About Me

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41 Comments on About Me

Jeet on Tue, 20th Oct 2009 12:05 pm


Hello!
I am from India ,I have a keen intrest in knowing about the plastic monster which we have created ourselves.Now finally I got a chance to interact with you .Actually I have an assignment about plastic monster So can you please give me every detail you have or send me sites which would help meto make my project.

Beth Terry on Tue, 20th Oct 2009 2:47 pm


Hi Jeet. I am glad you are working on this project. I have been working on it for over two years. Every detail I have is here on this site or on the sites listed on my right sidebar. I’m not sure what else you are asking for, but please feel free to peruse this site and use the information for your project.

Will Anderson on Sat, 24th Oct 2009 1:26 am


Hi Beth – thank you for your investigative comments on the CR blog. You are right there is much more the consumer should know about Harmless-Dissolve; much more.

I am very happy to give you all this information and contribute to the great work you are doing through fake plastic fish. Please e mail me or call (I’m happy to call you straight back) so we can take this forward.

Rest assured Beth, this has passed the EN13432 compostability standard and is totally harmless during degradation and when degraded – its fabulous. And, for someone who has spent most of their life trying to good in the world, its the least I could do as a packaging specialist.

Look forward to getting to know you.

Will

Simple Living News Update on Mon, 14th Dec 2009 5:28 am


[...] Fake Plastic Fish [...]

Chandana on Wed, 23rd Dec 2009 5:06 pm


Hi Beth,
Nice to see others concerned about cruelty to animals and giant garbage patches in our oceans. I think it is time for people like us to unite and take action.

For every person who is aware of this issue there are hundreds of people who squander away earth’s precious resources. One person’s cut backs are not going to make any big difference. Rather we shall try to make food courts in malls etc install dishwashers and make them use reusable plates, cutlery etc.

Ikea is a good example, they don’t use plastic cutlery. I want to know the economics of operating a dishwasher in a food court and want to eliminate wastage in a bigger scale than at the individual level.

Please contact me, we can share ideas and work together towards this goal.

Thanks,
Chandana

Beth Terry on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 12:09 pm


Hi Chanda. I completely agree with you that one person’s actions don’t make a difference in the larger picture of creating global change, which is why I have created this blog in order to reach a broader audience.

I believe that personal action, while not enough, is crucial. When individuals begin changing their own lives, they see the limits that they are up against, and hopefully will be inspired to become active on a bigger scale. Voting for change not only at the polling place but also in the letters they write, store managers they contact, companies they target, etc.

That is why I created the Take Back The Filter campaign (http://takebackthefilter.org) back in 2008 to ask Brita to take back and recycle their plastic water filter cartridges. And the campaign was successful, due to the participation, on small or larger levels, of other people. We were able to concentrate our individual voices into a campaign for change.

That is also why I created a discussion board on Fake Plastic Fish for supporters to discuss various ideas for creating change.

I am looking for another campaign that speaks to me. I want to get involved in making changes in companies that affect me directly. I feel that companies are more willing to listen to their customers because those are the people whose money they rely on. Since I don’t generally eat in food courts, I would like to direct my energies elsewhere, but if you do, I would be happy to share my experiences with how we targeted and succeeded with Brita.

Finding a company that is already making responsible choices is a great way to start. You can use them as an example to request the same changes from other businesses.

When we started our campaign, we were able to point to Brita in Europe, which was recycling their cartridges already and had been doing so for many years. Your idea of finding out how Ikea is operating their eatery is a great place to start. Get as much information as you can before starting a campaign.

Also, it’s good to first target the low hanging fruit. Find a company that seems like it wants to do the right thing, and target them (in a kind way) first. Because once that company makes changes, you can ask other companies to follow their lead. The Clorox Corporation (which owns Brita) was already making environmental strides with their development of Greenworks cleaning products, which had been endorsed by the Sierra Club, and their purchase of natural products companies such as Burt’s Bees. I don’t think we would have been successful targeting a company like Procter & Gamble, their biggest competitor, because that company continues to market the same toxic products without offering alternatives. At least that was the case back then.

These are just some ideas that come to mind right now. If you are serious about beginning a campaign, I would be happy to give you more ideas.

Thank you for reaching out to me.

