Soots has taken over many of Arya’s old duties while she is out of commission, the thorough examination of my weekly plastic waste being one of them. As I write this, Arya is lying on the floor at my feet, wishing I’d take the elegant collar off her neck and let her pull out her sutures. Friday, little kitty, Friday they come out. Then, you can lick your wounds all you want. For those who miss her, I’ve got video of Miss Hobble Bobble, as she’s come to be known, below. But first, the tally!

Plastic items used this week but purchased before the plastic project began:

• Plastic wrap from the final Wholphin DVD. I subscribed to these DVDs over a year ago before starting this project, and if the notice on the envelope was correct, this will be my final one.

New plastic purchased since the plastic project began and used this week:

• 1 big ass bag (34 lbs) of World’s Best Cat Litter. I sent an email to GPC Pet Products in July ^[1] asking them to reconsider their packaging. Here’s the email reply I got in response:
  

  From: “Kissell, Luke” (luke.kissell@grainprocessing.com)
  To: Beth Terry
  Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:49:31 -0500
  Subject: RE: Contact Us: Product Performance

  Dear Beth,

  Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at GPC Pet Products Maker’s Of World’s Best Cat Litter(tm).

  We appreciate the comments you have shared with us regarding our packaging. As we look into the future, we will be looking at a new type of package. It is always nice to hear what our consumers have to say about what their likes and dislikes are about our package. This type of information helps us become more aware of what our consumers are looking for in terms of packaging. We take these comments very seriously.

  I will forward your comments onto the appropriate personnel for review.

  Again, thank you for your comments.

  Have a good day,

  Luke Kissell
  Customer Service Coordinator
  GPC Pet Products
  Makers of Worlds Best Cat Litter(tm)
  TF:877-367-9225 Ext 4790
  Ph:563-264-4790
  Fax:563-264-4788

  I know there were several other people who thought they might also send letters to this company. Did you get the same response? I wonder if they’ll actually change the packaging.

• Plastic from the ends of a bunch of organic bananas.
• 1 plastic Rx bottle and lid. Hobble had to have antiobiotics 2x per day through a syringe for a week. I haven’t included the syringe in the tally as I’m keeping it for the next time one of them needs to use it. That way I won’t have to take a new syringe home from the vet.
• 2 red plastic drinking straws. Oops. My sister and her husband were in town visiting us last week, and wow did we ever eat. Restaurant after restaurant. I almost got away plastic-free until I ordered an iced tea during lunch on Friday and was having so much fun I forgot to request “no straw.” Remind me to tell you about the compostable straws I learned about yesterday.

So, one more week of plastic tallied up and put away.

And here’s the promised video: Miss Hobble Bobble’s Adventure.

If for some reason, you can’t view the embedded video, try this link to view it on Google Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1193517387124029086&hl=en ^[2]