Comments on: Plastic Challenge: Julia Lentils, Week 2

By: EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca)

EcoCatLady (AKA Rebecca) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:47:35 +0000

Hi Julia,

I think you’re doing great! I totally, TOTALLY understand where you’re coming from on the candy thing. A number of years ago I had to give up all processed sugar in order to keep my headaches under control. The thing is, sugar IS a physical addiction, it’s not just in your head. I found that the only thing that worked for me was going cold turkey. And by cold turkey, I mean no substitutes either. If I let myself have some sort of Atkins bar or whatever, it just fueled the fire. I remember having dreams about eating chocolate… I’d be eating it and it would be soooo delicious, and then suddenly I’d remember that I wasn’t supposed to eat chocolate and I’d be like “Oh NOOOO”. But at one point I actually realized that I was dreaming and then I allowed myself to thoroughly enjoy it! That totally rocked!

Anyhow, all lucid dreaming aside, I feel your pain. I’m not completely sugar free anymore, but I can still only have very small amounts, and only very rarely. I have to be really careful lest I slip back into my addiction and headaches!

Good Luck. I’m pullin’ for you!

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:40:51 +0000

I hear the overwhelm in my post as well, but its not the challenge that’s doing it. Its kind of been months of realization that’s overwhelmed me. I wonder if you felt that too at first. I am very proud at how far I have come, and how easy some of it really is, but there have been some items (like milk) that frustrate me so much, because I see no possibility for change. I’m also overwhelmed by how hard it is to get other people to realise I dont want them to give me things that are in plastic or made from it. I didn’t know how much of my waste wasn’t even coming out of my own choices, until this challenge.

{to be clear about the milk, I know that most people can get it in glass, but I have searched hi and low, and I am pretty sure that it might not be allowed to be sold in glass where I am from. We have a pretty strict dairy industry in Quebec. But I am not 100% positive yet, still looking into it.}

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:06:01 +0000

Hi Julia. I hear the overwhelm in your post, and the last thing I want you to do is try and make all your changes at once. Just find one alternative each week.

For dishes, I actually just wash them with baking soda. Really. I also saw a dish washing bar on Etsy.com:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66393727/dish-soap-bar-package-medium

I haven’t tried it, but I plan to get a sample to review.

My addiction is the dark chocolate covered almonds from the bulk bin. At least there’s no packaging.

It seems like your plastic will decrease significantly after you use up the stuff you already have.