Beth Terry –Saving the Planet by Reducing Plastic Consumption | Plastic Pollution Coalition on Wed, 6th Jan 2010 6:41 am


[...] just published an interview with plastic-free living super hero and star blogger Beth Terry, who is an invaluable advisor to the Plastic Pollution [...]

Rethinking Plastics 201 Conference | Plastic Pollution Coalition on Fri, 15th Jan 2010 6:19 pm


[...] extended producer responsibility, as well as actions that we as individuals can do.  PPC advisor Beth Terry, author of the blog Fake Plastic Fish will be one of the panelists, specializing in the latter [...]

Sudha on Tue, 23rd Feb 2010 1:03 pm


Hey Beth

I hope you dont mind me mentioning your blog in one of my posts under – Co-green blogs segement… :)..take care and hope to interact with you soon!!!! It would be wonderful to have a friend who thinks on the same lines as I do :)…for that matter is a lot advanced in her quest for a greener life than I am :)….

Sudha on Tue, 23rd Feb 2010 1:13 pm


here is the link :)\
http://sudhasrinath.blogspot.com/2010/02/fake-plastic-fish.html

Elizabeth Laul Healey on Sat, 20th Mar 2010 7:38 am


Beth – You are a true inspiration and I love what you are doing!!!! Thanks a million for bringing such awareness!

Kate on Sun, 21st Mar 2010 1:24 pm


Thank you so much! I was so happy to find this site. I’ve realized the importance of recycling after my kids were born. During the first week of recycling paper and plastic the amount of our trash per 2 week period changed from 3 large cans to 1/2!!! It seems like one person can’t make a difference, but if compare 3 cans per two weeks over one year versus 1/2 I think it helps A LOT. If we all do a little it adds up to a lot. The problem is not only plastic. We are obsessed with quantity. I’ve started a business of remaking and reusing old clothes (read unwanted in PERFECT condition) to make new garments. We overstuff our closets with things we never wear (hey, it was on sale!), get bored with it and then replace it with more stuff we don’t need. Think about all the energy and resources that goes into making it! I agree, a lot needs to change in our society, but I think it all starts with each and every one of us.

Boot Camp Day Two: Kick To Go Waste To The Curb | Your Daily Thread - YDT on Wed, 7th Apr 2010 10:23 am


[...] Keep a waste log: In photographic or written form, document your trash for a week. The results could shock you into big-time changes, as it did for the blogger behind Fake Plastic Fish. [...]

Brenna on Tue, 18th May 2010 2:49 pm


Hi Beth-

As I was reading through your plastic-free guide, I noticed that you mentioned Berkeley often…and so I had to see where you reside! YAY! You live in the Bay Area, I like in SF. Just yesterday I started a blog, recording all the plastic I use everyday, hope to cut it down to almost none I realized I kept talking about how our society need to cut back, but never told myself to do it. Its quite shocking how many materials are plastic that I just don’t even think of. yuck.
Anyhow, so glad I found your site! I would love to get more involved in the community as well, so let me know if there is anything I can do to help rather then just my own duties to rid my life of plastic.

Thanks,

Brenna

Eco-John on Fri, 28th May 2010 3:06 pm


Beth,

What a wonderful blog you write! i have only just found it today, but I am enthralled by it! I am a fairly recent eco convert but in case I was in any doubt, this has well and truly sealed the deal. I’ve taken the liberty of sharing your blog on a forum I frequent (http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18149730) and, although the initial reaction has attracted the normal frostiness, I hope to convince at least a few people to think twice before they get that straw in their soda!

Keep up the great work!

John

Day In The Life Of Best Of Mother Earth – Best of Mother Earth on Thu, 17th Jun 2010 10:29 am


[...] our host Beth Terry of   Fake Plastic Fish suggested the topic, I found myself thinking — shoot — what am [...]

Store it without plastic on Tue, 24th Aug 2010 3:04 am


[...] serious about getting into a life with as little as possible then you’ve got to visit ‘Fake Plastic Fish’ – Beth Terry, she’s my [...]

» Blog Archive » Captain Charles Moore and Algalita on Fri, 24th Sep 2010 6:41 am


[...] sticking to this one, the original photo of a dead albatross chick that got a lot of people into trash activism. It comes from the travels of Captain Charles Moore, founder of Algalita Marine Research [...]

