Location:Morrinsville, New Zealand

Name: Mark Purdy

Week: 1

Personal Info:

I live in a small town, that serves surrounding farming areas; I own, and am renovating, my 1930’s cottage. I currently am the only occupant of the house; and work for a local roofing company.

Mark Purdy’s personal blog:

List of plastic items REFUSED this week. (Yay!)
Fruit pre-packed in plastic, clingfilm-wrapped cake at bakery

Total items collected: 21

Total weight:

Items: Recyclable
Coke bottle #1
Milk bottle #2
Golden syrup bottle #1
all these are recycled via kerbside collection.

Items: Nonrecyclable
piece of clingfilm, bag from ham bought at deli counter, a torn checkout bag that had been repurposed a number of times, Moro bar wrapper, corn chip bag, bubble wrap from a stainless steel drink bottle I purchased online, handle off a paper sack of potatoes, a cheese wrapper, bag from English muffins, a few bits of electrical wire and some plastic bags from installing a bathroom extractor fan, a bread bag, a biscuit packet, soup packet, seal off a golden syrup bottle, packet from a potato bake mix, a muesli bar wrapper given to me by a workmate; lid & straw from Burger King drink

What items can I easily replace with plastic free or less plastic alternatives?
The soup packet-could use canned or home-made instead; the B.K. lid & straw

What items would I be willing to give up if a plastic free alternative doesn’t exist?
The Moro bar – could buy something from the bulk bins or that is packed in something other than plastic; the corn chips

What items are essential and seem to have no plastic-free alternative?
I could not find any plastic free option for the bathroom extract fan–they are all made mostly from plastic.

What lifestyle change(s) might be necessary to reduce my plastic consumption?
Visit the local farmers market. Get my veggie garden set up once the weather improves.

What one plastic item am I willing to give up or replace this week?
The Moro bar – I don’t buy them very often anyway.

What other conclusions, if any, can I draw?
It’s not easy to find alternatives to some items, especially in a small town like mine.