Location:Bellevue, Washington, United States

Name: Harumi

Week: 4

Personal Info:

I was surprised to receive my first CSA vegetable delivery with produce in plastic bags (biodegradable). I emailed the farm and requested less or plastic bags. We have started buying milk in a glass jar, and nuts, beans, cereal from a bulk section. We have gave up frozen food, beans in a can, orange juice in a box, and soup stock in a box.

List of plastic items REFUSED this week. (Yay!)

– Plastic bags
– Wrappers

Total items collected: 44

Total weight:

Items: Recyclable
– Rotisserie chicken container #5 (w/lid)
– 1 yogurt container #5 (lids, inner seals, also plastic)
– 1 chicken stock box (small inner seals, also plastic)
– 1 orange juice box w/cap
– 1 milk box w/cap

Items: Nonrecyclable
– Takeout container (compostable) w/lid no number
– Chocolate container (no number) w/cap
– 11 food bags, 1 Ricola wrapper, 1 Butter wrapper, 2 Buttery containers
– 2 Bread tie and kale tie
– 2 Juice and milk cap rings
– 6 bio gradable bags (form CSA)
– 2 Delivery box tapes
– 1 delivery bag, and 1 item bag

What items can I easily replace with plastic free or less plastic alternatives?
A rotisserie chicken at Whole Foods maybe twice a month. My husband eats meat, and I make chicken soup stock after he finishes. It’s about $14, and we think it’s a great deal. Not only he can eat meat, but we can get a huge pot of soup stock, and we don’t need to buy soup stock in a box anymore. However, it comes with plastic container… Hummm. Maybe we start making own rotisserie chicken…

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

What items are essential and seem to have no plastic-free alternative?
– Cheese
– Butteries
– Butter without wrappers

What lifestyle change(s) might be necessary to reduce my plastic consumption?
– Bring your own lunch
– Bring containers to store
– Reusing bags
– Not buying single portion snack

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

What other conclusions, if any, can I draw?