Name: Jennifer  www.oxrayfarm.com

Total items: 40 (including all envelope windows)

Total weight: 7 3/4 oz or 220g

Items: Food-Related
Ketchup bottle (not recyclable in my area, a #7)
cheese wrappers
frozen blueberry bag
flax meal bag
milk bottle tops
soba noodle bag
ziplock bag
Mail/shipping
Tape from a box
several plastic envelope windows
packing slip envelope
Chase fake gift card

Items: Misc.
Empi bag for electrodes
sunglasses containers clamshell packaging
9 plastic covers for things like toothbrush, sharpie pen, scissors (all for first aid kit)
random plastic bags

What items can I replace with plastic free or less plastic?
Ketchup bottle. I plan to make my own this summer when the tomatoes are rolling me over. The cheese and the blueberry bags I can do without. I am working on cheese making to supplement and reduce the plastic there. I can’t seem to find any cheese that doesn’t come in giant wheels that is wax wrapped. The soba noodles I can buy in bulk and have been. This bag was from my mother who didn’t like the noodles.

What items would I be willing to give up if a plastic free alternative doesn’t exist?
Most of what I have isn’t from any product that comes in plastic. Just household essentials or stuff for the emergency kit.

How many of these items are from “convenience” foods that I could make from scratch?
None, well if you count cheese as a convenience food then I guess one, but I am working on that.

What Items are essential and do not have a plastic alternative?
None.

What changes might be necessary to reduce my plastic consumption?
Really get on the junk mail delivery. I hate all the crap plastic windows that show up. I did the recent push to get off the junk mail lists, now I have to see what happens with that.

What one plastic item am I willing to give up or replace this week?
Since none of these items are essential I am going to say nothing here.

Are there any other conclusions I can draw?
I’d say we did really well. Much room for improvement, I plan on going through preserve to get our toothbrushes that should eliminate at least 2 useless plastic pieces every 3 months. I need to make constant choices when out in public or purchasing things. I think knowing what I know about plastic now will keep me “awake” instead of a mindless shopper.

Personal Info:
2 adults, myself and my husband. We are undertaking this as a couple so all tallies are for both of us. We live in the pacific northwest just outside of Spokane Washington. Jacob works but I am the stay at home “1950’s” wife. I do all the gardening, tending of household and livestock. This seems to help us with the waste generation since I am always at home to cook.