Name: Danielle

Week: 12

Personal Info:

We are collecting our plastic trash for all of 2011. Read about our family on my Week 1 post.

Blog: It Starts With Me

Total items: 14

Total weight: 1.6 oz.

Items: Recyclable

We have recycling pick up at our home. We use our service mainly for paper and glass.

None.

Items: Nonrecyclable

2 Gardein packages

3 milk jug caps

1 ring from milk jug caps

3 tags (from broccoli)

1 plastic wrap from mayo (glass jar)

4 plastic sleeves (from Luna Pops– a local homemade popsicle place)

What items can I replace with plastic free or less plastic alternatives?

Definitely Luna Pops.  I make our own popsicles, but they’re local and have all sorts of amazing pops available.  I can also talk to the owner and find out when they make the pops so that maybe we could come in on those days and get ours without the wrapper… wonder if there’s a viable alternative for the plastic??? hmmm…

What items would I be willing to give up if a plastic free alternative doesn’t exist?

??

What items are essential and seem to have no plastic-free alternative?

I’m at a loss.  It seems even with the best of intentions (e.g. buying organic), I’m stuck with plastic.  I find it silly that the majority of  “conventional” produce doesn’t have the plastic tags all over them.  I wish that all organic produce didn’t have the extra tags… that the conventional produce was slapped with all of the fancy tags that would read, “Conventional.”… and the “organic” was left truly organic.

What lifestyle change(s) might be necessary to reduce my plastic consumption?

Make my own mayo.  Maybe one day I will, but right now I’m focusing on our most used products like breads and snacks.

What one plastic item am I willing to give up or replace this week?

Luna Pops… they’re a special treat.

What other conclusions, if any, can I draw?

….striving to reduce plastic takes focus.  Some weeks I’m super focused and other weeks I’m less focused.  I realize that I need to sit down at the beginning of the week and make a plan for what foods we’re going to eat.  I think that if I can commit to making a plan (eek!!) then I’ll be able to cut out more plastics.