Location:Tualatin, Oregon, United States

Name: Margaret

Week: 29

Personal Info:

Margaret’s personal blog:

List of plastic items REFUSED this week. (Yay!)
Grocery bags for the most party
Straws

Total items collected: 38

Total weight: 7.2 ounces

Items: Recyclable
*Garment bag – came with a dress I bought some time back, which I finally wore a few months ago, and the bag ended up on the floor of my closet.
*Grocery bag – from Safeway, which I don’t recall going to recently, so I don’t know where it came from.
*2 4-pack battery packages – the only things I use batteries for at home are my camera and MP3 player. This package is from AA batteries I used up on my Mexico trip. I now use my phone camera, so will only use my real camera now for traveling.
*2 rigid covers from a foot buffer thing I bought
*Prescription bottle
*Medicine bottle
*Plastic bag from an order from Stay Vocal – based on the nature of the company, though, this was already reused. More about that later.
*Subway bag – I have to be quick sometimes to keep them from giving me one.
*Cake container – impulse buy at New Seasons

Items: Nonrecyclable
*Potato chip bag from Subway
**Drink lid from Subway
*Travel-size lotion tube
*VerMints tin wrapper
* Box window and 4 twist-ties from a hair-twistie-spiral-thing. I’m growing my hair out, and wanted something to pull it back in a messy bun without looking so messy for work. I think this will do nicely when it’s a bit longer.
* Envelope window
*Burgerville drink lid – allegedly compostable. I’m going to start putting this sort of stuff in my compost bin and see what it really does.
*Handle from Feline Pine cardboard box
* 3 produce stickers
* 2 film covers from aforementioned foot buffer
* 2 hanger straps from a sweater
* 2 Netflix seal strips
* Lid from a glass supplement bottle
* Feminine products package
*2 pieces of saran wrap from my tin of Christmas cookies from my sister
*Label pocket from a reusable bag that I use for recycling – I’ve had this set of bags for years, and these keep gradually coming off.
* Lid from Desert Essence blemish stick
* Broken rubber band

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

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?

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

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

What other conclusions, if any, can I draw?