Nimisha on Mon, 4th Oct 2010 2:55 am


Hi Beth, I was at your presentation “Hooked on Plastic” a few weeks ago and took away life-changing knowledge. I would like my readers to receive the same knowledge. Looking on your site, I cannot easily find a clear definition on “single-use plastics.” Do you have something that I can refer my readers to? Also, please feel free to read my take on the challenge on my blog. Thanks Nimisha

Beth Terry on Mon, 4th Oct 2010 1:01 pm


Hi Nishima. I just posted your October challenge to the Fake Plastic Fish facebook wall.

Single use disposable plastics are exactly what you would imagine — product packaging that is used once and discarded. Bags, wrappers, containers, utensils, cups, bottles, etc. If they are meant to be discarded — either in the trash or the recycling — after use, then they are single use. Mostly, we think of take-out food packaging, but it also includes non-food product packaging (clamshells, blister packs, shipping tape and packing materials, etc.) And it also includes the plastic tubs, jars, and other containers that you buy in the grocery store.

Burt on Sat, 30th Oct 2010 11:46 am


Why not consider moving away from disposable water filters all together. I purchased one of these water filters over two years ago and love it. Just pour water in the top and get from the built-in tank when needed. It looks like a tea container at a restaurant. They make small to large sizes. A little history below:

As early as 1827, Henry Doulton developed ceramic filters for removing bacteria from drinking water. “Offensive to the sight, disgusting to the imagination and destructive to the health.” This was how London drinking water, which was drawn from the Thames, was described in a pamphlet published in 1827. The Thames was heavily contaminated with raw sewage; cholera and typhoid epidemics were rampant. The first ceramic water filters were made using various earth and clay materials. By the time Queen Victoria came to the throne, Doulton was established as a manufacturer of domestic and industrial products in a fine stoneware body that bore comparison with any in Europe.

Google “Big Berkey” to find out more.

Guest Blogger: How Plastic Helped Me Find My Voice | The Ladies' Lounge on Wed, 3rd Nov 2010 10:20 am


[...] years ago, I read an article and saw a photo that changed my life and helped me realize that I had the power to make a difference.  The article was about the [...]

Watch it here: Tedx Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Best Of Mother Earth on Fri, 5th Nov 2010 11:21 am


[...] fearless say no to plastic pioneer Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish will be speaking at this unprecedented world wide [...]

Overcoming overwhelm one straw at a time | communicatrix on Mon, 8th Nov 2010 2:26 pm


[...] started to learn what that meant. Beth Terry, accountant, turned into Beth Terry, agent of change, when she saw a picture of a dead bird filled filled with discarded plastic. Teenager Jordan Howard became leader-of-teens—and aspiring teens, and long-retired [...]

vegan mofo day 10: oh, the noble oat « mammoth hearted moments on Wed, 10th Nov 2010 2:02 am


[...] referring to, please educate yourself. There is a wonderful blog dedicated to this subject called fake plastic fish if you need a place to [...]

Eco-Friendly Dental Hygiene « Eco Lesbo Vego on Tue, 16th Nov 2010 6:05 am


[...] All plastic there too. I’ve read about the Tom’s of Maine metal toothpaste tube that Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish uses in her very comprehensive post entitled Plastic-Free Dental Floss? Not [...]

Green Gifts Don’t Have to Suck! | “Green Tea" Party on Tue, 23rd Nov 2010 3:03 pm


[...] the inspiring Beth Terry at Fake Plastic [...]

Andrea Mameli on Mon, 3rd Jan 2011 1:00 pm


Hi. I appreciate your job and I post on my blog about

PS I need to read “Plastic Ocean” but the connection dont’ go. Can you help me to find a good link?

thanx
bye
Andrea Mameli (Cagliari, Sardinia Island, Mediterranean Sea)

Beth Terry on Tue, 4th Jan 2011 9:23 pm


Hi Andrea. Sorry about that. The article has been moved. I updated the link and the title. Here is the correct link: http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/water-pollution

10 Seeds of Change in 10 Minutes or Less | Dandelion Dish on Thu, 6th Jan 2011 10:38 am


[...] A lot. My Plastic Free Life has hundreds of tips and plenty of motivation if you need help. The story of how Beth started her plastic-free journey is inspiring — read [...]

Preya on Fri, 28th Jan 2011 10:54 pm


I agree we need to stop all the use of plastics and not just toss things in the trash. Thanks to Oprah’s show where I first learned about this on youtube, I have changed my ways of living with plastic.

