The Deliberate Consumer

When I signed on to Plastic Free July, I pledged to swear off single-use plastics for the entire month. If any piece of an item was plastic that couldn't be used again, I vowed to leave it on the shelf. So, with Plastic Free July coming to a close, how did I do? Did I succeed in my mission? Business Insider Australia:  https://www.businessinsider.com.au/nailed-it-netflix-baking-fails-photos-2018-3 Ok, so it wasn't as bad as all that. But in short, no. I was not able to completely avoid single-use plastics. A few products took me by surprise. There was plastic where I least expected it and where it was completely unnecessary. What got me? Three items. Three in a month of purchasing. And the culprits were... Kitty litter. Grr... I thought I had avoided this when I found a cardboard box of litter without a plastic bag inside. I picked it up off the shelf, paid, and waltzed it to the car - only then to notice the plastic handle that was stuck in the top of the box. Da...

In a 31-day challenge, it is an inevitable topic. There has been much discussion about period poverty in recent months. The fact that I only stopped paying federal tax on these items in 2015 significantly adds to this discussion in Canada (for more interesting facts on that sub-topic, check out the infographic -->). But what about period packaging? Just how much waste is involved in monthly menstruation?? According to the book Flow: The Cultural History of Menstruation , the average woman disposes of between 250 and 300 pounds of period product waste in her lifetime. Compare that to the estimated total waste a woman creates during the years she has a period, and it amounts to an estimated 0.5% of her total waste.* While it isn't much on an individual level, it is unavoidable and adds up when you consider how many women are occupying space on our planet. So considering alternatives to more common period products is helpful for the environment. However, after delving deeper ...

Heading into last weekend, the forecasted increase in temperature had me plummeting into some mid-challenge blues in a classic inverse relationship. However, the break in the heat wave also brought with it some wonderful reach-outs from new and old friends, reminding me of all of the positive actions that have resulted from taking on the Plastic Free July challenge. Like my wonderful co-worker, Lisa, for example, who reached out to let me know she has ordered metal straws for future beverage purchases. Or John, a member of my public speaking group who mentioned he now keeps a reusable cup in his car so that he doesn't need to use disposables any longer. He is the fifth person to mention this change in habit to me. I can't wait to hear from the sixth! And then there are still more who have connected, not to share habit changes, but to share an increased awareness of plastics and how they are a part of everyday life or favourite pastimes. My co-worker, Kati, shared an interes...

While there are more informational posts to come and many ideas for how to extend this zero-waste adventure when Plastic Free July comes to a close, this post's purpose is to share some of the mental and emotional challenges that are resulting from taking on this pledge. "You'd best start thinkin' where your food comes from and I hope you tend a good garden."  Corb Lund Tomorrow, where my parents live, it is forecasted to feel like 49 degrees Celsius by mid-day. "Hope they have a pool!" you may be thinking. Or, "Geebus, stay inside and crank that AC!" may be your advice. They do not have a pool. They have a farm. And while I'm sure their AC will be turned on (albeit not too cold), they will not be inside. They will be out in the field, sweating to bring in their blueberry harvest. A harvest that will go to city markets us urbanites can travel to using climate-controlled [public] transit, spend a short while bemoaning the heat ...

Our pets. For so many of us, they are an integral part of our families and our lives. A house is not a home without a chosen animal to share affection with. And as of last year, 65% of us felt that way, having at least one pet at home.* Check out my three and I am sure they will elicit some "oooh"s and "aww"s. The daily happiness they bring is incalculable, to both ourselves and those we share them with. However, so too, is the potential amount of plastic and waste they contribute to our households. Well, perhaps not so incalculable. It is estimated that dogs and cats alone are responsible for generating up to 64 million tonnes of greenhouse gasses each year, due to the amount of meat that is required to manufacture their food.** And then there are the food bags themselves, the bags of treats, bags of litter, bags for picking up poop. And these are just some of the common items familiar to dog and cat owners. Once more, we could become overwhelmed even k...

Like disposable coffee cups, the rise of take-out options is a very challenging demand on our planet. It is part of a food service industry that is estimated to surpass $100 billion in sales by 2022*. With this growth in sales comes the potential for growth in waste as well - unless we do what we can to help this industry grow sustainably. And one of the biggest areas in need of change is take-out. Read on for some stats and steps we can take to help minimize the amount of takeout waste and make reusing as easy as to-go food options. Who's ordering take-out anyway? 54% The percentage of Canadians who purchase take-out food at least once/week.** 56% The percentage of dinner orders that are taken to-go.*** 10.8 million The number of Canadians who have used online food delivery options this year alone.*** (That's more than a 1/4 of us, folks). The environmental cost of take-out containers 2025 million The estimated number of take-out containers used each year in the ...

I suppose this is how a smoker kicking the habit feels. I know that when I swore off disposable cups, I experienced it. And now, having sworn off single-use plastics for the month of July, it is happening once more. I see single-use plastics EVERYWHERE. I reach for the egg carton in the fridge, and my arm stretches past the plastic bottle of mustard I had previously purchased (yes, that one is going to be a challenge to let go; at least until I find a recipe I can make myself that I like even more). I go to my beach volleyball league and don't see the beer, but the Jenga tower of  plastic cups left on the picnic tables. I stand across the parking lot at the grocery store and watch the plastic marching out the door. In my mind, it looks like the parade of talking hotdogs and soft drink cups that once graced the beginning of every movie. I half-smile at the young woman half-committed to the cause; reusable bag in her right hand and plastic bag in her left. Heck, I even noti...

Hello, all and thanks for dropping by! Today, I begin the 31 day plastic-free challenge. For those who would like to learn more, it is never too late to take part. You can find out more information, tips & tricks, and the link to sign up at  https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ . Since swearing off disposable coffee cups as 2019's new year's resolution, this seemed the logical next step for me to take. Like breaking a bad habit, it will take time and resolve. However, there's nothing quite like millions of people across 170 countries pledging together to keep one on the straight and narrow. What's more, I am excited to come out the other side an evermore conscious and deliberate consumer. What's in it for you? What will you find here? I will be sharing some of our experiences throughout the month as my partner and I go through this journey, including hacks you can use at your own grocery store and where you can find some great plastic-free options that are cl...