Welcome
I'm Beth Terry, an accountant from Oakland, California. In 2007, I unexpectedly found myself an activist, author, and public speaker after learning about the devastating effects of plastic pollution and my own plastic footprint. This site has evolved from a simple blog (formerly known as "Fake Plastic Fish") to a comprehensive resource on plastic-free living. Please explore, join a challenge, ask questions, subscribe. Together, we can change the world.
Read the Book!
Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
is your illustrated, practical guide to living with less plastic, updated with new chapter and foreword by musician Jack Johnson. Click here to learn more.Get Started
Here are my top 100 steps to get started on a plastic-free journey. Choose a few to begin with. Don't try to do it all at once!
- Carry reusable shopping bags.
- Give up bottled water.
- Shop your local farmers market.
- Say no to plastic produce bags.
- Buy from bulk bins as often as possible.
- Cut out sodas, juices, and all other plastic-bottled beverages.
- Buy fresh bread that comes in either paper bags or no bags.
- Return containers for berries, cherry tomatoes, etc. to the farmer's market to be reused.
- Bring your own container for meat and prepared foods.
- Choose milk in returnable glass bottles.
Join the Discussion
- Jen on NOT "Bulk" litter!!! Shame on Petco!I was thinking of doing this myself, buying bulk litter from Petco. And it’s good that you’ve educated them on making conscious choices, I feel that m
- Tom Jones on New Plastics Economy Global CommitmentI am undertaking some university (UK) research on plastic use. "How can we change behaviour and attitudes towards plastic use. All comments welc
- Simona on Hygiene productsHello there, about hygiene, I use menstrual reusable pads, cups and reusable face wash sponage https://www.takeitmini.com/collections/eco-hygiene-care
- Celadonne on How to galvanize others?Hellooo, so happy to have found others as concerned about the plastics epidemic as I!!! I'm only 6% into the book and less so into this forum, al
- Marj on public library plastic bag alternativeLook up boomerangbags.org. our local library has a makers space fitted out with sewing machines. Volunteers turn clean donated linen into reuseable ba
- Andrea on public library plastic bag alternativeIn our public libraries the librarians don't pass out plastic (or any) bags for our books. It's normal to carry the books in a stack in you
- Maria on public library plastic bag alternativehi everyone! Please help me find an affordable, alternative to plastic bags that we give patrons to carey out library books. We use blue plastic bags
- Linda Wall Schaub on New Plastics Economy Global CommitmentGood news! Yesterday, 290+ manufacturers (20% of the world's plastic producers) & 10 countries signed the "New Plastics Economy Global C
- Aimee on Getting children fired up about tackling plastic wasteThat's an interesting discussion. And I do agree parents should make sure their kids do not throw garbage on the streets/parks etc. A few times I
- James on Creating good, safe, and sustainable energyFor awhile now, I've been trying to find alternative energy sources that were less damaging to the environment and my pockets. Electricity gener
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Take the Challenge!
Do you know your plastic footprint?
Join participants around the world in the "Show Your Plastic Trash" Challenge! No guilt. Just education.