I do want to note that that picture is totally staged. What bird has food in its lungs/ribcage? Its so dramatic that it doesn’t look even possibly real.

Beth Terry on Sat, 29th Jan 2011 3:43 am


Hi Preya. Sadly, that photo is not staged at all. It is a Laysan albatross on Midway Island. The island is covered with albatross carcasses filled with plastic just like that. Learn more at http://midwayjourney.com.

Non-plastic straws | random thoughts of a distractable girl on Mon, 7th Feb 2011 9:23 am


[...] opting for glass when I can and a few other things to help out. But I haven’t gone as far as Beth at My Plastic-free Life. (She inspires me! I have too much on my plate to go plastic free right [...]

Melissa on Fri, 25th Feb 2011 6:59 am


Thanks for this great resource. We have started our own project on this issue, and so much of the information here is relevant and useful. We are really working hard on de-plasticizing our personal/family/household lives, but at the same time are very keen on various forms of action–for instance, a locally-directed petition on plastic packaging that we’re working on now.

I like your comment on your “own unconscious overconsumption.” I have considered myself to be “environmentally conscious” for a long time, but since beginning this project on plastic, have become increasingly and often painfully aware of the myriad dimensions of our consumeristic dysfunction. It’s interesting how plastics and overconsumption are so closely intertwined, and dealing with the one inevitably leads to questioning the other. For me, it has really started to bring into even clearer focus issues that I was already aware of, but had not–and still have not fully–grappled with, such as how our definitions of success and work are so often at odds with the needs of sustainability and sanity, at personal, family, and community levels.

Anyway! Thanks for the inspiratioN!

Rebecca on Sun, 13th Mar 2011 11:38 am


I don´t really have any intelligent comments right now, just wanted to tell you that your blog is a huge inspiration to me right now… I come back to it all the time and browse for more posts I haven’t read yet – feels much more satisfying than aimlessly browsing YouTube or other things I usually do when I’m too tired or uninspired to do anything else.
Thanks!

Cuines del món » El supermercat més ecològic on Sat, 11th Jun 2011 1:09 am


[...] a les escombraries cada vegada. Tot i que la majoria de gent no arriba als extrems d’aquesta senyora d’Oakland que fa tres anys va decidir t’intentar no generar absolutament cap [...]

Un altre model de supermercat és possible - Ara.cat on Sat, 11th Jun 2011 1:43 am


[...] és que, tot i que la majoria de gent a la badia de San Francisco no arriba als extrems d’aquesta senyora d’Oakland que fa tres anys va decidir intentar viure sense generar absolutament cap [...]

Sweet Pea on Thu, 7th Jul 2011 9:24 am


Beth,

I was recently challenged by a good friend to stop using new plastic. I knew it was bad for me and everyone else, but it was difficult to imagine life without it. So I dug in. I did some research. And I have to say that you are my new plastic-free hero. Your commitment and your journey are inspiring. Now, instead of dreading a life without frozen berries, I’m looking forward to the challenge of living more sustainably.

Thank you for sharing your story, for your activism, and for the significant resource your experience is for others. I can’t tell you how much I admire your “adventurer spirit” the ability to go (among the) first and to report your experiences to the rest of us travelers. I look forward to continuing to read your insights and do keep perusing your previously posted articles.
Sweet Pea´s last [type] ..What in the sam hill is going on around here?

Month Less Plastic: Personal Hygiene | Rock Farmer on Wed, 27th Jul 2011 11:45 am


[...] Baking Soda Thanks to Beth Terry and her Plastic-free Living Guide at her incredible blog My Plastic-free Life, baking soda, plain [...]

sheila gale on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 8:03 am


I would be honored to have you on my radio show!!

:: Good Girl Gone Green » Could you go plastic-free? ::  on Wed, 18th Jan 2012 9:09 pm


[...] upon a blog, My Plastic-Free Life, and was very intrigued  by the concept. How could this woman, Beth Terry, eliminate plastic from her life and have a positive impact on the [...]

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By the way, the comment spammers are out in full force, so I've added some pretty tough Spam Blockers. If for some reason, your comment is rejected (and you'll know because a screen will pop up telling you your comment has been rejected) and if you are a real person and not a spammer, then please email me at beth [at] myplasticfreelife [dot] com and let me know. I'll add you to my white list.

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