by Beth Terry
2.5 oz Plastic Waste [2.5 oz new/0 oz acquired prior to June 2007]
(Hanging head in shame, delicious shame.) During last month’s road trip with my dad, I managed to avoid all plastic cups, spoons, forks, knives, straws, containers, bottles, and yet the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos got the better of me. Here’s how it went down:
Dad: [Returning from the gas station mini mart] I got us a treat.
Me: Oh, I can’t eat those.
Dad: You don’t like them?
Me: Love them and all their preservative-laden, artificially-flavored and colored goodness. It’s the plastic bag.
Dad: Oh, right. [Smacks forehead.] Well, I guess I’ll have to eat them.
Me: Oh okay, just one…
And what started with one Cheeto snuck from one bag turned into an orgy of Cheetos delight. My dad would buy a new bag of them, and I’d munch out, until finally, towards the end of a long exhausting trip, I bought the Cheetos myself. It was a Cheetos bender. I’m not even sure I rescued all the bags before my Dad tossed them.
Well, I’m home now and back on the plastic-free wagon. But what I great trip it was. Photos coming soon. For now, here’s the monthly tally.
Beth’s July plastic waste collection
New plastic waste (2.5 oz):
- Plastic cap from a glass bottle of New Chapter Tranquilnite sleep aid. I’m drinking chamomile and hops tea from now on, which I buy loose from a local herb shop, so no more bottles of sleeping pills, natural or otherwise.
- Plastic packing tape. From a case of Seventh Generation recycled toilet paper. Read more about our (nearly) plastic-free toilet paper solution here.
- 6 bags of Cheetos. See above.
- 3 plastic bags of ice. Ice for the cooler. Read about our road trip ice situation here.
- 4 plastic envelope windows.Learn about what plastic envelope windows are made from.
That’s it for the month. Now, your turn. What plastic-packaged delights have you fallen victim to? I want details!
