don’t have a refill store near you, they are a great option.
Lately I have started using a solid dishwashing bar from Meloria with a bamboo dish brush. It sits on a little cedar tray that drains water away, and it lathers up nicely. My all-purpose spray, also Meloria, comes as little rice-like grains of concentrate packaged in a cardboard canister. A tablespoon in a reusable glass spray bottle filled with water makes an effective cleaner for kitchen and bathroom surfaces–even mirrors. Also worth trying is their Gentle Home Cleaning Scrub for scouring with a walnut shell scour pads.
I’ve incorporated these products and habits into my routine, and I’m motivated to use them–and write about them–because I prefer them and am excited to share them.
Trying to keep plastic at bay is inconvenient though, and during stressful times, the added effort doesn’t seem worth it. There is so much plastic, new and old, and with the COVID19 pandemic, there’s even more: tons and tons of disposable health care products and PPE, as well as plastic packaging and products used as a precaution against spreading the virus. I felt like I was making progress before, but it almost seems ridiculous to try to reduce plastic now.
For now, I have relaxed my efforts. Disposable plastic produce bags have replaced my reusable mesh, and I’m buying bread, English muffins and various comfort foods in single use plastic bags. During the months of stay-at-home orders, easy and disposable just makes more sense. I needed to take a few steps back–but I’m holding out hope that when the anxiety of Coronavirus settles down, I can resume my quest to throw away less plastic.
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